Foreign Lights

A futuristic soldier must face his first mission.

August 18, 2011

“I don’t know when I realized that I was lost in this society and a cultural outcast. I’m a novelty to people; almost like a child’s play-toy. I hate talking; for they laugh at every word I say. My accent is nothing like theirs. My thoughts are even foreign to them. I couldn’t be more different then they are, and yet I can’t leave. I have no where to go and the only safe place is here, here in Laibon. My home of Vern was destroyed when former president Amabo Karab allowed nuclear war to threaten and ultimately destroy our homeland.

So here I am in a foreign place, with foreign ways, as a foreigner. My family, me, and my fiancé moved everything we had a month before war broke out. We were one of the lucky ones. My father had worked for the government before retiring after the election of Amabo. He invested everything in real-estate in Laibon, and thank God, he hit it big.

I am a history major by day, but by night I run my very own bagel/Internet Café. I convinced my father that it would be good practice for the future. Isabella runs it with me. She is an accounting major. I had friends at my old university, but most are either scattered or dead. My family is pretty much the last of a dying breed. So I am bound to Laibon now. The war ended one year ago. Both sides were eradicated off the map, go figure.

It isn’t so bad. My father invested heavily in recreating our house and pond on our much larger land. I just can’t help feeling empty. I feel empty about the loss of my loved ones, my real home, and my whole way of life. My father is reclusive anyways so he copes best of all. The worst part of it though, is the horizon. The lights are different here. I haven’t seen a star yet. I never knew the words light and pollution could come together and form the worst, unnoticed plague in Laibon.

No one has ever seen a star. The lights here are amazing, don’t get me wrong, but it can’t beat the majestic spread of the galaxy across the sky as far as the eye can see. I fear that my children will never know what it means to lay down on their backs and wonder about what might be beyond this Earth.”

Lucas Vulpes James Jr.

 

 

17 years later

August 18, 2028

If my father knew that I have read his journals I think he would kill me. I try to forget his sins from his younger years. I find though I have a habit of remembering his failures when I am about to do the same stupid things, so in a way it helps; though I doubt he would see it that way. I mean I am named for him so I’m not surprised that I do find myself living my life like he did his when he was my age.

The only thing I can’t wrap my head around are these stars of his. Nothing can beat the lights of this city. Excelestious has the best lights of all the Laibon cities. We have more colors by far, and we host the largest light shows in the world. Why should I care to know the sight of little dots in the sky. My father is a Historian, Officer, and Diplomat; he lives in the past. You would think the café and the Senate would be enough to keep his feet in the present.

Four year later

Lucas James and his son were always close, in fact they were mirrors of one another. They loved the lights of Excelestious and would often sit on the roof and just gaze at the city at night. Lucas III, or Luke for short, was a tall boy with a muscular frame. He had eyes like his father, hazel with a center ring of gold. His dark brown hair was both spiky and smooth. He never could understand his father’s fascination with the stars from his younger years. Lucas one day just stopped talking about it with his son. Luke never could understand why he stopped and he sure wasn’t going to ask why.

Luke being raised in a country that was one huge city, never knew his father’s love for nature and soon resented the stars, plants, and all other manifests of Lucas’s eco-devotion. He stopped going to the parks and the reserve zoos. This saddened Lucas. He had to watch his son turn into a steel-baby, as they call them. Steel-babies, were the youth of Laibon who shunned the natural world for metal, concrete, and electricity. Excelestious was the steel-baby capital. Of course fate had Luke on another path.

Luke just turned eighteen. He was about to serve his four years in the Laibon military. He was coming out of boot camp thinking of all the foreign places he would go see and the battles that might ensue while he was there. He was young, stupid, and eager to die. He was the mirror of his father.

After Basic Training

The Story begins

“Luke do you think we going to see some action?” his friend Sam asked.

Luke grinned and replied, “I hope so.”

The two young men were on their way to their last light-rave before they shipped off. It would be a long time before they saw both Laibon and their families. Sam was of average height and after basic had formed a strong build. He had the blue piercing eyes that could catch the slightest movement. He proudly displayed a blonde head, an uncommon, but not rare thing in Laibon. He had a Black Sun on his left wrist like his battle buddy Luke. They walked down Charon Street heading toward the Solsteel District. The Factory was a massive rectangular building situated next to the harbor. Its only purpose was to provide a place for the youth of Excelestious to dance their stress, sorrow, and anger away. It was the party hot spot. The sides of the building were made of steel with huge Plexiglas windows on the harbor side. Speakers were at the corners of the building and four massive speakers hung from the roof. Lights flashed from the walls, roof, and the floor. The light-ravers wore special head sets to keep from being blinded or going deaf.

Luke walked in with his eyes prowling for a fresh girl to attend to. She found him first. Red hair hung to her shoulder, green eyes casting a need for company, and yet smooth white skin speaking of an untouched innocence. She swayed her way to Luke with an hourglass figure and wanting hips. Luke gave her his award winning smile and walked to meet her. He didn’t wear his uniform, but the insignia of the Blue Sun with the thirteen in the middle on his left wrist was enough to identify him as a combat striker. A highly capable guerilla scout soldier that had a life expectancy of three months during war time situations when fresh from Boot. They didn’t teach that part in training though.

“A striker, I think I might just have fun tonight after all,” the red-head whispered in Luke’s ear. Luke smirked at her. He was all too aware of his effect on women. He had used that trick since he was sixteen. The world was his oyster, his golden oyster with a gold pearl. His father was the Commander of the amphibious strike force Red Star, a teacher of History at the Sol University of War, and a previous ambassador, as you can serve as an ambassador and an officer at the same time in Laibon. Luke had talent, charm, and pull.

He was dancing with the red-headed girl when he realized Sam had found him a tan, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, little charmer who he was fondling happily on the dance floor. She looked a perfect match for Sam. The Green Sun on the back of her neck with the 13 in the middle marked her as a medic of team thirteen. His jaw dropped and the red-head saw his gaze was directed at the blonde.

The red-head whispered in his ear, “That’s Sarah and I’m Damson by the way.”

She turned around revealing the Yellow Sun with the thirteen in the middle in the same spot. They were battle buddies, and she was an engineer. Each Specialist Unit consisted of a striker, engineer, medic, shooter, and hacker. It would seem Sam and Luke found their teammates. Luke blushed, he knew that his plans for the night were not going to go the way he had originally planned. Damson smiled at him and she cast a gaze of victory mixed with laughter. Her eyes spoke for her.

Sam strolled up to Luke with Sarah on his arm. “What’s wrong Battle Buddy? You look like you just saw a ghost.”

“I saw two, Sam,” Luke Replied

Sarah laughed and went to Damson’s side. Both girls turned around to show off their unit tags. The blood drained from Sam’s face leaving him as white as Luke; which is near impossible as Luke was not of Laibon decent. He was paler by far than any person in the country. Luke walked over to a table and sat down. Sam came to sit beside him and the girls trailed.

“Well it would seem that our unit is going to be close,” Sarah said as she made air quotes when she said the word close.

“Well boys let us officially give you our names. It is good to know a girl’s name if you are going to go and try to nail her,” said Damson, “ My name is Damson Par and this is Sarah Soryu. I’m the engineer and she is the medic for Specialist Unit Thirteen. My call is Phoenix and Sarah’s is Vera. You boys would be our shooter and combat striker. I’m from the Solsteel District and Sarah comes from the Upper Harbor District. I am a Upper Private and Sarah is a Private.”

Sam recovered quick enough, as shooter are expected to do, to answer, “I am Samuel Fusilier and this is my battle buddy Lucas Vulpes James III, we call him Luke for short.”

The girls’ eyes grew wide at Luke’s name. Everyone knew of Lucas “Artic Fox” James, Luke’s father and the refugee who climbed the ranks of Laibon society. Luke just hung his head. He hated being compared to his father in any way.

Sam continued, “Correct girls, this is the son of the Artic Fox. We call him the Rook and I earned the name Monster. I am the shooter from the Light District and Luke is from, well James Manor, but I guess you already know that. He is also the best combat striker to roll through boot. I am an Upper Private as well.”

“What about you Luke, where do you rank among us,” Sarah asked.

Luke met her eyes with his own serious ones, “Lieutenant.”

Luke was a child prodigy finishing the Sol University of War with a degree in Political Science at the age of Seventeen. He then went to Basic and was paired with Sam as a battle buddy under special circumstances. Normally he would have had to go through Basic then the University, but he had scored so high on the entrance exam, that they didn’t dare deny him, lest he go elsewhere. Laibon need officers for the coming war that only the higher officers knew was approaching.

Damson and Sarah now had their chances to go white as a ghost. Damson took a deep breath and composed herself. Sarah just gawked.

“Listen I am the same age as each of you. I am not some aged officer with strict rules and I will not make demands. Treat me as a peer out of uniform please. The actions of tonight are out of uniform. The university requires two years after completion. Since I graduated I only need to serve the normal two years like all eighteen year olds. After that I will go work with my father whom I love and dislike all in the same breath,” sighed Luke.

“I have no problem treating you as my peer out of uniform after the places your hands traveled while we were dancing,” Said Damson, “I just want to know what is up with you and your father?”

Luke smiled and replied with, ”Have you ever had to live in someone’s shadow? Have you ever had someone tell you constantly about stars? I can not wrap my head around my father’s fascination with little specks of burning gas in space that no one can see anyway. I love my father, but we often don’t see eye to eye.”

Sam who knew most of this left to buy the drinks for every one. Sarah, Luke, and Damson talked for a while about Luke’s past and his father’s arrival to Laibon. Sam came back with four glass of glowing green liquid which could only mean one thing, he bought absinth.

“Sam we are only taking one shot of absinth each. We need to make it to our transport tomorrow. A high amount of this stuff will make us all hallucinate out of our heads,” Luke told Sam.

“No problem, this to celebrate our good fortunate of making it through basic and getting the Thirteen slot, the best and most prestigious of our classes! We worked to hard to get here. Here is to the Sun Corp! Drink up,” Cried Sam.

With that they departed to their families for the last time before their departure.

“Dad! I’m back,” Luke called up the stairs. Their was no reply. The whole house was dark. They was no sound, just silence, total, complete silence. Lucas moved cautiously toward the rear of the manor house. All the corridors were dark. The rooms were empty except for the moonlight filling them. The door to the back land was cracked slightly. He peeked out and saw nothing. Slowly he stuck his head out to see outside for any oddities. That was when the bag came down around his head. Luke stuck out toward his attacker, but missed. Several more hands came on him and pinned him to the ground. The hands bound his wrists and legs as he kicked and lashed out at the attackers. He knew they were skilled and efficient. Not a single blow landed on his attackers. As he was being gagged he bite someone’s hands and expecting a strike; he was shocked to hear a low gruff laugh.

After being loaded in the back of a vehicle of sorts, he began to think of ways to escape. They had used metal bindings that allowed no room for movement. He figured the only way to free himself would be to steal the key, but he couldn’t see. He was desperately racking his head for a solution when his gag was removed.

“Lieutenant James, you will answer some questions for me,” said a voice. The same voice that had made the laugh earlier.

“Go to Hell,” Luke replied.

“I’m sure I will,” said the voice, “Now tell me where does your father keep his files.”

Luke grew very worried. What kind of men was he dealing with? What were they after in his father’s file? Where was his family? Why was the house not ransacked if they were looking for something? Then it occurred to him.

“You already know the answer; I will not speak, kill me,” was his reply.

“Where are they,” the voice repeated.

“Kill me,” Luke replied.

“Tell me where they are or you can be assured I will and then I will get the information from your dear mother,” the voice taunted.

“Kill her too, her answer will be the same. Kill my four brothers and sisters. Kill us all, it won’t matter. You have the answer, you have my answer, and you lack the balls to kill my mother anyways,” Luke repeated.

When the strike came down on him, he was floored. He figured he was dealing with his father, who could do many voices and accent. He used to make them up when he told Luke stories as he and his siblings went to sleep. His father had never struck him before.

Luke spit out the blood from his mouth, “I said to kill me, damn you!”

The transport stopped suddenly, gun shots rang out, and someone wrenched him out of the vehicle and threw him to the ground. He could hear yells and men fighting. Then he was dragged to his feet, unbound, and the bag removed. Before were no dead men, no shells, or blood. His father towered over him and surrounding him were all the high ranking officers of the Sun Corp.

“Congratulations Lieutenant, you made the ride to Hell without screwing it all up. Not only do you get to keep you unit, rank, and position, but you are also entitled to come home tonight without the any shame lingering over your head,” said his father.

Then the officers gave out “Hooah.”

“By the way, it was me who hit you,” Lucas told his son as they drove home. The look on Luke’s face gave Lucas a laughing fit. The bleeding had stopped after a few minutes, but his eyebrow had a butterfly stitch over it.

“I hadn’t meant to hit you that hard, but you had to be tested if you were going to lead any team out into battle,” Lucas said

“yeah, but the world is silent. There are no quarrels, battles, or wars to speak of Dad,” Luke said to his father.

“If that were only true. It would seem that we are living in the calm before the storm. Its Amabo all over again. The unrest he left in the world is coming to a head even after his death. Laibon is mobilizing quietly to preparation for the assault that is coming. Vern and Yron are no more, but their allies Gritania and Yrok are at it in their stead. Gritania seeks to avenge Vern and Laibon is in the middle and Yrok will plow straight through to Gritania. Gritania is already sending us supplies. You will be brief later. Tonight we celebrate. Tonight is for you,” explained his father.

The drive home was just long enough for Luke’s mother and little brothers and sisters to decorate the house for his sending-off and graduation party. Luke had one brother and three sisters. Luke was the oldest followed by; Laka, Ken, Amberle, and Serenity. They had all pitched in and had the house all tidy and clean so as not to embarrass their brother or father. Many high ranking official had been invited to this soirée as well as Luke’s grandparents.

Luke went straight to his grandfather, Lucas James Sr.. Luke was never bashful about giving his grandfather a hug. He kissed his grandmother’s cheek. His grandmother, Cynthia, and his grandfather were his biggest supporters. His aunts Tamera and Brit soon arrived with their husbands; Sean and John. His older cousins; Ryan, Marko, Nathaniel, Micah, Nichole, and Brooke. Luke’s heart was swelling with love for his wonderful family when reality hit him hard. His father had mentioned war, and he was leaving on tour for the military. There existed a chance that he was not coming home. He remembered his father’s journal entry about his scattered and dead friends. He tried not to let it show, but his grandfather read his face.

“Boy, don’t be stupid. You go play the hero and you’ll no future and a whole family in pain, by rash decisions. You don’t die for your country, you let the other guy!”

“Grandfather, I am just following you and dad,” Luke replied.

“No we’re still alive, you won’t to go foolhardily throw away your life like a damned fool. I didn’t raise my son to do that, you he didn’t raise you too either,” Lucas Sr. whispered furiously.

That’s when Lucas stepped up to his son. He gave him a hug and congratulated him again on his success. They walked outside for a bit of fresh air, and that is when things went sour. His father mentioned how he couldn’t wait for Luke to see the stars.

“Quit being such a romantic Dad! What’s the big deal with those stupid little balls of fire. Steel and Noble Gases are my stars. Why do I care about the sky. Life is on the ground not in the clouds. When are you going to learn that some thing are just fancy,” Luke yelled.

“How dare you raise your voice at me! Learn to Love what God gives you, not what man makes; because man’s creation will go to waste,” Lucas hissed and felt from the balcony on which they stood. The rest on the party went smoothly for the most part. After about midnight everyone retired to bed. The next morning Luke said his goodbyes and headed for his train.

Luke met with the rest of team thirteen in the military coach. He would rather sit with his team then with the other officers. He was still mad at his father. Damson realized he was unhappy and sat next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. Sam and Sarah were both asleep. They both had partied a little too hard last night.

“Damson, I know I am probably a failure as an officer for confiding in you about such things, but can I ask you a question.”

“You can ask me anything, sir,” damson replied.

“Don’t call me sir, unless we are in an engagement or in front of other personnel,” Luke replied, “First, do you know what a star is? Second, do you think I’m wrong for the last words I said to my father before leaving were out of anger?”

“First, beside celebrities, I have no clue what you mean by stars. Second, I do think you were wrong, but I feel you will have a chance to make up for that.”

Luke looked down at the folder in his hands. The contents were no secret, so he handed them to Damson. After a while her eyes went from fearful to tearful. Luke didn’t know if the tears were from the pictures of the children, the pictures of the latest victims, or what their objective read.

“We’re being sent on a suicide mission. They want us to,” Damson began when the door opened.

“Lieutenant James, I am Corporal Hector “Plague” Gideon, your hacker,” said a tall, lanky, sandy blonde haired, soldier in glasses.

“Have a seat Corporal Gideon. Damson we will finish this later. We have a long way to go and its getting late; let us follow Sam and Sarah’s example,” replied Luke.

After a while the last member Gideon was asleep and Damson opened one eye to see who was awake. She had had her head in Luke’s lap. Luke looked down at her and she smiled a shy smile. Damson rolled over so that she was looking up at Luke. Luke looked into her eyes and for the first time noticed they were blue.

“You have very beautiful eyes Damson,” Luke said.

“Thank you,” Damson replied.

“For now we will keep the contents of the folder between us. We have three days on this train to Gritania, and I want Sam and Sarah time to relax. I need time to learn the new guy as well,” Luke told her.

“Luke, can I ask you a favor without it seeming awkward?”

“Yeah, sure. What is it.”

“Will you kiss me?”

It took Luke a while to run those words through his head. Damson looked into his eyes. She was obviously blushing.

“I’m sorry. I just, its just that, how do I say it? I feel like we will be dead very soon and I want you to know that I might have accidentally fallen for you,” Damson confessed.

Luke leaned down and kissed gently. Gentleness led to passion and soon passion gave way to confusion for Luke. He realized his grandfather had been right and he had been blind to a simple fact. He saw it now; because now he had a reason to go on living.

The next morning Luke met Hector for breakfast to learn more about his hacker. Hector had met with an unfortunate accident on his way to Excelestious to meet up with team seven. Excelestious was right next to the special corps training facility. Hector had graduated in the class before team thirteen. He had been in team ten of his class. On the way to scout in Yrok his team ran across a platoon of soldier which they had no trouble with, it was the snipers that killed his teammates. Hector survived by throwing himself off a cliff and swimming to safety.

“You threw yourself off a cliff,” Luke asked unconvinced.

“I’m from clareton, it is a recreation sport. I did get a souvenir though,” Hector replied.

Lifting up his shirt Luke noticed a huge scar across Hector’s right side. It would seem a sniper’s bullet had nearly missed the hacker. Hector pulled down his shirt and took a sip of his chicken soup. Luke looked out his window absentmindedly eating a carrot. The Heli-Mail was coming to connect with the train to deliver the days reports, orders, supplies, and equipment. Luke for the most part accepted hector, but still felt like he was withholding information. How did a team ten member get transferred to a team thirteen, and what happened to the hacker from the class that Luke’s team graduated with? The best hacker was supposed to be with them.

Luke knew their was more to Hector than Hector was letting on to. Hector was a pretty quiet guy, young and cheerful, yet mature and wizened. He decided to follow his father’s advice on such matters and ride it out to see the outcome. A young soldier approached Luke.

“Lieutenant James, Team Thirteen’s Weapon’s have arrived.”

“Oh! Good, we’ll head to the Equipment Management Room at once,” Luke replied to the soldier.

Luke and Hector headed to meet with the rest of the team. Damson and Sarah had finished changing when the boys arrived. Sam was still in the weight room. Luke walked over to Damson and kissed her forehead, making Sarah c**k an eyebrow. Damson gave her the “I will tell you later” look that gives give their friends. Sam walked in about that time.

“Whoa, what did I miss,” remarked Sam.

“Nothing Hun,” Sarah replied to him.

“Come on team, we have weapons and equipment to pick up,” Luke announced.

Three cars behind Team Thirteen was the Equipment Management Room. As they walked in the Major of the train was their to meet them. Major Katsunagi was born in Laibon though both his parents were from Nihong. Katsunagi was also a close friend of Luke’s father. He had been Lucas’s aid until his promotion to command the train, Demeter.

“Luke, my boy, you have goodies that just arrived,” Major Katsunagi greeted. Luke shook his hand and signed the release forms. After looking at the list and finding everything to his satisfaction Luke started handing out the equipment. The battle suits were the new edition; An extra armored layer, a body regulation system, and a full display of intelligence including; a map, compass, objectives, team position, night vision, thermals, and a human recognition system, all activated by voice in the helmet. Both the shooter and medic versions had magnification settings in the visor for wound surveying and a more accurate shot depending on which job the soldier had.

Luke handed Hector his T78 Warthog, a sixteen round shotgun with grenade attachment. Damson could have cared less about her IS4 standard edition infantry rifle, but her face lit up when she saw all her explosives. Luke’s eyes widened at the C56 Mustang. A twenty round handgun with that much power should not go to a girl.

“Yes Luke, that would be mine,” laughed Sarah.

“Two large crates are all that are left Luke. Let us show them why they call you the Rook,” Sam said. The widest of the crate held Luke’s Katana and C98 .50 caliber sidearm on one side and his S400 Heavy on the other. A weapon with such a spray of bullets, it was like running into a wall of ammo. Damson looked at Luke with a lust filled wonder in her eyes.

“I’d take it that someone approves of your big gun,” joked Sam as he open the longest of the crates, “This is why I am a monster. I love firing my weapon so I always knew I’d be a shooter. LR 451 Hell-Fire and dual C412 Stingers; they looked absolutely beautiful.” Sam whispered the last with a smile. His LR451 was a very rare, powerful, and expensive sniper rifle. His stingers were automatic pistols that he had custom made. Had he not been Team thirteen, he would never have had the power to get any of his firearms.

“If you are done lusting after your weapon soldier we have our orders to go over,” Luke said to Sam. Sam looked at Luke as if he didn’t understand and then mumbled his apologies. The team went back to their cars for briefing.

Back in their car Luke opened the envelope that he dreaded revealing to his team. Damson just looked away. The other three felt that the orders as something ominous and terrible judging off of Luke and Damson’s reactions.

Luke began reading, “Team Thirteen of the Nebula Brigade of the Sun Corp of the Laibon Military are hereby assigned to Operation Black Fox. Your team will advance behind enemy lines to disrupt communications between the Yrok forces and command. Upon completion of the first object Team Thirteen will advance to destroy the main supply factories. Proceed to the border of Yrok and Herzcavie at the 38^th latitude north, 48^th longitude east. The LZ will be in the clearing. Mark with blue smoke. Safe hunting Team Thirteen.”

“They want us to die out there don’t they,” Sam yelled. He had a mix of anger and fear on his face. Sarah looked like she was going to empty her stomach. Damson had accepted her fate by now and stared blankly at Luke. Hector had a smirk on his face.

“What the hell are you smirking at,” Sam bellowed at Hector.

“First of all, I outrank you. Second of all, the Sun Corp Special Operation teams have a life expectancy of maybe five missions. A thirteen ranked team is expected to finish their objectives, but never to make it to their LZ. Only the best of all teams with a thirteen rank make it there and those who repeatedly do it make the Black Star Corp. Thirteen is the best of the best, and that is a sure way to die. You show how good you really are and you die for it. The most decorated soldiers in the Sun Corp are from ranks around the five and six team,” Hector fired back to Sam.

“You just screwed up. The Special Corp training after basic is only one month long. You seem so confident of your knowledge of how things are run. Your eyes speak of experience. You should have none. You were a rookie who was the only survivor of a sniper ambush. You should have been killed, you shouldn’t have held your head so well even for a ten ranked member. Your wound should still have you in the hospital; not completely healed. As your commanding officer I will have your true identity out of you or I will shoot you right here with no remorse,” Luke threatened.

“Your father sent me. You think he wanted his son to be fed to wolves. My name is Hector Teranis. I am a sergeant in the Black Star Corp. I care not that you know this. It doesn’t change my mission one bit,” Hector said nonchalantly.

‘Next stop in fifteen minutes, Derman Forward Operating Base,’ the intercom announced. Luke had a mask of fury on his face, but like his father quickly composed himself and thought for a moment.

Luke turned to the team, “Though I may be angry with my father, I understand he did this out of love. However that doesn’t change the fact he thinks we will fail. That is why Hector has graced our ranks. We will welcome him in with open arms, and we will work as a team. We will not fail! We sure as hell will not prove my father’s fears to be true! Our stop is coming up and so is the first step to success! What say you Team Thirteen, Do we hunt? What say you,” yelled Luke.

“Hooah,” The team screamed. The train came to a stop. Team Thirteen grabbed their gear and headed for the exit to the platform. Derman platform A was designated to the Sun, Black Star, and Red Star Corps. Luke headed to Barracks G-72D to drop off his bags and let the team settle in while he went to the Command Station.

“Whoa! Lucky, we all got our own rooms,” said Sam excitedly. Sarah just smirked. The rooms were furnished with the necessities to live. With a fair amount of room. These rooms were designed for teams who were stationed in Derman for four or more years. Though the G-barracks swapped hands a lot. They were the thirteen rank team’s barracks. Luke’s room was the largest and right next to Damson’s luckily enough. He had nice wood furniture compared to the team’s metal ones. He had a personal laptop set up for his use only. He had his own cooler and thermoheater. His bed could fit at least three people in it.

Luke set his bags on his bed and left for the CS to check in. the process was simple enough, yet loaded down with paper work. It was the one thing his father said would never change, bureaucratic red tape. He received the times, locations, and the names of the personnel who would be assisting with Operation Black Fox. He had a month to wait before all the teams, equipment and intelligence were gathered. It was going to be a long month.

That night he skipped mess. While the team was eating he was going to do some thinking. He happened to look out his window at the sky. All he saw was darkness. He knew his father would blame all the lights of the complex. The whole train ride we never once thought to look at the sky at night. He was convinced his father was starting to lose his mind. A knock came at his door.

“Come in,” Luke called. Damson walked in wearing a robe that looked rather warm. The desert got awfully cold at night. Luke looked at her questioningly and she blushed. She walked over to his window and closed the curtain. Luke looked down into her eyes. Damson smiled and opened the robe to reveal what she did not have on underneath. Luke did not get to do much thinking that night.

Two weeks later an officer came by to drop off the mail and a package to Luke from his father. The package was a picture of Luke with his family. Luke smiled as he looked upon the photo. The letter read like any letter to a father missing his son and wishing for his safety and success. It was the apology that Luke found disturbing.

‘Son I know by now you know who Hector really is. Please forgive me. Do not believe I do not have faith in you. I am your biggest supporter. He is a fail safe though and he has the best hacking skills I have ever seen. The mission you are about to embark on is a suicide mission. Yrok has Gritania pinned down and Laibon is in a poor position to relieve her. This operation had the highest chances of success with 23.4%. The weight of the world is on your shoulders son. You have been charged with crippling Yrok enough for the main forces to move in on their strongholds. Those factories have the highest output anyone alive has ever seen. Your team showed the highest promise of getting things done. It pains me to see my son pick up the weight that I have for so long carried. I wish it was my life at stake and not yours. Safe hunting and give ‘em hell!

P.S. I hope you have the intentions of marrying this Damson Par girl since you deflowered her.

Love your father,

Commander Lucas Vulpes James Jr.’

Luke had a good idea about how he found out about Damson, but his mind was firing on all cylinders working out other numbers and percentages. If the whole operation had such a low success chance, how much chance did his team stand? He pondered it over for a while and decided he did not care what the numbers said. Numbers can’t take in human emotion or thought into calculation.

His thoughts led him back to the line about Damson. Was he going to marry her? Did he really love her? He wasn’t sure about either. He had pretty much just used girls for fun anyways. That had no sway over the fact that when he was with her, he felt more complete than he ever did. She was very a strong and beautiful girl, yet she was so innocent and tender that night.

“Yo! You listening at all Luke,” Sam said as he waved his hands in front of Luke’s eyes.

“Oh sorry Sam. Yeah I’ll sign for you to get onto the firing range. You need to go now,” asked Luke.

“I’d like to if you don’t mind,” replied Sam. Luke signed his slip and Sam bounded out with his rifle slung across his shoulder. Hector was never seen except at night, and Luke let it be that way. There was lessen tension in the barracks when he was gone. Sarah and Damson were at the gym, and Luke was bored. The bus was leaving Dermon for the nearest “Green-town”, Mernar. Green-towns were safe towns where soldiers could walk freely around without the threat of combat at every turn.

He street were crowded in Mernar. Soldiers mixed with citizen working out transactions for this and that. One soldier was haggling over some fruit at one stand while another was purchasing a handmade rug from a little shack on the street-side. Luke was just walking around viewing the goods with no particular interest when he came upon an ally. Two drunk soldiers were beating a Mernar citizen. He unsheathed his C98 and fired a round. The two men turned frightened. The sight of an officer made them both pale and somewhat sober. The Military Police arrived and Luke had the men arrested. The citizen was taken to the base for treatment.

Luke continued his walk through the streets. He found the town center which held a massive fountain carved from marble. Water meant more than gold in a town and Mernar was a rich town indeed. It was a major center of trade and a huge asset to Laibon. A man called out his wares into the street to attract customers. He was selling jewelry. Luke walked over to view the man’s stock.

“I has finest jewels in all Mernar. You buy,” the man asked. Luke noticed first that though priced in an affordable range, the man did indeed have some good pieces. He bought Damson a silver necklace with an amethyst stone at the bottom. It reminded him of the one his mother wore. Amethyst was a very rare stone in Laibon. Everywhere in the world it was cheap, but Laibon was isolated from the world when it come to certain stones. It was part of a world wide economic deal. Certain areas would not have certain plentiful resources like stones and woods, so that the market would balance out after a crisis from a decade or two ago.

He was about to leave with the necklace when he saw it. It was a silver ring with a beautiful diamond tinged with pink. It cost an almost his entire paycheck. Officers get paid well. Luke was a great budgeter and had saved up a nice little sum of money. He got those traits from his mother.

The man thanked Luke with a huge almost toothless smile. He had bad breath, but Luke was too captured by the ring. He knew Damson would love it. All at once a force hit him so hard that Luke took hold of a pole to steady himself. He knew what he was going to use the ring for. It was inevitable and he knew that he was powerless to stop it. He was a God fearing man and he knew when he was being spoken to. He hurried off to catch the bus back to base and to see Damson.

Damson was asleep when he arrived back. Sarah and Sam were in the common room playing a dice game, Luke did not remember which one it was. He watched them for a while and soon remembered it was a simple highest roll wins game. Hector had not arrived back and Luke did not want to disturb Damson’s sleep.

“The privilege of being a thirteen rank is almost no outside disturbances. I’m with Sam and I know you and Damson have been trying to quietly get around behind everyone’s backs. Your secret is safe lieutenant. Go to her,” Sarah said as she beat Sam for the fifth time in a row.

Luke went to Damson’s room and let himself in. She was asleep, curled up into a ball on the bed. She looked so serene and peaceful. Luke set the necklace on her desk, but decided to wait on the ring. He sat next to damson on the bed and played with her hair. Damson started to stir.

“Hey beautiful,” Luke said with a smile. Damson rolled over and laid her head on his lap.

“Did you have a good work out, you seem tired,” Luke asked.

“Yeah,” Damson mumbled sleepily.

“I bought you something,” Luke whispered in her ear.

Damson’s head shot up and a huge smiled spread across her face. She looked like a child when they first see snow and all the wonders that it brings. Luke opened the case that housed the necklace. Damson’s eyes filled with wonder and she mouthed the word amethyst. Tears welled up in her eyes and she flung her arms around Luke’s neck. Luke held her for a while.

After some time both Luke and Damson were fast asleep. Sam and Sarah on the other hand were far from asleep. Sam and Sarah had not a clue that in nine months both of them would be parents. All they knew was that their lives were for the most part almost over. Soon they would transfer to Camp Laurel for the first part of Operation Black Fox.

Two and a half Months Later

“Captain are you ready,” the chaplain asked.

“Yes. How about you Sam,” Luke asked.

“I think I might be sick,” Sam replied.

Operation Black Fox was delayed due to three month cease fire. Yrok had lost its ruler. Fighting over who would succeed ensued. Gritania and Laibon held their breath. If Hareem Haruni succeeded them the war was over. If Abul Gis succeeded then the Operation Black Fox forces would mobilize for an immediate strike while Abul settled into office. In the mean time Sam and Luke were on leave in Laibon.

Luke and Sam were standing at the front of the chapel looking out at the massive crowd that encompasses four different sets of families and friends. They were in their ceremony uniforms. Both of them were anxious, and the music starting only made both their stomachs flip even more. It was time to start the wedding, the double wedding.

Sarah and Damson walked down together with Laka and Amberle holding their trains. Serenity flung flowers around in front of the girls. The whole chapel was standing and flashing photos. The whole ceremony was a whirlwind for all four of them. Hector was of course not in attendance and his lack of attendance for anything was starting to annoy Luke. He knew that he had obligations to Black Star, but he was assigned to the Sun Corp at the moment.

All was right in Luke’s world. He had his three best friends, one being his wife, and his family around him. He was enjoying his leave and the world was quite. His promotion to Captain gave him the opportunity to work directly under his father in command after Operation Black Fox. If the operation proceeded though; the gravity of the war would send him and his team to Black Star and then he could work just about anywhere. Either way he would get to work under his father. They had not fought in months. Luke was happy and like all Steel-babies he spent a lot of time in the city going to shows and concerts with Damson. Life never goes the way you plan.

“Captain James, forgive me for disturbing you at your home. I am Lieutenant Francis of the Nebula Communications Corp. I need to see you and your father,” Said the young man at the door. Luke and Lucas sat at the table with the lieutenant, Damson, Sam, and Sarah. “We just got reports that Hareem Haruni has been assassinated. Red Star is mobilizing on the Yrok Capital and Sun Corp teams are to proceed to their objectives.

So Luke found himself in the transport with his team. Hector gave him a reconnaissance file that explained why he had been gone so long. The factory had doubled its output. It was even more vital to take it out, but communications came first. Impulse shells were hitting outside the transport.

“Drop zone three reached. Bail out time for Team Thirteen, Team Twelve, and Team Eleven,” the pilot yelled from the cockpit. Luke and his team joined the other Sun Corp jumpers. Fifteen bodies fell from the sky shooting for the ground. Shots flew around them and by the grace of God they pulled their chutes and landed unscathed. The teams checked the area before coming together.

“Lieutenants Gerald and Harrison form up,” Luke called. With his promotion he assumed command of the Alpha Platoon, comprising the top three Sun Corp teams. The objectives hadn’t changed; just the amount of people he was responsible for. Harrison and Gerald ran up to Luke.

“We are just outside the Yrok command base and production center. Team Twelve, hit the refinery then pull out to the LZ. This is a mighty enemy we face, but they live in a small country. The lines have bulged pretty far and we are in pretty tight here. It should be an hour on foot out of here. There is a Land Runner station by the east gate. Commandeer one and that will cut down your time. The roads will be guarded so get an armored one and don’t stop.

Team Eleven will plant the impact bomb in the service station located near the center of the complex. It will get pretty dark so keep the night vision, map and compass, and human recognition up on your screen. Wait at the transport for my time unless the time elapses then fly the Hell out without looking back. Safe hunting, move out,” Luke commanded.

“It is code from here on out. Plague you head to intercept the enemy code and then sabotage the communications. Monster you will proceed up the ridge and lay cover fire for Plague. Keep it silenced. Phoenix, Vera, and I will make a crater where that factory is. Move out. Safe hunting,” said Luke.

Sam loaded his LR451 and set out up the ridge. Hector headed west while Luke and the girls ran north. After about five minutes, they heard Sam counting.

“…seven, eight, nine,….ten, eleven,….twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen,…,”Sam counted.

“Is that his way of calming himself,” Damson asked Luke.

“No, that is his kill count,” Luke replied.

“Twenty four, twenty five, twenty six. Looks pretty clear, but they are confused. Changing locations,” Sam announced over the link.

Hector ran to the communications stations with bodies dropping left and right. As he reached the door he realized the shots had stopped. The grounds around the station were emptied. He knocked on the door and readied his T78 Warthog. The door open and a wide-eyed soldier went flying back. He set up his laptop and went to work.

“Codes downloaded, virus planted into their communications server. Wait for it, wait for it, crashed! Pulling out, cover me Monster, headed to meet up with you Rook,” Hector said.

Two minutes later Hector joined the team at the factory. The four moved up to the maintenance access. Sarah laid out the map of the factory onto the screen.

Luke told them their orders, “Phoenix move down this access shaft and plant some Bunker-Bust.”

“Ha! Its going to get tight with these babies,” Damson said grabbing her breast.

“Dear their C’s, you‘ll need a double D,” laughed Sarah.

“Stay focused girls, Vera you will follow he down their,” Luke said.

“Hey you’ll be fine with your B’s Vera,” Sam announced.

“Hey your not sleeping with me for a week. Enjoy the couch Monster,” Sarah retorted.

“Focus,” Luke said sternly, “Plague, you and I will head into the loading bay. The Yrokies have a new toy and we get to bring it home. The girls will meet us there and we will grab Monster at the gate. Lets head out!”

Damson and Sarah headed down the maintenance shaft while Luke and Hector took the cat-walk. Security was minimal and taken down easy. Luke and Hector were traversing the upper levels when they spied the loading bay. It was crawling with personnel.

“Monster we are going to need you to relieve us soon,” Luke said.

“You never look before you leap,” Sam shot back.

“Oh! I looked and it doesn’t change anything,” Luke replied.

“Don’t be stupid Rook,” Damson said.

Hector looked at Luke and loaded his grenade launcher on his T78. A shot ripped apart the largest group and Luke’s S400 Heavy started to mow down the rest. Foot steps at the cat-walk alerted them to more guards. Luke slung his S400 onto his back and unsheathed his C98. Luke and Hector were running low on ammo.

“I’m low Rook,” Hector told Luke.

“Unsheathing katana,” Luke replied and handed Hector his C98 with the remaining rounds. Luke trained under his father in sword. He started cutting the soldiers down and soon shotgun burst turned into pistol rounds. They were in a tight spot when Sam showed up. The spray of the dual C412 was just enough for the two to be relieved.

“Thanks Monster,” Luke said to Sam.

“Ahhhh!”

“What going on,” Sam and Luke said at the same time.

“I’m ok, Phoenix and I ran into a small amount of trouble. It’s just a stab wound. A flesh wound not fatal Monster,” Sarah assured, “I’m just a little shaken. I was afraid he might get the baby but I deflected the knife across my side.”

“Baby! You’re pregnant,” Sam yelled.

“Not the time for celebration we’re all dead unless we finish up here,” Luke said.

“Congrats. Let‘s move,” Hector commented.

“Planted, running down the hall to the bay to rendezvous,” Damson said. The factory shook.

“Not mine. What was that,” Damson yelled.

“Rook! Rook! Monster, Plague, do you read,” Damson called.

“Uhhhh! My chest! It freakin’ burns like hell! I’ve been hit,” Sam called out.

“Vera, we got a blast, Monster’s down. Move ASAP,” Luke called out.

A door flew open and Hector and Luke sung their guns towards it. Sarah ran and slide over to Sam while Damson laid cover fire. They were pinned down behind a low wall separating bay from personnel access.

“They’re not bad, only about thirty percent will have light scaring. I am going to apply a silver and aloe solvent onto the are to relieve the pain, start the healing process, and minimize scarring, ok Monster,” Sarah explained after opening Sam‘s suit.

She cleaned the blood and starting removing shrapnel from his chest. She thanked God that they were fatal wounds. She rubbed a silver tinted substance on his chest and began binding him. Damson and was firing over the wall to hold back the advancing soldier. Sam handed Luke his LR451 and Hector his C412. Luke started picking off soldiers one by one. Luke was an expert shot, Sam just took expert to a level all its own. Damson ducked down to reload and Sarah finished patching up Sam. As Hector was coming up to lay more fire a hole appeared in his forehead.

“Sniper, Phoenix stay down,” Luke bellowed. Luke traced the shot instantly and returned the favor through the snipers scope and into his eye.

Luke looked around and saw it. The Heavy Transport, “Armadillo,” sat just fifty feet from them. Hector had made a crimson puddle with his blood. Luke motioned for the transport and popped up to fire. Sam, under Sarah’s arm, ran for the APC with Damson and Luke close behind providing fire. Luke had Hector’s body by the suit and dragged it into the Armored Personnel Carrier before jumping into the driver’s seat.

“Drive, drive, drive! Let’s get the hell out of here,” Damson screamed. Luke was searching the cockpit of the monstrous vehicle for the ignition. Luke found a button in the middle of the steering wheel. He couldn’t read Yrokish, but he figured that was the key to their escape. The engine fired and Luke slammed pedal to the floor. The tires squealed in protest. Sam was spread out, clenching his teeth, and arching his back as Sarah applied the iodine.

Luke looked into the consol screens at the rear cameras. The facilities remaining men were trailing and coming on fast. The bullets were flying off the vehicle, but true to its design were ineffective. It was when the first rocket hit the Luke started to get worried. Left and right the Armadillo rocked from the blast. Luke didn’t know its weaknesses, and sweat was beading on his forehead. He was flying over the hills.

“Rook, man, I think I’m going to…,” Sam started vomiting all over the back of the Armadillo. Sarah grabbed a bag from her pack for him. Damson had her eyes closed and her head laid back. Her breathing was heavy and she was holding her side. Luke could see a dab of blood seeping from her fingers.

“Vera! Phoenix has been hit!,” Luke screamed.

Sarah grabbed Damson and pulled her back with Damson’s help. She opened her suit and pulled up the side of her undershirt. The sniper from before missed her body, but was close enough to fracture her suit and send shards deep into her side. Sarah began pulling out the surface shards. Damson squirmed under the pain, then screamed an ear-splitting as one of the trailers hit the side of the carrier. Luke looked back for a second to see Sarah’s forceps deep inside Damson’s side pulling out the rest. Seventy-two stitches later Damson found her way back into the front seat where she passed out. Luke searched the onboard consol for a weapons system of some sort. A screen finally came up with a series of objects that Luke figured could pass for weapons. He pressed the first bottom. A series of metallic clicks and thuds on the ground were followed by explosions and assault vehicles rocketed from the pursuit.

“I would say we’re clear, but we only have fifteen seconds to left before our transport leaves. Looks like we might have to swim home,” Luke said solemnly. They traveled for another minute when they heard the sounds of the aerial transport engines. Luke saw the lights and a man motioning. The transport started moving forward for take-off and the bay doors were let down. Luke pushed the armadillo to the maximum speed he could. The transport was getting closer and closer. Luke slammed on the breaks and skidded up the ramp as the doors closed behind him and the transport took off.

“Captain what happened to the Black Star sergeant,” asked an officer on coming out of the cockpit as two men removed the body. Luke just shook his head as he lifted Damson out of her seat. He sat her down and help strap in. Sarah and Luke both had to support Sam to keep from opening his wounds.

“Sorry for your lose son. You still did well out there. He died to keep freedom in his country and to help return the oppressed to freedom. The main force was sweeping through the capital as the Command Major said this. Luke didn’t know if he should feel sorry or not for hector’s death. He never was a part of his team. Nonetheless he would pay his respects. Team Thirteen settled down for the flight home. Luke was restless. As he was wondering around the transport he happened to cross a window with a clear view of the night sky. He stopped dead in his tracks. Past the clouds were millions upon millions of sparkling stars shining down on the world. After all the death and chaos; the little orbs of fire made Luke numb. A shooting star streaked across the sky and Luke stared transfixed. He was unable to move as he took in the constellations, the Milky Way, and Moon. He could not fully wrap his head around it, but a trip five years later would bring the gravity of nature’s beauty down on him changing his life forever.

Thirteen Months Later

“Those two are getting so big,” Damson said to Sarah while they watched Damson and Luke’s daughter playing with Sam and Sarah’s son. Sarah smiled. Luke and Sam were grilling steaks at Luke’s parents’ manor. The war was over and Luke was settling down with his family in a wing of the manor until they could afford to build their own home next to his mother and father’s. Sarah and Sam bought a place down the road so the families would forever be close. Truth be told Sam just wanted to be close by a person he could watch the game with. Thus ends and begins the story of Lucas “The Rook” James.