“It is the rule. Situations require things like this to be put in place, and it would help if you could hold your temper, Firestar.” Arctic gave me one of his looks that meant I should shut up. I leaned back in my chair and glowered at the wall in front of me.
“So… what now then?” Water asked from my right. She had been calm and collected this time around, when normally she would be supporting my outbreaks in mood swings.
“Ares and I have been developing a plan that would suit the Rebellion quite well. You are not the only ones included in it, but we might as well tell you now instead of waking up the whole rebellion to get the rest of the members.”
Arctic shuffled through a few papers that were scattered in front of him. He had asked to be left alone for about an hour after we arrived on Calsh, then summoned us to the conference room. None of us had been asleep, it seemed.
Arctic rubbed one of his eyes before reading off of the paper. He had some wicked shadows appearing underneath his pale blue eyes. “Alright. Waterstar, tomorrow you will report to Metalstar for a briefing before taking on some of the new recruit training. Try not to scare them, or teach them how to blow up a building just yet.”
“How about we blow up a car? For some practice, you know?”
Arctic rolled his eyes, but didn’t say yes or no. I knew Waterstar would take that as permission granted. Well, if there were even any cars left to explode. The demons had done a good job of destroying them apparently.
“Firestar and Icestar. You will head some patrols going around Calsh. Your priority is to secure the villages, but any demons that are in your way, kill. Don’t go looking for the demons though, that won’t be necessary. Not yet at least. I will give you ten men to start off with. Take them to Klieger and help any survivors. If the town is still functional, leave all of the men there and come back for more.”
“Yessir,” Icestar said. I merely nodded my consent. I was upset that we wouldn't be helping out on Earth as much, though Calsh still needed help too.
“Darkstar, you are to remain here with Ares and me. You will be considered an adviser because it seems like you have a mind for strategy. Plus, no one else is more influential in the rebellion, and we might need you ability to motivate the people.”
Darkstar also only nodded, but that was kind of normal for him. Some might say it was more than most communication he had when deep in thought, such as he was now. What he was thinking about, I couldn’t tell you. Once we had arrived here, he had gone off to find Maegan. What he wanted with the NOPCW ambassador, I couldn’t imagine. Couldn't imagine it at all.
“Foreststar, I will have you back on Earth.”
“Sir, I thought that wasn’t permitted.” Forest looked levelly at Arctic from the back of the room where he was leaning against the wall next to the door. Like usual.
“Technically, no. You will go through either the Russian or the Beijing portal. Your goal will be to try and get recruits for Calsh and start getting some world powers on our side, if possible. And investigate the situation with Moscow and Beijing.”
“Gotcha.”
Arctic looked up from his papers and gazed at all of us. We barely blinked as we waited for him to say something else. Finally, Arctic’s stare came to rest on Vladimir, who had been sitting as far away from us as possible. It was hard to manage in the cramped room. Arctic hadn’t wanted to use one of the larger conference halls to avoid attention.
Vladimir sighed before speaking. “I’ve decided to return to the Underworld. Maybe I can find something there that can help me bring the demons back under my reign, where they should be. Maybe I won’t, but I will try. You have my word.”
Waterstar sniffed next to me, as if in disbelief. Everyone pretended that they didn’t hear her, though I could see Icestar hiding a smile. Since when did Ice smile?
Arctic nodded. “I couldn’t command you to do anything, even if I wanted to. Please, do your best.”
After a few moments of silence, I stood, attracting everyone’s glances. “Alright then… so are we good to leave? There's some things that I want to do.”
“Like get food?” Waterstar smirked from besides me, then stood. “I second that idea!”
More smiles broke the surface of the tired faces around us. Arctic nodded and we all left the room, save Vladimir and Ares. Alvair was still waiting in the hall and fell in step with Darkstar. I still had no clue where the giant wolf had come from, but he had taken down quite a few demons in the hour he had been on Calsh, and he definitely had an attraction to Darkstar.
I guess it’s time for me to say my parting words to you. If you see any demons in the night, don’t run. It will only make things worse. Humanity must fight, so run down to your kitchen and pick out the sharpest knife. Stay strong, and stay alive. For the peace of my mind, I hope you don’t die. We need to band together and survive.
Until next time.
Star Rebellion Page 35