Post by malles on Jan 21, 2012 3:25:39 GMT -5
The very first thing a warrior must do before executing his mission is a simple functions check. Even the strongest and smartest fighter can fall due to a shielding system shorting out or a blaster misfire. Always, always, always check your gear. Check that your blaster is full on gas. Check that your flamethrower ignition system is not too large or small. And, if need be, punch yourself in the face until your certain your helmet can take one. Because, honestly, if you manage to break your own helmet, you shouldn't be in this profession anyway.
My target was the luxurious mansion across the way, about a solid kilometer across the ice fields that dominated Csilla. I could see the entire property from my vantage point, six hundred feet up a glacier cliff overlooking the compound. I did not feel the cold (personal heating systems were the first thing I installed in the armor), only the anticipation of the hunt. Jem'aeri'kalesh felt it too. She was taking point, scouting our target. She would signal me when to move in. I was patient. Chiss are patient, not known for wild fits of passion. As one of our philosophers said, there are no problems, only curiosities. And this was a curiosity that required attention.
Our house was attacked the previous weak. Clues left at the scene pointed to the Chaf house, one of the Ruling Families of Csilla. Chiss conduct had been violated. We do not make war with each other, and do not attack unless attacked. Houses that attacked other houses were normally dealt with by the Ruling Families, usually though exile or imprisonment (same difference, really). But since this attack had been made by a ruling family, our patron had chosen to overlook this matter. Such a slight, he said, was very small, and easily forgivable.
Tell that to the people that had died. Tell that to the servants, who weren't even members of the targets house. Tell that to my mother, found lying in a pool of her blood gazing sightlessly at the scorched ceiling. No, Patron, this was not forgivable. This was a war.
The signal came. Three clicks across my helmet comlink. I clicked my right heel against the glacier wall, hitting the switch that activated my jump pack. Soft beeps came from the unit as the sensors ran through their own ready check. Inconvenient, yes, but the jump pack was known for poor performance in extreme temperatures and had its own troubleshooting system for a reason. The UI, something else in my helmet, told me there were no problems, so I lined myself up for the target and slapped the ignition button on my right shoulder. The jets ignited and I was off.
I crossed that kilometer in less than a minute, adjusting my flight so I smashed through the window Maerik had made her entry through. I ducked my head into my arms, rolled, and came up with pistol out and ready.
"They're coming."
I gave no response that I had heard. Instead, I lifted my left arm and fired an explosive dart into the room's only door. I then went into a prone position and waited.
The door only made it about halfway open before the dart went off, shattering the door and the Chiss behind it. I fired six shots through the smoke, smiling harshly when I heard the cries of pain and thumps on the floor. But there was no time to celebrate. I was on my feet and moving into the hall before the smoke cleared, keeping my blaster and eyes to my front. The helmet HUD showed no one near me or in the adjacent rooms. I paused, confused.
"Jem'aeri'kalesh, status."
"I killed the guards, Jem'alle'saiya," she replied. "You only found those because I'm nice."
"Roger."
"Upstairs. Move quietly, we want to avoid waking the servants."
I holstered my blaster. If Jam'aeri'kalesh said there were no guards, there were no guards. I followed the hallway until I came across a grand staircase leading down and up to different levels. I went up and then, after a moment hesitation, left. The hallway was not lit, so I switched to infrared imaging and was finally able to make out my sister leaning next to a door.
Whether she could see me or not, she must've recognized my footsteps, because she did not attack. She merely pointed to the door and mouthed "matron" at me. I nodded and held up two fingers. She frowned, shook her head, and held up four fingers. I blinked, then stifled a laugh and kicked open the door.
There was screaming. That was expected. As were the three naked males that jumped out of the bed like frightened rodents. I snickered quietly and shot them dead before turning my blaster on the woman they had been crowding. "Lights, sister."
Bright blue light sprang into being from bulbs along the wall. I removed my helmet and set it on the floor beside me. "Cham'iino'bitrano. You do enjoy the high life, don't you?"
"Those were my sons, you monster!"
"Oh wow." Now Jem'aeri'kalesh was laughing. "That's one way to keep the line pure, I guess..."
"Anywho," I raised my blaster, "The Jem family has come to show their appreciation for having one of the Ruling Families as guests in our home. We hope you have a lovely evening."
"Wait, wait, it wasn't - !"
I pumped two shots into her chest, and then we left.
----------
"Jem'aeri'kalesh, and Jem'alle'saiya."
"Present."
The judge gave me a withering glare, which I returned tenfold. "Sarcasm will do you no favors here, Jem'alle'saiya."
"We're not looking for any," Jem'aeri'kalesh replied. "We make no denial of the claims."
And we never would. We were betrayed. Our own patron had ratted us out, after we told him justice had been down. Vengeance was not the Chiss way, he had said. Well, Patron, neither was letting an attack go unanswered. We were imprisoned, interrogated, then put in this trial. I, personally, did not wish to prolong this humiliation. Exile or execute me, idiots, for I will never feel shame over the murder of some inbred whore, noble or not.
"For your unjustified attack on the Cham House, you are hereby sentenced to exile." The judge looked at us both. "After today, if you are ever seen on this planet again, you will be apprehended and executed in accordance with Csilla law. A shuttle will be prepped to take you to any planet in the galaxy you desire. You only get one choice, after which you will receive no more aid. From this moment on, you are stripped of your family names. Dismissed."
We had nothing left anyway. Our families had just disowned us, and no friends would help us. We were to be thrust out to live among the savages of the galaxy with no support from any but ourselves. So is the price for doing the right thing.
My target was the luxurious mansion across the way, about a solid kilometer across the ice fields that dominated Csilla. I could see the entire property from my vantage point, six hundred feet up a glacier cliff overlooking the compound. I did not feel the cold (personal heating systems were the first thing I installed in the armor), only the anticipation of the hunt. Jem'aeri'kalesh felt it too. She was taking point, scouting our target. She would signal me when to move in. I was patient. Chiss are patient, not known for wild fits of passion. As one of our philosophers said, there are no problems, only curiosities. And this was a curiosity that required attention.
Our house was attacked the previous weak. Clues left at the scene pointed to the Chaf house, one of the Ruling Families of Csilla. Chiss conduct had been violated. We do not make war with each other, and do not attack unless attacked. Houses that attacked other houses were normally dealt with by the Ruling Families, usually though exile or imprisonment (same difference, really). But since this attack had been made by a ruling family, our patron had chosen to overlook this matter. Such a slight, he said, was very small, and easily forgivable.
Tell that to the people that had died. Tell that to the servants, who weren't even members of the targets house. Tell that to my mother, found lying in a pool of her blood gazing sightlessly at the scorched ceiling. No, Patron, this was not forgivable. This was a war.
The signal came. Three clicks across my helmet comlink. I clicked my right heel against the glacier wall, hitting the switch that activated my jump pack. Soft beeps came from the unit as the sensors ran through their own ready check. Inconvenient, yes, but the jump pack was known for poor performance in extreme temperatures and had its own troubleshooting system for a reason. The UI, something else in my helmet, told me there were no problems, so I lined myself up for the target and slapped the ignition button on my right shoulder. The jets ignited and I was off.
I crossed that kilometer in less than a minute, adjusting my flight so I smashed through the window Maerik had made her entry through. I ducked my head into my arms, rolled, and came up with pistol out and ready.
"They're coming."
I gave no response that I had heard. Instead, I lifted my left arm and fired an explosive dart into the room's only door. I then went into a prone position and waited.
The door only made it about halfway open before the dart went off, shattering the door and the Chiss behind it. I fired six shots through the smoke, smiling harshly when I heard the cries of pain and thumps on the floor. But there was no time to celebrate. I was on my feet and moving into the hall before the smoke cleared, keeping my blaster and eyes to my front. The helmet HUD showed no one near me or in the adjacent rooms. I paused, confused.
"Jem'aeri'kalesh, status."
"I killed the guards, Jem'alle'saiya," she replied. "You only found those because I'm nice."
"Roger."
"Upstairs. Move quietly, we want to avoid waking the servants."
I holstered my blaster. If Jam'aeri'kalesh said there were no guards, there were no guards. I followed the hallway until I came across a grand staircase leading down and up to different levels. I went up and then, after a moment hesitation, left. The hallway was not lit, so I switched to infrared imaging and was finally able to make out my sister leaning next to a door.
Whether she could see me or not, she must've recognized my footsteps, because she did not attack. She merely pointed to the door and mouthed "matron" at me. I nodded and held up two fingers. She frowned, shook her head, and held up four fingers. I blinked, then stifled a laugh and kicked open the door.
There was screaming. That was expected. As were the three naked males that jumped out of the bed like frightened rodents. I snickered quietly and shot them dead before turning my blaster on the woman they had been crowding. "Lights, sister."
Bright blue light sprang into being from bulbs along the wall. I removed my helmet and set it on the floor beside me. "Cham'iino'bitrano. You do enjoy the high life, don't you?"
"Those were my sons, you monster!"
"Oh wow." Now Jem'aeri'kalesh was laughing. "That's one way to keep the line pure, I guess..."
"Anywho," I raised my blaster, "The Jem family has come to show their appreciation for having one of the Ruling Families as guests in our home. We hope you have a lovely evening."
"Wait, wait, it wasn't - !"
I pumped two shots into her chest, and then we left.
----------
"Jem'aeri'kalesh, and Jem'alle'saiya."
"Present."
The judge gave me a withering glare, which I returned tenfold. "Sarcasm will do you no favors here, Jem'alle'saiya."
"We're not looking for any," Jem'aeri'kalesh replied. "We make no denial of the claims."
And we never would. We were betrayed. Our own patron had ratted us out, after we told him justice had been down. Vengeance was not the Chiss way, he had said. Well, Patron, neither was letting an attack go unanswered. We were imprisoned, interrogated, then put in this trial. I, personally, did not wish to prolong this humiliation. Exile or execute me, idiots, for I will never feel shame over the murder of some inbred whore, noble or not.
"For your unjustified attack on the Cham House, you are hereby sentenced to exile." The judge looked at us both. "After today, if you are ever seen on this planet again, you will be apprehended and executed in accordance with Csilla law. A shuttle will be prepped to take you to any planet in the galaxy you desire. You only get one choice, after which you will receive no more aid. From this moment on, you are stripped of your family names. Dismissed."
We had nothing left anyway. Our families had just disowned us, and no friends would help us. We were to be thrust out to live among the savages of the galaxy with no support from any but ourselves. So is the price for doing the right thing.
.