Odd Company

Chapter 3 Can't spell Dilemma, without "me"!

Was it too much to ask, for this to work, she wondered? Emitting an orange light around herself, she flew close to the ground to avoid detection. Her fists were trembling, while clenching her jaw. Majari's concern came to mind , from before she left. Upon the Homeland's Call, Majari requested Taliyah leave her communicator open to him. In case anything went wrong, he could be there.

In a few minutes the aftermath was in sight. She did not want to worry, or put Majari in any more danger than he already was. There were still plenty of people needing transport off world. There was no doubt how capable Taliyah knew Majari was. The fear alone of something happening to him or Idris, from coming to her location made her hesitate turning it on. But, on it went.

8 now lifeless Star Dust bodies of whatever nomad materials they could find were in pieces. Rock, metals, and any unused materials of the planet were used to form bodies of variety similar to the animal life that once was here. She was disgusted, seeing these remains so misused and corrupt.

This light was a part of life all creatures shared. 5 laid outside while 3 were by her team. It's possible the remnants of the Star Dust had fled once their shells were too badly damaged. Bad scarring riddled the bodies. Singed marks like the light had been ripped from their bodies. Something didn't feel right to her.

They were large, most being 3 times the size of the Cheshire. One big large claw on one arm, both larger than the body excluding the tail. They were slouched over with the tail heavily armored. The head and rest of the body was mainly covered in long mossy hair and armor like plating.

Their lights were always centered in their chests, heads and along their limbs with a beautiful glow. Tops, one of her teammates was being held by Grey, "Com-m-Maah-ander T-T-Taliyah they hit Madam Tops w-with something, ssshhe is unconscious. L-Look at this!" His stuttering rarely came up, it varied depending on how tense he was. But what was more clear to Taliyah, was his stuttering was being faked. His normal stuttering pattern was off just enough for her to realize it.

On the battlefield they were covered head to toe in their armor. All matching their unit, of orange and black design. They were all scuffed and the colors paled from the constant fighting they had been in since the Star Dusts betrayed them. Their helmets had large visibility at every angle, with large feathers going out the back. The standard armor for them were identical excluding personal touches they added like symbols or extra pockets. The poncho's on them stopped halfway, with plenty of straps and pockets.

She approached seeing Tops "very convincingly" not looking so good. In her peripheral vision, she saw Black slowly popping open her knife's pocket. Taliyah was ready. Grey's arms had quickly wrapped around Taliyah's neck. In the sleepers' hold, she could feel her light, her life being drained to Grey. Taliyah quickly twisted around her body for Black's knife to go into Grey instead. It had only grazed him but it was enough for Grey's grip to loosen.

Tops quickly turned her hands into large gauntlets and knocked Taliyah high into the air! These cybernetics of Cheshire's body existing in their clothing could act like an exoskeleton. It gave them the ability to manipulate its nanotechnology into a variety of attachments.

As she flew back, a tendril of her hair reached out and grabbed Tops by her neck. She muffled a sigh as she was flung through the roof. Taliyah yelled out, "What is this?! You blame me for this crap too?" The pain was prominent in her voice .

She spun throwing hand sized light grenade constructs all around her. From tech embedded in their hands, they shot most of them down with the same tech that had absorbed her light. The tech resembled a robotic version of the Cheshires eyes. Sharp and intimidating. They dove out of the way of the rest they couldn't reach. They were standard issue not long during this war.