The Specialist

CHAPTER 10

I awoke in my old home, back on Theta and when I turned around I saw my mother before... that day. "Come here my little Lok" she said as I walked to her a child ran past me and into her arms and I realized it was m-m-me, that child was me. I took off my helmet and as she stood and looked right at me but she didn't say anything and looked confused "Lok?" she said. "Yeah?" Young me said. "Oh not you sweety, I thought I saw something, that's it" she said holding back tears. "It's me," I said and walked toward her. She looked at the footsteps in the dusty floor and I could tell she saw them. "I knew I wasn't seeing things" she said "mom, I'm so, so, sorry, I could save you" I said now crying and I gave her a hug and as she tried she just went through me but I didn't mind as long as I got to see her "mom I have to warn you that you are going to-to die" I said to her still crying "oh honey, I already know" she said sad "w-what?" I said stunned. "It was nice to see you now you have to go" she said "but-but mom you-you can't do this to me" I said pained that she would leave me again. "Hey honey who are you talking to?" my father asked. She looked up to me "oh, no one, just myself" she said and walked away, then everything faded and I woke in the recovery room in a cold sweet and then I got up, walked to my room and took off my helmet and started crying as I notched another marking IIIII. After half an hour I got a knock on my door, "come in" I said while putting on my helmet, the door opened and in stepped a tech-priest that I didn't know the name of walks in and I stand up and do the Thetan salute, right hand to center of the chest with the palm facing the ground, and with that he said "at ease soldier, no need for formality I just want to talk about what happened in that storage room. What happened in there does not leave this room, do you understand me?" I thought for a second about what he said "ok so theoretically if it were to leave this room what would happen?" I asked "well let's say we would insure that no one believes a dead man" he said with the same tone I had when asking him, questioning. "I see, then yes I understand that this next conversation will never leave this room" I said. "Good, now what happened, what did you see" he asked sternly. "Well I was sitting here when a Ranger Alpha said one of her team needs help so I follow and we went to the storage room and she showed me the trap door and said that it goes to the prison and when I said I wasn't going in she shot me so I stabbed her and then I was almost shot by the rest of her team, and that's it." I said in all honesty. "Well that's pretty straightforward and easy, are you sure that's all that happened." he asked me. "Yup that's all there is to it." I said and saw that he was deep in thought, "ok thank you for your time" he said and walked out. Three days later me and my team were sent to a place only known as Eatune, it is a planet that has grass and is mainly farmland of what's called wheat, a tall yellow grass. It took 1 week to get there especially using a Shark Assault Boat, it's called a boat for good reasons.when we landed we were greeted with fields and fields of wheat. We stepped out and filled with the scent of soil. There was no one outside to greet us but we were next to a town of sorts. We walked towards the town and saw what we guessed to be the mayor of the town. We walked toward him, "are you the mayor of this town?" Sola asked. "Why yes I am and who are you?" the old man asked. "I am Sola-TCL-448, a Skitarii alpha for the 101ST Thetan military and this is my squad. We are here on a request from a John Septus." he said in the most formal way possible. "I am John Septus," said the mayor. "We were having some cultist problems and I don't have the firepower to fight them," he said. "Ok sir just give us the order and general location and we will head that direction." Sola said. "Hold on, sir if I may" I say to Sola. "yes soldier?" he asks. "Well would it be beneficial to stay till night then when they get here we kill them and interrogate them,sir" I said to Sola. He was in thought for a second and said "that sounds like a plan, good job soldier" he said. "Now mayor, what should we expect from these fiends." Sola asked the mayor. "Well they're about 25 strong and have autoguns and stubbers but that's about it." he said. "Nothing we can't handle sir" Sola stated. With that we were off to patrol the perimeter and wait for the night. We patrolled in pairs of two so it was me and Sola, Beatrix and Pliùtò, then the rest that I didn't know the names of. As we were walking I saw a kid walking next to us doing the same as us and I muted my helmet and said to Sola over the vox channel "do I have permission to talk to the kid?" hearing the *click* of the helmet muting he said "yeah go ahead, watch it, he is still kid" and with that I unmuted my helmet and said "hey there, is there something you need?" I asked him crouching down. "Well I want to become a soldier just like you someday" he said. "Well you have to work really hard to get to this level" Sola piped in. "I know, and can I ask one more thing?" he asked "sure what is it?" I asked, genuinely surprised that he wanted more "can you take off your helmet?" I was shocked and turned to Sola and he gave a nod. "Alright," I said, removing my helmet. He seemed speechless so I put it back on and said "well we have to go and protect your home" and I stood and continued walking and I saw the kid run off, probably back home. After A few more hours we reconvened at the tavern.