chapter 3: marked

Rose year 4th July 2703

They both walked synchronously till they reached the garage where their steship is kept. Whilteker pushed the door open as she walked in. everyone in the garage noticed her entrance and stopped what they were doing. "Good morning whilteker they all chorused. "Hope you all slept well?" she asked with a smile on her face.

"whilteker, the steshisps with weird markings are kept at the other side," Dougherty said to whilteker as they walked to the edge where they kept the steships with weird markings.

" holly molley." Whilteker's jaw dropped upon seeing the markings on the steships.

"what's the problem, whilteker, does it look familiar?"

" It sure does, Dougherty. Aeron ain't fucking around no more."

"what do you mean by that whilteker?" Dougherty asked, rather confused.

" Do you remember the incident that wiped out the whole of district three? I was a member of district three and the only surviving. Then I was transferred to this district. Each of my comrades steship had the same markings after the encounter. And their bodies were not to be found."

" So you mean we all wouldn't have survived if the handler hadn't given the instructions. Or had he also seen it coming?" Dougherty said in a sorrowful voice.

" That could be a hundred percent right, Dougherty. Or maybe the handler had a connection with district three's handler.

--FEDERACY—

3rd July 2703

" Cornel Robert Harrison, the lieutenant General asked to see him at his office." A female voice said through his head set. Robert sighed and rubbed his face with his two hands. He then stands and leaves for the Lieutenant General's office. He knocked at the door twice before a husky voice replied to him. " You can come in." Robert twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open. Before him was a buffed man in his late 60's, peach black eyeballs, wrinkled forehead and some stripes of grey hair. " Please have a seat Cronel." Lieutenant General John Harrison, his uncle, said to Robert as he rolled the tip of his beard that seemed like it had been well kept and trained.

" Cornel Robert harrison, why did your steships retreat...? and that while the aerons were still attacking." He asked, still rubbing his beard.

" Sir, the steship and the whole of district nine would have been casualties, if I didn't take such action."

" Casualties…? Why do you care so much about this damn district nine? They are all a bunch of criminals."

" You call people who protect your country criminals?" Robert asked.

" Oh Robert, you are doing the exact same thing your dad was doing, which led to his death." He said as he removed his hands from his beard, trying to reach out Robert's hand.

" My dad did what he thought was right, and I don't mind doing the same. Are you scared of me dying? How many people die out there in the frontline? Don't they also have a family?