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Terra Pericolosa

Chapter 2: Strings hold the Players Part I

June/28/2186

North Vancouver island/UNAS/9:56 AM

"You know you can slow down right? It's not like will get there any faster with you driving like this." Sounding like she was close to a nerves breakdown Mari scooted just a little lower in her seat. "oh and please put the canopy back up"

Phil added his own complaint at this. "Yeah Stark I'm sure your sister and nephew would love to see you get back…alive" at this he leaned over the rail as if to cough up his last meal.

"You guys realize that at this very moment your contradicting your personality's right." Now I'm just trying get them off topic of there worry's

"How do you mean?" I kid you not they said this at the same time. "Man if this was a cartoon I swear there heads would have grown"

"FIRST" I said with one finger up. "Mari I'm surprised at you! You and me both know you love going fast anywhere on land" I said this with a hint of superiority. "Second you weren't complaining when we were lifting over the mountains yesterday." Then I looked into the rear view mirror at Phil. "and you Collins I'm surprised at you the most coming from the fishing districts of Boston you guys are basically married to the sea."

"Ok first" She is counting off with her fingers but in the fashion of having the other hand lift the fingers for the countdown. "you got the first thing right except you didn't underline LAND. We're going at nearly 88Km an hour over open water with just three feet separating us (that's two), any little thing over that and we go in for a drink. Besides that I rather die over land at least animals will eat me, out here I'd swell up like a pig before anything carnivorous ate me." (That's three) Novak -2/ Lakota +3

"Fine then what's your excuse Phil?" I'm sounding a little defeated at this point that I don't notice that the car is angling lower.

"Dude you just profile me and all my people that were all fishermen." "Your not?" I interjected. "No I got seasick just standing on the pear so I worked in the markets thanks for reminding me."

"Oh, sorry man." Now I felt like a prick but Phil being a good chum about it just waved it off like it was just a thing. Still what was the score now Novak -4/ Collins +2…damn

"Um, Stark!" Mari tried butting in.

"Come you guys, don't you love the rush of traveling fast next to another surface? Knowing that one wrong move and bam wipe-out!

"NO BUT WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT" at this I look forward just in the nick of time to pull up from a crest of water slamming it with the rear of the X2M (older model of the X3M). With a small just a small splash of water on us Mari and Phil both look at me with daggers in there eye's before Mari looked down at my lap and breaks a small smile before laughing along with Phil.

"What?" I was still to shocked to register what happened when I looked down to see a Codfish flopping around my lap. For a perfectly rational reason I panic a bit swerve the hovercraft left and right until I get the fish thrown out.

"Oh, Stark why did you do that the spirits just granted you a fine fish and you threw it out." Mari pouted looking under the craft as the fish splashed back into the water. "Man that was a good size too and I would know"

"Man I just can't win today can I?" I grumbled as I lift the craft into the lay line.

Codex

Despite the new and more popular X3M by the galactic community the X2M is still a favorite among the youth of humans as the retractable roof and the ability to go manually lower then the X3M. (as it was deemed to dangerous for new drivers) The practice goes back to humans early 21st century in the automobile industry.

Codex

Lifting, a new theme growing out of the old human sports of snowboarding, skydiving, surfing and skating. The board itself ranges in length from as small as 1 meter to the longest of 2½ meters. With the smallest eezo engine to date the board climes and thrust faster the more the petals are pushed down by the front and rear feet. This is not to say you can fly indefinitely as the core still needs to cool down. This is where the small tube like turbines comes into effect as do the sports the board was made for. As the board heats up, the power start's lowering so that the rider is to 'skit' the surface of there environment. Surfing is the fastest sport with cooling power for lifters along with skydiving. Snowlifting is considered the most dangerous as the speed's one falls is hazarders to non observant lifters.

Vancouver

Alliance UNAS Headquarters

"All right guys are sure you don't what to stay at my sister's complex? Its way better then the barracks and Anna would just love to see you again Mari." I asked as Phil and Mari got out of the craft.

"No, sorry Stark but I have to call my father and sign us in because you TWO never do it and I'm just to tired to play with your nephew at this time.

"Count me out to your sis is still angry at me for calling her pregnant when she had already given birth already." Phil jumped as I threw a soda cup at him.

"All right but don't go asking for pic's of my nephews birthday party later Mari." With that I flew off to the other side of the river.

As soon as Stark was out of sight Phil elbowed Mari. "What?"

"Why didn't you go with him you could have moved on him a bit and have some alone time?" checking Mari's facial expressions for a clue of what she was going to say.

"You kidding that's a low move beside he's not ready for anything close to commitment in the love sector. Besides that we're in a line of work that could get us killed within the next week for all we know, and nether one of use would give it up right now at this point in are lives." Mari didn't even see Phil walking off already. "What ever make's you sleep at night babe girls aren't my kind of thing anyway."

At this Mari perked up at bit. "Oh did you ever call that Cortez guy you talked with in the hanger bay?"

"No I could tell he wasn't ready for anything at the time but I still keep him in my contacts. Why?" raising an eyebrow at her curiosity.

"It's just so cute how you're a charmer with the men you hit on." Mari giggled along the hall way to there room's. "Your impossible to keep down you know that?"

Alliance Family Quarters

Anna Novak Residents

As Stark pulled out his duffel bag and board he took in the city lights as well as the Administration building across the river. "There's a lot of activity for this time of year, I'm pretty sure the drill was week after next." If he wasn't mistaken but one of the helipads islands was packed with A-61 Mantis gunship's which was weird for Earth military drills. "Maybe there was a threat about how slow Shepard's trial is going again"

As Stark walked up to the house the porch's auto lights turned on as well as inform his sister as she opened the door just before his first nock.

"Hey bro have fun up north?" she asked. "Hey family hugs first before questions" she huffed with out disappointment in it. "You still do that? You know dad is thousands of miles away right?"

"He's going to be disappointed when he hears that. Now where is my little nephew?" looking over her shoulder I see a little head poking over the main hall way.

"Uncle Stark your back! Did you have fun in the north? Did you go lifting over the mountains? Did Aunty Mari and Uncle Philly push you out of bed again?" Anna was just covering her mouth from laughing from all the questions.

"Take it easy will you just let me get my stuff inside, here hold my board while I get your gifts." After that the kid would have impress the most veteran bellboy about how he move my stuff so quickly. After words we sat around the table to wine down with my nephew just jittering in his seat.

"Mom can I open my gifts already from Uncle Stark" I think he was pulling out the puppy dog eyes on her while pleading his case.

As soon as the words "fine" left my sisters lips the kid was half way to the small stack by the door. He really just went at it the first this he pulled out was a silver and white hooded sweater the next two boxes were model ships one being the SSV Arizona the other being a new WA fighter ship with a blue decal and painting.

"Thanks Uncle Stark this is the best." The night went on for an hour with my nephew telling me he could sometimes see Commander Shepard from a window where he played waiting for his mother.

That night Stark had an odd dream to say the least. At first he was walking down a cloudy street with no discernable markings or signs, next thing he knew his team was walking with him all walking a bit ahead to the point he couldn't see who was who. Then just as quickly they stared to flake away until no one was left. Not sure if he was in control of this dream Stark just kept walk until someone came about from another street and stood under a lamp post, with nothing to make who they might be the only clue he got was a rifle held to the side of the person. Then the figure stated to run out of the light, seeing as it might be point less going after a dream opted to turn and see what the figure had run from. What felt like a pulse plowing the fog bank away he could see a sphere like energy moving across the land.

Before waking up from the push of that wave, the most nerve cutting sound he had ever heard in his life filled the air a combination of a siren and a large horn ripped at the very soul.

I thruster off the couch with sweat all over and what was almost a small heart attack. "What the fuck was that?" When no one responded I just went back to bed "just a dream"

End part I

Author's notes: Ok that was longer then I made it out to be…but that's a good thing I think. Again if you see errors let me know and I'll try to fix it.

In the next chapter the bad guys come out so like wait and think of scary stuff (it's not even scary). You might have notice how the kid look's right…I'm just saying. Anna is a single mother the father walked out on her when she got pregnant if you're wondering. Oh and don't say I copied that codex thing half of all the story's I read have it.