《Ode to you, Valiant Hearts of Few (HFY)》


 Episode 1: The Remains of Sol

    .. Sol ..


    ~


    ¡­ Bow camera feed of first contact event ¡­


    ¡°When we warped into the system on the edge of the arm, we never expected to deal with a first contact situation¡­¡± a woman¡¯s voice said as the vastness of space, dotted with the myriad of stars in the background shimmered dimly. ¡°The forward fleet came to repel the invaders in conjunction with the Union¡¯s new war plans¡­¡±


    The feed showed something different from the videos before. There was no armada of enemy ships to engage. No early warning alerts populated screens, and certainly, no one had been engaged. Instead, what greeted them as the Astral Union¡¯s 201st fleet exited warp space was a field of debris that floated around a cracked planet.


    Destroyed Bakri ships floated amongst ships of unknown designs. The sleek but rugged designs of the hivemind were notorious amongst the AU member races. All of them had seen the feeds displaying their planet crackers. Their advanced fighters. Their unmistakable hordes of drones would mine the planet after genociding all who lived there or crack the planet and refine the materials amongst space factories.


    Then there was the strange simplistic and harsh design of the unknown ships. No beauty could be found amongst their sparking wreckages that interwove itself amongst the field. The AI had already done a rough estimate by scanning the field. It pieced together the casualty report.


    The woman spoke regardless.


    ¡°An estimated 500 Bakri ships, half warships, 250 mining ships, and the rest auxiliary ships. To put context to the report, it turned out to be a heavily armed scouting fleet. They hadn¡¯t expected much of a fight to be put up in this large uninhabited section of space.¡± She paused for several seconds as the several blinking red squares locked onto several large ships that came out of the shadow of the cracked planet. They were listed as UNKNOWN.


    She continued. ¡°When we discovered humans within the shadow of their broken cradle world, three ships remained. A Battle-Carrier, USS Unending Dawn, a Frigate, USS Astral Spear, and a Capital ship, USS Haven. All of which had sustained heavy damage, but were operational.¡±


    The AU slowly pushed through the debris as their shielding flickered and pushed the remains of ships out of their way. A cut in the feed suggested it had been trimmed down, and the fleet was now in orbit of the cracked planet. There was a garble in the radio as the system picked up hails from the remaining ships.


    ¡°XXXXXXXXX!¡± A human male¡¯s voice came over the feed. It was garbled and unintelligible.


    Chatter from the crew rose as they were relieved to hear it was not an unknown Bakri ship. No chitter of chitin ¡°This is Admiral Calaki, we are sending over a small package of our Lexicon. Please look it over and send us one of yours.¡±


    Some time passed before the AU fleet received a lexicon packet as well. Their AI worked it out within minutes and added it to the translation hub. Thus, the Admiral reached out again.


    ¡°This is Admiral Calaki of the Astral Union, please state your affiliation.¡± The admiral¡¯s voice came over the radio.


    ¡°We are humans. We come from Earth.¡± A human said back. ¡°Do we need to fight you too¡­?¡±


    ¡°The initial contact had¡­ not gone so smooth.¡± The woman said as the Admiral spurted out challenges and demands to the remaining human ships, only to receive defeated and apathetic answers that were neither challenges or threats. There was only acceptance of what they saw was their inevitable extinction. ¡°It took several minutes for them to figure out that the humans were not threatening them. Rather, they mourned for their race. Their cradle planet. Their future and past.¡±


    Another cut in the feed showed the AU fleet¡¯s maintenance drones repairing the ships as they connected to races¡¯ over video. It briefly showed a young human female, clearly exhausted, in a white naval uniform speaking with Calaki. Then it switched to the starboard feet of the cracked planet. Its cold core slowly spun off into space as its shell was cracked into thousands of pieces.


    In the end, less than 75 million humans were recovered across the three ships and two colonies on their moon, and a planet called Mars nearby. Almost 50 billion humans were lost in the defensive battle for their home system of Sol. Nearly 4 thousand human ships had perished. Another 10 million or so would perish on the week''s journey to controlled space.


    ¡°Only three ships remained, only due to what humans did best - following their instincts to save others. And in following their instincts, managed to be the last remnants of their species by the will of whatever gods they worshiped.¡± The woman sighed. ¡°Because as we found out¡­ They were not seen by the remaining Barkis ships who left the system just before we came.¡±


    The feed changed again, this time, the human ships were docked in an AU military spaceport on the edge of controlled space.


    ¡°It took around a month for us to piece together what we could about these humans. They were intelligent Apex predators of their world. Highly empathic and reasonable. Omnivores. Medical inspections showed several deadly diseases that we had already seen on other planets. So, we cleaned them up and their ships.¡±


    The video changed to a Zanza doctor, a lanky pink four-armed race with four legs, giving several humans medical examinations. Of course, modesty conducive to human standards. Yet, all the humans had lifeless expressions. Even the children¡­


    ¡°The humans were above average in all categories. While far from the best, they were unique in that they had only a few categories they fell short in.¡±


    It changed to an AU meeting. It was the meeting of the century as it involved the unveiling of the AU¡¯s new war plan to fight off the Bakri, but also the discovery of a new species, and the subsequent reveal of the events around this discovery. Calls for counter offenses amongst the citizens grew within minutes. Most of them pointed to humans who were classified as an endangered species as an example of what could happen to any of them.


    ¡°Then, the meeting came to where to place the humans. All the representatives had looked over their species¡¯ profiles, but none actually wanted to pull the trigger. Each of them had their worlds filled with productive species along with other problems. Adding an unknown variable while on top of fighting a war with the Bakri was no one they wanted to deal with.¡±


    The feed changed to a human-like species with wings on their back standing up.


    ¡°The matter was settled within minutes when the representatives of the Hi'' Ris stepped forth to take them in. As we know, this marked the beginning of change¡­¡±


    ____________________________________________________________________________


    ¡°With the introduction to how the Humans came to join our now changed Union, we now bring you to the Museum of Sol. A large campus with five different buildings and an underground exhibit that spans beneath the entire property. Two to Art and Culture, one to their science, One to their history, and one dedicated to their final year¡­ The underground section is dedicated to the battles across Angel-1¡­ These buildings were erected at the center of New Hope, the Hi'' Ri Capital of their homeworld.¡±


    A camera pans over tall strange buildings - their design clearly not of any of the species in their union. A slow melancholic piano rendition played just loud enough to be heard.


    ¡°These buildings were designed by a few of the surviving members of Humanity. While over the past year, many in the union have only heard of the glorious and brave acts of this new species, maybe of them had once been like us.¡± The camera stops on the large entrance to the campus.


    A statue of the human Shipmaster, Anise Guther. The narrator continued, its voice translated into the watcher¡¯s native languages. ¡°This statue is of Shipmaster Anise, a human female who died while defending Angel-1¡¯s orbit. While the planet was called Tel¡¯ He¡¯ ro, Angel-1 was the human designation in their communication network as the Humans said the Hi'' Ri resembled the modern depiction of a mythological being from their scriptures. A designation that was made official by the Hi'' Ri Senator.¡±


    The feed cuts to the center of the campus, where tens of statues rested amongst beautifully wild, yet somehow manicured, nature. ¡°The buildings are loosely built in a pentagon fashion.¡± The camera pans to the largest installation at its very center. A large obsidian pillar that rose ten meters high. Inscribed on its surface in small letters - in the human''s native tongue - where all that died or were pronounced Missing in Action and their ages if known. Five paths converged on this pillar. At the end of each path, dirt mounts planted with native flowers and bushes surrounded five human orbital drop pods.


    ¡°This pillar holds each name of every human lost in the invasion, engraved on artificial obsidian to make it one unending piece all around. This was to assure that the humans would not be separated even in death. So that, even in the afterlife they so fondly believed in, they would have peace.¡± The camera turned to the pods.


    They were beaten, scratched, and burned. Holes where plasma and laser fire still remained as well.


    The narrator continued. ¡°Yes, these are original human pods. Taken from the center of the Hope - the old Capital - where they extracted the Hi'' Ri Senator. They represent what made up the humans - duty, courage, undying loyalty, and last of all - honor to the end.¡±


    It hovered over each pod, showing the blood stains and burns in detail. Most likely to shock its viewers. The seats were spartan in nature. Housing only what was needed to get its occupant on the ground alive and with their kits. One of the pods was twice as large as the other four as it had housing inside only for weaponized hover drones. One destroyed drone even remained, facing the pillar. A rusted pole from a Bakri rail-gun pierced it dead-center.


    The camera changed to another installation that showed six human children. Three males and two females. Each held human kinetic rifles in their hands. Another installation showed ten canines, or dogs as the humans called them, defending a faceless Hi'' Ri. The largest one had many cyber-augmentations with a large weapon on its back. The next was a large cement-colored human ship, punched with holes that housed small bowls that were lit with eternal flames.


    It returned to the pillar at the center before the narrator continued. ¡°There are more installations in the campus gardens, but the Hi'' Ri wishes for those who want to see them to come in person.¡± It then changed to a slow pan of paintings, drawings, and digital renders on slim-screens. ¡°These are all the media we could salvage from the wreckage of the USS Unending Dawn, which beached itself on the western-edge of Hope to quickly deploy its mechanized platoons to avoid future asset loss to Bakri fighter ships.¡±


    For a minute, it gave several close ups before it slowly floated past an Employee only door. Several cuts of corridors until it reached a large warehouse were tens of Hi'' Ris sorted through large crates filled with debris. ¡°It was believed that the media upon the USS Unending Dawn were the last remaining culture pieces made by humans. That was until a month into the restoration efforts that pieces here and there were recovered. Hidden in small little outcoves humans slept or rested in. Small corners within the rooms where human children made their ¡°clubhouses¡± and such. Humanity''s creative spark didn¡¯t just exist within its ability to fight. But with the discoveries being made, its desire for peace, hope, and love burned brighter.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    An Hi'' Ri held a half-burned love letter. It resonated an intense love for another human, its gender unknown as well as its name as a majority of it only spoke of its desire for a continued future. ¡°This letter was found in a human warrior¡¯s vest. It was one of seven. However, it was the only page that survived. The rest were either damaged or lost.¡±


    The page fell away and was replaced with a life-like mannequin of a human man and women. Both of them were wearing their battle kits. On the wall behind them were bullet proof vests and a wall-to-wall lay out of several different battlekits.


    ¡°Most of the universe had never seen a human outside of their battle attire, as was once thought to be just how humans functioned,¡± It panned over the soft features of the female, slowing going down over its chest and legs before doing a side view, then switched to the male with the same shots. ¡°Further investigation into their remaining systems revealed that these antics were due to extensive trauma dealt to their mental states that left them in a constant state of readiness. This constant state combined with an unusually high level of alertness compelled them to be always ready and prepared for a life or death fight¡±


    The camera went over to the wall-to-wall kit layout. ¡°While this readiness assured our survival, and the defeat of the Bakri¡¯s first ground invasion in history, we wish to show their true forms ¨C¡± Its view floated away and around the wall to show humans in modified Hi'' Ri clothing. The human mannequins on this side were slim, less intimidating. The wall now displayed human toys such as handheld consoles. Balls. Cards. Candies, and other snacks.


    No more was the spartan warriors displayed, but soft creatures that looked awfully inviting. While still predators, their postures were open and welcoming. The previous mannequins were back to back, as if watching their zones for attacks. ¡°Few of the Hi¡¯ Ri have seen humans outside their battle kits, and those who have were truly considered friends to those particular humans as even the officials of the Hi¡¯ Ri were not allowed on-board the USS Haven - the Human ship permanently docked on the edge of Hope, now the West-side of New Hope, without a human vouching their own lives for that Hi¡¯ Ri.¡±


    Slowly, the camera floated backward down the corridor of displays that showed the living spaces, recreational areas and exhibitions on how to play human recreational games. The doors to the section closed as the camera went dark.


    Next, it floated down a large corridor that was marked as ¡°Human Machines¡±. Large tracked-tanks of different designs rested on its left, while large and small Mechanized Self-driven battle robots stood lifeless behind exhibition ropes. Further in were walls displaying tens of different firearms. Each segregated into Kinetic and energy, tho the kinetic section dwarfed the energy in a 3-to-1 ratio as the energy weapons.


    Past the armaments were human-sized warframes - robots that acted as assistants and or battle additions to actual troops to help bolster their numbers.


    The final exhibition in the section was a ¡°Cyber-augmentation¡± section. Several different augmentations were on display for each part of the human body that could be replaced. ¡°We will stop here. However, there are more exhibitions in the science section that show human machines such as ships, industrials, commercial and even mundane items - as well as the history building. If you wish to see more, please visit in person.¡±


    The camera cut to the obsidian pillar, however, this time it was underground. The roof was 30 meters high, enclosed in a 30 meter circular room. Five raised cement paths converged on the pillar. Pools of water with Angel-1 native fish swimming in them. Dozens of small poles with flames atop them stuck 10 centimeters from the water''s surface.


    ¡°And here is where the documentary begins to mark the opening of the museum. The center of the underground exhibit. From here, we express that any person with weak constitutions should tune out at the end of this prologue.¡± The camera panned slowly over several sections of the pillar in an artistic fashion. ¡°Starting from the next episode, we will be interviewing several survivors of the invasion. There will be a theatrical rendition of the events in their story. Death, violence and loss will be displayed. This will be your only warning.¡±


    For a minute, it was silent as the camera went over a few more sections before it cut back to the part of the pillar above ground. This time, the ship in view behind it as the music stopped.


    ¡°The following stories come from the survivors, recordings, and black boxes salvaged from the land and space battles. Actual radio recording will be played as will as recorded video. You will see many real deaths. You will see the last violent moments of many souls. We do not do this to entertain you, or to make light of the fallen¡­¡±


    The screen went black.


    ¡°We do this to show you what was lost. So that the mistakes made that led to loss of many Hi¡¯ Ri lives and the extinction event of Humans to happen can be avoided by our children and their children¡­¡±


    ____________________________________________________________________________


    ¡°With the introduction to how the Humans came to join our now changed Union, we now bring you to the Museum of Sol. A large campus with five different buildings and an underground exhibit that spans beneath the entire property. Two to Art and art, one to their science, One to their history, and one dedicated to their final year¡­ The underground section is dedicated to the battles across Angel-1¡­ These buildings were erected at the center of New Hope, the Hi'' Ri Capital of their homeworld.¡±


    A camera pans over tall strange buildings - their design clearly not of any of the species in their union. A slow melancholic piano rendition played just loud enough to be heard.


    ¡°These buildings were designed by a few of the surviving members of Humanity. While over the past year, many in the union have only heard of the glorious and brave acts of this new species, maybe of them had once been like us.¡± The camera stops on the large entrance to the campus.


    A statue of the human Shipmaster, Anise Guther. The narrator continued, its voice translated into the watcher¡¯s native languages. ¡°This statue is of Shipmaster Anise, a human female who died while defending Angel-1¡¯s orbit. While the planet was called Tel¡¯ He¡¯ ro, Angel-1 was the human designation in their communication network as the Humans said the Hi'' Ri resembled the modern depiction of a mythological being from their scriptures. A designation that was made official by the Hi'' Ri Senator.¡±


    The feed cuts to the center of the campus, where tens of statues rested amongst beautifully wild, yet somehow manicured, nature. ¡°The buildings are loosely built in a pentagon fashion.¡± The camera pans to the largest installation at its very center. A large obsidian pillar that rose ten meters high. Inscribed on its surface in small letters - in the human''s native tongue - where all that died or were pronounced Missing in Action and their ages if known. Five paths converged on this pillar. At the end of each path, dirt mounts planted with native flowers and bushes surrounded five human orbital drop pods.


    ¡°This pillar holds each name of every human lost in the invasion, engraved on artificial obsidian to make it one unending piece all around. This was to assure that the humans would not be separated even in death. So that, even in the afterlife they so fondly believed in, they would have peace.¡± The camera turned to the pods.


    They were beaten, scratched, and burned. Holes where plasma and laser fire still remained as well.


    The narrator continued. ¡°Yes, these are original human pods. Taken from the center of the Hope - the old Capital - where they extracted the Hi'' Ri Senator. They represent what made up the humans - duty, courage, undying loyalty, and last of all - honor to the end.¡±


    It hovered over each pod, showing the blood stains and burns in detail. Most likely to shock its viewers. The seats were spartan in nature. Housing only what was needed to get its occupant on the ground alive and with their kits. One of the pods was twice as large as the other four as it had housing inside only for weaponized hover drones. One destroyed drone even remained, facing the pillar. A rusted pole from a Bakri rail-gun pierced it dead-center.


    The camera changed to another installation that showed six human children. Three males and three females. Each held human kinetic rifles in their hands. Another installation showed ten canines, or dogs as the humans called them, defending a faceless Hi'' Ri. The largest one had many cyber-augmentations with a large weapon on its back. The next was a large cement-colored human ship, punched with holes that housed small bowls that were lit with eternal flames.


    It returned to the pillar at the center before the narrator continued. ¡°There are more installations in the campus gardens, but the Hi'' Ri wishes for those who want to see them to come in person.¡± It then changed to a slow pan of paintings, drawings, and digital renders on slim-screens. ¡°These are all the media we could salvage from the wreckage of the USS Unending Dawn, which beached itself on the western-edge of Hope to quickly deploy its mechanized plattoons to avoid future asset loss to Bakri fighter ships.¡±


    For a minute, it gave several close ups before it slowly floated past an Employee only door. Several cuts of corridors until it reached a large warehouse were tens of Hi'' Ris sorted through large crates filled with debris. ¡°It was believed that the media upon the USS Unending Dawn were the last remaining culture pieces made by humans. That was until a month into the restoration efforts that pieces here and there were recovered. Hidden in small little outcoves humans slept or rested in. Small corners within the rooms where human children made their ¡°clubhouses¡± and such. Humanity''s creative spark didn¡¯t just exist within its ability to fight. But with the discoveries being made, its desire for peace, hope, and love burned brighter.¡±


    An Hi'' Ri held a half-burned love letter. It resonated an intense love for another human, its gender unknown as well as its name as a majority of it only spoke of its desire for a continued future. ¡°This letter was found in a human warrior¡¯s vest. It was one of seven. However, it was the only page that survived. The rest were too damaged.¡±


    The page fell away and was replaced with a life-like mannequin of a human man and women. Both of them were wearing their battle kits. On the wall behind them were bullet proof vests and a wall-to-wall lay out of several different battlekits.


    ¡°Most of the universe had never seen a human outside of their battle attire, as was once thought to be just how humans functioned,¡± It panned over the soft features of the female, slowing going down over its chest and legs before doing a side view, then switched to the male with the same shots. ¡°Further investigation into their remaining biology and routines revealed that these antics were due to extensive trauma dealt to their mental states that left them in a constant state of extremely high alertness. This constant high-stressed state compelled them to always be ready for a life or death fight once out of the safety of their quarters.¡±


    The camera went over to the wall-to-wall kit layout. ¡°While this readiness assured our survival, and the defeat of the Bakri¡¯s first ground invasion in history, we wish to show their true forms ¨C¡± Its view floated away and around the wall to show humans in modified Hi'' Ri clothing. The human mannequins on this side were slim, less intimidating, even inviting ¨C charming and attractive. The wall now displayed human toys such as handheld consoles. Balls. Cards. Candies, and other snacks.


    No more were the spartan warriors displayed, but soft creatures that looked awfully inviting. While still predators, their postures were open and welcoming. The previous mannequins were back to back, as if watching their zones for attacks. ¡°Few of the Hi¡¯ Ri have seen humans outside their battle kits, and those who have were truly considered friends to those particular humans as even the officials of the Hi¡¯ Ri were not allowed on-board the USS Haven - the Human ship permanently docked on the edge of Hope, now the West-side of New Hope, without a human vouching with their own lives for that Hi¡¯ Ri.¡±


    Slowly, the camera floated backward down the corridor of displays that showed the living spaces, recreational areas and exhibitions on how to play human recreational games. The doors to the section closed as the camera went dark.


    Next, it floated down a large corridor that was marked as ¡°Human Machines¡±. Large tracked-tanks of different designs rested on its left, while large and small Mechanized Self-driven battle robots stood lifeless behind exhibition ropes. Further in were walls displaying tens of different firearms. Each segregated into Kinetic and energy, though the kinetic section dwarfed the energy in a 3-to-1 ratio.


    Past the armaments were human-sized warframes - robots that acted as assistants and or battle additions to actual troops to help bolster their numbers.


    The final exhibition in the section was a ¡°Cyber-augmentation¡± section. Several different augmentations were on display for each part of the human body that could be replaced. ¡°We will stop here. However, there are more exhibitions in the science section that show human machines such as ships, industrials, commercial and even mundane items - as well as the history building. If you wish to see more, please visit in person.¡±


    The camera cut to the obsidian pillar, however, this time it was underground. The roof was 30 meters high, enclosed in a 30 meter circular room. Five raised cement paths converged on the pillar. Pools of water with Angel-1 native fish swimming in them. Dozens of small poles with flames atop them stuck 10 centimeters from the water''s surface.


    ¡°And here is where the documentary begins to mark the opening of the museum. The center of the underground exhibit. From here, we express that any person with weak constitutions should tune out at the end of this prologue.¡± The camera panned slowly over several sections of the pillar in an artistic fashion. ¡°Starting from the next episode, we will be interviewing several survivors of the invasion. There will be a theatrical rendition of the events in their story. Death, violence and loss will be displayed. This will be your only warning.¡±


    For a minute, it was silent as the camera went over a few more sections before it cut back to the part of the pillar above ground. This time, the ship in view behind it as the music stopped.


    ¡°The following stories come from the survivors, recordings, and black boxes salvaged from the land and space battles. Actual radio recording will be played as will as recorded video. You will see many real deaths. You will see the last violent moments of many souls. We do not do this to entertain you, or to make light of the fallen¡­¡±


    The screen went black.


    ¡°We do this to show you what was lost. So that the mistakes made that led to loss of many Hi¡¯ Ri lives and the extinction event of Humans to happen can be avoided by our future kin¡­¡±


    ¨C ¡°If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: in love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.¡± -


    ¨C Kristin Hannah, a Human Author ¡ª


    *Roll Credits*

 Episode 2: To have experienced love. (PT_1_)

    Darkness and silence greeted the viewers for several seconds until the flicker of overhead lights came on one by one starting from the closest to the camera. Once on, they illuminated a long hallway filled with six large concaves. Each filled with large dioramas depicting large-scale battles on Angel-1 and its surrounding space.


    Centermost of the hall was a carved wooden double door on the right wall between two exhibits. It opened to allow a Hi ¡®Ri woman dressed in a flowing white robe with brown leather on her hip and other soft adornments.


    The camera changed, showing the woman¡¯s right profile as she stared into one of the exhibits towards the farthest end. At its center was a large tree, planted with large still flames that exhausted large pillars of smoke. At the top, it thickened to the point that the top half of the tree was no longer visible. Many of the Hi¡¯ Ri homes were simple, carved-out holes in the tree trunks. With modern advances, those ¡°caves¡± were covered with half-circle bubbles with small landing pads with the winged race to fly from and land.


    At the bottom of the screen, a name was presented. Senator (Gardenmaster) Monefi, the last surviving Senator of the Hi¡¯ Ri.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t understand the humans when they came. We first took them in with the expectation that they would be similar to the warrior species that populated the Union¡¯s armadas. We could house them for several years and give them space to decompress.¡± Monefi spoke softly as her eyes slid down the trunk of the tree until it stopped at its roots. There, at the bottom, a firefight was depicted. Six humans returned fire against tens of Bakri battle drones along with several Bakri controllers - Bipedal creatures the humans said looked like extremely tall and slender baboons.


    She continued. ¡°Loss. Grief. Emptiness. As they say, the only guarantee in life is death and taxes. But we did not understand the depths of which these went. To have one''s back against the wall at every turn.¡±


    The scene changed back to the exhibit with the armored humans. Their stances were defensive with their fake weapons pointed outward and backed to each other. ¡°We pitied them for they were always heavily armored. Always armed. And only a few of us saw their children as they kept them deep in the bowels of their territory. It was rare to see an adult human smile. Even rarer to hear one laugh¡­ The depths of terror and loss the Bakri had struck in them¡­ We would find out soon enough.¡±


    The camera panned down her right side. Her body was what the humans called ¡°Elven¡±, though the out-of-place part of her outfit was a distinctly human attachment. A leather holster with a human pistol. The holster itself appeared to once have a stamped design, but it was aged. A keychain dangled off the holster¡¯s front. Attached to it was a ring, several white feathers, and a human dog tag.


    ¡°I used to wonder why the humans were always armed when they were around. But¡­ After the invasion, I found myself unable to leave with this weapon¡­¡± Monefi said.


    ¡°And why is it battered?¡± The narrator asked.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Monefi let out a sad chuckle as she delicately unholstered the battered 2011 with a red dot. She cleared the weapon by pulling out a double-stack .45 magazine before racking the slide. She turned it sideways to reveal the worn finish. Several haphazard engravings that depicted leaves and flowers danced down the slide. ¡°It was the personal sidearm of a loved one. He once joked that hoped to pass it down to his kids, whenever he had one, or maybe his wife if he ever married¡­ It was the only gift I ever received from a human... He was also the person who once joked about calling me Gardenmaster...¡±


    The camera now showed her forlorn smile as she caressed the pistol, her eyes soft¡­ ¡°He was a kind, strong human¡­¡±


    <hr>


    ¡­ 13 months before the Battle of Angels¡­


    ~


    ¡­ Capital Tree of Hope, Angel 1 ¡­


    Senator Monefi stared across her desk at five intimidating armored creatures. Her mind swirled with a mixture of fear, curiosity¡­ And sadness.


    The creatures before her were ¡°Humans¡±, however, their appearances were far different from the picture on her terminal¡¯s screen in front of her which showed them in casual clothes; these wore thick vests with several pouches, weapons on their hips and across their chest, and thick helmets. All colored to match the leaves outside her office window. Three of them held thin weapons that were ¡°rifles¡±, while one held an elongated one that was a ¡°marksman rifle¡±. The last one held a larger, bulky one that was called a ¡°Squad Automatic Weapon¡±.


    It was a menacing weapon that looked to be half her height if it stood on the butt of its stock¡­


    ¡°Why are they so heavily equipped?¡± Monefi asked ¡°We are on a paradise planet. There are no creatures remotely hostile enough to warrant this kind of security ¨C and the Hi¡¯ Ri are at the bottom on the aggressive index.¡±


    The question was aimed at the Union Steward for their planet. He¡¯d guided this particular set of humans to her office on the capital tree. ¡°The Humans have informed us that this is the normal uniform for their soldiers. For now, we have listed them as average on the aggression index as a Hybrid species.¡±


    Monefi did not respond and only stared at the Steward. In doing so, inferred she wanted a straightforward answer to her question, not just a random answer. The Steward made a sound akin to a sigh. ¡°It''s their chosen equipment. That is a question for them, but we can promise you that they will be adequate guards. Highly trained, have the ability to respond to situations quickly, and most of all, have the ability to back down as quickly as they can escalate¡­¡±


    The Senator continued to stare with her arms folded in annoyance before she waved out her office window.


    It overlooked a large swathe of farmland that danced in the morning breeze. Their edges butted against the roots of the massive gargantuan trees - trees whose ages were surpassed a thousand years of age. The fields themselves were laid out amongst the relatively large spans of open fields between each tree. Enough light made it through the tall canopy to grow it all. Not a single armed Hi¡¯ Ri could be seen flying around outside. It was a garden world hidden far from the frontlines. Out of reach unless the Bakri knew where to strike and spent months of travel to get there.


    He continued. ¡°I understand the parameters regarding your world and your race. I have requested them to demilitarize.. But those requests were denied. Their reason being that we are still at war and this planet is considered a high-value target.¡±


    Monefi was not a warrior, and the notions that the warrior species had toward war, conflict, and aggression in general were foreign to her. It went as far as politics as well. The Hi¡¯ Ri had no side dealings, secret pacts, or even political enemies. Their people did not dabble in the economy, nor did they show themselves at hearings unless it was a mandatory emergency meeting. Or at least, the annual senate meeting the week after new years on the Standard Union Calendar.


    The Hi¡¯ Ri grew food as their passion. The union requested plant-based foods from their people, and in turn, they were given ¡°protection¡± as well the equivalent in matter back - weighing no less than 1 ton above what was shipped out. The only real hard clause in their contract with the union. And as far as protection¡­ Monefi could not think of one species that has made any moves to harm them¡­ In fact, she heard that her people were treated with great care when off world.


    Monefi came back from her thoughts when she realized the room was quiet. The Steward seemed to wait on her. She turned to the humans before her. They didn¡¯t stare at her, but at something over her shoulder. She turned and found there was nothing of interest.


    As if noticing, the Steward re-introduced the humans to get them back on topic. ¡°Since that¡¯s over, the leader of your detail is Special Officer Leon Renaldo. Following after is his second in command, Communication specialist Jay Wilkin. The man with the abnormally large weapon is Sa¡ª Sa ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Corporal Santiago Hernadez, Sir!¡± Santiago answered


    The Steward nodded his head ¡°Thank you ¨C and finally, the last man is Corporal Damien Walker, the Marksmen. These four make up Fireteam Onyx. A special human detachment for your protection¡­ And I would like to stress this is optional, and the rest of your team has refused it.. But I recommend doing it for them. I get the feeling that purpose will be good for them.¡±


    She sighed as her hands tapped anxiously on her wooden desk. She wasn¡¯t sure if this would go over well. A garden world hidden from the frontlines¡­ There was no need for such a heavily armed presence on land or space. That was not to consider the extended issue of human ¡°trauma¡±. An aspect foreign to her, so she didn¡¯t have a clue how to tackle this issue as well. Though, upon further thought, she considered that if she allowed this, it would help them ease up; with a high possibility that they may shed those black rifles and ballistic vests.]


    So the logic went in her head ¨C a plan was formed.


    ¡°I see¡­ Mister Leon,¡± Monefi finally addressed the human team leader using the honorifics written in the file. ¡°Do you need to be this heavily armed? Would it be too much to ask to at least slim down your packs?¡±


    All of them nodded in unison - but leaving Leon to answer. ¡°That would be too much. We are here on a security mission at the request of the Union. We appreciate you taking us in, but we are a pack animal. We require a purpose ¨C a ¡°load¡± per say ¨C and thus the Union asked us to be your spears so you do not continue on without protection.¡±


    Monefi only nodded her head in acceptance. There was no point to argue this further. She already concluded she would accept the team and did not want to come into conflict with them so soon.


    <hr>


    ¡­ 5 Months before Invasion ¡­


    ~


    ¡­ Half-mile Outside USS Haven Controlled Zone ¡­


    A high-pitched shriek broke the silence.


    Senator Monefi''s entire body tensed up as she felt the small hands on her shoulders. The Hi¡¯ Ri woman for once, felt like prey. The feeling of hopelessness was too much and her mind went blank. It wasn¡¯t until her brain registered the last human weapon pointed in her general direction, his confused expression; and the sound of breaking thicket, and human shouts, did she snap out.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry!¡± The human child who¡¯s small hands who gripped her upper left arm cowered behind Monefi. Her insistent apologies poured out in an unending stream as the rest of her guards appeared around them. Each pointed their weapons into the creek Monefi had hid in.


    Everything had happened quickly, and Monefi hadn¡¯t properly processed it all. However, she felt warmth swell in her chest as she saw the man with the largest weapon, Santiago, take off the strap that allowed him to carry it. The weapon was discarded into the dry bank before he came forward.


    ¡°You good, Monny?¡± He said as he quickly checked her over. His eyes were full of concern for both her and the child behind her ¨C human child.


    ¡°Y-Y-es¡­¡± She answered timidly as embarrassment followed the warmth. ¡°We.. We were just playing tag and.. I didn¡¯t hear her and¡­ She startled me.¡±


    Santiago let out a sigh after he checked her for injuries. He then turned his attention to the child. Kneeling, he lowered himself to her level and spoke in a far more softer tone. ¡°Its okay little one. You¡¯re not in trouble ¨C we just thought that something had happened to you two.¡±


    It was now that Monefi noticed that the rest of the human children, all of which were dressed in similar garb compared to her guards. Only, none of them carried weapons and only carried small packs for food, water, and medical supplies. Their childish faces out of place beneath the small ballistic helmets. They kept their distance from the senator as they stood above the creek. The fauna slightly obscured their figures as if they were predators lying in wait to pounce.


    Officer Leon was the second to approach. ¡°We¡¯ll call off the game. I was already skeptical if Tag would be compatible to begin with.¡±


    His eyes landed on her wings, clearly suggesting the different evolution lines between an avian line and a ground omnivore. At least, that was the connotation she decided to pin to that look.


    ¡°It.. It was just.. I didn¡¯t hear her, and suddenly I was in the sand with her on top of me¡­¡± Monefi tried to explain.


    Damien spoke up from his position beside several children, his marksmen rifle trained down creek. ¡°The kids are trained to be stealthy.¡±


    Monefi thought she caught the beginnings of a grin before he pulled up his face covering. Santiago had thrown him a withering glare that brought a visible smile to Jay. The comms specialist only grinned and commented ¡°Calm down lover boy¡± before he called into his radio to end the game.


    The little girl continued to apologize for ruining the game until Monefi assured her that she was just getting tired. Adults needed to save their energy and that the children would get to play later. Only, the child¡¯s comment chilled her.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Mommy said today I have weapons class today.¡± She looked down at her feet as Monefi held her hand. They walked side by side up the creek back towards the docked human ship. ¡°It takes all day and its too loud. I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    The senator wanted to tell her that children should spend their time playing. Only¡­ She looked to Santiago, who also looked as if nothing was out of the ordinary. She wondered if human children played rather than trained for war all the time¡­ Or was that their version of playing?


    ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll have Mister Jay here call in to give you guys fruits! Do you like fruits?¡± Monefi asked.


    All the children grew excited at the thought of fruits. Jay did as requested and the children surged forward a few minutes later once they came into sight of the USS Haven. Its imposing frame broke the tall canopy of the titan trees.


    ¡°Things weren''t always like this.¡± Santiago stated as he moved closer to her. An answer to a question she hadn¡¯t asked, which prompted her to look at him inquisitively. ¡°It was written all over your face.¡±


    Monefi nodded. ¡°Ah¡­Did¡­ This change with¡­ You know what¡­?¡±


    Santiago shrugged. ¡°Kinda. Look, Monny, I don¡¯t know how much you read into the files, but Earth¡­ Wasn¡¯t a paradise. Our world was already a dangerous environment. Us adults were always on edge against each other. The weather. The universe. Everything, and anything could go wrong at any moment. When these asshats hit us, it ripped whatever facade of safety we had left.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean that they suffer from mental instabilities?¡± Monefi asked. ¡°I read that traumatic events can negatively affect individuals.


    A land mine.


    All the humans paused momentarily, each tensed. Monefi only went two steps, and by the time she noticed she¡¯d stepped on it, they all were moving and back at her pace.


    ¡°S-Sorry¡­¡± Monefi said. ¡°I just¡­ I was wondering how even children could look so militarized¡­ So predatory¡­¡±


    The heavy machine gunner took a death breath as if it¡¯d suck in the right words. In his place, the fireteam leader answered. ¡°Our kids always used to play games like this, but always in schoolyards, playgrounds, or in safe neighborhoods. There isn¡¯t a safe place outside of the ship now for children. Especially since we¡¯re still on alert for an attack.¡±


    Santiago finally gathered his words. His voice was quiet and almost¡­ Vulnerable. ¡°No one is safe from nightmares¡­¡±


    The air around their group was oppressive now. Monefi could tell the mention of ¡°nightmares¡± meant something larger. Something that the humans were intimate with. But the aura strangled the air out of the conversation. And the questions she still had were buried in her throat as the soldiers continued their march towards the road.


    It was only ten minutes later that they reached the edge of the compound. The road was loaded as the rumble of ¡°APCs¡±, and ¡°Light tanks¡± rolled in and out in between supply trucks. Several aerodynes, flying cars as explained to her, came in and out. The bustle of activity stretched up across the face of the ship until she found herself looking at the sky. It was then she noticed it was already noon.


    They passed through the heavily manned checkpoint, of which, Monefi only spotted a few other Hi¡¯ Ri entering and a few union species that all looked to be dignitaries. Most likely here to meet with the Shipmaster. Her group left them all behind after taking a reserved truck parked behind the checkpoint.


    USS Haven was the last surviving human capital ship. It bore the majority of the remaining human population of 65 million. To compare it to the Hi¡¯ Ri, the Haven was their Tree here on the planet. It was their home and sanctuary as far as you could call it. And in the time she had spent with this team, she had gotten closer with them over the months. It had given her insights into humans in a way that¡­ Broke her.


    One of the members she had grown particularly close to, Santiago, had told her the most. He spoke to her how humans had constantly been at war. Death, destruction, and loss were as familiar as was the air they breathed. Yet¡­ In the carnage he spoke off, she saw it had blossomed senses of honor, courage, and sacrifice. Things she only saw as concepts within stories that were fiction stories on the union net¡­ To the humans¡­ that was their reality. There were vast cultures that had in themselves, even vaster moral codes and senses of value. It fascinated her. It was then that Santiago had shown her pictures of Earth. While it was beaten over the centuries from war, there were vast stretches of land that remained untouched ¨C or was rejuvenated. That was what broke her heart. Humans had been unwinding down, truly putting their weapons down one by one to fix their home¡­ And that was when the Bakri appeared.


    Monefi stood on the cusp of the aerodyne to take her and team back to the Capital Tree but found herself frozen with one foot in.


    Her eyes turned upwards to the human ship. The ship was nearly as tall as the thousand-year-old trees around them. Docked permanently in there, before, only port. The Union had finally built the Hi¡¯ Ri a spaceport, though it was mainly for the Union cargo ships to dock far easier. Thus, it wasn¡¯t something Monefi had bothered to care about. Rather¡­


    She heard the stories of Earth, but what she never heard from Santiago was...


    ¡°Officer Leon.¡± Monefi turned towards the Team Leader who stood next to Santiago. Both men always boarded last. ¡°May I enter the Haven?¡±


    The question made the men tense up. Leon was the first to speak. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Santiago has told me many stories of your¡­ Old home.¡± Monefi explained. ¡°But he hasn¡¯t even spoken about life in the Haven.¡±


    ¡°Fucking muscle head.¡± Jay quipped before turning to Santiago. ¡°Told ya¡¯. She was gonna eventually want to see inside.¡±


    ¡°Leave the Loverboy alone,¡± Damien chuckled.


    ¡°It''s not pretty, Monny,¡± Santiago said. Monefi nodded that his eyes were hard. Absent of the usual mirth, replaced with a seriousness that made her want to stand. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get scared of us.¡±


    ¡°I want to know more about humans¡­ More about You, Santiago.¡± Monefi said with all the strength she could muster.


    The reports the elders gave from their brief trips into the ship was nothing short of¡­ Terrible. Cramped halls, terrible smells, and a sense of forlorn seemed to pervade the entire ship. She wanted to see it for herself. Rather¡­ She hadn¡¯t had the courage to enter it until now.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, then yeah¡­ We can do that.¡± Santiago agreed.


    The aerodyne powered down as Jay radioed in their change of plans. With Leon, they took the truck and headed towards the center of the zone where one of four entrances into the Haven rested. Monefi noted that the buildings the humans had set up had become sparser. A closer glance told Monefi that they were far more heavily fortified than the outlying ones as well.


    ¡°This is no man¡¯s land.¡± Santiago, who sat next to the senator, leaned close and whispered. ¡°One path in, one path out. Mines the rest of the way. I don¡¯t think you will, but just in case, don¡¯t exit the truck until we¡¯re inside.¡±


    At the mention, Monefi did notice the sudden break from the fortified buildings a minute ago. All around them was cleared, dead earth. Just months ago, this was a large field of flowers, ferns, and berry bushes. Now, it was just barren dried-up dirt that created a mile-wide buffer between the ship and everything else. The land had been leveled during the construction of the port, but the absence of¡­ life in general, saddened her greatly.


    She also saw that there were two lines of traffic; one going in, one going out. Each following a strict beaten path through this buffer zone. The entire crossing was an uneventful trip that ended as they pulled into what Santiago explained was once the main hangar, which had been converted into their motorpool. It was a large cavernous room that opened into the world on the other side. Mammoth machines slid slowly across the expansive ceiling with platforms full of vehicles and equipment. The walls were pocketed with bays that the Hi¡¯ Ri woman identified as ship bays.


    The amount of logistics was awe inspiring.


    They pulled into one particular bay towards the center minutes later. It was sparsely filled with only transportation vehicles. No tanks. No other human vehicles she may not be able to identify. Just trucks similar to the one they drive in on. The group offloaded, filed through another checkpoint before they entered what was labeled as ¡°Main Hall - L0¡±. The words were painted over another set of poorly covered wording, ¡°Hangar - L56¡±.


    Bright lights illuminated gray halls, marked by its inhabitants through its wear markings. Crude childish drawings had been scribbled here and there. What intrigued Monefi was that the humans she passed were dressed down, but still wore their vests and sidearms. All the rooms they passed appeared to be administrative rooms ¨C similar to the offices back on the Union¡¯s Capital world. Just that these are heavily militarized office workers¡­?


    Yet, the entire time Monefi could not shake a feeling in the pit of her stomach. And it wasn¡¯t until they¡¯d passed into the residential section that it became obvious. There was no laughter. No children running freely with glee. Not a single human had a smile. Body language had been a large part of her data docket. Humans expressed many things through these cues. In all her time she walked these halls, all of the humans walked head down, shoulders slumped and carried on without a word.


    It was also then did the smell of the ship hit her. Decay. It reminded her of when she was a child with her friends, out exploring where she was not supposed to. She had come across a large cave and stood on its edge. At the time, she was not confident in her wings. She had always been slower in the physical aspect, her flight abilities being one of them.


    They had come across an opening in the ground. A new opening into the cave system in the area. Children knew they were barred from this area because of the caves. Yes, it was a garden world, but being they relied heavily on their large wings, caves were naturally not a great place for them.


    Her friends took turns jumping into the opening and flying out immediately. She, however, stood on the precipice. The yawning void of the seemingly bottomless cavern started back up. One of the children had reached out to her, maybe to comfort her, but she had been startled and slipped into the void¡­They had caught her immediately, of course. Children with good flight abilities were capable like that.


    However, the point ¨C standing on the precipice ¨C staring into the void. It stared back as if it could reach out and swallow you. The way it suffocated the mind and made her knees weak then. A sensation she vividly remembered. It was here that the feeling premeditated the air itself.


    As if the void lurked behind every corner. It¡¯s dark fingers waiting to grasp you with one wrong move.


    ¡°Monny?¡± Santiago grabbed her hand.


    She tensed up, her eyes wide with fear as she looked up at the muscular support gunner. Her eyes searched his worried ones. It was then that she felt a sense of safety. A sense she didn¡¯t know she had lost here. ¡°S-Sorry¡­ I.. I don¡¯t¨C¡±


    Santiago shook her head. ¡°We know. We all know¡­¡±


    Monefi gaped at his words. For several seconds, she wondered if he had the ability to read minds. She quickly came to her senses. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re good at sensing vibes.¡± Damien said. ¡°But yeah, it¡¯s always suffocating to be here. It gets worse in the housing section.¡±


    Santiago then asked if she wanted to continue. She did. She wanted to know what conditions the humans lived in. So far? She didn¡¯t like what she saw. It wasn¡¯t until they came by the ¡°Nursery¡± did she call it off.


    Monefi stared through the window separating her from rows of human infants. Cute bundles of fertile dirt brown, caramelized sugar, white beach sand, and other human shades she couldn¡¯t think of a comparison too. She could have, but she had noticed a female breast feeding one baby in another room across. Wall to ceiling glass that exposed the intimate moment with two female soldiers bare handed beside her. Monefi had been about to ask why they were there when it happened.


    She noticed the feeding woman becoming agitated at the baby¡¯s fussiness. Within a few seconds, her expression displayed an emotion she only saw in the data pack. Rage. Her features contorted, her eyes honed in on the baby as it refused to¡­ do whatever the woman wanted it to do. A snarl appeared on her face and she began to raise her voice ¨C the baby disappeared. Spirited away by one of the soldiers next to her. The other pushed the woman back in her seat. The two women snarled at each other.


    ¡°Oh great tree¡­¡± Monefi gasped.


    Santiago nudged her gently. ¡°C¡¯mon, its¡­ Its not pretty. Let¡¯s give them some privacy.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Monefi whirled on the large man who was half a foot taller than her. ¡°What in the stars was that?!¡±


    ¡°The demons,¡± Santiago said, his expression stony ¨C yet his eyes betrayed him. There was pain in those eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s just move on to the¡ª¡±


    ¡°I refuse to move further until you explain!¡± She dug her feet into the floor panels.


    An impasse was reached.


    Monefi had a notion that Santiago had been careful not to encroach on her person. From treating her aides, or the other personnel kinder, or just in general attempted to give her personal space. While she had assumed that would have been a given, she later learned through the few who¡¯d accepted protection details that this was not the norm. All their teams invaded their spaces. Their teams were treated coldly and they butted heads dailey over the things she had taken for granted.


    That¡¯s where the problem came in. Santiago, even his team, took pride in keeping her safe. From whatever threats they had perceived, and over the months, she had heard many tales of Sol ¨C Earth specifically. She had heard a few terrible things that had happened to Santiago, but very little from the rest of the team. Damien had confided in her one night that this was Santiago¡¯s ¡°trust fall¡±. A concept foreign to her.


    He explained that a ¡°trust fall¡± was when one person would close their eyes, cross their arms over their chest tightly and close their eyes ¨C then fall backwards towards their trusted person. The trust came in that they hoped this person would catch them as they would not be in a position to readily protect themself from serious bodily harm. It was further explained that for such a person like Santiago, who prided himself on his abilities to ¡°self-save¡±, independence, and warrior skills.


    The trust fall was the opening up to her.


    Another concept he mentioned but did not elaborate on was the ¡°olive branch¡±. The giving of her space despite their own protocols was his olive branch. Santiago had been the one that pushed to allow her space to be alone. Her personal belongings were never searched for ¡°safety¡± like the other teams did for their charges. They didn¡¯t force her aides to run through the ¡°hoops¡± the other teams forced their aides through.


    To her, this was to be expected. The space, the non-harassing of her people in the name of security. Privacy in general. To these humans, none was to be expected. Over the course of these months, she had pieced together that death for them lurked around each corner. Each shadow was a possible threat. A friend today could plunge a knife into your back tomorrow. And today? She saw the end result of their story.


    Pride was not a foreign concept to Monefi. She had learned through interactions of other races what it meant. The Hi¡¯ Ri themselves were also proud of their growing abilities. Of their continuing peace. But to Santiago? He was a proud warrior. He took pride in protecting things. Fighting the shadows they saw as potential threats. Weeding out the friends turned enemies. But she learned that this was a fragile, cracked thing. An open wound. Earth had been lost. His family had been lost. His race had been ripped from their world, plunged into a galactic war they hadn¡¯t known existed, and now resided on a foreign planet that has only known peace.


    Pride in his warrior skills was the last thing he had beside his life, and even then, his skill set was not needed here.The trust fall, she formulated in her mind, was that he would not be stripped of the last remaining aspect of his identity. To be rendered useless¡­


    One thing she had learned that was a constant across every sentient non-hive race was their identity was everything. Without it, they would fall into the void.


    The wails of the baby could now be heard. Both the humans and Hi¡¯ Ri woman looked back through the viewing window. The soldier who snatched the baby away looked at them. She looked shocked to have one of their benefactors present. Monefi only assumed this because the soldier looked ashamed. She grew smaller, placed the baby in an empty cradle before spiriting away into a different room opposite of the other room.


    No more was the confrontation between the other soldier and woman going on. Instead, the soldier was comforting the woman who was now sobbing violently. The previous soldier returned with a bottle of white fluid and stuck a nippled cap in the baby¡¯s mouth. Its cries ceased after a few moments. Monefi could not find the woman¡¯s eyes as the soldier refused to meet her eyes again.


    ¡°Fuck, Monny¡­¡± Santiago said before turning to the rest of his team. They all found interest in the walls suddenly. ¡°I¡¯m not a shrink, or even a smart kid, aight?¡±


    Monefi didn¡¯t know where he was getting at but his team nodded absently. Which earned each of them a withering glare from Santiago.


    ¡°Look, we humans¡­ We can handle boat loads of shit when we¡¯re prepared, or if we have a support system for after but¡­¡± He rubbed the back of his neck and paused. He sighed and continued after he appeared to think what to say next. ¡°When we lost Earth, no one was prepared. And no one is in a position to help each other mentally process that shit. PTSD ¨C you know, trauma¡­¡±


    Monefi bit her lip, her expression betrayed that she didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Fuck¡¯n hell, Monny.¡± Santiago grew slightly agitated. ¡°Just¡­ Just understand all that tender shit that we used to have. Love. Compassion. Sensible shit that you would normally expect to get, yeah its fucked. Post Traumatic Stress. It¡¯s like a spectrum, but everyone here went through it. Everyone has it cranked hard, but a lot of us are just tougher cookies. But what you saw ¨C we can¡¯t raise our kids properly anymore because all of us are fucked. These scars are too fresh, but we don¡¯t want to leave them kids to die¡­But its vicious cycle¡±


    The pieces began to fall into place for her now.


    ¡°But how come we don¡¯t see that out there?¡± She pointed back the way we came. ¡°Everyone I¡¯ve seen has been quite composed, if not almost robotic.¡±


    Santiago nodded. ¡°Yeah, that''s because they have a purpose. Its easy not to lose your shit when there¡¯s a goal in a low-stress environment. But don¡¯t take it wrong, all of us ¨C even me ¨C I fight these demons. It''s a wild thing and I know I¡¯m explaining it wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°I get it¡­¡± Monefi nodded, the final pieces falling into place. ¡°You need purpose, but more manageable purpose. And low-stress environments. I can help.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± He asked.


    ¡°First, let''s start by seeing if we can bring in some of my people to help raise your children. A vicious cycle is still a cycle. That means we can break it.¡± Monefi beamed, which left the men dumbstruck. ¡°Let''s talk to your shipmaster!¡±

 Episode 2 (final part)

    ¡­ The Battle of Angels ¡­


    ~


    ¡­ Capital Tree of Hope ¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we need to leave ¨C¡± Santiago pulled Monefi from her office chair. She let out a yelp of surprise. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Santiago had cybernetic body modifications and it often meant that he¡¯d sometimes use too much on his poor girlfriend. However, she was about to lecture him when he let go of her. But instead, she was pushed ahead of him. She issued her complaints about being spirited out of her new office in Capital tree¡­ Until she saw the fierce looks on the rest of her security team.


    The aura they gave off was unlike anything she¡¯d ever experienced from them. She turned to Santiago, and instead of that murderous look they had, his expression was full of fear.


    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± Leon hissed. ¡°No questions, we have to move now!¡±


    She froze, her mind trying to wrap her mind around the sudden shift in what had been just a normal morning. In fact, she¡¯d been the happiest she had ever been the past two months since ¨C


    ¡°The Bakri jumped into the system 10 minutes ago.¡± Santiago admitted before he grabbed her hand again, pulling her towards the newly added elevator. ¡°We have to get you to the bunker.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t we taking the aerodyne?!¡± Monefi asked as the polished metal doors closed. She stared in shock out the reinforced glass walls of the elevator as it zoomed down towards the ground floor. Her question went unheard.


    Outside, her people were finishing winter¡¯s last harvest as the sun was beginning to set. Bundles of long grains had been stacked on a large trailer. Humans had integrated their technology into their society, and while it¡¯d been pushed back on at first, the humans had only pushed whatever they could to ease the burden on them. One of them being long trailers an EV truck would pull to the harvesting trees. Thus, allowing the Hi¡¯ Ri to not have to fly with sacks back and forth.


    The harvest field was bustling with human soldiers pushing her people towards the trees. Some fell over and arguments broke out. That was, until several distant explosions distracted all of them. The noise was foreign, strange and sent Monefi on edge. She gripped Santiago¡¯s left forearm, and glanced at him. He only leaned forward to look upwards before mumbling ¡°Reinforcements.¡±


    A chime startled her and they funneled out onto a platform between the large roots, then down concrete steps that dropped them on the edge of the field. Several high-pitched whistles broke the air as tens of black pods crashed into the field that had just been cleared a minute prior.


    ¡°They broke through!¡± Leon cursed.


    Monefi thought he meant strange objects. Only, their doors popped out into the dirt. Out jumped what Monefi had nicknamed Cloud Knights, as they dropped from the sky, but they were human ¡°Paratroopers¡±. They quickly spread out, their voices carrying across to them.


    ¡°Set up AA!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the fucking grain, get the Angels to the bunker!¡±


    ¡°Hi¡¯ Ri children are in the AO!¡±


    ¡°This is why we should have given them all radios so we ¡ª¡±


    She listened to them as they cut across the field. None of them paid them any heed, though they did acknowledge them with salutes and nods as they passed each other. The answer to her unasked question was answered immediately after. The Capital Tree ¨C namely her office and the level on the trunk it resided ¨C exploded in a haze of purple fire as a Bakri fighter roared past. A Human fighter in tow, its chain gun ripping the air ahead of it as it tried to take out its target.


    Bits of flaming tree rained down around them, rooting the Hi¡¯ Ri woman in place with terror. More trees around her exploded in purple fires as loud ¡°TA-WOOOOOOSH- TA-WOOOOOOSH¡± sounded behind her. Two missiles roared over her head and gave chase to the Bakri second fighter, elegantly dancing around falling debris and the trees. One missile hit its mark as the fighter doubled back towards them, but the second one fell victim to a massive falling branch.


    It was enough however as the fighter twirled. The rear of the craft in flames, it plummeted into the ground beyond the fields they were in. A plume of blue and purple flames rushed upward like a wave crashing on seaside rocks. And Monefi watched it all, waiting to wake up from the nightmare she now found herself in.


    ¡°Monny!¡± Santiago pulled her towards him, the familiar pain of his strength ¨C while hurting her ¨C was a comforting feeling. He was here. They were here. They would fix this. They had to fix this¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t fight and pull you, Monny, ya¡¯ have to run on your own!¡±


    Chastised, she began running without his physical encouragement. She could do this. With the desire to spend more time with this man, she began to take part in his activities. His morning run. Eating meals together outside her office by this field ¨C Her mind wandered back to the field. It was now marred with the crater of the drop pods. Bits of the Capital tree she had worked in since she¡¯d been anointed as the Senator, if only because no one wanted to bother with that nonsense. Monefi had always been a more curious child for her race. Always curious about what laid beyond their home. Beyond their system. She just¡­ She ¨C


    The cold ground met her cheek, she yelped and realized she¡¯d lost herself in her thoughts. She hadn¡¯t paid attention to her steps. Images of her mother began to appear. Mother had always warned her to pay more attention to where she stepped or flew, else she was liable to crash into something. Monefi made a mental note to fly to her home on the outskirts. She¡¯d been so busy with¡­ Her new affection, she hadn¡¯t visited her in the last three months.


    Monefi wondered if she¡¯d enjoy the company of dogs. Santiago had introduced her to those wonderful creatures last ¡ª


    ¡°Monny!¡± Santiago shook her. ¡°Eyes on me, babe! Stay with me. Fight it. Fight the thoughts. Breath. Like when we run. Just focus on each step.¡±


    The senator felt like her chest was on the verge of exploding. Her tree. The Capital tree.. It was engulfed in purple and orange flames. A large silvery, elongated ship broke the canopy off to the right of her tree. Its outline reminded her of the pictures of whales from earth, but in an elegant way. Its six thrusters roared as it found an open spot. Gunfire erupted from the base of the Capital Tree, and it was then that she realized they¡¯d sent up a defensive parameter there.


    She was about to ask why they didn¡¯t join them when two side panels opened up on the Bakri ship, two strange elongated oval-like things popped out with wires attached to them. Before she could even question their use, streams of pinkish plasma rounds ripped from them. They peppered the defenders, but seemed to miss their shots. The soldiers'' fire only stopped for a few seconds as they repositioned and returned fire. Two missiles raced towards the ship, only to collide with a shield of sorts that rippled.


    The belly of the ship opened up. Strange floating machines floated out, plasma erupting from weapons beneath them towards the defenders. Finally, after what seemed like minutes, two large hulking figures dropped down. They both ran behind the nearby pods for cover. Once out of the way, a large crate size of the two put together dropped. Its charges and load dropped, the ship took off, speeding over them before it erupted into three balls of orange flames.


    It came out the side at an angle, its thrusters fought to right itself as its shields shimmered away. A human fighter screamed past a moment later. Another missile soared past the defenders this time. The thinner fin-like rear of the ship exploded on contact. A deep, hollow roar filled the air as its engine became exposed to the elements. It tilted back with only its front thrusters attached to its main body. This made it fly backwards before it slammed top first into the tree to its right.


    The tree shuddered along with raining more embers upon the land as the ship slid down the side, leaving a flaming gash in its wake.


    ¡°Fuck, Archangel!¡± Leon screamed as he knelt and took timed shots at the Bakri warriors in the field. ¡°We need a path!¡±


    Santiago pulled Monefi away from the field and towards a large patch of thicket by the roots of the nearby tree. She clung to his arm for dear life. Her wings tucked tight to her back so much it hurt and she scrambled for the perceived safety of it once she realized where he wanted her to go.


    ¡°Put whatever solid you can find between us and you!¡± He ordered before he turned and jogged back to the edge of the field.


    Monefi was about to argue when he threw himself to the ground. The large weapon he¡¯d carried everyday aimed, and it barked something fierce.


    ¡°THADADADA¡ªTHADADADA¡ªTHADADADA¡ªTHADADADA¡ªTHADADADA¡ª¡±


    She clasped her hands over her ears to damp the gunshots. Though she was too late. Her ears rang and the world fell away into a sea of dull noises. A few stray rounds of plasma burned through the thicket and splattered against the top of the root she hid behind. Burn bits of wood made her kick at the ground to push herself further in. The chaos of noises and visuals made her mind skip and stutter.


    Santiago¡¯s face appeared suddenly. She was on her feet. His lips moved, but his words were distant. The only reaction she could give was one of dumbfoundedness. He then cursed, but it was a human curse. One she knew!


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± She whispered as she stared at his lips, mimicking the word she often heard him curse out when something went wrong.


    It brought a brief smile to his face. It made her smile back, and for a moment, they were back in a night-lit forest. A full moon high up. Its rays pierced the canopy in a way that illuminated his rough human features in a way that was¡­ She dared to be romantic. He¡¯d confused his affection for her. She accepted, and confirmed hers. Warmth swelled in her stomach. The night was ¡ª


    The night moonlight sky was replaced with smoke and embers. Santiago was not professing his long like he¡¯d done a few months ago. He was carrying her bridal style. Plasma shots cut the air around them. They were bounding through a small patch of forest between the fields. She still felt warm in her stomach¡­


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Jay yelled, clear as day.


    He was in front of them. His rifle pointed up as he was in a full sprint. Damien was nowhere to be seen. Leon was gone as well. Jay was beside them.


    ¡°Any time now, Archangel!¡± Jay screamed while he pressed his finger to his ear. ¡°Their fucking drones didn¡¯t go down after we dropped the fucking Bakri!¡±


    Two Bakri drones flew overhead, raining plasma on them in an easily dodgable pattern. Santiago sidestepped it flow without looking. She thought he looked¡­ Dashing..


    ¡°Breathe, Monny!¡± Santiago speared her a quick chidding glance before he looked back up. ¡°In. nose ¨C¡± He dodged their returning strafe. ¡°Out. Mouth. Slow!¡±


    The drone came back around, and now she could feel her chest about to burst open. A scream - a warning ¨C ANYTHING! She wanted to do something other than cower in Santiago¡¯s arms, but she couldn¡¯t. It was as if the world itself slowed around them. The drone came into focus. Its body, similar to the Bakri transport, was silvery with a streamlined body. Only three black ports were visible. One at its front where two rods with tips glowing from the heat of the plasma protruded. Two more holes where its side thruster protruded slightly. There was most likely a fourth for a rear thruster.


    It lined up its shot as she felt their momentum shift. The drone attempted to predict their path this time. She watched in horror as its thrusters turned slightly, and its barrel was now pointed in their direction. Its insides glowed with a purple light that rushed forward at normal speed to her. The round spattered on the ground a few feet back, but the next round was already being pushed out as well.


    Their momentum shifted again and Monefi found herself thrown backward. She rolled in the air instinctively to avoid landing on her wings. The sudden shift threw the world back into gear for her and she found herself short of breath. Her lungs burned, her nose was filled with the smell of ozone, and the air tasted of gunpowder. Her hearing came back as she heard Leon shouting for her.


    ¡°Move, Senator!¡± He had brought up their rear. His face was partially burned and he was missing his left ear. Blood stained his vest down to his left side and he looked like he¡¯d rolled in the mud.


    He opened fired on the drone that had been doing the strafe runs on them. Only a few shots managed to land on target as sparks flew off. It lowered itself and ducked low to the ground over what Monefi saw was the next large field. More fighting plagued the other side of this part, but none of them paid the group any heed. Maybe because the drone that¡¯d been harassing them was circling back on a low pass.


    It exploded just as it tried to gain altitude mid-circle, most likely attempting to fire from further back. Its burning wreckage turned before it crashed into the field and bounced a few times before it came to a stop in a rut. Replacing it in the sky were four human drones. Their boxed bodies were carried by four upturned propellers. Two of them wielded LMG turrets while the last two carried Smart-Rocket pods.


    ¡°Took your sweet time, Archangel.¡± Damien cursed.


    More gunfire went off still at the other end, this time, a few more silver transports appeared and dropped off more invaders. Their attention on what looked to be a large human convoy that was giving them a major ass kick. One of the transports exploded as she saw the top of a tank aim for the moment its lower shield was down to drop off the reinforcements. Its explosion was a wave of purple fire, smoke, and debris that rushed upwards to their right. The now destroyed ship flipped from the moment and crashed into a heap on its roof.


    Their field fell into a respite, aside from the intense fighting going on in different parts of the monolithic forest. Gunfire reports and explosions were a near constant, and at some points blurred together in their distant ghostly howls.


    Santiago was at her side, his face caked with more sweat than she remembered him actually having when he ran. ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m sorry, Monny! Fucking broke the strap on the gun and it tripped me up. I swear! I wouldn¡¯t throw you like that!¡± Jay knelt next to her, rifle pointed towards the commotion in the distance along with Damien who also looked worse for wear. Leon hubbled over to them cursing as he threw himself on his ass to catch his breath. While this happened, Santiago fretted over something about ¡°Knowing avians have weaker bones¡±, and ¡°I wouldn¡¯t ever ruin your pretty feathers,¡±...


    Monefi let out a small giggle and then felt it grow louder, then it quickly devolved into a messy sob. This caught all the men¡¯s attention until she managed to finally find a sliver of sanity.


    ¡°C-C-Check on Leon¡­ Please¡­¡± She managed to choke out as stretched out on her hands and knees.


    Santiago hesitated for a second before he rushed over to Leon. Meanwhile, Monefi straightened her body to allow as much air to enter her body. She took slow, unsteady breaths as her body fought against her. It wanted to go a trillion miles an hour. Her heart hurt so much that it could¡¯ve made her cry all on her own besides everything else that just happened. And she was failing miserably when Jay took the same position next to her.


    ¡°Just copy me, Mon.¡± Damien pronounced each world slowly and only when she¡¯d looked over to him.


    Their eyes met and she watched him take in slow deep breaths. At its end, he held his breath for two seconds before exhaling just as slow. He did this two times. Never once did he stop to say anything, only do the breathing exercise. On the third time, Monefi man managed to get her breathing under control. Her heart thanked her greatly by no longer beating at her chest.


    ¡°I.. I''m sorry¡­¡± Monefi said after a minute.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± Damien said calmly as he got up. ¡°It''s the normal reaction to this stuff.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Leon hissed as Santiago finished attending to the officer by pressing a strange skin-colored bandage at the bottom of the man¡¯s neck. A stray spray bottle with a white cross on it was discarded at their feet. ¡°What just happened was FUBAR. I ¨C fuck, bro, easy ¨C I think you handle it quite well. We¡¯ll make a marine out of you yet¡­¡±


    Leon gave her a toothy grin that made Santiago scowl. ¡°No, Monny is not a fighter.¡±


    ¡°She got over her panic attack a lot faster than half the 45ths first time.¡± Leon chuckled.


    Jay chimed in. ¡°Think it¡¯s because she¡¯s dating the biggest dumbass this side of the system. Soon enough, she¡¯ll be slinging rocks and bumping back beers just like him. She¡¯s already been a lot more assertive the last month or so.¡±


    ¡°I am not rubbing off on her!¡± Santiago quipped as he finally moved to Monefi. ¡°Are you okay? Where ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Calmly.¡± Damien hissed at him just as he was about to help her up. The two men glared at each other as Monefi noticed Santiago¡¯s hands were shaking.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ I¡­ I just felt like my heart was about to burst¡­¡± She said, ¡°I think I was starting to get light headed.¡±


    Jay finally turned towards her, his expression unreadable. ¡°Did you feel pressure where your heart was?¡±


    Monefi nodded.


    ¡°And it was painful? Along with the lightheadedness?¡± Jay continued.


    She nodded again.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± Jay cursed. ¡°We gotta pick a safer route. The woman might have just scraped past a heart attack, or at least a really bad panic attack. We don¡¯t have the meds to handle either and we can¡¯t sedate her either¡­.¡±


    All eyes went to Santiago as he cursed for a moment, but took a breath before he looked to Leon. ¡°How much further till the bunker, Sir?¡±


    ¡°A field over to the north-west.¡± Leon answered as he seemed to look up to the lip of his helmet, most likely looking into his Heads Up Display goggles. ¡°Fuck, we gotta move fast. Bakri got the shipyard.¡±


    The bit of information put all the men on edge.


    ¡°... Which shipyard¡­?¡± Monefi asked


    Leon answered. ¡°The new Union Shipyard ¨C Up, we have to move. It¡¯s a straight line from here if we follow the root paths.¡±


    ¡°Its a Union yard! How did it already get taken?!¡± Monefi protested as Santiago herded her through the thicket with urgency.


    ¡°We¡¯re the only security in this sec¨C¡± Leon spoke, but was interrupted by the cannon fire of the nearby human vehicle.


    TUH-TUH-TUH-TUH-TUH-TUH-TUH-TUH¡ª- BOOM


    ¡°Bakri air!¡± Damien reported as he threw himself to the ground.


    None of the others questioned him and followed suit. A ¡°WuuuuUUBBBB¡± shook everything around them. A large black Bakri ship rounded the large trunk of the tree they were near. Its thrusted expelled intense heat down onto them for a few seconds ¨C A few seconds that were enough to redden any exposed skin. Heavy rounds slammed into the ship but was intercepted by its shielding. A missile was launched from its large semi-fall oval haul and exited the shield where the ground fire could not enter through.


    The missile itself popped out with enough force to pass nearly 30 meters into the air before its thrusters engaged. By then, the shielding covered its roof and most likely prevented the smoke from being trapped in its shielding. It propelled towards the faint shapes of the human convoy. A massive green explosion rattled all five of them. Monefi thought all of them were lost as a Bakri Transport brought up its flank.


    Both of the ships took up positions near the downed transport ship and lowered themselves. The new transport expelled tens of Bakri while the oval ship lowered a large platform from its underside. On it was a large greenish crouched beetle with a large elongated rectangle canon running across its top . Its hull nearly doubled that of two human tanks on top of each other. Another one and a half once it rose to its full height on six thick mechanical legs.


    The oval ship began to take off just as a large BOOM sounded, followed by its thrusters exploding outwards. The debris bounced around the flickering shield¡¯s innards before it all dropped down and nearly crushed the Bakri beetle vehicle as it dropped in a ball of flames. Its sister ship returned fire into the smoke where the human convoy was as two scorched APCs rushed forward. Quickly following was a singular large tank.


    Monefi didn¡¯t get to see the end of that battle, despite it enrapturing her. Watching the invaders get knocked around tickled her sense of justice, something that would have been of great concern to her in normal times. But Santiago jerked her down into a small irrigation creek feet away just as the tip of the large cannon on the beetle began to emit a bright red light. A second later, the entire area was illuminated in a deep menacing crimson.


    The creek¡¯s outer bank, along with the thicket on top, blocked her vision. However, it did not stop the light from spilling over and illuminating the fearful expression Santiago gave her as he forced her to move. Several plasma rounds cut across overhead, spilling burning thicket down into the creek. Several tank rounds exploded on the tree roots that arched overhead. Splitters exploded down onto them. The most dangerous of them were thankfully absorbed by the tangle of baby roots that were shredded.


    ¡°Archangel is sending reinforcements!¡± Jay, who was middle of the pack, called out.


    ¡°He better not be pulling it from existing fights!¡± Leon growled.


    ¡°Foundry is still running!¡± Jay responded as a few more plasma shots crossed overhead. ¡°ETA 70 seconds for Auto vics! It said the Bunker is still secured, but its closing the doors in 38 minutes!¡±


    ¡°Tell that fucking AI to make it 50!¡± Santiago roared as he let go of Monefi. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she can keep that pace!¡±


    Jay reported back as they picked up speed. Surprisingly, Monefi was able to keep up. A moment of pride welled up in a sea of fire flowed through her body now.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°No can do!¡± Jay said as they continued their run. ¡°Bakri are jamming coms into orbit, can¡¯t get an SOS out, so its assuming we lost ¡ª¡±


    The report was interrupted as the tree above them groaned and cracked. All of them stopped and looked up. Above them, a massive human ship ripped through the canopy, its hull alight with purple, pink, and green fires as it cut south-eastward. Its hull ripped the tree¡¯s top off towards the field. Tens of splitters larger than tanks began to fall towards them.


    The fire in Monefi¡¯s body distilled itself as Santiago ripped her forward and her body reacted by forcing her forward in a sprint. As if her body finally realized that death was hurling itself down at her. Laughing at her lover¡¯s attempt to keep her useless life with them. Her eyes focused, the creek more detailed, and her legs responded to her desire to move.


    She overtook Santiago who didn¡¯t hesitate to pick up his own pace along with the rest of the team. In fact, she overtook them.


    With distance on their side, they managed to make it most of the way to the roots of the next tree before the first real threat crashed down. The creek past them disappeared amongst a pile of sharp wood and falling leaves.


    ¡°Contact ¨C Forward!¡± Leon yelled.


    Monefi, confused, turned only to see Damien as he shouldered her to the ground. His marksmen rifle then barked several times, his face twisted in a fierce snarl. A second later, purple engulfed his expression. They crumbled to her feet. She stared in disbelief as the human she¡¯d gotten to know remained unmoving. His ballistic helmet half melted. The dirt around him began to take on a sinister dark hue, as if the abyss grew around him.


    His head the epicenter.


    ¡°H-Hey¡­¡± Monefi whispered, a shaky hand outstretched.


    Santiago was on the edge of her vision, but all that filled her ears was the rush of her blood. It dulled the barks of their weapons. The sound of the Bakri blasters. All that existed was Damien. Her guard¡­ Her¡­ Friend¡­


    ¡°Get up¡­¡± She nudged him softly. His rifle laid across her thigh, thrown as the plasma fire had made his body to ragdoll. ¡°Y-Y you need to get up¡­¡±


    She stopped nudging him and held his rifle. A shot had ripped across next to it, but its proximity had burned away the strap he used. Its left face is slightly charred but intact. She knew how it worked. She¡¯d used it before a few times. Damien had taught her how to use it until she could at least get all her shots in the large circle.


    Damien named his newborn after her¡­


    Damien ¨C He needed to get back to his daughter ¡ª Damien needed to get back to his wife ¨C She needed to get him to the bunker ¨C no ¨C Haven ¨C they could fix him ¡ª- Rage burned in her. Her body burned as if a newly formed sun had taken residence. She gripped the rifle and fumbled it slightly into the way Damien taught her how to hold it. Its slim, yet bulky frame is warm. A small amount of blood stained the scope and the stock.


    When looked up, she saw Santiago fighting a Bakri in hand to hand. Rather, he was being thrown around by the creature. The human was two-thirds the creature''s height and half as bulky. It roared as it lifted Santiago by the back of his vest before tossing him into the outer bank opposite of her. The Bakri soldier grunted as he turned his back to her. Unlike its front, it wasn¡¯t as armored. Rather, she noticed it only appeared to wear its armor on its front.


    She shouldered the rifle, not bothering to take a breath as the reticle was center mass and began pulling the trigger. It barked and the muzzle jumped. She pulled the trigger again, not-quite back on target, but quickly caught her error before she pulled it back down. One ¨C two ¨C three ¡ª four ¡ª five ¡ª click. The invader was slumped in the creek, its blood flowing with the creek in the direction they needed to go.


    Monefi looked to Santiago, but the man was already on his feet. He groaned in pain as he pulled his sidearm. He pointed it up and down the creek, but lowered it once he saw the fight was over.


    ¡°You got him¡­¡± Leon said as he put his hand on the rifle.


    She¡¯d been pulling the trigger over and over. It hadn¡¯t made a sound or fired another shot. Its bolt was locked back.


    ¡°Fucker got my comms!¡± Jay roared from ahead of them as he struggled to his feet. Another dead Bakri at his side.


    His metal pack sparked a few times and he shrugged it off into the water. They locked eyes. His eyes¡¯ then slid down to the rifle. Then to the Bakri at her feet. Then to¡­ Damien¡­ His eyes went wide for a moment before he nodded and began to scoop up the Bakri¡¯s rifle. He walked over to her, then pulled two magazines from Damien¡¯s vest and handed it over to her.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Was all she could say.


    ¡°Reload and let¡¯s move.¡± Leon said. ¡°We lost time.¡±


    As they said that, human drones began to hum overhead in the tens. A few floated down towards them, but only one stayed and took the lead. Monefi wanted to protest. She wanted to argue that they couldn¡¯t leave Damien, but she saw the empty looks they shot back where he was. The desire fizzled out as the fire in her began to simmer and die, leaving her empty as well. The rifle in her hands reloaded, yet it felt far heavier than it should have¡­


    The drones engaged targets in the fields around them. More Bakri ships glowed overhead.


    There was no lack of fighting to be had. Rather, the only thing Monefi noted was the considerable lack of Hi¡¯ Ri or humans to be found at this point. It wasn¡¯t until they¡¯d made the force-sprint to the bunker¡¯s perimeter did her answer come.


    Several dismembered Hi¡¯ Ri bodies had been strewn around in a small cove in the creek along with a human. Bullet casings littered the ground. The human¡¯s had taken several shots to the chest and lay crumpled against the cove''s north entrance ¨C facing the way they needed to go. From that point, they saw more dead humans and Hi¡¯ Ri¡­ And dead Bakri and their minions.


    The area around the Bunker had been secured. From the looks of it, mainly by Archangel¡¯s drones. Bakri Transport were still coming in, but the moment they tried to unload, the drones were focus-fire on the unloading troops. This they saw as they were forced to edge the top of the outer bank. With the ground becoming more level, the creek grew deeper and non transversable.


    Despite this, they were in an open sprint along the path with clear markings towards ¡°Bunker Beta¡±. Concrete barriers had been laid out, covered in charred thicket. Several dead soldiers were slumped here and there. And the ground was worriedly thick with brass scatterings as well as broken crates. Tens of drop pods stood tilted in every direction around them, their users nowhere in sight.


    The path cut between two different fields and lay four trees away, or a little over 3 kilometers, from the Capital tree. A distance Monefi had already begun to kick herself over. The bunker was originally supposed to be under, or in the vicinity of the Capital tree. Her and her colleagues opposed this, as to bury something beneath the tree or its roots was sacrilegious. It was where their dead were to be buried. To become part of the tree, and forever remain with their descendants.


    The actual bunker now resided beneath a dead tree. Its trunk long fallen to leave a large deadwood stump. In their eyes, the souls buried beneath would fall to the earth with the fallen trunk, and thus rejoin the cycle of souls once again. For a tree as long lived as theirs to die a natural death was a momentous event in their culture. The remains of the tree would become whatever their people wanted it to become. In this case, the tree had reached its span and fallen a year prior to the humans arrival.


    And they hadn¡¯t come up with a use for all that space, or wood, yet. It resulted in the trunk being harvested by, and for, the humans. Its remaining stump was then turned into a hub for human activity. A place for landing Aerodynes, house patrols, and a bunker beneath it all.


    When they had finished their construction, they¡¯d carved out rooms and reinforced its insides. They had also planted a plethora of plants across its wall. Young Hi¡¯ Ri had come and painted childish paintings across the exposed sanded faces. It had quickly become a place where many of the said young and curious Hi¡¯ Ri began to visit often¡­


    And now?


    The once beautiful, if heavily militaristic giant stump, was scorched. A large chunk had been taken out of its roof where the remains of a human dropship partially hung over the ledge. Blood splattered its cracked windshield. Several cut outs in the wood below looked heavily burned out where a human machinegun poked out. Its user burnt to a crisp still attached to it. Reaching the entrance, Leon called in ¡°Friendlies entering!¡± as they picked their way past several dead Bakri amongst the heavily damaged barricades. ¡°Friendlies inside!¡± returned through the entrance doors, once intricately carved by Hi¡¯ Ri craftsmen, lay smoldering against the bent security gates inside.


    Inside, several battered marines with heavily machine guns haphazardly whatever they could. Several scorched but working hound drones and aerial gun drones resided as back up.


    ¡°Fireteam Onyx, here with Senator Monefi.¡± Leon announced once they¡¯d gotten through. ¡°Is the bunker still operational?¡±


    ¡°SO Leon, we were expecting you. Careful, you¡¯re going to have to climb over here ¨C fuckin¡¯ apes guys were decimating us until we threw everything we could infront of us to stop their shots.¡± A marine with a bloody sergeant patch center vest stood up over the barricades.


    The office for the outpost was fifteen meters long. Half of which was a large flat driveway that led back to an elevator to the landing pad above. It was, like a reception area, barricaded with sandbags, crates, chairs, tables, and whatever else they could throw between them at the invading forces. Despite being an outpost, Monefi was surprised by how much furniture existed here. It had been enough to create a hazardous slope that reached out four feet at its shortest.


    A few drones that burned with purple flames were piled in, as well as one Bakri soldier who¡¯d tried to mantle the slope. Above it was an abandoned heavy machine gun that looked to have been half melted. Most likely hit by a lucky plasma round.


    ¡°I had informed the defenders that your team was inbound. You are currently 5 minutes late.¡± Archangel came over a radio that rested on a row of tables near the point the marines had them crawl over. ¡°They refused to close the bunker at the designated time. This bunker is currently in jeopardy due to this breach of protocol.¡±


    ¡°Archangel, it''s fine.¡± Leon retorted..


    Monefi felt her stomach begin to burn at the thought the AI only cared about the bunker. They had lost Damien so close to the finish line, and this AI was about to leave them all out to dry while ¡ª


    ¡°I am currently operating at 100% processing power to assist with the defense.¡± The AI continued. ¡°35% AutoForge functions, 25% to Repair functions, and 40% to Defense Management. I am currently losing defense weapon systems at a 67% rate higher than I am currently manufacturing new drones. Current expenditure will deplete all Forge resources by 2300 local time as a basic estimation.¡±


    ¡°Fuck, what time is it?¡± Leon looked at his watch but the AI answered.


    ¡°It is currently 1954. 67 minutes have elapsed since the start of engagement.¡± Archangel reported.


    Leon took a seat next to the radio and pulled off his helmet to reveal a sweat covered forehead and matted hair. He looked back over the barricade and noticed, along with Monefi, that the surroundings were strangely quiet ¨C aside from the hum of the drones and the fires crackling. No buzzing of thrusters, or gunshots. He sat back down, turning to the marine that let them in. ¡°What¡¯s the situation here at the bunker?¡±


    ¡°Us seven marines, plus four more on a supply run in the bunker,¡± The marine looked at his hand, as he counted off. ¡°There¡¯s also around five helljumpers that went off on a scouting mission to see if they could scrounge up more men¡­ Then we got close to 30 wounded men in the bunker out of commission. Lastly, we got close to a hundred Angels in the bunker. Most of them are in pretty bad shape.¡±


    Archangel chimed in as well. ¡°Bakri have taken over the area around Angel-1. This includes boarding the Union Orbital Shipyard. Its safe to assume they have taken control of it. However, I have confirmed the NUH Nemesis was able to deploy from RnD Bay-3 with major malfunction codes logged. Currently,the remaining orbital sensor remaining is logging the Nemisis¡¯s fighting 400% above simulated projections.¡±


    The four marines mentioned earlier appeared with Hi¡¯ Ri. Each carried boxes, set them down and went back down the hall and round a corner. Except the marines, they stayed and began to unpack fresh weapons, grenades, ammo, and replacement armor.


    Archangel continued. ¡°Gound situation is worse. The USS Haven is under heavy siege. Last report, 10 minutes ago, reported that the parameter has fallen and Bakri have taken the Haven¡¯s airstrip. Breaches reported on the top and bottom levels as of 2 minutes ago. Heavy fighting reported in the crash area of the USS Dawn. The commander reported that it was a intentional scuttling due to Bakri air units shooting down drops ¨C the ship has sustained minimal damage to its reinforced hull.¡±


    ¡°Did we managed to send out a beacon to the Union?¡± Monefi asked. Hearing the reports, it managed to put her at ease. Not the fights ¨C hearing reports ¨C she could stop and take herself out of the current now, and put herself back into where she was best, directing.


    Archangel responded. ¡°The Union Shipyard was unable to send their beacon out in time. As you are aware, Senator Monefi, humanity does not operate the shipyard in any capacity ¨C outside of the Research and Development bays you required to be allocate to us. Our vessels detected Bakri warp signatures 2.4 minutes before physical manifestation. We alerted the Union in system that we detected, while also launching our own distress beacons.


    Union Yard Superintendent Ma-Ya Gogi dismissed our alerts and ordered the yard as a whole not to prepare. Once the Bakri jumped into the system, it took 12.3 minutes for the yard to react while our vessels engaged the enemy fleet. The Bakri spearheaded through our vessels and got within range of the Shipyard. Once within range, our vessels could no longer engage with longe range firing, or any nuclear warheads. This allowed the Bakri time to disable the beacon the yard launched too late and then board the shipyard.¡±


    Monefi found herself dumbfounded. To know that the Shipyard, a orbital platform that was supposed to be the union¡¯s linch pin in the communication and shipping chain between the Hi¡¯ Ri and the union as a whole, could fail in their basic duties to such a degree left her¡­ Numb¡­ Yes¡­ It had always been there, at the back of her mind when she sent reports. When she communicated with the other representatives, or requested items¡­ It just¡­ The lack of agency in union officials¡­


    No, she understood that she herself had been just as complacent. And her friends and people were dying because of it.


    Her fingers gripped Damien¡¯s rifle ¨C a cruel reminder that the marksmen was dead. No more jokes, or ¡°double-date¡± dinners with Santaigo, her, and Damien and his partner. He would only exist in the memories of those who survived¡­


    ¡°-- Recommended course of action ¡ª¡± Archangel was cut off as the radio whined.


    ¡°Humans and Hi¡¯ Ri¡­¡± A scratchy, deep voice cut through the radio.


    Monefi knew it was unexpected when she saw any marine with a earpiece rip it out in pain. A few others without earpieces reacted, so she suspected those were the ones with implants.


    The voice continued as it let out a growlish breath of amusement. ¡°This is Strike Chief Lago-Ra of the Bakri Outerrim¨C¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Leon committed. His, and the other soldiers, no longer in positions of rest. Each of them had hastily switched to defensive position on the barricades. He was, however, glaring at me as if I had left out some important information. ¡°I thought the Bakri were the name of their race?¡±


    ¡°- We have captured the Union Shipyard. While your ships fought galliantly ¨C¡± Monefi detected what she believed was¡­ Respect? Admiration? ¡°But we do not wish to fight you humans to the last one person. Nor do we wish to kill the Hi¡¯ Ri as I suspect they are ignorant to our conflict with the Union. We come here to raid the planet of its supplies. I have suspended further units from entering the field as of ten local minutes ago. But be assured, we are amassing our forces and will push with all our might.¡± The Bakri Strikechief said.


    The next voice on the radio was a human. One Monefi was intimately familiarly with. ¡°This is Shipmaster Anise. Despite what a few in our ranks like to say, I already know you all have made me the de facto leader of humanity. It has taken me some time to come to terms with it. All that I shoulder ¨C will eventually shoulder¡­¡±


    Lago-Ra¡¯s voice was heard faintly in the background. ¡°Stick to your agreement, Shipmaster. Or all will burn.¡±


    She continued after a long resigned sigh. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m getting there¡­ Well¡­ I¡¯d like to preface what I¡¯m about to do with an old earth poem¡­ Is that okay with you?¡±


    Five heavy suspenseful seconds of silence in the transmission passed before a soft ¡°thank you¡± could be heard from the Shipmaster. Assumed towards the Strikechief before she continued. ¡°It is a poem my farther used to read to new recruits on earth, and it was not until this last year did I come to understand it. I hope you will as well¡­


    Do not go gentle into that goodnight¡­ Old age should burn and rave at the close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.


    The wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning ¨C they do not go gentle into that good night.


    Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright. Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay ¨C Rage, rage against the dying of the light.


    Wildmen who caught and sang the sun in flight, and learned, too late, they grieved it on its way ¨C do not go gentle into that good night.


    Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight, blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay ¨C Rage, Rage against the dying of the light.


    And you, my father, there on the sad height, curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray ¨C Rage, rage against the dying of the light ....¡±


    The radio went silent for a moment before she spoke again, her voice now hoarse¨C cracking with emotions Monefi was not too familiar with, but knew it was one the humans tried hard not to display to them. ¡° I apologise, Strike Chief, but we humans will not surrender. I only ask you spare the Hi¡¯ Ri, for the blood is only between us¡­ All stations, engage Order Omega Nightfall¡­ Let the Angels retreat to Heaven, and us humans bring to bare our fangs in full.¡±


    The radio went silent for a full four seconds before Lago-Ra spoke. ¡°So you have chosen death¡­ I agree to your terms, Human Shipmaster. Indeed it was us who destroyed your cradle world¡­ Yes, I see your resolution for revenge. We too will bare to full our fangs on your people. We shall not bare ill towards the Hi¡¯ Ri. Let this blood mark against our forces be resolved here, no matter the winner. Men, execute everyone here, starting with the union trash¡­¡±


    Silence filled the bunker entrance as everyone processed what had just happened.


    Monefi was in a state of frozen panic. She had never seen a battlefield. She had already thought this place had become a hellish landscape and both sides were already fighting with ¡°full fangs¡±, but had they not? Were both sides holding back¡­? Why¡­?


    ¡­ Was it because of us¡­?


    ¡°Yes.¡± Santiago answered as the radio blared to life again.


    It was Archangel. ¡°Order Omega Duskfall received. Any non-fighting personnel has 1 minute enter your nearest bunker before automatic lockdown ¡ª Repeat, all ¡ª¡±


    Monefi was whisked off her feet as Santaigo picked her up, his SAW discarded on the barricade next to Leon. None of the marines reacted as Leon began to direct them in setting up fields of fire. His heavy footsteps echoed through the large concrete hall that bent down and to the right. Large illuminated signs detailed evacuation procedures. LMGs were mounted to the walls, ready for human use as well as another line of barricades. This one however, had a small clearing to allow back and forth from the open bunker ten feet behind it.


    The Hi¡¯ Ri from before were heading back, they all stopped and stood out of Santiago¡¯s way.


    ¡°Drop it all right here and get inside.¡± He growled.


    Without question, they all dropped the boxes and fled back into the bunker. A blinking yellow emergency light illuminated the bunker¡¯s inner entrance. It was a short hallway with four large tracked mini-tank like drones with HMGs on top. The Hi¡¯ Ri fled past them before stopping at the end of the hall. All four peaking out from like scared little children, but they were adults.


    Santiago dropped her just past the threshold, but Monefi refused to let go. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll come back.¡±


    He looked conflicted yet gave her an amused grin. ¡°Fuck, Monny, that¡¯s a death flag right there..¡± His normally black irises glowed yellow, something she knew he was on a call right now using his implants.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to throw my life away right now, and you¡¯re not going to even give me your full attention?!¡± She hissed with anger she¡¯d ever expressed. She felt her slip up in a snarl. Once she was aware she had done that, she became startled, stared up at the man she¡­


    ¡°I love you,¡± Santiago blurted out, his eyes wide, but still with that stupid smile on his face. ¡°If I make it back, I have something I want to tell you.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t respond. The words were as if someone had punched her in her head. She would know. Monefi had tried human boxing once. It was not a feeling she ever wished to experience again. Yet, it was similar to this. Rather than rattling her brain and making her all her senses go heywire with pain, it went heywire with¡­ joy.


    Santiago¡­ Loved her¡­ He¡­ Loved¨C


    The bunker hatch was closing. Santiago¡¯s back was to her as he stood a foot beyond the yellow warning line.


    ¡°I love you, too, Santiago!¡± Monefi screamed out with all her small frame could muster. And in that moment, she saw the human man she loved with all her being ¨C the only thing beyond her parents she¡¯d ever loved ¨C disappear behind a thick metal door that closed shukt


    ¡°EMERGENCY LOCKDOWN ACTIVATED.¡± The automated system warned. ¡°All personnel make your way deeper inside.¡±


    It was then that Monefi also found something in her hands. It was Santiago¡¯s sidearm in its holster.


    *Scene goes to black*


    <hr>


    The scene opened to a close up of the bunker¡¯s entrance. Where once was the neat spartan concrete walls and furniture, now laid half buried in rubble, cinder, and the remains of the barricade. Piles of discarded brass casings littered the floor. Except for a single large path that had been cut directly through all of it to the open bunker door. Large dark spots clung to pieces of human armor and melted rifles on each side.


    ¡°The battle offically ended ten hours later, after Nemisis and a human scientist took out most of the Bakri invading fleet, allowing ground forces to reground and push back.¡± Monefi¡¯s voice came over the scene. ¡°The majority of the fighting taking place after the Omega Duskfall had been called. It had taken another two days for them to rescue everyone from the bunker¡­¡±


    The scene once again changed.


    It panned over the outside now. The once vibrate and occupied outpost was now blackened ¨C pockmarked from plasma fire and whatever weaponry the Bakri had used. Contrasted it as sat on the threshold of two verdant fields. Red flowers grew abundantly as vines had once again began to creep up.


    Pictures of a once pristine creek Fireteam Onyx transverses showed on screen slowly. Many of them had children Angels playing in them. The last half began to include human children, albeit, armored, amongst them. After thirty seconds, the pictures stoped, replaced with an ariel video of the creek. Craters all but ruined its banks, littered with discarded armor and cartridges from both sides. Near the capital tree field, a Human Fast Deployment Transport (FDT) laid on its side, mostly buried under a large fallen branch.


    Its deployment ramp pockmarked from plasma fire.


    ¡°Being able to¡­ Be¡­ With Santiago¡­ I had lulled myself into a sense of knowing¡­¡± Monefi spoke up again. ¡°I thought I knew the lengths they would go to. The humans, all of them, had told me they would die fighting on many occasions¡­ But I don¡¯t think the implications of those words ever sank in until after I emerged from the bunker.¡±


    Helmet camera footage of human reinforcements entering the outpost played from the . Most of the entrance had been blown apart. Tens of Bakri drones lay inert around it along with several of the large Bakri themselves, and several smaller ones that appeared to be a different race altogether.


    They pushed through to discover the first barricade. It had been battered, burned, and pushed through by what looked to be a heavily armored Bakri soldier holding a spear. Said spear had skewered one defender. It had dozed through the barricade before it had been taken down by the defenders. But the opening and subsequent lack of return fire to deal with that one unit allowed the invaders to get their foot hold.


    Monefi continued. ¡°Omega¡­ The last letter in a dead human laguage. While a letter, it also had a significant meaning in being the last letter. The end ¨C the great end ¨C to be the last. Duskfall, or Dusk, the transition between day and night. In human literature, the daylight was to Asignify good, while the night was evil, or the bad times¡­


    Omega Duskfall, to our great end as the day slips away¡­¡±


    Towards the end of the video, it showed the soldiers crawling through the rubble to get to the bunker door. One more heavily armored Bakri soldier lay amongst the last five marines and the remaining two members of Fireteam Onyx. Special Officer leon was crushed beneath the enemy¡¯s large head, his knife jutted from a chink in the Bakri¡¯s neck armor. Santiago, from the blood trail leading to the entry pad by the bunker door, had crawled away from the melee.


    A bakri spear protruded from his lower abdomen. A detonator laid next to him. His left arm clung to a small blue felt box while his right hand held onto a small device. The recording soldier tested him for a pulse, then looked to another and shook his head. He took the box from his hand and opened it. There two gold rings sat ¨C unmarred by the destruction around it. The soldier whispered an indiscipherable prayer before he placed the box down.


    He turned to the bunker¡¯s entry pad. Its face melted and caved in. Another soldier came forward and set a bag of tools down next to Santiago¡¯s body. Two soldiers came over, bagged all the equipment with him before tying the bag to his vest. They then carried the body away and the soldier with the tools began to work on the keypad.


    The footage skipped ahead to when the doors open. The soldier with the helmet camera was first through, capturing the turrets aimed, then deactivated. Behind them was Monefi. Her body covered in dried blood, soot, and her hair disheveled. Another skip, and they were bringing her out. Her pleas for them to find Santiago. That he had to be here, but the soldiers could only try and temper her expectations as they lead her to where the bodies were lined up. Her pleas only quieted once she stood before them.


    They¡¯d been lined sided by side behind a tracked IFV. A human soldier with a white cross on his helmet crouched beside each of them and took their tags. A xeno watched over, a Calrus ¨C a humanoid with the body of a horse, while taking notes on a data pad. An Astral Union Steward. He saw Monefi and called out to her, striding over to meet her. She ignored him as she stood at the feet of Santiago. She faced away from the recording soldier, as such, her expression was hidden.


    The scene became silent, aside from the Steward attempting to grab her attention. The recording soldier elbowed the steward. When he turned to the soldier with a rebuke, he seemed to notice something wrong and all the soldiers around him were glaring him down as if they were about to kill him. He then looked to Monefi.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Monefi could barely be heard. ¡°My love, get up¡­¡±


    It was then the Medic was about to pull his tag, but stopped and looked up to the senator. Then looked down to Santiago. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for you loss, but pardon me.¡± With hestiate hands, he went to pull his tags, but Monefi leapt at him once they were pulled.


    ¡°Stop! He needs those! Those are his!¡± She screeched. Her hands tried grabbed at the tags but the soldiers around her managed to catch her in time. ¡°Stop! No! You can¡¯t take his things!¡±


    Her voice was becoming more shrill by the second. It took four humans to wrangle her to the floor beside Santiago¡¯s body. The medic promised to give her the tags, but he would need to catalog it and to wait a moment. She didn¡¯t stop until one of the soldiers took the tags and set them down in front of her. The medic then knelt there with a datapad and did the report right there where Monefi could keep the tag in reach.


    It was then when the recording soldier came over and showed her the pouch. The cellular phone. The rings. She did not know what the rings meant until she put in the code to his phone. There waiting for her was an audio message. She stared at it for a moment, her face pale and stained with tears. It took her a few moments to hit the play button.


    The audio cut out and the narrator cut in, ¡°From here, the rest of the footage will be muted. Santiago¡¯s last words will only be known in full by those present at the moment it was played out of respect. But one thing was made known ¨C Santiago had planned to propose to Gardenmaster Monefi the night of the invasion. A traditional human ceremony that was to signify that the bond between two persons would continue on forever until parting ¨C death.¡±


    The scene changed to a verdant field with a header saying ¡°Peace Fields ¨C now New hope ¨C Five weeks later.¡±


    Monefi stood in a black dress holding flowers beside a podium that held a black urn. Ten marines, five on each side in dress uniforms, held rifles. Humans, Hi¡¯ Ri and several Union officials were seated before the podium as Shipmaster Eric, son of Shipmaster Anise, read out some words. Once done, the officer called out ¡°ready!¡±. Monefi shut her eyes tight, and the officer called out ¡°Fire!¡±.


    All ten marines readied and then fired their rifles into the sky. Ten times, this continued until everyone began to walk forward to speak with Monefi. It went on until the union officials came forward, and she turned them away in anger. The scene changed to the path leading into Haven. Its hull battered and burned from the assault, yet it stood defiantly above the now empty dirt fields around them. A convoy of human vehicles rode in, a shot capturing Monefi in one of them, heading into Haven.


    The narrator spoke. ¡°This footage was taken by a Union Reporter. Thus, what happened within Haven after this was not recorded as they are barred access. What we can tell is that Haven had become inhabitable after the heavy assault and thus, was retrofitted. It was now a Columbarium, a place to house cremated remains, and a Mausoleum, a place to honor those who died without bodies.


    A scared place to humanity.¡±


    The screen went black.


    Text began to appear.


    [Two months after the Battle of Angels, Shipmaster Eric announced Monefi as the Gardenmaster, marrying the two races together under one banner. He also announced that they would be officially recording Monefi has married to Santiago with the blessing of Santaigo¡¯s mother, the last of his kin.]


    Pictures and videos the couple recorded of themselves together began to appear. Each of them were smiling, the distance between them gradually dismissing with each shot. It wasn¡¯t until the seventh short video that Monefi kissed him on the cheek. Santiago grinned ear to ear and a subtle blush appeared on his cheeks. From there, each picture of them was of them holding eachother in their arms in different locations. This went on for one minute until a single picture appeared.


    Monefi was sitting at her desk. Santiago knelt next to her in full kit with the rest of Fireteam Onyx behind them.


    ¡°The two hardest things to say in life is hello for the first time, and goodbye for the last time¡± ¨C A human saying


    Once again, the screen went black, but instead of ending, another picture appeared. This time, it was of Monefi in the current day. She sat at the feet of a statue of Santaigo. A melancholic smile on her lips and in her arms, a baby.


    [It was not announced at the time, but when she was announced as Gardenmaster, Monefi had found out she was pregnant with Santiago¡¯s child. Generic tests have confirmed Santiago Jr is his child. Further testing showed near-perfect compatibility between the Hi¡¯ Ri and Humans. Further testing is scheduled in the further to see what other species humans may be compatible with.]


    *Ending music starts ¨C Credits roll*