Squad 312 : The one with all the Misfits

A chimpa-what now?

Cat's POV

We're about to fly into Octavian airspace and I couldn't be more terrified. Our propellers and defences are almost down because of the bullets we've been dodging.

"Emergency!", I yelled out to the squad.
"What is it, Zero!", asked our captain who came running behind me.
"Our engines are busted, all I'm saying, this is gonna be a rocky landing.", I said.
"Oh, hell!", said Scarlett.
"Buckle up guys!", said Tyler coming up into the cockpit.
Everyone got into their seats and strapped in.

"How're we looking, Zero?", asked Finian.
"This is gonna be a tough landing, we might sustain heavy damage.", I said.
"Well, we don't have an option, do we?", asked Miranda.
"Can't Aurora do some of her Ra'haam magic thingy?", asked Finian.
"Do you want to die that bad?", asked Aurora.
Everybody, including me, chuckled at that while Fin just nodded his head.

"We're losing altitude and I'm increasing velocity"
We're going down and we're gonna die. No, I'm going to make this landing.

Beep
Beep
Losing altitude
3000m
2000m

"Hold on to your undies, kids!", I shouted as we made our rocky-tough landing.

Landing successful
Multiple parts breached
Engine breached
Defences down

"We're alright", shouted our captain Armstrong stretching her hands up in happiness. Scarlett looks shaken, Fin's eyes are closed and it looks like he's praying. Kal's head is perfectly still, damn the Slydarthi coolness. Aurora is looking around and breathing heavily. Zila is doing routine breathing and Tyler, sweet handsome Tyler, is looking at our other captain in a state of shock.

"How can you be happy after all this!", he asked.
"We're alive!", she yelled out.
"Calm down, Andy!", said Scarlett and I remembered her nickname. Andy.

Flashback

It was the first week of elementary and Tyler was just brought back from the infirmary after I broke a chair on his head. Out came a cute little boy with a bandaid on his right eyebrow, smiling, despite the pain.

"I'm sorry", I said.
"It's okay.", he said smiling.

Scarlett, Tyler and I sat at a table together at the back of the room - it was green. Scarlett started talking about a new chocolate she ate the other day.

"It was really good, it melted so fast!", she said with her eyes lighting up.

We kept talking about random stuff and Ty was mumbling stuff bout his dad and some war when behind us, the door opened. The teacher ran towards it and slowly pulled into the room a little girl with short black hair and bright eyes. All the other tables were full except ours and she made the girl sit with us.

"Hi. What's your name?", said Scarlett looking at her while Tyler just sat quietly looking at her.
"I'm Miranda, Andy.", she said looking at us.
"I'm Tyler.", he said and they shook hands smiling. Those two and their diplomacy.
"I'm Cat. This is Scarlett", I said to her to which she nodded with a big smile.

"That's the 'Armstrong' kid, isn't it?", asked a teacher from far behind. I remember she sounded so....disgusted. Obviously I didn't care.

Flashback ends

There are warnings of gas leakage everywhere and the place looks totally abandoned. We're so dead.

"Are we dead yet?", asked Fin whose eyes were closed.
"No we're not Skinnyboy.", I said.
"Ok, nobody is going to expose themselves to the atmosphere, so suits on well and good", said Tyler.

We got out and our captains split everybody into teams so no one would be left behind. Out of nowhere, there was this huge...monster thing coming at us.

"What's that?", yelled out Scarlett as we ran to a safer spot.
"It's a chimpanzee.", said Aurora.

"A chimpa-what now?", asked Finian.

"A chimp. A type of big monkey.", she said.
"Aurora, I've seen monkeys, this is certainly not one!", said Miranda looking around in panic.
"I don't know, maybe it's the atmosphere!", said Aurora. Maybe?

"Let's calm down first. Zila, Kal, you got your disruptors?", asked Miranda.
"Yes ma'am.", they said nodding.
"Set it to kill."

"Is this a good idea?", asked Ty frightened.
"Not at all.", said Miranda shaking her head.
"On the count of three, Zila and Kal, fire at the...thing. Others, just run."

One
Two
Three

The plan was working perfectly, until I snagged my suit on a rock and I yelled out in pain. I felt the poisonous atmosphere hitting my skin, seeping into my soul. This is the end.

"Cat......", yelled Miranda who was a few miles behind me.
My eyes are closing shut, slowly.

Cat, can you hear me?
Cat, please
Cat, please don't go

It was Tyler. That sweet little boy.

I'm struggling to breathe, the air's rushing out of my lungs. I feel the snagged spot being closed but it's too late.

Scarlett's POV

My best friend's dying. No, she won't die.

Tyler picked her up and we're rushing to the medical station which Aurora pointed to us. She really does know the place.

"Ok, we're here. Close off air circulation, fast!", said Miranda and we did that.
"What do we do?", she asked panicking.
Please wake up, Cat.

We hooked her up to a few machines to check her vitals.

"Squad 312, do you hear me?", asked my brother through the comms.
"We're here sir!", said Kal and Aurora from the other side.
"Zila? Fin?", asked my brother.
"We're here sir!", said Zila and Finian from the other side.

----------
With much love,
Girl You Don't Know