Ignition Broker: Epilogue I

Epilogue I

Northern Hemisphere Landing Zone

(Lead Cadet Khan)

“Fate is as unpredictable as people are to understand. Know that just because something looks easy, a person seems blessed with all rewards in the world, they still face their troubles.” -Marcon on understanding a mark.

Taking a moment to realize they were but ten days in and only had time to watch the Cerusian beauties who had been assigned to their S-Ranked team bathe for the next few weeks sent a shiver of delight down Lead Cadet Khan’s back.

Then again, none of this would have been possible without Cadet Khan’s hard work. Work that was measured and evaluated in the form of millions of credits being supplied as helpful donations to the Military Academy by his parents, to help gain beneficial treatments.

This was why, compared to every other group, Cadet Khan’s FTX experience had been easy thus fur. His landing had been easy. Despite being the second team to approach the planet, the team was relieved to find out that the easy landing spot was still open. Odder still, was the fact that the group that arrived first seemed fairly competent, what was her name again, Cadet Proma? A leader who seemed to forego all safety measures and compliance policies to arrive safely.

Yet, their mole had apparently paid off, as Cadet Goldbridger had helped out where it mattered most, sabotaging the readouts of the ship causing them to choose the worst landing spot possible. In fact, that was easily the worst landing spot of the entire exercise.

When they first learned of their second seated fates, many had given up. But to everyone’s surprise they had all not only landed, but had found a bountiful field of harvestable materials that were all easily gathered.

This was truly the best spot for them, as even the natural resources for food and water were easily accessed.

Yes, everything was going perfectly.

Then again, what use is paying the military so many millions of credits if you had to suffer on an FTX. This was just a stepping stone, glamping by another name. Even the equipment that they had been offered was infinitely better than what Cadet Proma’s team of C-ranked misfits had to deal with.

That was why Cadet Khan was confident in the fact that he would gain many memories from this time. Over the past few days, he and the rest of the male members of his crew had taken to wearing shades. They were prescription of course, meaning they couldn’t be denied, even by honest soldiers. But his main reason for wearing his shades at all times so he could discretely ogle the Cerusian females and their superior forms, without raising too much ire and resentment.

This was the life.

Khan had heard stories about how he should use this time to find gems in the rough. Find the future talent, gather them under his wing and hold them down under his power squeezing every last drop of talent out from them.  This was his family training, and how his family had managed to rise to such heights and cling to their power for so long.

He had his sights set on Cadet Proma, a classical beauty in her own right, if only she would be taken down a peg or two of humility. That was why this event here would be perfect. She would fail.

As a leader, it would be a heavy blow, forcing her to support roles in the future. Which would be great, as he could then use his clout as a way to make it so she saw him as her savior. Only then would she be forever bound to him. In fact, part way through this exercise, he had intended to go out and offer some supplies of water and food, which would no doubt be scarce in her area. Particularly if she was fending off hostile natives.

Perhaps he and his team could come up with a daring rescue? Go out save the princess and have her team of miscreants be forced to beg for spots under his benevolent rule. Yes, there was now time to plan his next course of action.

Beep.

“What was that?” Gurly, one of the Cadets tasked with monitoring the scanning equipment exclaimed loudly as he went from being in a fully relaxed position, to fully upright and staring at the equipment before him. Equipment that now had large electromagnetic lines pulsing and dancing across the screen.

“Yes, what is that?” Cadet Khan demanded, going over to Gurly’s side.

“I don’t know? An anomaly of some kind, it just appeared!” A clearly agitated Gurly cried out.

Panicked scattering outside the tent.

Outside their fixed tent, the frantic rustling and running of soldiers could be heard.

Swoosh.

Then coming in from the outside was a still dripping Cerusian female.

Khan was so panicked by the whole situation that his brain barely registered the long naked legs that seemed to stretch on for miles from the floor up to a barely concealing bathing suit.

The first dripping lady stared from the front of the tent, and then called out to someone in that chirping Cerusian language. “<Song birds cry>”.

Hearing the sound Khan was once again enthralled by their very beauty, even their language was as incomprehensible as it was beautiful.

With that a second woman came in, wearing a full Cerusian Academy uniform. This was their technical expert and the one who helped Gurly set up his station correctly.

Seeing her, the Cerusian cadet nodded to the clear swimsuit wearing commander and then moved forward to check the readings, at which point the normally beautiful face of the Cerusian cadet turned pale.

“<More crying of song birds>.”

Hearing the Cerusian cadet give her reading the leader nodded, gave a few more words and then left.

“<Confident Song Bird>.”

Swoosh.

With that the Cerusian leader left the tent, causing the vinyl flap to dangle wildly.

“What happened?” Khan found himself asking.

The Cerusian cadet paused, as if processing the words, then she translated, speaking in perfect Imperial Standard.

“A Behemoth Breach,” was all the Cerusian cadet stated before standing up and continuing. “Now if you will excuse me, I need to assist.”

“Assist with the defenses?” Cadet Khan asked, feeling somewhat angry that people weren’t coming to him, the leader to discuss defensive measures.

The Cerusian cadet only shook her head as she quickly made her way to the tent exit, pausing just long enough to give her reply, “no our evacuation.”

Swoop-swoosh.

The vinyl flap wavered lightly for a second, long enough for Khan to turn to Gurly and make sure he heard the gorgeous female correctly.

“Evacuation?” Then after pausing for a second, Khan asked, “but why?”

KA-BOOM!

Fate it seemed chose that moment to reveal what caused the Cerusian warriors to scram like cockroaches to the wind. Hearing the sound, one that was so powerful that it shook the flimsy command tent in place, Khan asked another repetitive question.

“What was that?”