“Ghost”

I was forcefully enrolled in the Ghost squad when the war started. The Ghost squad was small, we were the ones sent on the most dangerous missions. If any of us did a mistake, everything would've gone downhill. We've been in 5 missions: recon, divide and conquer, defense, stealth offense and the last one of our squad annihilation.

I still remember commander Greeger's last words before we got into the mission. "This mission will be an easy one, Fritz you're with me." I wonder if I wasn't with Greeger, if Theodore would've ever found me…

We got in our mechs and headed towards the battle field. I still remember that one of our men, goddess of death may rest his soul, was a bit under the weather, he knew something bad was going to happen. "What's going on Chopper?" I asked him, he responded with a simple "nothing," but I knew he was fearing something, his voice and his attitude told everything. He wasn't the type to be this gloomy.

When we arrived on the field, we were tasked to find the enemy troops. We carefully scavenged the ground, using our scanners and thermals. We found nothing, "I expected the enemy to be here" Once we let our guard down, the enemy attacked. From every direction posibile. My mech was bitten in half by one of those Dragon mechs Libertans have.

Commander tried to help me but a cannon blasted the mech in half, I have seen commander Greeger torn in half, his guts flying at everyone even though the cut was made with perfection. The dragon wanted to attack my hull, somehow I still had one weapon module on. I used it when the dragon fell down, but the mech was not working anymore. I quickly exited the mech with my service gun in hand.

Chopper was fighting one of those dragons, I couldn't help, without a mech, as a pilot you're useless. I went towards the dragon I downed and checked his components, they had the same tech as ours, the same cloak mode, the same thermals, the same scanners. Someone sold our tech to them. Sadly the story doesn't end here. The guy in the dragon wakes up and sees me working at his mech. He pulled out his gun and shot me. The plasma shot hit me directly in the chest, my armor protected me from that one bullet, still lucky i guess.

I shot him back, I hit the bullseye. I slowly got to the ground pretending to be dead. After, Chopper's falls on me, his mech was defected, sparks came out of the mech on my face.

I closed my eyes trying to dodge the sparks, but the sparks turned into flames, and 35% of my body got severe burns, starting from the face, that's what's up with the scars.

After minutes that felt like hours, I heard a voice. "Start searching for survivors!" It was Theodore, I didn't know, I was conflicted if I had to scream or not, I never felt pain like that or fear. My face was burning like hell and my skin was getting burned off. "Rinehart helped me get this mech off."

When I've heard I bagged in my head to be the enemy, to see me alive and end my suffering. It wasn't. And when the mech was pulled off me I saw Theodore for the first time Theodore. He was wearing a short sleeve shirt and I could see that he had one arm, more than half of his arm was none existent. I screamed in pain, he didn't think twice and rushed over me asking me "are you okay? We are gonna get you out of here buddy."

He got me on his back and he runed with me on his back till the mobile medical center. He placed me on one of the beds and from there nothing. After a week or so, he asked me if I would dare to join his war party. His kind smile, even though he has a certified handicapped, he still wanted to fight, he still wanted to make a change with the power he has. I am older than him and never seen a child have this much will in his body.

"I accept!" Were my words. I've spent 4 weeks in recovery and when I decided to get in to the field again, he gave me a rank and a special callsign along a special division of 14 men. "I nominate you as the sub-commandant, Lancer, 'Ghost' Fritz" He gave me the mask and from that day till a year ago I worked for him, in his service.

Lancer explained while eating breakfast with Milena. "Poor you, no wonder those scars were so ugly… You must've endured a lot!" Said Milena with a kind voice, creasing his face. After the story, Lancer continued eating without addressing the scars or anything related to Theodore and him. "I have one more question and then I'll let you live in peace for today. Why do you hate Theodore now?"

Lancer looked at his plate, scratched his head and sighs, his eyes move to look at Milena, he moved his head slightly upward to look her in the eyes. "We had an argument, It's something that happened between us, I can't tell you, but all I can say is, it's my fault." He gets up from the table, wipes his mouth with a napkin and looks at Milena.

"The food was delicious, I'll wait for you in the throne room so we can assist the locals with our aid." His plate was still full, he barely ate anything.He swiftly exits the room to not talk to Milena more about this topic.