Hiigaran Sorrow

[Vay]

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Hiigara, a simple word with a singular meaning. "Home." It is what we called our world.

The Allied Core is what they called themselves. We were once free, but that called us theirs, so we defied them. They sent ships.

Dacroin.

New Durce.

Freeport.

Huloa.

Pech.

They all fell within a month. He hit back. At Tunia we were waiting for them and their fleet burned, their transports surrendered. We made them bleed.

They sent more ships, more men than we had ever seen.

But we waited for them in the black.

Hiigara, my home world, where I grew up. The war would be decided. They said beating us would be child's play. We said we'd prove them wrong.

It looked like we were about to eat out words. In cargo ships and salvaged wrecks we met their fleet. We never stood a chance.

"This is the Achilles, out battlegroup is destroyed, we have major damage and fired on all decks.he are breaking off and broadcasting our surrender. God help us."

Battlegroup Covenant had been our last line of defense. The moment I heard those words I knew if wouldn't be long before their ships appeared int he sky and thier men, million strong began raining down on out heads.

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That was three weeks ago, now their forces were on the ground. The battle for Azriel's reach had just begun.

"Hell wheres out air support, Halsey get on the radio and tell them we need fliers or we're overun five minuet ago."

Bullets ricocheted off of Jido's armor. It had been captured at Tunia and had the enemy marking painted over with his own. A blood red hand print and a hand painted raven. On the back was the name of his regement. "Hiigaras own." with their motto. "To the fiery ends of the universe."

"Sir, they say we're to hold position and cover the retreat, there is no air support available."

"Shit.. EVERYONE FORM A FIRING LINE."

More shots impacted around him and he raised his weapon sending a burst from where the shots had come from.

"We hold the line, they run like hell, typical day at the office, THEY DO NOT GET PAST US WE...."

There was an explosion right in the middle of them and Jido was thrown off his feet. He caught a glimpse of the others flying in the opposite direction as his gun was ripped from his hands by the force and he struggled through the concussion, pulling out his sidearm and pulling himself behind cover.

There was a shout and they came. Jido pulled himself to his feet and fired, one bastaerd down, two, three. The rest took cover and began firing potshots as enemy aircraft zoomed overhead.

This used to be a school....

A school he had memories of... but it was the different world back then.

 

[Iliana]

Azriel was in shambles but the battle was not going to end in a stalemate. The Allies were determined to reign victorious, further showing the filthy Hiigaran rebels their places: on the ground or dead. An infantry of 20 was all that was needed to suppress the fire of the Rebellion, and even more so, silence the grounds of Azriel for the Allied cause.

---

​

Nothing was more satisfying the sound gargling sound of a rebel due to having a sword ripped wildly across their throats. Once the body fell, more battle cries rose into the air and the onslaught continued. One by one the Allied forces pelted their way over debris and corpses, anticipation their next kill.




"They aren't retreating, mam!"

"Then we make them by force." Imala announced loudly and the confirmation was another rupture of battle cries before they pushed on to the remaining rebels. Their numbers were dwindling down to little but the bullets continued to fly past the air. Imala pelted over a bulk of armor worn by a dead rebel and shot twice at an group of armored rebels in front of her. The azure laser was not enough to pierce the titanic plates, but it was enough to distract the wearer as she gripped her sword and zipped to the dazed rebel. The rebel opened fire and Imala instantly aimed her gun towards the mid-helmet area of assaulter. Crouching to gain speed, Imala sprinted towards the man before she heard a familiar beeping sound.

"Detonator!" a far off Allie called out though Imala couldn't move in time. She willed her feet to skid to a stop before a blast erupted through the area. The blast throw the group off of their feet and onto the ground. The blast radius was enough to push her back a couple of feet, but not enough to impact as much damage as the rebels. This battle was nearly over.

"ADVANCE!" Imala shouted to the ones that did not get affected at the explosion while she readied her gun again, sprinting forward to the vulnerable men.

​

 

[Vay]

"HERE THEY COME AGAIN."

Three of them, all of the power armor they had left supported by infantry, under equipped and outnumbered. Outgunned, how they had the best the alliance had charging them.

"SUPPRESS!"

Jido has int he thick of it, they were losing men, losing ground but they could not retreat. He switched frequency, a broadband transition.

"FOR HIIGARA." Everyone could hear him now, enemy and ally alive, his voice blaring through their communications.

"If you want this ruin so badly come and get it, you will only find fire."

An enemy charge broke over the rise and he opened fire, red death tearing into their armor and a crimson arc following them to the ground.

"Left!" he turned and send another burst into the chest of another.

click click click click

"Shit."

He pulled the next belt free and fed it into the smoking gun and hefted is again.

BOOM

Another explosion, the alliance was getting desperate to take this point, but they underestimated Jido's determination to hold it. He began walking forwards, gun raised. Fire fell all around him but he ignored it, we was single handedly pushing them back, buying time. "Thats right run cowards, we fight as free men.

Another charge met him and he leveled his gun bracing his legs wide, and waited, waited. "Boo"

The cascade of shells rained down on the ground as he opened fire.

 

[Iliana]

Imala shook her head and tried her best to drown out the words of the rebels with her own. The current brigade that was with her needed a confidence booster after loosing so much of their own.

"That battle is almost once! Let them know where they lie! Beneath our feet!"she called out even as the bullets from the rebels cascaded across the armor of her comrades. Imala did what she could to suppress the fire. She aimed directly at fallen rebel and fired twice into a small opening in the neck of their power armor. The man screamed out and, simultaneously, a voice soared through the air.

"FOR HIIGARA." Imala's eye burrowed behind her masked helmet and pivoted on one foot to face the source of the voice. And what a source it was. A rebel, bulked in heavy armor and holding a heavy gattling weapon. He gunned down most of the Allies. even as they scattered towards him. Even some attempted to retreat the onslaught of bullets. The particular rebel was a one man army in himself. Luckily for Imala, he hadn't watched her dispose of his comrade, giving her advantage.

For Hiigara, huh?​

Imala pulled out her sword and made a distinct beeline towards the enemy, keeping her gun at bay but her sword ready.

"In the Allied Name!"she shouted to no one in particular, before she swung her sword in a medium paced swing, coming in contact with the helmet. The inertia caused her sword to fly behind her as well as the rebel's helmet. Imala didn't skip a beat regardless of the battle going on around her.

"The true victors of Hiigara is..." Imala let the sentence die out when she looked down the sleek sights of her gun and down at the rebel man in front of him. His face held a familiarity and it took her all but a few seconds and another far off explosion to snap back into the chaotic reality that was unfolding.

"....Jido?"​

 

[Vay]

She was fast, too fast. If he had had fire support, someone to warn him, anything, he would have gunned her down without a thought. As it stood his burst went wide and her blow struck home.

There were several things suddenly working against him. Half a tom of armor, hundreds of round on his back and a very heavy gun in his hands. He wasn't sure if the ground shook when he hit it or it it was his head rattling but when he opened his eyes all he saw was the helmet of his victor.

"I'm glad to see even you know my name, means I've made the right impression Corer."

He grinned still unaware of who he was talking to. "In case you didn't hear me before I'd prefer to remain free, so kill me if thats what you're here to do. Before my friends come and free my chest from your foot."

It was an empty threat, there was no one coming, everyone who was left was retreating. But it did keep her distracted while he tried to unpin his arm from beneath his gun. "Don't tell me civilization has made you soft."

 

[Iliana]

Imala took another moment or two to analyze the situation at hand and to further get a glimpse at the rebel's face. When he spoke, however, it only confirmed what she knew was true. The amusing thing to the Ally was that he didn't know who she was...at least not at the moment.

"You are not in the position to give me orders let alone talk, Rebel. I suggest you do either silence yourself or find that sword on the side of your actual head this time." Imala didn't wait for a reply and instead, twisted her body around to let out a shrill whsitle. The whistle was heard even through the explosions and laser fire. The allies immediatly turned their attention to her while her foot was still pressed to Jido's chest.

"We remain victorious!"she shouted out and a rupture of rough cheers was her response. In a softer, yet still stern voice, motioned to one of the Core members with her empty hand. "Enyo, hand me my sword and call for Ronset." she ordered. The Ally obligied with a curt nod and limped/jogged over to the sword that was lying feet away from Imala. One of the rebels must have gotten her by surprise, she thought. Immediatly after the thought left, Imala lifted her foot from the fallen only to kick him with the back of her heel.

"Up."she snapped, taking the gun from Enyo. She was going to treat Jido like a rebel and enjoy seeing him squirm when he would soon realize who spared him. The ship Ronset would arrive in mere minutes and take them back to Hiigara...only this time, Imala brought a souvenir.

"Mam! Ronset is arriving at drop point!" Enyo called out stepping over a fallen rebel to make her way back through the rubble in which they all came. Imala, nodding in understanding, pushed Jido ahead of her with the tip of her sword. "Move."she ordered.​

 

[Vay]

He could turn around an punch her. The armor he was wearing increase his strength enough so that he could break her neck before anyone could react, but then he would be surrounded on all sides by a n army that wouldn't hesitate to tear him to shreds.

"You haven't won yet, you've been on here three week and we're still making you bleed for every inch you take... But my part in this war is over, for now." He stood as hos pistol, grenades and ammunition were stripped from him before stepping forwards his hands raised.

He wondered what fate he had in store, execution, rotting in a prison cell, being falsely accused of war crimes, all he knew if he wouldn't let that happen. If was his duty to escape, but not yet, not with so many eyes on him. Only then backs were turned.

"Still, how do you know my name?"

 

[Iliana]

"We have stayed here only by choice, not force. Your men have entertained us more than crippled. And again, you're not in the position to ask me questions, either. How I know you will become clear to you in due time, so there is no need to get anxious. You'll be here for a while."

The travel back to the Core drop point was a reluctant one. Debris and rubble littered the ground, some covered in smog and others painted with bullet wounds. Every step taken was past the corpse of both Allies and Rebels alike. Imala couldn't recall how many of the core filed into the grounds versus how many stepped out, which was only a mere 9. It was pointless for the rebellion to even continue holding out but the Core was not going to retreat either nor will they bow down to them. If fallen people is what it took for Hiigara to stand under righteous terms, then Imala would just have to dispose of as many rebels as she could.

Jido, however, would be an exception. Capturing him gained the Allies a perfect opportunity to know of the other side, their plans, ideas, beliefs, and most importantly, the oncoming battles. Imala would reveal herself in time, but as of then, she didn't want the others to see her fraternizing with the enemy.

"Mam." came a call from her left.



She brought her eyes upwards towards the sky to see a giant mass of black, Ronset. The massive ship was their ride home and Jido's ride to the prison cells, in which Imala felt no remorse sending him to. Past friend or not, Rebels were rebels and there is no justice behind his reasons of bringing down her comrades.​

 

[Vay]

As the ship descended to did his hopes. He knew that kind of ship. A military transport and command ship. If he set foot on there he would never see Hiigara again. He stopped the foot of the boarding ramp, the last time he had seen one he had been saying goodbye to one of it's passengers.

"Imala forgive me." his voice was less than a whisper before the metal of his boot clanked on the metal of the ramp and he began to ascend, his face downcast and his hair hanging into his eyes. "You are a cruel one bringing me here. I know this ship, well one like it. Back before this mess. And you can get your sword out of my back, unlike you I know how to respect a treaty. I'm not going anywhere."

The ramps slammed shut and the artificial lights were the only think keeping then from stumbling around blindly. He stopped and looked back at her. "It would help if you led the way, I don't knew which way you're taking me."

 

[Iliana]

It took him ages for him to step onto the ramp that Imala actually have to shove him once more with her sword. He whispered something incoherent and Imala made no move to question his thoughts. Knowing Jido, he was probably whispering some war chant or other. The moment was gone as quickly as it came when he started talking again.

"Great work out there, Core. Dismissed."She sighed heavily behind her helmet, tempted to remove it but wanting to wait until the others filed out to their barracks and she was alone with Jido.

"If you know it so well, you could lead me to the Interrogation Office. Go on, I'll give you a head start."she said, taking her time to return the gun to its satchel on her hip and leaning the free hand against her hip. The sword would be enough to handle him. When neither of them made a move, Imala smirked behind the helmet and brushed past him to lead the way.

"Follow me."she ordered, following the dimly lit pattern across Ronset's walls and maintaining her balance as it hovered off into the air once more.​

 

[Vay]

He followed a grin in his face, The had dismissed her back and now she had her back turned. I thought they were meant to be good. He flexed his fingers, his armor was still charged and ready, superhuman strength at his disposal. It was time to use it.

He was fast, an hand grabbing her sword by the handle and twisting it from her grip letting it fall to the floor, then he grappled using his size, weight and strength to tear her helmet off, cutting her communications. Then he twisted her around, cold metal finger closing around her throat.

He glared at her his fist raised ready to bring everything the suit had crushing down on her scull. Then the hair covering her face shirted.

"No.."

His face twisted in anger and confusion.

"Traitor."

Bang.

His fist flew slamming into the metal wall and inch from her head. He fulled his punch. He let her go and stepped back. In his eyes was all the hate he had for the alliance when they looked at her. The he turned away. "So this is what happened to you Imala, I'd like to say its good to see you again. I'd like to... but it wouldn't be true not would it.. not like this. How. Could. You."

 

[Iliana]

Imala felt all sorts of stupid when she stepped in front of Jido. The battle sounds, thoughts, and emotions took a toll on her mind and clouded her judgement, and she had to pay the price. The last thing she meant to do was to leave herself open but it was also the first chance Jido took to strike. Her sword was the first thing he went for and when it was wrestled from her grip, Imala quickly shot her hand to her gun. Jido was just as fast and made a large grab at her helmet. Imala struggled against his strength but to no avail. In that comparison, he definitely had a physical advantage. Imala had no other choice but to submit.

Jido wrenched her around and cokced his hand back, preparing to annihilate her then and there. All Imala did was look upwards with light blue eyes and a scar on the gash on the side of her head, waiting for the blow that didn't come. In seconds flat, he suddenly realized who she was and his voice turned dark with rage. She listened to what he said with some respect until he called her a traitor. The word coming from a rebel's mouth was humorous enough, but Imala wasn't laughing.



"Me? You're a REBEL. I never left the Core! If any one is a traitor, it's you, so don't give me that guilt trip, Jido."she said, standing back up and grabbing the sword on the ground and sheathing it while grabbing her helmet. Now that he knew who she was she need not worry about him trying to escape anymore. However, not taking any more precautions, Imala pointed the gun at his throat, standing behind him.

"You can punch as many walls as you wish when you're in your cell. Walk."she said with a cold voice but a calmed face.​

 

[Vay]

He didn't move. "You are Hiigaran, you were born there, its your home as much as it is mine. We only want her to be free. For our people to be able to like their lives without you alliance death squads taking everything we have. You are a traitor to your people, to your family, and to those who once thought you were their friend. I Don't know why you fight for them, but you do so, these are the last words you will hear me speak."

He began moving his eyes down refusing to look at her even as his head was held high with determination. Gone was the grin and the eyes carefully watching for weakness. Jido had always been stubborn especially when it came to her. But this was no childish test of will, it was him letting her know he had nothing to say to her, and would hear nothing she said. But we walked swiftly where she indicated, perhaps hoping he would never see her again when he was locked up or perhaps simply not caring what happened to himself anymore. But in his tone and posture burned the same anger that flared in his voice and eyes.

 

[Iliana]

"Jido."she said softly and gained no response. He only kept moving where her gun led him to in silence. The two of them strolled the halls of Ronset in silence. They were nearing the end of the hall and will eventually be forced to turn left onto a more narrow passage, leading them to the Interrogation Office in the middle of the hall. Imala thought about speaking but it was obvious that he was serious in his words. She would be wasting her breath.

His words bobbed through her mind. He had a point but then again, so did she. He was the one that left so many years ago. The last thing Imala wanted to do was fight in a war or kill anyone for that matter, but her love for Hiigara clouded her mind. The rebellion threatened to destroy them and she wasn't going to back down. If only to show them that what they stood for is wrong, Imala would quickly throw herself onto the front lines with no remorse. Now she had to deal with the sinking truth that her closest...her only...that Jido was working for what she aimed to destroy.

Imala shook her head, a white light blurring her vision due to both the thoughts and the cut. Her gun pushed against his side, motioning for him to enter a room. The automatic door hummed open as the door slid upwards, allowing the two of them to pass through. Returning the gun ti her satchel, keyed in 4 digits on a pad next to the door hearing the beeping response of it being locked.

"Sit."she said and pointed to a single steel and plush cushioned chair that stood facing a sleek, metallic table. There was another chair just like it on the other side of the table and Imala made her way over to it. The room was not big but was also enough to hold the table, a file drawer, and a pantry that she remembered were filled with bottled liquid. Imala grabbed two bottles and slid one over to Jido as she opened the file drawer to take out paper and a pen. Whether Jido liked it or not, she was going to get him to talk, even if she had to force him to physically.

"Don't think of me as the friend you knew back then. Think of me as Allied Core. Allied: as in united with the ones who stand for allegiance. Hiigara is our home, that is true, but we defend it for the right reasons, unlike you Rebels." It was hard to talk to him in those terms but even if she dropped the authoritative talk, he still wouldn't acknowledge her words.

"Killing isn't our priority. If it weren't for your excessive interference, we wouldn't have to. And don't act as if your 'noble rebels' are innocent. I've lost people too, Jido."she said, dropping the harsh tone and picking up an impatient one instead.

"Why are you with them?"​

 

[Vay]

He pushed the bottle away, he didn't want anything her gave her. "Jido Vikal, Lieutenant, Second heavy infantry, Hiigara's own." His words were forced. "Thats all I have to give anyone associated with the Core. Name, Rank, Division." He was taking over control of the conversation from the start.

He leaned back "And you're right You're not my friend. She wouldn't kill the sons and daughters of Hiigara when they only want thats thiers. Where was the Core five years ago when thousands of us were dying. Counting their profits and collecting their taxes. He helped ourselves then without anything from you, but when we say we don't need you suddenly you have millions of men and ships to come and kill us with. We're not rebels. We're free people who have had enough of boots stepping on their throats. You don't need me since you've already said you've won here. And you're not my friend, as you've also said. So I'd like to be taken to my cell. I'm sure you have more killing to do."

She eyes that glared at here were red despite his best efforts. She got to him weather he liked it or not and seeing her in that uniform, spouting that same thing every alliance officer said, it ruined him in such a way all he could show was anger and loss, and try to hide the latter behind the former.

 

[Iliana]

Imala opened her own bottle and partook in the contents inside, listening intently to Jido. The drink replenished a light bit of the strength she had lost in Azriel. Jido hadn't touched his and Imala didn't care. It was his loss. She set the bottle back on the table and reached for her pen, scribbling down on the pad in front of her. She wasn't recording what he was saying, more like his appearance and attitude. All she had written so far was...

-angry.
-in denial.
-stubborn.
-possibly shell shocked?

She looked from the pad up to him while resting her elbow on the table and her chin on her palm. He talked with an air of wavered confidence, almost like he wasn't so sure what he was saying would get anywhere. It didn't. Imala put the pen down and blinked once before sighing.

"You are either terribly misunderstood or brainwashed. Nothing was wrong with Hiigara until you and your other fellow members got greedy. Taxes are necessary to collect or we would be no where. It isn't as if we are some dictatorship but we need order. Better that then let people run around taking anything they want with nothing but a little tap on the wrist in punishment. We are only trying to better this place and our people. As far as I'm concerned, you all were expecting too much. Expecting something we can not give. This is HIIGARA not paradise. We need to take it one step at a time. It's you rebels that are impatient and causing riots and unrest, so we have no other choice but to suppress your violence with our own." She stopped speaking momentarily to look up at the man she had knew so long ago, seeing him change from a friend to an enemy in 3 seconds flat. She tried not to let the annoyance and anger show and instead, let her words sink in.​

 

[Vay]

He opened his hands an indication he had nothing to hide. "I was not part of the Riots, I was always against using violence to resolve this. Its true, Hiigara has never been paradise, but it dreamed it could be, an entire world resolved to turn itself into a beacon of progress outside the control of the byzantine governments you fight for. We always wanted peace. Now he world that dreamed of paradise has become hell. By your hand. I Fight because I believe paradise can still be made, Hiigara can be the world its always dreamed of being. Even if her growth is fed by the blood of your men. DO you honestly believe everyone you knew growing up would turn into what you call us. I Haven't changed, I just got older."

He Reached up to his shoulder and pulled a clasp before pulling the arm piece of the armor free and repeating the process on the other side. For all the benefits of the armor it was uncomfortable having been made for a smaller man. The chest piece came off and the reactor on the back was carefully lowered to the floor until the he was free of the heavy metal and clothed in the simple uniform he wore underneath. "Now isn't that better, not I can't break this table in half by leaning on it, you corers really need to make more comfortable armor for us to steal."

 

[Iliana]

"By MY hand?!"she shouted, slamming a hand down on the table while he stripped of the armor he was coated in. His speech had affected her worse than she thought it would. All of the words and mantras of the Core were out of her head and was replaced by a boiling blood running through her veins and to her face, coloring it a bright pink.

"My hand?! It takes two to cause a war, Jido!"she snapped and then looked away from the man in front of her. Her hand stung from the slap on the table but the pain was nothing compared to the disgust she felt when she said his name. That wasn't Jido in front of him. He was nothing but a rebel.

"The disunion is why we are all fighting. I am here to back up and protect my people, which is kind of hard when you rebels are FIRING at us. We told you to surrender and lay down arms! But no! You are all so tainted in your thoughts, thinking that what you all are doing is justified! You're not trying to help Hiigara, you're trying to change it with your selfish visions! What of the people? What do THEY want?!"she shouted. After the question flew from her mouth she shut her blue eyes to a close to stop her body from trembling. Standing up, Imala turned around with her back facing him. She couldn't stand to see him for more than 5 seconds without trying to lunge at his throat.​

 

[Vay]

He stood, slowly, the physique of a soldier standing before her. His hand, fist closed rested on the table. "We are the people. Surrender would only have put us back where we started, under the heels of the core. The reason you cannot win is because to destroy us you have to kill every man, woman and child on this planet. You cannot fight a dream with bullets, or intimidation, or cheep tricks. If you had turned your ship around and offered us a chance instead of the barrel of a gun.. Why am I ever talking to you? You're one of them, so blinded by your own ideals you don't see the reality of what you're doing to those who didn't have the good fortune to live on a civilized world. We're all beneath you so long as our taxes pay for your rich lives. You're the feudal lord, we're the mud-grubbing peasants. No more."

 

[Iliana]

Imala wanted to say something back but it'd just be a waste of breath. The interrogation went just the way she thought it would. He was hell bent on defending the rebels that every time she threw a fact at his face he only twisted it to make it seem as if the Core were the tyrants.

"See how far your beliefs got you. Your men are gone. My women are gone, each fallen by each other's hand."she said and left it at that. Imala had more to tell him but he was just as stubborn as she had known so she didn't bother going down that road, taking another course instead. Imala turned around and looked at him. Now that he was disarmed, she saw an older version of the friend she knew long ago. Her eyes darted from his face and then to the table as she lifted a hand to finger the wound on her head.

"You'll be kept in a cell compound on Ronset, meaning you will not be leaving this ship. Your cell will be guarded constantly and you will only be able to exit with the chaperoning of a guard. You may even be escorted back to this room for further interrogation and we will get answers out of you, through brute force if it comes to that. Don't worry, I won't be the one questioning you. Matter of fact, you may never see me again"she said, making her way to stand directly in front of him, looking him dead in the eyes.

"Get a good look, Jido, at the person your men will eventually kill dishonorably."she said quietly, words barely escaping through her lips. ​