As the evening sun was sending off it's last warm rays of light before setting, a small group of armored trucks was slowly making it's way along the frozen path, their destination glimmering on the horizon. Leading the way was the biggest of the three, an armored medical transport, it's bright lights illuminating the dark ground in front of them. On the passenger seat, a woman was lazily looking out the window, occasionally catching a glimpse of a Mossback group slowly making it's way across the tundra grassland.
"We're gonna be there soon," a warm voice broke her trance. The driver, a woman in her early fifties, looked at her sideways. "Might be a good time to send the 3rd on their way."
"Yea, I think it's about time we start this thing," she said while rubbing her eyes with her one free hand. Reaching out, she grabbed the small microphone on the dashboard, but paused before pressing the button.
"Nervous?" the driver asked. "Guess it's apparent" she thought to herself.
"No, no, I'm ok. Thanks Clar." She mustered a small smile, almost invisible in the dim light. "It's just... Missions like these are never easy. It just wears you down, you know?"
Clara reached out and brushed her hair behind her ear. She instinctively leaned towards her soft touch. "I know, sweetie," Clara spoke, "but someone has to do this, and we have always been strong girls, haven't we, Alice?"
"Yea, we have. We've been....strong girls." Taking a deep breath, Alice straightened herself, positioning her right arm, wrapped in a large plasteel cast, into a more comfortable position. Closing her eyes for a moment, she composed herself, and pressed the transmittion button, now with a serious and determined look.
"Hunter 3, this is Hunter 1, do you copy?"
For a moment, only white noise was heard, before a response came back. "Hunter 1, this is Hunter 3, we hear you."
"Break off the group and proceed to your coordinates. You are to establish the perimeter and prepare the specimen, then proceed towards the settlement. Understood?"
"Understood, Hunter 1. Hunter 3, splitting off."
Looking in the side mirror, Alice could see the last truck turn off its lights and turn right, dissapearing into the dark. What she wouldn't give to be in their place, only having to prepare a wild animal carcass and plant evidence. But she was a commander, and the most experienced here, so she had to walk directly into the blaze. "I'm gonna need pills after this," she thought to herself, while turning her attention to the small settlement that was growing ever bigger, the lights of the festival illuminating the group of settlement pods.


Closing the truck door behind her, Alice took a look at her sorroundings. Now that the festival was just around the corner, she could make out the familiar sound of the pupular band from back home, Ministry. For a moment it brought back a memory, one that made the corners of her mouth rise in a small, somber smile. It was a simpler life back then. Her subordinates gathering around her, she reminded them of the plan one last time.
"Alright boys, you know the plan. We only need one. Once you got them, three presses-" she raised her left arm, a small dark patch visible on her thumb pad, "-to let the others know." They nodded in understanding.
"Ok then, commence the plan. Godspeed, and may Sana keep watch..." That last part got stuck in her throat for a moment.
With the order given, the change in their demeanor of the guys surrounding her changed immediately. Where before they were all serious and slightly tense, their faces relaxed, smiles forming and light flickering in their eyes. Were someone to meet them now, they would look like they genuinely only came to have fun at the festivities. The switch brought up mixed feelings in both Alice and Clara, both pride in the training they have given them and a slight fear of how well it took root in them. Nevertheless, this group showed promise that the mission would go without a hitch.

The group left their trucks behind and rounded the corner to enter the festival proper. And what a party it was! Rows of tables full of food and drink filled the large central courtyard of the small village, with a raised podium on one end, where the band was playing. The entire area was under a large tent roof, from which hundreds of little fairy lights hung. About a hundred, maybe more, Sanallites and a few dozen Risuners were either sitting or standing around, some dancing, come chatting, some drinking themselves under the table, but all of them having the time of their life. The atmoshpere of the festivities hit them like a wave, subconsciously raising their spirits. They stood at the edge for a moment, before they all found people that they recognized in the crowd, and split up. When it was just Clara and Alice left, a familiar voice rang out in a greeting.
"Well I'll be damned, If it ain't the old hags! How you doing, Clar, Alice?" waved Mac, stumbling past a group to make his way to them. His stopped in shock though when he saw Alice's right arm. Growing serious, he moved in, his tone hushed.
"Don't tell me..."
"Yes, Mac. I'm afraid it's come to this," Clara said, her face beaming a wide smile. There was many eyes around now, she didn't want to raise any suspicion from anyone.
Mac grew tense, leaning even closer, his voice a growl now. "No, you can't do this now. They have done nothing, I won't-" He was interrupted by Clara pulling him in for a hug, whispering in his ear, her tone pure poison, "We are only here for one of them, Mac. Order was given. You cause a scene, all of them die, understood?"
Mac looked at her, disbelief and fear mixed in his eyes. Collecting himself, he responded, a slight shiver in his voice. "Do you at least have a plan?"
"Of course we-"
"Oh who are these lovely ladies, Mac, and when are you gonna introduce me?" Their translators buzzed. From behind Mac's back, a smaller man popped up, holding a large red cup. Struggling a bit to keep his balance, he took another swig from it, his large puffy tail happily moving from side to side. Leaning on Mac, the small Risuner drunkily stumbled over his words while happily looking over the two women. "I do gotta say tho-though hic you guys brew some amazing stuff up here!"
"Enoch! I was just about to go looking for you, you bastard! Well, these are my friends, Clara and Alice. Girls, this is Enoch, the guy who lead the squirrels up here to us, the leader of the expedition!" His eyes locked onto Clara, shaking his head ever so slightly. She in turn gave him a small smile. The silent conversation was clear. He was to be exempt from their mission goal.
"Hey hey, wazzat?" Enoch pointed to Alice's right arm, ignoring Mac completely.
O-oh, well...umm," Alice stumbled in fake shyness, "I...well..."
"She fell from her bed, this idiot, and broke her arm, somehow," finished Clara. "Like, can you imagine? How do you even manage that?" She said while stiffling her laughter. Enoch had no such restrictions, and burst out in a hearty laugh.
"HAHAHAHAHA you serious?!" he cackled while slapping his knee.
"Clar...." hissed Alice through her teeth while gently slapping her shoulder, a blush spreading over her face.
The mood of the group lightened up, with Clara, and reluctantly, Mac joining in the laughter, the latter of which tried apologizing though her chuckles. After they calmed down, they all decided to go find a free table to sit at and get some drinks, with Alice and enoch leading the way. As they made their way among the myriad of different groups, following the jolly drunk squirrel, Mac pulled Clara to the side for a moment, and leaned in with a whisper.
"Please, just..."
"We know Mac, we'll try to keep it as clean as possible," she replied.
And with this, they reached found their table, a couple of familiar faces already mingling with a few Risuners seated there.


A couple of hours have passed since they arrived at the festival, and the party was in full swing The band was playing their loudest and fastest hits, and the alcohol was finally starting to take its magic on people. The table Alice and Clara were sitting at was one of the loudest, with Enoch, Mac, Ismail and Yulia loudly singing a song that didn't seem to have any real lyrics while continously gulping down beer after beer, with an occasional snack here or there. Alice was sitting off to the side, slowly sipping in her own drink, just observing the happy quartet. Occasionally glancing around to where the other guys were sitting, she noticed that none of them have so far been able to tag anyone.
"The booze might have been a bit too good..." She thought to herself. But that didn't really matter to her, she already got her own target, one that she has been buttering up the entire evening.
Sitting next to her, happily clapping along to the song of the Loud Four, as she labeled them as, was Gading, a small and frail looking squirrel that took quite a liking to her over the evening, as far as she could tell. He wasn't a burly warrior or a stout sailor that ventured on this perilous journey to this far north seeking glory or riches, instead the little guy simply wanted to see the world. Had a real knack for arts it seemed, being one of the most recognized artists in his tribal confederacy, if his drunk word was to be believed. But more importantly, he didn't seem to hold any real power in the group, being one of the more unnoticeable members, a side character. And while he did admit that he liked it that way, he never felt like the main stage was for him and he preffered his peace and quiet on the sidelines, it would be this quality that would inevitably spell his end today.
He was saying something to her now, something she wasn't paying attention to, simply nodding and smiling along. She needed these few precious moments to clear out her head, collect and steel herself for what she was about to do. She seemed to slip up for a moment, however, no doubt due to the few glasses of alcohol in her system, as Gading took notice of her changed demeanor.
"You ok there Alice? The uh...the drink coming up?" He said with a chuckle, a hint of genuine worry that she might have went over her limit on his face.
"Huh? Oh, yea sorry Gad, I was just thinking about something. What were you saying again?" She responded with a smile of her own, before once again trailing off as Gading started up his story again.
Deciding that the moment was right, she slowly leaned in close to whisper in his ear, slowly tracing her fingers across his leg under the table. It was simple and basic, but in his inebriated state, combined with that they already knew about their people, she was sure that she would get at least some results by doing this.
"Hey uh, how about we.... go see if we can find some more snacks, huh?" She said seductively.
The response was immediate, and exactly like she expected, as she noticed a small bulge forming in his pants, as well as a blush spreading over his face, turning his ears bright red.
Unable to do anything but nod excitedly, she pulled him by the hand as they both got up, Gading taking one last sip from his cup.
"AHA!" Exclaimed Enoch, pointing at them. "I've seen that look before! Gading you little shit, you better make a good first impression, all the Risuners are counting on you!" He laughed, saluting him with his own cup, which he promptly emptied.
The table erupted in a cacophony of whistles and woohoos before Alice silenced them all up with chuckle. "Oh come on guys, I was just gonna get more snacks and Gading here offered to help, since ya know," as she pointed at her right arm.
"Hmh, sure you were. Well, he's sure to give you a snack if you know what I mean!" Enoch said with a knowing look while motioning to Mac. "Hey M-man where the beer at?! My throat feels like I'm in a desert over here!"

Making their way out of the main courtyard, the couple quickly found themselves on the outskirts of the small pod village, with the darkness of the night closing in around them. Stumbling about like drunk teenagers in love, they made their way to what they both decided was a secluded enough spot, exchanging many quick kisses along the way. It just so happened that the spot they choose was right where the trucks Alice and her group arrived at were parked. In reality, Alice led the young boy here simply because it would be a hassle transporting him to the operating room from anywhere else.
Pushing the smaller man against the side of one of the trucks, she leaned in for a long and passionate kiss, tongue and all. It was the moment where he had to be distracted, or else he might notice something. And she didn't want that. If anything, she wanted him to pass without ever so much as noticing.
What she didn't want him noticing was her right arm, which was silently escaping from between their two bodies, bending like a snake, making its way to the side of Gading's head. Placing her palm on him, he barely had time to notice before a long metal needle was ejected from it, piercing his skull and making its way deep into his brain. As his eyes twitched and rolled back into his head, she made sure that there was no chance he would ever be waking up again, by activating the rotors at the base of the needle, its sharp edge quickly turning the inside of his head into a slurry. It was perhaps a cruel way to go, but Alice could not deny its effectiveness, as Gading's lifeless corpse slowly slumped to the ground.
Picking him up, with no small struggle, as the guy was heavier than he looked, she carried him over the side of the truck, opening the back door, and unloading him inside. Pressing the pad on her hand three times to alert the others, she jumped onto the truck herself, closing the metal door behind her.
The hard part of the mission was over, now came the gross part.


The festivities were in their last stretch, with most of the people already turning in for the night, yet the party at the table Mac and Enoch were at was still going strong. As strong as as a party where most of the members were so drunk they couldn't even stand anymore could go, anyway. Most of the Risuners were essentially sleeping at the table, with only Enoch still happily bouncing from side to side. Him and Mac were just about to start a new song together when a series of loud bangs briefly broke Mac's drunken stupor. They were rifle shots. They seemed to have a similar effect on all the others at the table as well, as all the Sanallites suddenly burst up, no hint of merriment on their faces.
And then came another burst. And another. Quickly shaking off the drunk squirrel who was still leaning on him, Mac, along with Clara and a few others, ran towards the source of the sound. He stumbled a bit due to the alcohol, but he was still the first to make it to the edge of the village, where he came upon a grizzly scene, illuminated by the clear moon that just then came from behind the clouds.
The source of the shots was a part of armed guards currently on full alert, pointing their rifles at a large beast laying a ways off, blood flowing from the myriad of bulletholes on its body. To the side of them laid another person, rolling around in pain in the short grass. He couldn't quite make it out, but something was weird about their form.
As the others spilled out on the open field, the horrific scene was further illuminated by the small torches on the Sanallite's suits.
"Alice!" Clara yelled from behind him, before running over to the figure on the ground. She held the girl close to her, cradling her trembling frame, before looking over to the two armed men.
"What the hell happened here!?" She screamed, noticing the large beast they were pointing their guns towards. "Kill the fucking thing!"
"Thing's already dead," said the larger of the two. "Pretty sure at least. We pumped it full of lead as soon as we could, but...the squirrel..."
"What...?"
"Couldn't... couldn't save that one. Maybe. I don't know, it's still got it in it's jaws..."
It was just now that both Mac, who was standing frozen to the side, and Clara noticed that there was another figure, much smaller, on the scene. The mangled corpse of Gading was hanging from the still clenched jaws of the large drake, covered in both his own and beast's blood.
"Oh Sana..." Clara sighed while looking away.
"Oh fuck..." Said Mac. "Enoch is gonna-"
"What the hell is going on over here?!" A familiar voice ringed from behind them. Enoch just now made it to the scene, his eyes looking a lot more sober than mere minutes ago. Despite his seemingly clearer mind, his body was not listening to him, as he stumbled towards Gading, falling over multiple times, before being stopped by Mac.
"L-let go of me you big fuck, Gading's-" he screamed at the large man, kicking and punching in his arms.
"Stop it Enoch, he's... He's..." Mac said in a low tone, struggling against the Risuner.
"No he fucking ain't! Now! Let! Go!"
Finally breaking free, Enoch half fell over in front of the drake, scrambling to try and pull Gading out of it's jaws.
"If that thing so much as flinches, you onload everything you got, got it?!" Mac yelled to the two guards, who nodded in response. The field was now beggining to fill with people, as more and more came to see the source of the commotion. Quiet murmur filled the air, while some ran over to help Clara with Alice.
Enoch was now looking around panicked, crying out for help with Gading, with a few Risuners running over to help him.
"Please, you guys are good with medicine, right? You can-you have to-"
"Enoch. He's...there's...there's a limit to what even we can do..." Clara said quietly, shaking her head. Her eyes met Risuner's, a quiet plea apparent.
"N-no...he can't..." He stuttered, looking down at his dead friend. After a few moments, he slumped on the ground in defeat and understanding.
"Y-yes, you're right, we...we should focus on the living. How is she?" he asked quietly, looking at Alice.
"She can still make it, but she's bleeding. She needs immediate medical attention." Clara responded, reminded of the urgency currently in her arms. Picking her up, she looked at Mac once last time. "You uh...you got it over here?"
He knew what the real meaning behind the question was, and he nodded in agreement. There was nothing he could do anymore, the deed was done. the job that was forced upon him now required him to keep the situation under control and make sure no Risuner did anything stupid.
Turning around, Clara then took Alice towards where their trucks were parked, whispering that everything will be ok.


Clara made sure they were a good way off the village before stopping the truck and turning off the lights. Sighing in relief, she rested her head on the steering wheel for a good minute before opening the door and dropping to the wet grass beneath. Going around to the back of the truck, she opened the door and hopped in. The small room was illuminated in a white surgical light, with a large table in the middle, where some bloodstains could still be visible. Sitting on a small chair in the corner was Alice, covered in blood, but otherwise looking completely calm, almost too calm. Crouching in front of her, Clara took the big pill bottle out of her hand. This woke Alice up, and she looked up at the new arrival with a lazy look before giving a wide grin.
"How many did you take?" Clara asked, placing the bottle on the counter at the wall.
"Ehehe..." was all that the drugged up girl could manage in response.
"That many, huh?" She said to herself while opening a few cabinets, getting a clean towel and a dark metal arm. Getting back to Alice, she slightly tugged at the shoulder of her now missing right arm.
"Come on, let go. Let's get you fixed up," She quietly said. A few seconds later the shoulder joint released, dropping into her hand. Placing it next to the bottle, she wiped around with the towel, making sure that all the fake blood was removed from the metal joint before attaching the arm. She held it in place for a few moments, before the fingers curled and started moving.
"Good, that's the arm fixed. Everything else is fine, right? You did say you were ok back then, but just wanted to-"
"He saved me...I killed him, and still, he saved me." her companion spoke, much to Clara's suprise, her voice barely a whisper. Tears were streaming down her face, and she was beggining to sob a little.
"It's ok Alice, you don't have to-"
"I got the samples and prepared him, like I was supposed to, and... and I went to prepare the spot... and then that thing lunged out of the dark. Threw me to the ground and went for him. Must have...must have smelled the blood on him... and all I could do was break up the arm like I was supposed to... and then the guards came..." she trailed off.
Clara held her close in a hug, trying to comfort her. "It's ok baby, you did your best, and you made it out. That's all that counts."
The two remained there for a while, Alice softly sobbing in her chest and Alice trying her best to not cry alongside her.
"I...I don't want to do this anymore, Clar...I don't want to be a strong girl anymore..."
This finally broke Clara, and she tightly embraced her, crying her eyes out. They stayed like until Alice, exhausted and drunk and high, fell asleep in her arms. Slowly moving away, letting the sleeping girl slump on the chair, Clara wiped her tears and left the room. Sitting behind the wheel again, she collected herself, taking in the cold night air through the open window for a bit before turning on the headlights and stepping on the gas.


Gading's funeral was held a few days later, at Lamington's cemetery. The girls attended, along with a few other Sanallites. Enoch approached them after the ceremony, wearing a somber expression.
"I'm glad you two could make it." he said, pain apparent in his voice.
"We're sorry for your loss, Enoch. This is entirely-" Clara started before Enoch interrupted her.
"No, no. This was...nobody's fault. We all knew that this was dangerous, and thought ourselves lucky we made it this far. If anything, it is my fault. I should have taken more precautions before coming here. Learn more..." he trailed off, gazing into the distance.
"How are you recovering?" He motioned to Alice, who was leaning on a cruch behind Clara. One last act that was required of her.
"I'm gonna be good in a few, doctor says. Only thing they couldn't bring back was my arm-" she raised her metal prosthetic, wiggling her fingers, "Because you know, it kinda got ripped off, heh," she gave a small smile.
"That truly is a marvel," Enoch smiled, observing her hand.
"But I actually wanted your help with something," he brought up a small bag out of his pocket, spilling a single large seed out of it and extending it towards the girls.
"You see, we have a ritual back in our homeland. We plant the seeds of a plant important to the person on their grave, letting new life sprout out of death. We all took our seeds with us when we left on this journey, in case... well, in case this happened. This was Gading's seed. I would like you two to help me plant this on his grave."
The two girl readily agreed, and together the three dug a small hole on Gading's fresh grave, planting the seed within. Alice quetly said a short prayer and despite it being aimed towards a different god than the ones Risuners worshipped, she believed that it would reach him. In the years that followed, that small seed would sprout into a mighty tree, a central landmark of the ever-expanding cemetary for decades to come.

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Pub: 31 Jul 2022 18:34 UTC

Edit: 11 Apr 2023 12:56 UTC

Views: 393