Soul Caliber 3 (Parallel Lines)

Chapter 1 Part 1

Soul Calibre: Parallel lines

Chapter 1

There were few things as beautiful as a sunset off the Pacific Ocean. The winds of the Pacific pushed the air craft carrier, Arc Royale, gently as it trudged forwards. Cerle stood immobile even through the strong winds. Which only added to the joy of being there in that moment. Who needed war when faced with such beauty? Cerle scratched his chin, his skin so rough it was as though layered in salt. He could taste it when he breathed, he could even taste it when he bite his lip. It got everywhere that was a fact of working on any ocean. It accumulated and built up until it was visible to everyone making everything look either old or dirty. Cerle checked the time from an old styled pocket watch.

The cleaning crews would be there soon. It was time for the last thorough cleaning before the ship reached the coast. New jets would replace most of the current ones Cerle had on board. They could have just flown them off but command had been specific on the Arc coming in. The whole task of replacing everything and doing maintenance would take a month. Cerle flipped his watch shut and put it back in his white Admirals uniform.
The ship rocked gently under a large wave. Cerle held onto walking stick, not moving an inch. It was a finished oak shell with a sword underneath and the word soul engraved. The oak shell, white, matching his uniform faded and aged by time giving him and it something in common.

The ship lurched ever so slightly and he gripped tighter, his mind drifting to his daughter, his mind drifting to his daughter. The question of death finally claimed him. If he could, he'd have lived through it, hung up on a display in remember her father by.

A grin etched it's self on his face. She was 30 years old and he still couldn't think of her than anything else than her baby. Though she didn't think much of him, not much at all.

Ten years and still no word but he'd never stop trying to reach her. Hundreds of letters, phone calls even 'emails'. He had to tell her about heart. He wouldn't survive it and she needed to get soul.

His eyes closed as his face fell. The nuclear reactor on the ship wasn't loud but one could hear it if the ocean was still enough. That hum added with the sound of the wind and the ocean tended to make shouting and whispering sound like the same thing. It was particularly hard to hear footsteps but at that moment he bristled.

He instinctively reached under his uniform jacket. Cerle had a lot of battle experience which was surprisingly rare for most people in his rank. Cerle had started out as a marine and worked his way up to where he was. The fear of someone coming from behind him and stealing his life away never left him.

The bottom of his suit flapped up to reveal a heavy white steel desert eagle 5.0. With a special engraving written Nirvana. The senses inside of Cerle grew and outlined the shape of a human being which stopped a meter behind Cerle. Cerle kept silent waiting for the presence behind him to grow a voice. Anyone behind him would present themselves soon or end up with a giant hole in their backs. His men knew this.

"Sir Vante Sir!" Came the voice. It was female and one he heard more often then any other. Cerle let go of Nirvana and rested both of his palms on Soul once again.

"What is it Ms Crow?" He said with a dangerously cool air.

"Our thermal radar has spotted something. Something large." Ms. Crow yelled.

"Where?" Cerle asked still keeping his eye on the ocean as if willing what ever the object was to come out into the open.

The lieutenant stepped in front of Cerle and saluted. She was in her best uniform just like him but, unlike him, her hair wasn't rose up and down in the wind, wild free. Much to Cerle's disappointment, and yet. There was no point in reprimanding her. He'd have been off reprimanding a brick wall. She was a good soldier and an extremely hard worker with the tendency to always be in good spirits or severely depressed. In that aspect she was a little like a pendulum, moving from one side to the other of each pole but always staying within the law.