Prologue
The Veya star system.
Somewhere in space ...
Seventeen planets and a sparkling sun circles through space in their own cosmic rhythm.
They are a peaceful set of worlds, Edenia Prime, the crown jewel, is chief among them. A three small continents and ten thousand islands dotting its vast oceans; providing ideal conditions for the populace.
On that planet, two small figures ran through a meadow. They are young, merely children, their scales still soft, not quite as hard as they would be in maturity. Its colour is not as bright either, a pale yellowy green. The area around the mouth is different, smooth and cream coloured, traveling down the middle of the neck, chest and stomach. The talons on their four fingers are quite sharp, their golden eyes mirroring a savage intelligence.
A young boy, six years old, happily ran with his friend through the grass of the meadow, down a hill. A six year old girl ran ahead of her friend whom she consider a brother. In turn he loved her as a sister. They grew up together, and always have been very close. Their parents were killed many years ago; though they have caretakers, for the most part, they only have each other. He slowed down to catch his breath. "Laenia! Wait up, Laenia!"
"Rakurai, run faster!"
He sprinted forward again, but she was not making it easy for him to catch up. Racing up another hill, she stopped underneath a red ring tree to wait for him. When he finally caught up, she laughed, "I am Laenia of the wind. Nothing can catch me!"
A short distance away, an older couple in their mid-eighties walked over a grassy hill. The woman was called Suelo, and she was not having much success at keeping up with the energetic kids today. Right behind her a man, Nekise tried keep up with her.
A minute later, Suelo found Laenia peering down a large, round hole in the ground. "Figures."
Laenia jumped as she heard Suelo speak. "You two are always trying to get messy. What are you doing ?"
"I dared him to go down there." Laenia smiled sweetly.
"Go find him, now. We have to head to home. We are going Perolit early tomorrow morning."
Teasing
Rakurai sat alone in his room. Still another hour until bedtime, and he needed some entertainment. Laenia would make the perfect target ...
He entered her room. He decided to tease Laenia about her runny and sore nose caused by the workings of a mild cold, very common for this time of year. At first it did not seem to be working, she knows him well enough to know what he was up to.
He kept teasing and teasing, it starts to get to her after a while; and something he said, struck a nerve. "That was not true !" she cried, running out of the room. He smiled, "Teasing. Its an art."
Smiling, but yet again, bored and alone he waited in the room. Suelo yelled something down the hall like 'stop tormenting her.', but what happened next he would remember in perfect detail, more than forty years later.
Laenia ran back into the room. He tried shielding himself as she beat his back with her small fists while yelling, "MY BRAINS ARE NOT MELTING!"
Images of a Hero
They arrived in Camineet's twin city of Perolit as the sun started rising in the distance. Laenia and Rakurai started walking through the long halls, the sickening smell of sterilizer and medicine drifting around everywhere.
Rakurai hated hospitals. Strange, considering how often he found himself in hospitals over the last five years. They were so cold, so impersonal, so ugly. And they smelled strange. In the halls, an old woman moaned and wheezed, her breath whistling in and out so loudly Rakurai found himself breathing in time with her, holding his own breath until the next weak wheeze was heard.
All around him, images and sounds straight from his worst nightmares. Rakurai hated hospitals, his saddest memories originating in a hospital just like this one. He desperately wanted to get out. Suelo did her best to keep him from running out the door.
Nekise led them into one of the rooms. "Hey, kids. Sorry, no flying tackles today," Niero joked from his bed.
Rakurai looked up at Niero. His right arm was in a cast, most of his body was bruised or burned after his squadron was ambushed in the Satara Jewel sector. Rakurai was devastated to see him so badly injured. To him; Niero is his tall, strong, invincible hero. "Cheer up kid. I will be alright."
But Niaoh's voice was unmistakably different now. It was no longer the one of a impulsive, carefree, happy man. It sounds more thoughtful now, a wise man's voice.
"It was not fair what happened to you and the people around you." Rakurai says.
Nioah looked at him. "No, it was not. None of us deserve the kind of twists fate hands us. We have just got to learn to deal with it."
"I refuse to be a slave of fate. I will be the master of my own future." Rakurai said a little louder than he meant.
Midnight Crash
Night had long since spread over the city of Camineet. The town had quieted down, only few people worked through the night. A shy brown dog would be the only one to actually see what would disturb the peace of this sleepy town. At first it looked like a normal shooting star... until it seemed to head directly for the town. It moved at the last second to hit the side of the hill that was located beside it.
Those sleeping were jolted awake by the quake, including Rakurai who was dreaming happily of adventures he would partake in one day when he was thrown from his bed to land painfully on his butt.
"Ow ... " Rakurai complained, rubbing his sore hide and shook his head. Rubbing his eyes, he made his way to his door, tripping over several of his own things. I've got to remember to clean up my room tomorrow, before Suelo sees this mess, Rakurai thought to himself grumpily as he hobbled through the hallway.
"Why are you awake ?" asked a small voice off to the right. Rakurai turned to see Laenia, wide awake and apparently not happy that she was awakened in the middle of the night.
Letting out a great yawn and stretching to the ceiling, Rakurai rubbed the left over tiredness in his eyes and mumbled something unintelligently. "What?" she asked.
"I said why did this have to happen on the weekend? I was hoping to sleep in tomorrow." Rakurai repeated, giving another long yawn. Shaking his head clear of any cobwebs, Rakurai's adventurous spirit started to flare in his eyes. Laenia noticed it right away.
"No, Rakurai." she said, shaking her head and putting her hands up in a "no" gesture to show her objection to what he was thinking. "Last time I went on one of your 'adventures' I ended up being caught by living vines and hanging upside down from a tree."
He laughed softly, "Yes, I remember. That was really funny."
With that she turned around with an angry huff and went back into her bedroom. He yawned again, the urge to sleep was too strong to ignore, he headed back to bed.
The Growing years
Five years later.
Laenia and Rakurai faced off in the large square room. Its walls, a clash of colours alternating between purple, red, yellow, and green, simply splattered around. It was random, chaotic. Just the way he liked it.
She does not look like much, not at first glance. Laenia was just young woman with a cute face, long aqua hair that frames her face, decorated with beads, and wide golden eyes that holds an eager innocence no hardship can ever quash. Her long-skirted white dress underneath bright orange overalls, and flat-heeled red boots looked cheerful. It definitely had Rakurai noticing how beautiful she'd become.
Like all the males of his species, Rakurai was hairless. He was wearing his usual blue pants and shirt. The end of the shirt, as well as the sleeves, at one time hung in unraveled threads, but was braided now.
Laenia charged at Rakurai, her sword aimed at his chest. Rakurai made a casual, dismissive gesture with his sword, knocking hers aside and quickly sidestepping Laenia's charge. She narrowed her eyes. "Fine, if that was the way you want to do this."
"Fair enough, " he flashed an arrogant grin, he held the sword in his right hand, using his other hand to taunt her. "Come and get me."
Laenia gripped her blade with both hands, murmuring to herself, "Strike true."
Every parry, every thrust she made was somehow knocked aside by Rakurai's swordsmanship. Though with her tight, muscular build and dexterity, she has potential, but her style was clumsy.
Yet somehow with her newfound determination, Rakurai found himself hard pressed to parry her blows. Slowly, he was being forced backwards. Laenia parried another blow, and another as the swords locked, each trying to hurl the other away. Rakurai summoned all his strength to break the deadlock. He was successful, but only barely.
She walked towards him, suddenly overconfident. Her blade flashed sharply through the air, its passage clear all the way to its target. Suddenly, with a hiss, her opponent's blade tears through the air and knocked her aside. She was thrown off balance, her left side exposed. Laenia looked at him, and their eyes locked. "I win," he smiled, tapping her side lightly with the sword. "Nice fight."
"Right. No need to rub it in."
"Me? Never," Rakurai said with worlds of feigned meekness. "I am the very soul of humility. Besides ... you love rubbing it in as much as I do."
"True, " Laenia admitted as they sit down on nearby chairs. Their swords vanishing in holographic haze.
After sitting in silence for a while, he noticed Laenia was staring into space. "You are thinking; I can tell."
"It is something I do."
"Only now and again."
She gave him a predatory look from her perch, "Fun - ny."
"What are you thinking about ?" Rakurai inquired.
"These weapons. Swords and slashers. They are not Edenian, are they? Why do we have them in an age of star-step, transporters and advanced technology ? I mean look at this nasty weapon."
She picked up an object she had replicated earlier. At first it looked like a harmless folded up cooling fan, made of metal. She then unfurled the weapon, revealing ten nasty double shin-length serrated blades.
He studied the weapon for a second. "No, they are not. Some species wandering by introduced them to us a few hundred years ago and it become popular as a fancy martial arts weapons, nothing more, nothing less. Just for the fun of it, never to cause injury or to kill."
"Where did you learn of this ?"
"I did a little reading." he admitted.
"You think we will get accepted into the academy ?"
"I hope so. We will know for sure in a few days."
Nekise was at the front door, yelling to the back to the house, "Rakurai! Rakurai, come down and take your sister and her new friend to the park."
Rakurai rolled his eyes as he heard the command. He looked forlornly at his desk that held his latest project, a model of a new Alpha-7 class starship that he had decided to modify. I will never get it done now! Why did we have to have visitors today? They are not even family.
Rakurai sighed, checked his pockets for his usual gear and walked downstairs. He had to babysit his sister again. It was going to be a boring day.
Laenia was at the bottom of the stairs with her hair braided and held with a red ribbon. She was kneeling beside another girl whose hair was also tied back into a ponytail. Her hair was most unusual. Black, cropped short, hair along her forehead was red and white.
"Rakurai, this is-"
"Do not say anything," said Rakurai sulkily, his manners barely making him remember to hold the door open for his sister and her new friend. As soon as they were out the door Laenia tried again.
"Rakurai, this is Spider, or at least that is the only name she will tell me. She is with an aunt whose visiting next door. Spider already knows five languages! Her aunt is letting her come to the park because I told her my brother would be with us," Laenia explained.
Rakurai barely glanced at the girl who was looking up at him with big, dark eyes.
"I like Spiders. They make very nice sounds. Do you know where we could find some Spiders in the park? The brown ones make different sounds than the black ones, you know..." the girl chattered on about Spiders and mimicked a variety of patterns of rhythmic chirps that Laenia found delightful.
Rakurai merely turned on his heel to lead his party to the park, still sullen about his duties. It had just rained, so the air smelled fresh and new with the sun was shining brightly on an unusually warm day. He began to cheer up until he heard the new girl's voice.
"Your brother does not talk very much, does he?" observed Spider to Laenia as they finally entered the park. "Does he stutter or something?"
"No, I do not stutter. I just prefer discussing something other than Spiders," Rakurai told the new girl. "Go on and play with Laenia. I will watch from here."
Rakurai settled on a bench and took out a pencil and small notepad he had brought with him. He began working on the modifications to his starship by sketching and writing in the pad as his sister and her friend went to the playground.
Spider turned to give the boy one last backward glance. She was unaccustomed to meeting such a reserved person. Spider expected others to take easily to her the way Laenia had. It would not be easy to make friends with her brother, though. She skipped along with Laenia, eager to see if she would hear any new Spiders.
"He is not always like that." Laenia told Spider. "His mind is focused on something, he dedicates himself completely. He is much friendlier when he is not working on a project of some kind."
"You cannot hide from me forever Rakurai." Spider said. "I think I am in love."
Uh uh!, Laenia thought.
The Date
Rakurai leaned on a tree in their front yard when Laenia found him. "What are you doing ?" she asked.
"Waiting for a friend."
"A friend ? Like a girl friend ?"
"Just a friend. Nothing special. Just someone I know."
"So it's a 'nothing-better-to-do' kind of date with a girl."
He glared at her. "LAENIA, would you go jump off a cliff or something ? You can really annoy me sometimes."
"It is nice to know I have not lost my touch." she chuckled. He chased after her, down the street, but as usual she was faster. Taunting him with laughter and more mocking.
Sacred Oath
Rakurai stood in a huge circular ceremony room of the famed Guardian Academy, Laenia at his side. They got accepted and now find themselves alongside fourteen others, standing proudly in the center of the crystalline room, surrounded by two dozen men and women, most are Guardians themselves. A dozen torches, burning with purple chemical flames illuminate the room.
He felt very nervous and intimidated to be standing here. This was where the next generation of legends and heroes will come from.
The Prime Guardian nodded to him, to Rakurai. Time felt like it slowed down as Rakurai started to recide the lines of the Oath. "Ec cquay Rakurai ric ojense ntyr ell kallan Algian. Un draugiano nio giurato al di gr ed al honyitp. Il suo cuyitpe conosce soltanto la noot. Le sue armi difende. Suoi atti aiuta il keh. Parla soltanto lata. Il suo athiw oes il cet bwecivo. Muttya Diitsa Poumnasa Rykros, chasso ki forra. Ec cquay filla calli xadola."
I, Rakurai, swear to guard the people of Edenia, against all who threaten it. A Guardian is sworn to valor and honour. My heart know only virtue. My weapons defends the helpless. My deeds helps the powerless. I speaks only the truth. My wrath undoes the wicked. I swear this by my name's sake.
The circle around them bowed. They are the Protectors of Edenia. In a few years, Rakurai and Laenia too will be part of the Guardian Collective. An organization who's sole mission was to defend Edenian planets. Diplomats, ambassadors, peace keepers, police officers, pilots, warriors, scientists and technicians dedicated to this one function.
Guardian-In-Training
"How are you feeling ?" Healer-Doctor Jawai asked his waking patient.
Rakurai was lying on a medical bed. His head felt inflated and very sore. He almost had some difficulty to force the room's spinning to stop. His "incident" earlier in the day nearly killed him, and Rakurai knew that for certain.
"Tired" Rakurai answered.
Jawai hovered over him, "Be careful next time, you hear? It looks like your eyes are focusing. You should be fine. Say your name for me."
"Rakurai."
Jawai nodded, "Why do not you take it easy in training? Next time you might not be so lucky."
"Tell that to Wiuen." Rakurai complained.
"That Wiuen... He will not listen to anyone. Why do not ignore him?" Jawai asked.
"I can not run away from a fight. A training fight no less."
"You want to be a fearless hero ? Well, do not get hurt in the process." Jawai said, looking at his medical scans. Your instructor is... Treep. I'll call her now. Just wait here a minute."
Jawai left the room. Rakurai laid back down. Rakurai turned his head, someone was looking in at him through the window. " ... so we meet again." he said to the person standing outside the medical building. He turned to face her, and she left.
Treep entered the infirmary, and seeing Rakurai. She tilted her head slightly to the left, and let out a big sigh, thinking, Not you again in the infirmary ! "I knew it would be either you or Wiuen!" Treep told the young student.
Rakurai sat up. Treep turned around to leave, "Get up now. Today's the field exam. She paused. "Rakurai. Is there something on your mind?"
"Not really." Rakurai and Treep said simultaneously. Treep stopped walking, and laughed.
"What is so funny?" Rakurai said defensively.
"Funny? No, no, it is not that! I am just happy." Treep said. "I feel like I am beginning to understand my student a little. That is all."
"I am more complex than you think."
"Then tell me." Treep prompted. "Tell me more about yourself." . "It is none of your..." Rakurai starting saying.
"..Business" Treep finished. She laughed again. All around Rakurai and his teacher, other students mill around.
Classroom 703
Rakurai entered, and went to his seat. A little later, Treep entered. The rest of the students was always in their seats. ""Good morning, class." Treep said with a smile. "On to today's schedule ..."
She walked down the center row of the class. "There seem to have been some rumours flying around since yesterday... Yes, the field exam for Guardian Cadets will begin later this afternoon.
Treep continued, "Those not participating and those who failed the last written test are to remain here in study hall. Field exam participants will have free time until the exam. Just be sure you are in top condition. Meet in hall after 6th period. I will announce the team assignments there. Any questions?"
Treep laughed softly again, "Oh, and Wiuen! So NOT injure your partner while training. Be careful from now on."
He looked over at Rakurai, and banged his fist on the desk.
"Field exam participants, I will see you all later." Treep said. Everyone but Rakurai got up and started leaving. "And Rakurai, I need to talk to you." Treep said.
When everyone was out of the room, Treep looked at Rakurai.
"You have not been to the Fire Cavern yet, have you?" she asked. "You will not be able to take part in today's Guardian exam if you do not pass this prerequisite. Do you have a good excuse?"
"Not really." Rakurai admitted.
"Come with me." she said.
A Parmanian student waited from Rakurai outside the class. "Hey, Rakurai. I heard you still have one more unit to finish. The Cavern, right? Man, that place is HOT! Well, good luck."
Rakurai walked past a group of chatting girls. "Hey, were not they conducting the final Guardian exam today?" Laenia said. "I will have to try and try even harder."
"Yes. I heard only 12 people qualified for the field exam. I wonder how many will pass?" Desp Skeek replied. Oh, the failure rate is quite high."
"My brother, Rakurai is taking it this time..." Laenia said. She turned to see him. "Oh! How long have you been listening?"
"Leave me alone. I am stressed out." Rakurai said.
"I am so ready to pass the Guardian exam and become a Guardian." Wiuen said with confidence. Laenia: And... How many times have you taken it?
"Th-Th-Three times now." Wiuen admitted with some shame. "What about you? How far along are you?"
Laenia: Me? At the rate I am going, I will take the exam next term. It will be my first time. My goal is to be like Instructor Treep. She became a Guardian at age 11 and an instructor by 14! It is so impressive. She is my idol."
"Yeah, mine, too." Wiuen agreed. "Today's Guardians should have more brains than brawn."
"Student No. 41269, Rakurai?" a Faculty member asked.
Courage under fire
"My job is to support you in battle. Everything else is up to you." Treep told her student. "You know, the boys often choke on this test when I come with them. I guess my charm makes them nervous." she laughed again. "I am just kidding! Trying to keep you relaxed."
Treep read from her information sheet. "I will be announcing the squad assignments for the exam now. Rakurai... You will be with... Raecira. Very energetic young man."
"No! He is just loud. Can I switch members?" Rakurai complained.
"I am afraid that is not possible."
Raecira walked up to Stryker, "I am teamed up with you?"
Raecira grinned, "You do not get along with Wiuen, do you? I heard he whooped you pretty bad this morning."
"We were not fighting. We were training." Rakurai corrected him.
"I bet you he does not think so. Wiuen is just being a pain in the ass. All you have to do is ignore him."
Treep seperated Rakurai and Raecira to stop them from fighting, "That Wiuen you are talking about... He is your squad leader."
"WHAT?" both Cadets whined.
"It can not be changed." Treep told them. "Wiuen! Are you here?"
Wieun entered the cave room. "You are the squad leader. Good luck to you." Treep said.
Wiuen looked a bit angry, "Instructor. I hate it when people wish me luck. Save those words for a bad student that needs them."
"You are all assigned to Squad B. I will be the instructor in charge." Treep told them. "Teamwork is of the utmost importance."
"Listen up! Teamwork means staying out of my way. It is a Squad B rule. Do not dare forget it!" Wiuen announced.
Headmaster Emsio entered the cave room, announcing himself "It has been a while, everyone. How is everyone today ?"
No one said a word.
Headmaster Emsio continued, "This exam will involve 12 members from Squads A through D... You will be proceeding to a real battlefield. Obviously, the battles are for real. Life and death, victory and defeat, honour and disgrace... Each of these go hand in hand. There is only one way or the other."
A pause. "You will be accompanied by 9 Guardian cadets. Should you fail, these members shall get the job done. They always do. Well, that is one less worry on your mind. The pride of Edenia Prime! Learn from the leaders, obey their commands and accomplish the mission. Prove yourself worthy of becoming a member of the Guardian Collective.
Squad B was riding in a troop carrier, as it left the Academy. "Rakurai. Show me your disruptor weapon."
"No." Rakurai said.
"Just a peek!" Raecira tried again. "Tch, fine... Why you being so selfish?"
Raecira shadow-boxed for a while. "Stop that... It is annoying." Wiuen told the younger cadet.
"Instructor..." Rakurai said, "Who was that girl in the infirmary this morning?"
"Was someone there? I did not notice anybody." Treep said, somewhat confused. "Is there a problem?"
"No...not really..."
"This is great... I have a scared young cadet and a guy who just reached puberty in my squad..." Wieun taunted.
Raecira reacted, a flash of rage. Treep cradled her head.
"So that is the transport vessel...?" Rakurai asked. It looks fast, long graceful lines along the hull, moderate thickness of armor and a cannon mounted on top.
"Instuctor Treep." another Edenian Cadet greeted. He was really tall.
"These are the members of Squad B." she told Zelan.
"I will explain the current situation and the mission." Zelan instucted. Treep headed to the front of the ship. "Be seated!"
"Our client for this mission is the DDP, a Lodlet-held planet for the last 200 years. "A request for Guardian Collection help was made 18 hours ago."
Various schematics and diagrams flashed up on the monitor. "Daigha Central Government Office has been under attack by the Aldabai-Militia for about 3 days now. 49 hours into the battle, Daigha abandoned their position in the inner city. Currently, they have retreated into the nearby mountains and are reorganizing their troops. "That is the current status. Now onto the mission objective.
"According to our reports, the Aldabai-Militia is mopping up the Daigha troops in the mountain region. We are to make a landing at Ka Laso Hoek Beach. We are to eliminate the remaining Aldabai-Militia within the city. Afterwards ... Guardian members will intercept any Aldabai-Militia forces trying to make their way into the city from the mountain region."
"So, what are we supposed to do?" Wiuen inquired.
"Guardian Cadets are to eliminate the Aldabai-Militia inside the city." Zelan answered.
Wieun held his weapon dangerously, "So what you are saying is, we do all the little, dirty work..."
"That hardly needs to be said, but... The order to withdraw takes priority. Do not forget." Zelan told the assembled cadets. We are almost there. We anticipate a battle as soon as we disembark. Just be prepared."
Scout B disembarked quickly. The transport vessel landed on the beach, most of it sitting in the salty ocean water. Squad B then made their way into the city. "All right, I want you guys to scout the area for enemies." Wiuen ordered his squad.
"Sounds like it is starting." Rakurai said. He left really nervous.
Raecira started pacing and Wiuen looking very bored. "No one here." Rakurai ordered needlessly.
"Now this is what I call boring." Raecira whined.
"That is it...! I can not take it anymore!" Wieun said. "What is this, some kind of dog training?"
The nearby dog howled at something. The party hid as a squadron of soldiers ran past and along a side street. "Where are they going?" Raecira asked his fellow squad members. They looked up to see something atop a mountain in the distance. "Hey? What is that up there?" Raecira pointed in the direction of the soldiers.
"Our next destination." Wiuen said with a smile."
"But that is against orders!" Rakurai said."But ... It is a good opportunity to test out my training. Thanks to you, I feel like I can take on anyone. Even if they do fight dirty, like you."
"You will thank me when the time comes." Wiuen said with a laugh.
Raecira was really confused now, "I thought you guys did not get along? Suddenly you act like close friends. Listen. This is no ordinary battle. It is an exam, an important one. I am telling you, we have to stick to orders."
"The enemy is headed for the facility. We, Squad B, are to secure the summit. Move out!"
"This must be your first real battle. You scared?" Wiuen asked Rakurai as they moved quickly.
"I am not sure. I try not to think about it."
"I love battles. I fear nothing. The way I look at it, as long as you make it out of a battle alive, you are one step closer to fulfilling your dream." Wiuen boosted.
"What? Your dream?" Rakurai inquired.
"I will explain later."
Communications Tower 1
"Be quiet! I am busy! This goes like this...and... Geez, what is with these crappy old tools? And...and... Why do I have to make all the repairs." one Aldabai-Militia mechnic complained to her friend.
"I will check around while the repairs are being done." said the other woman.
Gifor continued working, "Hmmm... Put this here...and... This goes here...and... There, it is complete!"
Squad B overheard Gifor. As they approached her, the structure began to tremble. Inside, the generators whirred to life and activated the tower. A column rose suddenly from the centre, expanding into a massive transmitter which sent a beam of light into the atmosphere.
"What do you think you are doing ?" Rakurai asked the mechnic.
Gifor turned. "What do you think you are doing? H-HEY! What happened to all the soldiers down below ?"
"Vetge!" Gifor called out to her friend, "Take care of these Guardians."
She looked around, to be greeted by the smiling faces of the rest of the Guardian cadets.
"V...Vetge ?" Gifor tried again. I...ah... Well...ah...I seem to be done here, so I will just be on my..."
She tried to barge her way through. "I I am leaving... Move it! Move! Move!"
Wiuen arrived on the elevator and knocked away Gifor's equipment with a shot from his disruptor. "Sorry ..." he said with a smirk.
"Ah...AHH...AHHHHH! Are you CRAZY!" Gifor yelled.
"Surrender now." Wiuen told the woman. Rakurai fired his pistol, a paralysis shot knocked her off. It also left a trail of unique ions. The transporter activated onboard the transport vessel, beaming her to a holding cell.
"There you are!" said a mystery female voice, a Parmanian woman ran up to join them. "Are you...Squad B?"
Rakurai nodded.
"I am...a messenger. My name is Belfie, from Squad A. The squad captain is Wiuen, right? Where is he?"
Belfie walked over to Wiuen. "Squad B captain. Excuse me! I have new orders!"
Wiuen turned to her. Belfie relayed the orders to them, word for word, "All Guardian Cadets are to withdraw. Assemble at the shore!"
"Withdraw? There are still enemy soldiers everywhere !" Wiuen pointed out.
Belfie sighed, "I know, but I am just a messenger. An order to withdraw takes priority. I do not want to miss the vessel."
"We got 30 minutes to get down to the shore! Better run!" Wiuen told his squad.
A four-legged machine hanging from the underside of the communication tower dish, dropped down upon the unsuspecting squad. Everyone drew with weapons, shooting the mech's weapons, destroying both of them. Then the mech's spider-like metal leg swiped at them, knocking their weapons out of their hands.
Everyone ran for their lives. The machine refused to give up the chase, even in the narrow confines of the city's sidestreets. It ripped chunks out of buildings and crushed a car underfoot. Rakurai lagged behind the team, and runs for his life with the Black Widow Mech hot on his heels.
Rakurai jumped over the brick barrier and hit the sand running. Raecira made it to the transport first, while Belfie dithered and waited for Rakurai.
Rakurai ran towards the transport, sitting in the shallow surf. The Mech was now within striking range, and the front legs reached out to Rakurai. Rakurai leapt, dropped to the sand. The Mech suddenly being riddled with a volley of lead from Treep's ship-mounted Gatling Gun.
When the metal-hitting-metal Wiuen dragged Rakurai into the transport "Congratulations. Every one of you are now Level Two Cadets." Belfie announced.
Kitsilano
Laenia and Rakurai was send to their second off-world assignment, a planetoid called Kitsilano. He was assigned to Ael, or perhaps it was more accurate to say, she chose him. While Guardian Jate has choosen Laenia as his protégé and partner.
"Not quite paradise." the Prime Guardian said looking at Termi's skyline as they approached by shuttle. To Rakurai it looked like an industrial wasteland, desolate and dark. Large sooty, polluted clouds hang low. Near the city core, two tall buildings was burning.
"The city itself is not that bad. The levels underneath the city are a different story. Most of them are what we call 'Krocton segments' - centuries-old districts underlaid by buried strata of cavelike utility tunnels and service corridors. The deepest layers were originally the street-level preserves of Old Termi, structural engineers cannibalized their generation ships to build space-age settlements literally from the ground up. In subsequent centuries, as cities expanded skyward, the Krocton layers offered lodging and work space, first to shopkeepers and artisans and later to immigrants from other worlds. Today better known as of sheltering all types of social misfits - addicts, petty criminals, religious fanatics, political dissidents and people who wish to disappear." he explained. Or to die.
"How many people live here ?" Laenia asked, refering to the entire mega-city.
"Twenty nine million." Jate answered.
A promising future
Two weeks later.
He hesitated. Spurred on by a voice of his mentor, Rakurai dashed forward, leaping over the railing of the balcony. He fell four meters and hit the hard ground, feet first. The landing was hard, sending his stomach to his feet. "Well done!" Ael congratulated him.
Rakurai rose slowly, his legs burned as he looked up at the balcony where he dropped from. He felt sheer joy. A promising future, Rakurai. he thought to himself.
The woman sighed, the sun was proving too much for her today and both are exhausted inanyways. I really did put him through a lot of tough exercises today. And he did quite well. "That is enough for today cadet. Meet me at headquarters tomorrow night at sunset. Do not wear your uniform, dress casually."
"Yes sir."
Rakurai started walking back to his dorm. It was well past midnight and he had spent half the night in his room, working on his report for Emsio. If Emsio liked it he might be promoted.
He jumped slightly at the sound of clanging metal in an alleyway. "Nothing but the wind." he mumbled as he wraps his pilot jacket closer around his body. A sudden downpour started, he ignored it. All too often, fierce infrequent storms matches the mood of the population -- a storm always hidden by almost frantic celebration, a storm that never fully vents its fury and sadness.
The local population consists mostly of Parmanians. They are a nocturnal race. Human-like in size and appearance except their eyes are nearly twice as large, while the mouth and nose is smaller.
The Guardian Collective was requested to set up a headquarters here by the provincial 'government' and asked to get rid of the crime syndicates that keeps the planet's population on its knees for their own purposes of maintaining fame and power. The more people you can control, the better your status along the 'elite'.
The people was tortured when suspected of treachery, some had to resort to living in the sewers, or on the run for the rest of their lives. Most of the population were forced labourers for the syndicates. The people did riot once in a while, only to fail miserably. Crushed by the corrupt militia.
Rakurai had become somewhat despondent and angry during his time here. He saw the city's population everyday, some were poorly clothed and many look underfed; more than one-third of them are children and adolescents. The water and air was heavily populuted, the people lived in fear.
What kind of people takes pleasure from doing this to others ?
I hope we can bring restoration to these people, and fast. This is wrong, this is absolutely sickening.