Chapter three.
Hello all, I hope you like this chapter. Don't forget that I'm still eager to hear any ideas you have regarding this story.
Was also wondering if any artists out there would be interested in doing some fan art for this story. Its one thing having a picture in your mind, I'm curious to see how you guys see it.
Felcina woke slowly. Her body hurt all over, her plates feeling like there was a hungry klixen munching away at them. As she lay there her eyes closed, she slowly became aware of movement bustling around her, and the sounds of hushed voices.
As she lay there listening, her memories started to come back to her, landing on the new planet, the strange pink creature, the gun-fire, and finally the explosion. The memory of the explosion jolted her, where were her team?!
As she opened her eyes slowly, she saw she was lying in a small room, soft flickering light permeated the space from a handful of strange lamps hanging from the ceiling and walls. As she slowly and painfully turned her head, she caught sight of the table to her left, on it lay her sergeant, a tough grizzled veteran from Northern Palaven by the name of Patrian, he was sitting up while the Salarian doctor who'd accompanied them bandaged his arm.
For a minute Felcina dared hope that the gunfire and the pink creature were merely a dream, or concussion induced hallucination, but that hope was quickly dashed as she saw one of the pink creatures standing behind the doctor. Unlike the one she'd met when she left the ship, this one was dressed in a bright red jacket, white bands came down over its shoulders and joined a white belt with a gold buckle round its rather shapeless hips. It had dark blue trousers with a red strip down each side. As she looked up she saw it was wearing a black helmet similar to the first creature, except that the helmet badge was gold, and the whole thing was tipped with a gold spike. Judging by the fact that this creature was carrying what was obviously a firearm (it looked like a sniper rifle) she assumed that this was one of the native warriors. The creature itself seemed very similar to a pink asari. She wondered what she could call it and decided that for now, she'd call them pinkies
Felcina chuckled at the thought and the Salarian looked up sharply. "Ah good, commander awake." Was all he said as he bustled over, the pinky dutifully following. The Salarian ran his omni tool over her. "Minimal damage," he observed, "Mild concussion and minor shrapnel injuries from explosion. Able to walk by afternoon." Felcina rolled her eyes, always slightly put off by Salarian abruptness.
Just as the Salarian turned away, Felcina stiffed as a distant keening wail struck through her plates, the wail was growing steadily closer, but suddenly reached a searing crescendo and stopped to be replaced by a hissing, rumbling clanking sound which was drawing closer. Felcina's sub-vocals trilled in alarm, wondering if it was the sound of ones of these planets predators. She stared at the pinky, but it didn't seem worried, in fact, it smiled like a Salarian or an Asari would. The Salarian was staring out of a window towards the sound, his mouth hanging open in shock. The sound was soon filling her ears and she became aware of a large shadow coming through the window. The sound was now right outside the door as the clanking stopped, replaced only with a sharp hissing and a distinct smell which made her sneeze. Over the hissing, she heard dozens of feet and the barking, rumbling sounds made by the pinkies. After several minutes the rumbling and clanking started again and the shadow outside moved on.
As she was turning back to face the ceiling, there was a strange twisting Click-Clack sound and the3 creature from last night walked in. Felcina couldn't stop staring. Instead of an Asari's crests it seemed to have a pelt or klixen hide on its head. It walked up to the Salarian and Felcina was startled to realise that she could understand it.
"I'm sorry doctor," it said apologetically, "I didn't realize you hadn't seen a train before." The Salarian smiled, "Not worried," he said, "Curious, is that main form of human transportation?" "Human, what's a human?" wondered Felcina. "Yes it is," smiled the pinky, "Railways cover the whole country." "What's a railway, and what's it got to do with this "Train" creature?" Felcina heard herself asking. The pinky stared at her, she was grateful that he couldn't understand her. The pinky walked over to her bedside and chuckled, "A railway is what a train uses to get around," Felcina's eyes widened as she realised that it had understood every word, "And a train is not an animal, it is a machine that we used to move from place to place." The Salarian piped up, "Don't worry commander, have fitted human with translator and upgraded squads translators, we can all understand him and his kind, he will act as translator between us and other humans." "Is that what these creatures are called?" asked Felcina, "Humans?" "Correct, beamed the Salarian, "this Human has proved most interesting and is more than willing to educate on human customs and society."
The human smiled and extended a hand, "The names Constable Brian Hacket." Felcina stared at the offered hand not sure what to do with it. The Salarian coughed, "Handshake a unique human custom constable." The human's smile wavered and he withdrew his hand looking slightly embarrassed. Felcina ignored Hacket and talked directly to the Salarian, "What about my team?" The Salarian held up his hands, "Team is all accounted for, few minor injuries, yours the worst being closest to explosion. Have been in contact with Admiral Tarquin, he is sending envoys to talk with our, um hosts."
Hacket spoke up, "I'd like to apologize for your injuries Commander Felcina," he said earnestly, "We've never encountered life beyond our planet and assumed your actions were hostile."
Felcina was taken-aback by this human's apology, but she had to admit that she appreciated it. She nodded, and over-come with tiredness, feel asleep.
When she awoke it was a bright sunny morning, she could hear a strange twittering sound similar to the birds on the citadel. She yawned and looked at the chronometer on her omni-tool. Once she'd confirmed that it was afternoon, she looked around. No one was in sight and sergeant Patrian was no longer in the bed next to her. Decided that now was as good a time as any to escape, she quietly looked around for her clothes and armour, finding an under-suit and leggings draped over the end of her bed. Once dressed she quietly began to creep towards what she assumed was the door.
When she reached it, she was surprised to see that instead of a holographic or electronic lock, it had a round brass ball over an ancient key lock. Her talons found it hard to get a grip on the brass ball but she was eventually able to twist it and heard the same click-clack sound as when the human called Hacket had entered earlier.
As the door swung open, Felcina was greeted by the Sight of Hacket in full constable uniform with two human warriors, Hacket arched one of the bits of fur above his eyes as he looked at her. "Commander Felcina," his mouth twisted upwards at the edges a little. "How did you know we were coming?" knowing sarcasm when she heard it, Felcina's mandibles twitched angrily but she merely nodded and said "Where are we going?"
"To you ship," came the unexpected reply. "Your Admiral Tarquin is sending down a ship with scientists and personnel, and we are sending you and your men back." Felcina stared open-mouthed, this was totally unexpected, were this species going to be uplifted after all?
After a few moments however, she straightened up and glared at Hacket (more accurately, she stared at the silver emblem on the front of his helmet because it was at eye-level), "Where is my armour?" she growled. Hacket nodded, "Its being held in the village police station, along with your weapons. If you'd like to follow me."
Hacket turned and, with the two human warriors on either side, Felcina sullenly followed. The walked down some red brick steps onto a stone paved open area, she could see dwellings pressed around the edges, but none intruded upon this square open space. As she looked around she became aware of the fact that the only humans she could see were red coated warriors and occasionally blue coated humans manning what looked like ancient cannons from the museums on Palaven. Here and there amidst the hubbub were humans dressed like Hacket, with black clothes and tall black helmets.
"Are all your species warriors?" she asked Hacket as she watched a handful of red coated warriors setting up a sand-bag position, "No" came the straight reply, "We weren't sure what would happen after we destroyed your ship so all civilians were immediately evacuated, and they are called soldiers, not warriors." Felcina huffed indignantly "We never attack civilians," she remarked hotly. "Maybe so," replied Hacket, "But at the time, we didn't know that."
As they walked through this throng of humans, Felcina gauged their reactions. All of them stared, some with hostility, but most with curiosity, until ordered back to work by what were obviously N.C.O's.
They soon reached a grey stone build with a blue and white sign over the front, Felcina couldn't read the symbols but she assumed that this was the place her armour was stored. As she entered the door she was met with a hive of activity, soldiers and constables were running to and fro, a shrill ringing sound filled the air along with a constant tapping sound, she saw the tapping came from a helmetless human soldier crouched over a table tapping a small brass switch. Felcina noticed that his head pelt was a golden colour as opposed to Hacket's dark brown.
Hacket walked past the counters and bustle and through a small black painted door. Felcina, escorted by the two warriors, followed into a small stone yard. She was desperately relieved to see her whole team was there, formed up and ready under the watchful eye of dozens of humans. She was led to a table against one wall on which her armour rested. As she sealed herself in the familiar confines of her armour she looked sharply at Hacket. "Where are our weapons?" she snarled. Hacket took a step back, "Your weapons will be returned once you have boarded your ship." He stated firmly. Felcina shook her head, these humans may be still stuck in the stone ages but they certainly weren't stupid.
Once she and her team were ready the humans ordered them up into the backs of wheeled covered wagons. These wagons were pulled by strange four legged creatures which snorted at the sight of the Turians. Once both wagons were full, the flaps at the back were closed and with a jerk, the wagons started to move, accompanied by the clip clop of the four legged creatures' feet.
It took them about half an hour to reach the crash site and they arrived just as the familiar sounds of a shuttle whined overhead. Felcina looked at her team, and they all looked back, their faces unreadable as the wagons bounced over the turf towards the wrecks.
Finally the wagons stopped and the flaps were opened. Felcina struggled to keep her eyes from falling out of her head, there were humans everywhere. It was like looking at a sea of red and dark blue.
As she and her men hopped off the wagons onto the wet grass she saw that the humans had dug a highly sophisticated trench system around the wrecks and into the trees, here and there being weapons pits containing the ancient looking cannons as well as an assortment of other weapons. Tarquin's shuttle had landed beside the burnt-out remains of the original shuttled and was being carefully watched by over a hundred human soldiers.
Hacket marched up to the commander and smiled, "Your admiral is waiting for you." He grinned as he gestured towards the waiting shuttle. Felcina grimaced and slowly began marching forward, feeling hundreds of pairs of eyes following her every move. All too soon she reached the steps and was about to knock on the shuttle door when it hissed sharply and opened revealing a furious looking Tarquin. "Good morning Commander," he smiled tightly, emphasising her rank, "it sounds like you've got quite the story to tell."
Left with a bit of a cliff hanger here. Remember, if anyone has anything they'd like to see happen in the story, don't hesitate to tell me, always open to new ideas, or fan-art.