Selena Marks
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Some people don't realize the power of wind until they're swept up by tornadoes.
Posts: 29
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Post by Selena Marks on Jun 2, 2012 11:46:15 GMT -6
Yo, Journal,
[/i][/ul] -Selena J. Marks [/font] Selena approached the Defenders of Nam Headquarters with probably unnecessary caution. Dressed in her usual tank top, trench coat, cargo pants and combat boots combo, she had her gym bag filled with clothes and toiletries slung over her shoulder, looking up at the small, plain-looking building with suspicion and distrust. She'd been in before and was well aware that the vast majority of the rooms were actually deep underground. Perhaps that was one thing she didn't like; you can't cage the wind, but since when have breezes traveled underground? She was used to traveling freely, flying when she wanted, resting when she wanted and where she wanted. The regulations this place would impose upon her would be killer, but what choice did she have? She'd been contemplating joining for weeks on end and her decision had finally brought her to this point, standing before an old building holding her bag and biting her lip, rethinking a decision she was too far into to change.
I think too much, Selena thought, rubbing her temples, sucking in a breath then releasing it sharply. She opened her eyes- a surprisingly bright blue compared to the rest of her dark, pale exterior- and stopped her procrastinating, putting one boot-clad foot in front of the other and walking in the doors, alone.
The barren reception center met her with a skeptical receptionist. The woman gave her a full look over before her eyes stopped on the ID Selena pulled from her pants pocket, showing it with a contemptuous look and stalking past the woman, then returning the badge to its proper hideout. She plucked a map from the end of the woman's overly large desk and stepped into an elevator- damn all the cramped spaces,- then calmly pressed the down button, ready to descend into unfamiliar, unknown territory; also known as the base for the Defenders of Naam.
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Derek Smith
New Member
"Mission accomplished."
Posts: 11
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Post by Derek Smith on Jun 5, 2012 7:38:46 GMT -6
Today, the purpose of speaking is to create happiness in the listener. Have this intention: Today every word I utter will be chosen consciously. I will refrain from complaints, condemnation, and criticism.
"Your practice is to do at least one of the following:
"Tell someone how much you appreciate them. Express genuine gratitude to those who have helped and loved you. Offer healing or nurturing words to someone who needs them. Show respect to someone whose respect you value.
"If you find that you are reacting negatively to anyone, in a way that isn't peaceful, refrain from speaking and keep silent. Wait to speak until you feel centered and calm, and then speak with respect.
Peace Is the Way: Bringing War and Violence to an End Deepak Chopra
Derek placed the book back into his black coat pocket and placed a hand to his chin thinking. "Today... I utter every word with thought put into it," he muttered to himself. He smiled as he nodded to himself at the goal. "No complaints, no insults, no critical remarks." He pressed the elevator button and waited. Derek had found this particular book only recently. It quickly became one of his favorites as it preached about peace. There was nothing more in the world Derek wanted than simple peace between the three races. He liked all three. Yes, demons were cold-blooded monsters that tainted and destroyed all that they touched but that did not mean that he couldn't learn to like them. He was a peace loving man. He hated being in an army though he knew his talents were absolutely vital. Being the Lieutenant Field Commander made him responsible as well so he did not protest to his role in the war. He had been very successful at keeping the Archer Unit's casualties to a minimum. But today it was not about the Archer Unit. It was about the Talon Unit. He felt the Talon Unit was a complete and utter waste of time. Not because the unit was incompetent or unintegral to the army; more the opposite.
Dragons are a powerful ally in this war. My men are dying out there. Everyone's men are dying. The Talon Unit could be saving someone's life or attacking a strong bulk of Koltra's army. But instead... Instead they have the dragons doing menial tasks. To Derek, the dragons should be out there proving themselves their trust. They joined the army, why wouldn't they assist in it. Untrustworthy allies was not something Derek saw in dragons. They lived here just as much as he did, and they deserved the chance to save their own world as well as others. not file papers away or tally the army's numbers.
As the elevator opened, he noticed a shorter woman standing and waiting. He was on the Archer Unit floor, which was stationed only one floor below the main floor. His unit needed to be the first up so they could take up their positions in high locations. The Talon Unit was three floors below his. He noticed the button for it already pressed so he stood next to the girl and watched the door close. He noticed the map pamphlet in her hand and smiled. "A new recruit in the Talon Unit?" he asked. "Welcome to the Defenders. I'm glad you decided to join us. We could use more dragons like yourself." It was quite obvious that she was a dragon. No one normally went down to the Talon Unit floor unless they had to on some important business. Seeing the map made him realize that she was going to her station trying to figure out where to go from there. He remembered his words from his book, and nodded. "I appreciate the.. umm... sincerity of your decision to join us. Thank you."
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Selena Marks
New Member
Some people don't realize the power of wind until they're swept up by tornadoes.
Posts: 29
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Post by Selena Marks on Jun 5, 2012 8:51:05 GMT -6
Selena hated small areas. As she all but glared at the elevator buttons in front of her, waiting for hers and praying it’d come up soon, all she could think about was getting out- not of the box, but of the headquarters. Shifting into a more powerful form, unleashing her inner monster, spreading black wings wide and taking flight. Of course, she’d come back… she had to, now that she was enlisted, but the desire to run rampant was something she couldn’t ignore. She sighed, ”This is going to be harder than I thought…” she mumbled, mentally kicking herself for forgetting the ferocity of her own rebellious spirit.
Selena looked up sharply when the door made a sharp ‘ding.’ For a moment, Selena was nothing but excited. I’m here! she thought, ready to leave the crazy hunk of metal she was riding. But no, it was simply another rider boarding. Human? she wondered, watching him board. She stopped herself from nervously tapping her foot and tried to look a little more open and approachable; she uncrossed her arms, stopped glaring at buttons and pushed off the wall, tucking one hand into the pocket of her cargo pants. She even went so far as to nod politely to the other rider, then hiding the longing glance past him at the still-enclosed but more open floor.
She looked to him once more when he initiated a conversation. “Is it that obvious?” she asked, raising one brow. She didn’t believe she looked incredibly like a dragon… she shrugged it off; she’d never paid much attention to detail and, on second thought, she really didn’t care how he knew. That much didn’t matter. She smiled at her first welcome to the army. ”Thanks,” she said, trying not to let her smile grow into a grin. Realizing she had no clue how to continue the conversation, Selena switched the map to her left hand, tucking the right into her pocket instead. Will this death-ride ever stop? she wondered- just when, ironically, he thanked her for joining.
Selena looked up, a bit surprised. “Er… you’re… welcome?” She said, smile twitching a bit. She let the smile fall and moved her attention back to the buttons… until realizing an introduction might be nice. ”I’m Selena, by the way,” she said, still avoiding his gaze. ”And I’m still not sure what exactly I’m going to be doing here…” she added, more to herself.
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Derek Smith
New Member
"Mission accomplished."
Posts: 11
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Post by Derek Smith on Jun 5, 2012 11:23:03 GMT -6
Derek sighed shaking his head smiling. "You are going down to the Talon Unit... One can only assume the obvious. Haven't seen you around." He shrugged and gave a soft smile. Derek was not an unkindly person when he wasn't in the midst of a battle. He wanted his men to be able to talk to him at any given time without restraining themselves. He didn't go rank-in-file with everything. These were people and dragons. Creatures of legends, and men (and women) with families. He wasn't going to be harder on these people just because they were a part of an organization. They were still individuals with the same goal protect and serve. That was what his father had taught him. Men are not walking numbers, they are marching people. And those people were at his command and he would see them home everyday he could.
"Derek. Derek Smith, Lieutenant Field Commander of the Archer Unit." He was almost proud of the title that he was given but the fact that it was necessary meant that they were in times of war. Derek regretted the title only for that. "Your superior on the field mind you..." he stated but with a smile. "Don't worry. No standing at attention here... at ease soldier." He felt the elevator slowing to a stop and sighed at the girl's last comment. "Actually that's why I'm here. You are going to be a part of Talon Unit, correct? That means you have no bonded... which means you can't be trusted. I don't mean that from a personal opinion. You signed up for the job. You should be out there helping us fight.
"But instead you are going to be doing paperwork for a while. Lots of paperwork. Dunno if you dragons understand what that is, but it's boring, meanial, but necessary tasks, like going on message runs and delivering cargo. No real fighting." Derek shook his head. The tasks were important, there was no question about it; the importance was who is doing it. He didn't think that dragons were the right ones to be doing this. So what if they weren't bonded... "You signed up to help right? To make a difference right? Then you guys should be learning the ropes on how an army functions. How to attack, how to defend, how to hold... all sorts of combat techniques. You lot are ferocious for sure, but not battle trained, usually. I'd love to teach but I'm in Archer Unit. All my boys can do is take pop shots at a distance. I don't want anymore dead soldiers just because someone thought it would be a good idea to let a dragon deliver a message saying to HQ that we are losing men."
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Selena Marks
New Member
Some people don't realize the power of wind until they're swept up by tornadoes.
Posts: 29
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Post by Selena Marks on Jun 5, 2012 14:46:48 GMT -6
“Oh yeah,” Selena said, looking blankly at the numbers as if she’d forgotten where she was going. Shaking her head as if to rouse herself from a daze, Selena looked to him as he introduced himself as Derek Smith, a lieutenant for the Archery Unit. Of course, his title meant nearly nothing to her; she didn’t so much as bat an eyelash until he told her to remain at ease; somehow, she’d figured the ranks of the different units wouldn’t matter to one another.
Maybe I should’ve researched the army before joining up… Selena thought absently.
And, of course, Derek ended up being the bearer of more bad news. Selena watched him speak with a blank stare, which progressively became more and more upset. “Paperwork?!” Selena shrieked. “Oh, you have got to be kidding me!” Selena grabbed handfuls of hair and gave it a weak, stressed-out tug. “Why is this the first time I’m hearing this?! I can fly at three hundred miles per hour, create hurricanes that’d send elephants flying and I’m going to be stuck doing frickin’ paperwork?!” Selena was about ready to cry with frustration. Joining the army, she’d believed she could help the humans and make a difference; she thought she’d be on the frontlines, kicking demon-ass and taking names, but no. No, of course not.
Selena sighed, watching the numbers change on the elevator. She would love to criticize the officer who’s brilliant idea it was to stop dragons from fighting the war, but considering she was talking to another human officer, she decided to hold her tongue. Instead, Selena sighed, ran a hand through her bangs, pushing them out of her eyes. "Sorry about that. Anyways, isn't there anyway I could... I don't know... transfer units?" she asked, looking to him hopefully.
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Derek Smith
New Member
"Mission accomplished."
Posts: 11
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Post by Derek Smith on Jun 5, 2012 22:57:58 GMT -6
Derek nearly chuckled at the sight of Selena freaking out. A lot of spirit in this one, he thought to himself. He was not against dragons in the least. A few of his betters were dragons after all. He suspected this one was a bit young for the species but he couldn't really judge. He had very little experience with dragons to begin with; his unit was strictly distance oriented missions. They were the eyes in the sky and Derek was a high valued marksmen. He had been on several covert missions himself, assassinating key soldiers in battles and gathering intel. As much as he hated war, he loved his work. Derek Smith had gained his title as Field Commander, and his Nickname, Cold Point, by being who he was. He saw Selena's eyes seem to droop from disappointment, and gave her a light pat on the back
"Don't worry about it; that' why I'm heading to the same floor. I intend to discuss matters with your CO... err... Commanding Officer. Don't get me wrong, Selena, what these people do is good work. Strong good work. We need that kind of intel; it may not be exciting but it's extremely important." Derek watched the doors to Talon Unit's floor open and he held out his arm. "But you aren't being put to the best use. This unit is for dragons that cannot be trusted. Selena, you are out there risking your life for us, so I trust you. Even if you were a spy, I'd still trust you. But that's not important." He walked down the corridor thinking to himself. "If I had a dragon in my unit..." he mumbled to himself. No... he was no reconnaissance team. Sure, the Archer Unit gathered information from a distance but there is only so much you can see, even with his sniper rifle. That thing was always locked up on his floor. No one but he was allowed to handle it. No one but he even knew how to use it.
"A transferal? I'd recommend you to the Wingspan Unit myself... but that unit is for bonded dragons and trusted soldiers. You aren't 'trusted'." Derek sighed turning the corner. A group of soldiers were sitting at a table in the floor's mess hall chuckling and boasting. "Ah... the mess hall. Food is scarce for the civvies but we get to eat our fill..." Derek growled at himself. He was going against his current book's thoughts. Peace was a hard function to maintain when there were so many worries. "Don't mind me... I'm sorta soft when it comes to those who can't help themselves." He continued on until he got to to the door he wanted. "You want me to see if I can get a good word in for ya? I'll see what I can do... but no promises. I'm no miracle worker." He grabbed the door and swung it open.
"Chief Master Sergeant Calibre?" he asked opening the door. The Sergeant was sitting at his desk going over a bit of paperwork. Derek was glad he caught him now. He wasn't going to be evaded this time. "Lieutenant Derek Smith... I need to speak with you about the Talon Unit. It is about my evaluation that I sent to you last month." Derek had been sending evaluations and proposals about the Talon Unit for over a year now. He asked for the dragons to be distributed into the other Units as contingency plans for fighting demons. Dragons were powerhouses and demons were less so but still a threat. One demon was as strong as three or four men. "Have you looked over it?" While Derek was a lieutenant, generally a stronger rank-in-file than sergeants, that was on the field. He had more battle experience, but was not so good at dealing with paperwork. In this building, Kyrain Calibre had reign... and that made Derek all the more worried. He had not heard anything back from any of the officers. It left him anxious and he needed answers now. The war was starting to grow in danger and he needed the assurance that his men could live through these hard times
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Selena Marks
New Member
Some people don't realize the power of wind until they're swept up by tornadoes.
Posts: 29
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Post by Selena Marks on Jun 5, 2012 23:30:21 GMT -6
This blows, Selena thought, her mood completely obliterated. She still made a point to listen to him go on about some 'paperwork matters' bullshit- honestly, if paperwork mattered so much, why didn't they make the weak do it? Dragons most certainly were not the human's weakest links, so why the hell were they being trapped like rats?! It was unfair, unjust, immoral, racist and stupid. Selena was getting pissed just thinking of it.
"Thanks anyways," Selena said, unable to hide the gloom that'd come over her. "I 'pose it's the thought that counts." Forgetting her manners, she looked up to the man- Lieutenant Smith- and smiled. "I really mean that, though; thank you." Staying in the cafeteria for lack of anything better to do (and hoping to find some more info about what exactly she’d be expected to do), she gave him a short parting wave and watched him enter the office of who she supposed was her commanding officer. “Right, then,” Selena said, adjusting the pack on her back. “Time to check in.”
----~{Chief Master Sergeant Kyrain D. Calibre }~----
Sergeant Calibre was a crazy old bastard. He’d outlived his fighting days and escaped with nothing more than a few scars, an eye patch and a phantom limb where his left arm used to be. He was tough as nails, a top-notch soldier and- most importantly- the former rider of a water dragon. His partner had long since died in battle, but Calibre was still there to oversee the young, battle-ready dragons that cycled through in the wartime effort. Not only was he crazy, he was known to be a bit of an alcoholic and much too close to the young harlots of Nilisk. At the very least, he was a cheery man and easy to deal with… when drunk. When sober, he was an old, crotchety man who liked bringing others down to his level of misery and personal loss.
The paperwork he was going over were the reports from the infirmary, kitchens, cleaning facilities on how his dragons were doing.
“Come in,” Calibre said, not caring rather or not the younger lieutenant would await his call. He put down the paperwork and ran his only hand through his snow-white hair, leaning back in his chair and looking at Cold Point. His eyes narrowed when the man brought up his evaluation. “Have I looked over your evaluation? No, I haven’t looked over your damned evaluations; each and e’ry one of ‘em is in the waste bin where they belong. And you know why? It’s ‘cause your evaluations mean shit to me, Lieutenant.” As if to illustrate the point, he drew up a well of saliva in the back of his throat and shot it into the waste bin to dribble over the stacks of paper inside. “If that’s all you wanted to know, then get out. I’m a very busy man.”
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Derek Smith
New Member
"Mission accomplished."
Posts: 11
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Post by Derek Smith on Jun 6, 2012 7:18:20 GMT -6
Cold Point.
That was what his command had nicknamed him. It was a codename, but it was also a beacon for Derek's attitude. Derek was a young soft and gentle man. He never treated insolence through the proper protocols. He always gave his men more than a fair chance to prove themselves worthy, and even the more belligerent soldiers gave him the proper respect he earned and deserved. But they had all agreed that Derek was cold. Cold and to the point. On the field, Derek was a literal machine. He gave tactics and orders that he expected to be followed to the letter. He never turned away from his targets no matter how innocent they may seem. And he had never failed a mission. Cold Point. His accuracy was at the top of his Unit, even with bow and arrow. He almost seemed inhuman when he held a long range weapon. But the real reason that Derek Smith was given the name Cold Point was his shift in demeanor.
It was as if his face froze into this uncaring, unyielding, spiteful, deadly mask. Derek had killed his share of innocent lives for the good of the army. He murdered soldiers without remorse and pitied no one in war while a battle happened. Derek put his attitude back in check. He was not on the battlefield. He would adhere to his own code of honor and respect. Calibre was well-known in HQ as the old geezer who has a stick up his bum. Derek did not agree with the rumors and ignored them of course. He respected the old soldier... he had been a rider and lost his bonded. Derek could only imagine what kind of pain he must have endured. "Chief Master... no, Kyrain," Derek started after Calibre had finished. "I know it's a waste of time. That's why I'm taking it upon myself to do it. We need those dragons in the war.
"You and I both know how powerful they are. Even your newest recruit has a fire in her that could bring down hundreds of ordinary men. Is it really wise to keep them cooped up here? Leave them agitated and irritated as their talents go to waste? I have had four losses. Four men, Thomas Lucien, Angela Yowell, Anthony Johnson, and Erinar Deverin. I lost four good soldiers and I had to tell their loved ones, the ones that they lived to protect, that they are dead." Derek hated those visits. He wanted to cry with those families. He wanted to tell how sorry he was. He wanted to say it was because they followed an incompetent leader. But he couldn't. His training had forced him to do otherwise. His cold demeanor always set in and turned him to stone. He did not shake with the rage he felt. He did not weep with the sadness that threatened to swallow him.
With ice dagger eyes, he told them straight. He wished them the best even as they berated him for being a terrible Lieutenant. And he walked away.
"Calibre... If... If we had dragons in our Unit... this war would change. The Footmen and Cavalry Units are the ones that could use that kind of power the most. Ask yourself, sergeant, would your dragon have been able to sit around and do paperwork while you fought tooth and nail on the battlefield?"
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Selena Marks
New Member
Some people don't realize the power of wind until they're swept up by tornadoes.
Posts: 29
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Post by Selena Marks on Jun 6, 2012 9:40:16 GMT -6
[NPC] Kyrain D. Calibre: Chief Master Sergeant- Talon Unit
Calibre listened to his opening rant. What, did this lieutenant think he was the only one losing lives? Calibre had lost a few dragons himself- demons sneaking about and tricking them into their demise. Smith did have one leg-up on him; dragons usually didn’t have families to tell. They usually hatched from eggs as little beasts, raised themselves and when the time was right- pop! Human form. He’d learned that much from Tzira.
“Son, if you think you’re the only one in this war losing men, you’ve got some waking up to do. I know what an asset dragons can be; I should know, I fought with one for twenty years before you even joined this God-forsaken army. But I also know what a set back they can be when their rider is fighting for the Rebels; no matter how loyal they were before, they turn on their friends, switch sides and give out valuable information.” Calibre started to roll a cigarette, laying the paper out carefully, lining it with tobacco, then rolling it tightly together and sticking one end in his mouth before drawing out a lighter, flicking it and lighting up. “I know what losses we’re facing and I know just how doomed we all are. Nevertheless, it’d suit us both fine if you kept your young, innovative ideas to your own damned unit.” Taking a deep drag on his cigarette, he all but blew smoke in the Lieutenant’s face. He didn’t care if he was outranked; this was his office, his unit, and this over-glorified archer needed to learn his place.
“One more thing before you go,” he said, glaring. “Don’t tell me what Tzira would’ve wanted. She’s long before your time. I’ll tell you right now- she would’ve. Because that’s where she belonged. And she did- two weeks before we changed to Wingspan… the battle that cost me my arm…” He seemed to have forgotten who he was talking to, turning slightly to the side and puffing on his cigarette as if reliving the battle. Suddenly snapping out of it, he shook his head. “You still here, Smith?”
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Derek Smith
New Member
"Mission accomplished."
Posts: 11
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Post by Derek Smith on Jun 6, 2012 11:25:50 GMT -6
Derek glared at the old man as he spoke. Did he really think he didn't know how many people the army had lost? He read the reports. This army was a damn near hopeless cause. They were not getting enough recruits to keep up with all their losses. Their numbers were dwindling rapidly, and if it kept up, including the scarce food supply among other things, the army would be gone within a decade or even less. It was hard enough to keep this army going, but to include civvies in the numbers... things were getting worse by the day. But that didn't mean Derek couldn't stop it in every way he could. An idealist? Maybe he was. But that didn't mean he wasn't right. These changes need to be met.
Derek turned away from the veteran and went to leave. He stopped and turned back, his hand still at the doorknob. "You think you are the only one to wear a scar? Some of us in this fight lose more than a limb or an eye, Sergeant. Some of us lose friends. Some of us lose loved ones. Some of us lose our trainers, our teachers, our superiors... Some of us lose our parents. But I'm not stopping. I'm a soldier. And as a soldier, I have a job to do. You are right... this is no place for ideas. We are at war. But neither am I going to wallow in my past and hate everything else for it." He turned the doorknob and closed it behind him. There was nothing to do for it. There was nothing more to say... he had failed his unit. He couldn't blame Calibre. There was a fear in the old veteran's eyes and Derek was no therapist.
He walked back down the corridor sighing. "...Time to go find Selena." He shook his head. Derek had tried his best to get things to change. He wouldn't let his men or Selena see his foul mood. The Archer Unit depended on him to be as cheery as possible. They looked to him as a sign of direction and hope. He had to be as happy as he could be. Because if morale in the army dropped any farther, he was afraid how long it would last in the upcoming trials. Tension was growing and it would take very little for it to snap in the blink of an eye. Derek had a feeling that things were about to get a whole lot worse...
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Selena Marks
New Member
Some people don't realize the power of wind until they're swept up by tornadoes.
Posts: 29
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Post by Selena Marks on Jun 6, 2012 12:18:18 GMT -6
[NPC] Kyrain D. Calibre: Chief Master Sergeant- Talon Unit
As the young man left, Sgt. Calibre crushed his cigarette (barely even smoked) into the ashtray on his table, faced the desk once more and put his elbow on the table, laying his forehead in his palm, then taking one long, drawn out deep breath. There was a rapid knock at the door, then it was carelessly pushed open as a young private entered. “I brought your coffee, Serg-” the man hesitated, seeing the stressed out body language of the man. “I can come back…”
“Leave it,” Calibre ordered. “Go find Lieutenant Smith- he’ll still be on the floor. Tell him he can have one dragon- one dragon, and if they desert or betray us it’s on his head, not mine.”
The private, leaving the coffee hastily on the table, nodded, saluted and ran off to find the man.
Picking up an ancient photograph of a younger man and a beautiful woman, Calibre swiped his thumb through a thin layer of dust and sighed. “God help me, Tzira. God help us all.”
--
Selena J. Marks
Selena checked in with a fat woman with thinning brown hair and a rather large wart on her chin; she was the one with the clipboard; ie, the one managing new recruits. Selena was given a uniform (pre-used and smelling like cheese; gross) and told to report to the infirmary.
“Great,” Selena breathed under her breath. She couldn’t really complain… after all, she’d be helping men that fought hard for their country (or… race?) and needed dire assistance. But, at the same time… she felt she should be out on the field making sure soldiers weren’t getting harmed. That was, after all, the reason she signed up. With a heavy heart, Selena made her way to the infirmary, stopping by the barracks to drop off her bag and change into the moldy old uniform she’d been given.
It took perhaps twenty minutes for her to get into the infirmary... and what she saw made her gasp, throwing a hand over her mouth. So many bandaged soldiers, so many overworked nurses... the first thing that caught her eye was a man staring at her- no, through her- as he was loaded onto a stretcher to be carried off for burial. Selena shook her head, took three steps back, and ran off without a second thought.
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Derek Smith
New Member
"Mission accomplished."
Posts: 11
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Post by Derek Smith on Jun 7, 2012 11:47:03 GMT -6
The lieutenant kept his hands in his coat pocket moping slightly. A defeat was a defeat. Derek rarely ever felt the sting of defeat. Since his time in the Archer Unit, ever since his own parents had died, he had never once failed a mission by his superiors assessments. Derek had his own list of personal losses... civvies and his men dying on the battlefield. He once had to make a difficult choice between a boy and his man, and the soldier dying at his feet pointed to the boy. Derek would never forget any of the faces of his command. They were each special to him. The Archer Unit were probably the most tightly knitted group after the Wingspan Unit. They were small in number, only taking up about five percent or so of the actual army. But that five percent easily fought off overwhelming odds thanks to Derek and his superiors. They were the tactical unit of the army, and also had the soldiers who had been around for the longest by majority. They were scrutinized sometimes, called cowards and the like by the Footmen Unit, but Derek and his men never took any of those harsh words. Except Arin. Arin, one of his younger soldiers always had a bit of a foul mouth.
But she cared for the men and they looked to her like a mother. Though she was only a private, Derek had kept her that way to train the newer recruits to be a better soldier. He appreciated her honest dedication...
"Lieutenant. Lieutenant!" Derek suddenly looked up to see a young man, a private standing in front of him at attention. "I have a message from Sergeant Calibre, sir." Derek blinked dumbfounded. The... Sergeant sent him a message.
"At ease, private. What message is it?" Derek asked giving the private, but not exactly aimed at the private, an extremely suspicious look. "Has the Sergeant sent a referral of some sort?"
The private noticeably relaxed and shook his head. "No, sir. I was ordered to give you a message. He says you may transfer one dragon from the unit but only one. And that he bears no responsibility for the actions of whoever you chose."
Derek's jaw dropped and after a moment, he smiled. "That old geezer..." The private smiled as well.
"I know you've heard stories of Kyrain... but he's not a bad man. Old, grumpy, and angry. A bit of a drunkard as well and has certain appetites that he partakes in... but he's a good man." The private saluted Derek and then walked away.
Derek sighed and then raised his head. "Private?" The private stopped and turned. "Take care of him... He's... well... Just take care of him." The private smiled as if knowing what Derek wanted to say and nodded. Another salute and he turned the corner back towards the corridor that Derek had just come from. Derek sat tapping a finger against his chin. "...I need a new dragon... He or she's going to be an example for the rest of the army," he thought aloud. He was not thinking about how effective or strong the dragon he needed. He needed someone fresh... He needed someone that would listen to orders but second guess them and think. He didn't need a soldier... he needed a recruit. Many of the Talon Unit were already trained to be lapdogs. But he knew one that would hate to be even called that, at least he suspected.
Derek would ask her. He bounded the corner about to pass the infirmary when a figure ran straight into him. "Whoa!" He grabbed on to the shorter figure's shoulders and stopped them. "Selena? Wh-... What's wrong? Why the hurry?"
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Selena Marks
New Member
Some people don't realize the power of wind until they're swept up by tornadoes.
Posts: 29
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Post by Selena Marks on Jun 7, 2012 14:03:03 GMT -6
Selena kept running until she ran right into someone- someone who grabbed her shoulders and asked what was wrong. Selena shook her head slowly, staring wide-eyed into the figure's chest. Her legs wobbled dangerously until her knees finally collapsed and she fell, hands flying to her face as she tried to shake the mental images from her mind. It took her a moment to compose herself... then she spoke.
"I never thought... I never imagined..." Selena took deep breaths, then stood, taking a step back and finally looking up to Derek. "I'm sorry," she said, composed. "I... I just got out of the infirmary..." She rubbed her temple a little. "I underestimated the casualties..." she said, mumbling. She was slightly embarrassed for her actions; first day on the job and she ran off. What must the other dragons think? And Derek, who just conveniently happened to be there...
"Sorry," she said, "I should be getting back."
((short post is short))
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Derek Smith
New Member
"Mission accomplished."
Posts: 11
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Post by Derek Smith on Jun 7, 2012 21:15:38 GMT -6
Derek watched Selena crumpled and sighed. He knew this kind of event. Realization of what they were really getting into. This was no glory march or some game. They weren't in a time of swing your sword and vanquish the monster. This was war. War had more to it. What they did, what Derek had always known he was doing, was murder. They killed other men and the other species for a few more decades of living. They killed men who had wives, children, and family that loved them. And worst of all, they killed men usually and generally believed in that they were fighting on the correct side. There was no right side of the war. There was only the side you were on, and the sides that you weren't. And the elimination of the ones that fought you was mandatory.
Derek patted her on her back and steadied her on her feet and shook his head. "No need to apologize; I've done it too." He had tried run from the jarring facts in front of him before. And it took a while but he got over it. His father always said that it gets easier. His father was right and wrong. It was much easier to simply pull the trigger at his end of the rifle. Every time he did so, he was less hesitant to do so, until he stopped caring to think about the shot and just shooting it. But once off the field, Derek felt the excessive push of guilt. He killed people, killed men. He was a murderer, for the sake of his friends, but a murderer nonetheless. He would never be able to get back that piece of his humanity.
Derek nodded slowly and smiled sadly. "You're not weak for it. Never forget those faces. The ones you could have saved. Never forget who you could have saved if you had been there to help. But don't let yourself be swallowed by it. You can save more lives. You are alive so you can help more." Derek put an arm around her shoulder and walked with her. "Selena... I would be going a bit against orders, but I have... permission to ask for a transfer from a dragon. I would be honored to have you in my unit, but we are a small group. I don't think you will be bored by us... we've had our fair share of fights and skirmishes as we are the artillery unit of the army...
"But I have to let you know something. I do not tolerate insubordination. You can question my orders or our superiors, but you have to follow them. If you think they are wrong, voice it, but do not disobey it. The Archer Unit can train you in discipline. I can train you in warfare. But you have to be ready to hold back your tongue, no matter how sharp you can be."
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Selena Marks
New Member
Some people don't realize the power of wind until they're swept up by tornadoes.
Posts: 29
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Post by Selena Marks on Jun 7, 2012 21:44:15 GMT -6
Selena still felt a bit ashamed of herself. Why hadn’t she thought of the extent of the casualties and the bitterly wounded? She was so naïve and stupid sometimes. Even when Derek said there was no need, she shook her head weakly. “N-no… I should’ve thought…” she said, leaving it at that. She’d joined to make a difference and save lives, and on her first day she was hit with the realization that not only were casualties so horrid, but she wouldn’t be allowed to change anything, merely because she hadn’t found her partner yet. It was more than she could handle in one day, and she was still expected to carry out duties…
Derek, at least, was very comforting. She nodded to what he said; never forget those faces. She didn’t think she’d be capable of forgetting… something like that would be imprinted in her mind for the rest of her life, no matter how short. As he put her arm around her, she shakily began to fall into step with him, expecting him to give more of a pick-me-up speech than deliverance of such… huge news.
“I can transfer?” she repeated, smiling shakily at first, then letting it form a grin. Not only would that mean she wouldn’t be assaulted by the faces of those defeated in a battle she couldn’t help, she’d prevent some of those casualties. She’d be on the battlefield… she’d make a difference. So she couldn’t disobey orders? No big deal. The Archery Unit… sounded like a great place for a Wind Dragon to be. Selena pulled away from his arm, drew herself to attention and saluted. “I won’t let you down, sir. You can count on me; I’m your dragon!”
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