Spoiler!
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Spoiler!You know, for all the villains that just suddenly arrive out of nowhere, main villain aside, I always wonder how many of them will have as long of a presence as the masked sniper?
@yoshiblue:
Spoiler!I can't tell you that without spoilers, of course! :D Remember that my first story was structured as eight stand-alone episodes, so I had to wrap up each story quickly. My second story was an ongoing one, which is why the villains stuck around much longer than before. My current story is sort of a mix between the two. I've got ongoing story threads but I jump back and forth between them, and I try to wrap up each individual story within that chapter. So you'll definitely see some recurring characters, both good and bad, new and old.
CHRONICLE 04.6 [9/29/18]
Spoiler!
COLONY SHIP 02, UR: MARCKELL INSTITUTE, ANDRELLES BUILDING
It all happened so fast. One minute, Ivan and Athena were talking to Dr. Gotoh in his personal office. The next, a masked assailant came crashing through the nearest window. She immediately targeted Gotoh, but the doctor made a mad dash for the doorway and escaped. Athena went after Gotoh, leaving Ivan to deal with the mysterious assailant alone.
He just wasn’t sure how.
Spoiler!
In a fistfight Ivan would’ve had the advantage. No question about it. Physically he was much bigger than her, both taller and broader. He had ARKS military training and he kept himself in decent shape. The problem was, this wasn’t a fistfight. She was wielding a meter-long photon sword and he was totally unarmed. He had no effective means of countering a weapon like that. What could he do, except dodge out of the way?
On top of that, the assailant looked really upset. Like, royally pissed off. It was hard to tell with that visor covering her face, but her posture was stiff and her movements were threatening. Growling, she stamped her feet on the ground like a Fang Banther preparing to charge.
Ivan couldn’t really blame her. After all, he’d just shoved her into the wall. Literally slammed a shoulder into her side. Things like that tend to make people angry. Some kind of primal action-reaction mechanism deep in the brain.
Ivan spread his hands in front of him, a calming gesture. “Hey, now. I don’t want to fight. Let’s talk this out, okay?”
But the assailant didn’t want to talk. She came at Ivan fast and hard, her photon sword swinging wildly back and forth. Ivan dodged backwards, a narrow miss. The assailant swung again. And again. Each swipe missed him by a hair, and each miss only made her more upset.
Soon they found themselves surrounded by Dr. Gotoh’s display cases. The masked assailant swung left and Ivan ducked right. The blade passed harmlessly over his head and crashed into the nearest case. Glass splinters went flying in all directions, some of which rained down on Ivan’s head. He didn’t have time to worry about that, though, because the assailant was already preparing a downward thrust meant to impale his stomach. He rolled out of the way—just in time—then managed to trip the girl with a leg sweep. Before she could regain her footing, Ivan kicked the sword out of her grip. The blade went spinning across the floor like a pointy top. Eventually it came to rest against the base of another display case, five meters away.
Finally, thought Ivan. Maybe now she’ll listen to reason. “Ready to talk?” he asked.
The girl growled at him menacingly. Despite being disarmed, she wasn’t ready to back down.
I’ll take that as a no. In that case, maybe we can negotiate. He said, “Look, I’m all for gender equality, but I’d rather not hit a woman. Especially a kid, if that’s what you are—and if not, I apologize in advance. The point is, I don’t want to fight you. But whatever your beef is with Gotoh, you’re going to have to take it up some other time, because there’s no way I’m letting you past here.”
The masked assailant weighed her options. Then she attacked. Without her sword she was much faster than before. Faster than Ivan, that was for sure. A maroon-colored blur of punches and kicks. For every three hits Ivan blocked, the fourth managed to connect. He took a left hook to the shoulder, a straight jab to the gut, and a swift kick to the shin. The blows didn’t do much damage on their own, but they were starting to add up—and wear him down.
Alright, time to get serious. The next time the girl attacked, Ivan lunged forward and grabbed her by the wrist. When she tried to jerk away he grabbed her other wrist as well. Now she was pinned in place, completely captive. The assailant grunted and struggled against him. But try as she might, she couldn’t break free.
Ivan held on tight. And then suddenly he let go—not by choice, but because his hands were on fire! He looked down in shock at his red, quivering palms. They were raw and smoking. Second-degree burns, at least.
What the hell? he wondered. How did she—
Ivan’s breath left him as the assailant kicked him hard in the stomach. The next thing he knew, he was crashing backwards into one of Gotoh’s display cases. More glass rained down on top of him. Fortunately, the assailant didn’t press the advantage. Instead she retrieved her photon sword off the floor.
“Hold it… right there,” Ivan groaned through the pain. He stood up, shakily, and blocked her path to the doorway. “Like I said, you’re not… getting past me…”
The assailant stood there a moment, half-annoyed and half-impressed by his resolve. Then she quietly raised a hand and, in dramatic fashion, ran it along the length of her sword. Where her fingers touched the blade, it quickly burst into flames. Now she was holding a fiery crimson photon sword!
Ivan stared in open-mouthed horror. “You have got to be kidding me,” he grumbled to himself.
But the girl wasn’t kidding. She didn’t give him time to catch his breath, either. Her assault resumed immediately, at full force, this time even deadlier than before. Each swing of her sword came dangerously close to slicing Ivan wide open. If that weren’t bad enough, the flames engulfing it singed his skin with every pass.
Ivan scrambled behind the nearest display case for cover. In response, the assailant stabbed her blade straight through the glass. The case shattered violently, pelting Ivan with even more glass splinters. Arms raised for protection, he stumbled backwards into the wall. The assailant nimbly hopped over the broken case and closed in on him. Unfortunately, this time Ivan had nowhere to run. His back was literally against the wall.
The masked girl had him and she knew it. With eager anticipation, she raised her fiery sword overhead. Flames licked the contours of her glowing blade. She steadied herself, ready for the final charge. Her whole body tensed up—
—just as Ivan’s comm started ringing. Probably Akasha calling to check on him, or Lieutenant Arkon with a status update. Didn’t matter. Whatever it was, he was in no position to answer. But though the call didn’t save him directly, it did provide a momentary distraction. The masked assailant hesitated for a split second. In that moment, Ivan glanced to his right. He was standing next to a table. On top of the table was a heavy-looking stone tablet covered in alien inscriptions, one of Dr. Gotoh’s many ancient relics. Ivan grabbed it. At the same time, the assailant found her composure. She rushed forward, photon blade arcing downward—
Ka-thunk! The weapon rebounded off the tablet. Ivan was holding it in front of him, an impromptu shield. Surprised and enraged, the girl came at him a second time, harder than before. Her attack gouged a chunk out of the tablet, yet it refused to break. It was solid stone, as solid as they came. Yet the assailant refused to give up. Whoever she was, she was as stubborn as Akasha. She swung her sword at Ivan again and again until the tablet finally came apart in his hands. Stone debris clattered to the floor at their feet, leaving Ivan totally defenseless.
But not quite. He was still gripping a hunk of stone in each hand. Each piece was about the size of a baseball—perfect for throwing. Ivan snapped his left arm back and hurled the first piece at the girl. She dodged it, barely—but not his follow-up throw. The second piece struck her right in the face. It ricocheted off her mask-like visor with a hard clang.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then the visor cracked down the center. The girl’s hand shot up right away, holding the visor in place to keep it from falling off.
Ivan stood there, cautiously waiting for the assailant to make the next move. The girl looked conflicted about what to do. She was also shaking with anger. When she couldn’t hold it in any longer, she let out a furious scream that seemed to shake the entire room. Streams of hot fire shot out from her feet in all directions. The flames crisscrossed the room with serpentine grace, igniting the floor, walls, and furniture in the way.
Then the assailant turned and ran. She hightailed it to the same window she’d come in from and, without hesitation, jumped through it. Never mind the fact that they were all the way up on the eighth floor.
Ivan was in no condition to go after her. The battle had worn him out. His face and arms were covered in a patchwork of cuts and burns, and he was pretty sure he had at least one broken rib. Exhausted, he slid to the floor as the blaze raged around him.
* * * * * * * * *
Athena stepped out onto the roof of the Andrelles Building. Her blue eyes immediately tracked left and right, scanning for any sign of Dr. Gotoh. She’d chased him up there, and now… now he was nowhere to be found. The roof was empty. It was a large area, but there were no places to hide. Just a few metal pipes and air conditioning units scattered around. That was it.
Spoiler!
Crunch! The sound of boots on gravel far off in the distance. Athena spun around. At first she didn’t see anything, but that was because her field of vision was too narrow. She was only focused on the building beneath her feet. When she looked farther out, at the next building over, her mouth dropped open in shock. There was Gotoh, standing on the roof of the adjacent building!
How the heck had he gotten over there? Athena had seen him go up the stairs, not down. And besides, there wasn’t enough time for him to have reached the ground floor, run to the next building, and then make his way up to the roof. Not even close.
That only left one possibility: He’d jumped. It seemed improbable. Impossible, even. The gap between buildings was at least ten meters, and they were twelve stories up. There was no way a human being could make that jump, not without special gear. And yet there he was, on the other roof, defying logic and explanation.
Athena cupped her hands around her mouth. “Dr. Gotoh!” she shouted across the chasm. “Come back! I can protect you!”
The bearded man turned to face her. “I don’t need your protection!” he shouted back.
Spoiler!
Athena gritted her teeth. She couldn’t just leave him, not with an assassin on his tail. “Come on, Eddie! Lay off the macho routine already! I’m a soldier, I can help you! But you have to stop running!”
Gotoh shook his head. “Go home, girl! You’re in way over your head here!”
I can’t do that, she thought. The doctor was the first and only link to her parents. The only other person left from the research team. The only one who might know what really happened that day on Naberius. Athena couldn’t let him go. She wouldn’t.
And just like that, she came to a decision. If Gotoh could make the jump between buildings, so could she. Athena glanced down over the edge of the rooftop. A twelve-story drop awaited her. And probably death, if she failed. “Aw man,” she mumbled nervously, “why’d I leave my wired lances at home?”
The Newearl jogged twenty paces in the opposite direction, far enough to get a good running start, then turned back towards the edge. She lowered herself on her haunches and dug her boots into the gravel, like a sprinter at the starting line of a race.
And took a deep breath.
This is crazy! You can’t do this, you’ll never make it!
“Shut up, brain. I’m done listening to you today. If you really want to help, give me the adrenaline rush I need to make this jump.”
Then she ran. One foot in front of the other, as fast as she could. The edge of the roof was approaching at an alarming rate.
Stop! It’s not too late to turn back!
But she didn’t turn back. Didn’t slow down. She kept going, faster and faster, until she passed the point of no return. Then it was too late to stop, and the edge was right in front of her. Athena planted a foot on the lip of the building and leaped with all her might—
At that moment, a hidden strength welled up inside her. It was more powerful than any steroid. Deeper than any ocean. It sent her soaring up and over the gap. When Athena reached the apex of her jump, she allowed herself one small iota of hope. Hey, I might actually make this!
Then the invisible tether of gravity took hold and pulled her back in the other direction. Down, down, down, towards the pavement far below. Athena could only watch in horror as her altitude dropped with each passing moment.
Uh oh… Oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no—
Then the other roof was safely beneath her and she came stumbling to an awkward and frenzied stop. It was close, but she’d made it.
Athena let out the breath she’d been holding and pumped both fists in the air. “Woo-hoo! That. Was. Incredible! What a rush!” she cheered enthusiastically.
Standing nearby, Dr. Gotoh was not amused. In fact, he looked undeniably irritated. “Foolish girl,” he growled, hands on his hips. “Why couldn’t you leave me alone like I asked?”
“Well sorry for risking my life to save yours,” she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “You could at least show a little appreciation for the effort.”
“You have no idea what you’re involved with here, or what you’ve just done. You and your friend have ruined everything. She was supposed to come after me alone, but now it’s too late.”
Athena frowned. “Who? That masked assassin? Are you saying… you knew she was targeting you?”
Gotoh ignored her and kept babbling. “Ironically you’ve managed to extend your own usefulness. Though in doing so, you’ve effectively ended mine. They won’t come after me again. Not like this. No, they’ll do what all vermin do. They’ll scurry back to whatever rock they crawled out of and bide their time. But no matter. Their time will come soon enough.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, doc, but you’re starting to creep me out. Let’s go back inside, okay? We’ll get you somewhere safe, then I need to check on Ivan.”
Gotoh laughed. It wasn’t a hearty chuckle or a good-natured guffaw. If anything, it was more of an ominous cackle. “You really don’t know anything, do you?” he sneered. Stepping past Athena, the doctor peered over the edge of the building. He appeared to be surveying the landscape below. “Well, I suppose I can’t blame you for that. You’re just a pawn in the grand scheme of things. Something to be used and then discarded. You have no need to see the bigger picture. All you have to do is fulfill your role, the same as me.”
The man was sounding crazier by the second. Still, there was something in his tone that made Athena nervous. And he was one step away from a twelve-story fall. “C’mon, doc—Eddie—step back from the edge and we’ll talk about this. Alright?”
She motioned for him to join her—safely away from the precipice. Gotoh turned towards Athena but didn’t move. He just smiled back at her. It was a cold smile, hollow and wicked. Somehow, Athena felt like she’d seen it somewhere before…
“I have high hopes for you, Athena Vatras,” he whispered. “Don’t let me down.”
Then he fell. Backwards, off the edge of the building, out of sight.
He hadn’t tripped. It was deliberate, an act of intent. What was even scarier, Athena realized later, was how calm he’d been when he did it. Like he had no fear. Like it was nothing at all.
Athena dashed to the edge of the roof and looked straight down. Gotoh was still falling. He was twenty meters from the ground, facing up. Athena could see that same creepy grin plastered on his face. That, more than anything, would haunt her dreams and darkest nightmares.
Gotoh was ten meters from the ground.
Then five.
Athena looked away. She couldn’t bear to watch.
A long second passed. Finally, she forced herself to check. Gotoh had landed on his back. Even at that distance, Athena could tell that his arms and legs were splayed at unnatural angles. Red liquid was gushing out the back of his skull, dying his white lab coat a deep shade of crimson.
There was no question about it. He was dead.
TO BE CONTINUED
Spoiler!For an unarmed medic with burned hands he did pretty good. I wonder how he'll fair now though. Both with the building
and the impending investigations. Though I guess he could just resta back to normal health. Guess they can't search much of the place now either.
@yoshiblue:
Spoiler!Only one problem: Ivan didn't bring his talises with him. In my story, most people need a catalyst like a rod, wand, or talis to cast Techniques effectively. Akasha is a rare exception because her Photon potential is so high. So even if Ivan is able to use Resta, it won't be very strong.
CHRONICLE 04.7 [10/6/18]
Spoiler!
PLANET NABERIUS, NORTHERN FOREST REGION
The crunch of leaves underfoot. The faint rustling of wind between the trees. The caws of an Aginis perched in the canopy high above. The mating call of an Oodan somewhere off in the distance.
But beyond that, nothing. Those were the only sounds to be heard. The first ten minutes passed in relative silence as Akasha and Cal Sitrius hiked through the Naberian forest. Their destination was the ruins site, about a thirty-minute walk north-northeast of their current position.
After arriving in orbit, they had scanned the planet for Cristophe Sanos’ private shuttle—and located it, as expected, in the vicinity of the former ARKS research camp. It seemed Lieutenant Arkon had been right after all. There was a connection between General Rae’s kidnapping and their recent mission to Naberius. Though, what exactly that connection was, Akasha couldn’t say.
In any case, they decided to put their shuttle down about three kilometers from the research camp. It was safer that way. Quieter. They would approach by foot and—if they were lucky—catch the kidnappers unaware. Of course, if Sanos had his ship set to scan for incoming craft, their whole plan would be moot.
In which case they were probably walking into a trap.
Best not to worry about that too much, Akasha decided. She rubbed her exposed arms for warmth. It was chilly that far north and her combat uniform had no sleeves. Maybe one of these times, Akasha thought with a grimace, she would remember to bring a jacket.
“You okay?” asked Sitrius. “You’ve been quiet since we got here.”
Akasha sighed, then shrugged. “I’m fine. It’s just… Ivan didn’t answer my comm earlier.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing. He and Athena were probably busy talking to Dr. Gotoh, that’s all. They’re not in any danger… unlike us.”
“That pink-haired brat is plenty dangerous,” Akasha muttered under her breath. She still didn’t like the idea of Ivan and Athena being alone together. The thought of it was enough to make her stomach turn.
“Relax. That’s an order. I need your head in the game here. Things could get ugly fast, so we need to be prepared. I have a feeling this trip’s going to be even more dangerous than our last one here.”
“Don’t worry about me,” she replied. “I was born ready.”
* * * * * * * * *
As they trudged through the subdued forest, Akasha made up her mind. There was a question she wanted to ask, and no better opportunity to ask it. Stepping over a rotting log, she said, “Speaking of our last time here, let me ask you something.”
“What?”
“You didn’t call me out in your mission report. I brought Rho along without permission, then I left the group against your order. But General Rae didn’t know anything about it, which—I’m assuming—means you didn’t put it in your report. The only thing I can’t figure out is why.”
Sitrius didn’t answer right away. Maybe he was thinking it over, or maybe he just liked keeping her in suspense. “You’re not… what I expected,” he said at last.
Now she was really curious. “And what, exactly, were you expecting?”
“I… No, never mind. Forget I said anything.”
“Aw c’mon, you can’t tease me like that and then not tell me!”
“Watch me.” Sitrius mimed zipping his lips shut. He raised his eyebrows and pointed at his mouth as if to say, See?
“What’s the big secret? It’s a simple question. No reason you can’t tell me, unless…” Akasha gasped, then grinned playfully. “Wait, I’ve got it. You’ve fallen for me, haven’t you? You’re totally into me now and couldn’t bear the thought of getting me in trouble.”
“That’s not it,” he snapped.
“Oh really? Then how come you’re blushing?”
“I am not blushing. And that is not the reason!”
“I don’t know, that denial doesn’t sound very convincing. I think you liiiiike me. I think you looooove me.”
“…You’re teasing me again, aren’t you?”
“Maaaaaybe.”
The blue-haired Newman grumbled something and picked up his pace.
“Yo!” she called, hustling to catch up. “You should really learn to take a joke, Lieutenant Serious!”
He put a hand in front of Akasha’s face to silence her. Which, naturally, only made her mad. “Hey! Just because you want to dodge the question doesn’t mean you can—”
“Sshhhh.” Sitrius directed her attention past him, towards the horizon. That was when she finally noticed. They had reached the edge of the forest. Beyond the tree line, the ARKS research camp was visible in the distance. At their current range she couldn’t make out many details. It just looked like a cluster of squat gray buildings. But parked in their midst, like some sort of hibernating mechanical beast…
…was Sanos’ personal shuttle.
“Let’s go,” whispered Sitrius. Akasha nodded and followed close behind him.
One way or another, she thought, it’s time to end this.
* * * * * * * * *
COLONY SHIP 02, UR: MARCKELL INSTITUTE
The front door of the Andrelles Building burst open and a pair of ragged figures stumbled out. They were coughing and squinting through watery eyes. The man was shuffling along with a slight limp. He had his arm around the girl’s shoulder for support. She had an arm around his waist. They looked like they’d come straight from a battlefield, which wasn’t far from the truth.
“C’mon, just a little farther,” urged Athena. “Don’t you dare collapse on me yet.”
Ivan grinned through the pain. “But this sidewalk looks so comfy,” he joked—or tried to, but it came out as more of a choking wheeze. His face, arms, and legs were covered in an ugly patchwork of cuts and burns. The Punish Jacket he loved so much was hanging off him in tatters.
Together, the two of them hobbled down the walkway until they reached the nearest bench. Ivan dropped onto the seat with a grunt, which he immediately followed with a relieved sigh. Athena sat down a bit more gracefully next to him. They both craned their necks and looked up. High above them, a coarse plume of black smoke billowed out of a broken window on the eighth floor. The fire inside was still raging unopposed.
“So much for Dr. Gotoh’s lab,” remarked Ivan.
“So much for Dr. Gotoh,” Athena added.
Ivan looked at her, an unspoken question in his expression.
“I’ll… tell you later,” she said quietly, averting her eyes.
He didn’t press the issue. Instead he leaned back in his seat and stared up at the artificial sky. And wondered, wearily, how things had gone so wrong.
Gotoh was dead. His lab was destroyed, along with any clues it might have contained. Ivan and Athena had escaped with their lives, but only that. They hadn’t gained any knowledge into General Rae’s kidnapping, nor had they captured the mysterious masked assailant. It was hard not to feel like they had failed.
They were still sitting on the bench when the emergency response team arrived to put out the fire. Three minutes after that they were being transported to the nearest hospital for medical treatment. The last they saw of the Andrelles Building, the firefighters were still struggling to contain the blaze.
* * * * * * * * *
PLANET NABERIUS
It was right there in front of her. The invisible line that marked the edge of the forest. It was the kind of thing that only existed on a map, a way of distinguishing between two types of terrain. On such a map, one side of the line would be labeled “Northern Forest.” The other, “Northern Plains.”
Of course, the reality of the situation was a bit more complex. Because in reality there was no conveniently-marked line, no black-and-white division to rely on. That was all imaginary. In actual fact, the forest had been thinning for the past kilometer or so. And that boundary, so clear on a map, became more of a judgment call when you were standing right on top of it.
In Akasha’s case, she defined it as the point when there wasn’t enough tree cover to approach undetected. The only trees ahead of her were a few scrawny outliers, too small and widely-spaced to effectively hide behind. From here on out she and Sitrius would have to be cautious. General Rae’s kidnappers could be anywhere, most likely armed and dangerous.
Akasha peered around the tree trunk she was currently using for cover. Forty meters away was the nearest edge of the ARKS research camp. It consisted of a dozen single-story structures arranged in a crescent formation. The entire place looked dark and abandoned—which it was, or should have been, ever since the research team got wiped out by Darkers.
The only sign of recent activity was the Delta Class shuttle parked smack-dab in the center of camp. It belonged to Cristophe Sanos, one of General Rae’s kidnappers. Alleged kidnappers, Akasha had to remind herself. They still didn’t have any concrete proof, but the evidence they had was fairly damning. And the fact that he’d come here, of all places, seemed too much of a coincidence to dismiss.
Sitrius waved to get Akasha’s attention. He was pressed against the back of a nearby tree, five paces to the left and two paces ahead of her. Akasha raised her eyebrows in response, to which he replied with several hand signs. First he pointed to Akasha, then to himself, then to the camp. After that he held up three fingers. Roughly translated: We’re advancing on the count of three.
Akasha nodded back. She drew her twin daggers, he drew his twin machineguns. Sitrius held up one finger, then two, then three. Weapons in hand, they crept as quickly and quietly as they could towards the camp. It was mid-afternoon so they didn’t have the luxury of using darkness for cover. They were totally exposed—assuming anyone out there was watching. Akasha gritted her teeth. Nothing they could do about that, she supposed, except to remain alert.
But no one attacked them. No alarm sounded and no trap was sprung. In fact, there was no reaction at all. The area remained just as tranquil as it had been all along.
The two ARKS ducked behind the nearest pre-fab structure. It was a boxy little building about the size of a cabin or small house. Warily, Sitrius poked his head around the corner. There was still no sign of anyone nearby. They waited a full minute just to be sure, then Sitrius motioned for Akasha to follow him. Together they checked the inside of the buildings one by one.
They were all empty. The only thing left to check… was the shuttle itself. Akasha walked over to the ship and examined the outer hull. It didn’t take long to find what she was looking for: a switch that would lower the boarding ramp. She reached out to press it—
“Wait.”
Akasha’s hand froze just above the switch. “What?”
“If they set an alarm, it’ll go off if you touch that,” said Sitrius.
“I know. But what else can we do? We don’t know if they’re inside, so we have to check.”
“Not necessarily. Try applying the detective skills you showed off at Parmwood Tower. Think critically. Search for clues. Maybe we can solve this without putting ourselves at risk.”
“Sitrius, we don’t have time to play around here. Rae could be in danger—”
“Yes, and we might endanger her further by losing the element of surprise. Just… come with me.”
Akasha followed Sitrius around to the rear of the shuttle until they were standing just below the auxiliary thrusters. The lieutenant raised an arm up high and held it there. “Here, put your arm up and tell me what you feel.”
She didn’t know what he was getting at but decided to humor him anyway. “I don’t feel anything,” she replied skeptically.
“Exactly. If the engines were still warm, the thrusters would be putting out heat. But they’re not. That means the shuttle has been here a while. An hour, at least. Now, follow me.”
He led her back to where they were standing before. “Look down,” he said. “What do you see?”
Akasha looked down. There was a wide, straight groove carved into the dirt at her feet. “It’s an indentation,” she said.
“From the boarding ramp. And look here—footprints. Two sets, large enough to be male. They’re both leading away from the shuttle. There are no return prints. Which means…”
“They haven’t come back yet,” Akasha finished. She shook her head in amazement. “You were right. The clues were right in front of me. I just didn’t look hard enough.”
“You were focused on saving the general. Nothing wrong with that. Just remember to keep your eyes open next time. Otherwise, you never know what you might miss.”
“Right. I’ll, uh, keep that in mind. You know, you have a real knack for this detective stuff. Maybe you should consider a career change. What do you think of ‘Cal Sitrius, Private Eye’?”
Sitrius scoffed at the idea. “I don’t know… The ARKS still need me. After all, someone has to keep an eye on you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Akasha rolled her eyes. Then she straightened up and said, “Alright, Detective Serious. Let’s go catch a couple of bad guys.”
* * * * * * * * *
The trail of footprints led them away from the shuttle. Through the ARKS camp, then past it. Across a grassy field, up a gentle slope, towards the massive snow-capped mountains looming on the horizon. Only they didn’t get that far, because half a kilometer away was the ruins site. The tracks led right to the edge of the site and then stopped cold. Footprints wouldn’t be visible on hard stone, which meant the kidnappers could be anywhere.
Akasha glanced at Sitrius. He nodded back. Together they advanced slowly and cautiously, wary of a possible ambush. An attack could have come from any angle. There was a ton of hiding spots in the ruins. Too many, really. They passed the remains of a once-majestic fountain. Broken, toppled columns wider than they were tall. Half-collapsed archways and abstract sculptures. Any one of them could have a hidden attacker lying in wait.
The entire place was constructed from black stone, but it was so old that the black was fading to gray. Nature had begun to claim it as well. In several places, vegetation and tree roots were creeping in from cracks in the stone. A sprinkling of flowers provided a smattering of color to an otherwise-subdued palette.
Akasha and Sitrius kept to the main path. Whether by intuition or instinct, they were drawn to the focal point of the ruins: its impressive, four-sided obelisk. Fifteen meters tall and covered in alien glyphs, it loomed over the rest of the site like a sentry tower. The pointy monolith stood atop a raised stone dais. Wide, curved steps connected the dais with the ground level, while a pair of concentric archways towered over the entrance.
As the ARKS got closer, they spotted something propped against the base of the obelisk. No, not something. Someone. It was General Rae!
“Sitrius, look!” Akasha shouted, and took off running.
“Wait, don’t—,” he replied, but it was too late. There was no stopping her.
Akasha passed beneath the first stone archway leading to the obelisk. Just before she reached the second, a voice called out to her from above.
“Well, well. What do we have here?”
Akasha stopped dead in her tracks, quietly cursing her own stupidity. After all that sneaking around, she hadn’t thought to look up. Slowly, reluctantly, she craned her neck towards the source of the voice.
Standing atop the second arch, almost directly above her, were the silhouettes of two human figures. Akasha squinted her eyes against the afternoon sunlight. After a moment the silhouettes resolved into actual people. They were both men. Both tall and broad-shouldered. One had light skin and fair hair, the other had dark skin and dark hair. Akasha recognized them from their ARKS file: Cristophe Sanos and Belletrum Yardrai.
And she had walked right into their trap.
TO BE CONTINUED
Spoiler!Inb4 Akasha turns this into a harem anime by the end of this. Kinda surprised you didn't do the intermission at the end of the chapter. Least Ivan got out of that fire. Maybe a new jacket/image for a new future too :wacko:. Should be interesting to see what happens to the hospital duo.
@yoshiblue:
Spoiler!A harem anime doesn't sound like such a bad idea. :3 Originally the intermission was supposed to take place at the beginning of the chapter, but I put it in the middle to break up what would have been a pretty long scene on Naberius. Just decided to try something different, I guess. I wouldn't mind giving Ivan a new jacket, but I don't have enough good male clothing options. >.> So... Ivan will probably (but not definitely) end up wearing the same thing in the future.
@yoshiblue:
Spoiler!I don't know if it was intentional, but that video gave me a good idea! xD I could use the same jacket and just recolor it! That way it would seem like I'm giving Ivan a different jacket. :D (I don't know if I'll really do that. It depends if I can find another color I like as much as the navy blue.)