PLANET: CERRIDWEN - YEAR: 2167

"Beneath the surface of the soul the stars sleep and breathe, their life continuing ever-on under the cover of humanity."

The quote stared at Syarrhe from the poster on the wall, and her silver eyes traced the words time and again, trying to comprehend the meaning and drawing a blank. Artillery sergeants weren't especially known for their brains, but Syarrhe tried to destroy that stereotype, despite her own limited schooling. Still, no attempt to defeat a stereotype enabled her to better comprehend this mind-boggling quote.

The door to the office opened and a big man of dark skin and angled brows entered the small room. His shiny black uniform shoes hit the blue tile floors with the profound cll-ap, cll-ap of a practiced heel-toe walk, and his uniform was in prim condition, as any commander's should be. He took a seat behind his desk and Syarrhe remained standing stalk-still, perfect composure etched onto her dusky bronze face, silver eyes staring straight ahead, fists clutched at her side.

"At ease, Sergeant," the commander said. "Have a seat."

"Yes, Commander," she answered curtly, snapping to parade rest before stepping back to break position. She sat straight-backed and square-shouldered in the cushy cream-colored armchair across the commander's desk from him, as he shuffled papers on his desk, flipping through a stack of thick, stapled packets. He withdrew one and held it out to her, straightening his papers around the emptied spot.

"This will be your first mission."

Excitement trilled through her as Syarrhe took the packet, reading the front:

ASCUNA:

OPERATION: RENEGADE ADJUSTMENT

ARTILLERY SERGEANT:

SGT SYARRHE REYNOLDS

She broke the seal on the side with her thumb-nail and flipped open the first page, her eyes skimming the briefing on Ascuna, a planet from the Xialad system. She remembered its people, referred to as Ascunians, for being one of the opposing factions in the war that had killed her parents twenty years ago. She shut down the twinge of irritation at the mention of the alien race, instead flipping to the next page, which detailed mission goals.

"It seems the Ascunians lack the proper equipment on their planet to deal with a handful of renegades," Commander Galst informed her with a note of exasperation, "Since the bulk of their military has been shipped to Shiuq for the war. What's left of their forces, that is. The Jynns are their allies on Shiuq but have no desire to visit Ascuna, so they've turned to us. We aren't mercenaries for hire, but the Ascunian government is desperate; they're willing to pay the cost of travel and equipment if we'll rid them of their renegade problems."

"Who are these renegades, Commander?" Syarrhe asked, now in full business mode. Her excitement over the mission was forcibly quelled by her sense of duty.

"Those that disagree with the war," he said. "Extremists. First, they were mere protesters, then they advanced to lobbyists, and now they attack outgoing troops and training outposts on Ascuna. They've gone as far as to begin kidnapping Ascunian children and convert them to their... Point of view. The Ascunians wouldn't care about a bunch of protesting if it hadn't developed into this much of a movement and endangered their troops."

Syarrhe cocked an eyebrow, reading his words echoed in the information packet. "So you're sending an artillery sergeant to wipe out a bunch of pissed-off civilians with an agenda?"

"Their 'agenda' has now expanded to include a bomb threat, after a recent attack of an Ascunian equipment battery resulted in several IEDs disappearing. We've got a squad of EOD people voluntold to get in there and locate and deactivate the IEDs; we've got recon people to sneak in and get the intel we need beforehand; and then we need someone to take care of the renegades afterward and provide any necessary escorts to the EODs and the scouts."

"And that's where my people come in."

Commander Galst chuckled, his smile twisted due to a long scar on one side of his face. "Exactly. You've yet to be put on a mission but your work here has gotten you the position of sergeant; you're being assigned to 72nd Diego, and I expect their Commander Evyr to report good things about you. You leave in two weeks for Ascuna. I expect you to have that packet memorized, and to know the names of all twelve of your troops. They'll be counting on you, and this mission shouldn't be dangerous enough for any of them to not come back. That said, you should still talk to them like there's a chance they won't. Got it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. You've got today off to start studying. I'd suggest extra PT for the next two weeks; you're gonna want to be as fit as possible before space travel. You haven't been off Cerridwen in nineteen years; it's not going to be any fun to leave gravity, not to start with."

She nodded. "Yes, sir. Understood."

"Dismissed."

She snapped to the position of attention and saluted, and the commander rose to his feet, mirroring her snappy movements. Having had the salute returned, Syarrhe stepped back, pivoted, and strode out of the small office.

Once in the hallway, she felt the full effect of her mingled panic and excitement. Her first mission would be one that had countless lives depending on it, and Commander Galst acted like this was a relatively safe mission. She felt the responsibility weighing on her shoulders, the twelve lives depending directly on her leadership, and the lack of field experience behind her.

But then she remembered her hand-cannon, and remembered this would be its first time on the field as well as hers- their first time in real action, not just training- and she lifted her chin, silver eyes gleaming as she strode away.

This was going to be fun.

V^V

Two weeks pass with surprising speed when one is anticipating something, whether that anticipation be accented by dread, excitement, fear, or, as in Syarrhe's case, all three. Syarrhe threw her nerves into workouts- Physical Training, or PT, as they called it- more in those two weeks than any other, so that by the end of it her usually stocky body was even more muscular. Her workouts exceeded the physical; by night, she studied Ascuna in extensive reading, and she memorized her information packet and as much information on her platoon as she could from a piece of paper. None of it felt real yet.

Then the morning came that Syarrhe would be leaving. She sat in the mess hall on Fort Bonaparte, the main military outpost on this side of Cerridwen, drinking a tall cup of coffee between bites of the oats-slop they called Oatgruel. A hot cream-bun sat on a napkin next to her bowl, and she had another smaller bowl of scrambled gu'ju eggs. This was her usual breakfast, plus some extra protein in a bar. She normally just had the Oatgruel and coffee; with a mission approaching, she added eggs, the cream-bun, a fruit puree, and a protein-bar the green recruits called Fit-Shit due to its taste. After four years in the military, Syarrhe was accustomed to the food. Across from her, Yael, her best friend, ate only a cream-bun and a fruit puree.

"So, are you looking forward to your first mission?" Yael asked.

"The mission, yes," Syarrhe answered, "The flight there, no."

Yael chuckled. "And here I thought you weren't afraid of anything."

"I'm not," Syarrhe protested. "I just don't like heights. Or being cannistered into a tiny flammable capsule."

"Well, I can assure you it's not as bad as you think. When they sent me on that mission to Uyma, I was convinced I would die on the trip there. Made it Uyma safe and sound, and made it back without blowing up."

"Explosions are all I'm looking forward to with this trip, but just the ones I create."

Yael snorted, poking at her puree with a fork. Yael was one of the scouts being sent to get intel on the stolen IEDs (Improved Explosive Device); she would be one of the first to get behind enemy lines and face the renegades. While the Jynn race had significant experience and ability, and basic anatomical benefits, Yael was never too happy about her job. Yael had been an outcast among her people when she was young on the planet Lohne- a mischievous and sneaky child, she had stolen countless times, and was only caught when she sold an emerald for food-money. The morally "superior" Jynn had planned to execute her for her crimes; to her fortune, a Cerridwen officer heard her tale and thought her a good fit for intel. Yael mightn't like her job much, but she owed Commander Galst her life, and she paid it with dutiful pride.

Syarrhe forced the last few bites of Oatgruel into her mouth and down her throat, grimacing at the taste. According to those familiar with Earth cuisine, the gruel was similar to a dish called "oatmeal", but it was the soupier, less-flavorful equivalent of the Earth food. Something only a hungry recruit would eat. However, its fiber and nutrients were nothing to be scoffed at, and Syarrhe wouldn't complain. It was better than starving.

"Based on that comment, I assume you're excited to finally get some action?"

Syarrhe looked up at her friend, pulled from her reflections. "Oh, definitely. It's going to be the most excitement I've ever had, even if it is scary as hell."

Yael grinned knowingly. "I think you'll find it easier than you're expecting. After the first couple of skirmishes, you just get irritated more than anything when combat jumps out at you."

Syarrhe shrugged. "You aren't responsible for keeping an entire unit alive in the field. I think it's better that I'm scared to some extent."

"The worst you can do is panic, and you're steady. You'll get them out fine, Syarrhe."

"I hope so."

Syarrhe took a bite of the cream-bun, a deep-fried bread-roll filled with delicious lemon cream, considering what Ascuna would be like. Yael was the primary non-human Syarrhe associated with; the Jynn were cat-like- with diamond pupils and flat cheeks with bold cheekbones, and large triangular ears. Yael was mostly shades of yellow- large golden eyes, cool bronze complexion, and thin peach lips. Burgundy hair fell back in choppy locks to the base of her neck, combed straight back from a widow's peak. She was small and thin, but her petite frame concealed years of muscle built. While the Jynn were cat-like, Syarrhe had heard Ascunians described as fish-like. She wondered, rather inappropriately, if that meant Jynn would like the fishy scent of the Ascunians.

"What time do you leave?" Yael asked, taking a bite of her cream-bun.

"0700," Syarrhe answered. "They want an early start. I've still got time to eat, get some PT done, shower, double-check that I've got everything packed, and get through outsourcing before load-up."

Yael nodded. "You'll want to get out there early. Officer Dwellin gave me the responsibility of getting our two new privates ready for their first mission."

Syarrhe raised her eyebrows, sympathy in her silver eyes. "Good luck."

"Yeah, no kidding." She took her last bite of cream-bun and rose to her feet, dusting off her hands. "Alright; I'll see you at load-up. Have fun with your PT."

"Have fun with your privates."

Yael rolled her eyes at the innuendo and walked off, dumping her tray in the sink before leaving the mess hall. Syarrhe finished her breakfast and followed suit, heading to the PT Grounds and finding a quiet, isolated spot in the gathering light of dawn. She took half an hour for her PT, and then set about her other tasks, finishing them too quickly. Apprehension gnawed at her through it all, but she was calmed down some from the exercise endorphins.

Syarrhe was ready early, and outsourcing didn't take as long as she'd hoped. That left her waiting for load-up, watching the others going on this mission file into the terminal. The terminal filled with all those going on the; at 0630, Yael entered the terminal, and Syarrhe was glad of the company as the Jynn ranted about the privates' incompetence. As the day grew lighter, early heat began to press into the small room; body odor from those gathered began to fill the room as sweat pooled on everyone's skin. As Syarrhe pulled her tangled black curls into a ponytail, she grimaced at the thought of being loaded into a shuttle with these smelly people. Then she remembered some of them might not stink up a seat on the way back, and regretted judging.

Finally, the time came for load-up. Their pilot greeted them as they stepped onto the shuttle, shaking the hands of everyone; Syarrhe was somewhat dazed as she climbed onto the shuttle, and didn't remember his name by the time she sat down. Conversation had started within, mostly the privates discussing how they expected the trip to be. Syarrhe saw the field troops- hers- in a cluster, identified by the patch on their uniforms; eight males, four females, ten humans, a Jynn, and a Skydian. The Jynn was male, not unlike a chestnut in complexion and hair color, and the Skydian female, with peach-hued skin stretched tight over angular features, large yellow eyes, and dark brown ram horns curving out from above her ears. All the humans were as nondescript as anyone would seem in comparison to the two aliens.

The door shut behind Officer Dwellin, the Cerridwen commander, whose authority would be lessened upon arrival to Ascuna, where the commander for that outpost would take in the unit. Commander Evyr, Syarrhe remembered. There was a chance Officer Dwellin was simply going along to ease the paperwork load upon arrival. Syarrhe wondered if the officer was as apprehensive as the troops.

The shuttled tremble and began to move. Syarrhe closed her eyes against her apprehension; she was very much a ground person. She opened her eyes and met Yael's concerned gaze a few seats over. The Jynn was stuck with the Intel squad, and Syarrhe wished she had her friend next to her, keeping her calm. Instead, Syarrhe was stuck next to Sergeant Kapler, whom she didn't dislike, but she didn't know him as she knew Yael. She would have to get to know him, seeing as he was in charge of the EOD squad. Syarrhe glanced around- there, Corporal Rhett. That was the commander of Yael's unit, though Yael outranked him.

The trembling of the shuttle stopped, and Syarrhe's stomach dropped.

Pressure pushed at her ears, and her stomach twisted uncomfortably. The realization she was off the ground brought no comfort. Just go to sleep, she thought to herself. It would be about a twenty hour trip, and there was no harm in trying to get comfortable early on.

She closed her eyes, and after a restless hour, sleep took her.

V^V

PLANET: UYMA - DATE: 24 MARCH 2167

Silk sheets were thrown to the side, disregarded, as the monk leapt to her feet. Her fingers curled around a long staff of twisted brown wood, and it hit the ground with a plunk each step she took. She left the open room with the large, circular cushion of a bed, past the in-ground square bath, and out into the open air of her balcony, drifting beyond the long, veil-like lavender curtains. The young woman stood on the semicircle of marble, staring out at the moons, Hythe and Luia, which reflected back into her dark blue eyes.

Footsteps came onto the balcony behind her not long after, but she turned not from the stars. A being walked up behind her, an alien called an Aedh, with a tall, bulky build and pale lavender skin. Tentacles fell from his chin in something similar to a beard, and his eyes were large and storm-cloud gray.

"I noticed a disturbance," he said, his voice deep and rumbling. "What has woken you?"

"A message," she answered softly. "Xialad came to me in a dream and communicated to me a memory."

Curiosity lit the Aedh's features. "A memory?"

"I have a sister." The woman's eyes shone, a breeze tugging her silver hair beyond her shoulders. "We were separated as infants by the war on Shiuq. She has eyes the color of my hair, and her own hair is long and black and curly like mine. I am not to go find her; fate will bring us together, in time."

Surprise crossed the Aedh's face. "Did Xialad give you a name for this woman?"

"Syarrhe."