Cergard, war side.
Copyright of pen name SP Mats, and all those included under said alias. Explciti language, just a fair warning.
"Hey wake up, you're on the job." Kor snapped upright, bumping his head off the roof of the cockpit he had recently been asleep in. He ran his eyes over his Heads Up Display. Missiles prepped, systems green and radar was as bare as the bleak frozen landscape before him. Kor sat back with a sigh, his grayish coat shaking a bit. Being a rare, in these days, pure bred Husky gave him an advantage when up in the snowy mountains.
These mountains were said to hold artifacts of an old civilization, and Kor was here to make sure it didn't fall into the wrong hands. Also it was rumored to have held an old snow bear civilization a few hundred years ago, but he thought that was all just stories. Often stories were told of a black panther named Dresden that had killed a controlling leader and united the different tribes and factions to form the government they now had. They also claimed he unearthed to "evil" of magic.
_ I wonder if he intended for that government to slowly become corrupt and almost enslave people using technology._ Kor thought to himself, as he flexed his hand, his grey coat shivered a bit and a tingling sensation spread up his arm as his hand glowed a dull red. Magic, it was the bane of technology. Or so the government taught as they brainwashed the entire population.
It isn't a bane; it's a weapon, a weapon that along with technology we can end their control over the people. Red light flared through the cockpit as warning signs popped up on Kor's HUD. Something was coming his way and fast. Kor slammed the two levers controlling his thrust forward. The large bipedal Mech he was piloting lurched from its hiding spot on the side of the mountains, frost almost encasing it there. The thrusters on its back flared to life, melting the build up of snow as it lifted and shot down the mountain with blinding speed. Kor liked to be fast, he could catch people before they even had a chance to think. Targeting systems flipped around to see the enemy that was chasing him, it was also a bipedal Mech and its missiles were ready to fire. Kor checked his systems, his arms were still frozen, well, if you thought twin chain guns were arms, but they would require some time. His legs and missiles were ready from the heat of his engines.
Kor flipped and dashed through the canyons and crevices of the mountains trying to lose the chaser, he couldn't see any identification so he assumed it was hostile. The Mech behind him let lose a volley of flares, blotting out his display and causing him to squint from the glare. Why would they release flares? It served no purpose they would be better of using missiles to at least cave some rock in. Kor pushed that aside and flew dangerously close to the mountain, his arms scraping the rock a bit. Static scratched over his communications, was he trying to jam my signal? Or was he trying to contact me? Kor shook his head, he was thinking to much, he just needed to lose this guy.
"Hey! Hey! Why are you running from me, man? I thought we were friends!" Kor sighed heavily as the static broke. He knew that voice. He slowed his Mech down and found an outcropping of a mountain and landed. His cockpit hissed open as the pressure was normalized and Kor stepped out as the other Mech landed nearby. Kor tightened his green jacket, the wind was harsher away from the protective walls of the mountain and the snow was deep enough to slip over his boots and get his blue jeans wet. The other Mech's cockpit hissed open and a tan, and brown spotted canine flopped out and shook itself. Kor didn't really know what breed he was, but they did find a piece of the old civilizations writing saying a "Dingo" had the same coloration, and definitely his attitude. The canine sprinted over to him and stopped, the brown spots around his mouth were turned up as he smiled and snapped a sarcastic salute. "Reporting for duty oh run-away captain sir!" Kor chuckled. "Stamps, why didn't you say anything or notify me that was you?" Stamps stopped, and thought his hand on his chin as he tried to think of an answer, finally he shrugged. "Well, I thought about it....but then I thought why not surprise him! So I did then you ran, and I followed, accidentally hit my flares, then I got to your comm. signal because it was frozen, and now were here and I found you!" his tail flipped back and forth quickly as he fiddled with part of his jacket. Kor chuckled, then burst out laughing, Stamps was more of the.....lets say, unusual of the Rag Tag Stag. "Um, sir" Stamps stepped forward "yeah?" "The reason I came is we have activity at the ruins."
Two tall stone doors lurched open, they had to be at least a few stories tall Kor thought to himself. The doors were made of solid steel; two large bear motifs framed a paw print on the front. As the doors moved wind howled through them, blowing Kor and his team's hood off and causing their thick coats of fur to flutter. "Wait, wait that means its warm in their..." Kor turned to Be-Bop a large brown bear that lugged around a chain gun, even on recon. The air on the high mountain peaks was frigid due to altitude, and the fact they were almost to the edge of the Arctic Circle. "Everyone ready your weapons, these ruins are thousands of years old so someone is in their." Stamps, a tan dingo with brown speckles down his body, including his face fumbled with his weapon as he shook, his breath fogging thickly before him.
"Be, I want you to stay right behind me, hand signals only till we secure the area." Kor leveled his rifle and rounded the small gap between the doors. He flicked on his flashlight, illuminating a tall entrance hall, the same height as the doors but with a rounded sealing. The walls seemed to have small alcoves set in them, probably for storage Kor thought as he jogged lightly to the left side, hugging the wall. He waved back for the all clear as Be-Bop ran forward against eh wall beside Kor. Next was stamps, his breathing still fast as he drummed his fingers on the side of his rifle, Kor knew he wasn't nervous just really hyper and forced to be still and quite must be torture. He raised his hand again as a female ran and slid against the wall, another Husky like Kor, her blue eyes caught his own amber ones and he smiled. Casiandra, or Casi for short, was his mate. Going strong for three years he didn't want to lose her, but that's why he fought, and kept an extra eye on her.
The hall was easily a hundred feet long, perfect for an ambush from those damn alcoves. Kor rolled the layout over in his head, they just needed to sweep the alcoves on this side and keep Be pointed toward the other, the chain gun would handle any troops rather quickly. Kor elbowed the large bear, pointing his gun to the other side, Be nodded and Kor started to advance down the hall checking the alcoves as he went, counting them as he checked. He guessed there were about eight, once he rounded the sixth he held up his fist and they all stopped, leveling their rifles. Kor's ears strained to hear it again. They waited as seconds pressed on. Kor took his hand away from his rifle and rubbed the pads on his fingers together, damp. That meant there was moisture, and water in here. He checked one up for supplies to sustain troops in the ruins as he advanced past the hall opening, darkness pressing against them all, their flashlights barely slicing through the depth of some massive room. Kor laid his hand on Be's shoulder and popped his hand open a few times, soon a flare was in his hands as he shoved it down the rifle and fired.
Light burst on the dark horizon, illuminating a large center street with many buildings on each side, they were carved from stone but none seemed to have crumbled in, moss covering most of them and the soil build up on the floor. The flare floated closer to the ground, Kor couldn't see any farther but the room was much larger than he thought, probably several miles wide and long.
Kor moved down the wide street as they swept the different houses and shops, the threat of others being here was minimal considering he just shot off a flare and no response met them. "H-hey, you think we can talk now?" Kor turned around, Stamps was lingering to the side of the line they had formed, his rifle against his waste. He glanced around, no resistance. "I guess we can, but keep it low. There might be someone further in." A smile slid over the dingo's face as they all leveled their rifles.
The ruined city was easily a mile wide, circular too. Kor looked down the wall opposite the way they had entered and noticed a subtle, but steady curve to it. "This chamber is circular and judging by the steps..." He pointed behind them to a flight of stairs with three landings interrupting the steady slope. "The shops and houses are split into three tiers; this upper ring leads to all other chambers." Where they stood, a flat surface ran along the walls, only four feet wide but enough for them to walk along "So, where we goin next then?" Be stepped forward, and laid his large paw on a pair of doors, designed the same as the ones at the entrance hall. "Might as well..."
------- "Hey, any reports?" the small weasel looked up from the computer he was quietly typing at. "Uh, sir, apparently there are some foreign troops in the ruins." "What!? You didn't tell me this earlier?!" The weasel cringed "S-sir, it just came in." Boar stormed up to the weasel and crammed his head in his hands, his snout an inch from his small nose. "You, are coming with me."
Three large chambers they had passed through and nothing, nothing but old buildings and dirt. Kor sighed, their flashlights illuminating the many abandoned buildings and floating dust in front of them. He rubbed his eyes, and turned to others. "Okay, total of four chambers we've gone through. We've found no water, although it's damp. No heat source, but it's obviously warm." "There has to be something down here. My furs starting to itch from the dust build up." Stamps stepped to the side and shook, dust flying everywhere. Be-Bop waved his hands in the air, coughing. "Aaaw man! Look out where you shakin'!" Stamps turned to say something, but was cut off by a large thunk at the end of the chamber. A few clicks and muffled footsteps is all that broke the silence of the chamber. Darkness enveloped them all as they strained their ears to pick up anything. Steps, faint and chaotic came to Kor's ears. He leveled his rifle and listened. They were slow, and favoring one leg, injured. His eyes adjusted as he saw a thin rodent ambling down the street. "H-hey, if anyone is there I need help." Kor waited, he wasn't convinced yet. "I was monitoring your movements in this area, but I want out. I have information on the people who are here." Kor's ears flicked at the mention of information, which was useful. "Are you armed?" three clicks somewhere behind him and to his side told him his team was ready. "Does it look like I'm armed? I don't even want to fight anymore just get me out." Kor clicked his own safety off and walked along the side of the street. "Any sudden moves and I'll shoot, just sit tight."
"No need to worry about that." A voice that sounded as slick as oil itself broke the silence. Kor froze; a flash lit the room for a moment as blood sprayed from the weasel's neck. Darkness, a thump and silence "Now, we get meet on a more.....personal basis." Light burst into the chamber from flood lamps set along the ceiling. Kor shielded his eyes, keeping his rifle raised at the voice. He was standing at roughly the middle of the chamber, his team probably in buildings behind him. Kor's eyes adjusted and a large boar, two small tusks sticking out from under his flat snout, walked towards him. "Oh, I bet this doesn't make a good first impression." Boar patted the sniper rifle he held, pointed towards Kor. The husky's fur prickled at the sound of the voice.
"We were just looking through these ruins, no vio-"Oh theirs need for violence, trust me." Boar let the word violence slide of his tongue as he stepped on the weasel's body, whose blood now clotted with the dirt of the floor. "You stupid, magically inclined, think you can just take what's lying around." Well, no secret now, Kor thought as his right arm tensed and tinged a dull red. He didn't think these were Coalition forces, magic would spook other archeologists. Boar laughed a sharp, wheezing laugh that echoed throughout the chamber. "You think I'm scared of your petty little light show? I even have my own." Boar leveled his rifle and shot, the round ripped through Kor's arm. He spun as he saw his team come out from cover. Gun fire resonated around the chamber as Kor picked himself up. "Fall back! We need to get the hell out of here!" they formed around Kor as they walked to the exit. "When my men get here you're all screwed!" Boar yelled from behind a large pillar that supported the ceiling. "Stamps what are you doing?" Kor turned as Casiandra yelled at Stamps, who stood in the middle of the street his rifle up.
None of them moved as Casi waited for Stamps to reply. "Stamps?" Kor heard from the other side of the chamber. "You.....you sly son of a bitch!" Kor saw the dingo tense as Boar walked out from behind his cover. Kor had never seen Stamps so serious, his ears flat and his eyes fixed into a glare. He had always been happy, a bit distant and hyper active but, an unbreakable optimism. Now, he looked like he could tear someone apart and walk away unharmed. Kor flipped his rifle up with his good arm, Casi and Be followed his motion. Boar lowered his rifle. "This isn't over.....trust me on that." He pointed at Stamps and glanced at Kor. Stamps turned and walked towards them, Kor tightened his grip on the trigger. Stamps stopped and stared at him. There was something in his eyes, an unfinished battle. They all let their rifles slack and left Boar as he stared at them.
Cold winds met them at the entrance to the ruins. "We have to go; if that guys any decent rank he'll have reinforcements already on their way." "Boar is his name." Stamps grumbled as he trotted by Kor. "Hey, what's up with that guy?" Be-Bop beat Kor to the question as they both stared at Stamps. The dingo wasn't smiling his usual relaxed grin, it offset them all. "Leave it, we need to leave." Be and Kor exchanged glances as they hefted themselves into their mechs. Casi helped Kor into his mech "And you worry so much about me." Kor sighed, a small smile creeping across his muzzle. "Oi, lovahs, break it up and let's get outta here!" Be-Bop hated airborne combat, so they attached a side carrier to Casiandra's mech to compensate.
High mountains covered in snow, soon gave way to hills and eventually green rolling plains. They stayed silent for most of the flight; Stamps's episode had upset them all. The grand territory of Cergard was a rather simple layout, situated along the northern side of a large gulf that might as well be called an ocean Kor thought. A long mountain range that eventually crammed into the mountains they had just left separated the territory like the equator. The side along the ocean held the WhiteCity, the capital and corrupt center of the territory. The land around it was lush and vibrant from the mountains keeping the moisture on that side. The other side of the mountains was a vast desert, choked dry by the mountains. A few gaps in the mountains range allowed passage between the two sides and allowed small breaks of plains into the northern section. With the snowy mountains then to the east, when the long mountain range finally fizzled out it let out into vast savannas that were always in contest for control.
Kor glanced at his display as tan sand swept underneath him. They were getting close to the base. "Okay everyone it looks clear, going to ping security codes in T-minus ten seconds." The husky sighed as his mech slid through the air, what kind of hellish report was he going to have to tell the rest of the commanders? Oh, hey, our sworn enemy that we just recently got the upper hand with, Kind of has control of the old snow bear city and possible control over advanced technology left behind by the prophetic "humans". His mech automatically slowed as they reached the base. Kor gasped, the deceleration jolting his arm. He was lucky he had magic going through his veins when Boar shot, it lessened the pain. He still needed to get to the medical wing soon.
"Security authorized, you're a green." The desert sand heaved, and slid away revealing a large rectangle plate of steel that rose from the ground. A long runway sloped down into the earth, each mech flew in. They slowed until their mechs landed on their feet, the thumps of the weight and whine of hydraulics and gears filled the docking bay. All their mechs powered down, hisses form the pressure in their cockpits released, soon they were all standing on a large scaffold over the bay. "Now, we need to get your arm checked out." Casi cornered Kor before he could get away. He turned to say he was fine when a sharp, forceful voice interrupted him. "So, what the fuck is this I hear about you ditching me, and getting into a big firefight with a squadron of Coalition?" Everyone turned to a tall vixen, her black colored ears and arms dulled by the bright and overpowering red of her face. She was wearing a low cut tank top, and unnecessarily tight jeans. Kor spoke up first "Reen, we only fought one and I'm the only one that managed to get injured." He set her hands on her hips, looking past them at Be-Bop. "You fuckin lied to me...." "Hey, hey no need for such foul language." Bebop said in vain. She pointed at the much larger bear. "Sleep with one eye open." Reen turned and walked back down the scaffolding, her tail flicking back and forth. "Oh, and I hope you don't value your bear hood either, cus that's gotta go."
Acrid smoke and the smell of alcohol permeated the air as Kor stepped into the bar that all his soldiers decided to go. "'Ey! It's the big 'ol commander himself!" a large black bear said from across the counter. "Shut up, Be." Kor said as he walked past the others. "HEY! That's Gunner Bebop, to you." "Shit." Kor sat at a bar stool, pulling his jacket around him, his dull gray fur shined against the light. "Oi! its nice to see yah commander!" Kor turned as a dingy looking tan....Kor thought for a second...Dingo, I think is what they found in some old writings, sauntered over. "Hey Stamps." Stamps sat down next to him a large grin on his face. "So when we takin' those new flight models out for a spin?" "I don't know, we still need to see if they can take a beating first." stamps itched his face, the guy always seemed on edge and ....twitchy but could fly a mech as well as Bebop could drink. "We really need to take those out, and fix the seat in mine, you sit in it too long and your ass itches and if you don't wipe right..." "Stamps shut up!" Bebop yelled down the counter. "Hey! You deal with an itchy ass when you're trying to fight those bastards!" Bebop snorted. "You pussies up there in your fancy machines, try bein' on the ground. That's where the real combat is." Stamps laughed, slapping his hand on the bar counter. "Whatever, a mech couldn't even lift your fat bear ass off the ground." Bebop was on his feet and walking toward the still smiling Dingo. "Hey, hey. We need you BOTH to win this, so sit back down." Kor raised his voice over the rumble of people.
The large bear stopped, lifted his head and turned around to leave. Kor looked at Stamps. "That mouth is gonna get you in trouble eventually." The Dingo chuckled, itching his face then waving to the bartender. "No one can touch this, specially Be." Scotch, the canine bartender walked over, his shaggy face uplifted in a smile. "So how'd the battle go out there?" Kor shook his head. "Didn't get anything, we found the bear city but it was already grabbed by the Coalition." Scotch shook his head as he filled two glasses. "Here, these are on the house." Kor and Stamps nodded, Kor downing almost half the glass before he set it down. "So Stamps, who was that boar back in the city?" Stamps' ears laid flat, something that never happened before. "Long story..." Kor stayed silent, he was worried. This wasn't the usual Stamps, he was never subtle. "How's the arm treatin' yah?" Stamps said after they finished two more glasses. The husky shrugged against the bandage, it always rubbed his fur an odd way. "S'fine, listen, if you wanna talk, let me know. We're all here for yah if you need anything." Stamps nodded, finishing his glass then walking out of the bar.
"Is that it then?" The lion's booming voice mocked as it echoed off the high ceiling. "Yes, M'lord." Boar muttered as he kneeled before the throne. "So, you break orders by revealing Coalition presence in the neutral research area of the fallen bear colonies?" Boar winced, he had planned everything, but his leader never had the same train of mind as he did. "Yes." "Yes, what?" "Yes, I did break my orders; all I may offer is my insignificant apologies." The lion stopped pacing his throne, his dark brown and golden robes swaying before coming to a halt. "Another failure like this and ill have you demoted, understood? We cannot risk losing that city, my forefathers fought long and hard to annihilate that civilization and I intend to keep it that way." Boar nodded, lifting himself from the floor. "Shall we keep searching, sir?" Boar searched the lions face, but like a good leader, he showed nothing. "Yes, and notify me when you've found it. We need to know what the House of Flames energy source was." Boar bowed, and turned to leave. His hand touched the knob to the throne room. "Oh, and next time you run into these....renegades...remind them why I'm king and they're not." "Yes, M'lord."
Boar hated the king, so much in fact he had actually thought about assassinating him. He was cocky and arrogant, but he was going in the direction Boar agreed with. Magic was destructive and non-progressive, so therefore it was useless. "Yet..." He said out loud. Boar focused, he had his hands on one of the hydraulics that helped raise the gigantic artillery cannons on his mech, he had to heat the fluid inside so it expanded, sure enough, as he focused it responded by expanding and pushing the cannons up. Boar stepped back. He could save the energy from his energy cores for manipulating his cannons for other systems and just run them himself. But, then he would have to concentrate to move the cannons. He sighed, he would have to roll this over and see if it was worth it.
The gray husky wandered down the scaffoldings that lined the civilians quarter of the base. This was his favorite part, people living and learning without being owned by a government. Research was one of their main focuses, combining the utility of technology with the power and resources of magic gave them almost limitless possibilities. Their discoveries ranged from fuel efficient thrusters and drives for their mechs, to making generators small enough to manage each floor of the quarter without taking up too much room.
Kor stopped in front of a rundown little shack tucked away in the corner of the residential area. Once inside he walked behind the counter and down a staircase. He didn't walk into a cellar, but an expansive laboratory that spread into the earth beyond the quarter. Weapons development, an aged yellow sign flashed to him as he approached a thin bear. Curio was interesting to say the least, a thin bear, with thick glasses that always slid down his blunt snout. "Hey Kor, how's it goin? Oh, looks like they got yah" He chirped as a few sparks flashed across his work bench and he pointed to Kor's arm. "It's fine, not ready to sleep yet, got anything new for me?" A large grin spread across his face. "Oh boy, you're gonna love this." Kor followed Curio to the back of the lab. A large workbench spanned the back wall, hundreds of black cords were strewn across the table, some in bunches. "This is it." Kor stared at Curio. "So, what is it?" Curio sighed explosively. "This, Kor, is going to replace the nasty hydraulic joints of your mechs." Kor stayed silent. "Okay, flex your arm." Kor obeyed. "Now, noticed how your bicep bulges? Right, right, that's because your muscle is compromised of thousands of little cords that bunch together when you flex and stretch when you relax." Curio grabbed a bundle of the cords. "Now, the reason they can contract is by proteins that combine with each other to cause the contraction, then unbind when you relax. Now, deriving that concept into these cords, that has thousands inside of them. I've created artificial muscle." Curio grabbed one end of the bundle and applied a small piece of metal. "Now, this probe has electricity running through it." The bundle bunched together into a football like shape. "When the current hits the materials I used to simulate those proteins it contracts, and when removed." He pulled the metal away and the cords relaxed, looking more like a rope. "Much more efficient than hydraulics, no fluid to replace, no hazardous lines and if they get punctured, they can still operate." Kor smiled. "I love it." Curio's eyes lit up. "I'll have more for you in awhile." Kor followed Curio up to the shack. "Now, I need to sleep, and I advise you too also." "Okay, Dr. Curio." Kor left the bear behind and began his walk home.
Oh, the sweet, sweet feel of his bed. Kor drank in the soft fabrics, much unlike the hard covering in his cockpit. No lights, no warnings, no beeping, just soft and warm. His ears perked as he heard the door open. "Just me, don't get all paranoid." Casiandra, his hope. He rolled over and watched her, her tail swaying behind her as he watched the light tan fur glide down her body. "Some mission, huh?" Kor patted the space beside him. "Don't bring the war up." Casi turned and smiled. "What should I bring up?" He smirked. "Do you have to ask?"
"Stamps, HT-400 arch-type heat seeking missiles?" The dingo looked at the clipboard in his paws. "Check" Kor walked down the scaffolding of the launch bay. Inventory was always extremely boring. "What else you got Stamps?" Stamps turned to his mech, tapping some displays in the open cockpit. "Uh, let's see here, we got Twin Heat Resonance or THR blades on the arms, those HT missiles, and some extra fuel." Kor turned to Stamps. "Extra fuel?" The dingo stood innocently. "I need it; I use a lot of fuel bursting my thrusters." "I'll let it go this time Stamps." Kor turned back down the scaffolding. He let it slide because that's how Stamps fought, ruthless and reckless but calculated. Be-bop was next as he shouldered his large bear-sized chain gun. "Two barrels of .50 caliber round belts, old betty here and one BS-model1478 Powersuit." Kor checked off the equipment. "BS for Bear size right?" Be-bop shifted. "No, BS for Bull shit because it's impossible to use the bathroom." A snort and chuckle came form farther down the line. Reen poked her head out of her mech, her black ears wobbling. "BS cuz your full of it Be." Be-bop slid his chain gun, Betty, to the floor and walked down the scaffolding. "Woman, y'know you want some of this." Reen stepped down a bit from her cockpit, leaving her just a step above Be. "Oh, really now?" She swayed her tail and flashed a smile. Be stood in front of her and moved to set a hand on her leg. In one quick motion Reen stepped down the last step and swung her leg up between Be-bop's legs. Kor and Stamps both turned, almost feeling the pain themselves. Reen grabbed his shoulder and with unnoticed strength pulled his face by hers. "You make another move on me again, and my threats yesterday won't be so hollow, okay, mmmkay."