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Post by JKrew on May 25, 2004 16:27:39 GMT -5
(((Just to let you all know. I will have 4 days of hockey tryouts and then celebration, so I woun't be able to post for a while. DP, if you want, you can post and do all the disscusion stuff with Mitsuko to get us up to the part right before they al are getting ready. And I would like it if everybody could wait for me after that.)))
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Post by BokunetSuMaro on May 25, 2004 18:39:39 GMT -5
Boku stood quietly in the room thinking of what the mission was going to be about. He was thursty for a fight, he wanted to fill someone full of lead, he missed that. Boku looked around the room at each of the people in the room. THey were all talking but not to Boku, he didn't care, he was used to it. Boku thought about the fighting he loved the feeling of a good fight and the taste of souls, it had also been a long long time sence he had devoured a soul and he new that he probably would not take any on this mission, he didn't want anyone to know what he was.
Boku looked around the room he could see Rayan wander off, this didn't really concern him to much for the fact that they were in a millitary base and that they had hired Rayan so what was the point of killing him. He followed a ways behind though just to be sure. He walked siclently making no sound as he walked, he was a little ways back too so this also added to the stealthyness of his following.
((can we get this moving??))
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Post by RayanStiger on May 25, 2004 23:59:22 GMT -5
Upon her touch, Karunii gazed into Tira’s eyes and ceased shaking. He smiled slightly and his eyes shone more brightly. He regained his hope, and his joyous personality returned to him. Karunii had seen many aspects of Tira- cold, dark, filled with fiery battle rage, and indifference. But he had never seen a look in her darkish eyes that seemed to show a glint of sadness…Karunii knew that, regardless of their differences, he and Tira were still friends, and she intended to preserve that friendship. He did not fully comprehend the importance of their friendship, but he was grateful.
“Thank you, Tira…” Karunii whispered. When the airship landed, Karunii instantly looked out the window. Upon seeing the gorgeous white flakes of show, he bounded up, full of energy, and exited the airship in order to romp about freely. His eyes reflected the glimmering light of the sun aloft in the afternoon sky. Karunii had never seen snow before, and he cherished it. Its pure, white glow dazzled him.
After only a few precious moments of enjoying the pleasures of the white, flaky blessing, Karunii began to slow down, from romp to trot, from trot to walk, from walk to drag. Some of the brightness in Karunii’s gentle blue eyes drained out slowly until they were tinged with a subtle, bleak gray. He shivered, this time from cold.
S…so cold…
Karunii clutched his arms and slowly walked beside Tira as they entered the inside of the mountain through the hologram. He however did not notice such a feature; his mind was preoccupied with but one matter only- that being his current temperature state. I like the snow…but it’s so cold… he thought, now slowly falling behind Tira’s steps.
The wondrous, infectious magic of Corvina’s glory shocked Karunii’s mind, but only for a moment. His felt numb and slow, like a machine dulled by much rust. Karunii at last slumped to the ground in a little shivering ball at Tira’s feet, clenching his eyes tight like fixed screws.
Karunii did not hear what Tira said to him regarding Gai and his vast dangers, and how he might betray Karunii to death and that she thought it was best for him to leave. He could hardly set his thoughts on anything. Weakly, he quivered, “T-tira…Cold…”
Karunii shivered yet again. Somehow, he heard the sound of footsteps over the rattling of his frigid cold spasms. Opening an eye, Karunii saw in full the toe of a man’s boot, and the hem of a blazing red robe. The man bent down and gently ruffled Karunii’s hair affectionately, and then graciously covered the poor child’s chilled frame with a heavenly warm blanket. He bent over and gazed at Karunii with flashing, light purple eyes and smiled. After a few moments of a silent conversation between their gazes, the man stood back to his full height. He placed his hand on Tira’s shoulder lightly, and said;
“Milady Tira, I think it would be best to use your rage as a means of warming your Popsicle of a friend, instead of fuming at your unfortunate…contemporary. Karunii seems too chilly for comfort.”
Adriel bent down and picked Karunii up and carried him in his arms towards the entrance to the military base just in front of them. He called back to Tira, saying, “Whenever you should choose to settle your dispute, I am simply taking Karunii inside for warmth and comfort- you will find him there. I assure you no harm will befall him.”
Once inside, Adriel laid Karunii down upon a comfy bench. Karunii laid there happily in euphoria with his a joyful, beaming face. He knew not how Adriel had come to Corvina, but he was glad that he had. Adriel smiled down upon him with a warm, glowing face. He stood up fully, and stretched out his palm. A slight flame formed in the cup of his hand, and a flickering light danced across Karunii’s form. He stirred in his dreamish bundle of comfort as he felt the delightful warmth from Adriel’s flame; it helped keep him warm, as he remained lying there pleasantly.
Looking down at Karunii keenly, Adriel shut his eyes. His thoughts united with another; one that the others could not sense.
So much will rest upon this child’s shoulders; so soon will his heart be torn. Master, are you certain that this is indeed the way?
…Yes…
I understand…he must stay the course…
Then, if that is how it must be, I shall guide him, so long as my Lord allows it...
Adriel opened his eyes again, and silently meditated upon the young, innocent Karunii. I pray that you may prevail, my friend...
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Tira
Newbie
You cannot handle the truth.
Posts: 62
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Post by Tira on May 26, 2004 17:23:15 GMT -5
When she felt Fay't presence and then heard his voice whisper "patience," Tira did calm down. But not in the way one would expect. She saw Fay't advice in her own light. It was time for another hunt. She would taint the moon red again.
Rayan will be my prey. He will be mine.
Yes, she would have to be patient. She was always patient when it came to one of her hunts. She would have to watch Rayan's every move until she got to know him. She would play with him until the time came to move in. And when the time came to move in, Tira planned to draw out his death slowly. The fury melted into a hidden excitement. She recomposed herself, transforming back into her cool and dark self. Yes. A hunt would be an exciting change on this dull planet. Rayan would be temporarily under her protection for he was her prey. She would not allow another to take his life when she had claimed it. She would hunt down those who dared to even touch her prey. Yes. Rayan was hers and only hers...to kill.
She used a simple trick that she had learned from the shadows to shroud her thoughts in case Gai decided to tempt his death by intruding in on her thoughts again. Turning around with her normal cold expression, Tira walked into the building to locate Karunii. The cold glare she wore on her face perfectly hid the cruel laughter that bubbled throughout her mind.
Be patient my night skies. Soon you will be painted red like the rising and setting of the sun for the moon will be red too.
Tira found Karunii and sat down next to him.
"I give my thanks to you, Adriel. I shall stay with him. You may go about your other buisness if you wish."
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Post by BokunetSuMaro on May 26, 2004 19:30:58 GMT -5
((ihave one whole day and three half days left of school in which we will do our finals, i aint studying though...never do))
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Post by RayanStiger on May 26, 2004 21:49:04 GMT -5
Adriel turned towards Tira and smiled. “Glad to be of service. I shall take my leave now.” With that, he bowed, and without another word Adriel turned and walked down one of the structure’s many lengthy corridors.
Meanwhile, Rayan continued following his guide, completely unaware of Tira’s plans. At last, he stopped next to the meeting room door. “Here it is,” he said to Rayan. “Don’t make nuisances out of yourselves.” Rayan nodded, and then looked over at Matt, then Aran, and lastly, D.
“This is it,” Rayan whispered. “General Mitsuko wanted to meet us here. He’s a respectable man and a good friend of mine, so make certain that you show your appreciation to him for his hiring us.” With that, Rayan pressed his hand against the heavy wooden door, and it swung open.
“Welcome, Rayan.”
Rayan turned and saw Mitsuko reclining comfortably at the head of a long, oval business table. His feet rested on top of it, and he held his arms behind his head in a relaxed fashion. Around the table were the commanding officers under Mitsuko. Rayan froze momentarily as he glanced at their faces. They seemed firm and somewhat stiff; hardened by battle. Rayan then snapped back to attention and turned back to Mitsuko. He was familiar with the military lifestyle- he had been commander of Nicari’s Space Fleet on his home world. Saluting Mitsuko respectfully, Rayan greeted him with;
“Rayan Stiger, leader of Clan Thyconis. These are my representatives: Mattus, Miss Aranôlëien, and-“
Rayan stopped and glanced back at the dunpeal, whose eyes flashed with a dull light. “…Um…him…” Rayan wanted to slap his head from embarrassment. I don’t even know his name…
“Rayan, it is good to see you again. Have a seat” Mitsuko replied, seemingly ignoring Rayan’s formal salute. Rayan became “at ease,” and thought, I guess he doesn’t care for all that military discipline stuff from me…Cool. One less thing I gotta worry about…
There were, surprisingly, four chairs available for Rayan and his contemporaries left vacant next to Mitsuko; two to his left, and two to his right. Rayan swiftly sat to Mitsuko’s right, leaving the two seats across from him available for Matt and Aran, and the chair next to himself for D.
As Rayan took his seat, Mitsuko took his black boots off of the table. He brushed one of his soft brown hair spikes and got right down to business.
“I suppose that you would like to know just what exactly we hired you for, correct?” Mitsuko waited a moment, and after receiving no reply, continued; “Several hours ago, this base was attacked by two men, whom we believe were sent by Shurnon. In case you were wondering…they were the ones who created the mess you probably saw outside.”
He paused, and then pressed a button on the side of his chair. A 3-D holographic image appeared in front of them. “According to our information, Shurnon is planning to wage a full-scale war against Corvina. Here, you can see their vast airship fleet, which is preparing to leave just hours from now. They intend to use these airships to attack our capital city. Shurnon troops will be established upon Porle Beach via dropship. This will be a complete assault. It has been estimated that approximately thirty thousand Shurnon troops will be sent into battle. Our soldiers number about the same.
"This is why we called upon you. As Corvina’s highest ranking commanding officer, I must ensure our victory for the sake of our country. When I was told that a new mercenary clan led by Rayan Stiger was offering its service, I immediately accepted. I need skilled fighters such as yourselves to battle alongside us against Shurnon’s threat in this upcoming battle. I trust that you are interested in this opportunity?”
Mitsuko paused to allow the possibility of commenting or questioning from Rayan and the others. Rayan was deep in thought; his mind fixated upon the first bit of information Mitsuko had given him.
Two men…two men attacked this base? And they caused that much destruction? Unbelievable…Is Corvina’s intelligence information incorrect? No…that seems unlikely; Corvina possesses the most accurate intelligence operation in all Fyia. Yet…how could they succeed against an army of the best-trained soldiers on the planet? …Shurnon…what motives do they have for this unprovoked assault? Thirty thousand…that may not be much of an army on Earth, but here…Fyia has such a small population by comparison. Thirty thousand on each side? Who is behind this?
As Rayan drifted further into thought, Mitsuko, seeing that no one said anything the entire time, said, “Do you have any questions you would like me to answer?” He leaned back in his chair and propped his arms behind his head again, as they had been when Rayan entered the room. For a leader in such a position, Mitsuko tended to keep his cool. Even though the stakes were high, he seemed almost unconcerned…at that moment, at least. He shut his eyes, and slowly rocked his black leather chair back and forth while he waited.
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Post by FlamingMoogles on May 26, 2004 22:39:12 GMT -5
Matt appeared deep in thought about all that was going on. He looked at the hologram of the airships intently as he listened. At the end he nodded to Mitsuko to bring up a few questons.
"So you are saying they have air troops and land troops....correct? We only have....I think 2 fighter pilots. I hope you have those....because our mercenary faction is a specialty organization. We dont just fight as an army...there are far too few of us. We go against the main figures in the war. How many men will you be supplying for this?"
He turned to Rayan after asking this and quietly said to him.
"...two men did all that damage back there. We may be in way over our heads. Those two were probably simple spies. That means there must be far more that are far more powerful. You know as well as I do that our group isnt exactly a unified unit. Everyone does what they want, including me. And also I don't think some people are strong enough yet. We haven't even trained anyone...."
He trailed off still deep in thoughts about his doubts of the others. This was Matt's habit afterall. With his superiority over some of the members of the group....he undersestimated them a bit. This was one of his weaknesses.
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Post by Gen on May 28, 2004 16:13:04 GMT -5
"There is no way most of the people in this group will be able to be ready for war in that short of a time," Aran contributed to the conference. Her voice was merely a dull murmur, yet she was sure that Rayan, Matt, and D understood every word. "Maybe if we started a training program, one or two could come along . . . but most people probably don’t even know how to reload a plasma blaster." Of course, she was quick to agree with Matt. Her impulse was that they should just turn and run. But that was not the attitude that she planned on bringing to the group.
No, she would fight. She would fight for justice, and peace. She would fight to end a war, and all sorts of physical suffering. No longer would she fight to start it.
She stared at the hologram, her eyes becoming absorbed in the awe at how large the opposing army was. Mitsuko claimed that her side had just as many; however, she couldn’t help but worry about it. If simply two men had performed the acts seen as she entered the room, then an entire army could . . . She shuddered at the thought.
"Rayan, I wholeheartedly would love to be involved in a battle such as this, however I'm afraid that it looks like the odds would be against us. And besides, Mitsuko could do just as well without our twenty or so units. It would just be wasting innocent lives to engage in a battle like this before any of us have gone through training."
Her hand clenched Matt's tightly underneath the table. She really did wish to go into battle, but at the same time, she was very worried about losing troops. A few would make it through the battle still able to stand, but what about the battle after that? And the next?
"It is your choice to make, of course. I may very well be wrong. I do not know many of the people here other than Matt and yourself. Perhaps I am taking them too lightly," she continued, talking to Rayan. "However, if I were in charge, I would take a couple of weeks to train my men. Or at least a few days . . . we only have mere hours."
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Post by RayanStiger on May 28, 2004 17:35:21 GMT -5
“I don’t expect your small group to fight the battle alone,” Mitsuko assured him. “As I mentioned, there will be approximately 30,000 Corvina soldiers in the heat of the fight. Also, we have the element of surprise on our side…you see, according to our information, those two men that attacked our base were sent in order that Shurnon might discover our top military base. In the war that shook the foundations of Fyia twenty years ago, Shurnon attempted to destroy our capital city, assuming that our military HQ was located there. But they were defeated before they even reached the Icy Mountains themselves. They never learned if our base was in Mt. Corvitan or not. They are acting upon false information; our head military base is not located here, but several mountains away. They have set themselves up for defeat due to this important factor. In the middle of the battle, we shall be reinforced with our entire airship fleet from the New Wave Academy -our true headquarters- and Shurnon’s army will be counterattacked on two fronts. Shurnon will have total air control until our airship fleet arrives; we’ll have to hold on until then. But I have assessed the situation completely; it is a risky battle, but one we must fight all the same. I believe that we will be victorious, despite the risks.”
Rayan pondered over Matt’s comments. He knew that Matt was partly right; his clan had not been trained yet, not as a group. The others would fight individually, seriously hampering their possible effectiveness. Yet, Rayan knew that each of them alone was very skilled in combat; he had seen Boku in action at Puralgatha; he had fought with Gai side-by-side; Tira, although not part of the clan, would be a fearsome threat to any Shurnon soldier. Matt was, of course, legendary. His fame from Ria had spread throughout half of the galaxy. Aran, while not as well-known as Matt, was still fearfully strong in the realm of magic- Rayan had faced that magic himself, during Aran’s less peaceful days.
But Matt was not correct about the two men he had called “spies.” They seemed far too powerful to be any mere infiltrators; Rayan had seen plenty of spies during his lifetime on his home planet, during the terribly vast war that shook it. Spies were capable of extreme skill and evasiveness, but no spy ever carried around anything powerful enough to cause the amount of destruction that those two men had. Spies had the purpose of infiltration and sabotage; these two had obviously sought to cause destruction.
“Matt,” Rayan whispered back, “although the others might not be unified, and may not be ready for this battle…what other choice do I have? If they don’t learn to cooperate from something with stakes this high, then they never will. I’ve commanded fighter pilots with less skill than any of them, and they pulled through. I have to believe that those I command now can also pull through…If I don’t believe that, then I can’t lead effectively; I cease to lead at all. If I doubt them…then there can be no unity. Only when a leader risks himself and defies all proper logic can he hope to lead other men into victory.”
Even if they aren’t ready…they will learn how to adapt to overwhelming situations. If they don’t, then they didn’t have what it takes to begin with.
Rayan glanced over at D, who was sitting in his seat looking as bored as he could possibly be. Or so it seemed to Rayan. “Hey…what do you think about this?” Rayan asked him in a hushed tone. “Do you think we have a fair enough chance to win this battle?”
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dunpeal
Infantry
Eva Pilot
Posts: 157
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Post by dunpeal on May 28, 2004 17:43:08 GMT -5
D took a seat in his chair, postioned next to Rayan. As he sat in the comfy chair he took from a leather pouch his bright red apple which he had purchased in Dathomir, apparantly uniterested in the conversation he sank his sharp pointy teeth into the delectable fruit. *CHOMP* The juices flowed out of it onto his chin, which he promptly wiped away. However, the dunpeal was very interested in this talk, no matter how taken he was by the fruit.
After his interest in the apple had disapated, he turned his attentions fully on the conversation, as he spoke out in a dull, calm voice
[glow=silver,2,300]Yes I agree with master Stiger on this completely. I'm afraid I must disagree with you on this subject Aran. Yes these men are indeed extremely powerful, but I do think that this clan would serve greatly to the mission of this army. Sure a bunch of the men are cocky, stuck up and think of themselves as gods, but there are still men of greater caliber that would contribute imensly to the cause. Just think, you have Matt, Me and Yourself right here, not to mention Tira and the others. They could use some training but keep in mind, not all the people in the enemy army are going to be as strong as the two men who came here.[/glow]
D paused and his eyes seemed to glaze over as he remembered again the enemy whom they would be facing, he remembered Zagur. It was a terrible thing.
[glow=silver,2,300]WE MUST DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO STOP THIS POWER![/glow]
D shouted out standing up and slamming his hands on the table. This was the most emotion he had ever shown in recent times, he even surprised himself.
[glow=silver,2,300]Ahem.. please excuse me, I did not mean to cause such a stir. forgive me.[/glow]
D said no more, actually he sat down and listened for the rest of them to start the discussion back up.
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Post by bladeofky on May 28, 2004 21:46:00 GMT -5
The meeting continued for several minutes when suddenly, one of the generals raised his hand for silence. A few of the others gave him puzzles glances but he mouthed the word "listen."
The others heard it now too. A very faint rattling from above. It seemed to be coming from the overhead airducts, attached to the high ceiling. The rattling came again, this time louder. A few of the commanders began making a move to get up when a loud bang suddenly reverberated through the room. One of the vent's panels fell, clattering to the ground. The gathered had barely enough time to take their eyes from the panel when a Corvina soldier came plummeting from the ceiling, landing on his back with a loud thud upon the table. No sooner had the soldier's body come to rest when a white cloaked figure dropped from the ceiling, landing over the body with a knee to the stomach and a knife at the throat. Some of the higher ranking leaders were already reaching for their weapons but stopped when the cloaked man shouted "Don't move!" A few of the men hesitated a bit, keeping their hands on their holsters.
"You're killing him," the cloaked figure said as a trickle of blood slid down the Corvina soldier's throat.
A few of the men uneasily lifted their hands, but some of the others tightened their grip.
Good, Fay't thought, At least some of these men are smart enough to cut their losses. It made no sense to Fay't that high ranking military leaders should become powerless when the life of a lowly soldier was the only thing at stake.
Feeling he had drawn out the tension long enough, Fay't spoke, staring directly at Mitsuko, who appeared to be the leader here.
"I had the misfortune of running into this amateur in the vents as I was trying to listen in on your conversation. Two of your guards are unconscious and unclothed behind a large crate in the armory. You'll also find this one's friend in the ventilation shaft up there clutching his leg. You might want to see to him. He's bleeding rather badly..."
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dunpeal
Infantry
Eva Pilot
Posts: 157
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Post by dunpeal on May 28, 2004 22:07:07 GMT -5
D sat composed in his seat with his head resting on his hands. The sudden sound of the vent panel had not frightened him, but he was startled a bit when he saw who was responsible for this. D stood up from his chair, despite the mans words to stay still, he stretched out to his full height in order that he might stand out a bit. His height was indeed impressive when he tried to make it that way. He also raised his voice a bit to get the fullest sound, he was irritated.
[glow=white,2,300] What is the meaning of this. Did you think we would keep things from you, you could have just asked about what happend when we came out and saved the trouble of taking out the guards. If you wish to be sent to hell slowly and painfully, by all means go ahead and keep your knife planted by his neck, if you value your life you will remove it.[/glow]
D glared at Fay't not knowing whether threatening him was the wisest thing to do. D was sure that he could put up a formadable fight due to his supreme speed and cunning tactics, but D was not scared. If this man would cause trouble at this meeting he would not tolerate it. He would not tolerate this from a "fellow" clan member. In this moment he saw Fay't as an enemy, he was disturbing the good military, which would make things get messed up, which would help the enemy.
[glow=white,2,300]Do you realize what you are doing, causing trouble for the military you are fighting for, if you continue I will not allow this aiding of the enemy in this fashion I will surely smite you even if it means my life.[/glow]
The Dunpeals eyes flashed with irritation and he continued to leer at this man.
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Post by bladeofky on May 28, 2004 22:29:19 GMT -5
Rather than lift his knife, Fay't pressed it closer. The trickle turned into a rivulet. Fay't's lips twisted into a cruel smirk.
"You seem to misunderstand friend. This sorry excuse for a spy and his partner knocked out two of the guards, hid them, and stole their uniforms. They used these uniforms to get through unnoticed and enter the vents to eavesdrop on your little chat here. You should all thank whatever deities you might worship that I stumbled across them, or else they would've taken your plans straight back to the enemy."
The man underneath him groaned a bit, but Fay't quickly silenced him with a swift blow to the temple. The man lapsed back into unconsciousness. Fay't then turned his attention back to D.
"And you'll forgive me for preferring to hear things with my own ears rather than risk my life on information given to me by a total stranger."
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Tira
Newbie
You cannot handle the truth.
Posts: 62
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Post by Tira on May 28, 2004 23:13:50 GMT -5
Tira was unaffected by the cold for those born of the dark never were. Unfortunatly, Karunii was not born of the dark and so the cold affected him. Shaking her head she stood up.
"Karunii, let us get you some warm clothes. Then you can play in the snow. I will take you sledding."
No, Tira had never actually gone sledding for fun before. But in her fairy realm, there were treacherous snow and ice covered mountains which served as an excellent training ground. She remembered having to stand on a metal disc that would allow her to speed down the mountain on top of the snow. Tira had to learn how to not depend on her wings for revealing them was fatal. Yes, she had to learn how to move the disc to her will and how to attack while moving on the disc.
She imagined Karunii would enjoy sledding for he had enjoyed flying. She would have to find something that could serve as a sled.
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Post by RayanStiger on May 28, 2004 23:23:41 GMT -5
[ heh...I typed this up before I saw Fay't's and D's posts...so most of this happens before Fay't breaks in!]
Rayan jumped back in his seat when D slammed his hands down on the table. After a few intensified moments, D sat down again, and Rayan returned from shock. After a few moments, Rayan’s mind was reconciled to him.
Heh…didn’t expect him to get so worked up… he thought. I’ve never heard him say more in his whole life…and ‘Master Stiger’ coming from his mouth has a catchy ring to it.
Rayan hesitated to speak, but finally said, “Well, I’m glad to hear that you’re with me…ahem.” Rayan fell silent for a moment as he considered his choice of words. Then, after drawing a deep breath, he said;
“I agree with you, Aran, on the fact that our members have not been trained…by us. But you forget that they have been hired as professionals; they should be prepared for whatever job and opportunity is thrown at them. When they signed my contract…they were agreeing to fight, regardless of whether they had been trained as a ‘team’ or not. I think that I should honor those contracts, and not dismiss them as incapable. As for our need of being present in battle, I assure you that General Mitsuko has a firm reason for hiring us.” Rayan turned to Mitsuko, who nodded in approval. “You forget, Miss Aran, of the potential the individual can have during a battle. Though we may only have about twenty members, I have observed from past experience that even a small group or a single warrior can alter part –sometimes a vital one- of a battle’s tide. Surely you would know of Matt’s achievements…” Rayan glanced at him before he resumed. “He has taken on missions before that pitted him against hundreds…and yet we still see him here today. It is not odds that concern me, Aran. It is the strategy for battle, and as I can see it is a good one…as sure-fire a chance we could ask for.
“He’s right,” Rayan said, thumbing towards D, since he still did not know his name, “not all of the soldiers are going to be as powerful as those two who attacked before. General Mitsuko, could you possibly provide us with information on Shurnon’s soldiers?” he asked, turning towards the great commander.
Mitsuko nodded, and, smiling, pulled out a dossier data stick out from his pocket and handed it to Rayan. Rayan took it gratefully, thinking; fancy that he would actually have it on him… He inserted the data stick into the slot next to the button Mitsuko had pressed to make the holographic image to appear. The hologram of the airship force fazed out, and in place of it, a lone figure appeared.
It was of a soldier. The colors of his uniform were simple blacks and browns. A lone yellow stripe marked his left shoulder, and a dark brown war bandana fitted his head. Brown leather gloves fitted his hands, and leather pads covered the right shoulder and a section of the chest. Attached to his body were various guns of differing sizes. Underneath his image, words formed, which read:
Shurnon foot soldier, 3rd rank: Main Shurnon shock troops. Lowest ranking soldier in Shurnon’s army. Low training level compared to Shurnon’s higher ranking units. Armaments: 3rd burst action combat rifle [bullet type], some possess guns with automatic firing action. A katar-like bayonet is mounted on the end of the rifle. Usually armed with a secondary handgun [bullet type or plasma] and/or frag/plasma grenades. Possess wrist or glove blades.
Rayan smirked slightly. Shurnon’s soldiers were not unlike conscripts; they were sent into battle with little training, and minimal equipment. All the powerful weaponry was saved for the higher-ups. The reason behind this practice was that guns and explosives were expensive on this side of the galaxy. Until twenty years ago, the only legal weapons in most of the countries of Fyia were swords and other melee combat weapons. Rayan had studied on this unique aspect of Fyia. When Fyia was first founded, the inhabitants banned use of guns to prevent outbreak of violence, from street fights to wars. They were fortunate to have few technologically advanced neighboring planets nearby, or this idea could have never have been founded. But at the outbreak of war in the year 2516, guns were reintroduced to the planet’s armies. But the cost for such weapons of war was more murderous than their killing potential; thus, most soldiers continued to fight with more archaic technology.
“You see? Even though there are thousands of them, these Shurnon soldiers are armed mostly with blades and weak guns. Even if our group is completely incompetent, they can handle these weaklings. Each of us is probably worth at least a couple hundred of them…” Rayan said, now quite confident that the battle was indeed a winnable one.
“This is the data for the standard Shurnon soldier, “Mitsuko told them. “Of the attacking 30,000 soldiers, at least 25,000 of them are what you see here.”
“What do you think now? I think we have more than a good chance of winning this fight. Although, I’m not certain about the battles that will take place after this one…” Rayan said affirmatively. After a moment of uncertainty, he asked, “Mitsuko…supposing we were to agree to your contract that you have offered us -which we are definitely considering right now- …what are the terms of the contract?”
“Only for this battle” Mitsuko said. “I’m hiring you for this battle only. We are seeking aid only because they are attacking our capital; we can fight from there on our own military strength.”
Rayan was surprised- the terms certainly were generous. If they accepted, they would only serve in the upcoming battle, and no more afterwards, instead of serving until the end of the war, as was normally customary for an agreement between a freelance establishment and the military of a sovereign country.
Mitsuko is sure making the terms favorable towards us…I wonder if that’s because I’m his friend?
“Um…before we make any final decisions…” Rayan began, hesitating slightly, “…that is…if I may ask…exactly how much pay are we agreeing to?”
Mitsuko looked at each of them closely, and then said in a slow, steady tone; “Four hundred thousand Zethar for Rayan to distribute amongst yourselves as chooses.”
Rayan’s jaw dropped. “F…Four hundred thousand?!” It seemed almost unreal. It was a phenomenal amount in Fyia, since both the economy and the population was much less than that of earth. Rayan excitedly turned to the others. “You heard the man! Are we gonna accept, or what?”
But instead of reacting enthusiastically, everyone in the room got quiet. The vent above them rattled, and suddenly Fay't landed on the table with his knife to the neck of a man in a Corvina military uniform. Rayan jumped in his seat out of shock when he saw that Fay't was the one breaking in on their meeting. He opened his lips to speak, but instead shut them again and slid deep into his chair. He put his hand to his forehead and lowered his head.
"Oh, good gosh...I don't know him. Really..."
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