Exile

EXILE


CONTENTS:
Then: Chris Flight
Chapter 1: Chris Flight
Chapter 2: Sarai Arra
Chapter 3: Chris Flight
Chapter 4: Sarai Arra
Chapter 5: Chris Flight
Chapter 6: Sarai Arra
Chapter 7: Chris Flight
Chapter 8: Sarai Arra
Chapter 9: Chris Flight

Then.
We stepped out of the warehouse, the defectors hesitating. Finally, after days of searching Berlin we had completed our objective. I had the disk. The defectors had turned it over.
Suddenly, a spotlight turned on. We froze in its beam. A truck blocked one end of the alley, and ten armed men blocked the other. The Russian Military Terror Agency. One of them shouted for anyone else to come out. The Haupt’s, who were former members of the RMTA, came out.
“Go!” I roared.
David took out the spotlight. I whipped out my modified Uzi and opened fire. Luis strafed the ranks. Then we were gone, running in the new dark.
We met back at the truck. Suddenly something clicked. Who was missing? Kat and the Haupt’s! They were now a security risk.
Jumping over a fence, I traced them back to the warehouse.
“Please…”
I turned. There was Kat, lying in a pool of blood.
I saw red. I was on overload. Someone would pay. Whirling around, I noticed that near her was Haupt Senior, still alive. I pulled my gun and shot him in the heart. Then I found his son, ran him down, and killed him. I heard someone coming and ran like a murderer.

Chapter 1: Chris Flight
“How do you plead?”
“Guilty.” I said.
“Then let us hear the first witness.” A judge said.
A small Russian came up. He told that I brutally murdered the people. Two others came up and said the same thing.
“Do you understand the seriousness of these charges, Sir?” the judge inquired to me.
“Yes sir.” I said.
There was a brief pause as the jury deliberated. Then they came out. I was guilty.
“Owing to your history of brave service to your country over the past years, we will not impose the death penalty. This is your first offense, but the consequence could have been death by torture. Therefore, it is the decision of the court to send you into exile to the far reaches of space until such time as you have proven your worth and courage beyond all other men. You are appointed seven days until your departure, which will allow you to put your affairs in order. You are prohibited from leaving the city. In the name of the law I declare this trial over.”
Two days later I was walking with my good friend David. Out of the Band of Brothers that had met in the former days only me, David, Luis, and Mass were still alive (unless you count Toma, who was never in our fights anyway, and was currently a wealthy man who got his money from discovering vast protoculture energy mines in Mexico and had put them back to use). We were so into an argument that I bumped into a pretty young woman, who was carrying three large boxes.
“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking. Here, let me help you with that.” I apologized.
“It’s all right. But I could use the help.” She said.
We helped her carry her stuff. I felt like I had done the world a great service.
Five days later I was exiled. It felt good to be in a fighter jet again, even though the goal of this mission made it very sad. The crew tried to cheer me up, but it just made me more depressed. Even though Luis had been exiled three times, each time he got sent away he came back three days later with news of an alien armada approaching Earth. I suddenly veered up and away from the squadron. It wasn’t right. I needed to go.
What had I done with my life? I wondered. At the age of 29, I had been in several wars, killed many men, fought aliens, gotten Kat killed, and committed a war crime. Hadn’t I done something of recognition?
I had defended my home planet against many different alien species. I had saved many people. I had liberated the settlement of Alkalis. I had survived. I had every medal invented (not that I liked them: They got in the way and were too big and obvious) except the Medal of Honor, which could only be gained by death. But they were just deeds. Something a kid would read in a textbook, one day, maybe. Nothing significant. And despite all my efforts, peace would never last. I had once heard it said: “It is the nature of man to fight.” My wars with aliens were, in truth, just a convenient excuse to cover up our instincts for war. During the fight, there had always been this kind of thrill. I didn’t enjoy fighting, but it seemed I could not avoid it, and afterwards, the comradeship and team spirit was astounding. I loved it. But that was over now.
For the first time in my life, I was utterly and truly alone.

Chapter 2: Sarai Arra
Sprinting through the corridors, I knew I didn’t have much time left. My pod was sure to be found soon, and then all chaos would break loose. Not that I’m complaining. It would be nice to pay those idiots who stole my battle suit. But with only a tasergun (a laser with a short energy whip inside it) at my disposal, I was not a match for an army of R.O.B.’s. Of course, the odd seven or eight were welcome.
I dispatched Launcher R.O.B. I hate them. They are so-o-o annoying. If I had a flamethrower…
You get the idea.
These AI controlled machines never would learn that I, Sarai Arra, was the winner.
But recently, things had changed. Whoever was responsible for these robots was stepping up procedure. They had also made a type of android, called a Primitive. They were the ones who had stolen my battle armor. They would pay.
Alarms went off. I was blocked by a solid steel divider. All through the research station, walls shifted. I was now in a maze. No problem.
I sprinted at full speed towards the divider. Using it as a wall I repelled off it upward and backwards. I landed on another platform. I jumped on top of the divider and dropped down the other side, gun blazing.
Three R.O.B.’s had been waiting. Now they were just scrap metal.
I was running out of time. I had to find a way to my battle suit before I could be ready to face the robotic armies.
Dropping through a hatch, I gunned down two android guards and was in the information center. Seating myself at a console I searched “battle suit”. Two entries came up. One was a red and gold male battle suit, and the second was mine. I called up accurate schematics of the route to each one. The male one might belong to someone who could help me. I left the room with the files, contemptuously kicking the lifeless androids.
I was on my way.

Chapter 3: Chris Flight
Ten days later I spotted a speck. A tiny speck of light far off in the blackness of space. A station.
I had been flying for ten days. I was tired. I needed food, since my supply of liquid three course meals ran out. I also needed to find a way to redeem myself.
I landed. They made me follow them into the exercise room, to check my vitals.
“Hmmm, no freezer burn, space lag, sickness, headaches?”
“This guy’s voice is going to give me one.” I thought. What I said was “No, sir.”
After a series of tests, a soldier who was to be my escort came up to me, and told me that I had been asked to help test a new type of battle suit that was being analyzed at this time. I agreed.
First was movement. I was amazed at the way the suit reacted to my motions, like it was a part of me.
Next was shielding techniques.
Done. Now if I was hit, the bulletproof armor would recharge.
Next was the weapons diagnostics, but something came up.
“I need to see Captain Chris Flight on the operations deck, ASAP.” A voice on the speakers announced.
“But sir,” my escort protested, “We’ll have to skip the weapons diagnostic!”
“This is a priority one emergency. Captain Keyes has- Ahh-!” there came the sound of guns and a final blast.
“Corporal? Corporal?! No! He’s dead!” My escort turned to me. “We’ve got to get out of here! Follow me!”
At that precise moment, alarms went off. Soldiers scrambled to take up positions.
This could be my chance to redeem myself. I thought.
“What about the suit?” I asked my escort.
Before he could answer, a grenade hit him. So long, comrade, I thought.
Sprinting down a corridor, I vaulted over a barricade and rolled under a closing panel just before it slammed shut. I was on the operations deck in seconds.
“At ease, soldier.” Captain Keyes said. “The crisis onboard this ship is escalating. At approximately sixteen hundred hours a crew of Robotic Offensive Beings or, R.O.B.’s entered the ship and are trying to gain access to all our files and possibly to retrieve a Multi-dimensional Formation Device, or, M.F.D., which is capable of transforming an area within a diameter of six miles into a 5th dimensional copy of anything the field covers.
“It is obvious why an enemy would want it: using it they could hold the galaxy at its mercy. Now, we have been notified that the enemy has targeted a certain planet, known as Excelsior. The inhabitants of that planet are peaceful, except for a few. They are scattered widely, but could be brought together. We have files on a few of those fighters. This is a picture of one of the best fighters.”
“One is called Sarai Arra. She is the one who we have the most hopes for. She is human, with surprising agility and speed, much like you. She is on a one-woman-war against the enemy that attacked us. They captured her battle suit and she seeks to recover it. Her battle suit is like yours, only more female.”
“Wait, this battle suit isn’t mine; I just used it because I was testing it!” I said.
“It belongs to you now. You are the only one who is qualified to use it, and you probably use it the best.”
“THANK YOU, SIR!!!!”
“Thanks accepted. Anyway, the second of our group is called Talc. He is a pilot. Those are the main fighters. If you manage to find either of them, they should assist you. Do you understand?” Captain Keyes
“I understand.” I said.
“So now I need you to take this: the Data Chip. Contained in this microchip are the files on earth. If the enemy gets them, it could mean annihilation. Keep it safe.”
“I will.” I promised, tucking it into my belt.
“Now, I want you to get off the ship. Do whatever you have to. But get the Data Chip off the ship. Go. Now!”
I sprinted out of there as if I was a human missile. I raced towards the escape pod chamber. As I ran I gave assistance where I could. I was just about to enter the escape pod chamber when I saw a sight through the viewing port that scared me more then a bunker full of X174 laser warheads.
The planet Excelsior was less than 2 miles away. That was bad. At such a low altitude, my escape pod would enter the atmosphere too fast. But…
Why not ride in style?
There was an experimental fighter jet, designed for all environments, even underwater. That would get me to safety in no time. Unfortunately, it meant a two minute detour. When I finally got there, I had almost no time left. I launched without even putting on the crash webbing. I had to dodge several beams from the giant space station.
Several seconds later, a laser blast spun me out of control. I’m no amateur pilot (I’m an ace actually) but I could tell that I had to bail out. I felt sorry for whoever designed this plane: it was a pilot’s dream machine. But I needed to stay alive. Opening up the cockpit, I hurled myself out. No parachute, no crash webbing, just me, my gun, my knife, my chain, and a battle suit.
No, I wasn’t trying to kill myself. I had boosters in the feet of my suit, but even so, the fall winded me. And that was where I realized my mistake.
R.O.B.’s surrounded me. They used their lasers to stun me. Then I fell and the world went black…
I was running through a dark tunnel. I became aware of four other people with me.
“Watch out!” A figure who I recognized as Talc warned.
I slipped, and fell into a yawning chasm. Down, down, down.
I saw a dark hand, bigger than me, and it reached out. Its cold fingers wrapped me in a deadly fist. I was being squeezed to death. All the air in my lung-
Searing pain woke me from my fevered dream. Opening my eyes, I watched as electricity tortured me. It raced up my arms, legs, hands, and spread across my chest. My battle suit was gone. I was wearing the Alpha Suit, standard uniform, with my combat equipment. I was amazed at how it hadn’t done any damage to me physically. Then the pain became unbearable and I blacked out again, screaming…

Chapter 4: Sarai Arra
I raced down the corridors. I stopped for nothing except to consult my maps. Next it said I had to pass through a long hallway, with only one turnoff. I could see it now. Strange lights flickered out of it. And from it, suddenly issued a cry that was of one in intense pain. But what was in so much pain? The cry was human, sure, but because of its intensity I could not tell weather it was male or female.
I approached cautiously. It could be a trap. I got to the corner and hesitated. I was going off track. My priority was to find my suit. But the scream was so desperate that I needed to help. I walked forward.
Inside a chamber, a man was suspended by anti-gravity beams. He was racked by bolts of mental electricity; a type of tourture that leaves the body unharmed but gives intense pain, worse than a neuro-whip. The expression of pain and agony on his face shocked and touched me. A glass wall separated us. I had to help him. Drawing out the energy whip from my gun I lashed out at the glass with all my might. It shattered, leaving him only supported by the anti-gravity beams. I shot one. He collapsed, all mental electricity connections severed.
“Thanks.” he said weakly, and then stood tall. He was wearing an Alpha suit, and, more importantly, had a gun, knife, and long chain on his belt.
“Glad to be of service.” I answered.
Before I could ask him his name, thirteen robots entered. I whipped out my gun, but almost before I could shoot the man had his gun blazing. Three went down from his furious salvo. I blasted one and deactivated another with my taser. Then we were among them. He was doing wonders with his knife, and had stabbed two more. I smashed two robotic heads together. I hurled my gun and it hit two others. But I was now weaponless. The man, who was still armed, whirled a chain and sent a robot to its junkyard.
“You’re Sarai Arra?” the man asked.
I was surprised. “How did you know?”
“There were several clues.” he said. “First, you are one of the few fighters on the planet Excelsior, and the only one who is female, so far as my files go. You also match the description I was given of you by my employers. In addition, you are wearing a Beta suit, which is one of the suits worn by those who use battle suits. Need I say more?”
“Not really, except who you are, where you are from, and what you’re after here.”
He leaned on the wall, still dizzy from the torture. “My name is Chris Flight. I am in exile from Earth because of a war crime I committed, namely, killing two defectors to my country. I am here to help defend Excelsior from these things that are so singularly annoying, and so redeem myself.”
“Tell the truth. You can‘t be Chris Flight.”
“I am. But I can‘t help you until I recover my battle suit. I suggest we join forces.”
“How did you know I was looking for my battle suit?” I asked suddenly.
“Files.” He said.
“I agree to your suggestion. I have here a route to the battle suits. However, they are being kept in different locations. Which one shall we get first?”
“Which one is closer?”
“They’re equidistant from our current location.”
“I suggest whichever is stronger.” Chris said. “What your’s like?”
“Top armor on the planet, reacts to my thoughts and movements, energy blaster, rocket launcher built in, target and ally tracking, boosters, shielding technique, enviroment stabilized, oxygen retaining and converter.”
“Sounds exactly like mine.”
“They are on the same route for a little bit here. Why don’t we wait until we get to the diverging point?”
“That’s procrastination.” Chris pointed out, smiling.
“I know.” I said with a wink.
Unfortunately, we weren’t paying attention enough, and missed both our turns. We realized our mistake when the hall behind us disappeared into a crevice, and a steel wall started to come down over it!

Chapter 5: Chris Flight
When the steel divider started scrolling down, I knew we had seconds to act. Thinking fast, I clipped my knife onto my chain and hurled it at the divider. It struck true, embedding itself in solid steel. Grabbing Sarai I swung out into the gap and towards the other side.
Suddenly, the chain jerked. We were too far down to complete the swing. In a last desperate move, I hurled Sarai across to safety. Then the chain came loose, and I fell down, into a black shaft. I tried to grab the wall, but I slipped, and fell into the yawning chasm. Down, down, down.
I saw a dark hand, bigger than me, and it reached out. Its cold fingers wrapped me in a deadly fist. I was being squeezed to death. All the air in my lungs was being crushed. The dream! Whipping out a knife I drove it deep into the hand’s flesh. It let go quickly. I shot at it again and again, until finally it floated away. I mad a mental note: here there be weird aliens.
Now what?
I had been separated from the only one who could help me. I was lost in the bowels of the ship.
Suddenly a gust of wind knocked me over. This wind was very powerful. It was dragging me down a corridor! I flew through the air, bumped around corners, bashed on the ceiling, and hit anything in my way as the wind dragged me. Finally, I seemed to be nearing my stopping point. Using my knife I slowed down. When I finally came to a stop, I couldn’t walk back where I came from: the wind was too powerful. I decided to follow the wind. It led me to an open hanger. A jet was there in readiness. It was a Falcon 164. I knew that no pilot would leave such a plane here.
“Freeze, stranger. One more move and your dead!”
I put up my hands. “I believe I know who you are quite well. You don’t need to shoot me. We could work together.”
“I don’t know you. What’s your name?”
“I am a soldier who was sent to help protect your planet, Talc.”
When I said his name, Talc put up his gun.
“Sorry. But we are in an enemy ship.”
“Too true. I fell down this shaft by accident and the airflow dragged me here.”
“You were already here?”
“I was trying to find my battle suit and escape.”
“Is your name Sarai Arra?”
“No! Sarai’s a girl! I’ve met her. She was the one who freed me. But we were going to find our battle suits.”
“I’ve heard of her, namely that she was after her battle suit. Of course, there are two evil clones of her there with copies of her battle suit. If she doesn’t get help soon she could be in real trouble. She’s a good fighter, and could probably take down at least one of them, but one human versus two battle-suit wearing fighters is a no-go.”
I turned to go. “I’ve got to help her! You wait here. We might need your plane to get out. Besides, as a wise man once said: “if you see a bridge in a video-game, there's a big chance that there's a fight coming up.”
“What does video games have to do with anything?” Talc asked.
“Like I know?” I retorted. I liked video games.
I sprinted towards the shaft. I didn’t feel the wind now. Talc must have closed the hanger door, I realized. I used my knife to climb the shaft. When I reached the top I ran towards the hall which led to Sarai’s battle suit. When I finally reached it, I saw a female figure standing in front of a battle suit.
“Sarai!” I called. The figure turned, but we had already been seen.
Two dark figures appeared on either side of the room. I sprang to Sarai’s side. We were in for a big fight…

Chapter 6: Sarai Arra
I turned, overjoyed that Chris had survived. But as he sprang to my side and told me to take out my gun, two identical figures, wearing dark power suits appeared. Dark troopers.
“Time for chat later.”
He leaped into the air and did midair 720 turn, with gun blazing. I went low with my gun firing. He got behind a dark trooper. His gun flashed. The dark trooper was hit in the eye. Then Chris grabbed him by the neck. He stabbed him in the head. He jumped up, over the dark trooper, and did a 180 in mid air, and snagged the dark trooper with his chain and used it to pull himself to him. When He hit the dark trooper, he kicked him in the faceplate, and stabbed and shot him in the head several times. I spun in a circle and tripped my opponent. The dark trooper fell. He tried shooting me on the way down. He got shot in the face. I used my taser whip to freeze his armor. He was down. I stepped up and shot him in the back of the head, 5 times.
“Hurry! Get in your battle suit! There’s not much time!” Chris urged.
“How did you survive?” I asked.
“Just hurry!” He answered.
I got into my battle suit. It felt good to be in it again. But now we needed to find Chris’s.
We ran as fast as we could to his battle suit station. His had not been there long enough to make a copy of, so it was unguarded. We were suddenly overcome by intense sleepiness. What was this? Ligmine gas! In seconds we were out, me leaning on his chest. Eight hours after we had retrieved both suits, alarms went off and a voice came through the speakers saying, “M.F.D activation in six minutes! All personnel evacuate!” We woke up.
“Run!” Chris yelled. We ran. I noticed we were approaching the shaft where Chris fell. When we reached it he jumped over, and pulled me with him. We free fell most of the way, but when we neared the bottom, Chris held me close and plunged his knife deep into the wall. We stopped, and dropped the rest of the way down. Was it just me, or was I starting to feel an admiration for this tall, handsome soldier? That would just have to wait. We sped to the hanger…
“What were we expecting to find here?” I asked Chris.
“Me. What took you so long? I‘ve been waiting nine hours!” a voice behind me said.
“Get us out of here Talc; the whole place is going to go into the 5th dimension in three minutes! Fly!”
“Gotcha.” Talc said. The devilish look of delight when Chris said “fly” gave me chills.

Chapter 7: Chris Flight
We took off. Sarai looked a bit pale, as if she was feeling sick.
“Are you all right?” I asked, concerned.
She looked up and smiled. “I’ve never flown in a plane before, that all. I just felt kind of sick for a moment.”
“Here.” I held out a small pill bottle. “Tylenol: nausea relief.” Her hand brushed softly against my skin as she gratefully accepted the pills. Was I starting to care about her? Okay, maybe. My resolve never to care about anyone again after Kat’s death was not as strong as I thought it had been. I looked at her as we soared over the sea of Excelsior.
Then we heard the harsh cry of a Drang. I looked back, and saw a huge pair of bat-like wings propelling a dreadful creature. Its head was like a dragon’s, its neck like a snake, its body like a salamander, and its tail like a scorpion. It had been loosed by our enemy, who stood astride it. And it was after us. In a second I was at the overhead hatch.
“What are you doing?!” Sarai screamed.
“There’s only one way to get out of this. If I defend us until the detonation in two minutes, we should be safe.” I said.
Ascending to the top of the plane, I anchored myself to it and faced the oncoming Drang. I blasted off when it was within three meters. Rolling and flying with my boosters, I managed to get the Drang’s attention on me. I used my blaster to aggravate it. It swiped at me with its tail. I dodged it, and let fly with a volley of rockets. It was hit in the head. It’s master fell, screaming. I dove and caught him, refusing to leave without some answers. Shaking its head and spitting sulfurous fumes, the Drang let out a spray of fire. I was overcome by the deluge. Spinning away from the Drang, I checked my watch. We were out of the M.F.D.’s range, and the activation was in thirty seconds. Fighting to see through the flames racing across my fireproof suit, I could barely make out the Drang as it slammed into me. The master fell into the sea. I activated my ion filters. I saw everything in shades of red and black. Arming a fire grenade I closed my eyes and said what I thought was my last goodbye. Then I threw it. The blast sent me tumbling through the sky. Phew, I was alive. I opened my eyes and saw a figure leap out of the jet. Sarai! She was blasting away like crazy. But then she got hit. She spiraled down.
No…
I just couldn’t let that happen. I sped towards her. I caught her. She was unconscious. She was the most beautiful girl I had seen, I realized. Even more that Kat. I kissed her forehead (good thing she was unconscious). I saw the Drang flee as Talc appeared at the door with a jetpack, about to jump out too. I waved Talc back inside.
3... 2... 1... Detonation.
A sphere of blackness exploded from the reaserch station and engulfed the surrounding area. It was beautiful against the sunset. Probably because we weren’t inside it. Sarai’s eyes flickered open.
“You shouldn’t have come out.” I said gently. But I was smiling.
“I couldn’t let you die.” She said. She was light in my arms.
“You know you couldn’t beat him.”
“I was doing it for you.”
“I couldn’t let you die either. I’m too fond of you.” I said.
“What did you say…?”
“What I said. I’m fond of you. In fact, I’m more than fond of you.” I admitted.
“I… I’ve actually been thinking about you, this whole trip. I… like you a lot. More than just like you.” she said softly.
We held each other close as we soared through the air. I didn’t think I’ve had such an experience before. I have to admit it. I loved her. I know it sounds crazy, loving a girl you’ve only met 12 hours ago, but in the sunset moment, I knew that she was the only one who I now loved, and I would die for her. I was in love with Sarai Arra, girl, warrior, beauty, lover. No one would stop us.

Message sent from planet: Excelsior, to planet: Earth. Message sent from broadcasting station Beilen by Captain Chris Flight, addressed to Lieutenant David Cruise, Sergeant Luis Ayala, Sergeant Mass Niang. Received by receiver station: Newark:
“Despite the enemy’s latest defeat, the planet Excelsior is still a major target in the enemies quest for universal domination. It needs protection. And so I am giving up on my return to Earth for now, and am turning my attention to another beautiful world. It needs me. I am here to stay. But should Earth ever need me again, Me and Sarai Arra, my wife, will return to defend our home planet.

Signing off:

Chris Flight. Captain of Defense of Excelsior.

Sarai Arra Flight. Chief Advisor to the Captain.