The Dekmár Roads: The Factions of Natorna

Chapter 27: Friend or Foe

Laoenfer was on an aerospace transport. He was exceptionally uneasy and sat at the seat by the escape pod just in case there was a control malfunction or visual deviation that would cause the transport to crash. He nor the other commanders were able to determine what caused the fighter pilot to even enter the craft in the first place. All they could tell was the pilot's HUD was altered which caused him to see something other than reality. What was said, however, was far from believable. He told them some conflicting stories. The first was simply that he felt like he needed to. He later changed his tale by saying that he heard a distress signal from the fighter. They put him in custody in the outpost until they figured out the truth and decide what to do with him.

The transport redirected its' barring, and he could see out of the currently unblocked window the smoke that was still rising from Klatlara. The missile ended up triggering a great deal of fire in the aftermath. It had started off being isolated throughout the city. They struggled to extinguish it and finally got it to contain. There were a few troops that remained to see the fires to go fully out. To get to that point, all of the fire mitigation equipment was used and had to resort to using water. Fortunately, there was a river nearby and were able to pump it to help fight the fire. 

Things were not okay as Laoenfer departed from the surface of Katlena. There was much damage, and many lives lost. He knew that they would have been blamed for it and wondered if the people spreading the news would even mention them helping with the fire and recovering the wounded. He doubted it. What genuinely confused Laoenfer was what the purpose that the Natenta had. Why would the outsiders send them to help the troops? In the end, they played no role, offered no support. Perhaps things would have been different if the missile did not blow the government building. 'Maybe they were a contingency if the missile did not fire.' Laoenfer thought. Maybe they would have fought us if it hadn't. It did not appear that was there intention though.'

Laoenfer continued staring out of the window, his hand clutching his seat due to his nerves, while wishing that his questions were not unanswerable. He glanced down at the com helmet at his feet. He could envision the map of the solar system in his head and the lines marking the plotted path to Natena from Katlena. His goal was to establish defenses on Natena especially after hearing of the troubles arising there. Laoenfer had been afraid to go but was convinced to do his duty. By doing so, he had to take the transport despite the risk.

Motion diverted his eyes from the fixation of the smoke in the distance. A second transport became airborne. It was the transport the people of Natena arrived on. They were to remain at the outpost so that the Liscznat commander, Drescznor could take a force to Glecta to support them there. It would not have been necessary if his previous transport had not crashed.

When the aerospace transport finally left the atmosphere, Laoenfer could finally relax. He unbuckled his seat restraints, closed the window shield, got up and walked around. He looked at the faces of the troops. They looked relieved as well. Many of them were Lascarta like himself but a few were Liscznata. Nevertheless, they were all under his command, a charge he never wanted. Now he had a duty. Without him they would be leaderless, or the task would not be completed. He wondered how it would be if they found a way to win, how things would be. Would it be any different? He was in a better position if it would remain the case afterwards. The whole reason of his irritation may still persist. Yet, that would only be a matter of concern if they won the fight against the outsiders and their accomplices.

Laoenfer shuddered at the idea of being defeated. The entire solar system scorched by conflict. Those who survived would be prisoners of a cruel master. That would be if they even took prisoners. Life with torture and subjugation  with no hope of escape or death. Those were the only likely outcomes if they lost. Laoenfer may not have agreed or was happy with the government of Natorna, although, that was much more a preferable result. 'Maybe things could be different.' He repeated over and over again in his mind.