25 Chapter 25: Meeting the Resistance

[PoV: Lith]

''Holy shit! These are Palamedes and Geraint!'' Lith hears the small bear announced with a voice full of shock, denial and horror and a pair of glowing eyes. ''We should go. The two combined are not to be trifled with.'' Says Red leading all to seeking cover in the ruined office building. ''Art you know these two?'' Asks Silencer Art with a nearly inaudible voice. ''Oh yeah I know them my two former knights. The Elder one is Palamedes the Scolar, the best dam bard and thief you will ever meet. The Tital Scolar he got when posing as a Scolar at an renound Music Academy where he nearly emptied their library of all written word. The other one, the Drake is Geraint the blue, the best dam sailor. He not only found the great underground streams he also sailed all of them alone. I never imaged they the two of them would switch over to the Empire.'' Says the king in a bear cups body with a stern expression looking totally cute in Liths eyes. ''Come on you guys! If we don't go now we will have to fight them.'' Says Red standing ontop of a nearby hill made out of rubble. ''Coming! We are coming!'' Shouds Lith a bit to enthusiastic at Red, earning her self an eye rolle from her new friend an annoyed looks from her companions.

Following after Red over the rubble they are lead to a circular rubble free landing area. Seeing Red lightening a red signal torch Lith soon hears engine noyes coming from high above her head and a helicopter desend infront of them. ''Naturally a Uh-1 Slicks.'' Hears Lith her titan commenting when seeing the helicopter desend and a soldier jumping out. Suddenly the solder freezes when seeing Hill. ''Comander!'' He says saluting him. ''Dear?!'' Lith asks a bit perplexed looking up to Hill. ''He is one of my officers I left in charge in the district war. Captain John.'' Hill says saluting the nodding soldier before asking the same. ''Is the floating fortress still standing?'' ''That is a complicated question to answer. It would be best for you your self to decide. Sir.''

Reports the man while leading Hill, Bearson and Lith inside the helicopter. With all sitting down and roaring motors they rise high above the clouds before the soldier continues his report. ''After the occupation started we begun with guerilla warfare and evacuation of the civilians. With our limited help the civilians formed the Resistance. Ah there it is.'' He exclains and points out of the open helicopter door to Liths right. There outside underneath the clouds Lith an see a single egglike structure in the middle of a large lake. Desending down to it more and more details become visible. Next to the structure a four langing pads are needy arranged arround the skyscraper made out of steel and glass. Three meters above the ground Lith can partly make out structures underneath the water surface. ''After you Miss.'' Says John to Lith while helping her out of the helicopter. ''Thank you.''

Looking up Lith is deeply moved by the sheer size of the partly see through skyscraper. ''After the distict war the sky fortress fell and wie had to mostly rebuild it, exept for this building that whe had to mostly remodel internally. It is still 180 metres (591 ft) but now boasts 41 that make up 47,950 square metres (516,100 sq ft) total floor area.'' Explains John while leading them throw a wide portal into what seems to be the original 14th floor. Every where Lith can look there are soldiers or refugees. ''In the war and up until now whe where able to safe 54% of the districts total population. 70% of all saved are now working inside Sky fortress, the remaining 30% even joined the active forces of my Comander.'' He further explains to all but looks sternly at Hill. ''Good word. Good work Captain.'' Praises Hill the Soldier and further asks. ''How now is the Resistance organised? I wouldn't believe you if you say you control both military and civil personal.'' ''You are right Sir. The total control comes from the council. An essambly made up of the Leaders of the Refugees.'' John explains while leading Lith, Hill, Red and Arthur to an see through elevater in the middle of the floor. Going up Lith can see the order in the former chaos of people and containers that made up the 14th floor. -39- Shows a small panel in the glass wall before the elevater stops. ''39? I thought that the council would be situated on the highest floor?!'' Comments Arthur saying something for the first time arriving at the fortess. ''They wanted to but floor 40 and 41 are the exclusive residential floor of Sir Hill.'' Answers the captain opening up the elevater doors.

In the room behind it Lith can heare man and woman shouting at each other. ''Shouting the extrem form of debating.'' Hears Lith Hill say when witnessing three partys fighting. ''This isn't some fight for the survival of our species. This is just the fight for our independence. We just have to get them in talks with us. All forms of aggressions lead to further aggressions.'' Says a bald middle aged men in a business suit shouting at a woman while earning him self several nods form his supporters. ''Tom are you nuts? This is the fight for your race. Can't you see they are the very Variants that not only sully the human gen pools but also slaughter the innocent. Whe have to eradicate them all not talk to them.'' Says a young blonde woman back at the bald men, nearly coming to blows with him if not for the officer in between the two. ''Neither of you two has any authority to make a decision reguarding millitary actions.'' Says the officer when seeing the elevater open. ''Whell said Officer Smith.'' Praises Hill walking into the room stopping all discussions and dhutting everybody up by just arriving.

Out of nowhere a elevated throne made out of floating rock appears on the fare end of the formerly shouting group and opposid the still remaining elevator. Lith can see the shocked expression of Red who open mouthed looks at her. Following after Hill Lith can see the astonished faces of all people. The bald man called Tom looks smug at the young blonde woman who lofty looks at Lith. Dispirite both of them being blonde and good looking Lith can feel herself sympathising with the bald man, be it only this apparent neutral stand on Variants. With Hill sitting down in his floating throne and all uniformed personal saluting him Hill says. ''Now let's begin with making some ground rules.

1. Variants and Humans are equal. 2. Head of Civil and Millitary is me. 3. This Woman here Lilian 'Lith' Rice is my right hand. Now come forth and make your cases.'' After more than 3 hours Lith can see how more and more people come forth making similar cases to the blonde woman who Lith now knows as Becca and the bald Tom. ''Ok. Can we stop? I know all you people will make cases in one of these two categories.'' Says Lith pointing at Becca and Tom. ''My lovely Lith is right. So I make my decision. First of about what the two of you where debating is the difference between -Crimes against peace- what they are certainly guilty of, -War crimes- they are also guilty of and -Crimes against beeing- I'm uncertain about. So Miss Becca I can side with you that we have to hunt them down inside district 117. BUT I also side with Mr Tom when it comes to seeking a diplomatic route, because we are currently to weak. So our plan will be to first liberate 117 and then establish peaceful relations. Council dismissed!''

After all the council members have left the floor through the elevater Red goes infront of Hill who still sits in his throne. ''We have to agree with your decision and district 75 will support your endever of establishing peaceful relations with other non Empire districts.'' ''Thank you. A saide from your district I can only depend on Odin and King Art as outside support. Now to more pressing matters...'' He says and a 3D model appears out of nowhere showing all of Sky fortress. ''...how do we fix this? I don't want is destroyed again by the next district war.'' ''Oh, I know a whay but you won't like it.'' Says Art/Arther with a wicked smile on his fluffy face. ''Say It?!'' Demands Hill and the bear places a small ball like device directly under the model. ''This is the former bland capital city of my empire...'' He explains when a new massive structure three times larger is shown inside the fortress. ''Greate give me a moment and I create it.'' Says Hill rotating arround while activating his gauntlet. ''Stop dear I think Art has still something to say.'' Lith stops him from going through with his plan. Annoyed Hill asks. ''Good what is it Bearson.'' While rubbing his claws and laughing slightly evil the King/Blacksmit says. ''We will have to do it by hand with the recurces from my treasury. I preasume we will have to use it all just to construct the basic structure not including the power source.''