The sky was lit by thousands of stars, as much as I feared for my Captain's well-being, I had to take in the beauty of the site. The city itself was sunk in the ocean, only the tallest buildings could be seen above the rolling waves. The sun gleamed of the metal buildings as it rose in the east. "It's beautiful. Why did the city fall?" Khimari took a moment the watch the setting sun. "Sin, he destroyed the city. Yuna defeated him." He began to head towards the city. "Smoke in the sky. The ship may be nearby." I went into work mode and checked my maps and scans to see if it was really the ship. Sure enough I was getting massive readings near the west side of the ruins. "Can you lead us safely to this location?" I showed him the map. He glanced at it then nodded and started walking. "C'mon Esqueezeme, we just might end this trip early and start the real work." I chased after him, the big guy obviously knew where we needed to go. As we walked we encountered different fiends, at least they weren't another dragon thing that the Captain took down. A behemoth or two, but Khimari took care of those quick enough. Princessa and I felt useless next to him. All I could do was keep an eye on him as he fought while Princessa kept firing. She learned how to inflict dick moves on her enemies. She could blind, silence and even poison them. I gained a few new bomb combos, now I knew how to steal items and combine them to make my own version of a dick move. I can't wait to turn my new skills into firepower for the cannon. What I have yet to tell the Captain is that I have been playing with the Particle cannon, now each time it is fired, the particle beam continues on its path even if it takes out a planet. The thing was a beyond dangerous. I will have to make adjustments to keep the damage levels low. Don't want to destroy the world. We came up a rise, which happened to be another building on its side. I finally caught my first sight of our ship. From the angle of the drop, she was still together, I could barely make out our crew hiding from the fiends through the windows near the cafeteria. "Khimari, can I ask you not to tell anyone that we caused this crash?"
"Not many come to ruins anymore, be safe to move to calm lands." I started towards the ship, most of it was undamaged, except for the missing nose, it was in one piece. The cheers I heard when the crew finally saw me, made my spirits rise. Jason would have like this. I should make sure he knows how happy his men were to be found.
I headed for the now lowered gates that sealed seamlessly when shut. The crew bombarded me with questions, but I waited until they quieted down. "We are in uncharted territory now, this isn't a normal crash, so until Captain Darksky says otherwise, no questions, no comments, no one is to say a damn thing. Got it?" The crowd nodded slowly, they had to realized how new we were to this place. "Good. Now if you can move, I will take you to our base camp, stay with the group. No one is given permission to die. Captain's orders."
I watched as they gathered up what they could carry then formed a line as we marched back the way we came. I didn't realize how many people actually survived the crash until that moment, had to be at least a thousand men and women. "Captain will be happy so many lived." Princessa murmured behind me. "Of course he will, we completed the mission, as ordered. Now, we begin faze two."
"Which is?"
"Rebuild the White Phoenix."
It took longer than I wanted to get everyone back to base camp. The shock on Hellfire's face when we showed up was worth the hassle though. He and Kyet knew we would be coming back towards camp when my 'army' made it into view. The only reason we weren't killed by soldiers was because of Khimari. He felt we would need the escort back, I had to agree. We kinda looked like an invading army from a distance. Hellfire ran up to me and Esqueezeme. "You found the ship!?"
"Oh, yes. I have a story for you too. Help Newind build more tents. Is the bridge repaired enough for use?"
Newind came up to stand beside me and stretched. "I programmed the map you gave me into the database along with all the info and video feeds you sent me from your trip, it's as operational as I can make it without the rest of it."
"Good, how is he doing?" The tired pilot grimaced. "Pissed. Wants to see you." Thank God he was okay, I'll take pissed over dead any day. "Well, at least he won't be pissed for long. I'm on my way."
(Jason's POV)
I woke slowly, the heat from the fight was now a slow smolder. I could still smell the dragon's burning flesh; hear it's dying screams. Where was I? Did we win? Where was Musaki and Esqueezeme? Did they live? They better be alive, if not I will bring them back just to kill them for their disobedience. I didn't remember anything past slamming into the rock wall. I could hear them screaming for me but after that nothing. I glanced around and realized I was back in my tent at our base camp. I heard the low murmur of voices outside the entrance, but my body didn't seem to want to function. My back and right triceps burned, like I was hit by an incendiary or something equally painful. The murmur grew louder, then it became a dull roar of conversations and activity. Did the girls complete the mission without me? I know I gave them that order, no stops until we found the other half of the ship, no exceptions. Did they survive and find the rest of my crew, the missing men and women that were not on the bridge? The main entrance to my tent rustled and the noise grew for a second before dying back down. Footsteps approached the screen blocking my view of the room. "Sargent Newind, Reporting." Newind came into view and stood at attention. "Begin you're report, Sargent." My voice was hoarse. What the fuck happened to me?
"Captain was brought back from Mount Gagazet on a stretcher, the Ronso who brought you here said that Leftenant Musaki had taken over the mission and sent you back to heal from your injuries. She sent us word that explanations to this matter will be given upon her return with news of the ship and lost crew."
She followed my orders, to the letter. As I expected of my second in command. "Have Leftenant Musaki report toe when she returns, I want a full accounting of what happened." I was stuck in the dark until Musaki could make her report. I fucking hate being the last to know anything. "Sir." Newind saluted me and then left me to my thoughts.
How the hell did I lose? I was positive that I killed that dragon, my chest throbbed slightly where I took that blast head on. Did Musaki and Esqueezeme beat that dragon where I couldn't? No, I spanked it. I know I did. Why can't I remember it?
The noise outside grew again as the tent flap was opened a second time.
"Captain, Leftenant Musaki reporting." The relief was instantaneous, they were alive.
"Status report."
"We located the ass end of the ship, I was able to bring the surviving crew here without incident. With the aid of Ronso Chief Khimari, I was able transport you to safety and continue the mission." There was a pause and I realized she was waiting for me to speak. "What happened to the dragon? The truth Musaki."
I heard her intake of breath. "Honestly sir, I thought you were going to die, I couldn't move to save my own life. I managed to keep the Lieutenant from disobeying your direct orders but only just barely." She paused again then came around the screen to look at me. Her cobalt eyes shimmered with the remaining fear. I could see the struggle she went through trying to hold it together. "Leftenant, I am glad both you and the lieutenant are fine. Tell me the rest."
"As the Dragon advanced to finish you off, pure rage and heat blasted out from your own body like a bomb going off. You went nuclear sir, glowed with a bright golden light, even your eyes changed color, they were molten gold, like an inferno was lit inside you and it wanted that beast's death." She indicated my right arm. "That tattoo is new; it was a sword. You used it to slay the beast. When you went to finish it off, you raised it up like a battle flag or a beacon, a great golden bird covered in flames descended from the sky and you basically nuked the dragon with the heat radiating off of the bird. After that you fell, I thought you were dead. You have one more tattoo on your back, that one is in the form of the same golden bird."
"I summoned a bird covered in fire to finish it off?" Her story seemed farfetched. I couldn't believe her. Flashes came to me of heat and rage, then peace and sorrow. Shani watched me for a moment more before continuing. "I told Chief Khimari that I didn't see much because of the blinding heat and light. But he knew as soon as he saw the tattoo on your back that you summoned a Pheonix and then formed a pact with it. He said the weapon was the form the bird came to you in. I suggest you not let on that I know what actually happened. There is no telling how the rest of the country will feel about a walking nuke." She had a point; I could still feel the intense heat burning in my chest. It was like nothing I have ever felt before. "The report will read that I lost consciousness just before the blast. Make it believable so there is no doubt. I want this blacklisted, Musaki."
"Aye Captain. Now with that out of the way, I have found the ship, Khimari and Dale are forming a group to begin the job of dismantling and rebuilding it here, under the watchful eye of Cid. I suggest we call in this Gullwings to transport the cannon, it isn't going to come apart like the rest of the ship." I grimaced. "Any ideas besides that one, I don't want to chance it going off while in transit."
"Two, We leave it for last. When the rest of the ship is done, we fly to it's location and pick it up there, or I can reassemble it, but it will take time to do so." Her idea had merit, but I was uneasy with leaving it for last. Too many ways for that to go very wrong.
"I want it taken apart carefully, then reassembled by you. Not a soul can know what that thing can do."
"Copy that, I will inform Newind of your decision."
"One more thing, before you leave Musaki. Where are my pants?"