So I wanted to update last week, but I was out Internet, so couldn't do that, anyway sorry its late enjoy. (Any of you read my AF fic that will get update in the next few days as well)
-Earth: Zens Office-Three weeks before the attack-
Zen was taking the elevator down to where Slade was being kept. A frown deep set on his face, in fact his guard was standing as far away from him as possible. He had seen Zen in a rage before but nothing matching this. The doors dinged open and Zen stormed out.
"Open the Cell!" he shouted as he stormed down the hall.
The door opened and Zen saw Slade struggling against two guards to be put into his restraints. Zen stormed forward and drove a punishing kick into Slade's gut. Slade doubled over in the guards grip and they threw him against the restraints. The new restraining field activated and wrapped around his frame pulling him back and forcing his legs and arms out straight.
"You could never make things easy. All you were supposed to do was sit in that dammed chair, restrained, and die in the ships explosion. But Nooooo! The mighty Slade breaks his restraints and takes apart his guard crew and jumps before the ships blows."
Zen spit on the ground by Slade's foot. Slade grinned.
"Whats the matter Zen, underestimated me?"
Zen narrowed his eyes, it was true Slade had gotten in shape, Zen had forced it on him, the field had stimulated his muscles and they made sure he was fed. Muscles now sculpted his frame to back when he was in the military. Zen began to doubt that even the field could hold him.
"No matter Slade, your still my prisoner, you may have had a week of freedom, but you'll shortly be a weak and starved man, and I will still lead the humans on a conquering spree."
Slade's eyes fell. He had been so close, had almost been to a safe house when Zens men had found him.
As if he was psychic Zen smiled. "You were running someplace weren't you. You were running to perhaps some old contacts, or maybe a safe house. If so I thank you, my men are combing that area right now, looking for anything."
Slade's head sank.
"Thought so, in a matter of moments I have a feeling that we'll have a lead on the small group of people that have been giving me so much grief. Maybe I'll even find out who the leader is."
-One Week Earlier- -White House Lawn-
The lawn was packed with people, since the announcement that rifts had been detected on the fringe of Earth space, people were nervous. Then it had come that scientists suspected a outside fleet was about to breach. People were freaking out, since President Slade had been shot aboard the aliens vessel and that life out side had been confirmed, the world was at constant alert. Everybody at the lawn was there to see what President Zen's plan was to counter the aliens. Everybody who was there, was hopeful and waited for the presidents speech with baited breath.
Except for three.
"Are you sure something is going to happen Chessa?"
Chessa flicked her long hair back over her shoulder and glared at the man besides her. "Of course, cant you feel it in the air? Zens planning something."
Chessa turned back to watching the podium that Zen was supposed to be speaking at, at 20 years of age and 5-8, Regina "Chessa" Blake could fit into any crowd with out raising any suspicious glances. Which happened to help as she was the hidden leader of the resistance cell against Zen. Not that they really did much mind you, mainly posters and organized rally's. But it got under Zens skin, he had a whole section of security devoted to tracking the leader down. Chessa had a few skills that helped keep her hidden, mainly computer based.
Right now the main squad was out tracking some loner who lives in the desert.
Zen finally appeared at the podium and Chessa turned to the male next to her. "Alright Zack, Let Audrey know we're on." Zack nodded and pulled a cell phone out of his pocket, he walked off dialing a number. Chessa turned back to watch Zen.
"People of Earth" Zens voice blasted out across the grounds and Chessa felt her lips curl up.
"We are emerging into a new era, an era of expansion. The Aliens that tricked us onto their ship, that killed our beloved leader made a grave mistake. They expected us to crumble before them without our leader. But instead, we have fortified, we have grown strong, and, we, have, advanced!"
At this point Zen took the Microphone off the stand and started down the steps.
"They fear us, that is why we have been detecting their rifts, and they expect to hit us again, with a surprise attack this time. But when the left last time, they did not expect us to learn so much from their shuttle. They have underestimated us. When their fleet arrives, it will be them who get surprised!"
Zen pointed straight up towards the sky. "Already our new space fighters are waiting for the fleet, already our larger ships are getting ready to jump. We shall soon not only turn this attack around we will kick them so hard that they run, but we will chase them down and let them feel fear for once."
Zen gestured out towards the crowd and took a breath to speak, but was interrupted by a sonic boom. Although it was not as loud as it could have been it carried with it a gust that knocked most of the people standing down, even Zen and Chessa. As Chessa picked herself up from the ground, she heard Zens voice.
"Did you feel that, that it them, they have come again they have-" Zens voice cut out with a pop.
Chessa's eye widened at the next voice she heard.
"People of Earth."
No
"I have returned, to bring the message of light to our planet, to bring you into the fold."
No
"I come in peace, bearing the gifts of the people that have shown me hospitality these past times."
Zen stood up and shouted out to the crowd "They have taken control of Slade's mind, I know in your heat that you want him to be fine, but Slade would never say that. Fight for all your worth" Zen pointed to the sky again. "GO!"
Behind him fifty fighters blasted up from behind the white house and headed for high orbit.
Chessa stumbled to her feet and ran from the field. Zack caught up to her shortly after.
"Chess."
"Not now Zack, Did you tell Audrey to meet up with us instead?"
Zack nodded as they turned down an ally way "Ya, I figured it would be alright considering..."
"Considering that Zen just branded my Father a traitor?" Chessa snorted "Good guess."
A lanky girl with blond hair swung out of an alleyway as they passed, she had a large tube slung over her shoulder and both arms braced around it keeping it on the back of her neck. She still kept up with both Zack and Chessa with no apparent effort though.
"Hey Chessa, Zack, Meeting house right?"
Chessa nodded and Audrey nodded "Cool, see ya there."
Audrey increased her stride and pulled away from Chessa and Zack. Chessa turned to Zack.
"Lets split up, just in case, take this next left."
Zack nodded and broke off when they reached the alleyway. Chessa kept running, and blinked away tears that she would not let fall. They still needed to meet up with the others at the base.
When she reached the base, Chessa ran straight towards the wall then dropped to her bottom sliding along the rough gravel and into a large duct that had the covering removed. The ground dropped out below her and she landed hard on her feet in the corner of the room. Zack and Audrey were already there, along with the fifteen or so others that made up the current amount on the "Zenbellion" as the liked to call themselves.
"News?" She asked as she waled towards where they all sat gathered around a radio.
"Zens fleet pushed back the aliens, even destroying the main ship. Their saying now though that an escape pod launched before the main ship exploded, and that it came down near here.
"He survived then." Chessa let out a breath.
"Your dad?"
Chessa nodded "Everybody here knows as well as I do that if my dad really was on that ship, he would have gotten off of it somehow. He may even be heading here, so we need to pack up and move out. Zack and I will stay here and hide, just in case my Father makes it here. The rest of you head for the back up site in the slums." The others nodded and began to spread out, packing up various boxes of posters. Audrey walked up to them.
"Good luck to you both." Audrey hugged Chessa "I hope your dads alright."
"Me too, and Good luck to you."
Chessa gestured to Zack "Come on, we can find a place near by."
six days later found Zack and Chessa hidden inside a collapsed building. They had made a little shelter then covered it with debris, they had taken turns napping and watching out through a peak hole. It was Zacks turn for watching when he heard that shouting. He ducked over Chessa and shook her shoulder, the gril came to instantly awake. Zack put his finger over his mouth and Chessa nodded, they both crept to the peak hole and stared outside at their abandoned base down the street.
A man stumbled out of an alleyway and looked around, he walked over to their abandoned base and opened the door. He glanced around inside and sighed, he turned his face and Chessas breath skipped. It was her dad alright, not as kind as it usually looked, it was chiseled and hard, he glanced around one more time and went to walk down the street when two guys rushed from the alleys and ran into him slamming him against a wall.
Chessa made for the door to their hide out. Zack grabbed her arm and she turned back to him.
"Let me go!" she hissed
He shook his head and pointed back out to the street.
Slade had been subdued, not by the guys that had jumped him, but by five others.
"We can help him" She hissed.
Again Zack shook his head no, and Chessa had to watch as they dragged Slade off.
Slade meanwhile was glad that the two kids had stayed where they were, Zen would have not been gentle with them if his goons had caught them. He was pretty sure that was the group of people he had heard had been resisting Zen, but he couldn't be sure, and he didn't want to risk exposing them. So when the goons had jumped him he let them subdue him and drag him off. He had been so close though...
-Veldin- -Ratchet's house-
Ratchet was sitting in Stella's old room, holding her limp hand as she laid in the bed. They had injected her with how many nanites they felt safe with doing for the time and she still had not fully healed...or woken up. Ratchet was starting to worry that he would lose two members of his family in the same month. It had been two weeks since the attack and nothing seemed to be going right. The Galaxy had risen up in defense and manged to turn back most of the tide, but at a great cost. Many ships were lost, and the humans were still slowly expanding. They only had three planets under the rule right now, but if nothing was done to cripple them, they would soon rule this galaxy.
Ratchet sighed as he thought again of one of the first casualties to this new war. Sasha, who he would never see again.
"I'm going to kill them."
Ratchet opened his eyes and looked at Stella, who's eyes were still closed. Then glanced over his shoulder at his son.
"Every one of them." Sky said as he stared at his sisters sleeping form.
Stella moaned and Ratchet stood up while Sky stepped into the room.
"Ow." She whispered.
"Stella?" Ratchet and Sky asked at the same time.
Ratchet grabbed a glass of water and lifted Stella's head as she cracked open her eyes.
"Here drink."
Stella did for a little bit then pulled away from the cup, Ratchet put the cup on the nightstand and turned back to his daughter.
"Dad...it's kinda fuzzy...but...did...did she?"
Ratchet swallowed hard then nodded "Yes." He whispered.
Stella closed her eyes and tears leaked out.
"Next...question" she asked eyes still closed "Why does...my body hurt...so much?"
Sky stepped out of the room and Stella opened her eyes "Wheres...he going?"
Ratchet stepped away towards the door. "When you get the strength sit up and look at yourself I'll be outside."
Stella waited for a bit after the door closed behind her dad before sitting up fully with a groan. The sheet that was covering her fell off and revealed her naked form. Her eyes widened at the red line that pulled her eyes towards it. She raised a shaky hand and touched her face where she felt pain. She felt a ridge of flesh and traced it down underneath her neck. She turned her gaze to follow the line as it traced over her breast and down to just above her navel. She blinked and remembered.
Tran, explosions, being pulled into the escape pod. Then the piece of metal, she vaguely remembered Rass pulling the shard out while she screamed, and doctors working on her torn form. She exhaled sharply then gave a hard deep sob. She closed her eyes again and when she opened them anybody looking at them would have stepped away from the fire that burned there.
She slowly swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. She put a hand on the wall to steady herself and moved to a box in the corner. She reached in and pulled out some clothes. She spent the next twenty minutes slowly putting on her clothes and jumpsuit. She opened the door and stood in the door way supporting her form. Ratchet and Sky looked surprised to see her standing up.
"Where's...my armor?" She asked
Ratchet gestured down the hall "In the living room you arn't-"
Stella pushed off the wall and tried to bypass him."Yes I...am...I owe whoever...attacked us some...pay back."
"You don't even know who attacked us." Sky put himself in her way.
"I don't...care...their going to be...sorry."
"Think."
Sky glanced past Stella towards Ratchet.
"..what?" Stella asked as she turned around.
"Think...HARD, Is this what your mother would want. Would she want you dieing because you insisted on going out when you are still recovering from injuries," Ratchet paused for one beat, two, "DO YOU?"
Stella said nothing just blinked, after a bit tears started crawling down her face again. "What...else...am I...supposed...to do?"
Ratchet turned around and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You rest, you recover, and when your strong again," Ratchet put his other hand on Sky's shoulder, "the three of us will work together to kick this force out of our galaxy and back to where ever they came from."
Stella and Sky nodded, Ratchet stepped back and Stella leaned on Sky to get back to her room.
…..
It was two days later that they buried the empty casket.
The three of them stood in a circle around the freshly turned ground. Nothing was said, but they stood there for a good while until the sun had set. Eventually Sky and Stella went inside, Ratchet remained outside until a chill overtook his body. He eventually trudged his way into his garage where his starfighter was sitting,
He had been working for an hour when Clank walked in.
"I...I am Sorry Ratchet."
Ratchet said nothing, just sat there tightening a bolt with his wrench.
Clank hopped onto a work bench and sat there, waiting, eventually Ratchet spoke.
"I don't know what to do Clank, I don't know what to do...with out...he...her..."
The tears that fell onto the floor were the first ones that Ratchet had cried since it had happened.
I hope you enjoyed, Peace out all, I'm going back to my Gears 3 Beta, and trying to catch up on my reading of stories here.
Emile.