A/N: Hi all, I'm back! My semester just finished up so I finally have some time on my hands to not write my thesis and pursue other projects, AKA this fic! Anyway, please enjoy :)
Five hours of sleep wasn't ideal, but it was enough for Dunban. He'd subsisted on less in the past, forced to do more strenuous work than hiking through a forest. So presumably, the trip today would be manageable. At least, that's what he told himself. Dunban yawned as he poured hot water into his thermos, the smell of instant coffee hitting his nose seconds after. A burst of caffeine would jolt him awake. He remembered debating whether or not to bring the powdered substance on the trip and now he was thankful he had.
The taste was bitter, but welcome still. As he sipped the hot beverage, the team leader looked out over the forest landscape. After putting about ten miles between themselves and the enemy camp the previous night, they had found a place to camouflage the speeder, then they hiked up a small hill and lodged into a cave for shelter. Dunban and Shulk took the first shift to keep watch for any Prone reinforcements, while Sharla, Reyn, and Fiora took the second. Riki had claimed the last one, eager to be of help, but had fallen asleep halfway through. Luckily, nothing had disturbed them. Regardless, the man did not sleep well and awoke from his half-slumber as soon as the birds began their morning songs.
Now, in the broad daylight, he could see their position afforded the team a spectacular view of the surroundings. Sunlight escaped through the spaces in the leaf canopy, yellow light illuminating and intensifying the greens and browns of the rainforest floor. The brush was thick, a sea of trees filling his line of sight. He wondered how many miles it would be until they broke through to open sky.
After another yawn and another sip of coffee, Dunban felt a bolt of energy buzz through his body. A shot of adrenaline. Exactly what he needed.
Though only an hour after sunrise, the temperature had risen to the point where he began to sweat without physical exertion. The warmth of coffee certainly wasn't helping, but he wasn't about to give it up. If he had one weakness when it came to sustenance, it was coffee. And maybe key lime pie. But only Fiora knew that.
"That was so cold!"
Curious, Dunban turned to see his sister trudging towards him, hair damp, teeth chattering, as she toweled off her wet face. "All I wanted to do was wash up, but I'm freezing to death!"
"Riki says we're close to the origin of the spring. I'm not surprised the water isn't as warm as we'd expect it to be."
"Thanks for the heads up," she grumbled.
"You'll warm up in a minute." Dunban handed her his thermos.
Greedily, she took it and gulped down the liquid. As she handed it back to him, she dotted her mouth with her towel. "Thanks." Her brother nodded. "So, what's the plan for today?"
"First, you and I are going to plant a probe. Then I'll radio NLA. After, we'll head to Frontier Village."
"I'll get my stuff." Fiora strode over to her sleeping bag, tossing her towel on a nearby rock to dry, and began rummaging around in her duffle. Dunban was surprised, though kept his face neutral. She hadn't argued with him about planting a probe or even tried to. Maybe he was being too hard on her, assuming that all of her reactions would be to contradict him.
Finishing his coffee, he dropped the empty thermos into the duffle and grabbed his radio, a device with a touchscreen, many knobs, and an old-fashioned antenna. Glancing over at Fiora, who was still putting her pack together, Dunban moved over to Sharla, who boiled water for tea.
"Fiora and I are going to plant a probe. Can you get everyone packed up and ready to move out by the time we get back?"
"Sure," she replied as she lifted the singing kettle off of the camp stove. "I'll have these guys ready in no time." She nodded at Shulk and Reyn, who sluggishly rolled up their sleeping bags, trying to hide bleary eyes and huge yawns.
Amused, Dunban waved to Fiora as he walked towards the edge of the camp. As she stopped beside him, he pointed at a hill about 100 feet away. "We'll place it there. Should receive a clearer signal at a higher elevation."
Together, they hiked towards their destination, listening to the chorus of ca-caws and chirps from unknown species of birds, as well as the croaks and hums of amphibians around them, hiding in the brush. Branches and leaves crunched under their boots, and a breeze whistled through the air, providing light relief from the humidity. They walked, side by side, silent. Not awkward; companionable. It was a relief.
Upon reaching their destination, Dunban kneeled down at the top of the hill and cleared away the understory. Fiora began to unpack her gear, one apparatus, and tool at a time. "You remember how to do this?" He asked.
"I did it dozens of times in training. I know what I'm doing," she responded pointedly as she picked out a metallic circular object the size of a hockey puck. She began pressing buttons on the probe, then reached for her tablet to pair with it.
Shifting to a comfortable position, he observed her as she worked, her hands moving in practiced motions as she assembled the probe. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm tired. A bit hungry."
"I meant, how are you feeling about last night?"
The young woman didn't respond. Instead, she focused on digging a small hole in the ground and placing the probe inside. She pressed down on the large red button in the center of its silver surface. A small panel slid away to reveal a hole the size of a dime, and she began screwing an antenna into it.
"If you don't want to talk to me about it, that's fine. But maybe talk to Sharla if you're comfortable," Dunban encouraged. "The first fight is always scary."
Fiora's fingers danced over the tablet as she began installing protocols into the probe. Dunban sighed inwardly. He couldn't push her, though he wished she felt safe talking to him. If they weren't always at odds with one another, perhaps their bond would be stronger. It was rare these days to have conversations where they weren't fighting or cross with one another. But he figured that he was to blame for the distance between them. Playing parent and brother was impossible.
"Finished!" She tapped the screen and the LEDs of the probe glowed green. A grin grew on her lips.
"Well done." He set the radio on the mound just above the probe. He began to attune the device to his assigned frequency with NLA, making quick work of it.
Silence settled between them. Then...
"Last night was...gruesome..."
Pausing, the older man and met his sister's eyes. The fear that he'd seen in her gaze the night before had returned. He frowned, saddened. The last thing he'd ever wanted was to expose Fiora to was this kind of violence. "War is ugly. It always is."
"How do you deal with it?"
"It takes time. Killing doesn't come easily, and it shouldn't." He paused, then continued, "Sometimes, you numb yourself to it. Others just learn to accept it and move on."
"What do you do?"
Dunban closed his lips into a line, thinking. His methods for dealing with the deaths by his hand changed over the years, but that was because he was a soldier. Fiora was not. He wanted to lie to her and say that she wouldn't always remember. Dunban hoped she wouldn't. But he remembered the first time he killed someone let alone witnessed the death of an enemy at the hands of a comrade. And Fiora would see through such a lie.
Instead, Dunban answered, "After, I always remind myself what my mission is. I don't do it lightly. But as long as I know the purpose behind my actions, and that they are to benefit the greater good, then I am able to accept it and move forward."
"The greater good?"
"To protect you and everyone in NLA," Dunban explained. He wished to continue, to share with her what he could with no one: his nightmares were more disturbing than the actual events, that sometimes he felt his humanity slipping away when he killed someone. Once or twice he had even questioned the morality behind is actions, but dismissed it in favor of completing the mission. But he could not confess this to her. She didn't deserve the burden of such knowledge.
Silence again.
"There's still time if you want to go back," he reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Fiora shook her head, resting her hand on top of his. "No. I don't want to go back. I want to see this through," she hesitated, then continued, "I don't want to be afraid anymore."
"Alright then."
She smiled at him and he returned it. Relief flooded through him. A rare moment of unity between the two.
Removing his hand and refocusing his attention on the radio, Dunban flipped the ON switch on the transponder, and the signal sprang to life. He held the speaker up to his mouth and pressed the talk button. "NLA, this is Falcon. ID 02032013 over."
He un-clicked the button and waited for a response.
Vandham's voice exuded from the radio, crackling, almost raw. "Falcon. Good to hear from ya. Nagi was goin' wacko when you didn't report in last night. Over."
"We ran into a bit of trouble. Over."
"What kind? Over."
Dunban paused, thinking about his next words. "We ran into a group of xenoforms. Hostiles. Over."
"What happened? Everyone okay? Over."
"We're fine. There were only two of them. We took them out, but not before one of them sent a transmission for backup. Over."
"Shit." The voice, while tough, contained a spec of worry within it. "Over."
"We put a few miles between us and the base and camped for the night. Over." Dunban reassured.
"How did the newbies fair? Over."
"They did just fine. Over."
"Glad to hear everyone's a-ok. We'll mark it on the map that the baddies are around yer position. Over."
"We're heading out shortly and continuing north. Should be able to avoid them if we clear a good twenty miles today. Over."
"Gotcha. Anything else? Over."
He paused and looked at Fiora. There was a question in her eyes. He knew what it was. And he knew the next words he was about to say could put his position in BLADE in jeopardy.
"No, not at the moment. I'll radio tonight when we stop. Over."
"Sounds good. Over and out."
Dunban flicked the off switch and began powering down the radio.
"You didn't tell them about Riki." It wasn't so much of a question, as it was a statement laced with curiosity.
Bundling up the cords, he met her eyes. "Maurice has the wrong impression about all xenoforms. I know we need to be cautious, especially given what happened to Earth, but Riki and his people are potential allies. And we need all the allies we can get since we know next to nothing about this planet."
"I'm glad you didn't. Tell them about Riki, I mean." A smile appeared on her lips and her green eyes sparkled in admiration.
They headed back to camp in the same companionable silence they had left in, listening to the wildlife now fully awake in the forest. Upon arriving at camp, Dunban found to his satisfaction that it was mostly packed up. But before he could make a move to speak with Sharla, Riki waddled up to the captain and blocked his way.
"Dun Dun! We head to Frontier Village now."
Fiora suppressed a giggle at the nickname and Dunban raised an eyebrow at her. Still grinning, she ambled over to her things to pack. Dunban focused on the Nopon, who bounced giddily from one foot to the other.
"How far is it, Riki?"
"Riki think about fifty miles."
Miles. How did Riki know what miles were? Was that truly a form of measurement the Nopon used? That would be too large a coincidence. And why was Riki speaking English? It was strange. Then again, the whole situation was strange. If the man had had time, he would question his new alien ally about this. However, fifty miles through forest and other potential rugged terrain meant at minimum four hours of travel. And Dunban wanted to get to Frontier Village before the late afternoon.
"Then we better head out." He responded.
The mysteries would have to wait.
Thirty minutes later, the team was back in the speeder, zooming along the rainforest floor. This time, Riki was in the passenger seat next to Shulk, providing haphazard directions, waving his hands, perpetually distracted by hanging fruit, flying insects, or conversation with the other passengers. Dunban and Fiora sat side by side in the second row, quiet, and Sharla joined Reyn in the back.
"So Sharla...what do you like to do?" Reyn asked, casually running a hand through his spiky auburn hair.
Wishing he could be anywhere else, Dunban directed his gaze towards the scenery, steeling himself for an awkward exchange.
"Read. Run. Shoot at the range." Sharla responded with a shrug. "Normal things."
"Cool."
They fell silent, and Dunban, without needing to look behind him, could feel Reyn searching for something else to say. Of course, conversations between each of the team members would be awkward at first; that was the nature of getting to know someone new. Coupling that with attraction made things even more challenging. Dunban hoped that Reyn wouldn't ask Sharla her age or anything else that was obviously inappropriate. Though Dunban had only known Reyn for two days, the older man could tell that his cadet, while well-meaning, didn't always have tact.
"Uh...what kind of movies do you like?" Reyn said.
This was a safe topic.
"I like romantic comedies. Like Sleepless in Seattle and Crazy Rich Asians."
"Ah."
Dunban sensed this was out of Reyn's depth.
"And horror too."
"Whoa, really!? Gnarly."
"Gnarly?"
"I mean...wicked?"
"I've just never heard someone actually use it in a sentence before. It's unique."
"Oh...thanks."
DING. Dunban looked down at his communication device. A text from Fiora:
awk pause.
He glanced at her and she grinned mischievously. Dunban raised an eyebrow. She looked down and typed into her device. The captain set his device to silent, leaving the vibrate on. Once again, Dunban's buzzed. He read:
Operation Reyn + Sharla Commence! ooh, Reyarla? nah, Sharlyn. yea that's better
Shaking his head, he responded:
This isn't a good idea, Fiora. You don't even know what Sharla's situation is.
And thus began the back and forth:
i'm still going to help Reyn. what if Sharla is his soulmate?
And what if she's not? Are you setting him up for disappointment?
at least Reyn is trying
A sting ran through him, though he kept his face neutral. Shooting him a glare, Fiora rotated around in her seat to face the back of the speeder. Innocently, she crossed her arms on the seat and rested her chin on top. "So, where are you from originally, Sharla?"
Pulling her hair into a ponytail, the woman answered, "San Francisco. Well, technically San Bruno, but no one really knows where that is."
"Wow! We're all from California. What a coincidence!"
"Where are you two from?"
"San Diego. Well, that's where we were born. We traveled a lot when I was growing up."
"What do you mean, we?" Reyn asked.
"Fiora and Dunban are brother and sister," Sharla explained.
"No way!"
The speeder blazed forward, crossing a landbridge, leading the team out of the rainforest and into an open-air plain of green grass and blue sky. White, stringy clouds drifted above, lazy and amorphous. The sounds of rushing water below echoed between the cliffsides.
"Anyway, Sharla, what was it like in the army? Any cuties?" The younger woman wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"Shulk. Let's stop here." Dunban directed, tapping the young man on the shoulder and pointing to the upcoming overlook. Shulk gave him a thumbs up and turned the speeder to the right, slowing and eventually rolling to a stop.
"I could definitely stretch my legs," Sharla said, quickly hopping out of the car and moving towards the cliffside.
"Fiora! What was that?" Reyn complained in a loud whisper.
"I was trying to help you out."
"Now she hates me."
"She doesn't hate you, jeez. You didn't say anything."
Dunban slipped out of the car and made his way over to the edge, purposely picking a spot away from the group to view the coastline. The ocean went on miles and miles, seemingly unending. The top of the blue water sparkled as the sun shined down, almost blinding in its brightness. The heat and humidity no longer felt oppressive due to the proximity of the water. In fact, it was the perfect weather.
"Fiora," Dunban called to his sister, who stood a few feet away, hands clasped behind her head, head tilted back to absorb the sunshine.
Irked, she crinkled her nose but did not look at him. "Yes, Captain?"
He pursed his lips. Two steps forward, one step back. But he didn't regret stopping her underhanded inquisition into Sharla's love life. "We need to place a probe here."
"Sure, Captain." She strode back over to the vehicle to grab her things from the trunk, nose in the air.
Shaking his head, he turned back to the ocean, soaking in the sight. It was beautiful. Untouched by technology or war. Is this what Earth had looked like before humanity built concrete jungles and destroyed nature with bombs and bullets? Was this a chance to start over? Or would they repeat history?
He hoped that wouldn't be the case. Even more, he hoped they would live long enough to make the decision to break the cycle.
"Dun Dun."
Pulled out of his reverie, the man looked down to see the Nopon staring up at him with big brown eyes. He had to admit the creature was cute, but he'd never say such a thing out loud. Dunban took a seat next to Riki so they were at eye level.
"Fiora is baby-pon?"
Dunban chuckled. "Oh, no. She's my sister."
Riki's mouth curved into an O. "She mad at Dun Dun?"
"I guess." He shrugged, then changed the subject. "Riki, will the Nopon welcome us? Since we're foreigners?"
"Hom Hom? Nopon will. And if not, Riki make sure." He made a fist with his paw and dropped it into his other paw, a determined expression etched on his face.
"Thank you, Riki. That is much appreciated. But I don't wish to create tension between yourself and your people."
"No trouble. Riki is Heropon! Nopon will listen!"
"Heropon? What is that?"
Before Riki could answer, a loud boom burst in the air. Dunban's eyes flew to the sky as a dark spot appeared amongst the clouds. Narrowing his gaze, he watched as the spot grew bigger with each passing second, slowly descending between the white, fluffy clouds towards the ground. Though it was miles away, the man's chest tightened with unease.
From what he could make out, it was a tower-like structure, with large spikes jutting out from all sides around its spherical body. He could see the faint billows of smoke bleeding out of these spikes. Thrusters of some kind. Slowly, it descended down towards a mountainous area, finally disappearing behind one of the far peaks.
His stomach turned in on itself as his mind ran with a thousand questions. But one howled louder than all the rest.
"What was that?" Shulk took a step forward next to Dunban, whose eyes still focused on the point where the flying apparatus disappeared.
"Nothing good," Sharla responded.
"You don't know what that is, do you, Riki?" Dunban focused his attention on the Nopon.
Troubled, Riki shook his head. "Riki never see before."
That wasn't good. Dunban rose, facing his team. "I'm going to send a radio transmission to NLA, then we'll head out. I want to put as much distance between us and that thing as soon as possible."
Striding back to the speeder, the man grabbed his backpack and pulled out the radio. As he began setting the dials, his mind reeled. NLA was in no way ready to wage war. If that ship contained the alien beings that had pursued them and shot them down onto this planet, speed was of the essence. Otherwise, they might not survive to find the lifehold core.
It was late afternoon by the time the team arrived at Frontier Village. They had driven back into the rainforest. Trees were thick and light barely peeked through the canopy as the sun descended, scattering oranges and purples across the sky. Shulk slowed the vehicle to a crawl, and the team watched as the greenery parted to reveal a clearing, where a set of stairs lead towards an entryway carved into a large tree.
Sounds of revelry could be heard from inside the tree: laughter, music, the playful shrieks of children. Delicious smells wafted through the air towards them. Reyn and Shulk's stomachs growled simultaneously.
Riki bounced up and down in his seat. "Welcome to Frontier Village, friends!"
"You live in a tree?" Reyn's face filled with skepticism.
"I recall the treehouses of New Zealand being some of the most stable dwellings on Earth." Sharla mused as she considered the tree trunk.
"Right...oh...yeah," Reyn muttered.
Riki smirked as Shulk maneuvered the vehicle behind a bush a few feet from the stairwell and shut off the engine. One by one they hopped out of the speeder, stretching their legs and arms after the long road trip. While the others murmured amongst themselves, Dunban scrutinized the tree trunk, following its length skyward, though he couldn't see the top as the canopy converged midway up around the trunk.
"It's tallest tree in forest," Riki put his hands on his side proudly, puffing out his chest.
"It is magnificent." Dunban agreed.
"How tall do you think it is?" Fiora wondered.
"We could probably see from a skell. Once we work out the kinks in the flying systems, that is," Shulk offered. He looked at her with a timid smile.
"That would be great!" She grinned. Embarrassed, she tucked her hair behind her ear and shrugged. "I mean if that is something you want to do."
First Sharla and Reyn. Now his sister and Shulk. This was definitely not something he had anticipated.
Before Shulk could respond, the Nopon interrupted. "Come come," Riki urged and trotted up the steps towards the entrance. Dunban followed, the others trailing behind.
"I hope they'll share their food," Reyn muttered.
"Really?" Sharla raised her eyebrows, unimpressed.
"What? I'm hungry! Something other than jerky would be awesome."
Sighing, Dunban followed Riki into the tree.
As they stepped through the entryway, the team stopped, awed. It was straight out of a fairy tale. Fireflies sparkled around the room and torches with blue and yellow flames cast a myriad of colors through the air, projecting onto the luscious brown tree trunk walls. A small pool in the center of the ground floor glittered, lily pads floating across its crystal blue surface. Vines slithered up the walls, delicate like strokes of a paint brush, vibrating with life.
But most extraordinary was the joyful energy of Nopon, who strolled around the ground floor. The Nopon were of all colors and sizes. And every single one appeared perfectly content, their happiness permeating the atmosphere around them. A breath of fresh air considering the stress and bleakness the humans had faced for the past two years.
"Hom Hom so slow," Riki complained.
"Calm down furball, we're coming," Reyn replied.
"Where are we going, Riki?" Dunban asked, tearing his eyes away from the magical display.
"Riki take Hom Hom to Nopon Chieftain!"
Riki spun around and darted towards a set of stairs along the far wall that spiraled upward, curving with the walls of the trunk. As they climbed higher and higher, Dunban followed the stairs with his eyes, awed by the Nopon architecture. Together, the team ascended the stairs, listening to Riki narrate what they were seeing — each house, each Nopon, each machine. As they traveled, Nopon stopped and stared, curious about the newcomers. But seemingly, none of them were frightened.
Finally, they reached the top landing, or at least what appeared to be. A small hut occupied the majority of the space. With a bounce, Riki knocked on the door. Footsteps shuffled behind the door, and it opened to reveal a Nopon with white fur, a pink plume of hair, and glasses. Fiora squealed and clapped her hands. Dunban shot her a warning glance. She rolled her eyes and went silent.
"Chief! Meet Dun Dun and other Hom Hom. They rescue Riki from piggie Prone." Riki explained, his paws gesturing from one party to the other.
The Chief looked them up and down, guarded. "We have not seen Hom Hom in long time here on Mira."
"Was this planet populated by humans before?" Dunban asked. That would be an interesting development given how little signs of civilization existed.
"Riki. Is Heropon certain Hom Hom trustworthy?"
"Riki would stake his life on it." Riki nodded his head so vigorously that Dunban was afraid that Riki would hurt himself.
"If you're uncomfortable, we can leave. We promise to not share your location. We do not wish to make enemies."
Chief Dunga shook his head, dismissing the notion. "No. If Heropon believes Hom Hom be good, then Dunga will speak with them. Let us go to the grove." Dunga closed the door to his hovel and moved around to the back, waving for the humans to follow him. Gingerly, he ascended the small stairwell that continued upward through the tree trunk. The group followed.
The stairwell led to a landing outside. As Dunban and the others followed the Chieftain, a breeze whistled by, cool as the sun dipped below the horizon. Finally, the staircase ended and the team found themselves at a pond. Bigger than the one in the tree, this one began to glow iridescent in the night. Fish could be seen darting underneath the water's surface, bouncing against the lily pads and floating flowers in the blue depths. If the sun hadn't disappeared, Dunban surmised they would have a view of roughly fifty miles of surroundings given how far up they were. Tomorrow he'd take a look before planning their travel.
Dunga took a seat on a nearby stump and gestured for the others to sit as well. Obediently, they did, sitting cross-legged around him, as if they were students and he was their teacher. Dunga looked at them silently, as darkness fell. As the last remnants of sunlight retreated under the horizon, a burst of light illuminated the pond area. Blue orbs glowed from tall flowers surrounding the pond. Dunban hadn't even noticed they were there.
"How you come to Mira?"
For a moment, Dunban hesitated. He knew next to nothing about the Nopon or Chief Dunga. They could very well be spies for the beings that shot them down. But something within him disagreed with these suspicions. Riki could have easily deceived them in the forest after they had rescued him. In fact, the Nopon could have led them into a situation that would have been certain death. And yet, he hadn't. Instead, he invited them into his home, on a leap of faith. Dunban would take one as well.
"Two years ago, our planet, Earth, became collateral damage in a war between two alien species. Our people were not familiar with either, and yet they still fought and destroyed our home world. A percentage of our population was able to escape on ships and travel through space, but we were separated from the others. Two months ago, our ship was attacked and shot down, presumably by one of these alien races. We landed here, fortunately."
Dunga nodded, absorbing the information. "What you seek?"
"We want to live in peace. We've been running for a long time. However, if these aliens should come back to hunt us, we are prepared to fight."
"We hope it won't come to that," Sharla interjected.
"You seek allies?"
"Yes."
"We do not know you. You understand Nopon hesitation." Dunga stated, touching his paws together, brow furrowing in thought.
"Of course."
"But you save Heropon from evil Prone. That is good sign."
"We couldn't just let him be eaten!" Fiora exclaimed. Riki nuzzled her and she smiled, petting his fur.
"Why do you travel the world?"
The question surprised Dunban, as the answer seemed obvious. But Dunga's tone told him that he believed there was more to their quest. It could be dangerous to share all the truth about their expedition. However, the man still couldn't find a reason to deceive them. And what if the Nopon had come across pieces of the lifehold? Or would do so in the future?
He hesitated, then responded, "To explore mostly. But we also lost parts of our ship in the impact. A very important part as well." Dunban took out his tablet and flipped to a picture of a lifehold piece. He passed it to Dunga.
Dunga nodded, staring for a moment. Then he passed it back to Dunban. As he took it from the Nopon, it occurred to him how calm and unimpressed the creature was by the technology. From everything he observed, the Nopon had no access to tablets or anything of the like. And yet Dunga had used it as though it were second nature.
"You answer all of Dunga's questions. You answer honestly. Hom Hom welcome to stay." Dunga nodded. "Riki. Ask Oka to set up camp area for guests in eastward balcony."
"Thank you, Chief Dunga. That is very generous of you." Dunban inclined his head.
"Come with Riki! Riki feed and put Hom Hom to bed."
"I don't need you tuckin' me in." Reyn retorted.
"Riki no want help Reyn sleep. Reyn snore."
"I do not!"
The others began to leave back the way they came, but Dunban lagged behind, questions still buzzing through his mind.
"Dunban. Are you coming?" Fiora asked.
"You go on. I'll catch up."
Shrugging, she turned and jogged to join the rest of the departing group. Turning his attention back to Dunga, Dunban rejoined the Nopon, who gazed up at the night sky, his mind elsewhere.
"Chief. Before you mentioned not having seen humans in a long time. What did you mean by that?"
"Nothing escape Dunban."
"I try not to let it." Dunban returned it with a wry smile.
"In Nopon history, it is known Samarians ruled Mira long ago."
"The Samarians?"
"Creators. Ancients with amazing powers. They created life on Mira. In galaxy too."
"How long ago?"
"No one knows. But here on Mira Samarians create Hom Hom, Nopon...and others."
"What happened to them?"
Dunga shook his head. "Dunga know not. Samarian left thousands of years ago. Never returned."
"You said others. What other beings did the Samarians create? Do they live here still on Mira?"
Dunga shifted side to side. The man clocked this; the Nopon was hiding something.
"The Blue One: L. A friend. We trade with him often. You may meet him on travels. Others...not enemies. Just wish to be left alone. Nopon don't meet them. Just seen sometimes."
"Do they have a name?"
"Dunga think best to leave them alone."
The man wanted to ask more, but he knew better than to push. Nonetheless, this revelation was greatly informative. Another race of sentient beings in Mira. Who were they? And why did they isolate themselves?
Was one of these beings watching them already? He had felt the sensation of being watched the previous night in the seconds before ambushing the Prone camp...
"Dunban?" The Chief regarded him thoughtfully.
"Apologies. Thank you for your time, Chief."
"Yes. We talk soon."
Dunban gave a small bow and turned on his heel, in search of his team.
After settling comfortably on the eastward balcony, pitching their tents and using the pillows and linens Oka, Riki's wife, so graciously provided, Dunban's team feasted on the dinner that she cooked for them. The food was warm and hearty, exactly what they needed to replenish their energy. As Dunban looked around their makeshift campsite, observing smiles and laughter, a breath of relief escaped him. This situation was better than he expected, and he was grateful they had rescued Riki, despite the ensuing fight.
Remembering the violence from the previous night, Dunban noticed Shulk moving away from the group towards the balcony's banister. Rising from his seat, the older man walked to Shulk's side and looked up at the sky to see a half moon.
"You've been quieter since last night, Shulk."
Shulk tucked his hands into his pockets and shifted his weight from side to side, avoiding Dunban's eyes. "Just...erm...going with the flow?"
"That was your first real fight, right?"
"Yeah, you could say that."
"How are you doing?"
"I'm fine." Shulk shrugged.
"Shulk, I can see that you're not," Dunban replied flatly.
"I just, I spend all of my time in the lab. That was...not what I expected." Shulk admitted, an embarrassed blush growing on his cheeks.
"I can tell you've trained well."
"Really?"
"Better than some of our new recruits."
A small smile of pride dotted Shulk's lips and he inclined his head. But Dunban still hated the fear in the younger man's eyes.
"If you're uncomfortable, you can go back to NLA. There won't be any consequences of the sort."
"No, no! I want to be here." Shulk answered, eyes wide.
"Why?"
"I mean, I like being in the lab. But I don't want my whole life to be in a lab, you know? I want to see this new world. It seems like it would be a waste to just be inside all the time when we landed on this new planet. And..." He blushed, "I like getting to know new people."
Ah. Fiora. Dunban wondered if that was also part of her desire to stay.
"But are you ready for this? It won't get easier."
Shulk nodded, determined. "I am."
"Alright." He patted the younger man on the shoulder. "Then I'm glad to have you aboard."
Dunban smiled and meandered back to the group. As he took a seat, Fiora leaned over to him with an inquisitive stare. He shook his head and she turned back to the conversation Sharla and Oka were engaged in.
As the excitement dwindled down, Dunban descended through the large tree and exited the village. He headed back towards their speeder, grabbing the radio. He set off into the night, walking a full five minutes before taking a seat on a log and turning on the radio. He flipped the ON switch and spoke into the talker.
"This Falcon. ID 020302013. Come in. Over."
"Dunban! Was just about ta hit the sack!" Vandham exclaimed through the radio. "Over."
"Not sure if you're glad to hear from me then. Over."
"Nah. We been wonderin' how things are. Run into any more baddies? Over."
"None. We've camped for the night. We'll set a probe in the morning. Continue heading north. Over."
"Good ta hear. We got yer other probe. Over."
"How are the other teams doing? Over."
"Elma and 'er squad are zippin' through Oblivia. She err, she found someone though. Over."
"Someone? Over."
"Hrm. Not human, but they can speak our language, ya know? Kinda weird. Maurice is all up in arms, but these guys seem harmless. Over."
"Who are they? Over."
"Call themselves Ma-non. Say they were shipwrecked here too. Over."
"What are we doing about it? Over."
"Right now they're camped not too far from the city. Elma's werkin' on Maurice though. 'Specially since these guys got some tech they could share with us. Assumin', we share with them, ya know what I mean. Over."
"I see. Over."
If Elma could break Maurice, then it would be simple for Dunban to introduce the Nopon as allies to NLA when they returned.
"Don't worry too much 'bout it. I'll keep ya posted though. Over."
"I'll make contact tomorrow. Over."
"Sounds good. Get some rest, captain. Over."
"Over and out."
Dunban clicked off the radio, his mind swirling with thoughts about the new race from Oblivia. If Elma felt they weren't dangerous, then there would be another ally on their side.
As he trudged through the brush back towards Frontier Village, the sense of being watched overtook him. He stopped and turned, scanning the brush. Nothing moved. But he knew it was there, whatever it was.
Dunban beelined back for Frontier Village. As he emerged from the forest, he found Reyn waiting arms crossed over his chest. When Dunban stopped in front of the cadet, he noticed an uneasy expression on his face.
"Reyn. Is something wrong?"
"Nah, Captain. Just wondering where you went."
"I went to radio back to NLA. Wanted to get a little further from Frontier Village."
"So they don't get wind of the furballs, right?"
"Yes."
Dunban watched Reyn, waiting. Finally, Reyn sighed.
"I froze, okay? That shouldn't have happened. It won't happen again."
"Reyn—"
"I mean, I thought I was prepared for all this. I train all the time."
"Reyn."
"Then I go and do that. I mean, come on. It's stupid."
"Reyn."
"I've always been like an action star. I did a lot of good in the Coast Guard."
"Reyn!" Dunban held up a hand, pausing Reyn's tirade.
Shoulders slumping, Reyn tilted his head to the side. "Sorry."
"Listen. The Coast Guard is good preparation, but at the same time, it isn't combat. Don't give yourself a hard time. You have a leg up on most people."
"Right..."
"Don't look at this as a failure. Look at it as a lesson. You'll be prepared next time."
"You sure?"
"Yes."
Reyn nodded, tucking his hands into his pockets. A bit of the despondence slipped away from his countenance. "Thanks, Captain. You're pretty cool."
Hesitating, Dunban clapped Reyn on the back and gestured for them to go back inside.
The morning came slowly, giving the team an opportunity to get a truly restful night of sleep. When Dunban rose, he crept away quietly, heading up to the pool for a moment of silence and peace before the day began. As he took in the view, he saw that the forest stretched for miles on all sides of the tree. But he could see where it ended to the north and west, where they had come from. Today, they would be going north.
As Dunban headed back down the stairs, he found Chief Dunga awaiting him on the landing.
"Dunban." Dunga greeted him.
"Good morning, Chief."
"Dunga have something for you." He said, taking a seat on the nearby bench. "Last night, Caravan Master Mako told Dunga about silver structure in north. Dunga think this is lifehold piece Dunban spoke of."
Dunban's chest tightened. "Where?"
"Mako drew map." Dunga pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket and handed it to Dunban.
Eagerly, Dunban studied the map. It was accurate enough. The topographical markings were simple but clear. If he was reading it correctly, it would only be a morning hike. "Thank you. We'll visit it immediately." He bowed to Dunga. "And thank you again for your hospitality. We shall not forget it."
Dunga nodded and the man turned away to head down the stairs.
"Dunban."
The man paused and looked back at the Nopon.
"Avoid the Roost."
"What is that?"
"The north. Beast dwells there."
A chill ran down his spine as he looked at the Chief, whose expression turned solemn and serious.
"Thank you for the warning."
Dunga nodded and returned to his home.
An hour later, the team had packed up their belongings, ready to leave. They whispered to each other as they left the large tree and started the short walk back to their speeder. As they reached the transport, a voice called out through the brush.
"Wait for Riki!"
The team turned, surprised.
"Are you coming with us?" Fiora asked.
"Hom Homs can't leave Riki behind!" He panted as he stopped in front of them.
"What about your family?" Sharla responded.
"Heropon must help save Mira."
"Oka is cool with this?" Reyn question.
"Oka is..." Riki shrugged with a guilty smile.
"Ah jeez…"
Riki shook his head. "Everything ok! Oka understands."
Everyone looked to Dunban, waiting for the final decision. But there was no decision to be made. Riki was a valuable guide and ally.
"Let's go."
As they sped away from Frontier Village, Dunban gave directions to Shulk, their destination the life hold piece that Dunga spoke of. He didn't want to waste any time. If this was the breakthrough they were looking for...well he couldn't get his hopes up. They just needed to get there before the Prone or any other hostiles did.
An hour later when they emerged over the crest of a large hill, a gigantic piece of machinery came into view, sticking out of the ground only a few miles away. The silver and blue of its metal shined in the morning light, calling out to the team. Waiting to be opened.
The speeder pulled up to the side of the piece of the White Whale. Dunban hopped out of the speeder and strode towards it, pulling out his radio as he crossed the field, Shulk in tow. "Fiora!" He called.
"On it." She replied without needing an explanation. He could hear her begin to plant a probe.
"Shulk?" He redirected his attention to the young man, who had opened the control panel in the piece.
Shulk topped into the side monitor. "It looks like it's in power save mode. If I can reactivate it, we can see what's inside."
"How long will that take?"
"I'm not sure. I need to run a diagnostic."
"Do it fast. " Dunban flipped the switches on his radio and turned it on. "This is Falcon. ID 02032013. Come in NLA. Over."
"We read you. What's happening? Over." Nagi's voice this time sounded through the radio.
"We've discovered a piece of the Lifehold. Over."
A pause.
"Do you know what it is? Over."
"Shulk is getting it open as we speak. Over."
"This is good news. Over."
"It's too small to be the core, but it could be at the very least important supplies," Shulk explained, tapping away at the keypad.
"Well done, Dunban. Over." Nagi congratulated in his monotone voice.
"Don't thank me yet. Over."
"Radio when you know what's inside. Over."
"Roger that. Over."
Dunban clicked off the radio as Fiora ran over. "Probe planted."
"Good work." He nodded but did not take his eyes off of Shulk.
"How's it going?"
"There is a security protocol I have to get past. It activates after being separated from the main core. It'll take me a few minutes."
"See if you can make it faster," Dunban said as Reyn, Sharla, and Riki joined them.
"What do you think is inside?" Reyn wondered.
"Nectar for Riki?" Riki beamed.
Dunban swept his eyes over the plain. The piece was in plain sight, nothing to cover or obscure it from view. Nerves ignited his senses. They were too exposed.
Fiora giggled but Reyn rolled his eyes. "No. Something way more important."
"I hope it's more medical supplies. Right now our med bay is fairly spartan." Sharla remarked.
"I hope it's more gym equipment." Reyn poked at his biceps. "I think I've lost some definition."
"Seriously?" Fiora asked.
"I just want a—"
"GET DOWN!" Dunban shouted. Crackling sounds exploded in the air. Bullets showered down upon them, nosediving towards their targets. "Take cover!" He bellowed. The team dove behind the lifehold piece as bullets continued their barrage. They crashed into the metal and the sounds of clanging filled the air.
"How did they find us?" Fiora yelled over the onslaught.
"Probably found the electronic signature of the lifehold piece when I turned it on!" Shulk replied.
The pellets continued their attack like a hailstorm, one after the other, then stopped abruptly, leaving the air silent. Cautiously, Dunban peered around the corner. Just beyond the hill's crest, he saw movement. Squinting, he could make out the bodies of their opponents.
Whoosh. A bullet zinged by his face and he jerked backward to safety.
"I count three on the ledge."
"If I can get close enough, my range can take them out." Sharla asserted.
"Alright. We'll use the speeder. I'll cover you." Dunban turned to the rest of the group. "Shulk, get this thing open. The rest of you, stay here and guard him."
Turning away, Dunban and Sharla crouched, moving toward the edge of their metallic cover. The speeder sat only a few feet away, beckoning to them. Sharla gripped the handle of her rifle and side-glanced at him. He paused.
"Go."
They dashed forward. Bullets sang through the air, dropping into the ground around them. His legs burned, but he didn't stop moving forward. The speeder was only inches away.
He dove, sliding on the ground, his skin scraping against the dirt. Gasping, he sat up on his knees, trying to catch his breath. A smack next to him startled the man. Dunban whirled around to see Sharla slamming down beside him, unharmed. She coughed as she flipped onto her back.
"You alright?" Dunban asked.
"I'm fine. Let's just kick these guys' asses."
A quick smirk played on his mouth, then was replaced by a grim line. "As soon as we get in, duck down. I'll get us close! Then you can shoot."
"What are we waiting for?" She winked, pulling herself up and dusting herself off.
Crawling, Dunban carefully opened the door of the speeder and shuffled into the driver's seat. Sharla followed suit, getting into the passengers. Quickly, Dunban pressed the ON button on the dashboard, then typed the ignition code into the control panel.
Light from the screen flooded his face. A new storm of bullets targeted the speeder, pelting the automobile's body, causing it to slightly rock. He grit his teeth. It was now or never.
Dunban sat up and gunned the engine. It vibrated and the speeder took off across the plain, zooming over the grass towards the far crest. Bullets pounded into the windshield, burrowing into the glass. Cracks appeared at the impact points, expanding quickly across the panel. The windshield wouldn't last long in this fight.
Narrowing his eyes, he hunched over the wheel, attempting to shield himself. The speeder charged forward, reaching eighty miles per hour. A bullet barged through the glass to his left, clipping his shoulder. He hissed, swerving. Another bullet sank into the glass a few inches above his head, not quite penetrating it.
Locking his jaw, Dunban stared ahead. The crest was getting closer. Only fifteen more feet.
Three bullets busted through the glass above Sharla. She yelped but didn't move from her hiding spot, clutching her rifle to her chest.
Ten more feet.
He could see the Prone soldiers with their guns trained on the car. They pulled the triggers and their weapons discharged. The bullets raced towards the speeder, straight for him. Swearing, he ducked. The windowpane exploded, glass scattering every which way. A piece cut into his forearm, while others littered across the seats. Wrenching the steering wheel, Dunban pulled the speeder into neutral and rotated the car ninety degrees.
"NOW!"
Sharla bolted up, pulled back on the trigger, and shot. A purple missile sailed through the air, landing exactly at the Prones' position. Before they could realize, the missile landed in their midst. Dunban and Sharla hunkered down as the missile exploded, the booming sound rippling through the air.
Slowly, Dunban opened his eyes and rose from his hiding spot. Whips of smoke and tiny flames skirted around the dark scorch marks in the earth where the Prone soldiers had been. Streaks of red crisscrossed with the black dirt, and the smell of burning flesh filled the air.
"Looks like we got them." Sharla murmured.
Dunban nodded, acknowledging her remark. Though they had defeated the enemy, he felt no happiness. Just a sliver of relief.
"Let's get back to—"
A ROAR. Dunban snapped his head to the left, his eyes scanning the far tree line of the forest. Sounds of stamping and crunching brush reached his ear as another roar ripped through the air. Adrenaline burst through his veins. His stomach flip-flopped. Something was coming.
"Dunban…" Sharla trailed off, fearful.
Another guttural roar erupted from the trees. Animalistic. Vengeful. A Simius blasted out of the woods, its green fur shaking back and forth as it lumbered forward. It stopped in its tracks, growling, its red eyes scouring the scene. It focused on Dunban and Sharla, then Shulk and the others at the lifehold.
Dunban's breath hitched in his throat. If the beast headed for the others, his team would be hurt, possibly killed, and the life hold piece destroyed. He could not let that happen.
He whipped to face Sharla. "You make sure that Shulk gets that open and contact NLA."
"What are you going to do?"
"Lure it away. Give me your gun."
"What?"
"Sharla!"
Reluctantly, she handed over her rifle. "Do you know what you're doing?"
"Go!"
Dunban hopped out of the speeder and raced away from it. Stopping, Dunban turned to see the Simius watching him curiously. Kneeling on the ground, he targeted the Simius with the rifle. Carefully, Dunban centered the beast in his crosshairs. His heart thumped in his chest. He didn't have a plan, but there was no time.
Dunban pulled the trigger.
The ether projectile rocketed through the sky, slicing through the air, and drilled straight into the Simius' shoulder. It howled, shaking its head up and down.
Dunban stood up straight, waving his arms at the beast. "Come and get me!"
The Simius growled and charged. Dunban swore and bolted, running away from the beast as fast as his legs could carry him. His blood roared in his ears as he sprinted forward, all his attention focused on escaping the monster in his wake. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the Simius galloping behind on all fours, gaining quickly.
Fuck.
He needed a plan. Anything. With each step, he could feel the shockwaves from the pounding of the Simius' hands and fists running through the ground. Again the man looked back into the angry face of the monster. His muscles burned as his heart skipped a beat. What could he do? How could he get away? Was it even possible?
Spinning around, Dunban felt his eyes widen. The open plain was ending, and he was closing in on the cliffside, straight for the waterfall. He knew he was too high to jump. Going off the edge meant possible death.
Dunban ran to the very edge and stopped. Panting, he whirled around, reloading the rifle. The Simius bounded towards him, a rough sounding shriek escaping its mouth. Dunban's heart hammered in his chest as he aimed for the beast. He had one shot to do it right.
The animal lumbered towards him only a few feet away. Dunban put his finger on the trigger. The Simius was only ten feet away when he shot at its foot. It landed inches above into its ankle. The Simius howled in horror, shaking its head side to side as it tripped. Its body launched forward propelled by its momentum, and skidded in the ground, arms waving out in front of it blindly. It swiped towards Dunban. He twisted, trying to move out of the way, but it was too late. The hand slapped him, throwing him off the cliff, plunging dowered into the water.
The sound of water lapping around Dunban filled his ears. He was cold; all the way down to his bones. Shivers rippled through him and his body convulsed. Dunban gasped and the water filled his lungs, then his nose. Water clogged his airways. He floundered, then slowly felt his body still.
He could feel something tugging him, harsh, with effort. Then there was darkness.
His lungs burned. Hot. It felt like fire ripped through his chest, scorching his innards and scorching his esophagus. Turning his head to the side, Dunban coughed, his whole body spasming. His eyes fluttered open as he continued coughing, water expending itself from his mouth and nose. Oxygen rushed through him, replenishing his body. His eyes continued to adjust, his vision crossing, then slowly coming together as he looked above. A figure looked down on him, expectantly. He couldn't see the face; the sunlight blocked his vision, showing him nothing more than a silhouette.
Again Dunban coughed, vomiting up more water.
"You're going to be alright."
He rolled onto his back, his eyelids drifting shut. He felt a hand, touch his forehead. It was cool and soft, comforting in its touch. His mind drifted...
"Dunban? Dunban!"
Hands grasped his shoulders, pulling him upright. Slowly, he opened his eyes. As his vision focused, he saw Fiora kneeling by his side, supporting him with her arms. She looked at him with red eyes, wobbling lips, and tear-stained cheeks.
"You idiot! You stupid idiot!" She shouted.
He winced and coughed. "What happened?"
"You fell off the cliff! You could've died!"
Slowly, the memories flooded into his brain. Running from the Simius. Reaching the edge of the cliff. Shooting the beast. And falling…
"Why did you do that, you moron?!"
"I don't think you're supposed to speak to your commanding officer like that." He managed as he attempted a smile.
"That's not funny! What if something happened to you?"
"Fiora…this is my job."
Sniffing, she whispered, "Please, don't do that again." She enveloped him in a hug. He returned it, his heart sinking in his chest. This was something he'd never want to put her through. Facing this type of danger wasn't anything out of the ordinary to him (though each time it still scared him). But Dunban never wanted Fiora to witness it first hand. And he couldn't promise to her that he would be "safe". He was the captain. His primary duty was to complete missions and protect his team.
Gently, he broke away and sat up, clearing his throat. His brow furrowed as he looked around, remembering the mysterious person.
"Are we the only ones here?"
"Uhuh."
"You didn't see anyone else?"
"No." Fiora narrowed her eyes. "What is it?"
"I...nothing."
"You sure?"
"Hallucinations come with drowning. That's probably all it was."
"Well, forget about those. Let's get back. While you were playing hero, Shulk finally opened the lifehold piece."
"That's great. What did he find?"
"I don't know. He was waiting for you."
As she helped him up, a glimmer in the sand caught his eye. Fiona turned away, beginning the trek up the cliff, but Dunban remained in place. Carefully, Dunban reached down and wrapped his hands around it. As he pulled up, the sand fell away, revealing a silver necklace with a heart pendant.
"Are you coming?" Fiona called.
"Yes."
His eyes lingered on the piece of jewelry for a second longer, then he pocketed it. Turning back to Fiora, he fell in step with her as they began their hike. Fiora began chattering, but Dunban nodded absently, his mind elsewhere.
Something...no, someone, had saved him.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Please leave some love :)
