Chapter 21: Chapter 7 (The asteroid field)

 

 Izzy and her fellow cadets were approaching the asteroid band. The directives were simple; get to the band and start training by avoiding at least ten asteroids, record the response time then return to the base.

Sounds simple enough, thought Izzy.

She was about to avoid her first asteroid when she heard a voice on the comm; her craft had picked up another similar model's airwave and was transmitting the conversation to her as well as the intended.

"I wish you had not left my bed like a thief this morning," said a deep voice

"Like a thief? I had to leave; I was on call from 6 am. Would you have preferred I wake the entire barrack?" answered a sweet but firm voice

"Off course not" giggled the deep voice.

"I loved it last night; I had dreamed of holding you that way and kissing that little strawberry birthmark in between your legs for so long" added the deep voice

OHHHHHHHH, somebody has a kissable strawberry birthmark I see. So long? how long was 'so long'? And holding her what way? Thought Izzy,

"I was so wrong; this craft is amazing" she whispered to herself giggling and shamelessly continuing to eavesdrop on the girls' conversation

"Holding me that way? You mean naked?" asked the sweet voice

"Do you?" whispered Izzy to the deep voice

The deep voice had a quick laugh and continued "Of course naked. My entire body turned into a fire when I licked your......" and then the voice stopped

"Hey, when you licked what?" asked a frantic Izzy, but nothing came out of the comm.

She rolled her eyes at it, hissed then started banging on it "Hey when you licked what?" and then she heard the sweet voice "Oh my gods...."

"What your gods? What?" the cockpit got a tad darker prompting Izzy to look through the viewscreen, "Oh my gods...."

All the cadets were gasping in their cockpits; in front of them was the debris of multiple vessels, just floating around.

"What the Hel happened? it looks like a massacre "whispered Izzy

"Lead vessel, this is craft seven. The debris of unknown fighters and gliders filled the band. It is nothing but a giant graveyard. What do you recommend we do?" Izzy asked

Nothing came from the lead vessel or any other vessel for that matter. She tried repeatedly, nothing. Oh, my gods, they are jamming us, that's why I heard the lover's conversation, the only waves untouched are the old craft sub-bands.

Soon enough, communication started coming from the old vessels, "Yerima, can you hear us?" the cadets were reaching out to their princess; their voices were shaky; they were terrified and confused.

Izzy was just as scared as them. She closed her eyes and whispered, "You are safe, you are loved, you are strong," took a big breath and said "Yes, I can hear you. To all that can hear me, this is your Yerima, turn around immediately and make your way to Alliance territory."

As soon as she delivered the message, all vessels 10 years and older started turning back; now I need to find a way to communicate with the newer models

She was about to pull up an old instruction book when she noticed the new models imitating the old ones and returning to the base. She screamed in joy "Yes, yes girls, you've got it. Oh, my gods, I thought we were done for"

"Arghhhh, what now!" her scanner had started blinking; a craft was approaching, shortly followed by multiple crafts. Eeff me; Whoever destroyed those crafts, I think they are coming back

Izzy's heart started quickening; her hands started shaking. The cadets, even though they could not communicate with each other were still heading back, trying to get to Alliance territory as soon as possible.

They need time to get to safety, I must do something.

"My lord Tyr, I am going to need you more than ever. Help me gather the strength to keep the enemy at bay; give me the strength to resist my cowardly heart. Help me do my job as a princess and save them."

She felt her craft shaking. Oh, my gods, they are shooting at us. Ok, it is clearly a swords or roses situation, so I guess I must answer

She went under an asteroid and performed a loop ending up facing the enemy.

She closed her eyes, May the gods clear my path to Valhalla, then fired. She opened her eyes and said "and so it begins. May the gods forgive me"

The asteroids were a God sent, they allowed her to move like a mosquito, shooting at one craft then quickly moving on to the next and firing again.

Her hopes to see them turn back quickly faded when the enemy fire increased. She had shot down too many of them and they were angry.

She heard a loud sound and her craft started to shake uncontrollably. A fire ignited and she crashed landed on one of the asteroids.

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She slowly woke up and felt an intense pain all over; she also felt like she had a drum as a head. Her head was spinning, and she had trouble recalling where she was.

A deafening sound kept ringing and the cockpit kept repeat "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday".

Oh my gods, my head.... I can't believe I am still alive after that.

She touched her hair ran her hand gently through her hair and saw blood. Great, I have a head injury too she thought, and she grimaced.

She noticed the smoke and turn around Oh no, she pressed the extinguisher button, but nothing happened.

"Aaarrrghh, for pity's sake enough"; enraged she slammed her fist onto the control panel. She got up, picked up the emergency fire extinguisher and put out the fire.

She threw the extinguisher to the side she sighed, why on earth didn't I just use my powers? What the Hel is wrong with me?

She could already hear Ameena and her father blabbing to the rest of the family:

Her uncle: It was to be expected, Zainab is a sweet little thing but hardly a leader

Ameena: I love her dearly despite her shortcomings. She truly is my favourite cousin, but we must face reality, she wasn't born to rule.

Her uncle: The charitable thing to do is to place her under my guardianship until the end of the war. Zainab has many qualities but unfortunately, she has not inherited the Vikings fighting spirit nor the Fula grace and talent for diplomacy.

Ameena: What a shame, I think it would be wise to find her a sweet boy and marry her off, I have always thought that she would make the most wonderful hostess, well, after she has shed those stubborn 20lbs she seems to be unable to lose.

No, I will not give these two mud brains the opportunity to delight in my misery. I will get out of here alive; I will return home; I will rule, and I will show everyone that I don't need anyone's help. I will be the greatest hero the empire has ever had, and I finally established myself, I will make them pay for what they did.

Izzy's relationship with her uncle, the Lamido of Beka, the Fula region and his daughter was strained at best. Fulas despised direct confrontation, choosing guile instead to achieve their goals.

That was not the Yerima's way of dealing with conflicts; Izzy preferred direct confrontation.

These two opposite views had worsened a relationship that was already showing signs of tears that existed between her father, her aunt and her uncle.

She suddenly felt dizzy and sat back on her chair if only I knew what had happened to the others. Are they ok? Did they make it to the Alliance space?

Her class was a group of teenagers between the age of 15 to 18 years old.

Izzy's actions were brave, but she was still juvenile and scared; Petra has violated the treaty, why? I need to talk to mum as soon as I get back. She looked at her broken craft, If I get back....

She knew they were in trouble, the Petronians, armed with their brand new Gliderdrops had demonstrated abilities that was now rivalling their own.

I need to get home and speak to mum and papa. Those Gliderdrops were able to zigzag around the asteroids like in a virtual game. I have never seen anything like that. What I wouldn't have given for a magnetic shield at that time, actually I still do.

The Yans use magnetic shields to protect their most important buildings but had not successfully implemented them in their ships and jets yet.

Izzy's worries about Petra's abilities was justified; all over the neutral zone (the short gap between space borders), Alliance vessels were being pursued and destroyed by Gliders a lot more easily than before.

Izzy was worried for her fellow, but she had no reasons to. Her actions had managed to delay the enemy and most cadets had managed to reach an Alliance mothership who upon hearing their call for help was heading their way.

After they had taken on board the cadets, they headed deeper into the neutral zone, hoping to rescue the rest. They witnessed the young pilots ejecting from their crafts, their escape pods slowly making their way toward them and the Alliance space.

The crew watched as a group of Gliders approached the pods; they exchanged worried looks. They were aware that teenagers filled the pods.

The captain placed her hands on her mouth to stifle a scream and the crew felt powerless to help them.

They knew that even if they had opened fire, it would not have changed the outcome.

To their surprise, the Petronians ignored the pods but kept searching. The captain turned to her first officer "What are they looking for?"

The first officer shook her head "I have no idea captain"

The captain walked to her office and called the closest ship; her colleague answered, and she narrated what she had witnessed. Her colleague stayed briefly silent then said, "I have heard rumours that the Yerima was training nearby but it is a closely guarded secret."

The first captain sighed and answered "not anymore I'm afraid" 

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