12/07/19

(Noun) Four Years Before Starfall

PART ONE

DAYS OF EXODUS

Chapter One

2050

The Earth, humanity's home for as long as they'd existed. The development of the species of this planet had taken on a new course and the last few decades have seen the Earth become a drastically different place.

It all started in 2024 due to what the government stated were messages that were intercepted from across deep space, it became known that a war was coming to Earth.

What wasn't known was that the message was a being. Two beings who came to Earth to help them prepare for the inevitable.

Earth changed from a planet of living to a planet of those with a powerful urge and drive...to survive. Gone were the days of a far spread out population covering the planet, most populations now gathered within massive megacities home to the construction of many interstellar Ark ships.

The cities left abandoned were eventually taken over by people who have lost all their faith and those who merely wanted to the world to burn. The dying planet was now at war with itself.

The Coalition government created by the leading powers of the countries and the ECP, the institution dedicated to leading the development of the Ark ships and securing humanity's future with the incredibly ambitious Project Exodus were now the ruling bodies of the planet.

As the years passed, the abandoned cities fell apart and were thus renamed to the Lawless Sectors, massive expanses of ruins and waste dominated by murderers, psychopaths, terrorists and the faithless.

Initially content with leaving those in the wastes to the fates they chose, things had to change one the terrorists began organizing and launching attacks on Coalition facilities.

The most highly regarded military divisions were then given new directives, and teams were deployed into the Lawless Sectors all over the world to kill anyone and everyone for the security of mankind's future.

One such team was the 3rd Soldier Unit lead by General Hideo Kumon, a famed Japanese military leader and swordmaster. With a sound tactical mind he lead his division deep into the Lawless Sectors, and they killed more than any of the other units, earning themselves a new moniker: The Reapers.

While Kumon and his Reapers became a shining example to the military forces patrolling the Lawless Sectors, the ECP found itself a symbol in a woman wholly dedicated to the preservation of humanity and life, her name was Elma and with her guidance, the ECP flourished and as the day of the war drew ever closer, preparations never ceased.

If humanity was to survive.

There could be no rest.

The year was now 2050, and only a small group within the Coalition knew that the war was nearly here. Time was running out.

As a meeting gave way to more discussions regarding the specifics of the Lifeholds and Mimeosome integration, Elma found herself tired and excused herself from the proceedings.

Outside she stood on a balcony overlooking the megacity D-003 also known as Noah's Cradle and the mighty Ark ship, pointing high into the heavens. This one was designated L-002, the White Whale.

"Meeting got stuffy didn't it?"

Elma shook her head.

"No…"

A man walked over to her, she looked to him as he raised his eyebrow.

"Yes. But above all I'm just...tired. We've been at this for decades...it's only natural, right?"

"...yeah...I've felt that way for longer but I kept going because I saw you never stopping. How could I complain if you never did?"

"You always complain."

"That's not my point."

Elma sighed.

"Aeon...this has to work. This has to be worth it."

"It will be. We're going to make damn sure it is."

Elma closed her eyes as Aeon looked to the sky.

"Alright...the time has come for my biggest part in all of this...I'll have to leave the humans to you. Our people can't just sit by and let what's about to come to pass. Watchers or not."

"They won't change their minds. Even now. Nearly three decades is nothing to them."

"I know. But I have to try. Right?"

Elma nodded.

"That's how we've operated since we started this whole venture. We have to try. We have to do something."

The pair stood in silence before Aeon turned and walked away.

"I'll be back...take care. Sister."

"You as well. Brother."

Elma had kept herself away from the Lawless Sectors since they formed. Once the Coalition put their hunters into effect and began taking out all the threats to the future, she decided it was best not to see it.

These were the creatures she sacrificed everything for, she did not want to see them at their worst. She did not want them to force her to question her decisions. To agree with what was said about even attempting what she was doing. But she had to see it.

Reaching the end of the megacity's borders, she was greeted by a massive wall. Most cities had some sort of defensive structure surrounding them but Noah's Cradle being the home of the ECP command had the greatest. Approaching one of the doors, she held up her ID and walked through into a military encampment.

Looking to the banners hanging she knew who was here. The Reapers. Of course the Coalition would want their best defenders watching the borders of their most important megacity. It made too much sense.

As she walked through the encampment she noticed several soldiers standing on watch over the perimeters. Watchtowers dotted the horizon, early warning systems. The place was extraordinarily well defended.

"You must be her. Elma."

Turning the woman spotted him. Dressed in deep black body armor with a sword across his back and a handgun in his holster. Though she knew the man was old, it didn't show in how he carried himself and his eyes watched her, calculating but not unfriendly.

"To what do I owe this honor?"

"No such honor, General. I've never actually seen the Lawless Sectors as unlikely as that sounds."

"No, I believe it. Some days I wish less of us saw it."

Elma appreciated that sentiment before hearing yells. Looking past the General she spotted several fully armed soldiers engage in sparring practice. It was not the kind of sparring that most would do as it seemed to be three on one.

Elma watched closely as the one in the middle fended off all the attacks the others threw at them.

Kumon chuckled.

"Major! Blood One! Blood Two! You're letting the Corporal embarrass you in front of our guest."

One of the soldiers looked towards him in confusion, the fighter in the middle, the Corporal, took that chance to grab their arm and flip them over, slamming them into the earth with immense force. That was then followed up by two brutal strikes to the helmet and the combatant was limp, out cold.

Elma continued to watch as Kumon walked over to a stand and threw three training weapons at the remaining fighters.

Armed now they began striking at each other's weapon with all the might they could muster.

The Corporal was disarmed by several strikes to her hand holding the blade. A curse was heard, a female voice.

Quickly the woman tackled one of her opponents, ignoring the strikes the other got in. Taking the training sword from his grasp she swung around and slammed it into the other opponent's side.

As they stumbled away she leapt up and with a mighty dropkick, floored her second victim.

Then she turned and pressed her training sword against the last one as he tried to stand.

"Yield!"

Once the hands went up, she began laughing. Not a cocky laugh like Elma expected but a happy one. Tossing her sword away she took off her helmet, a long flaming red mane falling out.

Elma immediately noticed that the woman only had one eye as she helped her opponent up.

"Sorry about that Captain Hook, better luck next time."

"It's Major Tai Alistair, Jaynix. Not like you're going to change."

"Nope. Unlikely."

The man, Tai, moved over to his fallen comrades and began rousing them as Jaynix's eye found Elma and Kumon.

"General...and you. Colonel Elma."

She watched the red haired woman closely as she approached, her one eye evaluating her. Elma noted how fierce the woman's expression looked as well as the way she carried herself as well. She clearly did not have all the years of experience that the General did, but she had as much pride as he did. That she could tell.

"Spar with me."

Kumon laughed as Elma tilted her head before walking over to the training blades and picking one up.

"Very well."

Jaynix gave her a smile and readied herself.

There was dead silence before the women charged each other, their weapons blurred with speed, slamming into one another with no end.

Elma saw Jaynix's eye light up with passionate determination. There was fury in there, but she was also in control. As impressed as Elma was, she wasn't going to go easy on the Corporal.

Grabbing her arm in much the way the Corporal did to her ally, she flipped her over, Jaynix twisted herself around, landing on her flip and reversing Elma's move on her.

Elma let the throw carry, catching herself and rolling away to her feet.

She gave Jaynix a small nod before engaging once again, this time with more ferocity. Jaynix chuckled, Elma thought at first it was a cocky thing, but the smile Jaynix wore was nothing like that.

Major Alistair, Blood One, Blood Two and the General watched in silence, eventually two more women joined them, one in a dress suit and the other in the same armor as her allies.

The fight raged on until a roar escaped Jaynix and the training weapons collided with a mighty crack and broke. Seizing the opportunity, both women charged forward, fists impacted each of their chests.

The mighty blows pushed them both away from each other and there they stood, breathing heavily. With another warcry Jaynix shot forward with immense speed.

Elma knew the oncoming blow would not leave her in a good place, but she also knew she was faster. Slipping into Jaynix's guard she retaliated by slamming her palm into Jaynix's chest.

With her own furious yell she lifted Jaynix up and used all her force to slam the woman into the ground. Getting on top of her, she held her limbs down.

"Yield."

Once Jaynix caught her breath she nodded.

"Yeah, yeah. I yield."

Elma got off Jaynix letting out a long breath as Jaynix sat up. Elma once again expected some sort of fury or anger at being bested. But when Jaynix's eye found her again, there was something else there.

Excitement.

A large smile formed on Jaynix's face as she spoke.

"You're strong."

"You aren't so bad yourself, Corporal."

Jaynix held her hand out.

"Jaynix. Jaynix Isaiah Copeland."

Elma shook her hand.

"Elma."

The pair stood up.

"Thanks for accepting my ballsy request Elma. That spar was incredibly enlightening."

"Oh? In what way?"

Jaynix looked off into the distance, Elma took the chance to look closer at Jaynix's eyepatch. The skin around it seemed to be badly burned, her ear or what she could see of it through her hair was also in the same shape.

"I always strive to grow stronger. Be better. To do more, make a mark. I've never had someone who could test me the way you have."

"Not even the General?"

Jaynix chuckled.

"The General is different. He's my teacher. Our teacher. What we had during that spar. That was different. That was real. It showed me that as great as I am here among my team, and out there among those killers...there is still a whole world that I'm not ready for. And now I have a standard to aim for."

Elma shook her head.

"You overestimate me."

"I've heard the stories, Colonel. I don't think anyone could overestimate you."

Elma laughed.

"What you heard was likely embellished."

"There is truth to every story."

Elma couldn't deny that.

"So! Care to join us for a meal? Elma? I'd love to talk to you about strategy and hand to hand."

"Absolutely not!"

The pair turned as a woman approached, auburn hair, a long strand of which fell over her face, her eyes focused squarely on the Corporal.

"Jaynix, you know we don't talk about work when we eat, we discuss fighting and killing at every other opportunity!"

Elma watched as Jaynix's expression changed again, to one so tender it could only be one thing. Love.

"Lyla, come on. It's Elma! When am I ever going to get this chance?"

Lyla shook her head, a playful smile on her face as Jaynix gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Major Alistair clapped his hands.

"Alright! Let's eat!"

The rest of the Reapers departed, leaving the three women by themselves but not before Alistair added.

"We'll eat it all if you don't care enough to show up!"

"You better not!"

Lyla called back, giving Jaynix a kiss of her own before looking to Elma.

"Amazing performance, Colonel."

"Thank you, Lyla. I hope I wasn't too rough on...your…?"

"Fiancée."

"Fiancée. Congratulations."

Jaynix smiled before bowing her head.

"Thank you."

"If you want to talk about anything specific over food, I'd love to hear about the two of you."

At Elma's statement, a blush formed on Jaynix's face while a smile lit up Lyla's.

"Absolutely!

With that the three headed for the tent. As they walked, Jaynix and Elma exchanged a look. Noting something small about being in each other's presence. It wasn't significant, yet at the same time...maybe it was.