CHAPTER 6
TRAUMA
"CAL!" Salia screamed. Overhead. the Corvette was rapidly closing in, the sigil ring that had formed over its gaping mouth compressing into a ball of flaming energy. Unable to move without dropping Chris, Cal opened fire with his assault rifle only for the bullets to harmlessly bounce off the ring. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the rust coloured DRAGON prepared to fire when a sudden explosion erupted along the side of its face, knocking it off course as the fireball blasted towards him. On reflex, Cal jinked to the left as hard as he could. A sudden flash and a wave of heat washed over him as he nearly went into a spin. As his vision cleared, Cal looked up and saw that his right wing had been blown clear off. Thankfully, the engine seemed unharmed save for some carbon scoring otherwise both he and Chris would have plunged into the surf below.
"Cal are you okay?" Naomi shouted over the intercom. Her blue Artillery Glaive flew up to his side and peppered the retreating Corvette with a barrage from her assault rifle, her linear cannons still smoking from when she had fired the shot that had saved both him and Chris.
"Yeah I'm good." He said panting. "Nice shot by the way."
"Don't mention it. What about you Chris?"
"Yeah," her shaky voice gasped. "I'm good but I don't think I can fight with only one engine."
"It's okay. Just leave everything to us. Rosalie, get down here and give Cal some relief."
"On it!" The Yellow Glaive shot a final round from her linear canons and the second Corvette suddenly found itself missing one wing. As if flapped wildly in a desperate attempt to remain airborne, Rosalie loaded a freeze bullet and fired it right into the base of its throat. A crown of icicles sprouted up from its neck and the Corvette crashed into the sea, the splash freezing solid on impact as Rosalie flew down and grabbed Chris under her Hauser's arms. "It's okay I've got you!" Naomi meanwhile was still chasing after the third Corvette when she realized the direction it was taking.
"LOOK OUT!" Naomi shouted. Cal, Chris, and Rosalie looked up and to their horror saw that the Corvette was circling back around for another pass. With Rosalie burdened down with Chris, Cal converted his Glaive back to flight mode and charged it head on. A barrage from his assault rifle drew the Glaive's attention as he dove under the wing, barely missing getting swiped by its claws in passing. With one wing missing, Cal had to struggle to maintain balance and it almost seemed as if his speed was going down. Hazarding a look back, Cal saw that his right engine was starting to smoke but at least the DRAGON had fallen for his trick and decided to go after him first instead of the easier meal Chris and Rosalie would make.
From where she and the assault team continued their attack against the Brig, Zola watched the Corvette continue its chase after the wounded Glaive as Cal banked and dove to where a series of limestone cliffs and rock formations jutted out from the sea. "Ersha. Naomi. Finish off your Corvette and get after him NOW!"
"On it!" They both replied. Taking aim with her long rifle, Ersha targeted whatever vulnerable spots she could: eye clusters, throat, ears; distracting it long enough for Naomi to fly in from below and shoot her freeze bullet into its sternum. Two down one to go. The two artillery units converted to flight mode and hurried off to give Cal some support. Salia wished she could do something as well but until they finished off this Brig, she'd just have to trust that Cal would be able to hold on by himself.
"Let's end it ladies!" Zola ordered. "Salia, Vivian, we'll draw its attention. Hilda, you get ready to skew it.
"Yes Ma'am!" The Brig encased itself in another sigil ring and prepared to fire another barrage of scales as the assault team closed in. Vivian threw her boomerang at the first wave and managed to scatter them, creating an opening for Salia to dive through, her assault rifle shredding the webbing of its right wing. Injured and off balance, the Brig turned to swipe its tail and knock her away, giving Zola the opportunity to fire her last RPG into the back of its head. The explosion left the Brig stunned and gave Hilda the chance to dive in, her halberd converting to sword mode.
"You're mine!" she yelled, the straightened blade plunging into the side of the DRAGON's throat.
With his speed rapidly dropping, Cal dove towards the sea where he saw the cluster of limestone formations. Black and grey smoke trailed behind him but at least it made the DRAGON back off to keep from being blinded, giving Cal the room he needed to reach cover. Crumbling pillars and arches of rock surrounded him on all side, creating a twisting maze that he weaved through at speed that threatened to send him crashing into the cliffs if he made one mistake. To his shock the DRAGON continued the chase into the cliffs and managed to keep pace despite its wingspan nearly scraping the width of the passages.
In the data screen of his visor, Cal saw that his fuel had already dropped to 62% in a matter of seconds. His Para-mail started to conk and jerk and a sudden pop behind him signalled that the thrusters had finally given out. Plumes of flame fluttered in the wake of his flight and licked around his leg, forcing Cal to grit his teeth to keep from bailing out. His speed began to drop even further, and the DRAGON pushed on. Further behind, Ersha and Naomi were able to catch up and opened fire but with its back turned to them they couldn't hit any vitals.
"This isn't working!" Naomi cried. "I've got one last RPG round. If we can get a straight shot, I should be able to stun it long enough for Cal to get away."
"You can't!" Ersha yelled. "You might hit Cal and even if you don't you might cause an avalanche." The Corvette, meanwhile, opened its mouth and readied another barrage. Cal caught the reflection of the flames in his visor and the surroundings suddenly changed. The stone cliffs changed to flaming trees and the water beneath him to burnt grass and mud. And straight ahead of him, the image of a woman's burned face loomed before him. 'I'm going to die,' he thought, images of his Grandfather bleeding out and the cave exploding with him still inside flashing across his mind. 'No! Gramps told me to live! I won't die! I won't die like this!'
A yank on the controls and Cal sent his Para-mail into a loop, barely avoiding the Corvette's fire blast as it smashed into a nearby cliff face. Hanging upside down in mid-air, Cal snapped the controls back and his Glaive turned back to Destroyer mode, dropping down onto the surprised DRAGON which began to thrash and buck in an effort to throw him off. On reflex, Cal loaded his freeze bullet and slammed the palm of his Glaive right into the DRAGON's back. The bullet was fired, and shards of ice rose up along the DRAGON's entire length. With a final scream as it froze solid, the Corvette tumbled in mid-air and slammed into one of the cliff faces, falling into the sea as a wall of ice spread up over the water and around the base of the rock formations. Still high on adrenaline, Cal gasped for breath as he heard something approach from behind and he whirled around to shoot down whatever it was that had snuck up on him.
"Cal easy!" Naomi urged. "It's over! You killed it!" Cal didn't answer. All he could think about was how close he had come to going down in flames and the face from his nightmares.
"Cal talk to us," Ersha said. "Please tell us you're alright." Ersha's calming tone helped ease him back to his senses and Cal shook his head to clear it.
"Yeah," he gasped. "Yeah I'm okay. I just…my head hurts a bit. And my fuel is nearly spent."
"You're okay now," Ersha assured him as he flew up and took a hold of his glaive's left arm. "Zola and the others should be finishing up by now. We're going back to base so just hold on."
With Hilda's halberd imbedded in its jugular, the Brig flailed wildly as Zola and the others surrounded it in a triangle formation. One by one, the three units fired their freeze bullets, Zola taking the final shot herself and finally sending the Big plummeting into the sea.
"Hell yeah!" Vivian cheered as the sea froze over.
"Well done girls." Zola said. Returning to flight mode, Zola led the others to where Chris and Rosalie hovered in flight mode. "You girls okay? Chris?"
"I'm alright Captain," Chris answered, groaning as she looked over her missing arm and engine. She didn't get that many kills and with this much damage her pay wasn't going to be good. And the fact she had to be saved by the Newbie left her ashamed.
"Captain I haven't heard anything from Cal, Ersha or Naomi." Salia said. She hoped he was okay. For his first combat a Category 3 was a bit much for a new recruit to handle.
"Unit Ersha, Naomi," Ersha called, "how's the Newbie doing? Has the third enemy been taken care of?" No one answered and Salia felt her stomach sink with worry as she assumed the worst had happened.
"Captain." Ersha replied. "We have unit Cal. He's fine. Just slightly injured. And his Para-mail is heavily damaged with hardly any fuel left."
"So he made it through in one piece," Hilda smirked. "Maybe he's not so useless after all."
"He did way more than that," Naomi replied. "Cal pulled off that loop of his and dropped right down onto the Corvette in mid-air. He nailed it all by himself."
"Way to go Cal!" Vivian cheered.
"Copy that." Zola replied. "Congratulations newbie. You just bagged your first big reward. You two help him get back to base. We'll meet up with you three on the way. Zola calling Arzenal. All enemies have been dispatched."
"Well done everyone," Jill answered. "You're clear to return to base."
"Yes ma'am." Zola replied. "Alright First Squad. Let's head home."
Now that the fight was over, Jill leaned back and took a drag on her cigarette. Beside her, Emma Bronson monitored the battle so she could write up her report for the Norma Management Board. "What was the damage girls?"
"All enemies defeated," Pamela reported off her console. "Unit Rosalie took minor damage, okay to fly. Unit Chris took major damage to left arm. Okay to fly. Until Cal took, major damage to the right thruster and wing and his fuel level is dangerously low. Okay to fly." A collective sigh rose up among the three girls. Oliver, Hikaru and Pamela had always observed battles ever since they were assigned to the command centre. Every now and again a bad sortie would result in bad injuries and even death. Oliver's heart had been pounding the entire time she was watching. She and the others had bonded with Cal for the past week and they all considered him a friend. And while Hikaru disliked the thought of Zola getting her hands on him first, she was glad Cal had been assigned to First Squad. If anyone could keep him alive it would be her. Jill meanwhile smirked as she exhaled a cloud of smoke. 'Looks like he's in good hands after all,' she thought. A rookie scoring a winning blow on a DRAGON, even a medium sized one like a Corvette, was no small feat for his first encounter. She knew whenever someone died there was nothing to be done but she'd be lying to herself if she didn't want Cal to live. In addition to her promise to Gaz, she had plans of her own for him.
"The male Norma did very well for his first encounter," Emma admitted. As much as a pain as he had been, so long as he was able to fulfil his duties that was good enough in her eyes.
"Well that's Zola for you. She definitely knows how to whip new recruits into shape."
"So Newbie," Zola asked. "How did you like your first combat mission? It's a real rush isn't it?" Cal didn't answer. He simply stared straight ahead. Between his still smoking engine and fuel levels that had reached critical levels, Zola had ordered the others to surround him so they could rescue him in case his unit failed before it could reach Arzenal. From her position off his starboard, Salia looked over and wondered if he was going to be alright. Cal's eyes were wide with fear, he couldn't stop shaking, and a cold sweat had broken out over his entire body. The first sortie was always the worst and she hoped he wouldn't break from the strain like a lot of new recruits did. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."
"Nice work Cal!" Vivian praised as she shot him a thumbs up. "You kicked some serious butt." Back in the rear, Rosalie flew alongside Chris in case her remaining engine failed as well. With her unit off balance from losing a limb, the green Hauser was left to fly at a titled angle.
"You doing alright Chris?"
"Yeah I'm good Rosalie. But I don't know how I'm going to afford the repair damage."
"Hey, don't worry," Rosalie assured her. "If they shaft you, I'll help cover it." Though still shaken by her near brush with death Chris managed a smile at her friend's assurance before turning her attention to Cal.
"Hey Cal," she said. "Thanks a lot. If you hadn't jumped in…I'd be so dead."
"Yeah no kidding," Rosalie agreed. Again, Cal didn't answer.
"Well say something!" Hilda snapped. "What? You think that you're a big shot now just because you got one Corvette by yourself? I could do that in my sleep."
"Hilda that's enough!" Naomi shouted back. "Can't you see he's still shook up!"
"Oh boo-hoo!" Hilda mocked. "That's what it means when you're a Mail Rider. He should be thankful that a wing's the only thing he lost."
"Maybe," Ersha interrupted, "but between it and most of the Schooners he DID kill more DRAGONs than you so he would have won the bet." Hilda shot a dirty look back at the pinkette but turned her attention back to Cal. Why did he go out of his way to save Chris's life like that? It wasn't as if he owed her anything. And unlike Ersha or Naomi she didn't go out of his way to make friends with him so what did he hope to gain? 'He's probably trying to get in her pants,' she decided. Life at Arzenal had taught Hilda everything had a price and Cal was still a man. It would be just the sort of thing she'd expect.
Finally, the lights of Arzenal appeared in the distance and the squad dropped to approach level. "Zola here. First Squad returning. Requesting permission to land."
"Permission granted," Pamela answered. "Runway is clear for reception." With Zola in the lead, the squad levelled off and finally settled one by one onto the tarmac. No sooner had the last unit touched down, Mei and a group of armorers ran out with fire extinguishers in hand to cover Cal's Glaive in a cloud of white foam.
"Cal!" Salia cried as she leapt off her Arquebus. Cal's eyes were empty and glazed as if seeing something in the far distance only he could see. Portions of his flight suit were singed from the flames and his hands were so tightly gripped onto the controls that Salia wouldn't have been surprised if he broke them. "Cal it's over. We're back. We're safe." The other members of First Squad gathered around them, but Cal made no effort to recognize them.
"Stand aside Vice-Captain." Salia moved over as Zola pulled back her palm and cracked it across Cal's face.
"Snap out of it!" she yelled. Cal's head twitched and he blinked as his stare returned to normal.
"Wha," he gasped. "What happened? Where are we?"
"Where do you think?" Hilda asked. "I'm amazed you didn't crash on the way here."
"Are you okay?" Ersha worried.
"Yeah I'm fine," Cal shifted and winced from the first degree burns under his suit.
"Got a little cooked huh?" Zola asked. "Salia, Naomi, take him to the infirmary and make sure he's not too badly hurt."
"Understood," Naomi agreed as she put a hand on his back, "C'mon we'll get you to Maggie." Slowly, carefully, Cal disembarked from his unit and Naomi and Salia walked off with him between him.
"Hey," Zola called after him. "Nice work for your first sortie. Not many Newbies can take down a Corvette on their first fight. Be proud of it." Cal didn't respond.
"Here's a pop quiz," Vivian spoke up, "what's wrong with Cal?"
"He must be shaken up from the fight," Ersha said. "Unlike us he's only had a week to prepare for the DRAGONs. And that third Corvette did show up out of nowhere."
"Oh please," Hilda groaned. "We've all taken down a Corvette by ourselves at least once. He should be thankful he didn't have to deal with the Brig. I'd rather not have to pull his ass out of the fire."
"Aw so you do care for him," Zola teased. "I'm touched."
"Don't make me gag!" Hilda yelled, her face turning nearly as red as her hair. "I just don't want to lose money because of him that's all!" Meanwhile Rosalie stood next to Chris with her arms around the silver haired girl's shoulders.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again Chris. I almost though I was going to come back without you."
"I'm fine Rosalie," Chris said. "Aside from damage costs." The two of them watched as Chris's Hauser was loaded up onto a flatbed for transport to maintenance. "I might have to owe the Newbie a huge sum of cash for saving me. How much do you think he'll make me give him?"
"Now, now who says you need to owe him money?" Zola pointed out. "Maybe you could repay him in 'another way' right?" Rosalie and Chris both blushed while Hilda however grimaced in disgust. "Now come on. After a fight like that, I think we could all do with some stress relief." Chris perked up immediately at the thought and the three followed after their Captain to her quarters. Meanwhile Ersha and Vivian headed to the locker room. Prior to the alarm they were in the middle of shopping at the mall and finally they could finish their errand.
"I hope Cal will be okay." Vivian said. "Why don't we let him hang out with us tomorrow since we don't have combat duties." While the Mermaid Festa was the only official holiday at Arzenal, pilots were allowed a day off from duty following DRAGON encounters for stress relief.
"I think that's a wonderful idea," Ersha agreed. "Some of the kids haven't stopped asking me if he could come along and visit." Ersha had never met a man in her life and while the idea had made her nervous, Cal was so sweet that she couldn't help liking him. Plus, he certainly did liven up mealtimes. "That reminds me. Will you help me pick out a few things for the kids Vivian? I think the new girl Abigail is having a really hard time getting used to life here."
"Yeah, I know really some cool stuff they'll like. But first I'm gonna look at some of the new toys Jasmine just got in. Thanks to that Brig, I finally have enough to supe up my Razor."
Even after leaning the hanger, Cal's condition hadn't improved much. He was white as a ghost and he was starting to shake again. "Are you sure you can make it?" Naomi checked. "I could go get a stretcher."
"No," Cal murmured. "I'm good." Salia however wasn't convinced. He walked slow and off balance as if he was drunk. Around the singed edges of his flight suit, part of his abdomen was covered in the light red mark of a first-degree burn. If he had pushed his Glaive any further the engine would have blown and Salia had no doubt he would have been incinerated.
"Just let us know if you're going to fall," she urged. "It won't do you any good if you hurt yourself." A group of base personnel passed them by, one of them lighting a cigarette. The flame from the lighter caught Cal's eye and he froze. All around him, the stone hallways of Arzenal turned into walls of fire. In the distance, the badly burned face of a woman manifested from the flames. As he watched, it turned into the head of the Corvette which opened its mouth to fire a blast straight at him.
"Cal!" Salia's voice cried. In a flash, the hallway turned back to normal, but Cal could still feel his stomach rising up to his throat. Shoving past his two friends, Cal ran into a nearby bathroom and emptied his stomach into the sink. Naomi and Salia came rushing in not long afterwards and braced his back as he slumped to the floor. Neither one of them knew what to do. Up to now, unlike other late comers Cal had seemed to be adapting to Arzenal fairly well. But now, he looked less like the cheerful and carefree young man and more like a frightened child.
Bit by bit, the trembling stopped, and Cal regained his senses enough to pull himself to his feet. 'What's wrong with me?' he wondered. 'I'm supposed to be a soldier now. I have to act in a way that would make Gramps' death worth something.' The nightmares had never been this real before. And never had they come when he was awake. Was it the fact he was seconds from being that DRAGON's lunch or was it the flames sprouting up from his Para-mail?
"Cal?" He looked up and into the pair of violet eyes to his right. It was only then he realized where he was and that Naomi and Salia had followed him in. The looks of concern they gave him helped steady him and he felt ashamed at how he had made them worry.
"I'm okay," he said. "It's just…the simulation was never like that."
"It never is," Salia told him. "That's why you need to take it seriously each time you get in. One wrong move in the field and you or your squad mates could wind up dead."
"I get it," Cal sighed. "I get it now." After splashing some water on his face and cleaning out the sink's basin, Cal and the two girls continued on their way to the infirmary where Maggie was already waiting for them.
"Zola called and said you'd be coming," Maggie informed them. "I heard what you did. Not bad for a first timer."
"Maggie do you mind," Salia urged.
"Oh very well. Have a seat." One he was on the cot, Maggie gently peeled off the partially singed Rider Suit. Naomi went on ahead to the locker room to get Cal his uniform while Salia stayed behind to watch. To her relief, the fabric had taken most of the heat, but patches of first-degree burns spread across his outer thigh and the exposed areas of his stomach. "A little extra crispy but nothing too serious. I doubt It'll even leave a scar." To be safe, Maggie rubbed on some salve and stuck some bandages over them. As she did, Maggie looked up at Cal. Every once in a while, his gaze would go blank and he flinched a bit as she bandaged him. Something about the look in his eye. It wasn't the usual shock most newbies who survived their first encounter displayed. It was more like the look of a someone who had reached their limit in regard to what they could take before cashing it all in. "Are you alright?" she asked. Cal's gaze cleared and he looked up.
"Yeah. I'm fine." Well that was a bad sign.
"Listen," she told him. "Arzenal doesn't have much in the way of helping mental issues. The best you can ask for is a sympathetic ear. If you start feeling overwhelmed in any way, be sure to seek one out. You can even come here if you need to."
"Really?" he asked. "I don't want to be a bother." Maggie smiled and leaved forward.
"Don't be silly. Someone as handsome as you would never bother me." As she hoped, Cal's eyes waved down to her cleavage and he flushed. That was better.
"Ahem!" Salia interrupted. "Maggie, I'm sure you have other patients and we don't want to take up your time."
"Of course," she said. Turning to the counter, Maggie measured out two pills which she sealed in an envelope. "Here, take these before you go to bed. They'll help you sleep."
"I appreciate it," he said as Naomi returned with his uniform. After changing behind the curtain, Cal left with them both though Maggie couldn't help noticing one of her nurses eyeing Salia and Naomi with a jealous expression. 'Better hurry Salia,' she thought. 'Or someone else might just beat you to it.'
"Do you want to get something to eat?" Naomi asked. "The cafeteria is closed but the vending machines at the mall are still open. It'll be our treat to celebrate your first big kill."
"Thanks, but I'm not really hungry. I'd rather just call it a night."
"I understand," Salia said. "Cal, you did very well out there today. Anything can happen during an incursion, but you handled it just like a real pilot should. Most importantly, you saved your comrade's life. I'd say you've proven you have what it takes to be a member of First Squad." Cal turned to her and managed a smile.
"That's good to know. They aren't all like that are they?"
"Don't worry," she assured him. "Category 3 encounters are the worst a single squad would ever be sent up against. If it were a 4 or even a 5, all of Arzenal would be deployed to help us. Most of the time the worst we have to deal with are a Category 2 and that's just a swarm of Schooners with one big DRAGON or a bunch of medium sized ones like those Corvettes.
"Plus, we take it in turns so none of the squads get overwhelmed," Naomi added. "Hey, since we were sent out on an incursion, we've got the whole day off tomorrow," Naomi said. "So why don't we show you the good things about Arzenal. I've still got to show you the Arcade like I promised."
"Yeah that would be great." Cal smiled.
"It's a date then," Naomi said, realizing too late what she said. "I'll see you in the morning." As she ran off blushing, Cal raised his eyebrow in confusion.
"What does that mean?"
"Nothing!" Salia quickly answered. "It's just an expression. Just get yourself some rest. You've earned it."
"I will," he assured her. Salia walked off but before she could get around the corner, Cal called out to her. "Salia!"
"Yes," she said as she turned around.
"Thank you for everything," he told her. "If it wasn't for your training, I would have died out there." Now it was Salia's turn to blush.
"Well…I didn't really do that much," she said. "You already knew the basics anyway."
"You're wrong," he told her. "Zola's a good captain but you could be a great one too. If you ever do become one, I hope I'll be able to stay with you." Salia's face grew even redder and she had to fight the urge run away.
"Yeah, I'd like to have you in my squad too," she agreed. "Now get some rest okay." Feeling like she was about to pass out, Salia fled down another hallway before stopping to catch her breath. 'He wants to stay with me,' she squealed. 'He really wants to stay with me.'
Meanwhile, exhausted physically and mentally, Cal shut the door and stripped out of his uniform. After gulping down the two pills Maggie had given him, he stripped and climbed into bed. It was hard to sleep with his mind racing from everything that happened, but eventually the tranquilizers took effect and he finally drifted off.
As she reviewed Salia's report regarding the sortie, Jill smiled in satisfaction. Cal had done rather well for his first mission. Killing 15 Schooners and 1 Corvette by himself. 'If he keeps this up, he'll become a useful comrade in Libertus,' she thought. Especially if Gaz's information regarding this Princess Angelise was correct. 'He still has a way to go though,' she thought. He may have had some talent, but he still lacked real training and experience.
The creak of an opening door caught her attention and she looked up to see Jasmine standing in the doorway with Vulcan by her side. Once she had confirmed it was clear to begin the meeting, Jasmine beckoned out into the hall and Maggie, Salia, and Zhao Mei followed her in. "Ladies" Jill greeted.
"It seems the boy has settled in pretty well." Jasmine said. "How's he doing? I heard his first mission wasn't exactly a cakewalk."
"These things happen," Jill remarked as she pulled another cigarette. "But he made it through and that's all that matters."
"I wouldn't be so keen to write it off," Maggie argued. "He's clearly suffering PTSD from something other than the sortie. I gave him some tranquilizers to help him sleep but that only treats the symptoms."
"He's a solder so he either deal with it or die," Jill answered. "I told Gaz that when he asked me to take him in."
"It was my fault Jill," Salia interrupted. "I should have been there to watch his back instead of running off to fight the Brig with the others. That third Corvette never would have gotten the drop on him if I were with him."
"Its fine Salia. Your and Zola's training is the whole reason he's alive. I had my doubts, but I think he'll do just fine here. It's a shame that Gaz didn't bring him here from the start. He would have become a great pilot by now."
"There's something I wanted to ask." Salia said. "You three seem to know a lot about him. Did you know he existed all this time? And who's Gaz?" Jill leaned back and snubbed out her cigarette in her ashtray as she looked to both Salia and Mei.
"I suppose since he's here you both might as well know the story. Back during the first Libertus, we encountered a human who had fled their society. His name was Gaz, and he had a baby boy who he had adopted as his grandson."
"And that was Cal wasn't it?" Mei confirmed. "So, wait. Does that mean there are other male Norma?"
"I doubt it," Jasmine frowned. "Everything about Cal's existence is a freak circumstance. From what Gaz told me, when Cal was born, he was going to be killed." Mei and Salia exchanged horrified looks. They knew how cruel humans could be but killing a baby was supposed to be diabolical even by their standards. That was the whole reason they were sent to Arzenal in the first place.
"We never knew why Gaz had a change of heart," Jill said, "but he saved the boy's life. For the past 18 years they've been living in hiding."
"Someone like him isn't meant to exist within their world view," Maggie added. "Once Gaz told us about him, we had to be sure.
We had to check if it was true, so I examined him along with a few of the Ancient Folk during a visit to Gaz when Cal was just a baby." Jasmine finished.
"What was it that Gaz did to assist Libertus?" Mei asked. "I never thought a human would actually help us."
"Gaz was our spy," Jasmine explained. "He helped dig up intel and planned raids for the Ancient Folk to steal supplies and weapons. Even with our help they were pretty desperate for aide. He was a valuable asset, but he loved that boy like his own flesh and blood and didn't want him involved in the fighting." Clenching her prosthetic fist, Jill frowned as she remembered that day. "After the failure of the first Libertus it was Gaz who saved my life. If I hadn't flown to his island, then I would have died from blood loss."
"So that's why he didn't show up until now," Salia realized. "But is it safe for him here? What if the humans decide to kill him?"
"They won't," Jill assured them. "If it became public knowledge that a male Norma actually existed the human governments would never live it down. Besides, Arzenal's whole point is to keep Norma contained so why bother wasting a potential resource?"
"So if Gaz was so against him getting involved why send him here?" Mei pointed out.
"We don't know," Jill said. "The only person who can tell us what happened is Cal. All we know is Gaz gave his life to get him here. And I want to see him develop to his full potential. Salia, what are your thoughts?"
"He's quite childish and treats the simulator like it's a game," Salia said. "But he follows orders and despite the risks he takes in combat, he's able to think on his feet. Hopefully after today he'll learn to take things more seriously."
"Exactly what I was hoping for and if he's good enough, maybe I'll assign him to Siegfried." Salia and Mei's mouths dropped open and even Maggie seemed surprised.
"Well it's about time that old rust bucket got a new rider." Jasmine mused. "Instead of gathering dust."
"You really mean it?" Mei beamed.
"We'll see," Jill nodded. "But for now, he still needs some polishing. He's got a lot of work to do before he can get even close to that machine." Salia's mind was racing with a thousand thoughts at once. If Jill was considering Siegfried to be reinstated after all these years, then that had to mean she was also planning on having Villkiss pulled out of storage. During the first Libertus, Siegfried had taken on the role of flying alongside Vilkiss as its knight. Jill had told her that if she got good enough then she could pilot Vilkiss. Which meant Cal would be her knight just like in a fairy tale.
"I'll do it Commander." Salia vowed. "I'll whip him into shape. I'll make him Siegfried's pilot even if I have to sew his corpse into the seat."
"Then I'll get it up to working order," Mei agreed. "It's going to need to be in top shape for when he pilots it." Rising up from her chair, Jill smiled down at Salia and rested a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"That's my girl. I know you'll make me proud. In the meantime, it's getting late. We'll continue this conversation another day." With the meeting over, Salia peeked out the door to make sure the coast was clear, and they all filed out into the hall until only Jill, Jasmine, and Vulcan were left.
"So why are you so eager to get Cal into Siegfried? After Istvan died and Tusk left, you swore no one would be piloting that machine again. Not unless we found a new pilot for Villkiss. I'm guessing Gaz found a candidate before he died."
"You're right," Jill nodded. "Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi. Her Baptism is in a few months. If she makes it here, then we just might have a second chance at Libertus."
"And you want Cal to be her knight," Jasmine said. "Aren't you sure you wouldn't rather have Tusk pilot that machine. It is his by birth right after all." Jill scowled as she crushed her cigarette in her prosthetic.
"Tusk gave up that right when he ran away," she said. "I don't have time to waste on people who don't have the guts to keep fighting."
"Is that why you haven't told Salia about this Angelise girl yet?"
"She doesn't need to know. All she has to do is follow orders. If she has a problem, then she can deal with it after Embryo is dead."
"I suppose we do have higher priorities," Jasmine agreed. "But tell me something Jill. Gaz wouldn't have sent Cal without some sort of instructions. What exactly did he say?"
"Exactly what you'd expect him to. Don't tell him why he was born, who his mother was, or Gaz's role in it all. But I think he deserves to know the truth. It might just give him the motivation he needs to pilot Siegfried."
"Absolutely not!" Jasmine warned. "Gaz kept that from him for a reason. I won't stop you from putting him through the same hell as our girls. But Jill I won't stand by and let you turn him into the very thing Gaz raised him not to be."
"Fine," Jill grumbled. "I won't tell him directly. But if he does ask, it's not my job to coddle him."
"Fair enough," Jasmine relented. "But if he does send him to me. I'd rather he learn the whole story instead of just the parts you would tell him." The elder woman and her dog left, and Jill lit a fresh cigarette as she leaned back in her chair. She knew very well that if Cal knew the truth his entire view of himself and the man who raised him could be forever twisted and she did owe Gaz for saving her life. An act she could never fully repay, and she knew she didn't deserve. But the success of Libertus outweighed the feelings of a few kids. Well I'm damned already anyway, she mused. What's a few more sins on the tab. She'd give Cal up to when her majesty finally arrived. If he wasn't ready for Siegfried by then, she'd tell him everything.
Taking a swig of her whiskey flask, the cool night air caressing her naked body, Zola gazed around the sumptuous quarters she had customized herself over her years at Arzenal. Comfort was something she placed a high priority on second only to her pride as a Captain. Especially since maintaining the former depended on the success of the later. Unlike most of the other quarters, the walls were plastered and painted a soothing shade of magenta and rose. A sumptuous king-sized bed set against the rear corner took up nearly a quarter of the room. Next to it, a fully functioning Jacuzzi lined with potted plants took up the remaining rear half. And on the bed; Hilda lay back alongside Rosalie and Chris. All three of them were panting and drenched in post-coital sweat.
"Tired already," she said. "I need to train you girls to better build up your stamina." Well, time for the next course. Grabbing a short red silk robe from off the velvet couch set against the wall, Zola covered up and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Hilda asked as she sat up.
"Still hungry," she said. "You want to come with?" Hilda frowned and shook her head. "More for me then." Once the Captain was gone, Hilda finally relaxed. Sometimes, she hated herself for the things she had to do to keep alive. But Zola always looked out for the ones she had the most fun with and now, Hilda found she had competition and the thought of losing out to a man of all things left her seething. Casting a sideways glance, Hilda looked down at Chris and Rosalie asleep in each other's arms. The two of them had joined Hilda in pleasing Zola but after the first round they had focussed more on each other. She supposed she couldn't blame them considering Chris had nearly cashed in before Cal saved her. 'Would he have saved me if I were in Chris's place?' she wondered. 'I doubt it. He has no reason to.'
As she made her way down the halls, the other residents Zola passed made sure to give her a wide berth. More than one resident at Arzenal had run into her while she was on the prowl only to find herself at the lustful Captain's mercy. Luckily for them, Zola had a particular target in her sights tonight. Finally, she arrived at her destination and smirked as the door handle turned easily in her grasp. It seemed Cal had yet to learn not to lock his door when sleeping. The light from the hallway cast itself onto Cal's sleeping form and Zola licked her lips. 'I've waited long enough,' she decided. 'Now you're mine.' While she enjoyed Hilda and the others, Zola had always wanted to experience a man. The closest she had ever gotten was her collection of magazines from the Mall along with her little friend she kept under the bed. But Cal was the real thing. Besides, after doing so well on his first mission, he deserved an extra reward.
Shutting the door to ensure privacy, Zola maneuverer to Cal's bed and quietly pulled down the blankets, feeling her hunger grow as she gazed at his firm, but athletic body clad only in his black boxers. Setting her flask on the windowsill, Zola undid her robe and climbed on top of him. She ran her hands along his chest and was fascinated by how different he was compared to other Norma. His shoulders were broader. his muscles had a harder feel to him, and his skin had a rougher texture.
'Time to wake up,' she decided. From what she had read about men there was no way he'd turn her down. Especially when it was being offered right to him on a silver platter. Pressing herself against him, her ample breasts crushing against his chest, Zola blew softly into his ear, only for Cal to continue sleeping.
"Hey," she whispered. "Wake up. I've got a present for you." Again, no response. Just how deep of a sleeper was he? Zola frowned and wondered if maybe she should give him a sudden smack when she noticed the envelop on the windowsill. 'That's from the med bay,' she realized. 'Was he really so shook up that Maggie had to medicate him.' Zola looked back to him and sighed in disappointment. Despite her reputation, Zola did have standards. She wouldn't make a pass at anyone younger than 16 nor would she do anything to someone who was unconscious. What would be the point if they weren't able to experience it as well?
Climbing off of him, Zola redid her robe but hesitated as she gazed back down at his face. His face was softer, not quite as chiselled as the men in her photo collection, but still very nice to look at. And he looked so innocent and peaceful despite the trauma he had gone through during the incursion that Zola couldn't resist. 'Just a taste won't hurt,' she decided as she bent down and softly kissed his lips.
"Delicious," she said. "But I'm still going to get you before anyone else." Plus, it would be more satisfying to have him come to her willingly. In the meantime, she'd make do with the girls and her little friend. After pulling the blanket back over him, Zola headed for the door when an idea struck her. "Let's see how many unexpected roommates you find in your room when you wake up" She laughed to herself as she left it open.
