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Zorg Chronicles: Lightning

#1 by Lightning
PROLOGUE
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This is my story – and a sad one at that. Everything is logged here; my journey, my training, my struggles, my sorrows, and my victories.

I will be remembered as the greatest hero of all time to my people, yet I don’t believe it’s possible for a person to hate themselves as much as I do. I watched everything I had taken before my eyes. And some things…even from my own hands –

by my own hands.

I can command a simple fleet through the roughest battle. I can lead a squadron of men to victory past incredible odds. I can humiliate any group of persons that wish to fight me. I can follow orders, make the toughest decisions, see clearly through emotion, and sacrifice what is necessary. I will do anything to win; anything to protect.

My honor and tenacity are immeasurable.

To them, I am the perfect soldier. But they don’t know the truth. The blood on my hands is a permanent stain that has successfully seeped through my bones and into my core; rotting whatever excuse of justice I try to grasp. Their faces are engraved in my memories and play like a broken record – a parade in my skull. I would gladly end myself if I believed it to be worth my time…but that will not protect my people.

I am everything they want me to be, and everything I abhor.

This is my story – and a sad one at that. Everything is logged here. Everything they couldn’t know.
_______________________Public Relations Administrator______________________
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__________________A tongue of silver is worth plenty in gold._________________
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Re: Zorg Chronicles: Lightning

#4 by Lightning
Story By: Markishum
Edited By: Lightning

NOTE: Short stories are not meant to be super descriptive. Plot is the main focus in chapters, while journal entries give short stories a more personal feeling. Chapters are in blue, journals are in purple.
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I skipped out on classes again today to go watch the soldiers at the dock. My usual spot on the rocks welcomed me and a few of the familiar faces in uniform waved at me from across the harbor. Anyone else would find what I watch boring. They move everywhere in formation and bark out orders. But I find it fascinating. I studied everything as much as I could, whenever I could.

Sometimes, a few of them would come over and talk to me during short breaks; three in particular. Hannah was new to the military and fairly quiet, yet always has the nicest smile on her face. You can tell she’s out of place with all the hardened, battle-ready soldiers around her. Syber is the funniest person I’ve ever met. He’s a bit older than the rest of the group and had gotten married just a bit before I met them. Now he has a kid and says he’s going to retire soon to dedicate his time to teaching his “little brat” how to play some catch. The third one is Ember. He’s the hothead. I know he’s intelligent, logical, and everything that makes a good soldier – but there’s something off about him. He’s nice to me, Hannah, Syber, and his superiors and that’s about it. I guess I’m grateful to be one of the lucky ones on his good side.

They ate lunch with me on the rocks until they got called back. Before Hannah left, she told me that she knew my father would never let me join the armada, but to never stop coming to visit. She said that I was like part of their squad – the glue that held them together. As nice as this comment was…it made the fact that I couldn’t be by their side on the field hurt even more.

I got home being rather frustrated, but this whole journaling thing makes it a bit easier to calm down. Father’s calling his "cub" to dinner…got to run. I’ll most likely journal about lunch next week. Ember says he has something he needs to show me.





CHAPTER ONE


Shivers ran down Gale’s spine as she gazed upon the stars above her home planet, Pandemona. Every night she went stargazing, she couldn’t help but think she was meant for more. She was different. All she’d dreamt of was being among the stars and in the galactic armadas that ruled the skies. She had found herself, many times, dreaming of one day ruling the galaxy. Every time the thought crossed her mind she knew she was a fool. No one of her status could ever be one of the royal order.

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As Gale headed home that night, she was caught by surprise. Outside her house stood two women with armored shoulders, silk shirts with woven chainmail breastplates, and mythril chain greaves. Soft as silk, but harder than steel.

“Where is the princess, old man?” an unfamiliar voice came from inside, “You’re sixteen years are up. We will have her back!”

“That’s enough. No need to be so harsh,” a meek, female voice spoke.

Her? Royalty? Regardless of her confusion, she rushed in to ensure the safety of the man who had raised her with such love and compassion her whole life. As she raced forward, the guards crossed they’re trident-like weapons to block her path. Instinctively, she used the spark and surprisingly loud sound of their clash as a distraction to duck and move past them. Ahead of her was her father standing in the embrace of Pandemona’s queen. The guard who had previously been yelling at her father stormed out in frustration, meeting Gale’s eyes for a split second.

As the two broke apart, he explained, “My daughter, these years I’ve had you have been my own. But now I must tell you of your rightful place. The queen is your mother,” he uttered out, “I took you from the palace and renounced my general status in her armada.”

“You took me?” she gaped in disbelief.

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“Please, cub, try to understand. The king at the time would have had you executed for being the unlawful child of his queen’s lust, and I could not see you killed because of our love and mistakes.”
Gale stumbled back a bit and couldn’t look at the queen as she finished the story.

“Since the years of my late husband’s death, I’ve been searching for you; to make you my heir and give you your proper title. You are my first born, and must someday be queen…and ruler of my armada. The road will be tough. You will face horrible trials, people, and terrifying things out in the galaxy. But know that you can overcome them; for you are of royal blood. Gale Storm, future queen and leader of the Pandemonian Armada, my daughter, and my dearest love.

As the words echoed in her head, Gale drifted into unconsciousness. The news was too much for any person to process. Her dreams were wracked with appalling images that made her shudder. She dreamt of gently falling through space - limbs stretched out freely as if welcoming the emptiness. A man…creature…thing fell towards her. As he smiled wryly and stretched out his hand toward her, a black hole appeared behind him and began to pull both of them in. He was being controlled by thick wires like a puppet by something through the hole. She could not see what was controlling him, she could only see an outline of a large throne and the glowing of red eyes.

“Welcome to the future,” the voice rumbled from the black hole. The man in front chuckled deep within his throat as he reached further to grab her. Gale wakes with a great start and she immediately feels the comforting, warm arms of her father on her shoulders. He gingerly lies her back down in the bed of an unfamiliar room; obviously inside the palace.

“I’ll still be here for you. Until you learn all you need to know, I will be by your side every step of the way.”

He combs his fingers through her hair, hums a tune, and she is soon back asleep. Her dreams are still troubled, but she smiles nonetheless in her father’s presence and in her rightful place. She was finally at peace – she knew where she belonged.
_______________________Public Relations Administrator______________________
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__________________A tongue of silver is worth plenty in gold._________________
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Re: Zorg Chronicles: Lightning

#6 by Lightning
I don't mind if you post. Thanks very much, markishum sent me some amazing material to work with. His genius will really show especially in later chapters (the entire story is written, revisions and journals are not though).
_______________________Public Relations Administrator______________________
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__________________A tongue of silver is worth plenty in gold._________________
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Re: Zorg Chronicles: Lightning

#10 by Lightning
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This is my first journal entry in a while. To be honest, I’d almost forgotten completely about it. I’ve spent the past two weeks or so answering questions at the justice station and the hospital. I don’t feel like myself anymore. I don’t even feel alive after what happened. The day I came to each lunch with my squad friends, the harbor was attacked by some enemy fleet. They still haven’t told me who it was, they haven’t told anyone. They say it’s a matter of inter-planet security and that I was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

I killed people that day. I killed quite a few people. I was told to by my squad buddies. They said there was no time to think about it; that I had to shoot or get shot.

After I skipped out on class, I went to the shore with some deserts that I made the other night. I pulled them out of my bag and waved them proudly in the air to my friends across the way. I could hear all three of them laughing. They brought over some treats of their own: salads, crackers, and fruits. We were stuffed afterwards and just lied down on the rocks, looking up at our suns. Then, they just appeared – like a flash of lightning. The suns’ lights were blocked out by enormous ships patched together with scrap metal; a rebel fleet. These loud alarms that I’d never heard before began to yell all across the city. My body began to shake and all I could do was look at that enormous ship above me.

Hannah, Ember, and Syber were all getting up and putting on their gear that they’d earlier left off to eat. I’d never actually noticed how scary their guns were now that they were in their hands. One was thrown into my lap, and then another.

“Put that pistol in the side of your pant-waist and pick up that gun,” Ember ordered. All I could do was gape at him with my jaw hanging loose. He wasn’t kidding. I looked at Syber who wasn’t laughing, and Hannah whose smile had faded. She just looked away and shouldered her weapon.

“NOW”.

I couldn’t get out any words, so I just looked at the gun and grabbed what areas I thought were safe. I knew the handle, but then put my hand underneath the barrel like I’d seen some of them do in training. Syber grabbed underneath my arm and pulled me on my feet.

“C’mon, kiddo…you have to be a soldier right now. You have to be in the armada.”

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“But I-…I don’t, but but. I don’t know how!...”

“Gale,” Hannah turned around so I could only see her back, “the alarms that are going off are for the city. They’re already past our defenses and satellites. They’re at our doorstep.”

“But that doesn’t mean that I have to-!” she cut me off with a slap to the face.

“Shut up! Don’t you understand? You either come with us, or you sit here and die!”

I’d never heard Hannah speak like that. I followed them to the base where they grouped up with a few more people. I don’t know how many streets we ran through. All I could do was stand behind the line of fire and cry. I just shook and cried – sometimes shouted. They weren’t just an enemy fleet, they were friends with some of our people. I saw men and women I knew since I was born shooting at me and my friends in rebellion. I was on the ground with my arms over my head when I heard Hannah scream.

Everyone around me was yelling to get her out of there. I chased the people carrying her and saw the hole in her shin. They dropped her on the ground back a ways and ran back to the frontline. I started running up to her until she yelled at me.

“What the hell are you doing!”

“H-han…your leg! What can I do, I have to do something!”

“Stop crying, get back over there, and help them,” as she spoke I noticed that the only thing I recognized about her was her uniform. Her voice, her face, her smile…they did a complete turnaround. I didn’t know her anymore. “You have to grow up, Gale. Grow up and help your squad.”

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For at least an hour, I had enough adrenaline to take everything she said to heart. I shot down so many people…I even began to count. I was good at shooting – at killing. My mind kept going a hundred miles an hour until the rest of the rebels started running away. I turned around to get orders from Syber, caught my breath, and his eyes suddenly split in separate directions. The blood from the bullet that came through his forehead flew all over my collarbones. I caught him before he hit the ground and just screamed. No matter how many times I shook him, he wouldn’t come back.

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“Get up,” a hard voice ordered. It was Ember. He stood above me with the same gun that killed Syber; and it was pointed at me. I fell back and caught myself with my elbows behind my back.

“Em, what are you-?...You killed him.”

“I know. And now I’m going to kill you,” he readied the magnum.

“I don’t understand. We’re friends!...his family, his son!”

“All that matters is I need money to get my sister the surgery she needs. They have money. They want to give it to me.”

“What do we have to do with this?..”

“I don’t know. I don’t ca-,” Hannah suddenly slammed into him and knocked the gun out of his hand. They rolled on the street until Ember found his way on top of her and held her wrists against the ground. She violently spat on his face and called him a traitor. He smashed his knuckles into her jaw and she went limp. I jumped on him and tried to pull him off, but he threw me back like a ragdoll. Hannah’s eyes fluttered open but I couldn’t get up. I had no more wind in my lungs and I couldn’t see straight. I crawled across the pavement to them and tried pulling the pistol out of my belt.

She shook her head and tried to regain her focus until Ember grabbed the gun on the street and pulled the trigger against her stomach. Her head fell to the side and she looked at me…right at me…and smiled. She bought me time.

I raised the gun in my hand and told him to drop his. He did so, stood up, and turned around with his hands at his sides; no sign of intimidation, no happiness, no sadness, no satisfaction.

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“You were my friend, Em.”

“I had to try. I had to try this. This was my only choice.”

“You were my friend. You were their friend! You killed them.” and I pulled the trigger.

The military will most likely be ordered to skew the story; the cops will side with them and tell the media what to print out on the public news. I haven’t written since my last meeting with my squad mates…and now I’m journaling their death. Syber’s wife has to tell his son that daddy isn’t coming home to throw the ball with him. Hannah risked her life for a few seconds for the chance that I could save my own. Ember threw his life away to heal his sister by contracting with the rebels to kill our squad.

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I went back to the destroyed shore and just sat on the debris where my welcoming rocks used to be, gun in-hand, looking at the smoke filled sky. There was no sun, there was no warmth. There was only the sound of the bleeding city. I stared at the sky I used to dream about with hatred until the smoke cleared and the suns’ rays finally struck through. My father found me there along with a search crew. I don’t know what he said because I just couldn’t think of anything else but Syber’s eyes, Hannah’s smile, and Ember’s body falling lifeless from my gun. Where do I go from that…

I don’t skip classes anymore. I don’t know what to dream about when I stargaze now…I just want to protect what I have left.
_______________________Public Relations Administrator______________________
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__________________A tongue of silver is worth plenty in gold._________________
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