by Andrew Mack
After a few seconds, Malovex retracted his silver sword. With Taz rolling and wailing, he took a massive swing at his head, causing his helmet/mask to come off. His eyes and nose had blood coming out of them while his mangled black hair almost hid the 'T' branded on his forehead and nose. Malovex took his sword, and with one devastating blow, pierced it right through Taz’s face, straight through his skull, taking the life from him.
Belinea 8.11
Avola
Bisi Base
Kaya got up out of bed. She put her full black uniform on, including the ring on the side. The patch over her eye was still there. The surgery to fix it was unsuccessful. She walked down to another room and saw Cortes in her bed, mostly recovered. Kaya looked at her and said, “Get dressed.”
Cortes did, and together they walked out of the temporary medical center. A transport ship was on the other side of Bisi Base with two of Kaya’s soldiers outside the ramp. As Kaya and Cortes approached, one asked, “Are you alright?”
Kaya gave just a very somber nod. Kaya stared at him for a full five seconds before whispering, “Come…”
A few more soldiers joined in, all curious to see her. Eventually, they followed Kaya and Cortes to the transport. Together, all eight of them got on board, found seats, and buckled in. Cortes fired up the engines. Kaya sat next to her in the co-pilot chair. Cortes looked at Kaya. Without having to ask, she was asking where to go. Kaya replied, “Balerra’s Temple…”
Cortes nodded, hit a couple of levers, and the ship took off. Kaya hit one button and said on the radio, “This is Kaya, open up the gate.”
The doors slightly opened, enough for the transport to slip through and out the mountain. Cortes, still focused on where they were going, asked Kaya without looking, “You worried about them finding you?”
Kaya shook her head. She responded, “They will not be looking for a small transport. They also think we are all dead.”
The ship gained altitude and began the thirty-minute journey back to Mining Center Six. Kaya looked out the window. She thought about her brother, the battles, and disagreements. She thought about how he fought, where they had come from, and how far they had come. She looked at the mountains, the rock, the desert. A tear ran down her face. Still looking at the window, she said, “I love it, all of it…”
Cortes responded, “What?”
Kaya looked at her and said, “Home…”
Cortes nodded and looked back at where they were flying. No words were spoken for the rest of the flight. There was nothing to say. Cortes was coming on a final approach for a landing pad a few blocks from the Temple. Kaya unbuckled herself and walked back to the other six soldiers. One by one, she grabbed their shoulders, and looked them in the eye. Each stood up when she got to them, taking their arm and hand and placing it on her shoulder. Each would nod, a symbol of respect that went way beyond a salute. They had fought together. They watched fellow soldiers die together. The transport landed just as Kaya got to the last soldier. She put a hood on to disguise herself, as did Cortes. The other six soldiers did not use any disguise. All eight of them walked out the ramp together.
There was no AuFa or Majavkee security presence. There was some rioting, but for the most part, there was a peaceful sadness to the town. The AuFa and Majavkee would wait a few days before re-taking the Center, letting tensions subside. It was dark, and visibility was reduced. Kaya walked up the steps of the Temple. There was a service for one of the Miners going on, and the family was in front. Crying could be heard all through the Temple. Another dead miner’s body was waiting. A Quillisar was giving the ceremony. Kaya saw people as she walked through. Even with the hood, many people recognized her. They came up to her and showed respect. They grabbed her arm, and in return, she looked them in the eye. Without any words, she somehow expressed, ‘I know, I feel your pain, we are all in this together….’
Kaya walked down the center aisle. A wife was crying out loud, trying to be comforted by her eight-year-old son. Her dead spouse was in front of the Temple, the Quillisar giving a pre-ritual. Kaya walked up behind and bowed her head. The crying woman went up to her dead spouse, only to be turned away by the Quillisar and another family member. After thirty seconds, they managed to turn her around, backing her away from the dead body.
The woman, while being helped back, then locked eyes with Kaya. She ran to Kaya and began hitting her. She was screaming, “WHY! WHY! WHY…”
Cortes tried to step in between them, but Kaya brushed her off with her arm. Kaya grabbed the crying woman with both hands on her shoulders, looking her in the eye. After a few seconds, both of them got to their knees. The crying woman stopped hitting Kaya, and within a few seconds, allowed Kaya to embrace her. The woman cried and cried, loudly. It caused Kaya to cry as well. She cried for another thirty seconds, all the while Kaya held her tightly. The crying woman let go, slightly pushing Kaya away. Looking at her directly in the eyes, she said, “His name was Lewis….Lewis….”
Kaya nodded, still looking at her directly in the eyes. She took a huge breath, still crying herself, and said, “I will not forget….”
They touched foreheads. Kaya now grabbed the side of the crying woman’s head with both of her hands. After another thirty seconds, a family member pulled her away, as both her and Kaya stood up. Kaya nodded again at her as if to say ‘I understand.’
Kaya walked to the side and saw the next dead body that was up and locked eyes with a woman who was crying also. Kaya stared for a few seconds before walking out the side door of the Temple. Cortes and the other six soldiers followed her. When she got outside, the landing areas and playgrounds were filled with people. Dead bodies, hundreds of them with families standing over them, were everywhere.
Kaya stood there for a few seconds, trying to understand and accept the enormity of the situation. She surveyed the landscape again and again, eventually closing her one good eye because of an inability to process all the collateral damage. She took some steps down, and walked to an aisle that weaved between the bodies. She saw a familiar face, a family member. She looked at her, not fully processing why she was here. She was crying. As she embraced Kaya, Kaya looked down and saw the dead body of her cousin Donovan. Kaya closed her eyes and held her cousin’s spouse closely. Tears began streaming down her face. This continued for another thirty seconds before Kaya let go and looked at her cousin’s spouse in the eyes. They touched foreheads. Kaya grabbed the back of her head and placed it in her bosom. She looked up and around, now fully processing all the death and loss.
After a few seconds, she let go of her cousin’s spouse and moved on. Row after row, aisle after aisle. Bodies, all dead from the massacre. Loved ones were crying, passionately wailing in frustration and loss. Kaya swallowed hard, trying to get the courage to make it through. She walked another thirty meters, through a few more aisles of tens of dead miners.
Sterling walked up to her and said, “You do not know who I am. My name is Sterling.”
Cortes stepped in and said, “Sterling rescued us in the caves.”
Kaya nodded and said, “I am Kaya.”
Sterling said, “I helped your brother escape. He stayed with me while the AuFa were looking for him. I am so sorry. You have my deepest condolences.”
Kaya swallowed again, another tear going down her face. She said, “Thank you. Did you lose someone also?”
Sterling tilted his head. There were a few seconds of silence as he tried to process a correct answer. Finally, he said, “We all lost someone. Friends, family, co-workers. Everyone here is greiving.”
Kaya grabbed his shoulder and nodded. Sterling waited a few seconds before he continued. “But no more. We all want to fight. We will train if you will teach us, in all your ways. We will be silent no more.”
This caught Kaya off guard. A few seconds went by before she finally just nodded, not knowing what to say. She let go of Sterling’s shoulder a
nd continued to walk. Another twenty meters and she got to Quillisar Balerra. The older lady was preparing a dead miner’s body for the service inside. She was kneeled over. After a few seconds, she got up, and embraced the family. She nodded her head at them, turned, and saw Kaya. They stared at each other for ten solid seconds, neither knowing what to say to the other. Finally, Kaya walked over, got down on one knee, and bowed to her. Cortes and the other six soldiers immediately did the same. Balerra took a couple of steps towards them. When she got to Kaya, she placed her frail hand on top of Kaya’s head. A tear ran down her cheek.
Balerra quietly said, “Rise my child…”
Kaya stood up. She looked down at Balerra, and after a moment, embraced her. While hugging her, Kaya whispered in her ear, “I am going to kill every single one of them….”
They stopped embracing. After a moment, Balerra said, “It will not bring Octavious back, Kaya. It will not bring any of them back.”
A few seconds went by, another tear going down Kaya’s face. She said, “But these deaths cannot go unavenged. Otherwise, they died for nothing.”
Balerra asked, “Does it ever stop my child? How many deaths will it take?”
Kaya answered, “Until they leave our home….”
The two looked at each other for a few seconds. There was a concession by Balerra. She knew Kaya would never be Octavious, and vice-versa, Kaya would never stop. Kaya turned to walk away. As she got a few steps, Balerra said loud enough for Kaya to hear, “From this moment on, I beg you to think about the children as well as our planet, our home, before you do anything.”
Kaya stopped. No longer with any tears, but still watery eyes, she turned to look at Quillisar Balerra. She softly said, “My Quillisar, it is all I think about....”
Kaya, Cortes, and the other six soldiers walked away, back towards the Temple.
Belinea 8.12
Belinea, Capital City
Ambassador Compound, BRG Patrol Post
Alexis made her way down the path until she finally saw the BRG Post. A BRG soldier attempted to stop her, but she showed enough credentials to get by. She continued down the path to an area where Tunsall, Trujillo, and Orlando were standing. Orlando was being treated for some scratches. Trujillo was bleeding from a cut on his head, but was otherwise fine. Alexis jogged right up to him and hugged him. “Are you alright?”
Trujillo hugged her back and replied, “I’m fine.”
Alexis let go and looked at him. She then asked, “You hurt? Did you get shot? What happened?”
Trujillo answered, “Taz and his crew blew up Ambassador Bird’s condo. We chased them down here, and there was a fight. Lord Malovex killed Taz.”
Alexis quickly responded, “But you are not hurt. Did you break anything?”
Trujillo, now slightly annoyed, said, “I am fine.”
Alexis was grabbing Trujillo’s shoulder and looking at the cut on his head before Tunsall interjected with, “I am fine, thanks for asking.”
Trujillo gave a half-smile, as Alexis turned around and walked three steps over to Tunsall. She grabbed his shoulder, then put her hand on his cheek and said, “Tunsall, you alright?”
Tunsall gave a smirk and said, “Just another day at the Academy…”
Alexis looked at him for a few seconds before turning around to address all of them. Looking directly at Orlando, she said, “Yi is dead. He was at the front door with two of your DAG soldiers when the explosion happened.”
Orlando quietly said, “We know. We are still being detained here, which is why I am not back there. Bird is safe?”
Alexis was looking at their detainment with curiosity. She then nodded about Bird. “He is currently in the BRG safe house, but the rest of your detail refuses to leave him.”
Orlando nodded and whispered in admiration, “Good…”
Alexis asked, “Why are you being detained?”
Trujillo responded, “BRG will not let us go until everything checks out. I don’t think they are worried about us anymore, but Willits and Jones don’t seem to be going anywhere.”
Alexis, completely dumbfounded, responded, “They are here?! Alive?!”
Trujillo nodded further down toward the Tower, in two chairs were Jones and Willits. They were unarmed, but being guarded by ten BRG soldiers. A medic was still working on Jones’ shoulder, trying to patch it up. Willits arm was in a sling, and there was a bulky bandage wrapped around his thigh, which was extended straight out. Alexis immediately left the three of them and began walking down the path. Trujillo asked, “Where are you going?”
Alexis made it further down and then was stopped by a rather tall BRG soldier. As Alexis tried to get past him, he said, “No one goes through Miss.”
Alexis looked up at him and said, “I need to see those two DAG officers, please.”
The soldier looked at her and said, “No one sees these two except that medic.”
Alexis asked, “Are they prisoners?”
The soldier turned to the side, looking at another soldier, before replying, “Not exactly.”
Alexis then stared at him straight in the eyes. Showing her credentials, she said, “My name is Alexis Devanoe. I am the Executive Assistant for Ambassador Bird, who just had yet another attempt on his life. Those two men are responsible for his detail, and I am going to question them. If you try to stop me, I am sure Ambassador Bird will let the Council know how uncooperative the BRG was in letting him communicate with his own security.”
The soldier tilted his head and then took a step to the side to allow Alexis to pass. Alexis walked down to Willits and Jones. The medic was taking something out of Jones’ shoulder. Alexis asked, “You two, alright?”
Jones responded, “What does it look like?”
Alexis walked over to Willits and looked at his shoulder before looking down at his leg. She asked, “What happened?”
Willits responded, “Taz shot a rocket near me, I dove. Dislocated shoulder and a piece of shrapnel in my leg.”
Alexis asked, “Why hasn’t anyone worked on you yet?”
Willits grinned. “Apparently, candy-ass over there has a worse wound that needs to be taken care of first.”
Jones gritted his teeth and said to Willits, “When I am able to use this shoulder again, the first thing I am going to do is punch you right in the mouth.”
The medic responded, “I am working as fast as I can. Please hold still.”
Alexis looked around at the BRG soldiers, and said, “Looks like you are being detained.”
Willits responded, “I don’t think the BRG has forgotten about that incident on Torsalli.”
Alexis said, “My brother told me on Molar. Something blew up?”
Jones answered, “The Ambassador’s C-62T. And some BRG cargo inside.”
Alexis, now remembering everything, responded by slamming her fist down on Willits injured thigh. He gritted his teeth and let out an “Owww…”
Alexis said, “That was for leaving the Ambassador and me with two cadets to get us here.”
Jones answered, “It was better than getting shot at. How did they do? Is Bird safe?”
Alexis looked at Jones and responded, “Bird is safe, but it did not go without incident…”
Willits, still grimacing in pain, said, “Did they screw up?”
Alexis grinned and said, “Actually, no. The incident was mainly caused by Bird. Those guys are alright. I like them.”
Jones gave a small grin as well, and said, “So do we.”
A few seconds went by before Willits asked, “You gonna tell us what Kimakawa said, or are we gonna keep this charade up?”
Alexis looked at both of them for a few seconds. After a long pause, she asked, “When did you find out?”
Willits answered, “No child of Annella Devanoe is just an assistant to an Ambassador.”
The medic was done with Jones. He got up and was about to walk over to Willits, when Alexis said, “Give us a minute please…”
The medic turned around and walked away. Alexis asked, “When did you find out Kimakawa had doubts about you?”
Jones was moving his shoulder in a circle, trying to regain his range of motion. He smirked when he answered, “About two seconds after we walked out of his office with this assignment.”
Willits continued, “We knew it was bullshit from the get-go. Putting us on security detail? We knew we were being watched and that he no longer trusted us.”
Jones added, “We just didn’t know why.”
Alexis asked, “ The incident on SPE? And Braccus?”
Willits looked at Jones before he responded, “We knew they had to be related. Not trusting us, and then the attempts on the Ambassador? It’s exactly what we predicted in the note.”
Alexis looked puzzled. “The note?”
Jones answered, “We left a note with our old Sergeant at Odgins to give to Kimakawa.”
Willits continued, “It said ‘if something is happening on this trip to Belinea, I promise you it is not us. The cause for the trust you no longer have in us is from someone else.”
Alexis was speechless. She had no idea Willits and Jones knew all along. She then said, “So you kept changing the manifest and where we were going….”