Five Years after the fall of the Archalian Empire and practically all their advanced tech and weaponry is labeled contraband by The Anopoly, black markets and syndicates profit off trafficked goods fueling a bloody war.
Zemira Reyes(Arose), the dau...
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[Art work By Pino44io on Deviant Art.]
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10:30 AM WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 4865
[Zemira's POV]
It took no less than ten minutes to travel outside city limits, outside Derrick's supposed jurisdiction. It took no less than ten minutes for me to press the gas pedal to the floor, effectively scaring everyone in the back of the transport truck shitless.
"Are you trying to kill us, Zem?" Iris asked both in angst and anger. I just laughed, grateful for the distraction from Insanire, and the knowledge of the wars to come.
"Is that insubordination I'm hearing Lancaster," I asked sarcastically. I'm certain beyond a shadow of a doubt, half the squad currently sitting in the back of the transport truck were confused. After all, I'm their leader, most people only hear me seriously.
"Insubordination my ass, that was a genuine question, which by the way you still haven't answered, Phoenix," She practically spit the word phoenix as if it were a prayer to Fri-Heca or my tribe's worst realm of hell. The words in loose translation mean, Firey Damnation.
"No, I'm not trying to kill you," I said tersely, keeping the Fri-Heca comment to myself I added under my breath, "If I was you wouldn't have had time to ask, let alone breathe."
"Did you say something?" someone asked.
"No," I lied, and then thought to myself, 'Welcome to Desakari,' Desakari being the true name of The Outlands.
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We reached the point where the squad would split off into groups of two or three, each with at least one person whose Ativi could detect metal. That meant I'd be going with Iris, the Remirez' in another, and Holand and a woman named Camryn Maxwell in a third as well as two others in a fourth.
"Alright, as you know The Anopoly doesn't bar access to The Outlands for shits and giggles. There are tribal people who didn't join Derrick in his revolution." I reiterated as it was a main point in the briefing not thirty minutes earlier.
It's mostly true if you ignore the fact that some of those people are from my tribe, who now resent me for unknowingly aiding in the end of our beliefs. A decision I've regretted for five years now. The few among my tribe that don't despise me defend their opinion with the argument that I was only twelve at the time and lost the only good influence in my life two years prior. Unfortunately for them, my age meant nothing supportive as I was considered one of the most lethal in the tribe by the ripe age of five years old.
"Those people view anyone armed with guns as a threat, "I continued, my voice even despite the myriad of emotions that accompanied Desakari and talking about the people I was once made to rule. "So be on guard, however, if you come in to contact with anyone besides this squad," I paused, lowered my voice, "Do Not Engage, send me a signal and I'll come handle it. Do I make myself clear?" I asked followed by the murmur of assent.
