CHAPTER 13

TEAMWORK

"Cal?" Naomi called as she elbowed him in the ribs. "Cal you awake?" Cal shook his head and snapped back to reality.

"Yeah, yeah I'm watching," he lied. He and Naomi were sitting on his bed and Naomi had picked out a rather boring romance film for them to watch. But even if it was something more interesting, Cal doubted it would be enough of a distraction to make him forget what he overheard two nights ago outside the Commander's office. Something called Libertus and Siegfried and the revelation that he was an experiment to see if Human's and Norma could interbreed. The idea made him feel physically sick. He felt his whole life was nothing but an accident, a mistake.

Naomi watched Cal and couldn't help but notice how gloomier and depressed he had seemed lately. Especially after they had been sortied the previous day and he had missed out. "Don't worry," she assured him. "You haven't got long until those stitches come out. Everyone's really missing you during training. Especially Vivian." Despite his mood, Cal couldn't help but chuckle. Vivian would practically throw herself at him or pester him to piggyback on him, but Cal was having none of it. "Hey Cal, I was thinking about what you had told me. And I wanted to ask if you were okay." Cal sighed and put on a fake smile.

"In all honesty it still hurts to think about it. But I do feel a little better after not keeping it in any longer."

"That's a relief," Naomi nodded. "I was thinking you should tell someone else who will understand. Maybe Jasmine. Didn't you say she knew your Gramps?" Cal thought about it and made up his mind. He was going to tell Jasmine everything tomorrow. And in return he would ask that she give him the answers he needed. Like why did Gramps save him when humans hated Norma? And who was his mother? At least with the tension of holding it in gone, telling her would be much easier than it was with Naomi. As they resumed watching the movie, Naomi eventually drifted off and Cal shut off the player as he nestled against her.


Still being benched made Cal even more grumpy, but at least having breakfast with the command staff cheered him up. "Sorry girls but I've got to go. Maggie needs to check my stitches." Cal tried to stand but Oliver and Hikaru both held onto his arms.

"C'mon just stay and chat a little longer," Hikaru pleaded with puppy eyes.

"You can have some of my eggs," Oliver offered. Pamela could only sigh at her friends' behaviour.

"Honestly you two have no restraint sometimes."

"My stomach is pretty full," he told them as he untangled himself. "Plus, today might be the day these damn things come out." Everyday Cal went for a daily check-up after lunch so Maggie could check his wounds, though he had begun to suspect she was just using it as an excuse for her to tease him and run her hands over his muscles. Upon arriving, Cal stripped out of his jacket and tunic and she began to examine his wounds.

"Well there's some good news." Maggie beamed. "Looks like your wounds have healed enough for the stitches to come out." Cal beamed with relief and was about to jump for joy until Maggie raised her hand. "But you still need to take it easy for another 24 hours. And I'll patch them up just in case." Cal groaned as Maggie began to remove his stitches. Which hurt quite a bit considering how Maggie rough was.

"Ow will you be more careful!" Cal cried.

"Oh don't be such a baby." She teased with some giggling. Her assistant nurses could only cringe as they watched. Everyone knew Maggie sometimes took her pleasure in teasing her patients a little too far. Once she was done Cal looked and cringed at the discoloured strip of flesh running along his shoulder.

"It looks ugly," he sighed.

"I beg to differ," she cooed running her finger from his shoulder to his bicep. "Scars look good on a man." She applied a pad on his side and shoulder and wrapped it before she sent him off. "Don't forget to visit me. I'll miss our daily times together."

'In your dreams.' Cal thought as he rolled his eyes. Though it was a huge relief having those stitches finally out, he still had to wait over 24 hours until he was allowed back on duty and that meant one more day of rest. 'No sense putting it off,' he decided. The mall was pretty slow in the morning so now was the best time to have a chat with Jasmine.


Morning was one of the best times of the day for Jasmine since most residents were off training or on duty. She liked to use the quiet to balance the books and check inventory. With clipboard in hand, she checked over the crates in the storeroom with Vulcan trailing behind her. Without Cal around, business had dropped off a bit and she frowned as she saw the extra inventory she had ordered hadn't moved yet. Suddenly, Vulcan gave an excited bark and broke into a run. She turned around and who should she see but Cal walking towards them. Vulcan jumped up as Cal patted him, the dog's tail wagging vigorously. "Hey there boy." He chuckled.

"Well it seems the girls aren't the only ones who've missed you Hon," she smiled. "So what brings you here today? If you're thinking of trying to guilt me into letting you work forget it."

"It's not that," Cal remarked. "It's just there was something I wanted to ask you. But first I need to tell you something. It's about Gramps." Jasmine raised her eyebrow in surprise. What could he possibly have to tell her about Gaz?

"I'm listening." Taking a seat on two crates set across from each other, Cal took in another deep breath and told her everything. "I see," Jasmine said, her voice cracking as she tried to maintain her composure. She knew Gaz had died in the attack but actually hearing the details threatened to break through the stoic shell she had worked to maintain her entire life. Vulcan sensed how sad she was and began licking her hand. "He did what he said he'd always do. He protected you right to the end."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you when I first arrived here." Cal said wiping a single tear from his eye. "I don't blame you if you don't want me around."

"What are you saying?"

"I could have done more," he said, his fists clenching. "If I had only stayed and helped fight then…" before he could finish, Jasmine leaped off her crate and seized his chin in her hand.

"Cal stop it!" she ordered. "Don't ever say that again! Gaz died because he believed you were worth giving everything to protect. Any halfway decent parent would have done the same. And he wouldn't want you torturing yourself over it." Though initially startled at her outburst, Cal relaxed and nodded.

"I guess you're right. It's just still hard to come to terms that he's gone because the humans couldn't leave us alone."

"I hate to say it but we Norma all live on borrowed time because of their rules. And so did your Gramps because he decided to help us. It's just the way things are. So no more blaming yourself alright? And once you're cleared, I expect you back here and working. Got it?"

"Sure," he nodded.

"Now what did you want to ask me?" Cal wondered how much he dared to say. He didn't want Jasmine, Salia and especially Jill to find out he was spying on them.

"It's something Gramps was never able to tell me." Cal finally said. "I always wanted to know where I came from." Jasmine's eyes widened and felt her stomach start to sink. 'Please don't go where I think you're going.' she prayed. "You and Gramps were good friends and I wanted to know…do you know who my mother was?"

"Oh, I see, I assume he never told you," Jasmine said almost in a whisper.

"He never told me who she was or where I came from or even who my father was. Just that he gave her his promise he would protect me." Cal saw that Jasmine's mouth went very thin and she looked tense. 'Was it time now to tell him?' she wondered. No Despite what Jill said, under all the stress he was under who knew what damage it would do if he found out.

"I won't lie to you Cal. Yes, Gaz told me everything, but I don't think I'm the right person to tell you."

"I understand that," he said. "The right person to tell me was Gramps but he's not here. I always dropped the matter when I was young but I'm an adult, so I think if there's anything that's being kept from me then I deserve to know." Jasmine had to admit Cal had a fair point.

"Before that, I have to ask something as well," she told him. "Did your Gramps tell you anything about this place before he died?" Cal tilted his head as he considered the question.

"Not really," he said. "He did slip a note into my pocket before he sent me out on the Skyhook. It said that I'll meet a Norma girl called Angelise and that she would need all the support she could get." The news hit Jasmine like a lightning bolt. That was the name of the Misurugi Princess. And if Gaz's intel was correct, she was a Royal Norma. "But there's no one here by that name so I don't really have any idea what he was talking about."

"I see," she told him. "Look I don't know when, but I promise when you're ready we'll talk about your mother." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Also promise me you'll keep that last bit to yourself."

"Okay." What was the big deal? Jasmine almost looked like she had seen a ghost.

"Now get going before you miss lunch." Cal smiled as he made a quick dash to the cafeteria as Jasmine rubbed her head. She needed to inform the Commander ASAP.


The rest of the day passed slowly though learning how to make Ersha's curry, and especially eating it, helped keep Cal's spirits up. As he passed down the hallways to his room, a door swung open and a pair of arms wrapped around his chest to pull into the familiar luxurious quarters of Zola. "What the hell?" he yelped.

"Did I scare you?" Zola laughed. "A little birdy told me you finally got your stitches removed and will be back with us after tomorrow." Zola removed his jacket and ran her fingers down his arm. "What do you say we have a little fun to make up for lost time because of your injuries?" A little fun did sound nice. And Cal still had plenty of pent up energy to work off. In a blur of movement, Cal picked Zola up bridal style as she giggled in enjoyment. "Oh good start." He laid her on the bed and the two began to strip until they were clad only in their underwear. Zola took a moment to examine the mostly healed scars on his flank and shoulder. "They don't look too bad, do they?"

"Of course not. I think they make you look even sexier. Wouldn't you two agree?" Cal looked behind him and raised an eyebrow at the sight of Rosalie and Chris spying on them through the crack of the door.

"Uh hey," Rosalie said. Chris peeked out from behind her which Zola found adorable.

"We…just wanted to thank him for taking care of me when I was sick." Chris stuttered.

"Yeah we didn't know you guys were busy." Rosalie lied.

"You know instead of watching why don't you two join us," Zola suggested.

"Wait what?" Cal asked as he and their guests turned bright red. Getting off the bed, Zola pulled both of them into her room and pushed them towards the bed. Cal found himself unsure of what to do when Zola suddenly shoved Chris and Rosalie forward and then both fell on top of him. "Don't worry he doesn't bite…much."


Jill cursed as she snuffed out her cigarette. "Unbelievable," she grimaced. "If Gaz told him about this Angelise girl then we have a problem."

"Jill just calm down and think for a moment," Jasmine urged. "He hasn't told anyone in all the time he's been here. And he won't now that I've told him to keep it to himself."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?!" she snapped.

"Yes!" Jasmine said angrily. "Jill, I've been watching Cal's progress ever since he arrived. He's proved himself time and time again. Salia and the others trust him so what more do you need?"

"That he'll be willing to do what needs to be done when the time comes," Jill countered. "Not telling him about his mother, why he was born, and the real reason Gaz saved him was completely irresponsible. Especially after he told you that! Do you think the humans or Embryo will show him mercy simply because he's kind?"

"Of course not," Jasmine sighed. "But I see a lot of Gaz in him and I know Cal won't hesitate to do what he has to in order to protect the people he cares about." Jasmine's assurance didn't seem to convince Jill as she pulled a cigarette from her case.

"Either you tell him, or I will," she warned. "If this kicks him in the right direction then I'll consider giving him Siegfried and bring him into Libertus."

"Fine," Jasmine sighed in defeat. "Just give me a little more time to prepare. I just hope I'll have the right things to say when he realises the kind of person his Gramps use to be and his reasons for saving him." Her request seemed to satisfy Jill as she exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Just don't put it off too much. If you do it might end up causing him more damage."


Cal had no idea where he was. Just that it was hot, and it was hard to breathe. A fog surrounded him. It was dense he could barely see more than a few feet in front of him. "Hello?" he called. Something appeared in front of him. It was small, human shaped, and as the fog cleared, he was able to make out long pink hair and gentle purple eyes. "Naomi?" …

…Cal opened his eyes and tried to move only to find himself weighed down. His eyes adjusted to the dark and he was able to make out the three figures surrounding him. Zola lay on top of him, and Chris and Rosalie to either side. 'That was an experience,' he thought. Especially with Chris. After her initial shyness, she actually turned out to be more aggressive in bed than Zola. She practically rode him like her Hauser.

'So why do I feel so empty?' he wondered. It was if something was missing. And for some reason he just couldn't stop thinking about Naomi and how she made his heart feel full even though all they did was sleep in the same bed.


Kicking it into second gear, Naomi easily caught up to Hilda. It was standard morning training and Zola was way far ahead of the squad. Surprisingly, Rosalie and Chris were hot on Salia's tail and Naomi couldn't help noticing how they seemed to have a fresh spring in their step. After coming in second place, Naomi looked back and saw Hilda had been passed by Rosalie and Chris. It was weird to see her like this. Hilda was usually full of determined energy, but today she seemed to be running at 50%.

"Hey, Salia nice run but not good enough." Naomi boasted as Salia rolled her eyes. "At least this will be the last day before Cal's back with us."

"Yeah you're telling me," Salia gasped as she took a swig of her water bottle. "It's been quite a void without him around." Salia stated.

"Well you seem to be less tense around him lately," Naomi smirked. "Did he finally take you on a date?" Salia eyes widened and her heart fluttered as she remembered how Cal dressed up in cosplay to cheer her up. And then her thought traced back to when they almost kissed and her face went red.

"I'll take that as a yes." Naomi giggled noticing Salia's blush.

"No it's not like that!" Salia protested. "It was just a friendly date, nothing else."

"C'mon Salia I've seen the way you look at him. You're not hiding any hidden feelings, are you?"

"He's just a friend!"

"Okay I'll take your word for it." Naomi grinned.

After their run, first squad went down for a light breakfast where to their delight Cal was already there. Vivian immediately sat next to him along with Ersha, Salia and Naomi while Zola, Hilda, Rosalie and Chris sat at a table opposite to them. Zola watched with no small amusement as Cal shoved down his food. It still never got old how he ate like a starving horse despite it only being an egg scramble. She then turned to Hilda and saw she was quite gloomy and had barely touched her food.

"Hey c'mon. You know not eating will affect your training." Zola scolded.

"Sorry, I've got a lot on my mind." She was trying to find the courage to make it up to Cal and had settled on Zola's idea of sleeping with him.

"Don't worry about it. The thing you should be worrying about is training. Now eat up." Zola began to tease Hilda by spoon feeding her which made the redhead blush and giggle. Zola smiled to see Hilda lighten up a bit and saw Rosalie and Chris gossiping in a giddy way. Most likely about last night.

"I can tell you two really enjoyed last night," she observed, making Rosalie and Chris go pink in the cheeks. "You especially Rosalie. I'm surprised security didn't come banging down the door from all the screaming." Hilda looked up in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well our little stud over there showed these two the time of their lives last night," Zola laughed, Rosalie and Chris both hurrying to cover her mouth.

"What seriously!" Hilda cried. She knew Rosalie was open to the idea but to think Chris would actually be bold enough to make a move. And now the two of them had beaten her to the punch before she could settle things with him. 'Right enough is enough,' she decided. If she had learned anything from her time in Arzenal it you couldn't expect anything without giving something back. 'Okay tonight I'll pay him a visit. Who knows? Like Zola said I might even enjoy it.'


Cal sat on his bed, cursing to himself as he fumbled with the needle and thread along the rips in his seaweed green pilot suit. Now that he had been benched one final day, he was now 1 million in dept and didn't have the money to buy a new one. A sudden knock at his door made Cal jump and he checked his clock. It was after 10pm. Who could possibly be visiting him this time of night? He just hoped it wasn't the Inspector. He really wasn't in the mood to hear her pitch a fit just because he was only wearing his black sweatpants in the privacy of his own room. Opening his door, he saw to his surprise a mane of crimson red hair and realized it was Hilda, her violet eyes looking quite nervous. "Oh hey," Cal greeted blankly. "What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" she asked. Cal couldn't help but notice her usual attitude was gone so he stood aside before security came around and saw them. Hilda entered and Cal saw she was dressed only in a knee length bathrobe. "Look I wanted to say I'm sorry." she said. "I'm the reason you got injured. And even before that maybe I crossed the line a few times." That was an understatement. Still, Hilda genuinely looked remorseful so maybe he should let it go.

"It's fine. You didn't mean for it to happen and if you haven't shot that DRAGON you would have died."

"That's not just it, I never thanked you for saving my ass a few weeks back. And I still kept treating you like shit."

"If it's all the same I forgive you. I really need to get back to work on fixing this fight suit so…"

"About that," Hilda mumbled. "I think I could help you out. Go sit down." Cal raised an eyebrow but did as she requested. She stood in front of him and removed her bathrobe, revealing a nightgown of flimsy almost see through material. Cal felt his face go red as he looked at her slender, toned body and realized just how beautiful Hilda actually was. "This one's on the house." Positioning herself on Cal's lap, Hilda leaned in towards him.

"Hold on what are you doing?" he asked as he held her back.

"Look I owe you one after the past few weeks so I'm doing something about it." The way she acted as if doing something like this was totally normal bothered him and Cal grabbed hold of her waist and pushed her off of him. "What the hell!?" she cried.

"What are you playing at? Why are you really doing this?"

"I'm serious. I owe you one so I'm paying you back."

"You don't need to sleep with me to pay me back. Who put you up to this?" Zola's face flashed in his mind and he immediately knew the answer. He facepalmed knowing this was Zola's idea. "Look, just go already. It's late and I'm tired." Hilda's eyes widened before narrowing in anger.

"What is your problem? I came here to make things right and this the thanks I get!?"

"I'm not going to sleep with someone who doesn't want to. Especially if they've been told to by someone else."

"Oh don't hand me that!" she argued. "I know all about last night with you, Zola, Rosalie and Chris! You really think you're better than me just because you're a man?"

"Yeah I did sleep with them," he admitted. "But they at least did it because they wanted to! And I wouldn't hold it against them or try to force them because they 'owed' me." Hilda had finally had enough and grabbed her robe off the floor.

"Just forget it," she growled as she covered herself. "This was a mistake. I don't know why I expected any different."

"I don't know what you expect!" Cal yelled. "Ever since I arrived you've done nothing but be a bitch to me! What the hell is your problem!? I don't even think you know. If you did maybe you'd have enough self-respect to keep Zola from…"

SMACK!

The impact of Hilda's palm across Cal's face echoed around the room. Once the initial shock wore off, Cal prepared to say more but stopped when he saw the tears welling up in her eyes.

"You…YOU DON'T KNOW A DAMN THING!" she screamed. In a blur, Hilda ran out the door and back to her quarters, her eyes threatening to spill over with every step. Slamming her door shut, Hilda leaned against wall and slumped against the floor. What right did he have to judge her? What did he know about what it was like to endure everything she had for an opportunity that might never come? But there was more to her anger than just her pride.

'I thought maybe he was different,' she cried to herself. Hilda had made no secret of her distaste for men. But after all she had seen with him, she had begun to think that maybe Cal was the one man she could possibly learn to like. He never asked for anything in exchange and he helped people simply because he wanted to. 'To hell with him,' she sniffled. 'I don't need his help. I hate him.'


With the blare of morning roll call, Cal sprang out of bed in excitement. Quickly changing into his training gear, he made a beeline outside where for once he was the first one to arrive. Next to appear was Zola followed by Chris, Rosalie, and Hilda, the latter of whom shot him an angry glare in passing. Cal guessed she was still mad about last night and felt bad. She had genuinely tried to make peace with him, and he had thrown it back in her face. He decided maybe he should give her some space and then try to apologize.

"Good to see you up and about," Zola said. "I hope 6 days off hasn't softened you up."

"Not a chance," Cal said enthusiastically just before he was tackled from behind by a small frame, the impact knocking him over.

"Big Bro!" Vivian cheered as she grabbed him in a choke hold. "You're finally back!"

"Alright I give! Get off before you choke me!" Cal wheezed, tapping his hand on the ground in mercy.

"Vivian that's enough," Ersha said. "You don't want him to be benched, again do you?" It was like watching a younger sibling pestering the older one. Finally, Salia and Naomi appeared, and Zola lined them up.

"Alright you lot let's get to work."

"Yes Ma'am!" Despite being benched for almost a week, Cal kept pace with the others. Spending all that time resting had given him energy to spare. When it came to target practice however, the squad were confused as to why they would be using a crossbow, though Salia knew it had to be Jill's doing. From what she knew, the Ice Bullet Launcher worked on a similar principle and she wanted to see just how good Cal was with one. It was certainly different. Recoil compared to an assault rifle was almost non-existent but due to the arrows' length, drag and crosswinds were greater. Salia ranked only a 47% accuracy, one of her worst scores ever. Even Zola fared little better and eventually threw it down in frustration. Cal on the other hand got 98%!

"How did you do that?" Vivian awed. "I could barely hit the target without the wind blowing the bolt off course.

"It's not that hard," Cal grinned as he stroked the crossbow he was holding. "I always preferred these to using guns since they're quieter."

"Yeah well hunting's a lot different from combat," Rosalie pointed out. "How do you use this damn thing?"

"You just have to do the math," he told them. "Calculate distance, wind speed, and adjust accordingly. For instance, I held mine a few inches above the bullseye and 18 degrees right because of the wind speed." Vivian looked at Cal as if he had told a fascinating story, but Rosalie simply groaned.

"You're a nerd." She said, as she eyed the crudely stitched hole in the side of his flight suit. "By the way, aren't you going to buy a new pilot suit?"

"I can't I'm 1 million in debt." Cal winced. After training and a light shift at the mall, Cal's next stop was the gym to meet with Scarlett.

"Come on move it!" someone yelled. He looked in, and there she was making Sadie bench press a barbell which looked like it could snap her arms in half at any moment. Sadie only managed to lift it five times before giving up. "Pathetic!" Scarlett scolded. "No wonder you girls can't keep up with me. You can't even lift 30kg!"

"Please…Captain let…me rest I said…I'm sorry…" she wheezed. Catching the sight of Cal, Scarlett pulled the barbell back into place. Once Sadie saw who it was, she immediately went pale and ran off with a sudden burst of energy.

"Guess she doesn't want to go another round with Ersha," Scarlett smirked as she and Cal hand clasped. "Nice to see you up and about"

"Good to be up and about," he said. "I came to see when our next workout session is."

"I'm afraid you're on your own for a while," Scarlett told him. "We're expecting a sortie sometime in the next few days and my squad's the next one up." With a disapproving frown, Scarlett gave his bicep a squeeze. "Typical. One week off and they're already soft as a noodle."


It was only 2pm but the dark grey sky made it look like evening. November was setting in and a sortie was due to happen. At her desk, Jill handed over the squad's training files to Emma so she could look them over.

"Looks like change of weaponry has affected all the squads' accuracy," Emma noted. "All except his of course. Commander, is there a reason you ordered them to undergo crossbow training? The Para-mail don't even use them." Emma may have been naïve, but Jill knew she wasn't stupid. She wasn't at all surprised the Inspector found her latest command decision peculiar.

"Complacency can lead to deaths," she answered as she lit a cigarette. "They need to train with as many different weapons as possible in order to ensure the DRAGONs don't overrun the mainland."

"I suppose you have a point." Emma said as the phone suddenly rang. "Hello?" she answered. "Understood. Commander, we have a first encounter alert."

"Start scanning the area," Jill ordered. On the overhead monitor, the map of the Arzenal territory pulled up and a flashing dot appeared south of base.

"Found it," Pamela confirmed. "It's pretty close to base. Only 2.7 km." 'That's more than pretty close,' Jill thought as she clenched her jaw. If a DRAGON got past the Para-mail they could suddenly find themselves under siege.

"Scramble Second Squad immediately," Jill ordered. "And ready all base defenses. Put us on yellow alert!"


The hallways flared a bright red as the alarm rang throughout the base. "Second squad to the hanger immediately!" Hikaru's voice announced. "All other personnel we are in yellow alert. All residents to assigned defense stations." Cal shuffled through his mental files. If he remembered correctly, a yellow alert was when a singular opened close enough to base to possibly mean a direct attack. From back down the hall, a muscular figure turned a corner and Cal stood aside to let Scarlett past.

"Kick some ass!" Cal cheered, giving the captain of Second Squad a high five as she passed him. Once she and her girls were changed, they rushed to the hanger where Mei and the armorers were already taxiing their Para-mail into launch position.

"Just how close is it?" Scarlett asked.

"Very," she said. "Less than three klicks out." No wonder everyone was running around like the end of the world. Once everything was in place Scarlett mounted her dark red Arquebus with black highlights, a match for her plug suit.

"Alright girls let's give those Lizards a welcome," she charged. "Second Squad launch." Engines roared to life and eight units; three Hausers, five Glaives, and Scarlett's single Arquebus; shot off from the tarmac and banked to the south of the island. Already they could see the red lightning rimming the singular as it began to open. As the distance closed, dozens of small pink shapes emerged from the portal along with a very large green enemy.

"Category 2 confirmed. Twenty Schooners and one Galleon," Olivier announced.

"Is that all?" Scarlett asked. This was going to be too easy. "You all know the drill. Take out the small fry first and then we'll all gang up on the big one." With a battle plan decided, second squad converted to destroyer mode and opened fire. But something was off. Instead of scattering like usual, the Schooners fell back in a group to take shelter behind the larger Galleon. The green behemoth raised a shield for protection against the Para-mails' barrage as it charged in, scattering them as it broke their formation.

"What are they doing?" Betty wondered. "I've never seen them stick so close before."

"Wait a minute," Sadie called. "My scanners just picked up another disturbance." In Scarlett's left peripheral, something red flashed less than 400 m away. A feeling of dread gripped her as she banked around in time to see the sky beginning to swell and pulse.

"Oh shit!" she realized.

"What the hell is going on!?" Jill demanded.

"There's another singular opening," Oliver answered. "Radar confirms a second swarm coming through."

"Scramble First Squad!" Jill shouted. "Initiate Red Alert and activate all defenses now!" She hadn't seen a Category 4 in over two years and the last one had wiped out an entire squad before reinforcements could arrive.

"Second squad assume defensive position and lure them to coordinates 35.66-32.72," Pamela broadcast. "Reinforcements will be there to back you up."


The halls of Arzenal had erupted into chaos. All around Cal, personnel frantically raced to their designated battle stations. A red alert meant a direct attack on the base was incoming, but Cal was more worried about Scarlett. Right now, she and the rest of her squad were under assault from multiple Brig or higher so he couldn't afford to waste time. Upon arrival at the squad locker room, Cal hurriedly changed into his flight suit and swore as he tugged too hard and tore one of the stitches. Pushing it aside for later, Cal and the others raced on to the hanger where Mei and the armorers were rushing to get their units ready.

"You're clear to launch!" Mei said. "Second Squad's leading them closer to base."

"10-4!" Zola remarked as she leapt aboard her Arquebus. "Zola Squad, launching now!" With their Captain in the lead, first squad erupted from the hanger and set course for south. Already, they could see the flash of gunfire and DRAGON energy attacks in the distance.

"First Squad prepare yourselves," Jill broadcast. "This is a category 4 encounter. We have confirmed three Corvettes, one Brig, one Galleon, and over 50 Schooners."

"Understood," Zola confirmed. "Just leave it to us." 'Hold on Scarlett,' Cal prayed. 'We're almost there.'


If it wasn't bad enough that they had to dodge the attacks from the Brig and Galleon, second squad also had to worry about being harangued by the Schooners which somehow knew exactly where their larger comrades were going to attack from.

"Girls watch out!" Scarlett shouted as the Galleon unleashed multiple lightning blasts. The squad scattered only to find themselves under attack from the Brig on the other side. One lightning bolt winged Betty's raspberry Glaive and blew its left leg clean off but a violet Hauser left her rear exposed and multiple scales tore through it, sending the shredded remains crashing towards the ocean. "Janette!" Scarlett screamed. There were simply to many. Already Scarlett's ammo counter was getting critically low. "Don't separate!" she ordered. "Bunch together and fire as wide a barrage as you can! Don't give them any opening."

Turning her attention to one Corvette that was flying straight towards her, Scarlett aimed her last MPG when she felt herself lurch to the side. Her head banged against the side of her cockpit and through the stars that erupted across her field of vision, Scarlett saw the Schooner that had tackled her start to claw its way through her canopy. Betty manged it shoot it off but at that moment, the Brig swooped in to grab Scarlett's Arquebus in its left claw. Scarlet could only stare helplessly as the purple Brig opened its gaping maw and bent its neck towards her. 'So this is how it ends,' she thought as a feeling of calm overtook her. The Brig's fangs were closing in around her when a sudden explosion erupted on the side of the purple DRAGON's head. With a shriek of pain, Scarlett was tossed free and spun wildly until she regained control. New contacts appeared on her screen and Scarlett looked up to see nine incoming Para-mail firing a salvo at the horde.

"No need to worry second squad," a familiar voice broadcast. "The calvary is here to pull your asses out of the fire."

"Zola," Scarlett gasped, almost feeling like she was going to cry.

"Nice to see you aren't dead Scarlett," Zola joked. "What's wrong? These lizards too much for you?"

"Captain!" Salia scolded. "This is no time for jokes. This is a really big swarm."

"Fine," Zola mocked whined. "Assist second squad. They're dangerously low on fuel and ammo. Pick a partner and pair up."

"What should we do Captain?" Sadie asked. Scarlett swallowed her pride and allowed Zola to take the lead.

"Do what Zola says and form into teams of 2. One for offense the other defence." With the arrival of reinforcements, second squad found their second wind. Especially since Mei had mounted replacement clips on first squad's spare hardpoints. As first and second picked their partners, Zola backed up Scarlett as they flew back to back, the Schooners that swarmed around them being shredded by their gunfire. "Hmm this takes me back." Zola purred. "Just like old times right lover?"

"Well then let's see if you're as good as you used to be when you had both eyes," Scarlett boasted.

"Okay then what do you say, whoever gets the most kills get the other's pay?" Zola challenged.

"You're on!" Scarlett agreed.


With a Glaive and Hauser egging it on, one of the Corvettes turned towards them. The decoys scattered out of the way and Ersha unleashed a bombardment from her cannons. The impact knocked it off balance, allowing Vivian to swoop in and plant her freeze bullet right into its neck.

"Good job unit Vivi," Ersha praised as the rapidly freezing DRAGON plummeted into the surf. A sudden blip on radar alerted Ersha to a surprise attack as four Schooners shot down on them from above. The Hauser and Glaive dodged but Ersha was too slow to react and wound up taking a hit dead on.

"Ersha!" Vivian cried. Throwing her boomerang, she managed to cut down three of them while Ersha manoeuvred her rifle into position to shoot down the one that had tackled her, wincing from the sudden pain in her right wrist. "You okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine Vivian. Just a little sprain."


With Naomi herding the Schooners into position, Cal's canons roared as he began dropping them out of the sky in droves. "We've almost got them all," Naomi cheered. "Hey, after we mop up this batch how about we go after the Brig."

"You got it!" he agreed. A Brig was just what he needed to get back in the black. Ersha and Vivian had already dealt with the first Corvette, Scarlett and Zola had their hands full with the Galleon, Chris and Rosalie had taken the second Corvette, and Hilda and Selina of second squad were finishing up their portion of the horde nearby when a sudden alarm blared on Cal's console.

"Watch it!" he heard Hilda warn. Already, the Brig's body was starting to shine as it shed its scales and sent them flying towards all four of them. Cal and Naomi went back to back and held off their targets while Hilda and Selina scattered. As if anticipating this, the Brig roared and the volley chasing the two girls suddenly split, continuing to divide in a chain reaction that scattered the projectiles across the sky. In her frantic bid to get free of the attack's range, Hilda took one on her right arm and had it severed just above the elbow. The sudden loss of balance left her unable to properly evade when the Brig flew past her, catching her on the edge of one wing and sending Hilda plummeting towards the sea.

"Hilda!" Naomi cried. Selina tried to go after her, but the bombardment suddenly reversed course, shredding the Silver Glaive to ribbons before she could get out of the way.

"Cover me!" Call yelled. Shifting to Destroyer mode, Cal dove after Hilda, a second barrage rapidly closing in on the red Glaive.

The G-forces were nearly making Hilda pass out. She had been so intent on trying to avoid getting sliced up by the scales that she had failed to see the Brig until it was right on top of her. And now, she was plunging headfirst towards the waves with another volley closing in on her from above. A sudden lurch nearly threw Hilda against the side of her cockpit as she looked up, expecting to see the Brig's massive jaws crushing her unit. Instead, she received the shock of her life as she saw her unit caught in the arms of a dark blue Glaive.

"Hilda talk to me!" Cal ordered. Overhead, Naomi was already shooting down the incoming barrage.

"I'm okay," she said. A screech from above signaled the Glaive had seen them and was diving in before Cal and Naomi both unloaded their cannons into its face to divert its course.

"I'm out!" Naomi called.

"Yeah me too," Cal agreed as she let Hilda go. "Hilda, I've got a plan." Hilda couldn't believe he expected her to help him after what he said. Still, he had just saved her ass again so she swallowed her pride.

"Okay what have you got?"

"Bombardment type Brigs specialize in long range spread attacks, right? If one of us can get in close they can distract it while the other two get in position to finish it off."

"So who's going to be the bait?" Naomi asked. With a sigh, Cal handed Hilda his rifle. She had lost hers when the Brig had shot off her arm. Reluctantly, Hilda accepted the weapon and he drew both of his short blades.

"Just try not to hit my Glaive. I want to try and get ahead with this one." A flare of engine fire, and Cal shot skyward. The Brig saw the incoming attack and prepared to fire another barrage but Hilda and Naomi fired their assault rifles and forced it into a defensive stance. With its attention caught, Cal dashed in and slashed across the webbing of its right ring, eliciting a scream of surprised pain as the Brig shifted attention towards him.

"Hey over here, you big ugly lizard!" he taunted. The Brig launched out its head and snapped at him but Cal spiralled around and cut into a soft spot on its neck. 'Does that guy have a death wish?' Hilda wondered.


Rosalie and Chris finally managed to kill the second Corvette just as the huge Brig unleashed its bombardment attack that rapidly began spreading across the entire sky. Hilda was winged and a Silver Glaive was cut to pieces, but Cal managed to catch their squad mate before she could hit the water. At least with second squad providing back up the scales were cut down a lot faster than usual.

"On your left!" Rosalie warned as she shot one Schooner off her port. Overhead, Salia and Emily of second were in pursuit of the final Corvette while Zola and Scarlett were on the verge of finishing off the Galleon. That just left ten Schooners and the Brig which was currently in pursuit of Cal who for some reason had ditched his rifle and was performing a series of hit and run attacks with his short blades.

"What's he doing?" Chris wondered. "And where's Hilda and Naomi?"


The Galleon was proving to be a real challenge for Zola and Scarlett. Even after taking a freeze bullet to the chest, it refused to go down. "God this is one tough bastard." Zola spat.

"Let's see what it's really made of," Scarlett said. Checking her indicator, she saw almost all the Schooners were killed but the Brig was flying off in pursuit of a friendly. "You remember our old routine for taking one of these down?"

"You mean the one I invented?" Splitting up, the two Captains flanked their enemy and began spiraling around it. The huge DRAGON snapped at one only for the other to strafe it. Back and forth the two Arquebuses alternated between distracting and sniping at the gaps in its defense. The Galleon was getting increasingly angry until finally, it spread it wings and began to spin in an attempt to swat both of them at once.

"Scarlet now!" Zola urged. Scarlett fired her RPG into the DRAGON's face, the impact compounded with the vertigo of its spin threw it off balance and it faltered, giving just enough of an opening for Zola to charge in and plant her freeze bullet right between its eyes. Now nursing a killer case of brain freeze, the DRAGON fell from the skies and vanished below the freezing sea water. "Never fails," Zola heaved.

"I didn't think it would," Scarlett gasped. "This brings back some good memories." Zola felt her heartbeat quicken a bit along with a surge of warmth she had not felt in a very long time.

"Yeah well don't get used to it. You're still not in my league." Raising her unit's hand, Zola clenched it and Scarlett did the same as they bumped knuckles.


The Brig was getting madder and madder. With Cal keeping as close as he was, it couldn't fire off its scales. All it could do was try to seize him in its jaws, but the smaller and more agile Para-mail kept darting out of the way. He checked his console and saw two friendlies circling around into position. Finally, the purple DRAGON's anger hit its peak and it wildly spun in mid-air, its body a ball of wildly flapping wings and snapping jaws. Cal shot off to get clear and the DRAGON calmed down as it saw it finally had range for a bombardment. A sigil ring materialized over it and travelled down the length of its body when a red blur dropped down behind it.

"Take this!" Hilda yelled as she fired her freeze bullet into its spine. The Brig screamed in pain as ice erupted from its wound when a sky-blue Glaive launched upward, and Naomi planted her bullet into its chest.

"Finish it off!" Naomi yelled. Loading up his own, Cal shot forward, and the Brig looked up just in time for Cal to fire his freeze bullet right down its mouth. As the enemy fell, Cal checked his screen and saw to this relief that the encounter was over. Between the two squads, all enemies had been dealt with.

"Well done everyone," Jill called over the radio. "We only lost two pilots. Head back to base."

"Understood," Zola answered.

"Scarlett are you okay?" Cal worried.

"Yeah I'm okay," she assured him. "Thanks a lot. You guys really saved our assess."

"Don't worry about it," Zola smirked. "Especially since I got the killing blow on that Galleon. Better luck next time Scarlett."

"I think you're forgetting one thing," Scarlett pointed out. "I have a higher kill count with the Schooners I got before you all showed up. That means the reward's all mine."

"She's right Captain," Salia agreed. "Technically she did have the higher kill count."

"Th…that doesn't count!" Zola argued. "Only those after the bet do!"

"I don't think that was part of the terms though," Cal pointed out.

"Whose side are you on?"


Leaning back in her chair, Jill lit a cigarette to calm her nerves. "Cancel Red Alert," she said. "All personnel stand down. Prep a transport team to retrieve units Janette and Selina." Perhaps it was a good thing the singular had opened so close to base. Any further out and fatalities would have been a lot worse before help could arrive.

"Well that was eventful." Emma sighed. "I've never seen an attack that big before."

"Just be thankful it wasn't a Category 5," Jill pointed out. "The last one was nine years ago. Two Galleons, Three Briggs, and nearly a hundred Schooners. We lost seven pilots that day and some even managed to get into the base." A shiver ran down the Inspectors spine and she hoped she would never have to experience something like that. As her quarters were out in the open and right up top, a sudden surprise attack would make her an easy target.

"Don't worry," Jill assured her. "We've taken precautions so that we won't find ourselves in such dire straits again." As the Inspector relaxed, Jill looked out the observation window as the running lights of the incoming Para-mail appeared in the sky. While she was impressed with how Cal had managed to improvise, she still had doubts about his demeanor. And just telling him the truth about Gaz probably wouldn't be enough get him in line. 'I may have to take drastic action,' she thought.


The sky was clear and sunny the next day, but it did little to improve the somber mood in the graveyard. In addition to second, first squad had opted to come pay their respects as well. From the base of the mountain that separated the cemetery from the rest of the island, rows and rows of tombstones stretched all the way to the cliff's edge. From what Salia and the others had told Cal, Arzenal didn't have any priests or organized religion. Funerals and burial were the sole responsibility of survivors. With Scarlett in the lead, the rest of second squad laid bouquets on Janette and Selina's headstones. "There's so many," Cal said as he eyes swept the width of the cemetery.

"It's like I told you," Zola sighed. "In the end, we all wind up like this. It's why we need to live while we can." Once finished, the two squads silently filed out when Hilda suddenly took Cal's arm.

"Over here," she said as she led him away. Standing on the edge of the cliff, Hilda looked out over the sea as her pigtails blew in the wind. "Why did you do it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you save me? After what happened in your room…why would you stick your neck out for me? How could you be so willing to trust that I wouldn't let you die?" Cal hummed and rubbed the back of his head.

"Look," he said. "I'm sorry about what I said. I sometimes forget that I haven't lived the same as you and the others. I don't know why you feel the way you do. But I did it because…well…because we're friends." Hilda turned around and looked at him like he had gone crazy. "Don't get me wrong. I think you're a pain in the ass sometimes. But, you're my squad mate. And looking out for each other is what we're supposed to do. Look, Naomi told me that you were a latecomer like me. I don't know what happened when they brought you here and if you don't want to talk about it, I won't make you. But no matter what I'm going to protect the people around me. I've already lost my Gramps. I don't want to lose anyone else." Hilda cast her eyes downward. She knew that if she looked up at him, she'd probably break out in tears. "Look I've got to go pick up a new patch from the mall for my flight suit. I'll see you later okay."

"Yeah sure," she nodded. Once she was certain Cal was a safe distance away, she leaned back against a nearby tree.

"It's nice to see you two are finally getting along." Hilda looked up and grimaced at the sight of Ersha with a knowing smile on her face. On her wrist was a brace from Maggie to help stabilize the sprain she had received in battle.

"It's nothing like that!" she said. "Damn it he pisses me off! Why can't he just learn to hold a grudge like any normal person?" Ersha chuckled and leaned against the tree alongside her.

"Cal really is someone special," she said. "And not just because he's a male Norma. He has every reason to let the world break him, yet he still shines. I can understand why something like that would scare you."

"Scared? Of him?"

"I still remember when you first arrived," Ersha continued. "You were so lost you put up a hard front to protect yourself. And now here's someone who should be exactly the same but he's not letting it get to him. Hilda, I know about what happened that night." Hilda cut a glance toward the pinkette. "Don't worry I haven't told anyone. But if you really want to make it up to him than just be honest like he is." Hilda crossed her arms and thought it over. She had tried sleeping with him and that didn't work so what else could she do? What else did he like? An image of him stuffing his face in the mess hall came to mind and an idea struck her. Two actually.

"Hey Ersha," she said. "I need to go the mall for something. Afterwards, could you meet me in the kitchen. I…might need your help."


Cal sighed as he ran over the figures for his bank account. Yesterday's sortie had earned him enough money to get him out of debt, but he hardly had anything left. Casting an eye to his desk chair where his flight suit lay over its back, Cal sighed as he looked over the clumsy stitch work holding it together. 'So much for replacing that thing,' he groaned as someone knocked on his door.

"Yes?" he called. No one answered so Cal got up and opened the door. No one was out in the hall though something smelled good. He looked down and lying at his doorstep were two packages, a satchel from the mall and something wrapped in foil. His curiosity piqued, Cal bent down and carried them into his room. Setting them on the desk, Cal opened the object in foil and saw it was some kind of a small pie. Six slices had already been cut into it and once exposed the entire room filled with a spicey sweet aroma. His mouth watering, Cal removed a slice and took a bite, his eyes exploding as a sweet juicy flavor burst inside his mouth.

"IT'S DELICIOUS!" He cried not caring if anyone heard him. As he wolfed down the rest of the slice in one gulp, he wondered who could have sent it. He would often find sweets at his door, mostly chocolate boxes in the shape of a heart. The most likely suspect was someone who worked the kitchens like Ersha, Naomi, or maybe even Tanya. Usually Cal would gorge himself with something this delicious but for the first time he paced himself as he wanted to savor every bite. As he began on the second slice, Cal opened the package from the mall and couldn't believe his eyes.


'Another day another drill,' Rosalie groaned to herself. With the blare of morning roll call, she and Chris had dressed in their training fatigues and dragged themselves up to the training yard. Already, Hilda was waiting for them along with Captain Zola, Naomi and Salia. And Hilda actually seemed to be in a better mood for once. Finally, Ersha and Vivian appeared though when the deadline hit one of their squad mates was still missing.

"Has anyone seen Big Bro?" Vivian asked just as Cal came jogging up the stairs.

"You're late," Salia said.

"Sorry," he gasped, a mile-wide grin on his face. "I just needed to drop something off at the locker room first."

"Oh," Zola noted. "Is it a surprise for us?"

"You'll see," he winked. Hearing a groan, Rosalie and Chris looked over to see Hilda shaking her head with a bemused expression. After morning run and combat training, it was time to suit up for target practice and simulator drills. As the others changed, Cal suddenly disappeared into the shower room, a parcel taken from his locker under his arm.

"So does anyone know what's up with him?" Rosalie asked. She got her answer when the door opened, and every mouth save for Hilda's dropped open in surprise. Instead of his old and torn seaweed green suit, Cal was now dressed in a dark blue one trimmed in red, just like his Glaive. The chest was completely closed in and the open gaps in the fabric were filled with a black spandex body suit that highlighted his masculine build. He still sported the same ceramic armour pieces, but the boots were wider and flat soled.

"Oh my!" Ersha gasped.

"So what do you think?" he asked.

"Totally awesome!" Vivian gave him a thumbs up.

"It really suits you," Chris blushed. 'I really wish I had my camera now,' Rosalie wished.

"Very nice," Zola purred running her fingers over the outline of his muscles. "I'll miss seeing you in your old one, but I can get used to this one as well. Especially with how it shows off this." One hand reached around to his lower back and inched towards his butt when Cal grabbed her wrist. "Tease," she pouted. "Fine. Everyone, to the simulators. We're running Battle Scenario Chi today."

"Chi?" Naomi gasped. "Isn't that a little extreme for one squad?"

"It makes sense," Salia argued. "We were just hit with a Category 4 so a refresher on overwhelming enemy numbers would be good for us." As they made their way down the hall, Cal held back a bit so he could talk with one squad mate in particular. "By the way, thanks a lot." Hilda cast a sideways glance at him but kept a blank expression. "It's no use trying to deny it," he told her. "You were the only one who didn't react in the locker room to my new flight suit."

"Well," Hilda said. "I just got tired of seeing you in that ratty looking green one. You were making our entire squad look bad."

"And the pie?" Hilda came to a halt and blushed a bit as she shuffled her feet.

"I still owed you," Hilda murmured. "And you wouldn't let me do it the easy way so I had to think of something else." Cal chuckled and rested a hand on her shoulder, making Hilda's flush deepen as she gave a tiny squeak.

"Well, it was amazing," he said as a smirk grew on his face. "And maybe next time you'll even want to do it with me." Hilda's eyes widened in shock before she gave an angry pout.

"Don't push it you pervert!" With a toss of her hair, Hilda whipped her pigtail into his face as she quickened her pace. As she caught up with Zola and the others, Hilda cast a glance back at Cal who still sported that ridiculous grin on his face. 'God, he gets on my nerves,' she thought, a feeling of warmth spreading in her chest. 'But, maybe he's not the worst person I've ever met.'


Without any sorties, Cal opted to spend the night binge watching the fourth season of Deep Space with Naomi who had opted to spring for burgers from the Mall. "So are you feeling better now?" she asked.

"Yeah," he told her. "My wounds have mostly healed. Plus, Hilda and I made up, so I don't think I'll be having any more problems with her."

"I still can't believe it only took you a couple months to make her warmup to you," Naomi said. "It took almost until we were both assigned to First Squad that she and I could talk without coming to blows. But actually, I was talking about something else." Cal frowned as he closed the player.

"It still hurts," he told her. "But it doesn't feel quite so bad now. I still don't know what I'm going to do but at least I still have you and the others."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked. Cal sighed and sat up.

"I've been thinking a lot lately," he said. "Why is it that the world has to be this way? Why do the Norma have to suffer just because of how we're born? Gramps died because he wanted to keep me safe. I just don't understand."

"Cal be careful," she said. "Asking questions like that can get you in a lot of trouble with the Inspector. The humans don't take kindly to Norma questioning their lot in life. And they won't hesitate to make an example of you if you cross that line."

"I know," he said. "But…I just don't want to lose you or anyone else. And as long as we're stuck here that's always a possibility." Naomi smiled and gently caressed his cheek.

"Don't worry about what may or may not happen. Just focus on the here and now. We have each other and that's all that matters." Her words seemed to reach him as Cal relaxed under her touch.

"I guess you're right," he said. 'But I still want to find a better way,' he thought. His mind drifted back to the night Zola had claimed his virginity. 'When you're a Norma your life is pretty meaningless. Sooner or later we all wind up torn to pieces or worse. Look I can't tell you what to do with your life, but don't waste your time looking for anything better. Simple pleasures are the best we can hope for.'

But that didn't mean they didn't deserve more than that. Cal wanted more than pleasure. He wanted to experience everything that humans did. Hope, love, a future, and most of all freedom. "Cal?" Naomi asked as she saw the look on his face. Cal looked up and stared into her beautiful violet eyes, her long pink hair, and gentle hand that continued to caress his cheek. Just being with her, it filled something in him that he never felt with Zola. Something that he couldn't put his finger on until now. As if some unseen force had taken over his body, Cal cupped the back of her head and pulled her in. Naomi's eyes shot open as she felt his lips press against hers as her entire mind exploded like fireworks at the festa. Closing her eyes, Naomi leaned into him as she felt Cal lower her onto the bed, his big hands stroking and caressing her back as their tongues began to duel.

And the rest of the night was pure bliss.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Well another chapter done, just to give you guys a heads up, I'm back at university for my final year so I will have a lot of work ahead. It doesn't mean I'll stop doing these chapter, they will just be coming at a slower rate. If you wanna check out Cal's custom Pilot uniform then check out my Deviant art account 'Raggylad98'. And big thanks and shout out to Eric Michael Kline for helping out a lot with this Chapter.