One week earlier...
A flash of red.
The feeling of falling.
"Brace, Brace, Brace!"
Darkness.
Sasha's lungs gasped for air, a pained cough coming out in response as she looks around. The arvus lighter she and her armsmen had boarded had broken to pieces upon hitting the ground. Splitting the hull in half, leaving her strapped to her seat while the second half was a flaming wreck against a stone cliff face. The only ones to survive were her and the four others Jannick, Stalia, Estavo, and Thorne. They seemed to be as knocked out as she was from the sudden impact with the ground.
Wasting no more time, Sasha unhooks herself from her seat, her lasgun stilled stowed under it so she doesn't feel too vulnerable. Wincing as her insides feel bruised after their crash landing. She gives Thorne a few wake up slaps to the helmet. "C'mon, get up voidsman." The constant rapping on his helmet finally jolts the man awake. The eyes behind his visor glancing about before settling on his sergeant. "Rise and shine, Thorne. Wake up the others, I got point."
"Y-yes ma'am!" Scrambling to undo the buckles and bar that held him down, Thorne starts to repeat the wake up process with the others of his squad as Sasha looks out over her surroundings. Her lasgun raised and aimed at the darkness that engulfed the burning debris. It was hard to make out where they landed besides a tree filled forest. Looking up, Sasha could spot a walled tower sitting at the top of the cliffs. The crimson moon illuminating it in a sickly light. Just their luck, the vox-caster in her helmet doesn't seem to be getting any channels. Sasha and her squad are completely cut off.
"Ready for duty, Sergeant Waybright." Turning her head back, Sasha can make out the rest of the squad with their own weapons. Their uniforms a mess from the kicked up dirt and rock, but no less ready for combat.
Sasha takes one last look at the rest of their transport that has dashed itself against the rocks. Doubting anyone would be alive after that. "Form up on me, we need to search for An-," Sasha catches herself. "Lord Captain Boonchuy." With a nod from the others, the armsmen stay close to Sasha's sides as they travel through the darkened forest. The tips of their lasguns sweeping for anything hostile from behind the trees. A twig snaps, not close enough to be one of them, causing all five to pause.
Putting their training to the test, Stalia and Jannick kneel down and brace their lasguns on their knees. The rest standing with their heads swiveling to catch sight of anything hostile. Sasha had to squint her eyes, but she could make out a pair of red just out of reach. What was concerning was the sudden multiplying of them. "Multiple Contacts." She says above a whisper. "Straight ahead. Emperor guide your aim." Sasha wasn't one for negotiating, that was Anne's business as a Rogue Trader. She was just here to make sure Boonchuy had someone to kill any threat. Squeezing the trigger, Sasha did just that as the streak of red lit up the dark forest. A direct hit between the pair of red eyes as they fall to the underbrush.
A war horn is blown and a gruff voice is heard loudly. "Charge!" The red eyes start to sweep closer to the bunched up humans. Lasguns flashing brightly, scorching trees and enemy combatants alike. The enemy was closing the distance too fast, Sahsa and her armsmen couldn't fight in the dark. "Estavo, flare!" She orders, the armsman pulling the trigger one last time on his target before pulling the flare off his belt and lighting it. Finally revealing the stout enemy they had engaged.
Short like a Squat, and just as wide too. Covered in bronze armor with a variety of weapons from shields and spears to axes and swords. Though their armor couldn't withstand the power of a lasgun, too many were swarming closer. Thirty feet, twenty feet, ten feet. "Close combat!" Sasha shouts as the armsmen swap out their weapons. Estavo and Thorne were equipped with machetes, Stalia had a trench shovel gripped tightly in her hands, and Jannick carried a tactical axe. Sasha herself pulled out two of her three combat knives and awaited the brutal melee to begin.
Up close, Sasha could make out the warty skin of various colors her enemy had. Tough hides, but a hard stab from her knife was enough to pierce the lung of her foe. Letting her enemy drown on their own blood as she moves onto the next combatant. Her blade crosses with an axe meant to lop off her leg, a battle of strength ensues before she slits the warrior's throat with her offhand. Taking a moment to look at the rest of her squad, Sasha can see they're holding up well in combat. A metal clang ringing out each time Stalia smashes the shovel into a head or a limb. Estavo and Thorne trading even blows as the bodies surround their feet. Jannick was always a beast of a man, cutting down multiple warriors with a swing of his axe. So long as the line held, they could weather this storm.
Then the thunder hit.
Driving the combat knife into a helmet, Sasha is caught unaware when blur of metal and muscle crashes into her. Ejecting her from the front and onto the ground. Sasha manages to scramble back onto her feet to meet the new challenger. It was wider than the rest, bronze armor brought to a shine with a single shoulder pad and cape. The most distinct feature would be the scarred white eye while the green one glares at her. It had to be the leader, it was smart enough to break their line and single her out. A longsword is pointed in her direction, a challenge that Sasha was eager to accept.
Both let out a battle cry and charge at each other. Twin blades brought up to catch the downward swing of the longsword. Clenched teeth and grunts coming from the two soldiers just as Sasha drops her guard and side steps. The sword digging into the dirt, leaving her opponent open for her to drive her boot into it's stomach. Only for it to inflate and knock her off balance. Something slams into her helmet, smashing the visor and exposing her blue eyes. From what Sasha could gather, it used it's tongue to hit her! Growling in frustration, Sasha was prepared to launch into another assault until a death cry rocks her senses.
A quick glance and Sasha could see Jannick, the ever strong one, filled with multiple spears that had slipped past his flak armor. Bringing the man to his knees as the fight died from him. "No!" Sasha cried out. The one eyed warrior had kept her from her squad and now they were paying the price. She wildly swings at her short foe, sparks clashing off their weapons as she fought to rejoin the line. Another thud, Estavo's leg had been lopped off at the thigh. No longer able to stop the sword that nearly cleaved his torso in half. The need for vengeance drove Sasha's attacks, wanting to gouge out the other eye of her opponent as more of her squad fell to their superior numbers. Thorne with an axe in his stomach and Stalia's helmet was caved in with a mace, leaving Sasha as the only surviving human.
Sasha's arm drove forward to gut the leader of this bloodthirsty warband. It's clawed hand grabbing her wrist, and with a mighty swing over it's shoulder, threw her against a large tree. Pain flared up in her body, still feeling the bruises from her sudden decent from the atmosphere. Before Sasha could stand back up, the red eyed soldiers had surrounded her. Shields brought up and packed tightly together to keep her from escaping.
"I want it alive." The voice coming from her previous opponent. The stout soldiers leaping over the shield wall to gang up on Sasha. She had managed to cut and stab a few, but they pried the combat knives out of her hands. Heavy fists beating against Sasha's body until the world finally fades to black after a club collides with her head.
Grime watches as his army ties up the strange tall creature. They had come from the heavens on a ball of iron and fire, and he was determined to find out why. From the skills and the orders, he could tell they were soldiers. Much like his toads when they're motivated enough. Luckily the idea of a fight had them plenty eager to comb the forest for whatever intruders dared to get this close to Toad Tower.
"Gather the dead, they fought with honor and deserve a warrior's funeral." Grime ordered, about to take his leave with the rest of the army until another toad speaks up. "Even these ones?" The toad in question poking at one of the slain creatures with his sword. "Yes, I won't leave them here to be food for the wildlife. They fought like toads, so we'll honor them like toads." Something Grime learned from his time in the arena. Always treat the dead with respect, especially if they fought well.
"Lets make sure our guest enjoys her stay." Grime let out a laugh as he leads the rest of his troops back to the Tower with prisoner in tow. Though combat demands honor, outside of it Grime is as cruel as any other toad. This creature was going to learn why he is considered the worst in the valley.
Present...
The previous night with Sprig had been a long one. Anne had to explain the ins and out of her and her parents work only lead from one question to another from the small frog boy. Simple questions from "How many people live in the Imperium?" To "How does Warp travel work?" She'd much rather have Marcy be the one to answer constant barrage so she had to make due. Anne was sound asleep in her bedroll until the doors to the basement were kicked open, startling her awake.
"You still sleepin' down there?" An orange older frog stands at the top of the stairs with his hands on his hips. "I'm not runnin' a charity here. If you wanna stay and eat our food yer gonna have to work for it! Now get up here and help out with the chores." Hop Pop shouts before leaving Anne to grumble on the floor.
Getting up from the floor, Anne stretches out her sore limbs as she forgoes her carapace armor and coat. Even taking off her blouse and leaving her in a white under shirt. Not wanting to ruin her gear any further with whatever work Hop Pop gives her. Living on a farm, she expects hard manual labor. Anne wasn't at all familiar with tilling the land; she was trained in combat, politics, negotiations, subterfuge, all sorts of skill to aid any Rogue Trader worth their salt. Now she was forced into the role of a simple agri farmer if she wanted to continue having a roof over her head.
Once upstairs, a small bowl of food is the only thing for breakfast. Oats and milk from a "cowapillar" if the bottle is correct. Mixing them into a mushy meal she quickly eats before finding Hop Pop tapping his webbed foot on the floor in the living room. "Took you long enough." This earns an eyeroll from the young woman, causing Hop Pop to grumble before continuing. "I got Sprig patching up the fence by the fields. You can help Polly at the barn with Bessie."
"And what will you be doing?" The contempt clear in Anne's voice as she asks.
"I gotta do the dishes! Can't trust the kids, we're running out of plates to use. I also need to check the ledger, make sure our sales and inventory are in check. No more back-sass, hop to it!" Hop Pop literally hops his way to the kitchen.
Letting out a sigh, Anne makes sure her boots are tied on tight before heading out the door. The weather was warm and sunny, perfect for all of the cold blooded inhabitants and a dressed down Anne. The barn wasn't too far from the house, Anne could spot the magenta tadpole running a brush over the giant snail's shell as she approached. "Uh, Hop Pop said you needed help?" Polly had always been very aggressive, so Anne made sure to walk on eggshells around her.
Polly glances up with a disinterested look. "Oh, it's you. Well since you're asking, Bessie needs her barn cleaned up. Shovel and wheelbarrow are over there and compost heap is way over there." Her little flipper pointing from the tools in the barn to the heap of rotting foodstuffs next to the house.
"Gotcha." Anne nods and gets to work. How hard could it be?
It was very hard for simply picking up snail droppings. The tools were made for frogs, not a full grown human. Making Anne awkwardly squat down every time she made a scoop with the shovel. The wheelbarrow had nearly toppled over when Anne overfilled it. When she went to dump the manure into the heap, she nearly dropped the whole wheelbarrow into it. With every mistake, Polly was there giggling and laughing.
"Hey, I'm doing my best here!" Anne shouts as she returns to the barn.
"No no, you're doing great! Hey, can you make sure Bessie has enough food?" Polly asks through another fit a giggles. Directing Anne to the feeding trough and where they keep the "tasty" leaves.
This chore was much easier to pull off. Anne's arms flexed as she carried the bundle of leaves into the barn and dumps them into Bessie's feeding trough. The large snail letting out a few happy honks before slowly eating.
"Good work, Anne. Guess you're not a crazed monster hungry for amphibian blood." Polly proclaims as she finishes brushing off the last bit of dirt from Bessie's shell.
"I keep telling you people, I'm not going to eat anyone." The tone of Anne's voice laced with annoyance and frustration.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. You're a good 'human' or whatever. I was just looking forward to a little excitement is all. Fighting off an unknown alien beast would have been awesome! So boring out here with nothing but chores and looking after vegetables. Not to mention Hop Pop treating me like a baby." Polly crosses her tiny arms, disappointment marking her face.
Anne picks up Polly from the shell and holds her in her arms. "Hey, I know what it's like. Always itching for that thrill of adventure. When I was your age, I would always beg my parents to take me with them. You just gotta be patient and who knows, it might come to you someday."
"Thanks Anne, you really are cool." Polly smiles up at the human.
"No problem, now lets go check up on your brother."
They take off in the direction of the fence. Various stones laid about in the grass from the obvious hole left in it. Peering around there was no sign of Sprig anywhere. "Where did he...?" Anne's question gets answered when a loud yell is heard, heralding Sprig running just over a hill.
"Oh thank Frog, help me!" Following behind Sprig was a frog sized pill bug with black and yellow segments that make up the shell. Rolled up tightly into a ball and was attempting to crash into Sprig.
"At least we know what made the hole." Spoke Anne, a bit dumbfounded at how danger prone Sprig was.
"Alright, lets kick it's butt!" Shouted Polly as her and Anne went to assist.
Hop Pop had already finished cleaning up the dishes and setting them out to dry. The finances were all settled and done, luckily he still had a few more weeks before tax season came around. What had Hop Pop still cooped up in the house would be the nagging feeling in the back of his mind. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but the walls of the house aren't really that thick. Each explanation the human gave his grandson, the more the feeling grew. Splayed out on Hop Pop's desk would be an older book from his collection, one that's been in the family for generations. The Plantar Family Tome, filled with the knowledge from the first Plantar to ever settle in Wartwood. It's managed to hold together over the years despite it's age.
Flipping through the pages he comes across a familiar insignia. A two headed eagle, much like the one on Anne's breastplate and weapons. The text along with it had faded, even with his magnifying glass Hop Pop could only make out a few words. "Hmm. Lied to...Broken...His Light...Forgive me...Ave Imperator?" The last phrase was something he heard Anne explain to Sprig. His questions and worry only ran deeper at this mystery. Hop Pop's thoughts were interrupted when he heard the front door swing open. Slamming the tome shut and placing it back on the shelf. "Darn kids, gonna break the hinges off!"
Opening up the doors to his study, Hop Pop is greeted with a mud covered Sprig, Polly, and Anne celebrating and giving each other high fives. No doubt the reason being the pill bug slumped over the human's shoulder. "What in tarnation is goin' on in here?"
Anne drops the dead bug onto the floor with a grunt. "Just bringing home dinner!"
"You shoulda seen her, Hop Pop! She was all Wha-pow! Heyah!" Sprig shouts as he kicks and punches and the air.
"And we were all, Aaaahhh! Nooooo! Then we blamoed it!" Polly's fists driving together as she finishes the tale.
"I mean, it was sorta like that." Anne wipes the gathered sweat off her brow. "Totally not just us getting chased around."
"Did you at least finish the chores?" Hop Pop asks. Fighting a pill bug was no excuse to be shirking your duties.
"We're all done Hop Pop, even had time to fix the fence. Now, you go ahead and butcher that up. I need a shower after all of that." Anne's hair was extra stuffed with leaves and twigs, not to mention the smell of sweat and snail dung clinging to her body. She didn't wait for Hop Pop's response before making her way upstairs.
Hop Pop sighs. Not even a please from that girl, always expecting everyone to just do as she says. Knowing about the rich and fancy of Amphibia, Anne definitely had the mannerisms of a noble. "Alright kids, you're free to play." Both cheered and headed up to their rooms just as the water in the bathroom comes on. Leaving Hop Pop to drag the pill bug carcass into the kitchen.
The meat cleaver slams down into the cutting board. Legs still twitching on the insect as Hop Pop chops away at the meat and cracks the shell. Becoming lost in his thoughts again about what he found during his research.
Toad Tower was the center of power for all toads in Frog Valley and imposing the will of Newtopia, the capital of Amphibia, on the working frogs. A peace that the leader, Captain Grime, tried to maintain with an iron fist. All of that was threatened by the beings that came from the sky. Grime stomped through the halls of his tower, his soldiers scrambling to salute him as he passed. They knew not to get on his bad side and right now the current holder of Grime's ire was his guest.
The holding cell was fairly high in the tower, meant to keep out ideas of escaping from any prisoners. Opening up the door, he's greeted with the damp, dimly lit room and the guards on post. The only real source of light coming from the open door, a beam creeping along the floor to the iron bars of the holding cell. Sitting on its knees would be the creature they captured, its arms bound in chains along with its arms held behind their back. To keep them from moving any closer to the bars a metal collar chained to the wall keeps it in place. Grime recalls during the first few days the monster would attempt to break down the bars or lunge at guards that got too close. The rumors of the attacks making the toads in the same room tremble in fear. Dismissing the fearful toads, Grime is left alone with his prisoner as the door closes and snuffs out the light.
Sasha looks up into the glowing green eye just beyond the bars of her cell. What little illumination passed through the loose bricks was just enough to make out her captor. She knew the toad captain well, he had been the one to personally torture her for any information. Questions like where she came from, who sent her, and if there are others were all met with silence. They had stripped her of her armor and weapons, leaving Sasha with only an Imperium standard tank top and pants. At least they let her keep the boots. The scars of her torture at the hands of Grime evident in the fresh cuts and bruises marking her exposed arms.
It wasn't too hard to gather her own information from the toads made to watch her. Chatting with each other out of boredom when they think Sasha isn't listening. Undisciplined troops such as these would never pass an inspection from a commissar. She learned of these strange toad beings and their captain, Grime. Though the fear for him was there, the other toads didn't hold too much loyalty for him.
"Still don't feel like talking?" The deep voice leaving the tooth filled maw of the toad captain.
Sasha didn't even give him the satisfaction of a response, only a hard glare filled with fire.
The silence only makes Grime frown, but he relaxes and shrugs. "That's alright. I do expect you to crack sooner or later. Few more months in here bound up and eating nothing but fish gruel will wear down that attitude of yours." This only caused the blonde to roll her eyes. "But I'd rather it be sooner." A hollow clack on the ground makes Sasha focus on the object he threw.
Skidding just to a halt at the bars of her cell was a helmet. Not one a crudely made one meant for toads, but a human helmet. One that grew more familiar the longer Sasha stared at it. It was made for an armsman serving under the the Boonchuy family of Rogue Traders. Specifically, this one belonged to Darnan who was assigned to Anne's arvus lighter. The initials itched inside so others wouldn't mistake his helmet for theirs. Her eyes widening at the revelation of what Grime found.
"Look familiar? It must be, it's written all over your face." The toad's toothy grin widening, making Sasha wish she wasn't chained up. "Funny thing, we didn't find this anywhere near where we initially found you. This was much much deeper in the forest." Grime elaborates as he picks at his nails. "Just one piece of the puzzle so far, but I'm hoping you'll give me the rest of them without a fight."
Sasha answered with as mean a look as she could muster. Not wanting this toad to think she's just going to roll over after all she's been through.
The smug grin turns into a throaty growl of frustration as Grime stomps closer to the holding cell. "Fine, don't talk. Remember, I was giving you a choice." The scarred toad doesn't flinch when Sasha's body springs forward like a wound up coil. Her tall stature just enough for her to reach the bars, but the chain holding her collar snaps taught. The two head strong individuals face to face in a staring contest. Grime being the first one to break it as he leaves the room with a slam of the door.
Finally alone since she's arrived, Sasha lets out a hoarse whisper as she takes her seat on the cold stones. "Anne, Marcy, everyone... Emperor watch over you all."