[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/UFS3ngv.jpg[/img][/center]

[center][h3]VOTING THREAD AND CONVERSATION THREAD ALL AT THE SAME TIME!![/h3][/center]

[center][b][u]Voting deadline is July 20th at Midnight![/u][/b][/center]

Let's get right to it, shall we? We have ten wonderful entries and [i]miraculously,[/i] all fit into a single admin post! But only if I don't drone on for very long, so let's get right to a couple of new features.

1. If you didn't specify 'anonymous,' I checked with your previous contest entry (when available) and applied that request here. If I either did include, or did not include, your name in the way you want -- PM me directly, and I'll fix it post-haste.

2. I've broken out the poetry entries with a line break. That's not to exclude anybody from anything -- I'm simply trying to help out the critique writers, who sometimes express difficulty jumping from prose to poetry. These are all in the same voting pool.

(edit) 2.5 -- I've also now added an 'additional entries' hider, for late entries or special cases. I think we might bring that back again in the future -- if you've missed the deadline but you still want to write something, we'll include it there. No prizes, but you can still be a part of the contest.

3. We're combining the conversation and vote threads, which will make it super-hard to track down and count up all the votes -- unless we're smart about it. So! To cast your vote, use the 'Ping' tool:

[quote=example]I [@vote] for entry 11, 'RPG is the real star!'[/quote]

This will ping our vote-count account, and we'll be able to tally it up quickly. We're also gonna search the thread, to make sure we don't miss any -- but if you see someone who tries to vote, and maybe doesn't get the ping working, feel free to quote them and ping [@vote] yourself. As long as we can see it and read it, we'll count it. Exact wording or phrasing doesn't matter -- just make it clear what you're voting for.

That's it! If I keep talking I'll run out of space -- thanks for participating, and enjoy the rest of the contest! 

[hr]

[center][h2]Prose[/h2][/center]

[hider=The Dark Places]
[@Dark Wind]

A lone, spacecraft cruised through the vast expanse of space. The silent blackness shrouded the small vessel on all sides, threatening to devour the ship and all those inside. Sapphire blades of flame stabbed through the darkness, thrusting the carrier forward. The ugly gray hull was dented in several places, littered with scorch marks and the scars of blaster fire. Its once pearly white, divine wings were chipped and rusted. Layers of ash wrapped around, choking the life out of them like a serpent.

Room of shadow. Darkness kept at bay by a dimly glowing bulb. Orange strays of light cast their shine over a figure huddled up against the corner. The person’s back was against steel wall. No way out with the door mechanically sealed, no windows, all alone. Her long dark hair fell messily down her back. Unkempt and littered with scatterings of dirt. Sweat trickled across streaks of mud on her face that she pressed against her kneecaps; curled up into herself. Sunken eyes, closed shut.

“So many…” She whispered.

“So many, so many, so many. Leon. Leon, bomb.” 

A door slammed shut. The woman scrambled to her feet wide awake.

“They’re here! Fire! Fire!” 

She slapped herself. Deep breath. 

“Get a hold of yourself Riley.” 

Riley raised her chained hands to block the blinding dim light from her weary gaze, trying to ease the stabbing pain that knifed and twisted through her mind. Her hands covered in dirt stains. Callouses and healing blisters all over her fingers and a burn scar over her forearm.

She darted her head to the door. Footsteps echoed from behind. Getting closer and closer. Riley crept forward and pressed her ear against the sealed entry. 

“Screaming again. Did you give her the meds?” A voice sounded. 

Outside there stood two people in a brightly lit narrow corridor of steel walls. One was a woman with short black hair. She stared down at the ground, rubbing her hands together nervously.

“No, but…”

“But, what? I gave you an order.” The man replied. Sharply dressed in a white and blue uniform. His eyes were kind but he stood tall with command, and his voice reflected that authority. In one hand he held a medical kit. He handed it over to the woman.

“She won’t let me get close.”

“Corporal Straus has her hands chained up, is unarmed, and exhausted. You have a weapon, understood?”

“It’s the way she looks at me sir. I’ve never met anyone in my life who looked at me like she does.”

“A look doesn’t warrant fear or disobeying commands.”

“You haven’t been up close to her yet, captain.”

“For fucks sake, Rei. Get your act together. I know we’re in a war against your homeland but that’s no excuse. Why couldn’t you just get Adrian to help?”

Rei, fully known as Rei Mori, sighed. “He’s too busy with virtual reality combat training.” 

He began laughing. Rei cocked her head in confusion. “What’s so funny?”

“It just figures. I’ve got orders to bring her back to the Seruvu Outpost for examination. A single person and an easy task. But I’ve got a war hero who is busy with training he doesn’t need, and a medical officer who doesn’t follow orders. All the while I could be back at Rylieu helping out with the war effort, but instead I’ve got to fucking babysit.”

Rei flinched at his words. “I’m sorry Liam. I’ll do as you wish. Just, I’d like your help is all.”

“Yes, please help her. The bitch in there is too loud and I was trying to catch some sleep. Sooner we get the freak asleep, the better we are.” Another man came walking in.

“And now I have a pilot that isn’t flying…”

The pilot had an easygoing walk. Smooth effortless charm about him. He flashed a cheeky smile to Liam and then to Rei. “Hey Rei, lookin’ cute as ever.”

“Hi Vince… thanks.” She blushed, trailing off. 

“How do they say cute in Lyanaise?”

“Kawaii.”

“You’re so kawaii.”

Rei laughed. “You’re very sweet to say so.”

“Why aren’t you in the cockpit?”

“Relax Liam. I’ve got us past the asteroid field, and from here it’s smooth sailing. Got it kicked in autopilot for a while. Figured I’d come down to see the freak. Always good entertainment.”

“You should probably stop calling her that.”

“Why? It’s what she is. You’ve heard the stories.”

“Not like you’re a saint.”

“I don’t pretend to be. You gotta’ stop bein’ so uptight all the time.” Vince put his arm around Liam. “You and me made it out of the shithole they call New Gettysburg growin’ up as kids, and we’re normal. What’s her excuse?”

Liam resisted the urge to smile and moved away from Vince. He pressed his hand to the scanner. “Step away from the door, pilot. You better behave.”

“Oh you know I will, captain.”

That drew a smile from the captain. Inside, Riley moved away. Backing far enough so to be standing in the middle of the room directly underneath the dim orange light.  When the door opened, she had to squint from the bright white light surging in. Hardly able to see anyone coming in other than the shadow of Liam’s figure.

Liam moved inside the holding cell. He waved over to Rei.

“Leave the Lyanaise bitch outside.” Riley open and closed her fists. The chains around her wrists rattled slightly. Rei paused at the door, looking away from Riley as she raised her head. Avoiding her bloodshot gaze where the inextinguishable flames of pure hatred roared. “This room is ugly enough without the yellow, slant-eyed cunt walking around in here.”

Rei recoiled, stung by the words and their vicious bite. Liam looked over Riley, cautious. Not knowing how to handle her. He was dealing with a wild fire and didn’t know whether his next string of words was water or gasoline. 

“We’re all Republic soldiers here, even Rei.”

“Better hope she doesn’t kill you in your sleep.”

“I’ve heard enough from her, just stick her already.” Vince called out. Rei 

“Rei, I’m going to hold her. You need to administer the shot. Just stay still Riley. It’ll be dark in seconds, and when you wake up you’ll feel better. We’ll get you checked in with the best of the medical field. Get your head all fixed.”

Riley glared at Liam. Broken down and tired, on the verge of collapse. But still able to stand and fight, running on the fuels of rage to keep her going. Get her head fixed? She smiled. The smile turned into laughter. And the laughter became louder and louder. Rei remained frozen still. 

“There is no fixing this.” Damage far too engraved. No matter how much coats of paint are put over the scars, the wounds never leave. They’re just hidden beneath the surface. Liam took a step closer and glanced back to Rei. 

“If you come close to me with that needle, I’ll break your neck.”

“Don’t listen to her.”

But Rei did listen, and she couldn’t move her feet. Let alone her hands. Vince moved forward and snatched the needle from her.

“Jesus Christ, I’ll do it. Hold her damn it. I’m tired of hearing the lunatic talk.”

Liam maneuvered himself behind Riley. He gripped his fingers onto her arms. She let him do so. A bead of sweat rolled down his cheek. Ever so slow as his heart began to beat faster. Pump-pump, pump-pump. His fingers clenched in tight against her skin. If he held any tighter he might draw blood. He had to take every precaution. 

“You’re doing good Corporal.”

Riley said nothing in reply. Even as Vince approached her, she watched Rei tremble. Tunnel vision as the pilot’s boots echoed against the steel floor. Thud… thud… thud… Vince stood in front of her now, insufferable smirk on his face. He dabbed alcohol onto her arm and lifted the needle up to her arm.

“Time to go to sleep, princess.”

She whipped her head against his, knocking him down against the floor with a loud clang. Liam tried to let go of her quick, but Riley’s head rocked backwards and slammed him in the face. A gash opened up above Liam’s eye. Blood seeped down his face while he looked forward to check on Vince. His friend was reeling on the ground with a broken nose. Crimson pouring out of his nostrils and having trouble breathing. 

“Fucking bitch! Get her!”

But Liam couldn’t move straight. Every part of his vision was fuzzy and blurred. 

Riley stepped out into the corridor and sized up Rei. The medical officer backed up into a corner. Trapped by the predator ready to feast on its prey. She felt tears build up; she couldn’t even call out for help. Riley leaned over her shoulder and whispered with an eerie calm.

“Tell me where my equipment is being held.”

“I-I don’t remember—“

“Bullshit!”

Rei yelped in pain as Riley’s fists crashed into her jaw. She screamed again as the prisoner tugged on her hair with brutal force.

“I will smash your skull against this wall until you remember. And I don’t care if your brains splatter all over it.”

“I-It’s in the armory… Down the corridor all the way. Open the door and take the first left. Agh!” She cried out as Riley pressed her face against the cold metal wall. Riley tugged the Lyanaise officer back and slammed her head against the surface. Agony left Rei’s lips as she was let go.

Riley sprinted down the hallway. Rei slumped down in the corner and broke out sobbing. The exit was closer and closer, freedom at hand. But soon another pair of footsteps rattled down the corridor after her. Liam was gaining on her. Despite Riley’s training and her strength, it didn’t matter. Her exhaustion was catching up, and Liam was a fresh well-rested soldier. He pulled out one of his side arms. A gun designed for tranquilizing agents.

As Riley made it to the door, she reached for the handle. Pulling it open until she heard the sound of something fire through the air. A quick prick in her neck caused her to turn around. Liam stood before her. She could see his face, until everything blurred. Her world faded to black.

[hr]

Vision came back to light, blurry and hazy. Blink, blink. The haze began to fall away to reveal another room. Vibrant white light shimmered off of clean, white beds. No one occupied them. Riley stirred. Her head rested against a soft pillow. Disoriented yet rested, more rested than she’d been in months. She tried to move her hands but they stopped a few inches in the air. Tight leather binds circled her wrists, keeping her attached to the bed. The same went for her legs. With a furious yank she pulled at her restraints. No luck.

Riley stared at the ceiling and breathed out a heavy sigh. It was only then she noticed her hands were clean, hair no longer dirty. Fresh and put back together. An unfamiliar feeling. A noise caught her attention; one long, drawn out inhale. The faint glow of a cigarette. Liam pulled the cig from his mouth and breathed out the smoky mist.

“How long have I been in here?” Riley spoke.

“A few hours. Got a lot more to go before we make it to Seruvu.”

“Let me get a hit of that.”

Liam looked over the cigarette, pondering the decision.

“Come on, I’m not going anywhere. What’s the worst thing I can do, give you cancer from second hand smoke?”

He couldn’t help himself but chuckle. But he cut that out fast. Liam went to the side of her bed and held the cig down to her mouth. 

“Marine Specialists are banned from tobacco.” He said.

Riley inhaled then breathed out.

“Looks like I’m not the only person in this room that doesn’t give a shit.”

He pulled the cig away. “It’s the nerves. None of the military supplements works quite as well as a good smoke.”

“Yeah…”

“Tell me something corporal. I’ve—“

“Have you seen combat, captain?”

“What?”

“The front lines.”

“No, I volunteered for the fourth division. Haven’t seen battle yet, but I was supposed to until I had to transport you back to Seruvu.”

“You make it sound like I’ve wronged you.”

“Men are dying out there. Good men that I could be helping.”

“Save it, captain. You should be thanking me.”

“Just what happened to you out there? You’re a part of the first company. A hero of the campaign in the Radoral Sector. By wars end you’ll be known forever as a legend. Medals and everything.”

“I don’t need a medal. Kill the Lyanaise cunts and be done with it. That’s what we signed up for. You don’t know it yet, but you will.”

“What happened out there Riley? I’ve heard of shell shock, but everything you say is, I don’t know. Never wanted to shut someone up more in my life.”

“There are no heroes Liam. Just them, you, and the bullets between.”

Liam opened his mouth to speak back but the door opened. In came Adrian Stukov. A hulking mass of muscle; he was the epitome of what a soldier should look like. Powerful, a fierce face determined to win at all costs. Riley recognized him right away.

“The hero of Radoral himself… Been a long time, Adrian. Heard you were making speeches back home in the Aratan territories.”

The Aratan Republic. A several planet system governed by senates, congress, and a president. Leading force of democracy within the galaxy. Riley could barely remember what home was like anymore. What it looked like or smelled like. Only the faint sounds of hover cars blazing through the airways. Hot steam from a cup of coffee poured by her father. All a distant memory now. The only home she held onto was the Aratan Republic Marine Specialists, otherwise known as ARMS. 

Adrian regarded Riley warily. Like he was seeing a ghost.

“Felt I was needed on the front. I couldn’t sit back and watch anymore.”

“Unfinished business.”

“You could say that.”

Liam interrupted. “What is it Adrian?”

“Get up in the cockpit. We’ve got new orders.”

He gave a nod, and they left the room. Riley alone, staring up at the ceiling. Awaiting whatever it was that would come, the shadows all around her.

At the cockpit, the entry door slid open. Liam and Adrian stepped inside. Vince wheeled around in his pilots seat, Rei sat next to him. 

“We got word from the higher ups, you’re not gonna’ like it.”

“Out with it.”

“We’re going to be delayed getting good ole freak-show back there to Seruvu. There’s a Republic outpost on Derai we have to check out. Supposedly they’ve lost contact. We’re the closest ship in the area, so we’ve got to drop down and see what’s what.”

Liam could only think of the soldiers suffering in Rylieu. But anything he could do was better than nothing. Maybe there was more to this mission than anyone thought.

“How long till we get there?”

“Six hours.”

“Understood. It might be a combat zone down there for all we know. Fly in quiet, I want the shields up at maximum strength. Everyone should get geared up.”

“All my gear is up here. I’ll be ready.”

Rei, Liam, and Adrian went to the armory. All three suited up in the ARMS combat armor. Traditional blue and white. Adrian’s armor looked much thicker. As a heavy-arms combatant, he required heavier armor and the machine gun. Rei had a cross insignia to mark her as a medic. Liam had the common lighter weight outfit with a pistol and an assault rifle. All three placed on their helmets and visors.

“What about the corporal?” Rei asked.

“We’re going to have to bring her with us. I can’t leave her alone for too long. She’s a specialist and her actions are unpredictable. Don’t worry, she’ll be cuffed up. I wouldn’t give her a rifle. Ever.”

All they could do was wait.

[hr]

In the darkness they stood at the loading bay ramp. With a click of a switch, the ramp lowered. Light filtered in, showering the group with bright sunlight. Liam at the front with Vince next to him. Adrian had a hand wrapped tight around Riley’s arm, and Rei followed shortly behind.

“We’re going to sweep over the outpost and be on our way.”

Liam went ahead and the squad moved forward, marching down the ramp onto the landing pad of the Derai outpost. All around them they had a view of the planet. Other than this building there was a long stretch of jungle. Green woodlands that seemed to stretch forever. The sun beamed on them with vicious force. Relentless in its heat. Already, Liam felt himself beginning to sweat. For Rei it looked familiar, but a distant memory. Adrian couldn’t shake his restlessness. For a war hero, he seemed more nervous than the rookies. Riley kept her gaze glued to the wilderness. Anything that moved alerted her. Vince swatted a mosquito on his padded shoulder.

“Not two minutes here and I’m already getting attacked by bugs. And it’s hot as balls here. Glad I didn’t volunteer to be a soldier. Can’t imagine dealing with this shit day in and day out.”

“You don’t get bitten in a full set of armor.” 

“I know, it’s the heat I’m really talking about.”

“Imagine dealing with it for months at a time with bullets and bombs all around you.” Riley spoke.

Vince didn’t have anything to say back.

“I don’t like this any more than you do, let’s keep moving.” Liam said.

“I’d like this better if you gave me a helmet.” Riley spoke.

“We’re on our own protected outpost, you’ll be fine.”

“It’s a Lyanaise planet. If we find ourselves swarmed my troops who look exactly like your medic, don’t cry to me about it. You’d be better off giving me a weapon.”

Rei had remained quiet for so long. Suddenly she burst.

“What did I do to you? I’m Aratan just like yourself. I left the territories when I was a child, I hardly even remember it!”

“You can leave the jungle, but the animal born here is still inside you.”

With a scream she rushed forward and slapped Riley across the face. Vince grabbed onto her and tugged her back. Rei was on the verge of tears. Riley slowly turned her face back to Rei. Reddened cheek but no expression.

“I told you.” A smirk came across her face that sickened Vince.

“You’re a real bitch.”

“Enough!” Liam shouted out, getting in the middle of everyone. “We are here to investigate and move on.”

“What is there to see? Just metal and lots of jungle.” Adrian pointed out. “And it doesn’t seem like anyone is here. No one answered the radio coming in.”

He was right, and that unsettled Liam. They had sent out a call to the outpost. All that came back was static. No soldiers or sentries met their ship as they stepped onto the pad. The only thing in the air was bugs, heat, and silence.

“Stay alert. Keep your weapons at the ready. If it shoots at you, shoot back.”

Liam went toward the outpost door. There weren’t any ships he could see on the outpost. But, Riley could see a crashed drop ship in the distance. It placed a scar on the jungle. She squinted her eyes and could recognize the Aratan colors. But, she kept quiet as they all moved inside the base.

[hr]

Nothing. Nothing everywhere. The hallways were as vast and long as they were empty. Vibrant white lights nearly blinded them. Their footsteps echoed every move forward. It was like the entire place had been abandoned. Liam opened a few doors on the sidewalls to find empty dorm rooms. Beds with cleanly folded blankets. But no clothes, and no people.

“I don’t like this place.” Vince broke the quiet. “We should leave and grab a drink back at Seruvu. There’s nothing here.”

“I’ll say when we leave. Everything here gives me the creeps too, but we have orders.”

Adrian seemed ready to jump at every noise, every rattle in the building.

“If anything we should find a place to stop. Adrian’s looking like he’s gonna’ break down.”

Adrian opened his mouth to answer, but Riley was first.

“The moment you relax, you die.” She turned her head to Liam. “I bet the command room is at the end of this hall.”

“We seriously going to listen to her?”

“Yes.” Liam’s answer was simple. “From there we could get the layout of the outpost. They’ll have a radio and their might be a chance of voice recordings. We’ll have a chance to find out what happened here and fast. Then we’ll get the hell off this rock.”
A whisper.

“Works with me.” Adrian said. But he jumped and turned around.

“What is it?”

“Thought I heard something.”

Liam looked down the hallway. Empty as ever.

“Nothing. It’s just this place. Come on.”

The command room was what the hallway had been. A great window looked out across the Derai landscape. Jungle and sun. An endless expanse of vines, mud and trees full of leaves. Impossible to see anything beyond the outpost itself. All the controls were untouched. They looked cleaned and fresh. The chairs held no people. 

“It’s a ghost town here.” Rei said, moving around. 

Liam went forward to the radio. Adrian had Riley in hand and joined him. Vince found himself standing by the window looking out at the landscape.

“How the fuck do the Lyanaise fight? Where are their outposts and bases of operation?”

“In the ground.” Riley answered. Vince turned around.

“They dig tiny mazes in the dirt. Holes where they can live off of little water and small rations for several months at a time. The entire jungle will seem like its abandoned. Then suddenly gunfire will be pouring out of the trees.”

Most watched Riley. Entranced by what she had to say. Adrian was the only who didn’t watch. He held his head down, staring at his feet.

“But the nights are the worst. It can be pouring rain, and sometimes it lasts days. Thunder overhead… In our camps, we’d try to rest for the night. But they’d come out of their caves and start picking us off. Luckily we have better weapons, and soldiers like Adrian over there mowed them down with heavy guns.”

Adrian didn’t raise his head. Rei turned her head when Riley’s eyes met hers. 

“Stop.” Liam grabbed Riley and pulled her over. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “They’re all tense as it is. I can’t have you scaring everyone here with your lies.”

“I didn’t lie.”

Liam paused. “Just try to be nice.”

Riley started to laugh but stopped when Liam frowned. “I’ll try. But they’re better off knowing the truth. Vince might not see combat, but Rei will. You can even ask Adrian if you need to.”

“Thank you.” And that was the last he had of that. “Vince, bring up the map board.”

Vince listened to his orders. Meanwhile, Liam grabbed the radio and checked every station. Static, nothing but static. He entered in the channel for the Seruvu outpost and spoke.

“Captain Liam Royce coming in, over.”

“This is the Seruvu Sentry, what’s the news on Derai, captain?”

“It’s a ghost town down here, no one in sight. What are our orders? We want to get out of here, now.”

“That’s a negative, captain. We need you to look around and see if there is anyone at all on base. Any data recordings need to be brought to us.”

“Alright, I’ll call in when we’ve finished.”

He hung up.

“What’s the map got for us?”

Everyone gathered by to look at a screen on a table. Lit up it showed the digital blueprint of the outpost. Vince studied it closely.

“This isn’t a fighting outpost.”

That caught everyone off guard.

“It’s a science facility. Developing a weapon here I guess, but I don’t know what. The map only tells me that this is a weapons development station. My guess is the lab is right here. Only problem is you’ll have to go outside to get there. Whatever happened probably happened out there… Maybe. It’s like no one has ever lived here so I don’t know what to think.”

“The sun will be down soon.” Riley noticed as it was setting.

“I’ve got no real great combat training, I think it’d be best for me to stay here. Rei should keep me company too.”

Liam nodded. “I’ll take Adrian to the lab. And Riley.”

“That’d make me more comfortable.”

“You should give me a gun.”

“Not a chance.” Liam took her from Adrian and went to the exit door. Adrian followed. “We’ll be a few minutes I bet. Hold in tight. Call us if anything happens.”

As they went through the door, Adrian was last.

[i]Liar. Fraud.[/i] The whisper came again. He stopped and looked around. Nothing around, just like before. Adrian shook his head and went on.

Outside all three of them began to sweat again. The heat was unforgiving, baking them inside of their armor. Visors fogging up so often that Liam had to wipe it clean every few seconds. Riley watched the jungle, looking for any unusual holes or movement. She expected there to be evidence of Lyanaise soldiers but there was nothing.

“Jesus Christ, how did you fight with these visors?”

“We didn’t. We used the helmets but pulled the visors up.”

“That puts you at risk though.”

“Fighting blind is worse. Your boot camp officers most likely haven’t seen a battle. They’re going by a guidebook that’s not adjusted for warfare here.”

“You know everything I guess.”

Riley glared at him. “I’ve actually seen combat. You haven’t. If you want to walk around like a rookie and die, go ahead.”

“Combat teach you to disobey orders and insult your own allies?”

She didn’t answer.

“Fine, you can walk with Adrian if you don’t want to talk about what happened.” He handed her over. 

Adrian got a solid lead in front of Liam. “Been a while.” He said.

“Feels like it’s been forever.”

“How’s the first?”

“Not doing a war hero tour back home, that’s for sure.”

“That bad?”

“Harry’s dead. Sniper got him. Eric stepped on a landmine. Tyler and Reed were both killed on the beach of Rylieu.”

“… I heard about Leon. Didn’t say anything earlier because I figured you didn’t want to say anything.”

Riley looked down at her hand. On her ring finger, there was a patch of skin lighter than the rest.

“Why did they ship you out?”

“Leon died and they figured I needed rest. That’s it.”

Adrian wanted to say more, but he didn’t have the words. 

[i]Murderer.[/i] The whisper voiced again. This time Riley heard it.

“Did you hear that?”

“What was it?”

[i]Liar.[/i]

His whole body tensed, and Riley could sense it.

“A whisper.” 

“We must be going mad.”

“Maybe…”

There was a crunch under Adrian’s boot and they both stopped. When they looked forward, shock overcame them. Liam stopped cold when he saw it too. A hole, dug up. Under Adrian’s boot was a bone that had snapped. Human hand. In the hole they saw other remains of humans. Arms and legs. Skulls with open mouths of horror. It seemed like the skulls were still screaming even in death. But what stopped them was the man at the bottom. A man in nothing but ragged clothes. The holes on his back showed scratches and dripping blood. Dirt clung to every part of his skin. He continuously, endlessly clawed at the dirt. It had to have taken him days to dig this hole with just his hands. His nails were bloody. His fingers were soaked in his own blood. But the pain didn’t seem to faze him. He continued to claw and go deeper without thinking. That’s when they could hear him.

“Got to get away. Run… run… run. He will get me. Get me. The burning, oh it hurts it hurts. Says we don’t need our eyes. But I want them. I need to get away. Don’t trust them. Kill them, kill them. Bury them.”

Liam stepped forward and readied his rifle. He found the nerve to speak.

“Sir?”

The digging stopped. “Who are they?” The man spoke. “Who are they, who are they? Can’t trust them… Can’t trust them.” He turned around. What they saw chilled them. The man had no jaw. It was gone. Just his mouth and his upper teeth. No tongue. But words were coming from him. They had to be.

He reached for something in his pocket. “We can help you. What happened here?” It seemed a good enough thing to say to Liam. He didn’t know what to do.

“Bury them.” The man pulled a knife. There was no way he should be able to climb out of his hole without digging steps, but he was managing to climb up alarmingly fast.

“Stay put, soldier! Hold your position!”

Too late. He got to the top and leapt up and tackled Liam. His rifle fell to the ground. He held his hands up and grabbed onto the man’s arms. Preventing the knife from gashing his face.

“Help! Get him off!”

But Adrian sprinted away. He dropped his gun and ran away in absolute terror. Back to the outpost’s central structure. “Adrian!” Riley screamed, but he didn’t answer back. He left them behind.

Liam continued his struggle but the man with no tongue was abnormally strong. He pushed down with increasing force. The knife’s tip got closer and closer to Liam’s face. It scratched at the visor and soon broke through. Liam closed his eyes from the shattered glass. But the knife was nearing his eye. He yelled out in struggle. Desperate for help, but unable to move. Blood suddenly vomited out of the man’s mouth onto his face. In that moment he lost his concentration.

But Riley jumped behind the man and wrapped her hands on his head. With a quick, strong twist she snapped his neck. The body fell limp on the ground. Twitching wildly with blood oozing out of his open face.

Riley stared at the corpse. Liam breathed heavily on the ground before scrambling up to his feet. He wiped his face clean around his eyes. The rifle found itself in his hands quick. Barrel aimed at the body. Riley looked at him and he looked at her. Both in agreement. Gunfire rung out in the air as he unloaded a clip in the corpse until its head was nothing but a mess of brains and flesh across the jungle floor.

“Give me a fucking gun.” Riley broke their silence.

Before, Liam would not have given her a paper clip. Now he pulled out the keys and unlocked her cuffs. He pulled the pistol off his holster. Riley took it in her hand. She touched it, her fingers brushing over every aspect of the cold steel. In her hand, the gun looked more like an extension of her arm rather than a separate part of her. 

“Ever… ever see that in battle?”

“No. That was new. I don’t want to stay here and see if we find any more men like him. My bet is the rest of the outpost is in that hole.”

“You’re probably right. But the lab’s right there. We should download the data records and then get the hell out of here.”

“Better make it fast, or I’ll get out of here and fly the ship myself.”

“Understood.”

Riley and Liam entered the lab.

[hr]

Adrian ran down the hallways of the outpost. But he forgot the way back to the command room. He looked all across the walls for maps or directions. But there was nothing. There was something strange about that, because he swore there were directions painted on the walls before. 

“Vince. Come in, you there?”

He spoke into his radio. Static. “Rei?” Nothing again.

Footsteps sprinted behind him. Adrian whipped around and aimed his handgun. There was no one there. “Vince, I need your help. Come down to the… the fucking exit. Get me the hell out of here. Something happened out there. Lyanaise soldiers. We need to move, now!”

His only company was static.

[i]Liar.[/i]

“Who’s there?” He wheeled around and fired. Three bullets hit the far wall.

[i]Fraud.[/i] This time it seemed to be inside his head.

“Shut up! Get out, get out of my head!” He fired out more shots to no avail. Emptying his clip, and with quick movements he reloaded the pistol.

“Show yourself.”

Footsteps sprinting down the hall again. Adrian backed up against the wall and looked right and left. The steps never stopped but they kept on coming. Soon the lights began flickering. On and off, on and off. Light, then darkness. Every door in the hallway opened and closed. Where he leaned on the wall, it was a door. He screamed out and moved way.

Now the lights began to turn on and off, slowly. He saw a figure down the hall. His pistol opened fire. Hitting nothing. The silhouette was gone.

Glass shattered as one light bulb exploded. Then another, and another. Until Adrian found himself under the last one. The light flickered. Bright white. Then slowly dimmed to a dull orange. Going out. He could only hear his breathing in the pitch black.

Then… another pair of lungs breathing.

“Where are you!”

The light suddenly became dull orange. A woman’s face appeared over his shoulder. Her eyes were sowed shut. Ears cut off.

“Liar.” 

Adrian screamed. The last light shattered.

[hr]

Vince and Rei sat in chairs next to each other. He opened up a flask of whiskey and took a sip. Rei looked at it and smiled.

“Want some?”

“Read my mind. Getting more bored than scared in here.”

“I hear that.” He laughed and handed the flask. Rei took a drink.

“Thatta girl, you can drink.”

“I might look small, but I can hold my own.”

“Sure you can in more ways than one. Saw how you got with Riley. That was brave of you, I like that you’ve got a fiery side.”

He gave her a charming grin, and a flirtatious look. She returned the look. A comfortable, momentary silence between them.

“She just got on my nerves. I’m not the soldiers she fights, and I’m not an animal…”

“If anyone is an animal, it’s her.”

“But, the way she talked about fighting. She, she just seems tired. My father fought in the First Galactic Conflict. He came home and was never the same. Perhaps it’s the same way for her.”

“I don’t envy her.”

“Neither do I.” She took another gulp. “He shot himself in the head.”

Quiet. Vince stared wide-eyed in surprise. Then Rei burst out laughing.

“Oh I’m awful, I don’t know why I’m laughing about that.”

Vince joined in. “You must be drunk already. Let me catch up.” He chugged some down. She playfully slapped his arm. 

“Am not. I can hold my liquor, thank you.”

“Glad I’m stuck here with you, you know that?”

She blushed. “How long do you think they’ll be?”

“Twenty minutes. Half an hour tops.”

“Well, that’s some time.”

“Some time for what?”

“Just, it’s you and me here. Kind of boring. We’ve got a drink, that’s good.” She rambled, and her hand found his. Lightly rubbing him.

“Oh, that kind of time. We’ve got…” He leaned in and pushed a hand through her hair. “Plenty of that.” They both kissed. He pulled her into his lap. But before long, the door to the room opened. Rei whirled around to her feet and grabbed her pistol. Vince gripped his as well, then he eased back.

Adrian walked in, gun at his side. 

Vince noticed that Riley and Liam weren’t with him. He took a step forward but didn’t get too close. There was something about Adrian that seemed off. He looked in their direction, but Adrian didn’t seem to see them. Didn’t acknowledge them. He wandered around the room, aimlessly.

“No… No… Not here. Not this place.”

“Adrian?”

Vince motioned for Rei to get behind him.

“Adrian, where is Liam? Is he still outside? What about Riley?”

Adrian said something in Sekrusian, Vince didn’t understand it. 

“Listen to me, Adrian.”

“Lost, so lost. Dead. All dead.”

“Who is dead, Adrian?”

“Everyone. They’re all dead. I need to get out of here…”

“Is he saying Liam and Riley are dead?” Rei asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t think so. He’s not talking to me.”

Adrian walked towards the window and got down on one knee. He pressed his hand to the floor and stroked the tile. Again and again and again. Like that tile was his closest friend.

“Dead. All dead. Need to get out…”

[hr]

“Hurry up and upload the data files.” Riley leaned up against the wall and covered every corner with her viewpoint. “I don’t want to run into any more of those freaks.”

Liam went up to the control panel and plugged in a file jack. “I’m going to play the voice files as it downloads, that alright with you?”

“I don’t really care. Listening to something might keep me at ease.”

“It’ll play once it gets to the voice files. Meantime, we could talk.”

“Or we couldn’t.”

“You saved my ass back there. Thank you.”

“Was I supposed to let it cut your eye out?”

“It? That was a human being. A fucking soldier from this outpost.”

“He wasn’t anymore. You saw him. You listened to him. I don’t know what that was. And it doesn’t matter anymore. It… ‘He’, is dead.”

Liam slammed his fist on the control panel.

“Just fucking talk to me. We’re going to get out of here as fast as we can. I have no idea where Adrian is. We can’t get through to Vince or Rei. Everyone on this outpost might be dead or if there are some survivors, they might be like the man you killed outside.”

Riley took a deep breath. “Fine. I’m sorry. What do you want to know?”

“You said everything earlier was true, right? What you said anyway.”

A loud rumble outside. Liam flinched and raised his rifle. Riley could hear pattering on the outer walls.

“Relax, it’s just thunder. And rain. Probably dark out now.”

Liam looked at her expectantly.

“Yes, what I said was true. The first company of ARMS are known as heroes for their campaigns in the Radoral Sector. You hear that outside? More than half the month in each planetary battle was just like that. Rain, thunder and darkness. There was also scorching hot sun. Little water… Sometimes we had to drink our own piss when our supply lines got cut off. We can all go a while with water on hand without food. But no water kills you fast. It can make you go crazy.”

Liam had nothing to say and he listened to her go on.

“When we first arrived, it seemed like no one was there. For days we didn’t encounter an enemy. Then the traps hit. Landmines, and trip wires that brought wooden stakes into the guts of our troops. But we couldn’t find a single one of those fuckers. It drove us insane. We were sleeping one night when they charged our encampments on all sides. Luckily our training came through. Our heavy guns mowed down their numbers. Dropping them like flies. We suffered a lot of casualties. But the battles aren’t the worst. It’s the bombing runs. When you’re sitting there in your mud and shit-filled hole. Not knowing if it’s you who is going to be next when the bomb falls on you and blows you to pieces. Because your friends are getting torn apart on all sides of you. And you can’t sleep because they send bombers over head during the night to keep you awake. Once we caught a few of them unarmed… The fucking animals. They surrendered and we took them in. Only they were strapped with explosives. Killed themselves and took some of us with them. I think a lot of us lost part of ourselves at moments like that. Even me.”

“Jesus Christ…” Liam choked on the words in his throat. Finding the right things to say to her.

“Say what’s on your mind.”

“Why do you hate-“

“Suicide bomber killed my fiancé.”

“… Riley. I’m so sorry. Christ, I didn’t think…”

“Didn’t think war was like that?”

“No. I, I wanted to serve my nation. Defend our freedoms and be apart of something great.”

“They train you, get you in shape, and teach you to fire a gun. All the tools to kill another soldier. I learned how to kill Lyanaise soldiers, and I got pretty damn good at it. But the one thing they don’t tell you about is what it’s like. They can’t. If we knew, we’d never go. Never fight. But you will if it’s for a good cause. If you’ll be called a hero.”

“Why did they ship you back? You did something, but they never told me.”

Riley glanced down to the floor. “I…” She grasped for the words.

[i]Murderer.[/i]

“What?”

“Huh? What do you mean what?”

[i]Killer.[/i]

“No!”

[i]Monster…[/i]

“Riley what is it?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing. I don’t want to talk anymore.”

The control panel began to beep.  A robotic woman voice began to speak.

“Voice Data Records. Derai Outpost 01. Lab Facility. Doctor Gerard Leron Test Library. Reading File 001….”

The voice changed into that of a man.

“This is Doctor Gerard Leron of the Aratan Republic Weapons Development Division. I’m here with my assistant Mara Woods, and my colleagues Daniel Green and Garret Fletcher. This is day one of the Dimensional Rift testing. Over the past months we have constructed a new form of warfare. As many know, we fly thousands of ships using millions of dollars on fuel. Billions. From planet to planet with our new engine systems that move us at incredible speeds. But, we believe we can travel faster than the speed of light. This is exciting because we can create warp travel. Means of getting from one planet to the next in minutes. One galaxy to another in say an hour or even less. And for future wars, we could send troops into a decided location without having to deal with the front lines of battle. We’d be virtually unstoppable. Today we tested the power links to the warp drive. Everything seems to be set. Tomorrow we will open the dimensional rift.”

“Doctor Gerard Leron Test Library, Reading File 002.”

“Day Two has been a massive success! I can’t believe it actually worked. The portal opened. We’ve successfully closed it. This is absolutely incredible… Mara! Open up the champagne!” He laughed on the recording. “We’ll be running tests over the next few days to make sure it’s stable. Then it will be ready for ship attachment and further tests. I, I’ve changed everything.”

“Doctor Gerard Leron Test Library, Reading File 003.”

“Everything is stable. We’ve gotten a few strange readings on different members in the lab, and soldiers in the outpost. Energy readings have skyrocketed. Nothing to worry about at the moment. Most likely it’s remnants of the rift being opened. I probably need to get some sleep. I’ve stayed up so often the last few days that I think I might be hallucinating a bit. Hearing whispers.”

“Doctor Gerard Leron Test Library, Reading File 004.”

“Everyone is hearing whispers. It’s not only me. My colleagues believe I should keep the rift closed and abandon testing. This is what I’ve been working for my whole life. This will change lives. Save lives. My name will go down forever in the annals of history…”

The panel beeped several times and seemed like it malfunctioned.

“Doctor Gerard Leron Test Library, Reading File 011.”

“Whispers, whispers are more frequent. Footsteps. I feel like there’s something with me at all times. There might be something here. Maybe not. It’s speaking to me. I’m not a fool! Even now it speaks to me. I’ve let something in. There must have been some sort of entity that crawled out of that rift. A dimensional entity. What its intentions are, I can’t say…. No, no! I didn’t do it. Did not!”

“Doctor Gerard Leron Test Library, Reading File 016.”

“Daniel slit his throat. I saw him. Right here in the lab. Walked and walked. Talking to himself or someone, or something. But not to us. He broke the glass. Picked it up and he looked at me. He smiled as he slit his throat. Called me a rapist. I’m not… I’m not.”

“Doctor Gerard Leron Test Library, Reading File 019.”

“Three soldiers gutted themselves with knives in the cafeteria. So much blood. I didn’t rape her. No, I didn’t. I won’t do it again. I did not admit to it! You’re twisting my words. Can’t test the rift. I won’t. Have to keep this thing, whatever it is… at bay.”

“Doctor Gerard Leron Test Library, Reading File 022.”

“Fletcher’s gone. I don’t know where. Thing, it wants to escape. Only one ship here. I know what I need to do. No, I won’t do it! NO!”

“Doctor, what’s wrong?”

“Mara! Get out of here, run… run!”

The sound of Mara’s scream sounds over the recording.

“Doctor Gerard Leron Test Library, Reading File 024.”

“She felt so good. I wanted her… So attractive. Bitch would never be with someone like me. Never. Had to do it, had to. I didn’t want to, you made me. You made me do it! I have to do something.”

“Doctor Gerard Leron Test Library, Reading File 025.”

“Ship is down. I’ve won… What? No, I won’t call them. I won’t stay! Where is Mara? Oh God… I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry. This isn’t me I swear it. Test is an absolute failure.”

A door opens.

“Oh God! Mara, what did you do?! What did you do to her? No, don’t get any closer. No! Get her off! Get her off! GET HER OFF!” His screaming goes on painfully long.

“Doctor Gerard Leron Test Library, Reading File 030.”

“You will come. You will all come. Can pick up the radiowaves. Yes, yes. Five will come. Five will die. We shall leave, I shall leave. Be free. Burn it. Take you to places you wouldn’t believe. No one understands the meaning of pain. But they will. No eyes, no eyes to see. No eyes to hear. No tongue. Not needed to truly see as I can.”

“Doctor Gerard Leron Test Library Ended. Download Complete.”

Riley and Liam were frozen still. Staring at each other. Weapons held close as possible. The dawn of realization coming over them. The doctor was alive. Maybe two of them. 

“We need to find our team and get out of here. I’m not staying in this fucking place.” Riley began to panic.

Liam rushed to her and gripped her shoulders. “Whatever is here needs to get out. But we also need to destroy the gateway. No one should ever have this. There has to be a self destruct sequence.” He entered in keys on the panel, and soon he found the sequence. The failsafe. 

“I’m going to enter in the timer. I’ll set it for an hour in case we encounter heavy resistance getting back to our ship. Riley, I need you to watch outside. Shoot anything that looks fucked up.”

“Trade me the rifle.”

Liam tossed the rifle, and he took the handgun while Riley went outside and took up her post. He pressed on the keys to activate the self-destruct. A passcode entry bar appeared.

“Son of a bitch!”

He typed in a word. “Passcode denied.”

He curled up his fist. Taking time to think about what he had heard over the file recordings. There had to be something there. A clue to what the code might be. Liam clawed desperately though his mind to find the answer.

[i]I can’t let you do this. Won’t.[/i]

Liam turned his head around.

[i]You don’t see. But you will.[/i]

Back to facing the panel, Liam tuned the voice out of his mind. Even if the whispers continued, he refused to acknowledge them. There was nothing there for the voice to dig out.

[i]Not a hero. Never will be. No one will remember you. Not like your father cared about you.[/i]

“Shut up…”

[i]Touched you. Beat you. Not pain.[/i]

“Shut the fuck up!”

[i]You don’t know pain. Not yet.[/i]

He entered in another code. “Passcode denied.”

“Fuck!”

[hr]

Adrian kneeled alone, in the midst of a jungle. Rain poured down on his helmet. Flashes of lightning illuminated the dark void that engulfed him. Bodies were everywhere. Corpses being covered in water and mud. Their blood seeping into the rivers of water. Crimson streaked mud streams flowing down the hill. Adrian had his hand on a man’s face. Caressing his cheek.

“Not this place, please. Anywhere but here. I’m sorry… I’m sorry I ran. I should’ve been here.”

He stood up and walked over the field. Aratan and Lyanaise bodies everywhere. His entire team wiped out. There were so many. 

“All dead… All dead.”

He walked around and fell to the ground. Sobbing inconsolably. He heard squishing steps in the mud. It was him, all armored up with his heavy machine gun. 

“That’s not me.”

But it was. The other Adrian fired off every single bullet of his machine gun into the air. When nothing was left, he dropped to the ground and lied there. Looking up into the night’s sky. Letting the raindrops pound his face. Morning came… Hero born. Last soldier standing in his squad. Killed several Lyainaise. Hero. A hero.

[i]Liar.[/i]

[hr]

“I am. I am a liar.” Adrian wept.

Rei and Vince got closer to him.

“No, no!”

“Adrian, what’s happening? Tell us.”

Adrian backed up to the window. He raised his gun at them.

“Adrian, please!” Rei pleaded. “Stop this, put the gun down.” She felt the shiver of fear stab down her body. Causing her to tremble.

[i]You could have saved them. Saved a few.[/i]

“Could have saved them.”

[i]Hero. Could have been a true hero.[/i]

“True hero.”

“Adrian!”

[i]Liar. Fraud. Worthless. Pathetic.[/i]

Adrian couldn’t stop the tears as the one thought came to his head.

[i]Do it.[/i]

He moved the gun up and over to point to his head. Vince pushed off Rei to stop him, rushing towards him.

“Adrian, no!”

BANG!

Blood splattered across the window. Adrian’s lifeless body fell with a sickening thump to the ground. His life bleeding out onto the floor in a puddle. Rei let out a bloodcurdling scream. She clung onto Vince’s arm, refusing to let go. Vince was speechless, standing over his ally’s body. He was drafted. Going to be a pilot who never saw the front lines. Not meant to see things like this.

[i]Coward.[/i]

“We, we need to get out of here.”

“But the others. Liam and Riley.”

“There’s something wrong with this place. We need to get out of here!”

[i]Run run run. Fly away if you can little birdie. If you can.[/i]

The voice was feminine. And it began to sing a sick lullaby.

[i]Fly, fly. Fly away. If you don’t, you’re here to stay.[/i]

“We can’t just leave them behind!”

[i]If you don’t, I’ll tear your eyes out you stupid bitch.[/i] The whisper came to her in the sound of Riley’s voice. Rei shook her head. That wasn’t Riley. It couldn’t have been. 

“Vince!” She yelled after him when he took off. One of the doors he went to closed before he got there. The lights in the room began flickering. Rei chased after him as he charged towards one of the different exits. She stopped cold as his way was blocked by the woman with her eyes sowed shut. Streams of crimson trickling from her lack of ears down her neck. Drip drip dripping to the floor.

“Here to stay.” She said and grabbed a hold of him. Vince screamed and shot blind shots. Hitting her stomach but she didn’t react to it. Dragging him out into the hallway as the door closed. Only a window out to the flickering hallway. Rei could only see their two shadows in the hallway and heard Vince’s horrible terror. His shrieking. Shadows of blood and limbs flying on the wall. Sprays of blood splattered on the window. The screaming stopped. Rei’s pulse beat nonstop. THUD! She screamed when Vince’s removed head was slammed against the window and dragged across until all she could see was the face of the woman.

[i]Fly, fly. Fly away. If you don’t, you’re here to stay.[/i]

Rei ran out of the room. Firing random gunshots behind her. 

[hr]

Riley stood guard watching for everything. If anything moved, it was going to die. The only way to survive was to kill. That was true on the front and it was true here. Her nerves were shaky, but her trigger finger felt steady. Alert and unable to relax, like she never left the front lines.

[i]You are my puppet.[/i]

[i]Monster. Murderer.[/i]

She told herself not to listen to the whispers. Ignore the voices that the Doctor could not. Riley controlled herself, nothing else.

[i]Are you sure? What about then?[/i]

That was different. Had to be different. Days, weeks, months with lack of sleep. Tired, thirsty and hungry. Tragedy struck and many soldiers were snapping every day. She snapped. Didn’t mean she was a monster. She was forced into it. No trust, there couldn’t be any. Them or her. 

The voice laughed cruelly and Riley nearly broke down crying. But she sucked the breath back in and stood still.

[i]You can never leave… Animal.[/i]

Riley found herself on Rylieu at her encampment. She was cuddled up next to Leon. Ring on his finger. A ring on hers. He smiled down on her with that grin which never failed to soften her. His hand glided through her hair, soft touch soothing the pain and exhaustion that weighed on her body. Then there was the sound of men outside. Moving and talking.

She knew where she was.

“Don’t go!” But he couldn’t hear her. Like she wasn’t there with him. Leon got up and grabbed his weapons. He put on his pants.

“Just stay put and get rest. I’ll be right back.”

“Stay here!” She reached out but it was too late to grab him. He had taken off. Riley jumped up and chased after him. There was a Lyanaise man, and his son it seemed. Hands raised. Walking forward. Just a kid, just a kid. Everything’s fine. Leon and another soldier went on both sides of the two of them. He reached around the kid and felt something under his shirt. Leon looked down and the father saw. The father yelled words in Lyanaise.

Great flash. The boom rung in her ears as she fell to the ground. Ringing not stopping. A year later and she felt like she could still hear the ringing of the bomb. Could never forget the sight of Leon after that. Frozen still with pain and agony boiling inside. Surging up inside of her.

Riley screamed with utter rage as hatred consumed her heart. The Lyanaise were no longer people. Animals that needed to be put down. Monsters and killers. Not worthy of trust.

She found herself with surrendering captives. Riley slaughtered endless troops. The dead soldiers etched on her soul forever. But then there was that village. That home. Husband, wife, child. Locked inside, begging for help but unable to leave with bullets lodged in their legs. Her bullets. She saw herself click open the lighter. Flame waved into the air. Then the terrible shrieking as the fire burned and burned. Until the hut was ash, and the family scorched. Revenge. Collateral damage. The words she used. Deserved it. They had to have deserved it. 

Riley cried herself to sleep that night. 

“Murderer.”

Riley turned to see a woman standing there. She turned away after seeing her horrifying face. But the woman only came closer. The chiding tone in her voice as she whispered into her ear.

“Afraid to look at me? Do I look like a monster? Why, I’m only you. Only you.”

“No…”

The woman’s laughter came out unnatural, like a sputtering series of fingernails scratching against a chalkboard. And it never ended. Her laugh went on and on and on. Dragging. Becoming louder in Riley’s head until it was booming. Her head felt ready to burst. Until at last she screamed in fury.

[hr]

“Come on, come on!” Liam tried again.

“Passcode denied.”

[i]Failure. What he saw in you. Nothing. Nothing but failure. He was right.[/i]

He sunk his fingers against his head, almost scratching himself. Don’t listen to it. Lies, or truth. A bit of both to get at him. There had to be something for the password. But nothing scientific was working. Not the names of others. None of it made any sense. Perhaps… Perhaps it was changed later.

[i]Can’t see. Won’t do it. Blind to pain. Real pain. Never sees.[/i]

Liam tried one last word. He typed in ‘see’. 

“Passcode accepted.”

Now he set the explosion time. The self-destruction of the entire outpost was set. Time began to tick away when Liam ripped his head around at the sound of Riley’s scream outside the door.

[hr]






[/hider]

[hider=A Tale of Two Soldiers]
[@Keyguyperson]

[center][h1]A Tale of Two Soldiers[/h1][/center]

[hr]
The sun of Matrouh shone down on the rolling desert sands of its light side, the constant wind of the tidally-locked world the only thing that cooled the men of the 69th Infantry Brigade. The battle for the planet had been raging for almost a month, but the constant light had a way of messing with one's senses. In fact, despite the ever-present sun, it was almost midnight. It was as if it hadn't even been a day since the Terrans had landed. Combined with the heat, the disorientation was taking quite a toll on both Carina and Terran forces.

What little protection the dunes offered was augmented by sandbags, still a common sight on battlefields. The tightly-packed sand held within was, surprisingly, enough to stop a handheld railgun slug. Of course, it was absolutely useless against anything else. Despite the somewhat subpar cover, neither army had managed to breach the other's lines. They were both just too dug in to be broken.

The railgun of Yehiel Chatzkel laid upon the barrier of sandbags, besides those of the rest of his division. He stood out like a sore thumb in the line of lightly-furred Carina. His stark white wings made it quite clear that he was a Murtaden, a far cry from the vaguely marsupial Carina. The Carina Empire had few Murtaden in its ranks, and he hadn't met another in quite some time.

He felt lucky about his assignment to Matrouh, and the sector as a whole to a lesser extent. The Terrans were notorious for their cruelty to the Murtaden, but the Terran officer assigned to take Matrouh was known for his relative mercy towards them. If he was captured, he likely wouldn't end up in the worst case scenario of a Terran death camp. Unfortunately, the same officer was better known for his tactical genius than his mercy.

"You must be feeling pretty good." Said a soldier next to Yehiel, surprising him. He hadn't really noticed his brothers-in-arms, and as much as he wanted to believe it was because he was too focused on scanning the horizon for the enemy, his ignorance was the result of him being half-asleep.

"Huh?" He responded, turning to look at the man. Like most of the other Carina, he was licking his forearms in an attempt to cool them off. It was an odd thing for a Murtaden, but to the Carina, it was just a natural reaction to heat.

"You don't have to deal with the fur." Said the man, in-between licks. "With the wind, I bet you're just fine. Especially with that water on you."

"No, I'm just as hot as you. That's sweat."

The other soldier looked confused for a moment, despite the obvious drops of sweat on Yehiel's skin. It was a reaction Yehiel had gotten a lot during basic training. Though Carina sweat, the only sign of it they had was wet fur. Very rarely did one realize that someone without fur was actually sweating, instead thinking it was just something that had been spilled on them. It went both ways, too. Furless, sweating species almost never noticed a Carina's sweat.

"So [i]that's[/i] what that is." Said the soldier, laughing. "I thought someone had to wake you up by pouring water on your head!"

"Well of course that's not what happened, nobody can sleep in [i]this[/i] heat!"

The two shared a laugh, an action that despite all the differences between their species, was common to both of them. For that brief moment, neither cared about the battle.

[hr]

"Sergeant Günther!" Said Hariwini, turning to face the Terran soldier who had rushed into his tent. He was clearly hoping to hear some good news, Günther, however, was clearly about to deliver the exact opposite. "Do we have our supplies?"

"The fleet went down, Field Marshall." Said Günther, his head held low as if the loss was a result of his own blunder. "It was intercepted by Free Saggitarius ships in the Galactic Core. The only ship to make it was bringing provisions."

Hariwini sighed, leaning down on the table in the center of the tent. The map upon it ripped slightly as his hands pushed it apart.

"Fantastic." He said sarcastically "We get to run out of fuel and ammunition before we run out of food."

Günther was silent. Hariwini had always cared about his men, sometimes more than they cared about themselves. The battle wasn't going well, and Hariwini knew it more than any other. The way things were going, his forces would have to retreat to Matrouh's green belt. A retreat would be costly. If they lost the planet itself then they would have to avoid the Carina starfleet, a force renowned for centuries for its size and expertise. 

"Damn those Norma! If their High Command knew what the hell they were doing, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

A gust of wind came in through the tent's doorway, bringing sand with it. The gust threw the sand up onto the table, sprinkling it all over the map. Hariwini growled quietly, dusting it off violently. As he did so, he couldn't help but wonder what right Matrouh had to be such a strategically important world. The only things that actually mattered on it were the outposts on the light side, which let the Carina ships refuel on their way to the two main Naval theaters of the war. If not for them, the planet would be nothing more than a tiny little colony.

"Sir, our defensive lines are still strong. I'm sure we can hold out long enough for-"

"This operation failed the moment we were cut off! The worst part is that Könntesein will kill me if I pull us out! We need reinforcements that don't exist, dammit! I can't pull this off!"

"Sir, you just said it yourself, we can't retreat. You're the Wolf of the Core, surely you can pull this off!"

"Sergeant, you are dismissed."

Hariwini hung his head in defeat, clutching the map tightly with his fingers. The worst had come to pass, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He made it clear to Günther that he had no desire to hear the words "Wolf of the Core" anytime soon.

"Understood, Sir" Said Günther, leaving the tent.

[i]Surely he just needs to think about it.[/i] He thought, reassuring himself as he walked back out into the sweltering heat of the desert. [i]He's the Wolf of the Core, he always has a plan.[/i]

[hr]
The noise of moving tank treads could be heard in the distance as reinforcements from the other defensive locations closed in. None of the tank crews were particularly excited with the idea of going up against the far superior Terran hovertanks, but they had little choice. Even with their supplies cut off, the Terrans were holding their lines well thanks to their minefield. If the Carina wanted to reclaim the rest of the planet, they would have to act before enemy supplies managed to get through.

A dust storm loomed on the horizon, not a major one, but a dust storm nonetheless. Seeing an opportunity, the Carina General had hastily put together a plan. He had ordered the 69th and 24th Infantry Brigades, along with two armored forces and a Corps of soldiers from one of the Carina colonies in the Lower Galactic Core, to breach the Terran lines. The soldiers from the LGC were to make a hole in the Terran minefield near one of the many ridges on the battlefield, through which the 69th and 24th would advance and take their respective objectives. The armored forces were both ordered to disrupt the Terran communications lines. Combined with the cover given by the dust storm, it was hoped that after three separate tries, the Carina would finally defeat the Terrans.

Already, the LGC Corps was advancing for the minefield. By midnight, the dust storm would have arrived and they would have breached the mines. The Terrans wouldn't be expecting an attack in the middle of a dust storm, which gave the Carina a major advantage. For once, they would be carrying out an attack that gave them the advantage. Everyone was sure that this was it, that this would be the last time they would have to assault the Terran lines on the light side of Matrouh.

Despite how successful the operation was set up to be, everyone was tense. Just because the operation would succeed didn't mean there wasn't any danger. The Terrans were some of the best fighters in the galaxy, and everybody knew that there would be casualties. Everyone had the same chances of being wounded, the same chances of dying. The father of three could die just like the young man of eighteen, the slug of a railgun doesn't care who it hits.

Yehiel knelt behind the sandbags, watching the LGC Corps leave the safety of the defensive position. He'd survived the Battle on Alazag, but that was just luck. Luck that he feared had run out.

The General was giving a speech, talking about the importance of Matrouh and how everybody had to be at their best for the operation to succeed. Nobody was listening, of course. It was the same thing they had been told the last two times they attacked the Terran lines, there was no need to hear it again. In fact, it was probably better that they didn't hear it. All it would do would be to remind them of the past failures.

"We move on the signal of the LGC Corps!" Yelled the General, finishing his speech. It was the only part anyone heard, purely because it was voiced as an order.

"Yes Sir!" Came the unanimous reply of the soldiers who had reached the staging area. Their voiced enthusiasm was a flawlessly executed performance.

[hr]
"Problems with the dust, Sergeant?"

Günther was in the middle of a coughing fit thanks to the sand that flew all around the air. He'd always had a hard time dealing with it, and the assignment to the Galactic Core had been a nightmare for him. The inhabited planets were mostly desert, and he'd had to endure much worse dust storms. The only upside was that Hariwini cared about his soldiers more than he did their body count, which was unfortunately an abnormality among Terran generals.

"Yeah." Said Günther, pausing as he coughed. "But I'm more worried about what comes with it. Hariwini expects the Carina to use it as cover for an attack. He's ordered everyone into defensive positions, but in these conditions, it'll be hard to stop them before it's too late."

"He's the Wolf of the Core, I'm sure-" Began the other soldier, but he was cut off by the sound of explosions in the distance. The minefield was being set off.

"Enough talk, Private. Wake the rest of the squad, we'll be needed soon."

"Yes Sir!" The soldier said, saluting before he ran off to the tents.

The other soldiers were rushing around the camp, some of them only recently haven been woken. They were grabbing their railguns and preparing the tanks for battle, some of them running down the ridge to man defensive turrets. Nobody was wondering whether or not they would drive off the attack, they had succeeded the other two times. They were just wondering whether or not they would live or die.

[i]Looks like Hariwini was right again.[/i] Thought Günther [i]I just hope that we haven't bitten off more than we can chew.[/i]

[hr]
[i]At least the General made the right decision.[/i] Thought Yehiel, staring ahead into the dust storm. Of course, the only reason he knew it was ahead was because everyone else was looking that way. Visibility was practically zero in the dust storm, making the advance much safer. While it might make it harder to spot enemies, the same went for the Terrans. Once they had made it through their lines, they could easily take their objectives from the unsuspecting soldiers guarding them.

A flare went up deep within the dust storm, just barely bright enough to be seen. It was the signal to advance. Almost immediately, the Carina moved out. The tank below Yehiel lurched as it began to move, an unfortunate side effect of having treads. Terrans got the luxury of having smooth acceleration when they rode on top of their tanks.

Normally, the infantry would be riding inside of APCs, but they had lost most of the vehicles to the Terrans in the last two attacks. Riding on top of tanks was the only way to get most of the 69th to the front, not that it was a rare sight. Most soldiers remembered a time when they had to ride on a tank during either an attack or a simple relocation. After all, APCs weren't known for their ability to combat tanks, especially not Terran ones.

An explosion went off nearby, but all Yehiel could see was the flash. It was a tank that had crossed the edge of the gap in the minefield, sentencing its crew to death. At least, that's what he hoped it had been. The only alternative was artillery fire, which would make it clear that the Terrans knew where they were. If they did, then the operation would be a complete failure. 

He felt the tank begin to slow, prompting him and the rest of his squad to jump off into the desert sands. The rest of the soldiers were doing the same, and some of the tanks turned their turrets to the left and the right to cover the departing troops. Everything seemed to be going perfectly, but the orderly departure of the troops was interrupted by a scream. Nobody knew who it belonged to, but everyone heard it loud and clear.

[b]"TERRANS ON THE LEFT FLANK!"[/b]

Sure enough, a stream of railgun slugs flew towards the 69th. Yehiel ran to the nearest cover that there was, a small rock just in front of him. He returned fire with his own railgun, but in the dust storm, it was doubtful that he actually managed to hit anything. If he had, then he was lucky in more ways than one thanks to the low visibility of the dust storm. He wouldn't need to know the face of the man he killed.

The tanks opened fire in tandem with the rest of the 69th, the thunderous sound of their cannons shaking Yehiel's chest. Squads rushed forward, some being hit by enemy fire, some being lucky enough to make it to cover. The commander of Yehiel's squad yelled for an advance, and he obeyed. Railgun slugs flew past him, some just barely missing him. His luck hadn't run out just yet.

"Keep pushing!" Yelled the Sergeant, and Yehiel once again obeyed. As he rushed forward into the Terran fire, he prayed silently in his head. Praying that the Terran fire pass him by.

But the slug of a railgun doesn't care who it hits.

He fell onto the sand, dropping his railgun. White feathers stained with the crimson red of blood flew up into the dust storm, carried away by its wind. The shredded remains of his left wing lay on the ground beside him, blood pouring out onto the already tainted sand. The pain was simply too much. All he could sense in that moment was the horrid pain in his wing. He couldn't stand, he couldn't even move. All he could do was cry out in the bloodcurdling scream of a soldier in pain

[hr]
The [i]br-zap[/i] of railguns filled the ears of Günther as he blindly fired his own weapon into the dust storm. The Carina forces had arrived, and the Terrans were prepared. Even so, it was obvious that they would need to pull back. While they expected the attack, they didn't expect the entire enemy force to arrive at the same time. Most of the heavy forces were being held back, the idea having been that the Carina would have continued their advance if they thought they could still succeed. Unfortunately, the enemy was better prepared than they had anticipated.

"Get to cover!" He yelled to his squad, ducking behind a rock. "Hold them as long as you can!"

A tank shell landed near another soldier next to him, sending shrapnel into them as they fell out of cover to be hit by an enemy railgun slug. Some of the shrapnel hit Günther himself, but he was lucky enough to have it be stopped by his armor. Mostly, that is. Some of it tore into his arm, enough to cause him to yelp out in pain, but not enough to make him useless. He lifted his railgun and fired a barrage towards the Carina, hoping that he might, by some coincidence, hit whoever killed the soldier next to him.

A railgun fired from behind a nearby rock, its slugs just barely missing Günther. The Carina had gained so much ground in so little time, there was barely any reason to even try to hold the position.

"ALL FORCES, FALL BACK!" Yelled the Captain of his Company, and Günther thanked God that the Captain knew when to quit. He raised his railgun once more, firing at the rock nearby.

"I'll cover your retreat, get out of here!" He yelled to his squad, who didn't question the order for a second. The Carina behind the rock looked out to aim for a shot, and Günther immediately opened fire. One of his slugs hit the man right in the head, the force was enough to kill him instantly.

Günther himself started to fall back, diving over another rock behind him and firing a few shots. The nearest cover was a sand dune nearly parallel to him, aside from it, there was another, smaller rock a ways behind him. He chose to go for the sand dune, which provided more cover and was closer. It also let him cover the retreat of his squad better, since it was closer to the enemy.

He jumped out of cover and ran to the dune, just barely making it through the Carina fire. He took a moment to catch his breath, looking around him to see it anyone else was at the dune. As it happened, someone else had made it. The moment Günther laid eyes on the red-furred alien, he knew that he had made the last mistake of his life.

A hail of railgun slugs from the Carina soldier hit Günther, dropping him onto the ground. He was barely alive, not that it mattered. There was no way he would survive. He accepted his fate, closing his eyes, he made what he thought would be his last plea.

[i]Let the squad make it out of this.[/i]

[hr]
Yehiel awoke to the coughing fit of a soldier next to him, his wing still burning with pain. Openeing his eyes, he found himself on a cot in the medical tent at one of the defensive posts along the line. Doctors rushed around the tent, desperately trying to keep everyone inside of it alive. As much as they tried, there would still be deaths. It was an inevitable fact of medicine that some patients will be lost. Even so, they still tried. If a single man lived when he could have died, then they had won a victory.

He closed his eyes again, the light was just too much. The soldier next to him kept coughing, making Yehiel notice the ever-present dust that had made its way into even the medical tent. A few others were coughing-for obvious reasons-but none of them like him. Yehiel opened his eyes for a brief moment to look at the soldier, and he saw that he had lost both his legs, not to mention plenty of blood. His skin was pale and bare, the closest thing to fur being his short-cut, blonde hair. A pair of dog tags lay on a stool between the two cots, reading "Sgt Günther, 7th Motor Brigade". He was a Terran.

Yehiel couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

He reached out for Günther's hand, clasping it with his own. Günther opened his own eyes, looking over at Yehiel. He could only keep them open for a split second, but it was enough to see Yehiel's wings. With the strength he had, he returned the gesture and clasped Yehiel's hand. Neither of them cared that they could have been firing at each other, neither of them cared that the other could have been the one who hit them. In that moment, they just cared that both of them were people, people in the same situation.

"Viel glück." Whispered Günther, his grasp on Yehiel's hand slowly slipping. Yehiel just held Günther's hand harder, refusing to let it go. He didn't know any Terran languages, but he could tell what the words meant.

"Viel glück." He responded, once again tightening his grip. He opened his eyes for just a moment before he fell asleep in his exhaustion.

Günther was smiling.

[hr]
Yehiel woke up again, finding a doctor standing above him. He looked over to the cot where Günther had been, finding it empty. There was warm metal in his hand, an oddity which he couldn't help but investigate. He brought his hand up to his eyes, opening it to find Günther's dog tags.

"What happened to the soldier next to me?" He asked the doctor, setting his hand down beside him, still clutching the dog tags.

"He died during the night, you were still holding hands."

[center][hider=Author's Note]
This story is loosely based off of the First Battle of El Alamein, thus the name of the planet (Matrouh), which is the name of the Egyptian Governate which El Alamein is located in. Hariwini takes the role of Erwin Rommel, and I'm sure you understand the reference to his nickname. The Carina (From the Carina-Saggitarius arm, which also happens to be home to the analogue to the French) represent the British, the Norma are the Italians (From the Norma Arm, of course), and as they did in the other story of mine set in the same universe (Never Forget), the Terrans represent the Germans. Now, that's not the point of the story, of course. The point is that it's based on a true story.

There really were two soldiers, one British one German, who were injured in the battle of El Alamein (Whether it was the First or Second one I don't know, unfortunately). The were in a field hospital next to each other, and really did hold hands through the night. I'd talk about the references in the battle, but I feel like that's all you need to know.[/hider][/center]
[/hider]

[hider=The Birth of a Unlucky Star]
[@SilverWolfAngel]

[center][h3]The 'Birth' Of A Unlucky Star[/h3][/center]
[hr]
[center][hider=Footnotes at the head]
Any dialogue in bold indicates they are speaking silently. To those who can hear, it sounds just like normal speaking, only somehow discernible that it is inside one's head rather than ears.

Their senses blend more than ours, so they end up able to taste colours, smell numbers, see tastes, all sorts of weird combinations.

Notes on names.
– Alpha Centari aka Rigil Kent; is part of the constellation of Centaurus, also acting as one of two pointers for locating the Southern cross.
– Delta Crucis aka Palida; part of the Southern cross, or the Crux. Palida means pale in Romanian.
– Zeta Leonis aka Adhafera; part of the constellation of Leo. Situated in the mane.
– Beta Leonis aka Denebola; also part of the Leo constellation, in the tail. "In astrology, Denebola was believed to portend misfortune and disgrace." (according to Wikipedia)
[/hider][/center]

Nothing stayed still. Colours and sounds bleed together to create a swirling mass. 
Groaning I opened my eye, blearily rubbing at them with my hands. [color=ed1c24][i]Were am I? What happened?[/i][/color] Slowly things started to focus, the dingy alley in which I was slumped appearing in all it's graffitied glory. Dragging myself up with the rough brick wall at my back, I staggered out of the alley onto a brightly lit, neatly kept street, a vast contrast to the hole I'd just left. Blinking rapidly I glanced round, still with no idea where I was or what was happening. Stumbling a little, I started up the street, looking for anything I might remember, anything that might suggest somewhere I knew. It didn't seem to matter how many streets I wandered, nothing looked right. 

Eventually morning came, finding me collapsed on a park bench, my head of pale hair dropped in my hands. Somewhere along the way I had worked out that not only did I have no idea, [i]Where[/i] I was, nor how I had gotten there, I had no idea [i]Who[/i] I was either. I think I cried a little, it really was scary. I knew what things were, although I'd never seen them before, but I really I had no idea about anything. 

[color=6ecff6]"Hey, are you alright?"[/color] A voice jolted me out of my circling thoughts, the shadow falling over me snagging  my attention at the same time. Shocked I glanced up. Honestly he looked stunning, with his head of gold-blonde hair framing his sharp features, encircled by the pale blue morning sky, the sort that tastes of vanilla ice-cream. I'd never tell [i]him[/i] that of course. [color=6ecff6]"…Did you hear me? Miss?"[/color] he queried worry darting across his face, banished quickly by a smile as bright as the sunlight trickling down to where we were. [color=ed1c24]"Huh?"[/color] Was all I managed, apparently forming words was far more tricky than he made it look. [color=6ecff6][b]"I asked if you were alright."[/b][/color] His eyes were reminiscent of ice, I noted reaching for words. [color=ed1c24][b]"I… think so?"[/b][/color] somehow it came out more of a question, but that wasn't the strangest thing, no the whole fact that neither of us had actually spoken out loud for the last two sentences held first prize for that. [color=6ecff6]"So… you're the new star?"[/color] He eyed me, examining the shabby mess that barely counted as clothes, along with the long silver rat's nest that would have once been considered hair.[color=ed1c24][b]"The new What!?"[/b][/color] I exclaimed, standing up, [color=ed1c24][b]"You know who I am?"[/b][/color] 
[color=6ecff6]"Uh…"[/color] he backed up a step so I wasn't right in his face, and grinned; [color=6ecff6]"…Sorta?"[/color] Grabbing my wrist he continued, [color=6ecff6]"Come on, I'll show ya."[/color] And with that he was off, dragging me behind. [color=ed1c24][b]"Whoa!"[/b][/color] I called, struggling to keep up with his long strides. [color=ed1c24][b]"Slow down!"[/b][/color] All I got was his laugh floating back to me in the wind, reminding me forcefully of wind chimes, the fact that I hadn't seen or heard any since waking up didn't seem to be at all relevant to my ability to liken things. Shrugging as much as I could while being dragged behind blondie, I gave up thinking about it, instead focusing on catching up. 

We must have run back almost halfway to where I had started, before turning off into a vaguely clean side street, and pounding our way up a set of stairs. [color=6ecff6]"Here"[/color] Blondie stopped at a evening blue door, with a gold star painted round the peephole. Skidding to a stop behind him, I tried desperately not to send the both of us tumbling like pins, to absolutely no avail. We both went flying through the now open door, spilling out at a short, pale boy's fluffy-bunny-slipper clad feet. "Oph" We both groaned just as the new boy muttered out a quiet; [color=8882be]"Oh Leo. You're home."[/color] 
Blondie, sorry Leo, pulled himself up, dusting off the centuries worth that had clung to him. Apparently these guys never cleaned. Sneezing I dragged myself up behind him, honestly [color=ed1c24][i]how could they live here?[/i][/color] [color=6ecff6]"Hey Palida."[/color] Leo grinned, answering the unasked question with his next breath [color=6ecff6]"This here is our new star……"[/color] Suddenly he turned to me, the cool effect of his statement lost when he realized he didn't actually know my name. [color=6ecff6]"Uh… what is your name?"[/color]
[color=f7941d]"Nice one Leo, nice one."[/color] [color=ed1c24][i]Oh god[/i][/color] Here came a third boy, seriously, [color=ed1c24][i]where did they all come from?[/i][/color] [color=6ecff6]"Oi, Centari, any one else here?"[/color] Leo asked as a tall dark haired, olive skinned boy ducked in through the door behind us shaking his head. This was just too much, I couldn't take it anymore I had no memory from before today, and one of them was hard enough, but three of them even if one looked a lot like he wanted to disappear into a small black hole? Nope, far too much for me. The loose feelings bubbling up decided to burst right then, I don't really know exactly what I did, but I think it included smashing my fist into either the wall or Leo's face, although there was a high chance it was both, a theory reinforced by a yowl of pain from Leo's direction, and the throbbing of my knuckles. [color=6ecff6]"WHAT WAS THAT FOR!?"[/color] He roared, a hand clasped to his face. [color=ed1c24]"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!"[/color] I bellowed back, using real words for the first time. [color=f7941d]"You mean you haven't told him?"[/color] Centari questioned, followed by a defensive response from Leo; [color=6ecff6]"Hey, I thought it'd be better to leave it to someone who's been in the game longer!"[/color] Palida snorted, his small voice raised just enough to be heard over the others, [color=8882be]"Yeah, cause it's not like you haven't been around for a few millennia!"[/color] I just gawped, [i]Millennia was a long time right?[/i] [color=6ecff6]"BARELY TWO!"[/color] Leo hollered at him, [color=6ecff6]"LONGER THAN YOU!"[/color] 
[color=8882be]"PRECISELY!"[/color] Palida yelped winning that point. [color=f7941d]"WHO CARES!?"[/color] Centari called, [color=f7941d]"YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD HIM!"[/color] 
[color=6ecff6]"YOU'RE THE OLDEST, YOU TELL!"[/color] Leo shouted back. Considering I couldn't take it before, now was certainly no better, the yelling was going to do in my head. There was no way out, so I just played their game, picking a spot between insults and contradictions to project my own voice over the din, [color=ed1c24]"SHUT UP AND TELL ME WHAT"S GOING ON!"[/color] I was on fire, quite literally. I couldn't feel it, but the others too could probably see the spectral flames that danced off my body. 

[color=f7941d]"Okay. Okay,"[/color] Centari was the first to de-statuefiy, knocking Leo on the top of his head, and closing the door. [color=f7941d]"Come on, we'll tell you. Leo, go find something to drink, …Palida… scat."[/color] I thought that last bit sounded a tad harsh, but Palida grinned softly before hightailing it ahead of us through to a messy but gentle living room, with three different couches, two single seats and immeasurable numbers of beanbags and cushions littering the floor. The excessive blend of colours and textures dropped me into an overwhelming orgy of tastes, smells and numbers, indescribable with words. [color=8882be]"Like it?"[/color] Palida popped his head out of a blanket mountain by the window, blinking his midday eyes at me. I just nodded, overwhelmed, the flames vanishing as I calmed down. Out of a floor to ceiling window I could see a fair chunk of the city we were in, tall in some places and sprawling in others, it certainly was quite a sight. I got the feeling the others could also sense the simple happiness that filled this room. 

[color=f7941d]"Uh…"[/color] Centari broke in through my thoughts, [color=f7941d]"You woke up last night? Round what was probably midnight?"[/color] I nodded, not sure of the time, but it was probably right. Centari puffed out his cheeks, [color=f7941d]"Ah, okay, how do I say this?"[/color] He dropped down on a couch, indicating I should do the same. [color=f7941d]"Well, you're a star, the sort that burns in the sky. Uh… So are we, us here."[/color] he gestured at himself and the pile of blankets that hid Palida, [color=f7941d]"And… Stars are wishes, hopes and dreams, of pretty much every existence. We're all born from a wish. Doesn't really matter what the wish is as long as it's strong enough. But we can't help anything achieve their wish. We're only the final result, not the drive to reach it, they have to find that themselves. Depending on the specific wish that created us, we have uh……"[/color] 
[color=6ecff6]"Call them powers."[/color] Leo butted in from his position leaning against the doorframe with a tin in his hand. [color=6ecff6]"Or you could call them dispositions I guess."[/color] He continued, offering round the oversized cookies piled in the tin. [color=6ecff6]"Take Palida for example, his name means pale and his wish is to disappear, hence why he's currently hiding in a blanket fort. Comprende?"[/color] I frowned, shaking my head slightly, no I most certainly didn't understand. [color=f7941d]"Gahh… you're just making it more complicated than it needs to be!"[/color] Centari exclaimed, while Leo reeled back in mock hurt, [color=6ecff6]"How was [i]that[/i] complicated?"[/color] He demanded before Palida cut in, only showing his eyes above the rim of his nest. [color=8882be]"Ever heard the saying [i]'Reach for the stars'[/i]? well that's cause if they never reach for their dreams they'll never get anywhere. see?"[/color]
[color=6ecff6]"Man, that's completely off topic!"[/color] Leo burst out, scaring Palida back into hiding. [color=ed1c24]"Soo… why are we here then?"[/color] I asked, deciding I'd probably get further by asking questions then if I just left them to give me information. [color=6ecff6]"Here as in exist? Gotta find that out for yourself."[/color] Leo commented, leaning back on his couch, [color=6ecff6]"…or here and in right here, right now?"[/color] He stomped his foot as if to indicate he meant here as a place. [color=6ecff6]"Weeellll…… I don't know."[/color]
[color=ed1c24]"Hang on what?"[/color] I exclaimed frustrated, [color=ed1c24]"You don't know!?"[/color]
[color=6ecff6]"Nope, nor did we know you were coming, that's why bottom rungger's like us are the one's that sensed and found you."[/color] Leo seemed to have taken over explaining. [color=6ecff6]"Normally new stars get picked up within minutes of creation by a pro team, but recently nothing seems to be working, we haven't gotten shifted out; to be able to go back home, and no replacements come in. Stars disappear regularly, but recently they've been disappearing at an astonishing rate. There's a theory…"[/color] he leaned in conspiratorial like, [color=6ecff6]"…that some of the corrupted wishes have seized power."[/color] He leaned back, this smug look on his face, as if he'd just shared something amazing, but I just blinked stupidly at him, [color=ed1c24]"Corrupted wishes?"[/color] I asked blankly. 
[color=6ecff6]"Yeah, you know, there are lots of wishes for nice things,"[/color] he gestured at himself, [color=6ecff6]"passive things,"[/color] he gestured at Centuri, [color=6ecff6]"Inconsequential things, things that would only matter to them,"[/color] he gestured at Palida's strawberry crop that was barely visible, [color=6ecff6]"…And then there are corrupted wishes, things driven by greed, amongst others; Money, power, anything of that nature becomes a corrupted wish, and the star themselves go nuts, they start desiring the same as the wish that created them, and slowly they wriggle their way into getting it."[/color] I shivered slightly at the word power, it seemed to hold special meaning for me. [color=ed1c24]"Sooo…… one of these corrupted wishes got into power, and it's, like, uber corrupting them?"[/color] I tried to make sense of what Leo had said. [color=8882be]"Yep, pretty much."[/color] Was Palida's input to that particular part of the conversation. [color=ed1c24]"…And this is relevant to me… how?"[/color] 
[color=f7941d]"Well, it's not."[/color] Centari cut in before Leo could reply, [color=f7941d]"It's just a sidetrack."[/color]
[color=ed1c24]"Ok, fine. So then…… wait, are there any other girl stars?"[/color] I asked remembering Centari had used 'him' when referring to me. [color=8882be]"Yep"[/color] Palida answered, [color=8882be]"all the others in my group are girls. Well, I'm not sure about Intrometida though; far to busy being a nosy busy-body to tell us anything."[/color]
[color=f7941d]"What do you mean other?"[/color] Centari asked, tilting his head, [color=f7941d]"We're all boys. In about as much as stars have gender."[/color] Glancing across the room at Leo I couldn't hold it, nor apparently could he. We burst out laughing, filling the room with his wind-chimes and my hearty base rumble. [color=6ecff6]"oh, that's too funny, nice one Cen, nice one."[/color] Leo mimicked the first thing I'd ever heard Centari say, causing me to laugh a bit more, confounding poor Centari as he looked on at the two idiots falling off couches from laughing so much. [color=ed1c24]"I'm…"[/color] I chocked out, literally rolling on the floor, [color=ed1c24]"I'm a … a girl."[/color] which just sent us both off in another burst of giggles. [color=8882be]"Idiots"[/color] Was all Palida had to say as he pulled himself out of his hiding hole and headed off to answer the door. It didn't occur to me at the time that no one had knocked or rung the bell, and yet Palida knew there was someone there. 

Finally calming down enough to sit up I glanced at Centari, who's dumbstruck face was enough to set us off again, that is, until the sharp knife of the voice booming out from the hall sliced through the good mood. [color=808080]"Delta Crucis, we have reason to believe you are harboring a fugitive star going by the name of Beta Leonis."[/color] the voice was thick and mechanized, creepy in a way that seemed forced. [color=8882be]"Uh…… Leo!"[/color] Palida yelled, scuttling back into the lounge as Leo pulled himself together enough to 'greet' this likely unwelcome visitor. 

[color=808080]"Zeta Leonis, we have reason to believe you are harboring a fugitive star going by the name of Beta Leonis."[/color] the mechanical voice droned only changing the first two words. [color=6ecff6]"Uh… no."[/color] Leo snapped. [color=6ecff6]"We currently have one Delta Crucis or Palida. One Alpha Centari or Rigil Kent. And me, one Zeta Leonis or Adhafera. That's it."[/color] I could almost picture him standing in the door his arms crossed a frown dominating his face, his icy eyes glaring dangerously out at the thing that wanted to intrude. [color=808080]"I'm going to have to check."[/color] the meca-bot-voice decided, causing shivers down my spine. 

[color=f7941d][b]"This sounds bad."[/b][/color] Centari muttered in my ear. I jumped, when had he gotten beside me? [color=8882be][b]"Yep"[/b][/color] Palida whispered from the other side, making me jump [i]again[/i]. [color=ed1c24][b]"Geez really?"[/b][/color] I spat softly, [color=ed1c24][b]"So what do we do?"[/b][/color]
[color=f7941d][b]"Well we're nice, passive, and inconsequential wishes, so…… not much to be done. Palida will be able to get out easy, nice side effect of a wish to disappear, he tends to be able to do just that. Nether my wish, nor Leo's will help, and we don't even know yours, not to mention you'd have no control of anything. So that's out."[/b][/color] He looked at his hands stretching out long fingers. [color=8882be][b]"The window."[/b][/color] Palida stated, a crazy glint lighting up his eyes, making me think of late morning skies. [color=f7941d][b]"That's dangerous."[/b][/color] Centari warned, [color=f7941d][b]"It would require control."[/b][/color] 
[color=8882be][b]"So?"[/b][/color] Palida dismissed, [color=8882be][b]"we'll be fine."[/b][/color] Standing up he offered me a hand, everything vastly different to before; he no longer looked timid. Taking his hand I let him pull me up, tilting my head slightly as I asked [color=ed1c24][b]"The window?"[/b][/color] He flashed a grin, the sort you might find on Leo's face, and grabbed my hand, [color=8882be]"Jump when I do!"[/color] he whispered, somehow managing to make the moment even more dramatic. Centari clapped his hand to his head, leaning over and muttering a quick, [color=f7941d][b]"Whatever you do don't crash."[/b][/color]

With footsteps pounding through the hall, Centari backed up against the wall, pushing off and streaking at the window, bursting through in a shower of shining fragments, Palida tugging me behind him as we followed, leaping into space putting absolute trust into not going splat when we hit the ground. In front of me Centari faded, turning transparent, and drifting, a spirit. [color=8882be][b]"Sorry, gotta go"[/b][/color] Palida grinned ruefully before letting go of my wrist, sliding into a black gap and reappearing further along, and higher up, semi transparent and laughing like a loon. It took a few seconds for the shock to fully sink in. I was free falling. On my own. Even Leo was in some sort of spirit form, speeding past me. [color=ed1c24][i]Holy Hell![/i][/color] I might have screamed, but I certainly didn't hear it. The ground was rushing up so fast, way to fast. [color=ed1c24][i]Save me![/i][/color] I tried to work out how the others had de-solidified, but it escaped me. I think I was yelling and swearing at that point; afterwards Centari commented that he'd never heard anything quite so foul in his three millennia alive and that I should get my mouth washed out with soap. 

I snatched for the feeling from earlier when I was literally flaming, then shaping it oh so carefully into a pair of fire drenched wings, with which I used to slow my fall, gliding circles as I looked for the others, the sole determination not to crash keeping me aloft. Laughing I worked my way over to where the other three were coming in to land on a grassy stretch. I was so full of elation at having not gone 'splat' that it never occurred to me that I had no clue how to land. Gallantly I flapped my 'wings' before realizing that wasn't working and coming in with a skidding, sliding, face planting stop, my wings dissolving into dust. [color=6ecff6]"Well that was quite a sight."[/color] Leo commented, pulling me up, [color=6ecff6]"haven't seen many spirit wings before, certainly not fire ones."[/color] he grinned, about to add something when Centari butted in, [color=f7941d]"Hey guys, lets discuss this later, for now, we move."[/color] With that he strode off, pausing only to pick up Palida by the collar and drag him along as well. 

[color=6ecff6]"So…… you're from Leo as well?"[/color] Leo asked, [color=6ecff6]"The constellation I mean."[/color] I just shrugged as we jogged to catch up to Centari, [color=ed1c24]"I don't know. I don't know that, or my wish, or my name. Any of it."[/color]
[color=6ecff6]"You know you're kinda calm about this."[/color] He commented, [color=6ecff6]"You look like this,"[/color] he gestured at the filthy mess I was, [color=6ecff6]"you don't remember anything, and you're apparently a fugitive, and you're not freaking out at all?!"[/color] 
[color=ed1c24]"I did freak out."[/color] I flashed him a evil grin, [color=ed1c24]"That was when I smashed in your face."[/color]
[color=6ecff6]"Aoh"[/color] he gaped indignant, the bruise still shining on his cheek [color=6ecff6]"You di…"[/color] 
[color=f7941d]"Hurry up!"[/color] Centari bellowed, [color=f7941d]"get your asses up here, we need new clothes, especially for our new friend here. That bot can't fly in any version of the word, but It'll be following us as fast as possible. I think…"[/color] Even with the last two words undermining the credibility of his speech, we still hurried up, diving into the maze of the lower district of the city, following Centari, hoping like hell he knew where he was going.
[/hider]

[hider=Wise Men]"You're going to want to see this."

Catherine Manning let out a breath of vapor thick enough to cloud up her monitor. She despised interns more than she despised most people, which is why the door to her office was habitually shut. No one bothered the chief and the chief didn't roll any heads down the hall -- that was the unspoken arrangement, and the terms were perfectly clear to everyone at the station. Or at least they should have been. 

"I have a lot on my desk," she said, in a tone somehow dripping with malice despite its dryness. "Out with it, and be quick."
                  
The boy's eyes were wide with fear. Good. She presumed he belonged to the university, or she would have recognized his face. Nobody taught the young ones how to shave anymore. She felt embarrassed for him, and that made her even more sour, which made him look all the more afraid. "It's..." he managed, only just.

"Well?"

Peter's face appeared over the kid's shoulder, and with him Sanders and Foxley. She expected one of them to shepherd the student away from danger, but none of them did. They all had a similar, stopping demeanor that made her shift uncomfortably. Something was the matter. Something big.

Catherine stood. "Tell me on the way to control," she said. Her command was enough to break their collective stupor and set them on their feet. Foxley was mumbling timestamps and points of data which seemed wholly irrelevant, except to set the stage for some larger revelation. He was speaking quickly, and walking quicker -- enough so that Catherine found herself straining to keep pace and follow the conversation. That alone was enough to worry her. Her mind raced to map coordinates of stellar contacts, asteroids, lunar satellites, the ISS, the POSS (the Polar Orbit Space Station). "The gist is," Peter interrupted, offering a moment of clarity, "nothing was out of the ordinary. Until it was."

Peter was the only scientist competent enough to warrant a first-name basis. She caught his eye. "What's out there?" 

"See for yourself." They came over the threshold of the station's ops center, a brightly-lit sanctum of processors and raw data. The big screen, which normally mapped clouds of orbiting debris, had been commandeered for an unfamiliar text display. White letters on a dark yellow background, saying something that didn't make sense. "The Polar saw it first," Peter explained. "Seems that whoever is sending it is talking directly to them."

Her eyes raced over the lines. "Whoever, meaning who?"

"We don't know." Their entourage was surrounded now by a dozen or so techs, all rendered speechless. "It's not a trick," Peter said, reading Catherine's mind. "The signal strength is off the charts -- POSS couldn't make heads or tails of it until the magnitude came down by several orders. But it's still stronger than anything we've got."

"UNSOps?" UNSOps was the United Nations Space Operations command.

"POSS sent it to them, they patched us in. Wanna know what we make of it before they go to the press." 

"Why us?"

Catherine raised an eyebrow, deeply perplexed. Peter lowered his voice to a tone approaching solemnity. "Whatever they are, they're speaking English. UNSOps thinks it's for us." 

She didn't realize she was smoking until her breath came out opaque. Catherine shoved the cigarette into a pocket and stepped closer to the screen, reading the message again and comprehending it for the first time.

[b]GREAT JOY

WE HAVE FOLLOWED THE STAR

WE SEEK THE CHILD[/b]

"What does it mean?" Catherine asked, unthinking. No one replied. In the silence, she found her thoughts. "The star. What star?"

Sanders spoke up for the first time. His voice cracked a little. "We think it means Haley's, not an actual star. 'Follows' implies...."

"Good," Catherine cut him off. It was as good a conclusion as they could reach, and she didn't need to hear more. "What about the child? Best guess."

"We've got exactly nothing to go on," Sanders replied. "It's not worded like a threat. But it could mean anything."

"Christmas," said an unfamiliar voice. Catherine wheeled on the intern. "It's the Christmas story. The star, the child..." He trembled, as if suddenly realizing that he had the full attention of the brightest minds in the United States, but he blurted it out anyway. "That phrase, 'Great joy,' it's what the angels said when they talked to the shepherds in the fields."

It was a kid's story, but he was barely more than a kid himself. Catherine shook her head and willed her hand away from the cigarette. "You think we're talking to an angel?" she asked, incredulous. He shrank.

Peter came to his rescue, in a manner. "Why would the sender even know that story?" he asked, to no one in particular. "It has to be terrestrial. But...." But it it couldn't be, he didn't say. Peter was a signals expert, and he knew better than anyone the limitations of current technology. 

"What you're telling me is that an unknown source is broadcasting an unknown signal from an unknown location, and they know our bedtime stories." Catherine surrendered and took a draw. "They're talking to us in our language in terms we can understand. Christ's sake, there has to be an explanation." There was only one. "This is first contact." The notion had been dogging her since she first laid eyes on the text, but she'd assumed there was some alternative. 

"Maybe not," said Sanders. All eyes were on him now. "Well..... I can't explain the signal strength. Maybe this is..... Maybe [i]they are[/i]....." he trailed off momentarily, but never seemed to lose his train of thought. "But it can't be [i]first[/i] contact, can it? This isn't just English, this is a specific story, with specific cultural context. The odds against randomly stumbling on....." He blinked. "Maybe they've been here before."

Catherine rolled her eyes. Peter spoke. "We would have seen them." By 'we' he meant UNS Honolulu, this station, which tracked every object larger than a tin can within a hundred thousand miles of earth.

"They could have been watching our TV or listening to our radios, or...."

"No, only a handful of organizations have the equipment to transmit further than we can track, and the Catholic Church ain't one of them."

Catherine waved her hands. "It doesn't matter," she said. "One way or another, they know. They're watching us, or they're listening to us, or hell, maybe they're missionaries. It doesn't matter. Who is the child?" Her voice turned sour again. "Damn it, if this is what we think it is, then they came a long way to find 'THE CHILD.' Who is the child?!"

"Jesus," said the intern. Catherine muttered something a little too cruel, a little too loudly. "No, I mean, at the end of the story, Jesus is supposed to come back, right? What if they're looking for Jesus? [i]Actual[/i] Jesus?"

Catherine's frustration was boiling over. "What do you want to do -- go manger to manger, knocking on doors? It's a [i]story[/i] for christ's sake."

"Catherine." Peter pointed her back at the big screen. Around the room, phones were beginning to ring. A new line had appeared.

[b]WE BRING GIFTS[/b]

The new words came with a wave of frenzied activity. Amidst the commotion, the yellow screen flicked off, and the tracker came back online. Three new contacts had appeared in deep orbit. On this screen, size was indicated by a series of numbers adjacent to each point of contact. These numbers were horrifying. 

"ISS has visual contact," someone yelled from a phone station. He rattled off information, but none of it registered. This was real. It didn't make sense -- but it was real.

"POSS has them too. They're [i]huge[/i]!"

"UNSOps on the line."

"What can we do?" Catherine asked. The venom had gone out of her completely. Everything was slipping away. [i]It was real.[/i]

After a pause, Peter said poignantly, "We better find Jesus."

Catherine wasn't sure what he meant. It didn't matter. He was right.[/hider]

[hider=As Beautiful as the Stars]
[@WiseDragonGirl]

The night sky was adorned with thousands of small stars. The moon hung in the sky as a round, white disc, sending her silver light on the land below. A gentle breeze tucked playfully on the leaves of the sleeping trees and anything else that was light enough to be moved by it. The sound of an owl echoed through the night, breaking the prevailing silence, and a group of fireflies was dancing to music only they could hear.

On the trunk of a fallen tree a man and a woman sat alongside of each other. The man was dressed in the simple clothes of a travelling bard and he had his arm wrapped around her shoulders. The clothes the young woman were from a fine fabric only the wealthy could afford. 

“The stars are so pretty tonight,” the woman sighed as she leaned into the man.

“The stars aren’t nearly as pretty as you are, lady Catheryn,” he said to her as he turned his head towards her. The smile that accompanied his words showed in his eyes as well. Eyes that reflected the feelings he had for this woman in a way words would never be able to describe.

“You are exaggerating, Mikhal,” Catheryn spoke with a soft voice. Her long, red braid was pulled over her shoulder and dangled on her back as she turned her head to face him. She too smiled. What woman did not like to be compared to stars and deemed more beautiful?

“Not at all,” Mikhal retorted. “Not a single one of them can be compared to your beauty. And even if they adorn the night sky in a magnificent way, the stars are far away. You, my love, are within arms reach.”

The smile of Catheryn faded. She gracefully stood up from the trunk and walked a few steps forward. “But I will not stay within arms reach. You will leave tomorrow and you will undoubtedly meet many beautiful young woman on your journey. Will you even remember me?”

“Of course I will,” Mikhal said as he made one step in her direction. “Have I not returned to you after my last travel?” He could see that she looked at him and he crossed the distance between them. With a theatrical movement of his arm he gestured towards the sky. “Every time I will look at the stars I will think about this evening,” he said with passion in his voice. In flowing movement he brought his arm down and he gently took her hand. “Any song I sing about love or a beautiful woman,” he continued with a softer voice, “I sing about you. You are my muse, my dear Catheryn. You are my love. You are the unmoving beacon that guides me towards you.” He pointed to the north where a bright star could be seen close to the horizon. “Like the bright North Star that guides ships to where they have to be.”

“Poetic as always,” Catheryn said with a loving smile as she reached out with her free hand and gently touched Mikhal’s cheek. “Father does not approve of you.”

Mikhal brought the hand he held to his lips so he could give a gentle kiss on it. “I know, my love. He is rich and I am not. He fears I cannot provide for you and give you the life you are used to. And he is right, I cannot give you that live.”

“I will be happy with any live you give me, Mikhal!”

The smile Mikhal had for Catheryn was filled with love. “Your words fill me with joy, but I will prove to your father I can provide for you.” He took both her hands in his own. “I will earn an honest coin with my songs in the cities and villages I visit and I will bring back a bag of coins that will impress your father. And then I will ask for your hand in marriage.” He reached out with his hand and stroke the side of her face. “Let me steal this kiss tonight,” he whispered as he brought his lips closer to hers. “And let the moon and the stars be the witnesses of our love.” As their lips touched, Mikhal wrapped his arms around Catheryn. And Catheryn kissed him back as passionately as he kissed her.
After that moment in which the world seemed to have shrunk down to just the two of them, Mikhal gently pulled his head back and looked at her with loving eyes. He couldn’t do anything but smile when his eyes met that pretty face of hers. “I have written a new song,” he whispered. “About a beautiful princess of the north who placed a bright star in the sky to guide her lover towards her. May I sing it for you?”
“Of course you may,” Catheryn whispered back to him.

Mikhal let go of his lady and walked back to his lute. He sat down on the trunk once more and placed the lute on his knee. Catheryn sat down next to him, gracefully as a woman of her status was ought to. She listened to him as he sang the song for her with his clear voice while plucking the strings of the lute to produce a gentle melody that fit the words. They both knew Mikhal would leave to travel the lands the very next day, neither let that ruin their evening together. This night belonged to the lovers, with only the silent lights in the sky as their witness.
[/hider]

[hider=Per Aspera, Ad Astra]

They say that only the good die young.

Perhaps that is true, perhaps it is not. I am not here to lecture about philosophy. I am here to tell you of the demise of a young girl.

Astraea Johnson was only fifteen when she left this world.

Astraea, or Astie, as I called her, was full of life. She was graceful, benevolent, and empathic, and she touched the heart of every person she ever met. I have been fortunate enough to spend the majority of my life by her side; as a companion, a champion, and a confidant.

I first met Astie when she was five years old. She was so nervous, at orientation for new kindergarteners. I was so proud that I could help her, with all of the sage knowledge of a second grader, that I could show her around the school and make her laugh at my antics. At the end of the tour she met my eyes, her beautiful ice-blue eyes glittering with some joke that only she could understand, and she kissed my cheek and said, “I should like to be your friend, someday.”

What did that even mean?

When I was young, I thought that meant spending all my days playing with her, when no one else would. We spent so long together that I thought that surely then I would be her friend. But I asked her if that made me worthy, and she smiled and kissed me on the cheek and said no, her eyes shining with that same cosmic joke.

When we went to middle school, I thought that it meant fighting her fights for her. So often that I lost count, those fights would end with her sure fingers putting ointment on my cuts and band-aids on my scrapes. I asked her if that made me her friend, because surely bleeding was a mark of my devotion, and she smiled and kissed me and told me no, the light of the stars still glittering in her eyes.

Then when we went to high school, I thought for sure I understood. When she came back to school pale, underweight, and refusing to talk about her summer vacation, I wound up being her only confidant. I thought that surely being entrusted with the weight of her secrets was what being a friend was, but when I asked she only shook her head, the stars falling out of her eyes and trailing down her cheeks and soaking into my shirt.

Two months ago, when she called me in the middle of the night and told me she had overdosed on Benadryl and was terrified because she was slipping from her own mind, and I called the paramedics on her, I thought that was it. I thought not letting her go, keeping her on this Earth was being her friend.

But all of those things were wrong.

Last night, I finally figured out what being a friend means. Last night, Astie and I went on a picnic, and we went to the park. The park where we’d played when we were little, and where we’d retreated to when we didn’t want to face the bullies, and where she’d finally told me everything. We ate our picnic and laid there under the stars, watching the constellations move over our heads.

Astie believed that the stars are where we go in the afterlife, and when we die we are reborn in a nebula somewhere as a star. Ever since we were little she always told me, “When I die, I want to be a star. I’ll have wishes made on me all the time. Who wouldn’t want that?” And I’d laugh, and then we’d pretend we were stars for a while.

She mentioned those days, and asked me if we could pretend just once more.
I agreed, even though I knew what it would mean.
She kissed me, and the light from the stars reflected a million times in her eyes as she smiled for the first time in a year.
I looked to the sky and started humming a lullaby.
She bled to death in my arms.

I’d been many things to her: a playmate, a protector, a prom date.
I knew every secret she’d kept from anyone.
But only at the end did I realize this:
The best of friends know when to let go.

So Astie, darling?
If you’re listening to this, from your nebula or wherever it is that little stars are made, know that I love you and I miss you.
But I’m glad you made that decision for yourself.
This life was torture for you, and I pray to all the stars that you have a peaceful eternity. You've earned it.
Find happiness, my love.
[/hider]

[hider=Cosmic Mind]
[@Psyga315]

[Author’s Note: The story is loosely based off Kamen Rider Fourze, a show about a high-school kid fighting constellation-based monsters called Zodiarts. I figured to further the space theme and put focus on these Zodiarts, though like I said, loosely based. Bonus categories are Mars and Constellations]

The stars were brightest when I was a kid. They shined so bright that everything around us just… melted away and shattered. A warm glow welcomed me. Screams shrilled, as if to announce a new day. On that day, I was forever separated from my parents. I was lost, alone, afraid. However, a robed figure approached me. He walked like a human, but his head was that of a white lion.

“Youngling… Don’t fret… You shall walk among us now. Cast off your human shell and make a wish among the stars.” He handed me a black device with a red button on it. I took it, though the moments between that and pressing the button lasted an eternity. By the time I pressed it, everything flashed in a shade of white.
[hr]
I was no longer a human being. I was now what are called Zodiarts. My body and figure had shifted. I still looked like a girl, but my figure became more shapely. I’d call myself a model had it not been for the large pinkish white angel wings. 

It had been ten years since the day the stars burned our Earth. Our leaders called that day ‘The Day of Awakening’, as it had helped humanity change into Zodiarts to adapt to life in space, where we had escaped to during the destruction of Earth.

 It had been ten years that we searched for a planet to sustain our life. I looked out on the window of our rusty space station and gazed upon our Earth. The last time I saw it, it was a smouldering rock of what it once was. Now it looked as lush as ever with the Earth being completely green. Seemed there were fewer oceans now, though I just smiled at the idea of coming back.

“Hey, Virgo!” I recognized the voice of my friend Scorpio. I turned around and greeted him. True to the name, he wore bone-white scorpion shells and had what looked to be a scorpion on his helmet and five red eyes. “Sagittarius wants us front and center. He wants us to scout out the area to check if it’s liveable!” He said. I nodded.

“Yeah! I’ve been eying Earth for the past fifteen minutes or so!” I told him. He shook his head.

“Oh, no. Sagittarius said that’s not the planet we’re checkin’ out. It’s that over there!” He shoved me and I noticed a planet at the corner of my eye. Bright, blue, and somewhat smaller than Earth despite us being up close to it. I squinted and gasped.

“Wait… We’re going to Mars?” I asked. Scorpio nodded.

“Yeah. A small group of people are being assigned to scout there, us included.” He said. All I could do was stare at the former red planet. I peaked to Earth.

“Why can’t we just live on Earth? We already know it’s of liveable conditions.” I ask him.

“Dunno. Gotta check with Saggy. He seemed quite insistent that we don’t visit Earth for the time being.” He said.

“O… Okay.” With that, Scorpio left and I followed to where we’d be beamed down to Mars.
[hr]
When we landed, I almost mistook the place for a desert on Earth had it not been for the blue sand. There were twelve of us, Scorpio and I included. We wore black robes with golden lines on them, our uniforms for this mission. Our leader, Sagittarius, stepped forward.

“We might encounter some unidentified life forms… Ready yourselves. They might be hostile.” He said as he readied the crossbow attachment on his arm. The others followed suit with their own weapons. I myself had a golden staff with a pink wing on the edge of it. We split up into teams of two, with me and Scorpio partnered up.  

We spent a couple of hours exploring the desert until we discovered a building. Surprisingly, the building looked like that of a warehouse we’d have on Earth. Scorpio and I entered the building. He cracked open the door as I heard a bit of gibbering. He looked to me.

“We may have company.” He said. I heard footsteps approaching us. A stinger tail grew from the back of Scorpio’s head and struck the thing as it opened the door. I backed away as I saw a human recoil from the attack, though once I recovered myself, I immediately saw its green skin and large, black eyes. Ahead I saw more of the green men as they fired upon us with machine guns. The bullets pelted off our robes and armor as Scorpio ran to him. I heard the men clearly:

“FLEED DE BUHH!” Though Scorpio simply shrugged off their fire and clubbed one with his gauntlet, a bone-white arm brace with a tiny stinger on the tip. It dug into the neck of the Martian and he dropped, convulsing with poison. Scorpio did a back flip and kicked another in the head while they were confused. The last one he pulled the machine gun away from and knocked him out with the blunt end of it.

“Whatever they have inside this warehouse isn’t good if they’re protecting it. Come on!” Scorpio ran ahead and I flew after him, unsure as to what was going on. There were more Martians ready for us, though I helped Scorpio out in dispatching them. Our path ended with a pair of doors. I knocked the doors down and stepped in.

That’s when I heard screaming and crying. I could see it all happen in slow motion. The guards rushed towards me, hands pulling out their machine guns, and in the background, I could see shuddering mothers holding onto their children. It wasn’t until the guns fired that I snapped out of it and blocked them with my staff. Scorpio rushed in and took the guards down.

“Scorpio! I think we just raided a home!” I told him. He turned around. “Huh, so it is…” He told me. That’s when we heard a buzz from our radios.

“This is Sagittarius. It’s just as I feared. We encountered hostile life forms. They’ll damage any chance we have of living here. Eliminate all of the fighters and prepare to convert the defenceless.” He said. I looked ahead and saw one child without anyone to help her. Scorpio approached the child and produced a switch from dark energies that we were taught to control. The switch was exactly like the device I was presented when I was a kid. My mind began to flash as I remembered The Day of Awakening. I saw myself in that child. I saw the lion man in myself. That’s when I saw the dark warehouse room light up. 

I rushed over and looked outside. Bright stars. Just like that day. My mind began to click together the pieces, just as I heard Scorpio speak.

“Now… Make your wish among the stars” He said. With those words, everything clicked. I ran over and screamed. With one swing of my staff, the hand that held the switch flew off in a nice, clean, cut. The hand writhed a bit before it exploded in a cloud of stardust. I point my staff towards Scorpio. “WHAT THE HELL!?” He asked me.

“I know now what happened!” I told him.

“Huh? Really? What happened?” Scorpio said. In that moment, I began to think long and hard about the day my life was changed forever. As I thought more about it, I gave in to a newly formed idea that made me too angry to even think about it.

The idea that the Zodiarts were responsible for Earth being destroyed. That idea was born in my head the moment I had the feeling of déjà vu.

“Earth wasn’t taken in a disaster. It was destroyed by the Zodiarts!” I swung my staff at Scorpio, but I missed by a mile. However, when my staff ripped through the space above him, it created a miniature black hole. He looked up and was suddenly picked up.

“W-What the hell!?” He said as he was sucked up into it. I hesitated to reach out. When I did, it was too late and he was pulled into the hole just as it closed. I stood there, wondering what just happened. I felt a sudden burst of power inside me. I looked to the worried mothers and left the building.
[hr]
I ran off, knowing the others can’t be trusted. How could I have been so foolish to trust them? I eventually stopped when I saw Sagittarius alongside the lion Zodiarts who ‘saved’ me back during the end of the world.

“Virgo, what happened to Scorpio?” Leo asked.

“Let’s ask a more serious question: did you guys have anything to do with the Day of Awakening? Did you guys doom my home?” I was always the bluntest person. The two stood silent for a bit before Sagittarius readied his crossbow.

“And what would you do if we did? You have a lot to owe us for granting you a new life.” Sagittarius said.

“At what cost? You destroyed my old life, didn’t you!?” I held out my weapon and hoped I could summon the black hole again.

“You’re ungrateful. We granted you and the others the opportunity to evolve into greater beings.” He said.

“We never asked for this! We were happy with our lives!” I said.

“Yes, but your kind was never perfect. They were flawed. After we had embraced your world, you and we became united.” Sagittarius said.

“You stole… everything from me!” With that, I threw logic to the wind. They gave me my life, yes, but they took it away that very same day. I swung my axe at the archer. I felt my chest get impaled, followed by a burning sensation. I looked down and saw that before I had even time to react, Sagittarius fired an arrow. I was wounded. Too wounded to fight, something I noted as I fell to the ground.

I struggled to crawl out of the way. I heard Sagittarius commanding Leo to finish me off. I gripped onto my staff and suddenly I created the black hole again, though this time on the ground. I knew I was gonna die, but any chance to save my life was a good enough chance for me, so I crawled until I fell right into the hole.
[hr]
When I got out of the hole, I blacked out. All I heard was the snarling of a lion, grunting, punching, screaming, and finally an explosion. When I woke up, I saw that I was in what seemed to be a research lab.

“Subject’s awakened. Test has been a success.” A robotic voice said. I got up and looked around. From the corner of my eye, I saw something shimmer. I turned and looked. It was a mirror, but the more shocking part was what was on the mirror.

It was myself. Before the Day of Awakening. I felt my skin for the first time in years. I looked around. Where was I? As if to answer my question, a man walked in to look at me. It was here that I realized I was in a bed. I struggle to get up, but I fell back into my bed upon feeling a sharp pain in my back.

“Rest…” The man was in a sort of astronaut’s outfit, though his head was modeled after a rocket cone. “You’ve been through a lot now. Don’t worry about that lion monster, I took good care of him.” He also had large orange compound eyes and a small green gem in the forehead area.

“W-who are you?” I muttered. I saw him take off a strange belt-like device that held four devices similar to the switches. The suit disappeared and out from it was a middle-aged human. 

“Someone fighting for the future of the cosmos.” He told me. He walked to my bed and continued his explanation.  “Earth had healed after the Zodiarts attacked it and-” I stopped him and spoke up.

“So… they really did do it? And… if Earth is healed…” I asked. He nodded.

“Humanity’s not so lucky. About seven hundred people remain. We’re recovering… slowly.” He looked to me. “One of the methods is to reverse the energies that converted humans into Zodiarts.” I then noticed something on a table next to me: my Switch. “Think of the switch now as an on-off button. Wanna be a Zodiarts? On. Human? Off.” He said. I then realize something.

“… Why am I here?” I asked him.

“You rebelled against the Zodiarts. That’s more than a good reason to keep you alive. We need an extra fighter.” He said. “The Zodiarts are gonna be busy fighting a war on Mars. Let them tire out and then intervene and wipe them out.” I looked to my Switch and picked it up. I gripped it hard. This was the very thing that saved my life when they destroyed my world. My thoughts and the next words that came out of my mouth were the same:

“Let’s make them pay.” 
[/hider]

[hider=Star Crossed]
[@Elitestpotato]

[center]Why do humans love the cosmos? Is it that sense of wonder that goes hand in hand with the unknown? Is it the beauty of long dead stars hanging from the sky? Maybe it's the chance of other beings,  beings we can communicate with. Space is an almost magical thing to us, our natural curiosity fueling the passion for the great beyond. Sometimes, however, we forget to look at Earth herself and stay grounded, so to speak...

[hr]

The cold August wind blows against a being of fair white skin. Grey eyes peer across the foggy early morning peer. The person is male, not quite a man but definitely not a boy. He is quite attractive in a boyish manner. Brown hair is swept out of his eyes as he steps closer to the peer. 
"[i]Freezing to death. How appropriate.[/i]", the words softly slip from his lips and the soft breeze brings them to his ears. Checking his watch, the teen confirms that it is 4 a.m. Plenty of time before the first fishermen arrive. He steps farther forward, half of his foot hanging over the frigid water. 

"[i]You'll always be beautiful to me[/i]", several tears stain the teenager's fair face as they slide down the slope that is his sorrow. He thinks for a long hard moment before rapidly shaking his head. Before he can contemplate talking himself out of it, his body is quickly being submerged in freezing waters. Ice quickly forms on his skin, turning the teen into a macabre popsicle. The next day the coroner would determine that the boy developed hypothermia within seconds of coming into contact with the water. The coroner would go on to determine that the teen froze to death not long after, salty tears still clinging to his frosted face. The police would show up at his house to inform his parents,  and the authorities would find a sobbing mother and a solemn faced father who had come into possession of a certain note. The mother would go on about how he was a good boy and how much he loved space as the father would try to calm her down. The police would take possession of the note and find the following hastily scribbled onto a small notebook paper.

"[i]Hello, or well I guess I should say goodbye. Because, to be frank, this is my last day on this godforsaken planet. This disgusting place full of... [Several phrases are scratched out here] I really shouldn't go on a tangent. I suppose the point is, nothing on this planet will ever compare to the beauty of [b]her[/b]. And you... You all disgraced her, abolished her! You got rid of her like she was nothing and allowed her family to quickly disown her. Now, now she's all alone. Cold. In a dark place. I couldn't save her no matter how I tried and I definitely cannot live to see her treated this way. So, I bid everyone of you filthy creatures adieu. As for my love, I leave this final part as a tribute to you:
Your beautiful skin runs so smoothly along your curves, stopping only for the mountains and a few mounds. I always find you quite cold, but it's how you like to be. You're my everything, and I love gazing upon you. You're so beautiful and you don't even know. Mostly because you're the runt of the family and they treat you as such. But it doesn't matter to me, you're still the most beautiful of them all. I don't care how many miles separate us I'll always be here for you, watching over you. I love you so much. 

You're still a planet to me, Pluto.[/i]"[/center]
[/hider]

[hr]

[center][h2]Poetry[/h2][/center]

[hider=The Meta Universe]

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/TDtsirG.png[/img][/center]
Space…
What a fitting name, eh?
That’s all it really is. An empty void.
Nothingness.

That’s not true!
Look around you—
Would what you call naught be so magnificently decorated?
This star, that column of illuminated gas…
And look!

What is it? Ah, I see now.
You mean that oversized singularity?
Nothing more than a pimple in the fabric of space-time.
All-consuming, ever-growing…
That which not even Hyperion may escape.

But its irony is overwhelming, my dear.
There, you see? The light!
Why, it outshines anything in the heavens!
Yet all arisen from oblivion.
Like the fingerprint of God—

Or whomever—

We can find no better representation 
Of the universal yin and yang, if you will.
Push and pull, good and evil, light and dark.
Opposites, yet without the other, they are meaningless.

Naturally.
Darkness is the absence of light;
Evil the lack of good;
A pull is merely a push in the other direction.
What of it?

How can such harmony be found in the universe?
It’s amazing how, despite this overwhelming, inky blackness
These little, defiant points of light survive and flourish.
Much like life itself.

Speaking of life,
These humans…

Oh, the poor humans!

Poor indeed. They’ve become smart enough
To ask questions that make them feel foolish.

They gaze up at the sky, and they wonder…
They’ve figured out so much, yet…

Yet the more they answers that they uncover, the more questions that appear.

What commendable efforts, though.

For one, let us consider:
Either they are completely alone in this universe…

Or they aren’t.

Either outcome is equally as probable,
and equally as perturbing for these evolved apes.
They seek out company, another light in the dark…
But their efforts are in vain, don’t you think?
Surely they would have found something or someone by now, or
Something or someone would have found them.
Their world is insignificant. The “pale blue dot”…
Yet they feel so grand.

They make a small place seem big,
And they do so excellently. Why bother search for someone else
When they themselves are miracles? Just like their planet.
Against all odds in this big…

Hostile…

And admittedly, deceivingly beautiful macrocosm,
Their “pale blue dot”, no matter how tiny in comparison,
Has become their home, as well as the home
For so many other variants of this funny thing called “life.”
And since the day it first blossomed, eons ago,
No matter what the big, bad universe throws at it
It has always found a way. A way to keep going.

As if nature wants it to be extinguished,
Like filthy cockroaches the living things remain.

And what is the meaning of this?
I am moved with emotion at just the thought of it all!
Life, the underdog! Life, the champion!
For all life knows, it could be isolated, trapped, 
The only thing, infinitesimally small in the grand scheme of things,
Yet it survives. No, it thrives. It prospers.
And it searches desperately for something like itself,
Something that understands,
Which, while it may seem improbable,
All things considered,
Life has a funny way of pulling that kind of thing off.
[/hider]


[hr]

[hider=additional entries][i]note: not eligible for votes.[/i]

[@Dedonus]'s writing effort is ongoing, here: [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/83022-rpgc-3-voting-and-discussion/ooc#post-2809391]Peri Asteron: Mikra Kymata[/url][/hider]