08-05-2017, 10:33 PM
Tension had finally snapped.
Shū didn’t waste any time as the soldier and the goat-child engaged in battle. Slipping on the blue fluid still spilled on the floor, the shaman slid behind the cylinder canister he was spat from not long ago. Panic edged along his consciousness but he risked taking a quick look before wrenching his head back, a bullet flashing in front of his eyes as it ricocheted off the canister. Metal clashed and fire roared, the shaman letting his imagination play out the turn of events.
He didn’t know what happened to Captain Alexander and he questioned if the man was ever there. One thing was certain was that he had enough of this odd place and the insanity it spawned. Chest tight with labored breaths, that same breath caught as he recognized a faded word on his former prison…
Raka.
More precisely it said 'Raka Initiative' and the remaining words were of a language he didn’t recognize. Crashes and booms could be heard behind his cover as he tried to look for a way out. Many other onlookers had taken off or were utterly bemused by the change of events, something Shū couldn’t relate to in the slightest. Plucking a shard of metal off the ground, he continued to pry the nameplate off the machine. Muscles tensing and straining, the shard cutting into his palms and through the white suit hugging his entire being, the plate snapped off and slid across the ground.
Heat wavered from the direction of the battle with an intensity Shū regrettably knew all too well. Snatching the name plate and clutching it tight, a precious artifact that was the last connection he had to his world, the green-eyed shaman waited for the noise to die down before taking another peek. He spotted the retreating stormtroopers in the distance and squashed the doubts that were plaguing him.
Inner chambers within him unlocked, a valve released around his heart as an energy spiraled outward. Sparks danced in the air as he slid into the open and sprinted towards the stormtroopers. No longer were they metal-soldiers to him, they were to be his guide. Lightning whipped around him as he sprinted faster than he thought he was possible of, buzzing past many newly awakened beings and their own dramas.
Of course it would have been more helpful if they had stopped running from him.
Legs aching and still fighting off entropy, he lurched forward with another burst of speed and overtook the squad of soldiers. Skidding to a stop in front of the group who fanned out and pointed their weapons at him, Shū stood up, clutching his acquired item, and attempted to control his breathing. In the distance, near the fountain, the fight had died down but it was far away and out of his mind. For now, he had questions.
Power faded, the tingle of electricity playfully licking the air went with it. The lead stormtrooper marched up to Shū, his crude weapon pressing against the shaman’s chest.
“If you want a fight, we’ll give you a fight!” The trooper spat behind his helmet, his voice venomous, “Half the squad here was supposed to be on leave a week ago and we’re stuck here trying to recruit insane Primes like you and your friends. We can just take you down now so I’m tired of-”
“Calm yourself, metal man. I want to go to your world. I wish to seek answers there and I require your guidance.” Shū cut him off, outstretching his arm for the other to take. A machine wouldn’t recognize the gesture, the shaman mused to himself, eyes darting between the still heavily armed troopers.
There was a moment of hesitation before the trooper stretched out his hand, letting out a startled noise as Shū took him by the forearm and pulled him close. Tension was raised again, Shū immediately realizing he made another error in etiquette. Their leader held up his hand, ceasing any action from his fellows. A moment of looking at one another passed before he finally gripped Shū’s forearm in return and gave him a curt not.
He removed his helmet revealing a dark-skinned man, clean shaven and with a grizzled look of a veteran of many confrontations. Dark brown eyes stared back at Shū, eyes that didn’t belong to a machine. There was comfort in that and the stormtrooper could tell that as the tension had faded from the shaman’s shoulders.
“My designation is TRK-5420. My comrades call me Turk but you will address me as captain. Follow us. We’ll take you to Coruscant.” And with that the captain placed his helmet on and ordered his troops to follow, heading towards a great gate not too far in the distance.
Finally, he would be away from this empty place. Questions still swam in his mind, visions still haunted him and weighed down his soul. With a ragged sigh, he took one more look back and noticed that the fountain was nothing more than a speck in the distance. No bright flashes or loud booms. Just an awkward silence that suited the place.
Shū hoped he would never return but the apparition of a smiling silhouette in his mind suggested otherwise…
Shū didn’t waste any time as the soldier and the goat-child engaged in battle. Slipping on the blue fluid still spilled on the floor, the shaman slid behind the cylinder canister he was spat from not long ago. Panic edged along his consciousness but he risked taking a quick look before wrenching his head back, a bullet flashing in front of his eyes as it ricocheted off the canister. Metal clashed and fire roared, the shaman letting his imagination play out the turn of events.
He didn’t know what happened to Captain Alexander and he questioned if the man was ever there. One thing was certain was that he had enough of this odd place and the insanity it spawned. Chest tight with labored breaths, that same breath caught as he recognized a faded word on his former prison…
Raka.
More precisely it said 'Raka Initiative' and the remaining words were of a language he didn’t recognize. Crashes and booms could be heard behind his cover as he tried to look for a way out. Many other onlookers had taken off or were utterly bemused by the change of events, something Shū couldn’t relate to in the slightest. Plucking a shard of metal off the ground, he continued to pry the nameplate off the machine. Muscles tensing and straining, the shard cutting into his palms and through the white suit hugging his entire being, the plate snapped off and slid across the ground.
Heat wavered from the direction of the battle with an intensity Shū regrettably knew all too well. Snatching the name plate and clutching it tight, a precious artifact that was the last connection he had to his world, the green-eyed shaman waited for the noise to die down before taking another peek. He spotted the retreating stormtroopers in the distance and squashed the doubts that were plaguing him.
Inner chambers within him unlocked, a valve released around his heart as an energy spiraled outward. Sparks danced in the air as he slid into the open and sprinted towards the stormtroopers. No longer were they metal-soldiers to him, they were to be his guide. Lightning whipped around him as he sprinted faster than he thought he was possible of, buzzing past many newly awakened beings and their own dramas.
Of course it would have been more helpful if they had stopped running from him.
Legs aching and still fighting off entropy, he lurched forward with another burst of speed and overtook the squad of soldiers. Skidding to a stop in front of the group who fanned out and pointed their weapons at him, Shū stood up, clutching his acquired item, and attempted to control his breathing. In the distance, near the fountain, the fight had died down but it was far away and out of his mind. For now, he had questions.
Power faded, the tingle of electricity playfully licking the air went with it. The lead stormtrooper marched up to Shū, his crude weapon pressing against the shaman’s chest.
“If you want a fight, we’ll give you a fight!” The trooper spat behind his helmet, his voice venomous, “Half the squad here was supposed to be on leave a week ago and we’re stuck here trying to recruit insane Primes like you and your friends. We can just take you down now so I’m tired of-”
“Calm yourself, metal man. I want to go to your world. I wish to seek answers there and I require your guidance.” Shū cut him off, outstretching his arm for the other to take. A machine wouldn’t recognize the gesture, the shaman mused to himself, eyes darting between the still heavily armed troopers.
There was a moment of hesitation before the trooper stretched out his hand, letting out a startled noise as Shū took him by the forearm and pulled him close. Tension was raised again, Shū immediately realizing he made another error in etiquette. Their leader held up his hand, ceasing any action from his fellows. A moment of looking at one another passed before he finally gripped Shū’s forearm in return and gave him a curt not.
He removed his helmet revealing a dark-skinned man, clean shaven and with a grizzled look of a veteran of many confrontations. Dark brown eyes stared back at Shū, eyes that didn’t belong to a machine. There was comfort in that and the stormtrooper could tell that as the tension had faded from the shaman’s shoulders.
“My designation is TRK-5420. My comrades call me Turk but you will address me as captain. Follow us. We’ll take you to Coruscant.” And with that the captain placed his helmet on and ordered his troops to follow, heading towards a great gate not too far in the distance.
Finally, he would be away from this empty place. Questions still swam in his mind, visions still haunted him and weighed down his soul. With a ragged sigh, he took one more look back and noticed that the fountain was nothing more than a speck in the distance. No bright flashes or loud booms. Just an awkward silence that suited the place.
Shū hoped he would never return but the apparition of a smiling silhouette in his mind suggested otherwise…
![[Image: JC7uJCv.jpg]](http://i.imgur.com/JC7uJCv.jpg)