“They always speak of duty but never of brotherhood. They always speak about how we have fear but never how we embrace it. They always speak of our deeds and victories but never of the bodies and rubble, we leave behind. They don’t truly know us and we like it that way.”
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-Major Winston Anderson, 1st Crow Brigade
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140, 2432
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HS “Carakon”
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Hubion system
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“Damn those primates to all the hells!” the Ship Master hissed, his hands clutching the sides of his command throne, “How dare they desecrate our crown jewel?”
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“Perhaps the information we got was false.” his first officer said, “I told you he wasn’t trustworthy.”
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The Ship Master gave him a deadly glare, “Watch your tone, Rarkan. He is the reason we still have a chance against these apes. Did you forget the truth he showed us?”
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Rarkan mumbled something under his breath. Indeed he did remember. Just like everyone else. The stranger refused to give his name but he gave so much more than that. He showed them the truth about the galaxy and the truth about the humans. How they would exploit them, corrupt them, and eventually destroy them and their entire race and history. Their ambassadors did nothing but spew lies and fill their heads with false hopes and ideals. The monarch was right to order their execution.
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“Be that as it may, sir.” Rarkan said, “It doesn’t change the fact that we are losing this war. Our fleet has been decimated, our bastions and colonies taken, and our forces are in shambles. Even the jewel is burning. No single weapon can change this.”
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“This is only the beginning.” the Ship Master hissed, “Soon, the tides will turn and they will be the ones who face annihilation.”
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“This is still-”
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“I will not hear any more of this! Go make yourself useful and interrogate the female. Perhaps something can be gleaned from her.”
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Rarkan hissed and turned, whipping his reptilian tail as he walked off and called two guards to follow him. He contemplated the situation as he strode down the hall. On one hand, this was complete insanity. On the other hand, if what the stranger said was true, they could save their world and be free. But it was all so… sudden and strange. None of it felt right. But Rarkan wasn’t one to disobey the hierarchy.
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“Wait here,” he told his two guards and they stood alongside the two others, who watched the door.
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The room was dimly lit and empty. Except of course for the human that hung on chains wrapped around her wrists. Rarkan put on his dark visors and observed the female. Relatively fresh scars were visible on her legs and back. Her short dark hair was messy and dirty, and her eyes were closed as if asleep. Tattered clothing covered her more private parts and Rarkan mused at the notion that had he been human, he’d probably mate with her.
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“Wake up.” he said as he grabbed her cheeks, “I know you can hear me. What did my men ask you? What did you tell them?’
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She didn’t answer. She didn’t even open her eyes. This angered Rarkan, who slightly dug his claw into her cheek.
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“What were you doing here? Who are your masters?”
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Again, she said nothing and Rarkan cut the side of her face down to her jawline. This didn’t seem to bother her and she remained as motionless as ever.
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“Do you think this makes you strong? That because you don’t talk, you are fierce? Anyone can take pain. But are you willing to die?”
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Rarkan pulled out his service knife and brought the edge below her ear. But just as he was about to make the cut, noises came from behind the door. A distinct sound of falling bodies could be heard and this made his heart race and his cold blood boil. Turning around, he called out to the guards, and when no one answered, the woman wrapped her legs around his throat. Rarkan thrashed around and cut her with his claws but both stopped moving as the door opened.
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"Praetorian." the woman said in awe and disbelief.
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It was the last thing Rarkan heard before his heart was pierced. The Praetorian cut the woman down and helped her stabilize herself. She had to crane her head to look into his masked face. While she was certainly tall for a woman, she was nowhere near his size. His whole body was covered in thick, jet-black armor with a smooth and dense defense mesh on the joints. This confused her, however, as she realized he wasn't as big and armored as the Crimson Knights and Raiders that she was used to seeing.
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"They sent the Phantoms?" she asked.
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"No, just him." a voice spoke from the doorframe nonchalantly, "And us. Name's Han."
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Four more figures entered the room, each with a distinct ensemble of the Terran Crows.
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"Infiltration Specialist Natalia Pavlov. Lieutenant Gabriel Morrison, 9th Crow Brigade, we're here to extract you." the group leader said.
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Natalia smiled grimly, "Took you long enough. We have to go, now."
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"Not until we find the bomb. I have Beta and Gamma searching-"
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"Call them back, the bomb is not here."
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Jack frowned, “What d’ya mean?
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“It’s not on the ship, they-”
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A tremor cut her off and the team struggled to regain balance. The Phantom held Natalia upright as the others grabbed the pipes on the walls. Red light flared in the halls and loud alarms sounded all over the ship. Hubions ran frantically, some didn’t even notice the humans standing behind the corner. Those that did, we either killed or ran away. The ship’s security force struggled to hold its ground as hull ruptures kept spreading. Jack gave Natalia a mask to cover her face up and they all began running toward the hatch they entered the ship through. More and more Hubions appeared, but most didn’t pay the Crows any attention as they tried to save their own lives.
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“Beta-1, Gamma 1, this is Alfa-1, situation report!” Morrison shouted into his comms but no response came, “Wingman Alfa, do you copy?”
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“This is Wingman Alfa, you need to hurry, the whole ship is coming apart!” the pilot said on the comms.
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“Roger that, Wingman, we’ll be there soon!”
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“For fock’s sake, this is messed up!” Jack shouted as he ran, “They blew their own ship!?”
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“Looks like it!” Han said.
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When they got close to the hatch, the ship shook violently again, and Natalia and Jack lost their footing. The entire vessel tilted forward and the two Crows were about to fall into the newly-formed chasm. In a split second, the Praetorian grabbed them both and threw them at the hatch ladder. They climbed as fast as they could and narrowly managed to get on board the Raven before another part of the vessel burst open into the vacuum of space.
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Natalia sat down, exhausted and panting, “Thank you.”
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“Thanks, mucker,” Jack told the Praetorian, who didn’t seem to react.
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As they flew away from the Hubion ship, Morrison kept trying to get into contact with Beta and Gamma. Time and time again, he received nothing but static. After calling the frigate to confirm his suspicions, he took his helmet off and lowered his head.
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“They’re dead. Beta was in the cargo bay, Gamma was heading to the command bridge. Both of them blew up along with the engines. It’s like the bastards planned for it. But why kill their own like this?”
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“Well, I’m pissed as fuck!” Han shouted, “Those pricks made me waste my BFB charges!”
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Everyone on board, including the Praetorian, turned to look at him. He looked back in confusion, anger, and annoyance.
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“What? I had them shipped from Mars, they weren’t cheap.”
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Morrison shook his head, “I’ll get you more. For now, we have to get back to the Dark Bird and figure out what to do next.”
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“Hubion Prime,” Natalia said.
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“What about it?” Jack asked.
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“The bomb is there?”
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“How do you know?” Morrison asked.
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“There’s nowhere else they would put it. Calinola is under siege and Hubion Prime is the only planet still not under compliance in the system.”
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“And dozens of thousands of troops, including Praetorians, are concentrated around the capital.”
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“They’d blow their own bleedin’ city?” Jack asked, “That don’t sound like ‘em.”
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“Whatever they’re planning, it’s on Hubion Prime,” Natalia said, “And we need to get there.”
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“And if it’s another trap?” Bruiser asked.
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Natalia paused for a moment and looked at the Praetorian, “Let’s hope he’s as good as we think he is.”
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— — — — — — — —
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142, 2432
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TVV “Dark Bird”
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Above orbit of Hubion Prime
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“The plan is set.” Morrison said, turning on the holographic display, “Marshal Evans and General Parker aren’t willing to pull their forces back. They’re under the impression that the Hubions won’t commit to bombing their own capital. This means it’s up to us to find the bomb and whoever got it there. Luckily, we have a lead.”
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The hologram flickered and an image of a Hubion appeared. He had dark yellow scales and wore orange cloth with jewelry and religious symbols. Han squinted his narrow eyes at the alien.
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“Who’s that?”
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“Karafan Hon’Dal’Tar,” Morrison answered, “One of the monarchs of Calinola. He fled the capital several days before the assault began and is currently being held by the TGFA.”
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“They close?” Jack asked.
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“Relatively. There’s a series of towns connecting to a large compound. There’s a surprisingly high amount of Hubion presence in the area, however. Most likely his followers.”
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“What’s the plan?”
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“We’re going to go down there, link up with the TGFA, get Karafan, and get answers. So suit up, the bird leaves in ten minutes.”
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Each squad member went their own way to prepare. The only one who didn’t move much was the Praetorian, who simply sat in a corner and waited. Bruiser was much the same and the two men looked like they would get along, at least on paper.
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“I know you’re not here to help us,” Bruiser said, “I personally don’t care what you do. But don’t mess with my brothers. I will kill you if you do.”
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The Phantom slowly moved his head toward him and looked him in the eyes. It was hard to read his expression behind his mask but Bruiser knew exactly what he was thinking. No promises.
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Jack walked past the armory and glanced over at Natalia, who was redressing her wound. Her left side still looked bad despite the drugs she’s taken. He could see the scars covering her bare back and couldn’t help but admire the woman not just as his senior but also as a fighter.
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“Do you need something, rookie?” she asked without turning around.
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“No.” he replied, “Just lookin’”
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Natalia smiled, “Rude to stare at a lady, don’t you think?”
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“It is. Lucky for me you ain’t one.”
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This made her laugh and she turned around, tightening the bands around her chest and upper back.
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"First assignment?" she asked, to which Jack nodded, "Hell of a start, I'll give you that."
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"What was your first?"
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"Assassination. It's where I got this," she said, pointing at a scar on her right shoulder.
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"Damn. Gotta get me one."
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"You don't. Trust me, they won't do you any good. All they are is a reminder of my incompetence. If you survive for twenty more years and get no scars, consider yourself a god."
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Jack laughed at that, "Thanks for the advice."
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He walked back down the hall and stopped when he saw Han's foot behind a corner.
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"How much?" Jack asked.
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"Most of it," Han said and paused, dramatically looking at the ceiling, "Okay, all of it. Didn't know you were into older women."
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"Shut up," Jack said and walked off.
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"Hey, there's nothing wrong with that. I don't like used products myself, but whatever floats your boat."
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This kept up for the next ten minutes until they got on board the Raven and made their way down to Hubion Prime. Han kept making jokes to fix the mood, as he put it, even managing to make Bruiser crack a smile. Only two people on board weren't in high spirits. The Praetorian and Morrison. While the former was nigh impossible to read, the Lieutenant wasn't. The loss of two squads affected him more than he thought it would. But it wasn't just that, it was the way they died. Nothing pointed at the Hubions being this suicidal and self-destructive. It wasn't normal.
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"Hey, LT," Han called over, "Wanna hear a joke?"
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"I'll pass."
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"Come on, your depression is getting contagious. Two aliens walk into a bar-"
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"Brace!" a loud voice boomed as the lights turned red and the craft shook.
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Explosions filled the air as the pilot tried to dodge the missiles that came at him.
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"What's happening?!" Morrison asked, his hands gripped tightly around the handles above him.
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"Enemy anti-air! They just appeared below us! I'll try to-"
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Her voice cut off as a missile hit the bottom of the Raven, blowing off a piece of the hull as well as the cockpit. The craft plummeted into a dense treeline and most of its passengers were knocked out cold. When Morrison woke up, he found himself laying on his side with his waist uncomfortably tied to his seat. His vision was blurred and all he could hear were static and high-pitched sounds. The air bit his throat and lungs as he gasped for air and he fell on his back when he cut his seatbelt. As his sight slowly steadied, he saw the Praetorian lifting and carrying his squad members out. Bruiser was already outside when he came back for Neils and this gave him some relief. The next sight, however, did not.
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"S-Sir?" Han grunted and Morrison turned his head to see him.
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His eyes were fixed on the metal spike protruding out of the specialist's gut. The blood turned his jet-black suit into a dark crimson and the bottom of his unmasked face a glistening red. Morrison tried to crawl to Han, to help him however he could. Han merely smiled.
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"Well, this sucks," he said as he laughed, "The bastards made me miss my punchline."
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"I’ll get you out,” Morrison wheezed and the Praetorian lifted him up and carried him away, “Stop.”
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Soon after they both got to relative safety, the Raven exploded. Pieces of burned metal flew in all directions and some lit a few of the surrounding lime-colored trees on fire. The squad barely got to its feet. Jack tried to help Natalia while Bruiser was balancing himself with a stick. Morrison walked up to the Praetorian and punched him in the jaw.
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“You could have carried both of us. You bleedi-”
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A gunshot cut him off. The super soldier pulled out his hand cannon and fired it at a Hubion, blowing his head off. He fired three more times before gesturing to the others to move. The three of them ran as quickly as they could through the woods. Bruiser didn’t see the Praetorian anywhere and assumed he had gone in a different direction. This changed when a Hubion’s chest burst open next to him. These aliens were everywhere, Jack thought. If they were to survive, they needed help. But luck was not appearing to be on their side. When they got out of the tree line, bright lights nearly blinded them as they stopped in their tracks. They steeled themselves for the worst when a woman shouted at them.
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"Get down!"
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The squad did so immediately. Bullets and lasers blitzed over their heads, killing the Hubions behind them. Grenades exploded and the screams of dying aliens filled the air. After several minutes, everything stopped. Soldiers ran to and past the injured Crows. The woman walked closer to them and Morrison could distinguish her features more clearly now. Her blond hair was tied into a bun on the back of her on top of which was a dark green helmet. A matching uniform adorned her body and a mark of two crossed bayonets with a black cross was plastered on her chest and shoulder.
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"Are you the Crows?" she asked.
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"What gave us away, sunshine?" Jack asked as he was helped to his feet.
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The woman smiled slightly, "I'm Captain Helga Braun, 4th Greencoats of Kaiser Army."
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"Lieutenant Gabriel Morrison, 9th Crow Brigade," he said, "I won't waste time, Captain. Where is Karafan?"
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Helga nodded, "I thought you might ask that. I'll take you to him. Your men can get patched up at the med-block."
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Morrison and his squad followed Helga to her MUV. The Greencoats took them to a small abandoned town two clicks away. Dozens of soldiers stood on watch all around and drones flew through the air and scanned the surroundings. Armored vehicles and roadblocks were placed on almost every street and at least two marksmen stood on every roof.
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"Quite a base you have here," Morrison commented.
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"We've been attacked several times in the past three weeks. Two days ago they started firing blue rockets with white particles coming off of them. Ring a bell?"
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"Should it?" Jack asked.
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"Those things blew your Raven. I thought you might know. What about you, Praetorian?"
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"He don' talk much."
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"Funny. Those Raiders rarely shut up when you get them going."
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They stopped at a large gray structure with Kaiser emblems hung on its walls. When they got inside, Jack, Bruiser, and Natalia followed a medical officer toward another part of the facility. Morrison and the Praetorian went to the basement with Helga. At and around the entrance stood a dozen guards clad in denser armor than what they had seen outside. Helga issued them orders in German and the three of them walked into the dimly lit room. In the middle of it was a Hubion tied to a metal chair. His fancy clothes were torn, his jewelry was nowhere to be found, and his face looked like a Rhino ran over it.
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"Can he still talk?" Morrison asked.
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"He can," Helga answered, "Though he doesn't say much. Recently he's been repeating the same thing."
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"What?"
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"The truth will call," Karafan wheezed out between coughs and grunts, "Answer it."
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Morrison walked closer and grabbed him by his throat, "Who will call? Where? When?"
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Karafan didn't answer. All he did was give a crooked smile when a small device on the table glowed and rang.
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"Answer it." he wheezed again.
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"What is that?" Morrison asked Helga.
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"I don't know. He had it on him, we thought it was some kind of communication device. But we never got it to work."
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The Lieutenant took the device and felt its almost nonexistent weight in his hand. His eyes widened and then frowned when he recognized what it was.
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"This is Bae'Kloren technology," he said and turned to Karafan, "Where did you get this?"
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"Answer it," the Hubion monarch repeated.
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Morrison looked at the device again. Only a single white orb flashed in the middle of the bright purple circle. He pressed it and a small crisp holographic projection appeared in front of it. It displayed a sharp but deformed figure that glared at Morrison, who stared back in confusion, fear, and surprise.
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"What is that?" Helga asked as her face mimicked the Lieutenant's.
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Even the Praetorian was unnerved as he took a step forward and tilted his head.
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"Greetings once more, marksman," the creature said in a devilish and raspy voice.
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Morrison threw the device onto the ground and stomped into scrap with his heel. His breathing was rapid and his heart raced like never before. Sweat poured down his forehead as he paced with his hand pulling his hair.
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"No," he said in a fit of rage, "No. No. This is not real. He is not real. He's not here! He-"
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His words were cut off by Karafan's dry and painful laughter. Blood oozed from his twisted mouth as his one good eye met Morrison's.
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"Now you see, fool," he taunted, "The truth is-"
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He didn't finish as Morrison returned the favor and blew a hole in his head with his sidearm. Guards hurriedly opened the door, their guns raised and pointed in all directions. Helga halted them.
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"Lieutenant," she said, "What was that?"
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Morrison didn't answer. His eyes were still fixed on the alien he killed and his heartbeat didn't slow down. Eventually, however, he lowered his gun and turned to face Helga.
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"A failure," he said as he sighed, "My failure."
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End of Part 3
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