A/N: the story Mike is telling in this is a large hint about a story I will bring in to the fan fiction universe.

Chapter 2 A past and a future

(Michael POV)

I fly through the air matching the speeds of the Dreadnought and Condor. As soon we are all in the same speed I set the fighter to cruise mode. I lean back in my chair and I use the co-pilot's camera to talk to Lark. I still have to say she is just as beautiful on camera as she is in person. I raise my hand and wave to her.

"Hey Lark, things ok back there?"

"Aside that this chair is more comfortable than my own furniture, I've been better."

"Well I have to inject a lot of drugs to keep you in a healthy and stable state."

"And I'm grateful for it; do you want to talk about anything?"

"Well I know all about you but I deprived you of knowledge about me."

"True" she says questioningly. "Please tell me about you."

"Mind if I start from my father's beginning?"

"Well if it ties well with your story then okay."

I lean back a bit trying to get myself comfortable to tell the story. I feel uncertain about telling about my family's past. This feel like something I need to tell. I sigh and I begin to tell the tale.

"It starts like this; a long time ago on a distant world called Earth: a planet filled with heroes and villains alike; my grandfather traverse the universe looking for a place to stay since he left his home world; this was a decision on his own; when he landed he was immediately captured by the world's military; he pleaded that his son: my father, is to be taken care of; my father was taken to an orphanage is a city called New York; there he grew up; by his late teens he was confronted by a man in a wheelchair; he was given a chance to live a real life beyond that of which concealed his true passion and abilities; my father was a metalmancer; it means he can control metal and create metal into different shapes and forms; the man in the wheelchair believed heavily on my father's abilities that he offered a role in a team of heroes; my father agreed to but for a reason: he want to find out who is his parents is; he was then proper initiated into the team and that is where he met my mother; they called her rouge for some reason but he didn't mind; they continue to work well together up to a point where they show feelings for each other; by the time they have me my father found out who is his father through a couple of cousins of his who is closely affiliated with another team of heroes; they sometimes work together on some occasions; he was told that he is from another world and he was told about a cousin of his who was prince at the time; by the time I'm twelve years of age a plague befallen the city; every hero and villain alike fell victim to this plague turning them into horrible monsters; my father's cousins already left for the home world a few months after meeting my father, so they didn't fall victim to the plague; my father was building a teleportation pod allowing my mother, father and myself to travel to the home world; before we can go a group of infected heroes broke into the base and spread the infection; my mother was one of the first victims; so my father sent me back to the home world for my cousins to take care of me; since then I didn't hear a word of him for nine years; during those years I was training to be a sharp shooter and a medical expert; and the past seven I was with my cousins doing this damn mercenary business; they told me I don't have to shoot if I don't want to; until last week I never took a life; that is what I go through, what my father went through and still I miss him."

I watch the screen and Lark gives me a look of empathy. She reaches over from her seat and pats me on the shoulder consoling me. I smile knowing there are more people who can understand me aside from my family.

I turn my attention back to skies and something is happening. The forest is changing below the ships. Then out of nowhere several large birds appear from the forest. The size of those birds is the size of a mark III Ultra skimmer. I send a visual report to the ships alerting them the situation. A few minutes later a few skimmers and my cousins meet with me. Before we get into range the ships fire the initial shots. A large number of the birds fall but still so many of them still fly. The skimmers and my fighter squadron break formation to engage the birds. As fly through the birds ranks some of the pilots in the open skimmers gets picked apart of get swallowed whole. I turn a 180 to see the flock coming straight for us. I take a look around and there are so few of us left. The flock looks like they are ready to tear the rest of us to pieces. As soon the flock charges towards us, a beam of energy hits the birds and a majority of them fall.

I look up to see a flight of Juggernaut class ships and Hawk class fighters. A Hawk class fighter literally looks like giant mechanized birds with guns. This is a relief to see allied assistance. I just wonder how they found us. The radio fills with radio chatter until a clear line communication comes up.

"This is Admiral Simon Blade; I implore you to dock with my ship the Storm Blade in order to be brought to safety."

Without a shred of hesitation the fighter squadron, Dreadnought and The Condor shoot straight past the cloud cover. We expect a Legion class ship but instead we are in the presence of a Phalanx class Cruiser. The length of the ship stretches on for miles. Even from the lower decks there are huge blasters ready to fire onto incoming enemies. The ship reminds of the times I've been training amongst the Rohannian elite. We enter docking bay SF-34. We are quickly met with medical and security personnel. During both ordeals we lost a lot of good men and women today. I exit my fighter and then I help ease Lark out of the co-pilots seat. I look around as both able-bodied and injured are extracted the ships. I meet with my cousins with Lark next to me.

"Hell of a day today, eh?"

"You said it Razor" Richard comments.

"Hey Rich it's your brother."

We turn to see the Admiral of the fourth fleet and ground commander of the nineteenth. The widely known Simon Blade also known as Simon the Sword of Retribution. We salute when he approach us. He salutes back and asks.

"So what are you guys doing out here?"

"Just doing some mercenary, sir" Gareth giving the answer.

He turns his gaze onto Richard and says "brother, for all these years I thought you perished on Korriban; and yet here you stand."

"Well it has been a long time and how I survived I used the skills I've been taught by my master."

"Well that explains things; here your tags." In his hands are dog tags in the shape of a heater shield. "Take them so we all can recognize that you're alive."

Richard takes the tags and hangs it around his neck. He seems so pleased about it. Simon turns and gesture us to follow. I personally never have been inside of a Phalanx class so this is my first time inside of one. I look to my left to find a map showing all of the levels of the ship. It reveal to me that there are some artificial agricultural areas, an armory, a barracks, the engineering level and so much more. I try to memorize the map before trying to catch up to the others. The way Richard is staying next to Simon I can tell he served on the Storm Blade. I follow them through the series of hallways to the core bridge. The main Bridge is for commanding the fleet but this is where the real magic happens. There are rows of communication consoles, a 3D holo-map, advance radar system, and hyper-drive controls. We gather near the map and it shows the fighters engaging the flocks of birds. Simon sighs and says.

"So what in Zeus's name were you guys doing deep in the cursed forest; didn't you the reports I've sent to all allied ships in the area?"

Richard retorts "trust me brother it's a long story but you can debrief me."

"I'll get to that soon but first we need to plot a course to the nearest city."

I respond "the nearest I know is New Cyclonia."

"Then someone get their leader on the helm so we can talk about our arrival."

"There is no need" I speak up.

"Why?"

"The city's leader is right here" I said gesturing my hand the Lark.

The look on Simon's face is almost priceless. Hardly anyone could surprise him. He reorganizes his thoughts and asks Lark.

"With your permission madam; may we dock in your city?"

Lark smiles and says "granted."

We feel the ship move and I look at the map and we are heading east. We head on back to the hanger where the medical personnel already treated the wounded and I see the Storm Hawks waiting. We walk over and we notice that majority of their original force have been cut down to forty percent. We silently pray to give peace to those who died. Lark and I talk with them until I see the Dreadnought already dismantled and all that is left are the fighter ships. On my cousins ships I see their stuff in boxes and luggage bags tied to their ships. I look to see that Richard must have given a written report to give to Simon which explains why he is here so fast. I walk over with worry on my face.

"Guys; what is going on?"

Richard turns and asks "how long have we been doing this type of work?"

"Seven years but…"

"Exactly seven long years; it's time for each of us to separate to our own paths."

I long down with a forlorn look and ask "where am I to go?"

Richard smiles and says "this is where you belong little cousin; we however need to find our own way; in the words of the great Achilles I, may the force protect you and honor guard you."

Tears well up in my eyes, these are tears of sadness and joy. I salute and I yell as loud as I can "until next we meet Commander."

"Same goes to you, Captain." With that they depart. I stand there with my mouth agape as they fly into the horizon line in their own direction.

I wipe the tears from my eyes as they disappear in the distance. I turn to look at everyone. I guess I'll be with them from now on. I walk into the hallway. I remember on the map that there is a bar in the east wing of the ship. I traverse through until I reach the bar. I order some wine in a tall goblet. I sometimes forget that I'm a power warrior capable of defending his rights to protect others and to contain a number of emotions. Well this is one of those times.

I drink down a few glasses. I saturate myself in a lot of emotions, frustration, guilt, anger, sadness and confusion. I bathe in these emotions until I feel someone joining next to me. I don't know if it's a hallucination or real but I'm seeing the Dark Ace sitting next to me. Last anyone heard of him he was confirmed dead, no trace of existence left and yet here he is sitting next to me. He turns to me and says.

"You know kid, if you bottle all of those emotions you'll end up just like me; power hungry and dead."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean let it out; just let it all flow like a river and when you're done you must swear to protect her."

"Why?"

"You know why."

And with that he disappears as soon I blink my eyes. I couldn't comprehend what just happened but I don't know if it was real or fake. I snap my attention to the person who touched my shoulder as soon as they touch it. I see Aerrow standing there I can from the look in his eyes he might know who I was talking to. I gesture him to come sit by me. I order some whisky for him to drink.

"So" Aerrow starts. "Who were you talking to?"

"I think you should know."

"So Dark Ace talked to you?"

"That he did; man the stuff that just happened in the last hour is a bit too much to take in."

"I hear that."

"Davai my friend let's drink our youth and health."

"Okay lets drink."

As we drink a ship wide announcement broadcast through the ship. It alerts everyone that we are ten minutes out from docking with New Cyclonia. Aerrow and I finish our drinks and exit the bar to head on over to the hangar. I ponder what did Dark Ace said. What does he mean? By the time we arrive to the hanger there is a drop ship waiting for us. The drop ship is a refurbished relic of the past when my great grandfather fought in the clone wars but it's doable. The drop ship is an old LAAT but it's been outfitted with advance beam cannons and artillery guns. As we mount the ship, the rest of the Storm Hawks and Lark was waiting for us. I quickly notice that Lark is wearing some new clothes that reflect her personality. She is wearing a tight yet loose dark purple women's dress shirt and a pair of black women's slacks. She still wears the same slippers when she wore her dress.

"Hey Lark where did you buy the clothes?"

"Well I did a bit of walking around in the ship and found a shopping area; you know you're right this place is like a moving city."

"Well where did you get the money to get the clothes because last I recall all we have when we fled the city was our clothes and my ship."

"Well your cousin was kind enough to buy it; although it was strange that the currency here is ammunition clips."

"Yeah cause out in the field money means nothing; the more valuable items are ammunition or favors; the more favorite form is ammunition because it's easily rechargeable."

As I tell them the facts on how things work on ships like a Phalanx Class we feel the floor tremble a bit. If I have to guess this means we landed. The doors open to see a few of Simon's soldiers standing in two parallel lines with Simon waiting at the end of the lines. From the looks of the uniforms of the soldiers they are from 117th anti-tank infantry and remnants of the 501st back from the Clone Wars. We walk down and meet with Simon. As soon we did Lark take up front and lead us all into the main meeting chamber which is also known as her throne room.

I look around to the looks of the local garrison soldiers that their great leader is back with her sworn enemies. They stand confused and angry. We simply ignore them to continue on our way. We made our way to the throne room. As soon we get there we find a bunch of the aristocrats bickering about who should be in charge of New Cyclonia. I cough out loud indicating our presence needs to be known. They turn to snap at us until the first thing they see is Lark or in their terms Master Cyclonis. I chuckle to myself while still being humble that they are franticly apologizing to Lark for trying to take her rightful place. They we quickly dismissed as soon the last one apologizes. I notice Simon have a serious look on his face. He bring his left wrist up and activate his communicator. He spoke something in Rohannian. I understand it fully. He said to his communicator 'kill the aristocrats and dump the bodies in to the endless abyss.' The moment he deactivate his communicator we hear blaster shots and muffled screaming.

"Um, Simon" Aerrow asks. "What was that?"

"I've taken a look in their minds and they were plotting to have Master Cyclonis assassinated; I did what any concerned commanding officer would've done in my place; I had them executed on the spot."Everyone's eyes shoot open when said that. "I'm just going to get fuel and I'll take my leave after my job here is done."

As soon he said that he leaves the room. We have a distressed look on our faces. I try to swallow my disgust and fear but it's too much to keep down. So I force it all down in one gulp. I find some cold sweat on my hands. Along with the fear is a sense to demand an answer for why he is here. I run after him. I am able to catch him halfway before he departs to the Storm Blade.

"Simon" I call out. "Why exactly are you here?"

"It's the best interests of The Grand Coalition to be here."

"For what reasons?"

"To transport a city to the Atmos and it seems that you and Master Cyclonis volunteered this city."