The Dekmár Roads: The Factions of Natorna

Chapter 24: New Parameters

        Laoenfer was back at the outpost after their inadvertent attack on the government building in Klatlara. He was standing beside the Array building watching out into the company. Drescznor was walking around the inside of the wall with Feneher who was recovered enough to move about. They were ensuring the wall was secured enough. Laoenfer had seen Goranor take a few to patrol the outside of the walls. Laoenfer was waiting for his detail to show up. He may have been technically the same rank as Feneher but since he had more time and experience, he asked Laoenfer to take his detail and perform a wide patrol around the outpost but refused to give him any more people. He explained to him if he had too much it would be too much of a target. He was not thrilled about that but could actually understand where he was coming from.
Laoenfer waited for a few minutes later before he saw Glalor and the rest of his detail arrive. Laoenfer grabbed his day pack from the ground, donned it and told them, "Well, let's start walking."

        Glalor said disappointedly, "We aren't getting any speeders or any kind of transports though."

        "No, we are walking. I am in the same sentiment, I wish we could as well. Don't worry though, we won't be out too long, only for a few hours."

        One of the detail member asked Laoenfer, "I don't understand. Why can't we get a speeder and do it quickly. We can still see things as we pass by. People are not that hard to distinguish when they are walking to us."

        Laoenfer answered, "Yes, that is true if they are walking to us but that is not so much of the point to do it quickly. Part of the issue is if they are not being obvious, then we might miss them. I think the largest reason, though, is that Aerial Fighter. We are still trying to determine what happened. All you need to know, however that we believe it is similar to what sent the commander's ship down and the transports from that the Glectenta came in on. Something took control over the sensors and readouts. It is true that the commander's ship was shot down but I am told they were guided to a certain location, one that was not originally their destination. The Glectenta's ship, it sent them way away from the outpost despite swearing they were following their guidance system on board. Although, the Aerial Fighter, the sensors displayed hostiles. The pilot said that he saw from his heads up display and heard weaponry being fired from the government building."

        The detail did not hear of that intel until now and were shocked. Glalor mentioned, "That would be why we are walking then? You all afraid of that happening to the speeders?"

        "Yes. I'm afraid that would happen to any vessel we have."

        Another detail member asked, " What is going to happen with the people of Katlena? What are we supposed to do if they decide to retaliate?"

        Laoenfer replied, "I am not sure. We are just making certain right now we are not in any immediate threats. From what I understand, we will clear the area and reassess the situation."

        Laoenfer and his detail slowly walked out and around the outpost. The ground was originally flat and it was relatively easy going for a planet with low oxygen. The small pebbly ground changed as they walked westward bound to larger boulders. They strained intensely as they entered the mountainy zone. They did not have all that much in their packs, just some food bars and a large water pack which was already half empty. They only had started sipping it when the dark brown soil became rocky. That was ten minutes ago.
The troops took a break. They were exhausted and labored to breathe. Glalor was dizzy and his head, he could not tell if it was moving around or if it was just his vision. He did notice, nevertheless, a valley up in the mountains where he could see towers in the distance. He pointed that out to Laoenfer who opened up his map on the com helmet and put it on to look through the heads up display. He told his detail, "Yes, so that is Verena. It is a small city up in the mountains. From the details I see, they do some mechanical only mining but specifically to supplement Katlena. There are also a few spaceports there which mostly take in shipments."

        Glalor said, "A shipment of oxygen would be amazing."

        "I'm pretty sure it is more complicated then that. From what I have learned, it took Conharsa quite some time to get the levels they have there." Laoenfer said.

        One of the members popped up, "Planting more trees would help."

        "Sure. Admitted Laoenfer. "But it takes more than just trees to build an ecosystem I'm told. It is much more complicated than that and difficult to stabilize. I asked those questions when I first got to Conharsa. It wasn't specifically for this planet though. I still only retained half of what I was told. Like I said, it was very complicated and Conharsa still had a long way to go. They wanted it more like Glecta's environment, full of life."

        Glalor interjected, " Probably would still be grey, no matter how much they plant. It is kind of their theme."

        Laoenfer smiled and said, " You're not wrong. Those people, for some reason, love that color to no end."

        After the troops rested enough, they warily continued on, as slowly as they could until they cleared the rocky foothills of the mountains. They continued until they reached the southern portion of the outpost and out of water. They returned, parched, drained of energy and without clearing the entire perimeter. They could not continue unless they had more water and much rest. Laoenfer contacted Feneher and told him that they were returning. Laoenfer was surprised by the response. He expected the Commander to be upset that they did not finish the perimeter.

        When Laoenfer and his detail arrived, his detail was dismissed for the night. Laoenfer was given water and told to wait in the central sitting area by the fire pit. The sun was starting to lower and would soon set. Feneher and Drescznor arrived fifteen minutes later and Feneher abruptly woke Laoenfer who had dozed off with a sharp kick to the boots. Drescznor addressed him when he came too, "We have something's we need to discuss. I will not keep you too long. I can see that you are desperately needing rest. I will start at the beginning. Others from nearby cities have received word about what we did in Klatlara."

        Feneher added, "It is not all true what they are saying. We did find some survivors."

        "Yes." Drescznor continued, "We retrieved them and deposited them in medical. It was fortunate that others recovered and freed up the room there."

        Feneher took another turn at speaking, "Which leads us to what we will do about the dead. Some have perished that were being cared for in medical and the bodies from the crash still need to be recovered. We should not leave them their to rot."

        Drescznor proceeded with what he was saying, "There is that though may have to wait until we are able to. Correctly, we have larger issues."

         Laoenfer looked intently at the speakers. He was not expecting their reactions. He had felt that Feneher was nothing but a disrespectful and vile individual. He did not know he actually cared for people. He thought that Drescznor would be the one to take that position. He was, however, the more mission oriented and logical. He figured that might have come from their standpoints. Feneher was geared more for defense and Drescznor was for offense. Feneher was for here and now, and Drescznor was for what could be done for the future. Laoenfer continued listening.

         Drescznor said, "We received transmission from the Council Leader. He is indeed on Glecta. He was planning only staying for a moment but they ran into trouble there. What was done here reached Glecta and the people there are furious. There are more info coming out when he can get the chance but for right now, he is directing us to support other planets. Not just Glecta is finding out about what was done here, people across the solar system are learning of this. From what he told me, there were multiple Communication Arrays that were overtaken by the populous and forced the Lascart who were operating them to send out the information. The Council Leader supposedly used one Array that was still secured. For the request he is making, he needs us to take back control over the Communication Arrays. After that, in attempt to temper the people's eagerness to fight us, we to act either forcefully or diplomatically. Whatever way would result in peace. I do not believe that they would be easily swayed, so forcing them to capitulate would be the most likely scenario."