Chapter 1: Strictly Routine
"Just a routine diplomacy mission, right captain?"
The needlejet pilot nodded his head in the affirmative as he struggled with a buckle on his flight suit. Jacob Glover stomped on the ground, trying to release some nervous energy. Jacob was one of the top Probe-men in the Morganite Combat Forces. He had faced countless perils, brutal tortures, and seemingly impregnable datalocks, but for some reason, air flight still made him jittery.
"Mr. Glover? You'd better suit up, sir," cautioned the voice of Demetre Kel, Jacob's bodyguard and subordinate.
"I'll be alright Demetre. I prefer traveling in my typical attire."
Demetre looked on disgruntedly and gave a small sigh. "as you wish, sir."
"She's ready to go!" called the pilot as the jets in the back of the plane came to life. Jacob felt a tingle go down his spine as he stepped into the needlejet. The smooth, leathered interior of the luxury passenger seat somewhat eased his feelings of tensions.
Demetre stepped in after him, securing the doors of the jet with a metallic his of hydraulic breakers. The dull roar of the engines rose in pitch as the pilot eased slowly on the throttle. The needlejet began to barrel down the runway as the speed of the tiny craft increased. Most needlejets were designed so that they could be sortied with nigh-instant speed, but this particular needlejet, being one of particular diplomatic usage, was in fact so heavily armored and weighed down with radar deflectors that a runway was required. With a last burst of speed, the engines fired all the burner cells, and the needlejet was up, into the air.
Demetre handed the young man a small datapad outlining the current mission. It was a very routine mission, merely a diplomatic jaunt out to the Peacekeeper's UN Headquarters. They had been sent as dignitaries to help keep up the lucrative treaty between Morgan Industries and the Peacekeepers. With some apprehension, Jacob came to a map of the flight plan.
"Demetre, what's this?" asked Jacob gesturing to a spot on the map where the flight plan crossed over the green outline of Gaian territory.
Demetre knit his brow worriedly, "Yes, that's right. In order to shave off some time we'll be traveling a short part of the way over Gaian territory."
"Has the good Lady Skye been informed of this?"
Demetre shook his head, "We won't be over their for more than a few hours, trust me, there's absolutely nothing to be concerned about.
Empath Lindly Scott sat completivly on a ridge overlooking the forests of Gaia. She let her thoughts drift as she listened to the ethereal music of the xerofungus below the ridge. She slowly let her conciseness seep outward as she embraced the neural net of planet.
"Milady!"
Lindly looked up with an annoyed look on her face to see that of her two apprentice trainees, Lara and Telesa. They stood with worried expressions on their faces, their green robes fluttering about them.
"What is it now?" asked Lindly dryly.
"Milady, there's xerofungus down there and..." Lara's voice trailed off under the harsh gaze of Scott.
"What she means to say is that perhaps we should be on our way, my lady," finished Telesa nervously.
Lindly rose to her feet slowly, "What is the primary acolyte prayer?"
Automatically, Lara began, "I will not confront planet as an enemy-"
"Then why do you fear the fungus? Can you not understand that the Xerofungus is perhaps the very core of Planet's mystery? Is your mind so enclosed so that you cannot see that these beings are our friends, not enemies?"
"My lady, she only meant that perhaps if we were but better rested, we would have a better chance to-"Telesa was cut off by a deafening boom that echoed through the hills. A bright light streaked across the sky, and finally smashed deep below them into the underbrush of the forest.
Lara yelped loudly, stumbling back and falling to her feet. Telesa gasped and whirled around to face the source of the interruption.
"The binoculars, Lara," demanded Lindly as Lara scrambled frantically through her small pack. Taking the field glasses, Lindly peered out over the land, searching. Finally, she found it. She zoomed in on what appeared to be a pile of smoking debris, revealing after a moment to be in fact, a Needlejet.
Lindly bit her lips nervously, "come you two, ready the Reconnaissance Rovers." The two trainees nodded hurriedly and, seizing their gear, set off at a run towards the nearby veichals. Lindly sighed deeply, still gazing at the now billowing pillar of smoke. If the forest had caught on fire, there'd be hell to pay for whoever the unlucky Gaian pilot was. She would have to have a word with the flight instructor about where she let her rookies practice.
Quickly, she seized the synthmetal case lying at her feet. In it was encased a small sample of her Demon Boil which was stationed back at Gaia's Landing. She had been taking it to Razorbeak Wood, hoping to maybe breed it with one of the newer boils located there. Evidently, those plans would have to wait.