Well, here we go, chapter 5! I won't be able to update until monday, cause I'm going away for a week... Soooo....

Anyhow, Kronik, after reading your fantastic story, I now know what FoK is. And I gotta say, I'm probably a member now...

Anyways, enjoy this chapter...

.........

-The Heart Of Snow-

Chapter 5: The Meeting

.....

The ten people that were in the large room stood up, as Nell entered it, carrying a bunch of papers and a large, folded map.

"Sit down, everyone" She said, and the ten Commanding Officers of Wars World sat down on their chairs.

Nell placed her papers on the table next to the wall, and threw a quick look around the room. Kanbei was here, and so was Sonja and Sensei. Drake was amusing himself by opening and closing his old-style binocular, and Andy was already half-asleep in the chair closest to Nell.

Jess, Eagle, Max, Sami and Hachi were also all in the room, Nell noticed.

"Andy, can you start the projector for me?" She asked, and Andy instantly got up from the chair.

"Uh, I wasn't asleep. I was just...."

"Just start the projector, Andy!"

"Uh, okay..."

The projector started with a buzzing sound, and a gigantic map was projected against the wall.

Andy frowned his forehead, and waved his hands.

"Hey, everyone, look, a gigantic black continent that has appeared between Yellow Comet and Orange Star!!! We have to do something!"

"Uh, Andy..." Sami said from behind, as everyone laughed. "That's Nell's shadow."

"Uh, I knew that. I was just..."

"Just shut up, Andy, and listen to Nell, okay?"

Nell placed herself so that she wouldn't be in the way for the map, and grabbed a small staff.

"Listen up, everyone" She said, letting her eyes wander across the room. "I'm sure that you all know that Blue Moon has been invaded."

All CO's nodded silently, and Nell continued:

"The enemy, White Meteor, comes from a previously unknown continent in the south and..."

"How come we didn't knew about that continent?" Sonja asked. "Sure there must've been someone who has discovered it."

"Well, the thing is" Nell said, pointing at the large empty space south of Blue Moon with her staff. "The storms down here tend to be quite violent, and no ship that has gone into them, has ever come back."

"But how did White Meteor get their armies to Blue Moon, if you can't get through the storms?" Jess asked.

"That's a good question" Nell answered. "According to Blue Moon-intel, they used special-built landing boats, we don't have any specifications on them"

"So this means, that we cannot counter attack on White Meteor to force a withdrawal of their troops?" Sensei said.

"I'm afraid that's impossible without similiar landing-boats to theirs."

"Why isn't Grit here?" Andy asked.

"He's the only CO left in Blue Moon. I'm afraid that I have to announce, that Olaf and Colin were taken prisoners during the battle of Raftel, and we don't know if they are alive by now. Blue Moon lost 12000 men at Raftel, and Grit is now facing three White Meteor-armies, each one of them at least as big as his own. I'm afraid Blue Moon will fall, if we don't take action."

"I assume you mean military actions" Kanbei said. "You want us to declare war against White Meteor."

Nell nodded silently. She felt a sting in her heart. War should never be encouraged.

"Without reinforcements, Grit will not be able to hold them back for long. Orange Star's declaration of war will reach the White Meteor-commander today. An army is preparing to move in from our south border. I want to know if we can count on more support."

"Yellow Comet shall assist!" Kanbei said and got up from the chair, with his katana in his hand. "If White Meteor conquers Blue Moon, the whole Wars World will be in danger."

"What about Green Earth, Jess?" Nell asked, turning her eyes to Jess, who seemed to think it over.

"If White Meteor would try another landing, Green Earth would be the most likely place to do it." She said, leaning forward. "I'm sorry, Nell, but I can't send any armies to Blue Moon without risking Green Earth."

"Then I'll help." Eagle said, and got up from his chair. "Drake's fleet is probably enough to take out any invasion attempts before they hit land. My airforce shall assist Blue Moon."

It looked for a moment, as if Jess wanted to protest, but she didn't say anything.

"Kanbei, what can you give us?" Nell asked.

"Sensei..." Kanbei begun, but Sonja interrupted him.

"Father, I will help." Sonja said. "You and Sensei must guard Yellow Comet."

"But..."

"Please?"

"Allright, Sonja. But I don't want you to come home in a body-bag, do you hear that?"

"Be easy on her, Kanbei" Sensei said. "She can handle herself."

"That man has a LOT of wrinkles..." Andy whispered, and Sami kicked his leg, making him scream.

"Good" Nell said, without noticing Andy. "Then an Orange Star-army will move in from the north. Sonja, where do you plan to land your army?"

Sonja looked at the map for a second.

"I'll land in the east, we'll take on the White Meteor-armies from two sides."

"Allright. Eagle?"

"I'm sure that Grit needs me the most. If I can only get a safe base in Blue Moon, and enough supplies, I can give him all the support that he needs."

"Then it's settled then. This meeting is closed. Good luck everyone."

They all got up and walked out of the room.

"Hey, all things get really big when I look through this!" Andy happily yelled, gazing through Drake's binocular. "My god, Sami, those are really big.."

Sami slapped him, and he fell face down to the floor.

Nell sighed.

War is still a game to him... I'm afraid that reality will crash down on him, sooner or later...

She took her papers, and turned off the projector, and the lights.

She was the last one to leave the room, and she sighed again as she closed the door.

It's not enough... She thought and began walking down the corridor. Our efforts is not enough...We are going to lose this war....

.........