Disclaimer: The lyrics to Bonds of Sea and Fire belong to katethegreat19 from youtube. Used by written consent. You should really listen to it, her voice is beautiful. The English translation is written by KaelWolfCry.

Chapter Thirteen: Skirmish on the Cliffs

Night had already fallen upon the desert as the Yggdrasil continued its journey to Bledavik. Citan sat at the bar in the Yggdrasil Gun Room, drinking from his glass of water. They had had no contact from the border squadron ever since they had set out that morning and the doctor was naturally starting to feel worried about Fei.

"You should really rest up a little, my good doctor," said Maison as he dusted the glasses on the shelf. "You'll be fighting a battle in mere hours from now."

"I've been waiting for this moment for so long. Now, the young master is finally ready to take his responsibility as King. I'm still afraid, though. He may be the Crown Prince, but he doesn't know the Royal Capital very well. Yes, he will have navigators with him in the regiment he's commanding, but still…" The butler let out a sad sigh. "Maybe I forced the 'burdens of Kingship' on him too early in his life. It might be too much for someone so young to handle. I must be the most terrible minder ever."

"I do not believe that in the slightest, Lord Maison." Maison jumped, as if he only now realized that Citan was still sitting at the bar. The younger man continued as if this wasn't so. "The young one would have never been able to carry such a burden without your guidance, and now he has grown into a fine young man and is quite capable of handling the burden he bears. I believe that it is all credited to all of you, who have given him this strength."

"Thank you, doctor." The old man seemed a little less tense. The former royal political advisor then grabbed another glass, and filled it with water for himself. "Returning to Fatima Castle at last," Maison mused. "Sounds almost too good to be true…how many troops are we dealing with in Bledavik?" He drank from the water.

"I do not know," Citan replied with a shake of his head. "Right now, there are only Republican Guard units and the Metropolitan Police. However, if they call in the Army, then odds will not be in our favor."

Maison did not say anything in response, but the doctor could tell that he was deeply afraid. While the Avehan Army was not as well equipped or anywhere near as large as Gebler, they were still a very powerful force, and not one to be taken lightly. This was going to be urban warfare; a combat situation that the doctor faced only once in his life and one that he was not looking forward to facing again.

"What will you and Fei do when we win?"

"Me?" replied Citan, his brow furrowing. "I will probably go back to my wife and daughter in Shevat, I will not bring them back here. Fei…I do not know. I hope he will be able to find peace."

"Shevat, eh?" said Maison raising his eyebrows. "I've never actually went there, but during my time as His Majesty's political advisor, I have spoken with their representatives. According to them, Solaris is very sensitive to their actions. How did you, a Solarian find yourself in Shevat anyway, let alone marry a Shevite? I heard it was impossible to travel to Shevat by normal means."

Citan smiled to himself. What a story that was, how he met Yui. "Very well," said the doctor. "I shall tell you, Lord Maison. Well, I was still in Gebler at the time. I was to lead a division of Gears to invade Aphel Aura, but with no clear goal as to why we were invading, we were overrun quickly. Command just told us that we must find the enemy and destroy them. For all their boasting, they do tend to forget that no matter how powerful an army is, poor strategy will result in defeat, be it in actual combat or morale. The Shevite Gear forces defeated us, and many had been forced to retreat. I, among others, had been stranded because Shevat also has a protective barrier, which they managed to get running again.

"I was determined to finish the job His Imperial Majesty had given me, so I left my Gear to take on the infantry. Shevat has a great Gear Force, but their ground forces are substandard. However, they were the ones who had a ground force; we did not. We only came with a Gear force. I found myself face to face with one of Shevat's most highly trained warriors on one of the Queen's paramilitary forces; a swordswoman named Yui Gaspar. I myself was a swordsman so we dueled, but she overpowered me and ended up severely wounding me.

"Unlike what most Solarians would have done, the Shevites took me to a military hospital where I had stayed for a month. The one who nursed me back to health was none other than Yui. She is a highly skilled medic, even more than she is a swordswoman. We became close very quickly over my stay at the hospital, and by the week I was ready to leave, we fell in love. Her family did not approve of our relationship at first, but they eventually realized that we were destined for each other. Ten months afterward, I proposed to Yui and her great-great-great grandfather, one of the three Shevat sages, gave us his blessing for our marriage. Our little girl was born in the following winter."

"Is that why you defected, my good doctor," Maison asked as he refilled the glasses, "because you got married?"

"It was one of the reasons," replied Citan. "However, the main reason was my daughter, Midori. I daresay I had an epiphany; how could I continue taking human lives in the name of His Majesty, when my wife just created a life of our own? On the day Midori was born, I made a blood oath that I would never use my sword to kill human beings again. I reported to Solaris to set my affairs in order, and then I arranged to be smuggled to the surface. I first went back to Shevat to collect my family and then we took up residence in Lahan, where I held the position of the village doctor. However, I am willing to fight, kill, and die if necessary if it means securing a better future for my daughter, because after what happened in Lahan, I now know that she will not be safe a long as the war continues."

"My wife," said the butler, "passed away years ago. Cancer got her…my children are both grown up with families of their own. We had them secretly moved out of Aveh, when Shakhan started to gain full control."

Neither man said anything for a moment, and then the door to the Gun Room hissed open and Norman Khaled made his way to the bar. "Give me a beer, Mais," he grunted as he sat on one of the stools, and the elderly butler obliged. "So, what're we talking about here?"

"About our families and what we'll do after the revolution, Major," answered Maison. Khaled let out a light snort of contempt.

"Well I don't have much of a family these days," grumbled the former Major. "Parents are dead, I ain't been in contact with my idiot of a younger brother for sixteen years - probably behind bars somewhere - the stupid kid, wife left me for some guy she'd been seeing secretly, and I lost my son to this goddamn war and he wasn't even a month into adulthood. So, I'm just going to continue my military career and reap the benefits when I retire.

"But before we garner the rewards of our rebellion, let's string up Shakhan from a streetlight first. No need to put a bag over his head either. You can put the rest of the Party on trial, but I'm gonna be pulling the rope on Shakhan, no legal crap needed."

"Our primary concern should be what is waiting for us in Bledavik, Major," Citan reminded Khaled sternly. "I do not need to remind you of what awaits us there." The Major grunted in understanding. No matter what would result from the battle, men on their side were going to die. It was unavoidable.

"This subject is depressing," Khaled stated after a long silence. He took a drink of his beer, placed the bottle on the counter, and was suddenly seized by the need for a song to help relieve his troubles. Starting soft and rising in tempo to in a carefully measured beat, he sang about what was really important to him. About a man returning to Bledavik and all the beautiful girls waiting there. Maison joined the former Major in singing, but Citan just hummed, as he did not know the lyrics. "Alright, Mr. Maison, your turn!"

Maison thought for a moment and began singing:

"Sonoyo lomi lo [Blessed am I]

Kaya shaka lu [To know You],

The song was called Bonds of Sea and Fire, a popular folk song. It was in ancient Ignasi, and while a translation existed, nobody wanted to modernize it into the current tongue. There was a certain charm to the old language that would have made it almost seem like an insult to translate it to the modern one. Citan and Khaled joined in:

"Kiya ba mali malo [Knowing the light and warmth];

Ehdra make e [That was shown to me],

Sulu haiteh [You are merciful]

Graiya mi eshi eshi e [Lifting the blind, blind me].

"Ka thaliana sa [My words are]

Ak'gohola [Proudly],

Ehvi liu ma dra u [Sung in love of];

Prehshuti ka u [And praise of]

Toteh saju [Your grace],

Kimi va lei lei lu [Spread by grand, grand you].

"Olo dragu, olo dragu Aveh [Old dragon, old dragon, Aveh],

No luneh vali [No brighter star leads us],

Usa nehvu, usa mali [Give us light];

Noleh sulu, baleh sulu, bleh Aveh [You are noble, you are mighty, mighty Aveh],

No lu nehvali [You never leave us]

Usa nevu, usa ,ai malo… [Give us light, give us warmth]

Hanannai hanannai ya, Hanannai hanannai ya... [Honored are, Honored are we, Honored are, Honored are we]

Hanannai hanannai ya, Hanannai hanannai ya..." [Honored are, Honored are we, Honored are, Honored are we]

"Any good ones from Solaris?" The doctor gave a dry laugh. There were certainly not any songs from his home country that would sit well with his fellow rebels. How ironic it was that Citan would now have that label stuck to him, when not even ten years ago, he would be crushing rebellions such as these.

"You would not really like any songs from Solaris, Major. They are all either militaristic, praises to the Emperor, about the Solarian master race, or about purging the world of the lambs."

The former Major snorted loudly. "Figures...Hey! You lived in the Northeast Province before getting involved in this shit! They have some good Provincial music up there, sing us something!" However, Citan did not think it was the right time. He was not the type to drink liquor or sing songs before an important battle. For him, such time was meant for talking with his comrades, to silently contemplate, or even meditate. An even worse burden was that Fei was going with a very small force against the entire Avehan desert fleet. Yes, they were elite fighters and Vanderkaum was a notoriously poor commander, but the officers of the desert fleet knew what they were doing. Citan could not help but feel that something very bad was going to happen. He had felt an ominous presence ever since they had set out to war.

"I am going on deck for some air."

On the deck of the Yggdrasil, Bart stood leaning on the fence gazing out into the darkened desert. It was a clear, cloudless night like one would normally expect on a mid-autumn night in the desert. A calm breeze ruffled his hair. Yet to the Crown Prince, the beautiful weather seemed to mock him. Bart was by no means a stranger to war. He was a battle-hardened warrior who had been fighting since the tender age of twelve when he scored his first human kill.

Tomorrow, however, would be different. He and his men had been waiting for this battle for a long, long time. "Why such a long face?" said a deep voice from right behind him. Bart turned around to see Sigurd, smiling encouragingly. "Tomorrow will be your first return to the palace in twelve years!"

"Returning to the palace," repeated Bart in a hollow tone. "Guess I'm gonna be King once all this is over." He chuckled dryly. "Not really fit for Kingship, am I?"

"You'll get used to it," Sigurd replied reassuringly. "Besides, you'll have advisors helping you."

"Hey Sig, does it really matter who's gonna be King? I mean, as long as it's a symbol of hope and a competent leader…" Sigurd gave Bart a look that told him that he fit that description perfectly. However, the silver haired man did not answer his leader directly. He just walked up to the fence, looking very serious.

"Solaris kidnapped me, brainwashed me, and used me as a human guinea pig. However, even the worst of Solaris's mind-altering techniques could not erase my desire to return home. When I thought of you and Margie, I wasn't thinking of the Royal family of this country, but of two normal children. I want to help you regain this kingdom, 'cause it belongs to you, 'cause Fatima Castle is your home! I don't care about restoring the dynasty."

"Because it's my home…" repeated Bart and his First Mate nodded.

"That's why it's imperative that we take down Shakhan tomorrow."

"Damn right!" cried Bart, pumping his fist above his head enthusiastically.

"But," Sigurd said with a smirk. "First you're going to take a shower." Bart's jaw dropped in outrage. "You can't face your enemy stinking so horribly. Move it!"

"You said you agreed that it didn't matter who was king!"

"That's neither here nor there," replied Sigurd monotonously.

Citan, who had secretly been eavesdropping on the whole conversation, chuckled under his breath at Bart's protests. Sigurd truly was a great man. He then went back down below into the ship. The time for war was drawing closer by the minute.

The heat radiating from the high flames made Ramsus feel as though the fire seared his skin as it violently consumed the war torn buildings of the once proud metropolis of Elru City, the chief city of the People's Republic of Elru. The Liberation Army and even civilians had literally fought to the last man to defend it (yet their "Great Paramount Leader", Comrade Sattler, fled in terror). Powerful as they were, they were no match for their Solarian foes.

The ruins of Elru would forever serve as a warning to all the nations of the world to never attempt to stand against the might of Solaris. A full-scale attack had been launched upon the entire communist empire after they dared to strike Solarian military facilities in the Eastern continents. Another thing that gave Solaris an advantage was military aid from neighboring countries, as many of them had been under Elru's oppressive rule for over fifty years. However, the main reason why Solaris emerged victorious was him.

He had fought with the regular Gebler infantry and slain without any remorse. Solaris, who should have been reveling in their victory over Elru, was now being faced with a new foe. He had turned on his masters and began to attack the Gebler troops. He made no sound nor spoke any word; all he did was destroy. Ramsus watched from his Gear in horror as his demonic foe defeated the other Gebler Gears with his bare hands. This red haired demon was going to kill them all!

"Stop him!" Ramsus cried, but his troops were too scared to even come anywhere near him, let alone try to kill him. Hearing the command, the demon, hovering in the air, turning his pitiless white face to Ramsus. However, they were not alone. Atop a narrow intrusion of rock standing in the city center, stood another figure in black armor.

Just like the red haired demon, this…thing seemed to be the embodiment of evil. The dark armor covered his entire body, and his face concealed by a dark skull like mask with horns protruding from its sides. The only part of him that looked natural was his scarlet eyes. Something about this newcomer made Ramsus go cold to the marrow. However, both the masked man and the demon were put to shame as a Gear descended before the monolith, and as it descended, he hovered in the air.

This Gear towered several feet over Ramsus'. Its legs were long and thick, ending at two light looking feet, and on each kneecap was a long spike. Similar spikes stood on its upper arms and broad shoulders. The armor was painted a harsh blood red and from its upper arms, sprouted eight small white wings of ether energy. Ramsus gazed at the face of the Gear. If machines could feel emotions, then this one would be feeling a violent rage. The glare on this new Gear's face was almost real. This Gear, Ramsus thought as he gazed into its yellow eyes, looked for the lack of a better word…evil.

The demon ascended higher into the air, until he was level with the Gear's chest. He then seemed to melt into the machine and charged at the remaining Gebler soldiers. Two Eagle Gunner Gears flew towards that monstrous war machine. Ramsus could almost see the smile forming on the red Gear's pilot's twisted face as the two Gebler soldiers drew closer and closer to it. He was more than ready for them.

As the two Gebler Gears arrived within twenty feet of the scarlet one, the latter drew back with its right knee raised, and then released a spinning kick, knocking both men out of the sky. Just before they would slam on the ground, the two Gebler Gears suddenly laid in the air as if an invisible barrier broke their fall. A short moment later, they were lifted from their spot, tossed hundreds of feet in the air. The two Gebler soldiers were then thrown around in all directions slamming into invisible barriers each time, until the two Gears' engines died. Satisfied by what he had done, the pilot of the red Gear released the two soldiers from his clutches allowing them to fall.

It seemed to take the Gebler Gears ages to fall. Ramsus instinctively wanted to save his subordinates, but the Commander was frozen in his spot. He could only watch as the two Gebler Gears hit the ground, bursting into flames.

Hatred such as Ramsus had never known burned within him. He then charged his Gear towards his demonic foe with the others following in his wake. The red Gear was facing them. Its pilot was ready. Without a word, the demon urged the machine forward, smashing its shoulder into one of the Gebler soldiers' machines.

The Gebler Gear plunged to the ground as the enemy proceeded to take out the other soldiers. They succumbed almost immediately to the demon's wrath. Then, he turned slowly to Ramsus who only now realized how cold sweat dripped down his face. "Why have you done this?" demanded the Commander furiously. The only response he got was a soft laugh. Yet, the malice it held had shaken whatever courage the Commander had left.

With a swift movement, the red Gear charged forward and grabbed Ramsus' Gear by the upper arm. Frozen in terror, the commander could not move as the red haired demon hoisted him thousands of feet in the air giving him a view of the miles and miles of the soldering ruins of the once proud metropolis. It then plunged down to the surface, Ramsus screaming with horror. The last thing he saw before his Gear hit home, was that malicious blood red face of the demon's Gear.

Kahran Ramsus awoke with a start and sat on his bed in Fatima Castle, breathing fast, his heart racing. His body was soaked in cold sweat as he thought back on his nightmare – no – his memories. The disastrous Battle of Elru was marked as one of the most terrible events in the history of Solarian warfare. Ramsus was among the few hundred who survived, though he was barely alive when the medics found him.

Whoever or whatever that demon was, he disappeared without a trace after the destruction of Elru. However, Ramsus vowed to find him and pay him back for what he did. He had spent three long months in the hospital recovering from his near-fatal wounds, and Miang hardly left his side. All his friends had abandoned him: Jesiah, Sigurd, Hyuga…only Miang still remained. One thing that bothered Ramsus was that mysterious man standing on top of the monolith. He had seen him talking with Krelian before, but the High Chancellor would not divulge the identity of that man.

Miang's small warm hand caressed his exposed back as he sat there reflecting on his nightmare. "Kahr, are you okay?" Miang whispered, and the Commander turned to gaze in her concerned face. "It was that dream again," she whispered understandingly. She nuzzled her head under his chin and stroked his arm. Ramsus held her close, resting his head on top of hers, breathing in her sweet scent.

This memory had been in the back of Ramsus' mind for over two years, yet after arriving in Ignas, this shadow of the past had come back to him in a tenfold, along with many other dark memories. Something about meeting the Crown Prince and that guy, Fei brought back old feelings of despair and resentment. It was likely due to the dismal reports of how things had been run under Vanderkaum, having to deal with those pirates in addition to the responsibilities Ramsus already had, but the commander had an unpleasant feeling that things were about to become a lot more complicated than they already were.

Ramsus broke the embrace and took Miang's delicate hand, kissing it tenderly. "I'm going down below." He was unlikely to get anymore sleep tonight anyway. He then got up from the bed, put on his clothes and proceeded to leave the room.

Miang sat there watching as her superior disappeared from sight. She was silent for a moment and then said in a condescending tone, "Eavesdropping is not very becoming of you, you know." A presence that had been hiding in the shadows of the dark chamber had made his appearance known, his menacing red eyes blazing furiously behind his mask. Grahf towered over Miang, gazing at her nude form coldly. The look he gave her would have quelled even the most courageous of people, but the indigo haired woman was indifferent to it.

"I saw that boy you're after fighting in the tournament," she stated with a mirthless chuckle. "I could tell it was him right away. He resembles you greatly."

"You used the influence of the Ministry to set you up with that man," accused Grahf in a low and dangerous voice. "I don't know what petty schemes you are planning, but I warn you: don't you dare think of plotting against me. You stay out of this." Without waiting for a response, he vanished into thin air. Miang's gaze lingered to where Grahf stood for a moment.

"Oh," she said in mock surprise. "So, I see news has reached you already. You always were the first to hear about everything. But do not worry. I won't – err – steal your prized possession. After all, you and I go back a long way."

Then, the door to the room burst open and Ramsus charged in looking anxious. Before Miang could inquire, he barked "There's trouble! Miang, get ready and be at the dock in two minutes! We're deploying immediately!"

The Rockies were located on the border with Kislev along the White Mountains. It was a gray, desolate range of cliffs overlooking the desert on both the Avehan and Kislevian sides. "Nice place," Vind observed dryly surveying the area.

It was already daybreak and there was still no enemy in sight. It did not seem right at all that there were not at least some lookouts on the cliffs. "Is that Vanderklunk-" scoffed Maitreya, but Falkon cut across him.

"It's Vanderkaum, you idiot!"

"Whatever… is that guy really that stupid? Not even has the decency to greet his guests. What in God's name happened to honor in the army?" A few of the rebels gave weak chuckles.

"This isn't the RAA we're talking about sir," Vind shot back. "Gebler doesn't have any manner–"

"Incoming!" cried Farrant.

Fei instinctively looked up ahead. They did come all right. Five familiar humanoid shapes flew right for the rebels and they were not even a kilometer away from the cliffs. "Wong," exclaimed Maitreya. "A Gebler unit!"

Fei glared as the sensors detected the approaching Gears. The unit consisted of two Wandknights, a Swordknight, a Clawknight, and an Aegisknight. These were the same people who had attacked Bart's hideout!

"Alright, Wong," growled Maitreya nonchalantly, as if Gebler soldiers commonly sprouted out of nowhere around him. "Let's kick some sky-dwelling ass."

"I agree with that." This was it; there was no turning back now. "Alright then…charge!" On cue, the four rebels' Gears took off into the clear blue sky at top speed just as the Gebler squadron spotted them.

Renk was furious. Never in his entire career in Gebler did he even dream that the chain of command would force him to babysit that stupid incompetent prick, Vanderkaum and the lambs under his command. It did not help that he was under the command of an eighteen-year-old girl who had the same amount of combat experience as Byron Vanderkaum had brains. The absolute last thing he needed now to add salt to these wounds was an encounter with those rebels from the pirates' lair, and as credited to his bad luck that is exactly what happened.

"That Gear!" Elly gasped incredulously and with apprehension as well, Renk noted as they sighted the black Gear. "Don't tell me it's Fei."

"What the…" exclaimed Helmholz. His Wandknight hovered by Renk's. "Hey, it's that guy from before, right?"

"Yeah, that's him alright," acknowledged Renk, eager for some action and someone to vent his anger on. Both he and Helmholz flew towards the black Gear, without another word. He then called back mockingly to Elly; "You just watch and learn, kiddo!"

"Sorry about this," Helmholz added as sincerely as he could. Broyer, Stratski, and Vance followed soon after. The last of the three did not hold back a snide remark as he joined his four fellow soldiers.

"Come back here!" called Elly hopelessly from Vierge. "I haven't given you the order to attack yet."

Weltall narrowly evaded the laser shot from one of the Wandknights as it flew up to the pair of enemy Gears, flanked by Farrant and Vind's Deurmods. Fei's Gear turned its body to the side, and with a resounding clang, struck the nearest Gebler machine with its shoulder. The force of the blow caused its pilot to lose control momentarily, and even Fei felt a slight shudder in the cockpit.

Farrant did not wait for the enemy pilot to regain control of his Gear. His Deurmod rammed into the Wandknight, sending it flying into the face of one of the cliffs with a sickening smack. Despite the damage it took, the Wandknight righted itself and raised its rifle. "Okay," the Solarian pilot's voice rang out on the rebels' radios. The deep harsh pitch told them that it was Renk inside the Gear. "Time for us to get serious!" he said in such a dramatic tone that it was hard to take him seriously.

The Wandknight aimed its weapon at its three opponents and proceeded to fire its lasers rapidly. If any of the lasers struck the Gears, the pilots took no notice of it, for the only thing on their minds was evading the enemy. Farrant and Vind flew their Gears to the sides while Fei advanced upon Renk's Gear head-on. Energy began to gather at the front of the Wandknight's rifle while Weltall soared closer to it. Just as it was about fire, the dark Gear raised its steel arm and hit the Wandknight's arm to the side, just as the rifle's high-pitched laser zoomed past Fei.

The Deurmods took advantage of the situation by flanking the Solarian Gear on either side, allowing Weltall to execute a spinning kick to Wandknight's jaw. Together, Fei, Farrant, and Vind relentlessly punched, kicked, and shot at their foe until in a desperate move; Wandknight broke free and ascended higher into the clear sky. "You in that dark Gear," said Renk. "You fared well against me with a team, but next time we meet, I'm taking you on one on one!" Taken aback by this challenge and the tone of voice in which Renk had used, Fei could not help but laugh.

Helmholz was much better off in his struggle against Maitreya and Falkon on the cliff. The shoulder of Maitreya's Deurmod was slightly blackened, indicating that one of the lasers had struck. Helmholz laughed mirthlessly as his two foes evaded his lasers again and again. "You can't dance forever, pirate-"

Vind's Deurmod crashed its head in Wandknight's back, forcing Helmholz to spin his gear three hundred and sixty degrees to find himself surrounded on all sides. Without any exchange of words, energy began to gather at the barrel of the Gebler Gear's rifle, quickly growing to half the size of the Wandknight as Maitreya closed in on him with a furious roar, the newly grafted automatic guns on his Gear's wrists firing into Wandknight's chest.

Realizing what would happen if Helmholz fired; Fei urged Weltall to the enemy and in a swift movement, caught its wrist in his Gear's hand, causing it to fire the deadly beam completely off target. With its free hand, it grabbed the rifle and wrenched it cleanly from its Gear's hand. As Weltall threw the rifle off the cliff, Helmholz gave an indignant groan and the Wandknight ascended to join its partner. "That's two down!" Maitreya growled fervently as three Gears descended on the top of the cliff, and Fei glowered at the Clawknight in the lead.

The Swordknight and Aegisknight made the landing, but Weltall and Clawknight met midair. Fei heard Vance breathing heavily on the Gear's radio. "You…" he said furiously. "I owe you for last time, land dweller! You got lucky back there in the hideout, but this time, your ass is mine!"

"Really?" said Fei in mock apprehension. "Last time I checked, I won our last fight pretty easily. Let's go, Vance!" The copper Gear raised its arm, but Weltall was ready for it. It jumped in the air and flipped forward, executing a bicycle kick at Clawknight. The Gebler Gear fell hard on the ground.

Within seconds, Fei's foe was back on its feet with Vance cursing unintelligibly. In a quick movement, before he could do anything to block it, Clawknight swiped at Weltall's dark blue torso, the claws cutting deeply into the armor. Almost immediately, an alarm sounded. "Warning, warning," a monotonous voice said on the Gear's radio. "Fuel leakage detected."

Damn it, Fei thought. This was the last thing he needed now. He momentarily turned his gaze to a more distant area of the cliff where his comrades were relentlessly fighting against the other two. The Swordknight sliced at Maitreya's Deurmod, nearly knocking it to the ground. Turning his attention back to Vance, Fei narrowly evaded Clawknight's flying hand and urged his Gear forward with its arm outstretched, clotheslining it. Fei would not let Vance put his Gear upright this time. Weltall once again jumped up several feet and then plunged back down with a drop kick to Clawknight's chest, with a deafening crash.

Sparks erupted from the copper Gear's torso as it rolled away from Weltall and ascended from the cliff to retreat from the battle. "Liednant, verschigtu kautie heug!" Fei heard Vance shrieking. Then, a completely random realization came to him. Fei understood one of the Solarian words that Vance had said. Liednant sounded like 'lieutenant' and he wondered who the lieutenant was. Fei grasped the ether mechanism lever and focused Weltall's hands on the Clawknight. The Gear quavered as it fired the guided shot at the Clawknight's back. Vance shrieked with surprise and shouted, "Ooh, you'll pay for this, lamb!"

Ignoring this, Fei hovered to his four comrades and a flash of silver whooshed across his vision. He immediately saw that it had been one of the chain blades of Swordknight, which was flailing around threateningly at the rebels with Aegisknight at its side holding up its shields in a similarly threatening fashion. "Careful, Wong," said Maitreya. "That Swordknight's pretty tough!"

Without hesitation, Fei charged Weltall at the blade-wielding Gear, narrowly avoiding the weapons. Weltall swiftly struck at Swordknight's chin with its palm, giving Fei a chance to land another blow; this time a jab to the torso. The dark blue Gear then clutched the other's shoulders, flipping it downward onto the stone ground.

Swordknight remained on the floor long enough to extend its blade in an attempt to slice Weltall's leg off just it had done to Khaled's Gear back at the hideout. Fei gasped and jumped up to avoid the blade. Falkon's Deurmod plunged down onto the enemy with a loud crash and just as the martial artist was about to attack again, there was a blind flash of white light and a high-pitched sound. Fei did not know what was going on, but the next thing he knew, Weltall was falling backwards and Fei felt a shudder as well as a throbbing pain. To his horror, once everything cleared up, he saw that Swordknight was standing over both his and Falkon's Gears.

"Zdien laro ogna hirewniogkt bardinhorrug, ah?" the Swordknight's pilot demanded with a laugh.

"You know," Falkon countered, "it's common decency to least try to speak in the local language when you visit another country. Don't you sky-dwellers have any etiquette?"

"Real clever, lamb," grumbled the Solarian.

Fei placed Weltall in a kneeling position, and then curled into a ball, hurling itself into Swordknight, causing it to lose balance temporarily, and Falkon's Gear rammed itself into the enemy. The Gebler Gear spun uncontrollably from the blow as the Deurmod fired its wrist-mounted machinegun. Something flashed on Weltall's sensors; the Aegisknight was charging right at them with Maitreya, Farrant, and Vind in pursuit. From the Gebler Gear's condition, it was clear to Fei that the three of them had given Broyer a major fight. "Vied deshurk retznadya, Stratski!" cried Broyer.

"Damant!" On cue, there was another flash of blinding white light and the sound of Gears in flight. Once everything cleared, there were no foes standing before them and after a brief moment, the five rebels burst into a fit of laughter.

"That's it?" Vind chortled. "That's the best Solaris can throw at us; a bunch of incompetent schmucks that they call soldiers?"

"Well, now that those idiots are gone," said Maitreya. "I guess all that's left is to –err– stall Vanderklink-"

"For the last time, it's Vanderkaum!" Falkon hissed.

"Whatever…we await your command, Wong."

Fei gazed at his monitor, and saw that the five enemy Gears were dormant on a cliff a short distance away. However, he distinctly remembered that there were six enemies. It could have been his imagination, but he was sure that there was one more, so he pushed some buttons to activate the sensor. Something did come back to him. The readings on this sixth Gear showed very high ether power and that the name of machine was Vierge.

"Guys, there's another one," said Fei urgently, and everyone snapped into attention.

"What?"

"You gotta be kidding."

"This ain't any garden variety swine either," Maitreya murmured in disbelief.

"Impossible!" growled Stratski.

"That's twice now," added Renk.

"I lost to the same lamb again?" Vance shrieked furiously from his battered Clawknight. "No way in hell! I need more drive!"

Elly watched in utter disbelief at the sight of Fei and his comrades defeating her soldiers. She had been right in believing his skill to be superior to that of regular Gebler soldiers and knew that she would have to fight him, but she couldn't bring herself to even try to harm Fei. The only option was to use the drive.

She turned her head to gaze into her belt where the small injection gun was holstered. It rested there forebodingly, yet it seemed as though it possessed an invisible force that was drawing Elly's hand to it, a powerful force that she couldn't resist no matter how hard she fought. Elly didn't want to use the drive, it scared her. It scared her because she knew what might happen to her sense of self. It gave you the ability to unleash your power to its fullest, but Elly would temporarily lose the ability to discern right from wrong and to understand mercy. Her shaking body was drenched in cold sweat as she reached for the drive, and gazed at it with apprehension.

The lab complex of the Imperial Palace could only be described as a labyrinth of corridors of steel; endless halls of plain, indistinguishable doors leading to God knew where. Some of these doors were impossible to get into without a passkey. Elly knew virtually nothing about the palace, all she knew was that she had to run and hide from her pursuers. She came to an intersection and stopped in her tracks, frantically looking around. It would only be a matter of time before they would find her; she had to think fast.

"She went this way, my lords." The cruel voice of the palace guard was growing steadily louder. The one that spoke next had a softer tone, but it was tinged with sadism and hunger. Elly knew the man to be Dr. Colonel Rossiter, the director of the Gebler Medical Research Bureau.

"There's no need to run, Van Houten," he drawled and without thinking, Elly turned to the left corridor. All too soon, the sound of feet stomping on the steel floor followed her. They were right on her trail. "Please, there's no need to worry, it's just the drive."

"No, go away!" Elly pleaded desperately as she ran. She would not use the drive. She was afraid of her powers, and if she lost control of it, people would die. This was why she wanted to become an Element, so that she'd be able to control it.

"But drive will just readjust your mind and make you feel good, my dear."

"Leave me alone!" Tears were brimming in Elly's eyes. Why couldn't they understand her fears?

"Do you think we're going to make an exception just because your father has a lot of pull in the government?" Rossiter was getting angry now. "You have the power of the chosen ones, the Gazel! It's the weak people's fault for not being able to withstand your powers." He sounded like many of her instructors in Jugend, preaching the superiority of the Solarian master race. Notably, one she had when she was eleven. That instructor would constantly drill the Empire's ideology into the cadets' minds, and was keen on corporal punishment. "Hold out you arm straighter when saluting!" he would roar and then proceed to beat the cadet who crossed him.

Elly now realized that there was nowhere left to run. There was a blank steel wall ahead, two doors to the sides, and Rossiter to the back. The doctor was approaching her with a predatory grin, with two assistant and two guards following him in his wake. She wanted to run but her feet were frozen, and her pursuers knew this.

The white-clad guards cocked their weapons as one of the assistants marched to Elly and hit her in the solar plexus. She lurched from the blow, her eyes watering. He then grabbed her arm in his so Rossiter's other assistant could have his way with her. The scientist took full advantage of the fact that Elly was powerless to resist them.

He smiled at Elly in a way the made her stomach turn, and reached out his hand to stroke her hair, making her blood freeze. "Ah, such a beautiful woman. Your hair…it's like fire and your eyes remind me of sky. You're a perfect Solarian; now let us see your superior powers."

"P-Please…" She whimpered as tears ran down her face.

"Stand back, Dr. Kovacevic," Rossiter commanded and as he made his way to Elly, he said to his other assistant, "Keep your grip on her. I think I'm going to enjoy this." He pulled out a syringe with a murky green liquid in the tube. Rossiter forced the needle into Elly's vein and she gasped loudly.

The reaction was quick; Elly's eyes were rolling wildly, and she gave a terrible cry of anguish. Her entire body felt hot and then there was a flash of blinding green light. The sight she beheld was like something out of the darkest of nightmares.

Blood…There was blood all over the corridor, on Elly's clothes, on her hands. The scientists' ravaged bodies lay spread-eagled on the floor. A short distance away, the two guards were crying out in agony.

What had she done? She had just killed three people. Her ether had ripped their bodies apart! "No," Elly sobbed. "No, no, no….I didn't do anything!" However, a voice in her head told her that her own ether did this. They had forced the drive into her, and this was the consequence. She fell onto her knees crying uncontrollably as dozens of pairs of boots thundered in the maze corridors. A battalion of guards stood there frozen at the spectacle they beheld. Elly barely noticed them, all she could think about was Rossiter and his men lying there dead with their bodies mutilated. She didn't even take notice of the bag covering her head.

That day would likely haunt Elly forever. After the guards arrested her, they had her imprisoned, interrogated, and tortured for weeks, until Chancellor Krelian, the true leader of Solaris himself intervened and pardoned her of her "crime". Now that she thought back to it, Elly did not know what to think of her Chancellor. He had a stern and serious demeanor, very much like Commander Ramsus, only without the implication that he would be openly hostile to those of whom he disapproved. She was the only one that Krelian truly seemed warm to, because when he spoke to her torturers, his demeanor was businesslike. He did not seem angry about what had occurred. If anything, he has impressed by Elly's ether power. Nevertheless, this incident resulted in her expulsion from the Element class and she became just a regular officer.

"Don't do it, you idiot!" said Renk. "You take any more drive; you'll waste your mind!"

"I don't care!" Vance countered. "My brain's already permanently messed up!"

"Stop it, Vance," said Elly quietly. "I'll handle this." In a swift movement, she rolled up her sleeve, placed the injection gun to her arm and jerked back the trigger.

Vierge flew towards the rebels gracefully, like an angel of destruction determined to fulfill its duties to its god. As it drew closer, Fei registered its features. It was a tall, feminine-looking machine of pink and white. Slender and agile, with a titanium scepter in its hand, Fei knew that he was in for a major fight. Maitreya, Falkon, Farrant, and Vind all stood flanking Weltall, ready to protect Fei at all costs.

"Fei, what are you doing here?"

His heart skipped a beat at the sound of the enemy's voice. For a moment, Fei didn't believe what he was hearing, because he had never thought that the one with this voice could ever have such a violent tone. "You guys go on," he said to his comrades. "I'll handle this."

"But-" Maitreya began, and Fei cut across him.

"Go! While we're wasting time here, Bart is probably already fighting in Bledavik." The four rebels ascended into the air reluctantly as Vierge landed before Weltall, raising its rod. "Elly, is that you?" Fei had to confirm this. He could not bring himself to harm Elly, no matter what. It was as if something was holding him back from attacking her.

"What're you doing here?" she shouted harshly. "You shouldn't be here!" It didn't make sense. Elly would never speak in such a hate-filled voice. It was scary; her ragged breathing and a voice filled with a desire to kill, it was almost as though she was a completely different person.

"Your voice," said Fei. "Don't tell me you're using that drive!"

Elly gave a short derisive laugh. "It has nothing to do with you, and would you quit trying to be so friendly?" Vierge flexed its slender arms, and from its back flew dozens of small projectiles that lingered for a fraction of a second around Weltall, and before Fei could even try to figure out what was happening, his Gear was engulfed in a powerful explosion of ether energy, causing it to fall flat on its back.

Renk watched the battle between Weltall and Vierge in awe, and his jaw dropped. "Did you see that?"

Helmholz was quick to give answers. "Those were Aerods." Well that cleared up absolutely nothing, Renk thought. None of the other soldiers understood what he was talking about at all.

"What the hell are Aerods?" Vance demanded.

"Aninum Ether Response-Offensive Drones," said Helmholz patiently. "Aerods for short… Within Gebler, there are only a handful of people capable of using them. It requires an extremely high ether capability, and a control over it that most of us lack. It's all about mind power. Only those in the Elements are taught how to use them, and I guess Elly was too because she only narrowly lost the position of Water Element."

"This isn't a side effect of the drive, then?" Broyer asked.

"No," Renk replied, shaking his head. "The drive can only release the powers that already exist within her." He breathed deeply. "Guys, you're looking at the real thing."

It was not until Elly had fired those projectiles at Fei that he realized just how resilient Weltall was. The only thing that kept him from righting his Gear immediately was the surprise. Staring at Vierge and hearing Elly's ragged breathing, Fei realized that if he did not fight back, she would kill him. He would have to fight her, and likely kill her if the drug did not wear off quickly.

As Elly prepared to deliver a blow from her rod, Weltall caught it, countered with a palm strike to the chest, and slammed its shoulder into it, causing Vierge to stagger for a moment. However, before Fei could strike again, there was a flash of blinding light and a burning agony seared his body as Weltall was once again on the ground. As soon as he regained vision, Elly laughed harshly.

"Writhe, dance, die, and rot in obscurity here!"

"Why must we fight?" Fei murmured, his body still shaking from the pain of the ether attack.

"Why?" Elly scoffed. "Isn't it obvious? It's divine providence! We are the chosen people, the shepherds! Our entire purpose is to exercise our power over the surface-dwelling lambs! Those who question our authority will be annihilated!" She finished her speech by thrusting out Vierge's rod, which was encompassed in a silvery aura that then fired squarely at Weltall's chest. Fei's Gear was lifted off its feet, shuddering violently as the ether penetrated its very armor and its pilot's skin.

The pain was incredible; as if Fei's entire body was on fire. A guttural roar escaped his throat while the agony was slowly taking over his mind. No! He could not lose his mind, not now! His body lurched and he grabbed the control stick twisting Weltall away from Vierge's line of fire. Weltall then plunged down at its foe, launching a spinning kick, throwing it off its feet, and then the darker Gear pinned it to the ground punching it relentlessly.

"Elly, snap out of it!" Fei shouted, not even knowing what he was doing. "Your mind is being controlled that drug!"

"This is the real me," Elly shot back venomously trying to break free of Weltall's hold. "There is no other!"

"That's a lie! You felt responsibility for what happened in Lahan! You blamed yourself for the disaster happening just because you made an emergency landing there! You were considerate of me when I was troubled!" Fei then added in a softer tone, "The real you would never say that."

"You talk so much, yet you know nothing!" Elly shouted and she tore Vierge away from Weltall's hold unleashing another round of Aerods at Fei. This time, however, he was ready for it, and Weltall sprang out of the way just in time, but before he could counter, Elly charged at him, burying her rod into Weltall's chest half a dozen times, sending sparks and small shards of steel flying under the clear sky. If only Fei could get a lock on Vierge, he'd be able to blast it with his guided shot, but the Solarian Gear was swift, agile, and a more formidable foe than Fei had ever encountered.

The martial artist moved Weltall into a prone position charging roughly into Vierge, and its feet slammed onto the stone floor of the cliffs. With a guttural roar, Fei plunged his Gear downward onto the white and pink Gear's shoulders and it slammed onto its back again. However, if he had hurt Elly at all, she certainly didn't show it, because Vierge was once more on it feet.

Elly swung her rod at Fei's Gear, and he bent low, evading the attack. Weltall struck Vierge's chest with its palm, following up with several punches, and then launched a spinning kick to the side of its head. Fei breathed for a moment and made to strike again, but Vierge raised its rod above its head and the sky darkened momentarily so a bolt of lightning encompassed Weltall. Fei screamed from the pain. It felt as though his entire body was on fire, and he knew that if he wasn't in his Gear, he'd be dead now.

Still recovering from the lightning ether, Fei could do nothing to halt Elly from striking at him with her rod again. The martial artist groaned lightly and the soldier responded with a cold mocking laugh. "Have you had enough of our little game?" she inquired cruelly, Vierge hovering off the ground with the rod raised high above its head. "Do you want to finish it now? You don't have to worry though. I'll kill you painlessly in return for treating me so kindly. Farewell, Fei."

Just as she was about to deliver the fatal blow, Vierge shuddered violently in midair as though in a seizure. Fei started, a realization hitting him as he righted Weltall. Something was wrong with Elly! Her breathing was now heavier than ever, as if she was hyperventilating. "M-My h...head," she gasped.

Taking advantage of the situation, Fei urged his Gear to dive at Vierge, pinning it to the ground. "Elly, wake up and snap out of it!" he commanded as he delivered a jab to Vierge's chest.

"Shut up, I won't listen to a lamb!" Elly snarled trying to break free once again, but Fei's Gear only strengthened its hold. Her voice was strained and hoarse. It was as if she hadn't spoken in years. Fei could tell that the drug was quickly wearing off, just by the Solarian's tone.

"The drive's wearing off, Elly!" The pink and white Gear was convulsing violently in Weltall's hold and Elly gasped in agony. "Don't give in to it! Don't let go of your true self. You're not really like this."

"Stop trying to fool me with your false displays of compassion," said Elly. The Gear shuddered even more violently as Weltall struck Vierge again. "I…I...F-Fei?" The martial artist's heart skipped a beat. The violent savage tone in Elly's voice was gone. It was now weak and frightened, as if she had been dreaming a terrible nightmare only to find that it had been real. "H-Help…" she whimpered, and Fei could tell she was in tears. "Th-This...this isn't me…" Elly then let out a blood-curdling shriek, finally breaking Vierge away from Weltall. Fei could do nothing but watch as powerful emissions of energy escaped the Gear as it writhed, almost as though in the same agony as its pilot. There was one final discharge of ether, blasting Weltall off its feet, blinding Fei with a bluish-white light. All he could hear other than Elly shrieking was the breaking down of her Gear.

Everything had cleared up. Fei sat there in Weltall standing tall over Vierge's kneeling form. Elly hadn't made a sound since her Gear broke down and the martial artist simply watched for any sign of movement. "Wong, come in," said Maitreya's voice on the radio, but the younger man didn't find his voice. "Wong, do you read?"

Fei took a deep breath and responded weakly, "This is Wong, reading you loud and clear. I'm okay."

"I'm coming to see if I could help with that leak."

"Roger," Fei replied and to his astonishment, the hatch on Vierge's chest opened and Elly climbed out of her Gear. Without even thinking about what he was doing, Fei did the same, just at Maitreya's Deurmod landed. One of the Wandknights had taken a spot next to Vierge, but Fei had eyes only for the woman in front of him.

He felt is heart sinking at the sight of Elly. The soldier's face was a deathly white, and her dark, midnight blue eyes were puffy and red. She was so weary that her legs didn't even support her, so she dropped to her knees, taking in the fresh mountain air for a moment, and then shifted her gaze to the ground. She would not meet Fei's eyes so instead, he spoke, looking at the top of her head.

"Elly, why?" His voice was strained and he felt a constricting sensation in his throat, seeing the woman in this state.

"I warned you," Elly murmured regretfully in a barely audible tone. "I told you that we'd be enemies if we ever met again." Fei walked closer to Elly and kneeled beside her.

"But there's no reason for you to do this to yourself," he countered, surprising himself by his own tone. "There's no reason for us at all to be enemies!" At this point, Elly slowly looked up at Fei and held his gaze for several long moments. It was as if she was sorting out her feelings.

"I didn't have choice. I'm a Gebler officer; I couldn't turn my back on my unit or the mission."

"But why did you have to use the drive?"

The soldier looked up at him, pushing the crimson hair away from her face. "I didn't want to," she said sincerely. "When I use it, I change. I become dominated by some unknown power…power that I don't want. There's a power in me I don't want to use or even admit…but I had to use the drive to protect my subordinates." At that moment, Fei understood her better. He knew all too well, what it meant to possess such strength, and what it was capable of when uncontrolled. Elly was afraid of her powers, and Fei could tell that something terrible had happened in her past that engendered her fear.

He placed his hand on Elly's, surprising the soldier and even himself. "I'm here for you," he said quietly. "I don't know much, but I can relate to how you feel. You're the same as me." She cocked her head.

"The same?" she repeated. "Probably." She shrugged with a slight smile. "When I first met you, I felt like I knew you. Probably because our situations were similar." She stopped short when Fei looked at her, as if bursting to say something.

"What is it?"

"You won't change your mind, will you?" he asked grimly.

"Please don't look so sad," said Elly. "It's my only choice. Solaris is my home, I can't just turn my back my country, on my parents." So that's what it was, Fei realized. Why didn't he see it before? He knew what it meant to have a home forcibly taken away, and one did not just ask to give that home up willingly. Home was still home, be it in a peaceful village such as Lahan, or in the totalitarian nightmare that was Solaris, and everyone wanted a place to belong.

Nodding in understanding, Fei turned to Weltall, which was being worked on by Maitreya. He took a few steps before turning back to the Solarian woman. "My comrades are waiting for me," he said. "If you can, get out of Gebler. This life doesn't suit you." They held each other's gazes a few moments, and for a fleeting instant, Fei thought that Elly took a step towards him, but a second later, she just turned around and reentered her Gear.

As Fei and Maitreya flew to meet up with the other rebels, the former General asked, "Why'd you just let her go?" He thought about how to answer this question but only came up with, "Friend or foe, it all comes down to circumstances when you think of it." They did not choose to become enemies. That's just how fate decided it. Fei and Elly were both fighters, whether they wanted to be or not, and they were both on opposing sides. It was with a pang that Fei knew that if Elly would ever try to attack him again, then drive or not, he would not be able to hold back.

Renk powered off his Gear once he had it placed in the dock and opened the hatch. The flight back to Bledavik was silent and solemn. Not even Vance who always had something to say said anything. In all his years in Gebler, Lenny Renk never gave much thought to the effects the drive had on other people but after seeing what it had done to the Lieutenant, how terrified she had been as the drug wore off...it was then that he recalled the story of what had happened to her in the previous year and why she had been denied the title of Element. The thought reminded him of one of the many reasons why he held such a deep loathing toward Gebler in its entirety. The thought occurred to him: Why was he continuing his military career anyway? The pay was lousy, there was no respect for the soldiers within the forces, and if the officers weren't elitists, they were just incompetent...the only positive thing was a sense of pride in having completed the rigorous training and being a member of the most powerful military force in the world. After about the first two years or so, Renk found himself growing more cynical about Gebler and all the propaganda he'd been spoon-fed and that cynicism turned to outright hate. One reason he did not resign was because of a famous saying in the slums of Valhalla; "Whether you believe in it or not, it's better to be a soldier than a slave." The other reason he stayed was because of Broyer, Helmholz, Stratski, and Vance. He couldn't just up and leave them now.

As the six soldiers filed out of the Gear dock, Elly stopped in her tracks. "I'm going to write out the battle report," she said, not looking at them her voice even and hollow. "You're all dismissed." The strike team watched her quicken her pace and disappear into the corridors of the base. After exchanging a quick look with his comrades, Renk followed his commanding officer, stopping in front of the door to her quarters. Maybe he would talk to Van Houten, take her under his wing from now on. After all, she had only been in battle twice in her short career and both had resulted in disaster. Normally, he'd show nothing but contempt for officers but this girl was different. She had displayed something today that Renk had seen from no other officer: compassion and caring for those under her command. Taking in a deep breath, Renk knocked then pushed the button to open the door and entered.

The young Lieutenant sat on her bed, her head bent, crying softly. If Elly had noticed anyone entering the room, she didn't show it. What the Staff Sergeant saw before him was not a rich, young Gebler officer but a scared little girl; a girl who held a magnificent, terrible, destructive power and knew first hand what it could do when uncontrolled. He also saw before him a little girl forced to live a life she didn't believe in and only now came to the realization that she could not escape it. Without even really thinking about what he was doing, Renk slowly eased his way toward her and placed a hand on her shoulder. His touch startled her and she looked up at him, tears still streaming down her face. Seeing the genuine concern and sympathy in the man's eyes, she grasped his shirt in her hands and buried her face into his chest, now sobbing uncontrollably. Renk was man who had never comforted anyone in his life. Not knowing what else to do, he awkwardly wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rubbed her back.

After a few moments, Elly lifted her head from Renk's chest. "Sorry," she said thickly, wiping away the remaining tears from her eyes.

With a slight smile, the Staff Sergeant said, "It's alright, kiddo. Permission to be seated?"

Elly managed a short laugh. "Permission granted." Renk took a seat next to her.

"Let me tell you about a young Gebler soldier," he said, looking at his superior. "This boy grew up in proletarian quarters of Valhalla. One day, when he turned seventeen, he happened to meet up with a Gebler officer inspecting the loading docks this boy worked at. This officer saw potential in that stevedore slave and endorsed him for service in Gebler. The boy passed the Empire's testings, went to training, and was educated in the superiority of the Solarian master race. The pay the boy got for his service was lousy but life became better for him over the years. Better living conditions, better food, and the police patrolling the city streets now had to take his orders. The boy reached his mid-twenties and was sent to Aveh. By then, he realized Gebler was not all that it was cracked up to be. Some officers were really full of themselves and even worse, one of them had to have been the worst combat strategist and the nastiest, most cowardly, tyrannical son of a bitch to ever have been born, yet somehow was allowed to retain his command. It gets worse! He was even promoted to Admiral and given command of our forces in Aveh." Elly exhaled in disgust, knowing very well who Renk was talking about; Vanderkaum...one of the only human beings she could admit that she genuinely hated. Ramsus was a godsend with his decision to remove him from command.

"The soldier was eventually teamed up with a group of others men with similar backgrounds. Our first mission in Aveh was to drive back Kislevian forces from the border. This was the first time the soldier experienced drive. It gave him a rush, it turned him aggressive and violent when his only real worst character flaw was his, by then, uncaring attitude towards the chain of command and that he became a bit of a jerk. The soldier took out many enemies. He was not only killing human beings, he was enjoying it...fucking enjoying every moment of it. Once he returned to base and the drive wore off, he was shaken. This drug had taken away his humanity. His subordinates were supportive of him but from that day on, any ounce of genuine loyalty that soldier had remaining to Gebler had vanished. His military service became a job to him. A measly monthly paycheck but sure as hell better than going back to the docks, so he kept quiet and to this day, he serves in Gebler waking up from occasional nightmares about the exploding enemy Gears, the screams of agony...he continues his career hating himself because he has no other options except slavery or death.

He gave her a firm look. "I could tell from what happened out there today that you've got a big heart in there." He pointed at her chest. "Whatever that kid in the dark Gear said out there was right. Don't renew your service once it's up, get away from this life and don't turn out like that soldier. Can you guess who that soldier was?"

"You?"

"Yup." Elly regarded Renk for a moment and rested her head on his shoulder as if he were her uncle.

"Thank you," she whispered earning a hearty laugh from the Staff Sergeant. Tousling her hair affectionately, he responded, "Just please don't mention anything that happened in here. I still have a reputation to keep among the team that I take no shit from any rank."

Elly laughed, "How did Vance put it? 'We don't care about rank and we don't care about Renk either.' Don't worry, I won't say anything."

"Thanks, kiddo." With that, Renk exited the room, the door closing behind him.

A/N: And now we stop the chapter. I wanted to show that Renk at least was coming to respect Elly and like all senior soldiers, he takes a greener one who he genuinely cares about under his wing. I think he felt fatherly toward Elly. My beta reader and me made some changes to the preceding chapters as well as this. Coming up next is Bart's time to shine in Operation: Red Storm. Expect urban warfare, big desert battle, and the return of our Marxist friends. Viva la Revolucion!

Solarian translations:

"Lieutenant, I'm sitting this one out."

"Did you really think it'd be that easy, huh?"

"We should pull out, Straski,"

"Affirmative."

So, until next time, Lionheart out.