Chapter 13
Taking it slow
0600 hours
Sandgem town
Near route 202, on the way to Jubilife City
Troy-172's team~
Spark: lvl 2: thundershock, charm
Emily Blitz's team~
Grace(Snivy): lvl 47: Leaf storm, Light screen, Iron tail, Vine whip
(Troy-172's POV)
Sun was already starting it's daily routine across the sky, small birds chirped away in the distance without a care in the world, even the temperature was perfect. Everything felt peaceful and serene... Then there's me and my way of doing things this early in the morning.
"Alright, it's 0600. Let's move out!" I yelled shouldering my fully supplied carry bag out of the local market. We found a place to rest and recuperate in the Pokemon center. Apparently it doubles as a motel to travelers, if we got the cash. Adds to my suspicion that this is a lost Canadian colony. Got Spark up at the crack off dawn and had him do early morning drills. Basic stuff, push ups, sit ups, squats, running around the perimeter of the town a few times.
He got farther then I was expecting with the running. Half way around the town before he dropped to the ground exhausted. Stamina is going to be a huge area to focus on. That was also with the easy stuff, I'll wait to get him started on the harder crap till after he grasps the concept for the easier stuff.
"Do we have to go so early?" Emily asked yawning. Grace was beside her rubbing her eyes and yawning. Spark was already on my shoulder, ready to get started. I admire the enthusiasm of the little guy. Easier to train when they are enthusiastic. I'm glad I didn't turn his egg into a omelet. I'll find something else to eat later instead.
"The earlier we start, the sooner we reach out destination." I explained as Serena flashed into view, looking rather chipper.
"Good morning Chief petty officer Spartan-172." Serina greeted. "All systems are operating at maximum efficiency, sun is shining, and it is a beautiful morning."
"Who the hell are you and what have you done with Serina?" I asked quietly. No way this is Serina. In the short time I known her, I know for damn sure that she is never this chipper and happy. Has rampancy really made her go insane?
"I'm not sure I understand your question, Nothing happened to me, I just realized I need to take in the beautiful scenery and joy this world provides before we need to leave or if I destabilize before then." She replied. "or do you prefer my sarcastic side with a bit of humor?"
"On second thought, I prefer this side of you. Less annoying and a lot easier to work with." I replied. I looked back to see Emily and Grace shifting down the road to the outside of town. I can tell they are not morning people. But the early bird always wins in the end. And we are kind of on a time sensitive mission, every minute wasted is a minute that could have been used to cover more ground. I just hope the communication's equipment is salvageable.
(Daisy-023's POV)
Snowpoint City
Well the hospital food isn't that bad, little bland if anything. I've been awake since 0400, I swear this place gives me the creeps. That 'Chancy' thing just says the same thing over and over. Find it humorous to imagine a Grunt doing the same thing, wondering the battlefield yelling 'grunt grunt'. Think the drugs are starting to make me a little loopy in the head.
"Morning Ms. Daisy." The nurse greeted as she walked in with a manila envelope. It was pretty much the same as yesterday, only had a trey of bland tasting food in front of me. Even the meal bars that the military stock piles has some taste. Even if the taste is worse then cardboard. "How you feeling today? Better? Worse?"
"Better, chest still hurts though." I replied.
"Good, I just have a questions you need to answer. If I'm going to be taking care of you, I want to know what exactly happened." She informed pulling out a small vile out of her pocket. I looked closer to see what was inside, just a bunch of tiny pink crystal fragments. Oh no...
"First question, what exactly are these? Pulled hundreds out of your body yesterday, they are like nothing I've ever seen before." She asked.
"That's classified." I replied.
"Government stuff more then likely." She whispered to herself "Next question, where did you come from? Don't have your picture up anywhere on out data banks? I check with my sister in the military and she said no one at her outpost even heard of the UNSC." She asked. I gave her the same answer.
"That's classified."
"Okay, how did those shards get inside your body?"
"Something shot me." No duh. "I don't know what they used but I was shot." I lied a bit. Chances are this place isn't UNSC or UEG or even URF. If it was the first two, I would be on a medical station getting surgery to fix everything. The URF would more then likely have killed me on sight or tormented me for answers. Most likely a lost colony or something. I need to keep the answers to a 'need-to-know' basis.
"Anything you can tel me that isn't classified? I want to know who the person I'm taking care of is."
"My name is Daisy-023, Chief petty officer of the UNSC." I replied directly from memory. In case of a interrogation, just repeat stuff your interrogator already knows over and over. Never divulge any vital information no matter what they try or torment you, never ends well for the torture victim when they spill the beans. If she is with the URF, I got nothing to lose or gain.
"I can tell you're not going to tell me anything else, Sister warned me of military protocol when it comes to classified crap. But I have one final question I probably already know the answer to." She informed pulling two pictures out of manila envelope. Both x-rays of the human chest cavity. One looked normal, the other was odd in many ways.
"The one of the left is from a female human around your age. One on the right is from you. You can see the basic organs in both. Lungs, heart, diaphragm, yada yada yada. What has me fascinated is that, no offense you or anything, your body is very odd. Bones are harder then they should be, and your muscles are completely weird in every sense of the word, nerves transmitting signals three times faster then normal, even your hormones made it hard to operate. Unless puberty was one really mean son-of-a-bitch, I can't think of any reason you should be like this. Mind filling in the gaps so I'm not completely in the dark here?" She asked.
"That is extremely sensitive materiel, highly classified. I can't divulge any information about that without facing severe penalties. Which include but are not limited to: life in prison, military court marshal, dishonorable discharge, and/or execution to preserve the secrecy of it." I informed.
"I can see that I am going nowhere fast. That is all Ms. Daisy. I'll have Chancy bring you something to help you're chest pain." She explained walking away with her head held low. I looked back at the picture of my X-ray. I can see the spots in my lung where the shards penetrated, where I'll need surgery. This woman has tried so hard to heal me. Yet I can't do anything to repay her, a Spartan never leaves a debt unpaid.
"Wait." I called. She turned and looked at me with a confused expression. "If it makes you feel any better, I highly appreciate the help. Think I could see who brought me in?"
She smiled and nodded her head. "Of course."
(Troy-172's POV)
Spark was in front of us leading the way, using a stick he found as a baton. Serena found it quite funny to watch. As long as we get to Jubilife city on scheduled, he can be dancing to the waltz for all I care. Emily wasn't too far behind me, thinking of questions to ask me. Most of the ones she asked already were answered with, That's classified.
"Whats it like being in space?" She asked.
"It's cold, darkness as far as the eye can see. Tons of stars, not as good as people like to believe after a while." I replied. I honestly prefer keep my boots on solid ground. Easier to gain the upper hand on the ground then in zero gravity. And I know I won't
"How many planets have you visited?" She asked.
"Too many to keep track of. None of them are near here, I think." I replied. I have no clue where I am exactly. Could be a few systems away from the nearest UNSC controlled world, could be a entire galaxy away. Not knowing where I crash landed is frustrating me.
"My turn for a question." Serina interrupted. "How was Grace able to reconstruct the cellular structure of her tail to an organic metal alloy? And what is the primary reason for it?" She asked. Now that I think of it, I am curious on how she did that as well.
"I honestly don't know, just a move she learned a while back. Mainly use it counter ice types and to break rocks when needed." She replied. Grace smirked and held her nose higher as she walked down the road.
"Second question. Since Grace appears to be part plant, does she require photosynthesis to get food or energy?" Serina asked.
"Um... I'm not exactly sure. She moves faster and has more energy when in the sunlight. So I assume that is a yes. I never studied her too intensely." She explained.
"Does that answer satisfy you Serina?" I asked looking at her on screen display. She smirked and disappeared. "I'll take that as a yes."
"Pichu Pi! Pichu Pi!" Spark yelled throwing the stick away as he started climbing a tree. I look up to see a bunch of apples above our heads. Good to know we're this close to a food source, makes sense why there is a town close by now. Spark was leaning on the branch trying to reach for one. Guess the little guy is hungry, better stock up on fresh food while we can. Our canned rations will last longer but it will run out given time. Eat the fresh food first while we can, preserve the other rations for future use.
"Grave can you reach your vines up there and get him before he falls." Emily asked. Spark was now hanging on said apple. How he managed to do so, I'm not going to bother question. Grace sighed as the vines from her neck. Spark kept pulling on the apple to get it free. He is going to get a really good lesson on physics doing that. I'm not going to stop him, he gets hurt he'll learn not to do that again. Learning by experience stick a lot longer then having someone tell you how to do everything.
Like riding a bike or shooting a gun. I can tell someone how to do it all I like, but it won't stick until they try it for themselves. So what if you fall off the bike, shoot yourself in the foot, and fail the first few times. It is what you learn from it that matters. You learn to either quit all together or practice to get better and not make those mistakes again. That is how progress is made. You try, get a little hurt or fail, learn, and repeat the cycle till you get better and eventually master it. That's how I got where I am now. Wouldn't let Mendez have the satisfaction of seeing me give up after returning to the facility.
Spark was now in Grace's vines happily munching away on the apple he finally managed to get down. Grace looked a little peeved at Spark. Why, I have no idea nor do I care. He looked up from his meal to see Grace putting his butt on the ground. He tilted his head as she retracted her vines. I
"Pichu pi?" He asked picking himself up. Serina snickered a bit as she popped into view.
"What did I miss?" She asked.
"Nothing much, Spark almost getting a hands on lesson in physics. What have you been up to?" I replied.
"I've been searching through a few files about you I nabbed from The light before we had to bug out. Mainly reading the parts that isn't highly encoded. Figured I might want to get to know my carrier better. Just got one question, what happened between you and Daisy-023? She pops up a lot on this before the end of the Harvest Campaign, few times quite fondly from the way you spoke of her in debriefing recordings, but most of it I can't decode without risking a rampancy fit. Care to fill in the blanks Chief?" She asked.
"Don't call me that, I'm not like John or Daisy. I haven't earned the right to be called 'Chief' like they have yet." I replied. "What happened between me and Daisy remains on Harvest ."
"Okay big guy, what every you say." She said flashing out of view again. Damn I hate it when people try prying into what happened on Harvest. I rather not think about what happened then. Her sacrifice still haunts me to this day. If only I hadn't pointed out that prototype armor for her. If I would have kept my trap shut, she would still be alive today, and I wouldn't have her blood on my hands.
I smacked my elbow on the trunk of one of the apple trees. It shook a bit under the force and knocked a few apples loose. They started pelting the ground and one landed in Emily's hand. She looked at me a bit confused.
"Don't ask what happened on Harvest or about Daisy. Period." I said reaching out and grabbing an apple out of the air as it was falling. I look down to see Grace waddling to Emily with her arms and vines full of juicy red apples. Spark was happily munching away on the one he risked his life for.
"Wasn't going to. You would probably say 'That's classified' if I did." She replied throwing Grace's apples in a bag for her companion. I tosses her the apple I grabbed, she caught it and put in the bag with the others. Good that she knows the usual procedure by now. Less explaining for me to do. I take a quick glance around my HUD out of habit. Little blip on the motion tracker popped up right out side our group. It's small but large enough to set it off. That was the second time in the past five minutes. Exact same distance in all. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
"Hold up, I got movement. Ten meters due south." I ordered keeping my hand by my pistol scanning the area. One thing Mendez drilled into my head. Motion tracker goes of, keep your hand on your weapon and look around for hostiles. Equipment can malfunction, your training won't.
"And that means what exactly Spartan? We're in a forest, not a war zone. There is always going to be movement, calm down." Serina informed. I ignored her and scanned the area. Someone or something was following us. I want to be sure it isn't hostile.
"Spartan are you feeling okay?" Emily asked. I ignored her too and caught a pair of yellow feet quickly diving into a bush. Exactly ten yards off, gotcha.
"Emily stay there with Spark." I ordered walking toward the visually shaking bush. I picked up a random rock and threw it into the bush with a loud thunk. Like a bat out of hell, a weird blue penguin came rushing out of the bush toward me. I resisted opening fired as it ran into my hand. I was using barely any force to keep it at bay.
"Piplup, Piplup, pip!" The thing yelled still trying to run forward with my hand keeping it still. Wait a second. Isn't he the penguin from the lab? It can't be the same one. We're about a mile out from town. Nothing with legs that short of legs could have followed us this far. Plus the one at the lab was too timid to get close to me.
"So you're the one who's been following us." I said removing my hand. Poor thing went flying forward face first into the dirt. It picked itself up and looked back at me. Before I could get a word in it ran behind Spark and tried to use him like shield.
"Does this request an 'I told you so' or shall I save it for another time?" Serina asked giving me a innocent smile. Note to self, don't let Serina get another 'I told you so'. She might not let me live this down for a while.
"Woah, why is Piplup following us? Shouldn't he be back at the lab?" Emily observed. Can you put that into a memo and entitle it 'Shit I already know'. She said most of these beings are as smart as humans are, let us put that to the test and see if this one understands me.
"I'll give you exactly ten seconds to either run or say why you followed us, after that you'll be considered fair game. Ten." I began counting keeping my hand at my pistol clicking the safety off.
I can think of three reasons to keep a water pokemon; Infinite source of fresh water, someone to extinguish fires quickly for a speedy retreat or surprise attack, and torture for future hostiles for information. Never underestimate something as simple yet versatile as water. If done right, you can completely break someone mentally using just a little bit. Humans can go their whole lives without needing gold or materiel goods, yet not a single human being can't go more then a few days without water. Access to water can be the turning point in long term battles and sometimes entire wars.
But I can also think of the cons to capturing it; Another mouth to feed, another body to train, another back to watch, another set back to my plan, more time to waste training it, more strain on our resources. I'll have to make a tough decision here. Short term wise, he can be useful asset. Long term wise, he can quickly turn into a liability if I am not careful. Then again, same can be said for Spark. But he is a living back up generator. More likely to find a source of water in the field then a electric generator. I know its wrong to see them like that. I got no room in my supplies for a pet, so I got to think of other ways they can be useful in long term situations. Better to be prepared then scrambling at the last minute.
"Pip! Pip! Piplup!" He tried explaining waving it's arms around like a crazy person. Oh right, they can only say their species name. Damn it, hope Emily has half an idea on what the heck this thing is saying.
"Emily, you understand them better then me, Translation." I ordered.
"From what I can gather through the body movements, he was curious what you are and if you were a new trainer to pick him. Followed us in hope someone would take him as their starter. Rough guess, but it is a idea." She informed holding the red device from the other day.
'Piplup, The Penguin pokemon. It lives along the shores in northern counteries. A skilled swimmer, it dives for over ten minutes to hunt.' Her weird device called.
"So he was following me to be his trainer?" I summarized flicking the safety back on. Skilled swimmer, not so agile on land, mobile water source, and naturally camouflaged for water combat. More pros backing up the reason to capture it.
"Basically. We'll have to go back to pick up his pokeball..." She explained.
"Not an option More time we waste back tracking, longer scrappers have to strip my ship of anything useful." I replied
"Or we can call Uncle Rowan at the next town to give you his pokeball. Would be easier to go back so you can transport him easier till then." She explained more.
"Serina, what's your input?" I asked. I'm voting we keep going till the next town. Emily is for going back. Third opinions are always better then sitting here arguing and wasting time.
"Strategically speaking. It is worth back tracking to get his pokeball. If we keep going you'll have to keep a eye on him and Spark. Unless you keep Spark in his ball and only keep a eye on the penguin. Too many variables and unknowns, I'm not willing to calculate too far with how I am." She explained. "But if you want my opinion. I say we backtrack to the town again. We're not that far out."
"Then its settled. Grace, take point." I ordered. The plant snake looked at me like I was crazy or didn't understand a word I said. "Lead us to town. Keep a eye out for hostiles." I explained. She shrugged me off and started walking to town with her head held high. Piplup was timidly walking behind Spark as he happily skipping down the road. Emily walked by grace as I took up the rear. Eight years of very rigorous training and over thirty with combat instinct have kept me alive. My gut tells me to keep my guard up, I'm damn well keeping my guard up. Regardless of the facts if front of me say nothing hostile is near. It got me out of sticky situation and saved my ass plenty of times over. Never underestimate a Spartan's gut instinct.
(Third person POV)
Aboard Raising Darkness
Fin' Tuyokee walked down the corridors of his ship. The ship was just out of MAC gun range looking toward the planet. Some weird serpent tried to attack them, but they were too far away for it to do any real harm. Most it's orange beams do is lower the shields or bounce off them, nothing serious for now.
At first he wanted to proceed with regular glassing but without fleet support, it would take forever. Their reactor can't handle the strain of keeping the glassing beam running for long periods of time. One of the problems the Minors failed to tell him. It sustained a 'minor' rupture and breach during the glassing of Reach.
One off the human ships managed to damage it with their missiles. He'll give them credit where it's due, they managed to knock his ships shields out and get a shot in at their reactor. Of course with the noble Prophet of Vengeance aboard, who wanted to view the planet's destruction personally, he had been extra cautious in the glassing of their world.
He had followed that ship to the wilds of space to a ugly looking ship, cloaked of course as the ship had advanced cloaking technology made from the sacred Forerunner artifacts. He wanted to engage them but they fell into slipspace. He followed them to this planet when they are nowhere in sight now. Their shields protected them from the crazy electric discharge that came with the new portal, but it damaged their reactor a fair amount, to the point of having to choice between staying cloaked, shields, or the glassing beam.
Fin' Tuyokee was on his way to meet with the holy Prophet of Vengeance to get his input on their situation. The honor guards stood to attention as he passed them into the room. He knelled before the holy Prophet as it hovered into the room. He looked like the other prophets, long skinny neck, jewelry hanging from his ears and hands. Long silky red robes. His room was decorated in only the finest materials and art from all cultures. Sangheili, Jiralhanae, Unggoy, and very intresting enough, Human. Unlike the other Prophets, this one liked the humans art and ordered a few troops to cease it for himself. His room was full of statues and busts from many cultures. Even weirdly enough one of a man called 'Albert Einstein'. Fin' Tuyokee wasn't going to question his likes and dislikes. They have their jobs, both were good at what they do, they don't question one another. Unspoken rule between the two.
"Rise, Shipmaster. No need to bow to a minor Prophet such as myself." The Prophet of Vengeance spoke. Fin' Tuyokee rose from his spot but still stood in a respectful fashion. "I assume you're here to ask for my input on what to do with the new human world we found?"
"Yes Hierarchic. Communications are still down, we're all alone out here without fleet support. I suggest we send troops to the Planet's surface, take out as many as possible." Fin' Tuyokee suggested.
"Good plan shipmaster, but we need to think long term. We don't even know where we are let alone how to get back home. The Unggoy may be vast in numbers but we have no way to replace them out here alone. No doubt you Sangheili can hold your own, but we'll run out of food and power before we're finished here."
"That what may you suggest we do?"
"We turn the human against each other."
"Explain?" Fin' Tuyokee asked.
"Almost every human world we encountered, there has been evidence of a power struggle among their people long before we even showed up. Think back to your history lesson about the Unggoy Rebellion, how it almost crippled us if not for the Arbiter. We just need to provide the right group with a little push, a spark if you will. Let them do all the work, while we wait here in the complete comfort and safety of our ship, waiting for the right moment to strike when they are weak." The holy Prophet of Vengeance explained twiddling with a colored cube they ceased from Bliss few years back. "This thing has really been trying my patience for the last thirty years, I don't understand the entertainment value behind this human contraption. Tried throwing it away but it is just too damn addicting getting the colors to match up." (A/N Prophet is playing with a Rubrics cube, too funny in my head. Sorry, I couldn't resist but to have a small comedy bit. Been too serious lately, need to add some comedy to keep the creative train flowing.)
"Forgive me Holy Prophet, but that plan is a cowards way of doing things. My Elites are no cowards, we rather be down their fighting then sitting around waiting for the enemy to get weak." Fin' Tuyokee argued. The Prophet of Vengeance put the cube back on it's stand, smirking a bit.
"I figured you would say that Shipmaster. I do have an. . . Alternative to that. Less acceptable to the troops but could be good given our situation right now." He replied with a large smirk. "We capitalize on the opportunity we have here, take somewhere as a foothold, enslave the humans to mine resources we can use for our own gain, then kill them off before the counsel finds out. Or a combination between the two plans. The choice is yours shipmaster, I'm merely here to survey your progress to see if you are worthy of a promotion." The Prophet of Vengence explained. Fin' Tuyokee was torn. On one hand, the cowards way of doing things, the other hand leads to heresy if they are were discovered. In both options, death is preferred. He could send a few Majors to over see the rebels work and, with a horrible taste in his mouth should he say it, help them. Then send the Kig Yar or Jiralhanae to kill them after words as they have never hold their side of deals.
"We'll go with the first option. But I'll to be the one in charge of the troops while it happens." Fin' Tuyokee said.
"Alright, shipmaster. I trust your judgment from here. Have someone scout the planet first. So we know what we're up against. You are dismissed." The Prophet dismissed. Fin' Tuyokee nodded as he walked out of the room. The honor guards already know the drill with the Prophets. They would not repeat a single word heard from that room, they heard nothing, they know nothing, their only job is to protect the Prophet from harm. Fin' Tuyokee smiled as he walked down the halls of his ship. He pulled a random Ultra from a passing group.
"Tell your men to get ready and get prepared for stealth. Prophet of Vengence asked me to order you to scout the planet for Rebel groups. No questions, just get ready." He ordered.
That is a wrap people. Chapter 13 done and over with. The plot thickens farther. I know the Prophet was a little OOC compared to the ones we seen. But I looked into the prophets a bit more. Their title usually is the opposite of their personality. Truth lied a lot, Mercy showed none, and Regret, well you get it. So I thought to myself. What is the opposite of Vengeance. The answer is mercy and forgiveness. I'll get into his story later.
Troy gets another Pokemon to his group, or would Piplup be for Emily. We'll have to wait and see. But I need names for it. Was planning on calling him Jet but that is too cliché and people would expect that. So I'll let my loyal viewers name the shy Piplup. Thank you all got waiting. See you next time
~Dgreen20