"Turncoat Renegades"

In all honesty, by the time we had turned in for the night I was more than happy to accept a bed from just about anyone, even if it was the most dysfunctional group I had ever witnessed. My head was still aching and my skin and hair were coated with sand. After a dinner of roasted Lunker meat (Believe me, the stuff is terrible.) we each withdrew to our tents. Emma, Stubby, and Tami each had their own so I was stuck sharing one with Tami.

When I awoke I did in fact feel better than when I had fallen asleep. I glanced over to Tami—she was fast asleep, cuddling my staff in her arms. I wasn't sure if it was because she simply didn't trust me or if she really loved the staff that much. Either way it didn't matter much, I could get another one. As quietly as possible I crept out of the tent and was greeted by the slowly dawning sky. The sun had still yet to break the horizon but it was soon on its way. The desert hadn't heat up so there was still a faint chill in the air.

The camp was quiet except for the muffled snoring coming from Stubby's tent. I didn't notice it at first, but Zappa was standing out here in the same spot as when we left it last night. The slot which housed its eyes were dark and lifeless. It looked nothing more than a huge suit of armor. It was still creepy. Anyways, back to business…Nature was calling. Given the lax security I was pretty sure they wouldn't mind if I slipped off to take care of such a thing.

I wandered a ways from the camp into the desert trying to remember where exactly the tents were hidden away. If one didn't know that the campsite was there they would completely miss it. In truth I had no idea where I was, as I had woken up in a daze with my captors from where I last remembered being. A secluded spot caught my attention and I ventured over to "examine" it for a time. It was hardly sanitary, but who would really care out here? After the detour I returned to the mental path in which I had set foot on. Traveling up one of the sand dunes provided quite a spectacular view.

The Sette Ruins could be seen over the horizon, casting dark slashes of shadows upon the sand in the rising sunlight. The temple seen at the rough middle of the entire desert dominated the surroundings with a majestic calm. I could only imagine who or what must have taken the time to build such a relic in the harsh desert and for what purpose. An ignorant guess would be the Corites, but there was no way that they had been on Novus long enough to create such ancient artifacts.

What a mess this all was…The Union better be paying me double (triple, even) for all this trouble. It would be interesting to report back and find out what the real story behind this Stubby character was. And these headsets were truly a work of genius if he really did create them. I suppose this was something similar to what the Race Leaders used in communication with other races, but for a Turncoat to have so many (via theft) would be unheard of.

That chill ran over me, that feeling of unexplained paranoia while I stood on the hill. I glanced around, expecting to see Zappa or Emma nearby, watching me with their piercing eyes but there was no one. I must still have been tired. With a final glance around I started back on my way back to the camp. I hadn't gotten more then ten steps when and hand fell over my mouth and pulled me back. For a second, it was just a hand with no arm attached, but very quickly it materialized from the thin air with a body to match it. There was no guessing what the hand belonged to, given the size of it. Cora! They pulled me back against their body, my head being driven back into their ribcage, and given the lack of cushioning there it had to be a male. I tried to look up but they kept my head from going far.

Though the Cora probably didn't care, he failed to notice that his hand was bigger than my face and his palm was cutting off my air. He apparently wasn't used to restraining Bellateans and with a few twists and pulls I managed to wiggle out of his grasp and make a run for it. I didn't bother looking back, it wasn't going to help me. "Cora!" I shouted, as if my words would magically travel all the way back to Stubby's camp, but it sounded more as if the desert wind sucked them away. Like a cliche war movie I tripped mid-step and was sent sprawling face first to the sand. When I tried to scramble back up I found that the trip-up was not the fault of my own.

The male Cora stood there where he had first tried to capture me, his hand outstretched and his eyes narrow. I looked down to my feet which were entangled with some kind of magic—not the usual Force Snare that I knew well enough, but something similar. Looking back the Cora was approaching slowly, looking very annoyed. A quick glance over determined him a Ranger based on his style of clothing and gattling gun.

As he drew closer I tried to run again but my feet were still a tangle. The Cora reached down and grabbed the back of my shirt's collar, hoisting me up to my feet roughly. I wanted to scream again but the barrel of his gun pressed hard into my back, causing me to rethink that idea.

"Filthy Bellato," the Cora ranger growled under his breath and it was then that I realized I still had my headset on. It probably wouldn't have the same effect if I tried to speak to him since he didn't have one as well. The gun pressed harder against my spine and I squirmed, trying to shift the discomfort, but he held the scruff of my shirt tightly. He moved me a step forward and I noticed that I could walk again.

Suddenly the Cora froze in place for a second, his grip tightening on my collar, and turned (with me) to scan the area. The gun left my back and was pulled around, hovering over my shoulder and aimed at a new figure who had appeared. My eyes widened a little to see that it was Emma standing there, her staff in one hand and that cold look upon her eyes.

"You! What do you want?" the ranger asked harshly, his weapon remaining trained upon the female Cora. Emma's eyes shifted slightly, looking the offensive object over before scanning his personal shield—me. Her golden eyes then ventured back up to the face of my new captor.

"You don't want this little one," Emma responded finally, her words calm but her gaze still intense.

"What business is it of yours, woman?" The ranger was starting to panic, adjusting his gun with the one hand and holding me closer with the other. Emma remained silent and when she didn't respond the man spoke again, tilting his head. "You want her for the same reason, don't you?"

Emma closed her eyes and turned away from us. Her skin looked even darker in the dim light of morning. She glanced over her shoulder towards the man. "Take her then," and with that she started to walk off. I thought for sure the ranger was going to fire into her back but he held his aim, threatening. The Cora led us away from the direction in which Stubby's camp was and we ventured into the desert towards the Ruins. It gave me a horrible sense of deja-vu.

It was a steady walk which lasted about twenty minutes, the gun never leaving my back. The Cora was obviously disgruntled by the fact my legs weren't as long as his and thus causing a slightly slower pace. Our path traveled through the sands and down into a valley which was leading to a tall spire-topped tower. The sunlight had yet to reach the depths of the valley, giving the whole area towards the tower a cool, creepy sense. The Cora gave out a call as we approached, something the headset couldn't translate.

In the doorway of the tower, two figures emerged, both Corites. They were both women at relatively the same height with the same sandy-brown hair as the ranger who held me. I could make out their faces from the shadows by the light cast from the staff of one of them, their expressions stern. Aside from the obviously Force user, the other had to be a warrior, given the large axe she held. My legs started to protest walking any closer to the two and I tried to dig my heels into the ground. The ranger gave a small grunt and tossed me to the ground again.

"She was out in the desert unarmed," the male Cora explained to the other two as the woman with the staff stepped closer. I turned about to try and rise to my feet but the Cora as already upon me, looming over me. I leaned back on my hands and stared up at her piercing gaze, trying to read just what she had in mind for me. The end of her staff lifted and slipped under my chin, holding it up as she examined me.

After a slight pause, the ranger spoke again. "There was a woman, too… A Cora." This caused the woman to glance up, looking directly at the man. She never moved her staff from my chin but her attention was obviously shifted. "She was familiar but I did not know her name. Her skin was like mahogany." The woman frowned and then looked back to me where the frown remained.

"You're certain of this?" Her voice was clear even when spoken softly. She reminded me a lot of Emma. Perhaps all Corites were meant to be unhappy. I'd never seen one smile.

"Of course." The staff was lowered and she took a slight step back. The second woman in the doorway hadn't moved aside from crossing her arms. While my gaze was shifted, the Cora before me shoved the butt of her staff into my shoulder and forced me onto my back without warning. This was going to be a bad week…

"You had better hope you are, Rorah. This is your fault." The Cora turned the staff slightly, grinding the end of staff against me. Perhaps she wanted me to run—Given her attitude she wouldn't think twice about incinerating me if she had the chance. But why? Why were they keeping me alive? Why did Stubby even want me? In such a bloody war only highly valuable soldiers or officers of power were kept as prisoners, not mediocre Chandras.

The ranger, Rorah, sighed and stepped around me, walking past the female and towards the tower. The woman's gaze followed him slightly before she looked back down to me. Her lip sneered and she lifted her weapon off my shoulder, placing it back on the ground. "Check her, Jestla."

The second woman strode forward, slipping her axe behind her back with a strip of leather. For being a warrior she certainly showed a lot of skin. She grabbed me and pulled me up to my feet roughly, checking me for any weapons hidden on my person. She wouldn't find any. The Caster's gaze never wavered from me, watching me closely with that distasteful look. She held herself very properly, her chin lifted with dignity. She really didn't belong out here, I could tell.

"Nothing," Jestla finally responded, removing her hands from me though staying near by. With a final glance the Cora closed her eyes and lifted her staff. Damnit! They didn't want me alive after all! I started to move back from her when the warrior grabbed me by the back of my neck, pressing her fingers painfully into my nerves. I felt my knees weaken and I drop to them, the Cora kneeling down beside me to keep the pressure. The ground between the Caster and I started to warp in color as runes I couldn't understand started to glow upon it. Forming a circle, the runes started to spin slowly and with some uttered words the Corite's staff moved again. I closed my eyes tightly and waited for the end.

There was a quiet whisper and the air seemed to shift and it felt as if a dark presence was falling upon me. I cringed, waiting—waiting—waiting. Finally I opened my eyes a little and glanced up, wondering exactly what is was that happened. I was greeted by the outline of a massive creature, bulky and muscular. Though appearing to be made of stone, the beast floated effortlessly by a pair of wings and wielded a long lance or sword. Its crimson eyes burned down at me from its height which was taller than even its summoner. I felt my stomach drop. This was a bit overkill to eliminate one Bellato!

The creature lifted its weapon and aimed it down at me. I held my breath, unable to close my eyes now as I stared, too stunned to move. The Summoner, however, lifted her hand to yield the beast. "No, Paimon. Not this one." The demon paused and lowered its lance, turning to look at the one who called it. It spoke, and when it did, I felt my nerves cringe and crawl under my skin. The translator couldn't interpret the language it used but the Cora seemed to understand just fine.

The Summoner sighed gently as she lowered her hand. "My sibling seems to think this will solve our little problem. We need her alive." I heard Rorah huff some distance away but my eyes were locked upon the weapon of the Paimon. The beast spoke again, its burning eyes narrowing to slits as it spoke to the Summoner, its tone exceedingly dark. "We require your assistance," she said now, gesturing to me.

The summon looked towards me once more and, after a moment, uttered a sharp growl. If I hadn't been on my knees already I would have certainly fallen to them from that. It turned and spoke rather harshly to the woman but she didn't flinch from its tone, calmly offering a polite bow and whispering something too softly for me to hear. The monster turned back to me with a snort and I felt myself standing. I had completely forgotten the Corite warrior woman beside me who was now hoisting me back to my feet. Once vertical the Paimon grabbed for me and lifted me up with one hand with ease. It didn't look very happy, nothing that came from a Cora ever did, and it finally tucked me under its arm like some sort of package, pinning my arms at my sides against its stony frame. It was less than comfortable. The creature uttered one last thing to its Summoner before falling silent.

The Cora remained bowed for a moment longer before straightening. Her gaze turned to fall upon Rorah before heading towards him. From the archway of the tower came another form, a smaller form. For half a second I thought it was another Bellato, but as she came into the light her features were obviously Corite. She looked much like a smaller, younger version of the Summoner with shorter hair. Despite myself I stared at her—she had to be the youngest Cora I'd ever seen with a weapon. In her hands she held a green-colored staff and stared back at me with large, similar hued eyes.

The Cora child gasped upon seeing me and ran forward, obviously more amazed with me than the huge summon holding me. She looked me over then looked up to the Paimon, then over to Jestla. The Summoner had walked off to speak with Rorah in private and thus left the summon to do as it will, though its job seemed rather obvious. "Is this a sinner, Jessie?" she asked the woman left behind. Even her voice was young.

Jestla and I caught each others eye before she looked back to the little Cora. "It is," she replied simply. The child looked back to me, astonished by my mere existence. Had she never seen a Bellato before? Was she really that naive? Why would she be on Novus, a planet of war, without even knowing the enemy? Despite her innocence and age I still held my breath when she waved her staff by my face. She took great pleasure in my reaction and did so several times, even tapping the staff lightly against my forehead.

"Their ears are funny," she then pointed out, reaching over and pulling a bit on one of my considerably smaller ears. It wasn't hard enough to hurt but the child was becoming rather annoying.

"Doette! Do not touch her!" The Summoner shouted sternly over at the child who quickly withdrew her hand from me. The child frowned and looked over to the woman before looking back to me. With a huff she finally pulled her attention away and looked up to the beastman which held me captive, brightening up once again and waving to the creature. If the summon acknowledged the child, it was in no way I could detect as it continued to hover there motionlessly.

Being denied attention, Doette gave a little sigh and turned to venture off towards the Summoner and Ranger. As she drew closer to the two her steps picked up and she was nearly skipping by the time she got to the pair. In watching them it appeared that she favored Rorah to the Summoner though the ranger seemed reserved regarding both of them.

My head was killing me again. From one oddity to the next. At least this group was all one race. They hadn't noticed that I could understand them and I planned to keep it that. If they removed my headset I might lose my only chance of finding out why I was in this situation or how I could escape it.

I started to wonder if Emma would tell Stubby and the others what happened to me or if she would simply deny ever seeing what happened. Would they come looking for me even if she did? They had no reason to unless to benefit themselves for whatever reason made me so popular.

Finally the Summoner motioned towards my direction and it seemed that we would be traveling. To where they didn't mention and it was apparent that I wasn't going to be doing any walking given my summoned escort. I can't say I was really grateful for it.