Fanfiction: A Bleeding Planet

[colohue]

I recieved orders from my team master to post this here, how could I resist?


Background Information:
After the treachery of Leo Grahart the Principal of the Pioneer 2 called for the WORKS unit to disband. Though it was unwilling for many, the unit dissolved and was reformed into a more governmentally controlled unit called "The Second Foundation." The leaders of this unit must report directly to the Principal himself. However, many former WORKS officers suffered with work, pay, and many were never hired again.
Soon, the Pioneer 2 was besieged by rebels claiming to be former WORKS operatives. The Second Foundation is ordered to combat these attacks, but fails to do so on many counts. Only twice are rebels ever captured and recognised as former WORKS. The attacks are later claimed to be the work of former WORKS captain, and now calling himself general, Artemus Craven.
The final straw for many people of Pioneer 2 was the bombing of the Hunter's Guild itself. After this many former employees are left bereft of work. They take work as they can, by private hire, but the Pioneer 2 is left to live in fear.
From this fear many military teams and civilians abandon the Pioneer 2 for the planet below. Certain ambitious team leaders claim portions of land for themselves, and soon there are problems between opposing teams. In the chaos are the former Hunters, earning any money they can to survive by selling their talents to the highest bidder.
In an attempt to control the chaos and protect their own interests the Pioneer 2 government send down a team of their own to secure the former central dome area and rebuild it into a base for the government on Ragol. In secret, the Principal is removed from the Pioneer 2 and moved to Ragol Base.
Two years later the Pioneer 2 is destroyed by Craven. The wreckage, still afire, settles in an area of Forest near the central dome, and is promptly salvaged for survivors and supplies by the Pioneer government. The WORKS rebels take this oppurtunity to attack the dome. It is defended by the last few Hunters loyal to the pioneer government. It is defended successfully.
With war brewing on all sides the Principal brings together his Hunters, and warns them that their remaining tools are detecting strong photon energy all over the planet, increasing vastly and beginning in the former deep sea research facility, long abandoned after the investigation and destruction of Heathecliffe Flowen. Monsters begin to appear on the surface.
Some teams ally together and grow their borders, some teams continue to fight, struggling against multiple enemies at once. However, the pioneer government begins to make whatever arrangements it can to secure as much of Ragol as possible by friendly means, and warn the new world that war is brewing from things other than themselves.
Unfortunately, not all believe them, and the Hunters of the Pioneer government are called into action.

[colohue]

Chapter 1
The Rupika Mystery


"I don't care what you believe, it was a reckless, stupid thing to do."

"It got the job done didn't it? It was only as Astark, what harm could it have caused?"

"Not only did you put Lucy directly into danger but you made an order on Rejik. That could set his subserviance regression back for months. All because of your own cowardice."

As focussed as she was on getting home Aroma failed to see Tethys' fist until it had struck her a glancing blow across the side of the jaw. Caught by surprise she crumpled sideways into the ready arms of the large, red android beside her.

Tethys strode away with only the backwards message, "I think you have him pretty well trained already," her long, dark hair swayed behind her as she left them. Soon she was out of sight, engulfed by the heavy crowds always present in Ragol base.

"It takes strength to fall you know," Rejik's demure voice began behind her, "so if you have the strength to fall, you have the strength to get up again."

Aroma cracked her neck quite leisurely, "thank you Rejik," she looked up at the place in his great metal head where a man's eyes would be, "care to prop me up again old man?"

"Of course m'lady," he brought her back up onto her feet, then knelt down to pick a little dark-skinned girl out of the mud she had been sat sketching in. Quickly she flattened the mud with the heel of her shoes. He had diverted his attention quick enough that he didn't see Aroma wiping her eyes on her navy wristbands.

Lucy, green skirts covered in thick, black mud, grinned up at Aroma as the disgruntled doctor sighed to herself, "how is it you always end up dirty Lucy?" she looked down in stark disapproval, but Lucy was not phased.

"Magic," she replied, admiring her soiled garments, "people aren't happy if they're clean."

"What are you-"

"Dr Harliter!"

Quickly, Aroma spun to face the woman behind her. As expected, the dark features and bright pink hair of Tiffany Firebrand met her eyes. She was clearly unhappy, although a wry smile was playing upon her lips, "did you succeed?"

Aroma took a deep breath, steadying herself before answering, "I believe my report is for the general, not yourself."

Tiffany's smile widened a bit, "I'm glad to see failure does not break your spirit doctor. Now perhaps you should go and make your report, while I head out to complete your task," her eyes changed focus to look past Aroma and she walked straight by without another word.

Aroma finally released the breath she had been holding in. Without turning back the android waiting behind her, "Rejik," she began softly, "take Lucy home and get her cleaned up. Then find Tethys and make sure she's still ready for her orders. I'm going to go and make her report," without waiting for an answer, Aroma headed further into Ragol base.

Rejik turned back to glance at the distant figure of Tiffany Firebrand across the plains. He paused, finding the right word, then found the correct one to express his discomfort, "git."

"You're not meant to say things like that in front of me Reji," Lucy grinned up at him in triumph, but Rejik didn't even bother to reply. Lucy tried again to engage him, "so what do you think is wrong with Aroma? Perhaps we should just get her dirty more often."

Almost leisurely Rejik crossed his arms across his broad chest, shaking his spiked head and remarking, more to himself, "I'm still on PMS."

---

"You know what I worked out?"

"What?"

"This might blow your mind a bit."

"Doubt it but go on."

"Well, since I'm an Android right, I will never have to shave," proud of this swift leapt of observation the bright yellow android Vladimir leant back against the heavy iron bartop with what he hoped was a smug look on his face.

Unable to show his disgust by glaring, Rejik showed it quite clearly by kicking Vladimir's barstool out from under him. Vladimir chose not to react, letting gravity tumble him crashing to the ground with a dull thud that sent a your Newman scarpering. The rest of the bar continued their drinks without so much as glancing towards the two. Even the barman continued wiping out his glasses near them.

Glancing up from his prone position Vladimir singled out Rejik, "that wasn't very nice."

"Vladi," the giant replied less than emphatically, "you don't have nerve endings."

"I didn't say it hurt, I said it wasn't nice. I was just making an observation after all, now I have to waste all that energy getting up again. Oh, are you here to tell him off?"

Rejik turned swiftly back to the barman with an inquiry, "Lucy used up all her fuse drops today, do you have more on hand?"

The barman stopped his continual wiping to stare aghast at Rejik for a moment, "she used all seven fuse drops in one day? I heard she only had to deal with an Astark. A little thing of no consequence."

Still unable to glare, Rejik let this comment slide, "the way some people tell it, Dark Flaz was a pet project of WORKS that got a little angry one day. It only ever had the power to kill a dog. According to some people standing behind me."

Behind him, Tethys stood, back straight and hands on hips waiting for his attention to turn to her, but still he chose not to pay attention to her. She continued to glare evilly at the back of his head.

Android or not, an obvious note of pride crept into Rejik's voice as he continued his answer, "Lucy blasted that Astark eighty feet into the air and then launched such a huge flurry of Megid that even the worms died from it. Do you have more fuse drops or not?"

"How much longer are you going to ignore me Rejik?"

"Until I have something to say perhaps?"

Tethys took Vladimir's vacated stool beside Rejik. Vladimir remained on the floor, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "are you mad because she is," She shot at him defiantly.

"Dr. Harliter doesn't get mad," Rejik reminded Tethys. He paused to collect the fuse drops the barman handed him over the counter. They were tiny, clear orbs with a shimmer of gold at the centre, "instead she gets sad and blamed herself. This makes me get mad Tethys," finally Rejik turned to face the twisted look of anger she was aiming at him, "you know, if I hit you you wouldn't be able to get up again."

As he stood up Tethys quite visibly flinched and backed away a step, but her agression had returned by the time he was up and she had put herself directly beneath his face, "she does get mad, she was born like that. And she deserved worse than..."

Rejik left her there, voice rising to hysterics. His little girl had her fuse drops, so that screaming little girl could go to hell.

---

"I'm guessing you did not succeed in your mission."

"...Correct general."

"I see. It is not a major loss. We have enough backup to secure the crater with a few failures."

"If I may then sir, why were we sent at all?"

General Kain, in resplendant robes of black with silver trimming, scribbled through Aroma's name on a list of current operatives. He continued to scribble, as he answered, "because the more people we have on it the more likely our chances of success with no casualties."

Aroma remained stodd to attention, only her eyes moved, trailing after the general. He moved around his room, moving figures on a map, noting down things in a notepad, and finally getting himself a glass of whiskey. Aroma watched all this before venturing to ask, "what news from the WORKS front sir?"

The general answered very briefly and very quickly, "that is no longer your concern Dr. Harliter."

For a moment, even Aroma's eyes froze. Her shoulders drooped a little and her head dropped to look at the floor. She took a breath slowly, "am I dismissed then sir?"

The general replied drily, "you needn't be so insulted Aroma. You did very well protecting us all from Craven. It is just time for more experienced hands to take the lead. It was no failing of your own."

He had hoped for a reply, but Aroma stayed silent, eyes never straying from the laces of her own boots.

"The Principal had decided to reassign you anyway Aroma. We have a new task for you. Perhaps you should sit down," he moved to take a chair from his desk in the corner, but Aroma shook her head. He stopped.

"Put simply, there is something in that crater," the General began to the top of Aroma's head, "We have to know what. We believe it is similar to what our hunters discovered in the ancient ruins. We need to discover all we can about it. The Principal has forbidden me from giving you more information than necessary."

But Aroma already had the answer. She brought her eyes back up before stating, "you're after an income of fuse drops. That way you won't have to rely on the Cibitian state to supply them."

The General's lip twitched and, for a moment, Aroma was convinced she had caught him smiling. Just for a moment, "remember, you don't know why we need to investigate. Do you understand me?"

"I understand sir."

"Do it."

[Kitsadoodles]

oooooh, what a great story! its got a great plot and background, great character personalities, and a great style and vocabulary! you took being a military-hired hunter to a whole new level! nice work!

[glowworm]

Love it... especially the part about dirty being happy and all that.