Sigma/Star

Chapter 10: The Battle of Easley

A/N: We made it to Chapter 10 and keep on rolling! I'm so happy with the support Sigma/Star gets and I hope this chapter helps keep the high expectations up for the series. Thanks everyone!

The squad of young students stood in the fields outside Easley, where the road thinned into a small dirt trail that wound away into the horizon. It was starting to get late and the sun would soon be setting across that very same horizon, giving a red-hued backdrop for the combatants. If they were still fighting at that time of course.

Porter could see them coming, a couple faint shadows marching closer. Amidst them were the towering forms of the Goliaths and Porter shuddered with nerves. Across from him was Nami in her own warmachine and he knew she was probably looking towards him from the cockpit. They had not spoken since the moment in the room and the rest of the group had not questioned it.

Could everyone sense what was going on? Porter wasn't sure if it was the tension between him and Nami creating the pressure or if it was just the preparation for battle. The comm link between the team crackled as Ardwen activated it and his voice travelled to each member of the group. "Test, one, two. Remember your positions guys. We cannot let them get any closer than we are right now. Nami drop back to point, Riya with me. Raul, head out now. Porter and Chase, make sure you hold the line but retreat if you have to. Don't make sacrifices for the sake of fighting."

The thrusters from Nami's battlesuit took off and lifted her away and back over a hill, settling herself behind a barn. Porter sighed as emotions swirled around his body. That kiss with Nami was fresh on his mind and he didn't know what to do about it. It wasn't like he hadn't enjoyed it or something or really been repulsed when he found out it was Nami but he only did the kiss because he thought it was Riya and indeed whenever he saw her his heart still fluttered and yet Nami seemed to look a little cuter, shine a little more since that incident...

Porter gave his head a shake. Regardless of these girls he was going to war now. The battle was just minutes away and he had to focus. Chase was off to Porter's side, his excitement mounting now that he got to take part in a battle. He was throwing punches into the air and he opened a personal communication link between himself and Porter.

"Why don't we put a little bit of a contest into this match Porter?"

"No Chase, we have to be prepared and focused. It's not games anymore." Porter was shocked at how strong his voice sounded over the network. Rejecting Chase was not something common for Porter but since he had sat down in his Goliath he felt himself growing in confidence drawn from a part of himself he didn't know he had. Or maybe it had come from that kiss with Nami...

Porter groaned and smashed his head against the control panel in frustration. Nami had been his first kiss! He had wasted it on a little stalker girl who snuck up on him in the dark. And now he was actually thinking for a moment that that kiss had drawn out a more manly strength from him. Fat chance! It was clearly the idea of war bringing out his more courageous side.

"Come on Porter, lighten up. Geez have you seen our team? It's not very often six unique Goliaths get organized into a fight. Though I guess in the case of your old trash bin you can't really contribute..."

"The White Storm was crafted by my grandfather and is more than capable of destroying any army opposing it!" Porter yelled into the link before slamming his finger down on the button to cut Chase off.

Porter was panting as emotions ran through his body. Nami's kiss, Chase's bullying, wartime threats, Ardwen's orders, Nami's kiss. Everything was tormenting his mind and stirring his blood. Bizarrely, his Goliath seemed to respond as well, lights flashing and power levels fluctuating but Porter didn't notice. All he saw ahead was that the first line of the enemy soldiers was approaching and that he would be battling them now.