After an hour or two, the fort comes into view. It is a cold and imposing structure, built on a natural island in the middle of an acidic lake. Its towers are tall and its walls thick. The only way to reach it is by air, as the lake disintegrates almost every kind of craft within seconds. You know this, because you know every unclassified base on the continent. You find yourself almost excited as the helichopter crosses over the walls and heads toward the landing pad. Then you remember that Terra intends to put you in a cell for the night and your heart sinks like a stone. You get that she’s angry you disobeyed orders and went through her things and took a sword and… well, now you list it all like that, the cell makes sense. If someone else was in charge of your unit. Not Terra. You expect Terra to handle you differently, more… physically. More intimately, for sure. She’s never sent you away from her before. Certainly never locked you up.

You exchange looks with Sarah. She doesn’t look worried at all. She’s used to being locked up. It sounds like she’s spent a whole lot of her life behind bars of one form or another. You figured that was because she was some undisciplined, dangerous, pain in the ass. But now you’re in her shoes, you see how easy it is to fuck up and fuck up badly while trying to do the right thing. She catches your eye and gives a little shrug. Your lips twist as you shrug back. For better or worse, you’re in this together.

The aircraft comes to a bumpy landing on the pad and you all pile out of the craft under Terra’s watchful eye. A small contingent of soldiers is there to meet you. They’re not that much older than Academy cadets, but they look a lot more lived in. There’s a weight to their presence that you’re pretty sure you don’t have.

Terra speaks to them, pointing to you and Sarah. Two soldiers approach Sarah and take an arm each. One woman soldier approaches you. She’s tall with heavyset, almost masculine features. When she wraps her large hand around your upper arm, you know you’re not going anywhere. So. This is it. You and Sarah going down to the cells.

Or is it?

 Loading ...