Author's Notes
Hi to everyone!
And in the and, we're finally here.
Hell, if I look behind, everything is so strange.
Every adventure comes to an end, every novel finishes. But if the adventure or the novel is the one where you spent the latest four years of your life, it's quite difficult to accept the fact that from now on, everything will be different.
Don't misunderstand: the Falcon-1's adventures will continue, in fact there will be no less than two sequels: but this absolutely the first time after years that I complete a fanfiction, and surely this the longest ever completed in my career as a writer!^^
And before you think that this is the end of LAST ESCAPE... No, it's not!
As I said many times, there will be an extra, some sort of post-credit scene made by a few but quite significant and maybe unexpected lines of text that will open the way to the sequel.
However, there will be no notes in the said extra (and anyway, it will be released wednesday at maximum, so stay tuned!^^), so, right now, I salute you.
I want to thank all the ones that have read and/or commented this story, it's thanks to you if I've been able to come this far. You're the best!^^
To you and everyone else... see you on GATE - FRAGMENTS !
Bye Bye
Cj Spencer
EPILOGUE
Dante and Betton met in the refectory for breakfast, and even if it wasn't common for the Major to share the same table with his men out of their missions, the moment he saw his attendant all alone in an angle, as if he was trying to stay hidden, Dante instinctively went to him.
«Good day, Major.» Betton said while respectfully getting up from seat.
«It's been a while.»
Silently, they started eating as usual, but almost immediately Dante noted that even if they there were an ocean of empty places between them and the others, everyone in that room were stealthily looking at them.
«Word travels fast.» Betton commented in discomfort.
Dante just needed a threateningly glance to force all presents to look elsewhere, freeing his attendant from a bit of that tension.
«How are you?»
«Fine. Somehow.» then he looked at his hand and right arm, now covered with arabesque blue tattoos.
«Did you have problems with that? I mean… are you able to control it?»
«I think yes. I still don't know what exactly happened that night, or what this power truly is. All I have to do is to think that I want to use it, and something inside of me tells me what to do and how.»
At that point, Betton smiled, shading tears of sadness at the same time.
«Maybe, that's what she meant when she spoke about living through me.»
«Have you tried to speak with someone?»
«I asked an opinion to various people, but they're even more confused than me. They say that it's been decades since the last time they heard of a fairy merging with a human. But they said there should be no consequences for me, or differently I would've died the same moment of our union.»
«It's that "should not" that worries me. Just try to be careful, ok?»
«Don't worry Major, I have no intention to become some sort of Superman. You mean, can you imagine me wearing a mantle and that tight blue jumpsuit?»
Dante had to do his best to not spit his coffee on Betton's face due to laughing, and the atmosphere immediately relaxed a bit.
«I saw Herera and some other centaurs close to the HQ yesterday evening.» Betton said. «A friend of mine said they're here to talk about a diplomatic alliance with us.»
«She's a good girl. I'm sure she will be a fine diplomat.»
«I also heard the Hight Command is calling back all Falcon units. Is there something big on sight, Sir?»
«Probably it has something to do with that Vicequeen, Kanaria. As far as I'm concerned, I suspect things will start changing for true from now on?»
«For good or for bad?» Betton joked.
«Who knows? This is the curse of a soldiers, boy. Most of times, our actions determine the course of history, but most of times we are mere executors of someone else's decisions. We can just pray that history will remember our actions in a good way.»
A few moments later, a well-dressed civilian smelling of Internal Affairs entered the room and briefly talked with one of the sutlers, that pointed him the two soldiers.
«Soldier Betton?» he said approaching to the table
«It's me.» he confirmed, and at that point the newcomer gave him a sealed envelope and left.
Betton opened and read it, and almost immediately his eyes changed expression.
«Bad news?»
«It's a transfer order.»
«What!?» the Major said in disbelief
«They're sending me back to Earth. It seems that I'll be assigned to some sort of special project.»
Anything but happy to imagine his attendant turned into a guinea pig for his newfound abilities, Dante took the paper from his hands and read it by himself, imagining at the same time all sort of things to say to the General; only to understand almost immediately that there wasn't much just a Major like him could do in front of a letter with the sign of the President on it.
Treviso's weekly market in the Old Town was even more lively than usual, thanks to a pleasurable sunny Saturday due to the incoming summer.
Radika felt a sense of sadness finding herself in that chaotic but even familiar crowd, while the memories of childhood came back to his mind, turning into a wave of melancholic nostalgia.
That was his world: the place he belonged.
How much time she had spent on that place; his place. Even the most insignificant detail called a memory back to her, awakening sentiments lost for a long time in the depths of her heart.
Among that crowd, she could almost recognize some of the most familiar faces, inexorably changed because of the flow of time, but even like this simply impossible to forget for her.
But if she could recognize them, they couldn't do the same with her: no more.
Radika lowered a bit more her almost anachronistic hat, as if she feared that an unexpected gust may blow it away, revealing her rabbit ears; Medea's spell had been truly marvelous in hiding her new face behind a bit more human traits, but there were some things simply unable to hide, and that's why she was paying a lot of attention to rise the eyes from the ground as little as possible.
Of course, it was not a problem for her to walk like this: she could walk around even blindfolded if she wanted, for how detailed and deep impressed in her mind her memories of that place still were.
Walking like this, she quickly reached a traveling cheese store on a truck, and almost immediately her eyes fell over a bit fat, smiling, middle-aged with big black mustache, joyfully speaking with clients while serving them.
«Good day, my dear!» he said when it was her turn. «How can I serve you?»
«Mr. Radoni?» she asked while blushing
«Yes, of course.»
«I am… a friend… of your son.»
Hearing this, Eugenio's eyes changed completely, and all of his joy vanished in the blink of an eye.
«Please, sweetheart.» he said to the only woman working with him. «Can you take my place for a while?»
The man and Radika then moved into a nearby café, taking place on one of the few free tables.
«I didn't expect to see Giuseppe again, much less a friend of him.» Eugenio said while drinking a bit of his cappuccino. «Honestly, I didn't even know where is him right now.»
«He's… he's very occupied with a very important research.» Radika answered. «But I'm sure he will come back to see you if the opportunity arises.»
«I find it difficult to believe. Probably he's never told you, but we didn't part in the best of terms.»
«Why?»
«We had different opinions about what it could be in his better interest for the future. Giuseppe has always been a smart boy, so I thought that he had to use his skills to assure a fine career. But he had different projects in mind, and differently from me, his mother agreed with him. I cannot be sure, but I strongly believe that's the main reason for his hate against me. He never forgave me for my divorce and my choice to have a new wife.»
Eugenio lighted up a smoke, then he watched Radika right in her eyes.
«Are you Italian, my dear?»
«Ehm… no, I'm not.» she said almost confused
«Then, probably this will seem a bit strange to you. But you know, in our culture, no matter how old a son can be, he will always have a string connecting him to his mother. Mothers are vital for us, they're the glue that holds the family together, especially in these far and still rural regions. And the last thing a son can forgive most of times, is to see his mother cry due to the end of a relationship. Especially if she's the kind of mother that always cares for her sole son.»
Noting the amusement in Radika's eyes, Eugenio immediately tried to rescue himself.
«Don't misunderstand me. Giuseppe is not a mama's boy, not at all. As I said, the attachment to a mother is simply part of our being. But he was just nine year old when we divorced, and since then, everything changed. Discussions became common between us, and before knowing it, he became a stranger for me. He started working at the fish store of this market even before finishing high school, but I think he was doing it just to prove me that he had no need for me, nor he had any intention to care for my ideas about his future. He broke his back in this shitty place without a word, refusing both my help and his mother's. Then, one day, he came to me with a letter from England for a scholarship in Oxford, he told me that he didn't want to see me again, and then he left without looking behind. The next September, it will be six years since the last time we talked.»
Radika lowered her eyes, as if she was trying to hide her shame.
«Mr. Radoni, please listen to me. Probably I don't know Giuseppe as well as you, but I'm sure that probably he's blaming himself for what he said that time. The problem is that he's too much proud and… maybe… even scared to admit it. But no matter what, there's no way that he stopped loving you as his father.»
«No, he was right.» Eugenio answered while trying to stop tears. «I kept on saying him that as his father I knew what was in his best interest, but the truth is that I was just trying to keep him close to me. Because despite everything, he was still my son. But as a fool, I thought that the sole way to make sure that he was at safe was to clip his wings.»
Then, the man looked again right in her eyes, smiling in resignation.
«When you see him again, please tell him that I'm sorry for my having been so stubborn, and I'm ready to make amend for my past mistakes.»
All of a sudden, Radika felt a new wave of shame and hate for herself, finding herself unable to sustain the burden of those eyes any further.
«Excuse me.» she said, and she ran away before tears could reveal the truth of her fake face.
The daily briefing of the FASI's high commands used to take place in different locations, according with the place where their services were requested, but things had changed considerably in the latest months.
Instead of being scattered in a lot of different bases and settlements all around Italy, since the past spring the unit had been finally received its proper headquarter; officially it was just an old palace set anew in Rome's outskirts, but in truth, inside that place the government had started hiding most of its secrets involving the Operation Columbus, starting from the most powerful and efficient special unit ever seen.
That day, however, there was something really important on the table, because apart for the ambassadors of each demi human species enrolled in the FASI, even the unit's leader Giordani, his second-in-command De Simoni and General Delneri were present. And the reason for such high presence of personalities became clear quite soon.
«Is the tip-off sure?» De Simoni asked
«We sent our scouts to check, and they've confirmed.» Giordani reported while showing some images and satellite photos «The target has been found in Agrigento.»
«The position seems quite complicate to assault.» observed Queen Isengardia of the Avions. «Can't we pass this information to the common police?»
«Unfortunately, this is not an option. As far as we know, the target has plenty of friends among the local police. If we try to involve them, it's highly probable that someone will inform him, and we may lose him once again.»
«We know where he is.» De Simoni said. «We may keep him under surveillance, and wait for when he'll try to move to arrest him.»
«Right now is in the heart of his dominion. Surely our last victories against his clan have made him much more suspicious. It's highly probable that he will move from there in the near future.»
«In short, you'll have to do by yourselves this time.» said the General
«Are we going to use the usual method?» said the massive minotaur sat at the table, and still almost able to touch the ceiling with his horns.
«Sorry Bogorth, no destroyed walls and broken bones this time» Giordani answered «As we said, the target is hiding in a big city. We're already settling everything for a mass memory deletion if necessary, but still it's better for us to use a more discrete approach.»
«Anyway, both the President and the Prime Minister have already authorized this operation. With this, we'll be able to inflict a fatal blow to the whole sicilian's organized crime.» Delneri said, then he turned to the demi humans. «I will never say it enough, but once again I want to thank you all for your efforts in assisting our Secret Service. Thanks to you, we're making Italy a better place to live, wiping away everything that taunted our society for decades.»
«And thanks to you, our peoples can live peacefully, safe both from Reich and the Empire.» said Isengardia. «We're just paying our debt.»
«Very well.» Giordani said. «The operation will start in twenty-four hours. You'll receive the list of the elements chosen for this task before sunset.»
«Understood.» said the Queen and all other demi humans.
«Oh, and before concluding this briefing, I want to introduce you the new elements of the FASI. Please, enter.»
At that point, one of the doors opened, and a couple of other demi humans, a cobold and a Warrior Bunny, entered the room.
«Good day. I'm Zori.»
«And I'm Medea. Nice to meet you.»
«Did you want to see me, General?» Lunardi respectfully said while closing the door of the office.
As usual, Pedersoli didn't get up from his seat, but Lunardi simply had to note the movement of the General's eyes to point his attention toward a letter on the desk.
«Congratulations.» Pedersoli said while he was still reading it. «You are a Major now.»
«Sir?»
«You have a new assignment. Starting from next week, you'll be the Commander of the special unit of the Northern Imperial Army, the Emroy Division.»
Pedersoli knew plenty of petty officers that would've kill their mothers for such position, but Lunardi's eyes said something completely different.
«I'm happy to accept the promotion General, but if possible, I would like to remain at my place.»
«This is beyond your desires, Major. As you can read, the Vicequeen in person has requested you for this role, and the Prime Minister has accepted.
I'm sorry boy, but you have no choice.»
Flavio lowered his eyes, trying as possible to stop himself from polemically ripping the letter apart.
«Trust me, I tried to make them change their mind, suggesting them other ones to choose from. But it's been useless.»
«And what will be of my squad?»
«Given the situation, the High Command wanted the Falcon-1 to be completely dismantled, and his remaining members reassigned. But in case you didn't note it yet, you and your guys have become quite popular among your comrades, and even the locals speak of you with big respect. So, I obtained for the Falcon-1 to be reorganized. Corporal Amato will be promoted to Captain and put in command, while other soldiers will be called to replace your lost companions.
I know it's not of great consolation, but this was the best I could do.»
The now Major Lunardi didn't comment, because right now there was simply nothing that he could say without taking the risk of being sent in front of the martial court.
«That's all, Captain. You'll leave for Padavium when the Imperial Embassy will come back from Earth next week. Until then, consider yourself free. Do what you want.»
The days for Tymlin being just a child in search for her place into the world were now in the past.
All risks faced, all proves put on her route, had turned her from a little girl thinking to be a Demigoddess into a proper and true servant of her God.
Her wish to restore the cult of Vulcan in the whole world was still strong, but now she knew that there were other methods to do it. It was no more a matter of shouting words without rhyme or reason from a pulpit in some square; as a Demigoddes, all she had to do was to help the others in the name of Vulcan, showing everyone the power of her God and becoming the living proof of his mercy and might.
Once arrived to Castria, the little girl had immediately chosen to follow her new fate without waiting further, but this time she was more than determined to count on her bare forces.
With the local authorities' authorization, she had built a small wooden altar, blessing it with his blood and living on its side day and night, always ready to tell her story to anyone who wanted to hear it: the story of an encounter chose by fate, of a deadly siege faced with pride and faith, and a God that everyone thought to be dead appeared from Heavens to punish the worse act of blasphemy.
Of course, Tymlin was still Tymlin, and her friends loved her right for this. Out of her duties, she was still the little child in search for some affection everyone knew, and even thanks to her abilities she had become quite soon one of the pupils of the Italian soldiers.
Once per day, she used to visit various places around Castria in search for someone to help, and in a bit of time the soldiers themselves had started searching for her in case of necessity.
That day, around sunset, the little demi-dwarf was walking across the perimeter fence of the heliport, called there like other locals by the unusual high number of vehicles ready to leave. That's when she noted Flavio sat on a bench close to the main barrack, with the most discomforted and lost face she had ever seen on him.
Then, without thinking twice, she jumped the wall and went to him.
«Ehi, Flavio. Is everything ok?»
«Tymlin.» he tried to smile. «Are you still here? I thought you left.»
«I was about to do it, but your friends asked me to stay here for a while. It seems they're quite interested in my Demigoddes abilities. And of course, I chose to stay even because now I have plenty of friends here, and it would be sad for me to leave them.»
«And what about your duties?»
«I thought a lot about what you and the others said. Now I know that the best way to make everyone know the power of Vulcan is to show them the things he did through me. For example, I can show them how strong he made me to protect the ones who believe in him. I was also considering to start participating at the non-lethal battles in the new built arena in locals' neighborhoods.»
«I understand.»
«What's the matter? You seem so sad.»
Flavio looked at the countless soldiers waiting to embark over the helicopters, and a wave to melancholy filled his heart. Then, for a moment, he almost forgot that he was talking with a young girl.
«Too much things have happened in this last year. I lost many friends, all of them entrusted to my care. I did everything I could to bring back the few ones left, but I still think that maybe there was something I could do to try saving the others too. I know that regrets are part of the burdens that someone put in command has to take on him, however I don't think I could face all this again. That's why I have fear in going on further. But at the same time, I'm scared about what may happen by staying still without acting.»
Like a little sister caring for her worried brother, Tymlin gently took Flavio's head between her arms, letting him taste her body's warmth.
«Thanks to you, I found my place in the world Flavio. Now, you just have to find your.»
Lunardi abandoned himself in that pleasant embrace for a long time, forgetting for a moment every pain and doubt.
«You have nothing to regret for, Flavio. And I'm sure that also Giada and the others think the same.»
The sudden arrive of a guard forced Tymlin to run away like hell, but at that point her work was already done.
A bit of time later, the now Captain and leader of the Falcon-1 Amato called his soldiers in front of the B-212 ready for take-off. They were about to get onboard, when all of a sudden an unexpected event pursued them to turn behind their backs.
«Is there one more place onboard, Captain?» Lunardi asked.
Amato and the others initially looked at him without answering, but in the end, all of them respectfully saluted him while smiling.
«Of course, Sir.» said Amato. «The unit is at your orders.»
Minutes later, the helicopter took off and departed, joining to the countless other ones waiting for it.
Almost two months later its fell, Calibria was still trying to recover from the siege, but in meantime Reich had already started to spread its famous occupation policy.
All temples, statues and altars had been closed or taken down directly in a few days, and most of them replaced by Fuhrer's holy cross, and the few demi humans survived to that terrible night of endless massacres had been closed into a ghetto, more than aware of what was the fate waiting for them.
Apart for altars, Fuhrer's symbol was now everywhere, as much as its priests and scholars doing their best to persuade, or it was better to say to force the people in leaving behind any other cult to embrace Fuhrer's holy word.
Those who chose to submit were treated well, receiving food and supplies, while the others simply needed to take some time to reflect, which meant to be forcefully enrolled into the working units created to rebuild the walls and the rest of the city.
That day, everything was going as usual, and the siren calling the end of the work was about to ring.
Despite knowing that at that point there was probably nothing to fear from the other cities, the just appointed Reichian Viceroy had disposed everything for a day and night surveillance above the still partially ruined walls, with part of the occupying army always ready to repel any kind of possible danger, both from outside or inside.
But in truth, even the same Fuhrer couldn't even hope to stop what was about to fall from the skies right over the Reichians' heard.
All of a sudden, everyone in Calibria started hearing a strange and sinister noise, like the beating of wings of a massive swarm of locusts. The soldiers of the wall barely had time to point their attention east, because moments later a cloud of strange flying machines appeared from the hills, almost coming out directly from the dying sun, and filling the air with that deafening noise.
They finally did it. They had just provoked the wrath of the demons from another world: and there was no more time for them to escape.
«This is San Marco 1st Battalion, who's with me?»
«Good evening, San Marco. This is Bassano. We're at your side.»
«It's good to hear your, Bassano. We're on our way.»
«Friuli Brigade, we're on your left.»
«Here's the Falcon-9. Eyes on target, we're ready to provide earth support.»
«186° Folgore. We're right behind you, and ready to jump.»
«This is Ariete, all tanks to the ground ready to move.»
«This is Falcon-1 Special Unit. Let's take back Calibria!»