The War: Just the Beginning of the End

Chapter 1

Chapter 1
The Real Thing

"There's.. nothing," Jyeke commented to Jerray over his communication channel. 

Jerray, traveling in a separate drop ship than his companion, answered back, "I can't believe it." 

The two men were en route to their drop point on the planet Ignast. Both of their shuttles carried their own group of Reaver soldiers. It had taken them a while to find a suitable entry point because of the dust storm still encompassing the entire planet. Only a few eyes in the storm were apparent and without the clearing in the atmosphere, they were sure their VTOLs exteriors would be shredded by the dust if they attempted atmospheric entry anywhere else. After clearing through the eye safely and entering the dust cloud in the thinner layer close to the planet surface, they both found themselves staring off into a dreary wasteland of littered skyscrapers and swirling dust devils. 

Jyeke was clearly referencing to the fact that there was nearly nothing left to the Ignan civilization on the planet, but there were also a few other factors to consider. Under the cloud of the dust storm, light was very limited, only being available through small breaks or thinned layers of dust in the rolling clouds, not a single trace of plant life seemed to be apparent on the surface, and not a single life form was visible either. 

Jerray spoke again, "I wonder what it looked like before this. What could have made them expect so much out of their own planet, and not give back to it?" 

Even in the expanse of destroyed buildings, high-rises, and skyscrapers, there also seemed to be no prominence of the Ignan's own esteem for themselves. Not a single waste of material looked like at one point it could have been a standing landmark or significant accomplishment. It looked as though they were a selfish and shameless group of people, leeching off their own planet for their own betterment, which they knew no end to. Only until the planet itself reached its end, and added to it was much earlier than it should have been. 

"You feel kinda guilty?" Jyeke asked Jerray. 

Jerray clarified, "For what?" 

Jyeke thought to himself and answered, "Well, we are Ignans, right? I mean, at least one side of our ancestry is. And I'm not saying that this is our fault, but.. don't you think they should have known better?" 

Jerray responded, "Man, I'm pretty sure everyone thinks that, but just imagine how we were raised to think our own way, and they were raised to think their way. It was inevitable even if the Plagnans and Zachens told them to change their ways before it was too late. Their social structure was corrupted from the start and it only could go downhill from there. Just be thankful we grew under the Zachen social structure, and not from our Ignan heritage." 

Jyeke remained silent to ponder about it and agreed. The Ignans brought their fate upon themselves ignorantly or otherwise and they suffered the consequences, Jerray and Jyeke didn't. They were just there to clean up the mess. That of course meant the extinction of these self-proclaimed No Names upon this Hellish planet. Which is of course what they were brought here for.

* * *

20 hours before arrival to Ignast.

Jerray and Jyeke stood at attention in front of their ships which had landed out on the Vardak Plains beyond the town of Tarnel where they lived. They were dressed in their military uniforms of black blazer and matching cargo pants, with navy blue under-armor and combat boots. They wore their identical patches on their right shoulders to signify their height of command in the army as Captains. Approaching them was a higher ranked official dressed in full full navy blue threads. Jerray and Jyeke saluted the Major and he nodded in response.