1

My earphone buzzed to life. “Thistle, status report.”
I threw my back against a stone wall as two guards dressed in all white holding sub machine guns passed by, unaware of my position.
I pushed on the side of my earpiece which allowed me to speak. “I can see the objective.” I whispered. “I’m going in.” I let go and waited for the response.
“Rodger that.”
I made sure to look both ways before crossing. We were in a secret data base in southern Glaciem accessing important information about the MNSH (the Mundi National Space Hotel) that was taking civilians to and from Earth. The government claims that the ship is used for transportation only, but we believe there is more to the ship.
I snuck down a narrow hallway with a few doors here and there. I ducked under a huge glass window which revealed a large quantity of guards taking coffee breaks. What Idiots.
A small door sat at the end of the hallway with a fingerprint scan lock. This was going to be easy.
I quickly scanned my finger and the door slid open. It was a room full of computers, desks, and monitors. In the very back was a huge computer and touch screen with a complicated pass code. I worked my way around the shadows until I reached it. I flicked on the screen and typed in R12-V6J-CMG-S35.
“Hurry.”
“I’m working on it.” I took the microchip from my belt and inserted it into the monitor. The computer blinked before it began to download.
“Hold it, Thistle I’ve got something.”
“Not now.” I whispered.
“Thistle, don’t blow this. Check your tracker.”
I didn’t have the time. The microchip was about finished downloading.
“Thistle!” The sound of a loading gun made me freeze. I smiled, show time folks.
I spun around and did a quick round house kick. My attacker easily flew five feet, his face frozen in shock. There were three of them, one girl with long black hair and snake like eyes, and two boys, one with silky blond hair and one with dark brown hair that was pulled into a Mohawk and dyed green at the tips.
Blonde went down with a thud, flinging his pistol behind him. The other two stood there dazed before attacking me. Snake Eyes was the first to react. She let lose a spray of bullets that I easily dodged. I dropped onto the floor and swept my leg bringing her down. I continued the move and uppercut Spiky were it counts. He howled like a three year old sissy and dropped like a stone. I couldn’t help but laugh.
All of the sudden alarms sounded and the lights went red. I looked to see what had triggered it and quickly spotted Blonde looking at me with eyes full of terror. I grabbed Snake Eyes’ pistol and shot him.
I heard the rush of footsteps and knew I was in trouble. I turned back to the computer and grabbed the chip.
“Thistle, meet me in the west wing for departure.”
“Rodger” I said sprinting down the hall. “I might be a little late.” I grabbed the pistol and fired twice, knocking two guards to the floor.
Two more came at me and one managed to knock the gun out of my hand. I swooped low, just missing a punch to the face and came up with a strong kick to the gut. I heard the air leave him with a tremendous oof. I finished my kick with a punch to my second attacker’s head. I heard the unmistakable crack of a bone as crimson blood ran down his nose. He swung at me again but I grabbed arm and twisted it behind him. He cried out and I whipped him around just as Attacker One tried to shoot me. Three bullets landed squarely in Attacker Two’s chest. Attacker One was standing in shock as I threw the body down and whipped the gun from him, shooting him dead.
I rocketed down the hallway, fighting anyone that got in my way. Nectar came toward me from the four way intersecting hallway. She saw me being chased and sped up. At the last second I slid softball style while she jumped over me shooting anyone in sight. I popped up behind her and shot the people that were chasing her. I know, I’m bad.

2

“Man the battle stations! Move! Move! Move!” Sulfur shouted.
Nectar dashed left to a ladder and climbed as fast as she could down. I stood there watching her, as if in a trance until she yelled, “Thistle, get your lazy butt down here I’m going to need some help!”
Her real name was Rachel Nectargille and everywhere she went life seemed to be holding a grudge against her.
Her father, a man named Tom, was one of the first people to react to Subject Earth. At this time Mundi was split into two, the people who wanted to help Earth and the people who wanted to blow it up. Almost all of the counsel wanted to help Earth; to bring the people here as they helped clean the planet. Tom was given a job to create a way to communicate with their leader. He was grateful for the opportunity and created the Curl.
The Curl looks very similar to a pancake, but with a buttons, a tiny speaker, and what looks like a black glass orb that comes in and out of it. If you pressed the middle button the Curl would turn on and the orb with rise from inside it. If you said the name and place and the other person had a Curl, theirs would buzz. You would then press the middle button to answer it.
The counsel was so impressed that they gave him a million numus and told him he could fly and design the first Shuttle to Earth, so he got to work.
Tom was so busy he forgot about his family. Sophia, Rachel’s mom, told him to be more family like or she would leave him. Tom tried to stay with his family and he did for a little while, but he got absorbed in his work. Sophia fought with him, but it was no use. She knew he wanted this more than anything and she couldn’t find it in her heart to leave.
When Rachel was thirteen; her father left for Earth. That morning Sophia was very quiet and she didn’t say a thing to Tom until he walked out the door she whispered after him “Be safe.” A minute after he left, the ship caught fire and fell apart. The ship came down with a hundred people still alive inside, Tom included. It hit the ground again with a big “Boom!” Many people survived, but more died, including Tom.
When Sophia heard of his death she lost it. She took Rachel and moved as far away as possible. She finally settled in the outskirts of Sola City. She gave up on life; she laid in bed all day and never spoke. Rachel started to care for her mom. She got a hard long job at a weaving factory that didn’t pay, but it was the only job that would hire due to lack of small hands. That wasn’t enough. Two years later Sophia died while Rachel was at work.
Nectar was forced to live on the streets, but nobody paid attention to an eleven year old asking for money and food. Three years later a sharp looking woman wearing a black fur coat stopped to look at her. She took off her sunglasses revealing dark gray eyes and knelt beside Nectar. “My my, what have we here? What are you doing all alone on the streets?” she said chewing gum.
Nectar looked up wearily, figuring the woman didn’t really care for here and that she was teasing her. “I have nowhere to go.”
The woman looked at her sadly. “Rachel, my name Elise Shadowtale and I can help you, but you have to tell me why you are out here all alone.”
“How do you know my name?”
“That doesn’t answer my question.” Elise looked at her intensely.
Nectar studied her shoes and whispered, “Both my parent died.”
“How did your father die?”
“He was killed in a Shuttle to Earth.”
“Are you sure?”
She looked up. “What do you mean?”
“True you father died in the Shuttle when it came back down to Mundi, but how? What made it come crashing to the ground?”
“My father designed it and if there was a flaw he would have noticed it.”
“Are you sure?”
Nectar looked up completely flabbergasted. “Are you telling me he killed himself? How do you know so much anyway?”
The woman paused then pulled out what looked like a police badge, but wasn’t. The pin was a shield with two swords intersecting in the middle. The badge read Approved 5156 Bellator. “Rachel I am what you might call a secret agent and I don’t know exactly what happened to your father, but that this was no accident. You see, your father built this Shuttle without any major flaws that would have caused it to crash. We know because we have looked at his plans time and time again. So someone building it must have altered part of the ship.”
“What if they thought they were fixing it?”
“That is highly unlikely. We think someone on the counsel pretended to like Earth, but was secretly planning to take over the mission.”
“Why?” Tears where forming in her eyes. “Why would anyone do such a thing?!”
“I don’t know sweetheart, but we’d like to find out. That’s why I found you.”
Nectar looked up blankly, “What?”
“You see dear, I needed to find you so you could take revenge on your father.”
“How would I do that?”
Elise took her hand. “You would train to fight. You would learn how to defend yourself in the toughest of situations. Join me and become a Bellator.”
Nectar looked away. “I-I don’t know. Let me think about it.”
“Sure thing darling. I will be here first thing tomorrow morning for your answer.”
“Okay-” When nectar looked up the woman was already gone. The sun was setting slowly on the horizon. Nectar pulled her coat up over her head and leaned back against the cold brick wall. She might as well get some rest, she had a big day tomorrow.

The next morning when Elise arrived Nectar was ready.
“Well Rachel,” Elise began, “Do you have an answer?”
“Yes, I’ll go.”
Elise smiled. “Perfect. Now if you’ll just follow me.” She got up, her black coat swaying at the knees.
“Wait!” Nectar called. “Where are we going?”
Elise turned around, blowing a bubble with her gum. “To Insula.”
“Insula? Isn’t that like on the other edge of Mundi?!”
“Yes ma’am.”
Nectar was shocked. “Well…how are we getting there?”
Elise smiled. “Follow me Miss Nectargille.” She turned and began to walk in the busy streets of Argentum. Nectar ran after her, but never seemed to catch up. Elise never looked back at her, she just kept moving through the crowd.
Finally she turned down a narrow street that came to a dead end at a small store that read: Silverlake’s Gift shop. Elise pushed open the door without a second glance.
Inside was a small old woman wrapped tightly in different covered fabrics. She wore a hot pink scarf and a big tan hat to hide her face. When she lifted her head her dark red eyes warned Rachel not to goof around.
“Well, what brings you to my store?” She croaked.
Elise spoke quickly. “It is such a pretty shop, but I am here for a snow globe.”
The woman nodded. “Follow me.” She went back behind the counter and disappeared. Elise ran after her with Nectar on her heels.
The woman stopped by a door labeled storage and pressed a small button at the top of the door. There was a quiet ding as the door spit in two revealing an elevator. Nectar stared until Elise had to pull her. She pressed for the roof and the elevator doors slid shut leaving the woman to go back to her store.
When we reached the roof Nectar about had a heart attack. In front of her was a jet that she swore wasn’t there earlier.
“There is an invisible shield.” Elise said reading her thoughts. “It protects us in all directions.” She walked quickly to the jet as one of the doors slowly opened. Elise climbed in and turned around to look at Nectar . “Well, are you coming?”
Nectar ran toward the plane and hopped in. The inside was huge. There was a long couch and two chairs. A small bar was placed at the far wall as well as a TV. In the middle of the floor was a projector with a keyboard attached.
Elise popped her head in the cockpit. “We are ready for take off!” She called then looked at Nectar. “You’d better take a seat.”

Nectar was flown to Insula where she trained for ten months before getting a mission. Unfortunately her mission was unsuccessful and three agents died in the process. They pulled Nectar out bleeding and minutes from death. She now has a knife scar that runs from her right shoulder to her left hip. To this day Nectar has not found out who is responsible for her father’s death, but she is determined to keep searching.

3

The ship leapt sideways as we avoided fire, causing me to lose my grip on the latter and fall to the gun deck.
“On my mark!” Sulfur shouted from above. I scrambled to my feet and fumbled into the small chair. I flipped the small switch by the controls and slipped on the black headset.
Nectar’s voice buzzed its way into my ear. “There’s three – no four of them out there; all Beetles.”
“Rodger that.” Beetles are one person fighter planes that are intensely fast and agile. This wouldn’t be too much of a challenge, but one that would defiantly slow us down.
“Fire!” Sulfur shouted from above. I let lose a spray of bullets, but I was too slow. The Beetle swerved to the left. I watched my lock screen carefully, following the ship with the gun. There was a soft ding and the words TARGET LOCKED flashed on my screen. I let lose a second round of bullets and the ship went down in flames.
“Nice work.” Nectar said. From my position I could just barely see her firing at a nearby Beetle.
“Thanks,” I said taking aim again. “But we’re not done yet.”
A Beetle drifted onto my monitor. Its left engine was on fire, but it was still flying. It whizzed past the window shooting the ship. I shot at it, but was a few seconds behind. I continued fire until I had it was lost under the ship.
I cursed, but then to my right a ship exploded into a million pieces. Two down, two to go.
“Sulfur!” I shouted. “Who’s flying the ship?” We couldn’t keep this up for much longer, especially when the Spider was going so slowly.
“Flame, why?”
I swore. Where was Willow when I needed her? “Tell him to go faster!” I screeched missing another Beetle.
Flame was one of the new recruits who was studying flight. He wasn’t as good as Willow who joined a few months after I did. She was a good friend of mine and she was all business…usually. On the occasion she would let loose and go absolutely crazy.
A Beetle glided into shooting range. I grinded my teeth and concentrated hard. The ship exploded into a ball of flames. I looked around to find the last ship hitting the streets below.
I sat back and took a breath. “Mission accomplished!” I shouted.
“Good work team!” Sulfur shouted. “Flame, get us out of here!”

The ship slowly approached the mountains of Insula, a private island off Viridi City. The shield surrounding the island fell and huge metal doors inched open. The ship landed with a thud and made me again appreciate Willow’s skill.
The Spider’s doors opened and a few medics rushed in. They led us to the infirmary to check for wounds (I didn’t have more than a few scratches) and take blood. I winced as the needle pierced my arm. Nectar had a large gash in her side from the stampede. I was apparently too absorbed in my work to notice she was in pain.
After we were all patched up, we went to talk to the director. He was a tall man with a scruffy goatee. He wore a black pinstriped suit with a silver tie. His eyes where a dark shade of brown that where hidden behind thick square glasses. His short brown hair was trimmed short in a business like manor. He sat behind his old wooden desk with perfect posture and when he spoke his voice was cold and menacing.
“Director,” I said standing tall with Nectar right beside me.
“At ease.” He said coming out from behind his desk. Nectar and I spread our feet apart and put our hands behind out back. “The mission was a success, I presume.”
“Yes sir, the data files where successfully downloaded.” Nectar stated stiffly.
I stepped forward and handed him the microchip. “Very good.” He turned to look at me. “Now Agent Thistle, I understand you had a bit of a detour.” I swallowed. “What you did will be accounted for. Our mission required maximum stealth, which you seem to lack. Our next target will know we are coming.” I hung my head. The Director waved his hand “Dismissed.” I turned and stumbled out the room.

The Director’s room was on the west side of the building, overlooking the training arena. The training arena was a huge stone room with tons of obstacle courses. In the far right corner was a climbing wall that could be set to any temperature and experience all kinds of weather. There was a boy climbing it now who was experiencing freezing cold climate and heavy snow.
Next to the climbing wall was a simulation room. The room could be set to any location based on a certain mission. For example, before my mission, they set the scene to the data base in Glaciem and had us run through it. They have holographic guards that could hurt you if you’re not careful.
In the middle of the arena was a complicated stone maze. The maze could be arranged and rearranged depending on your training. Inside the maze, there where traps, holographic knife throwers and gun men, and sometimes the floors moved or a boulder shifted. It was designed to confuse you and it was hard to overcome. There was tower that overlooked the maze that trainers would sit in to control what happened to you. A tall stone fence surrounded the maze so people could get by without interfering with the training.
I the left corner nearest to me was a large sparing area that looked similar to a professional wrestling arena. You where each supplied a weapon that couldn’t physically harm your opponent, but could really hurt depending on what you use. Right now a gun fight was going on. Paint flew back and forth between the fighters. As I watched a small blonde girl ducked behind what looked like an upturned picnic table. A large scruffy man was shooting green paint after her.
In the right corner was an archery range and a sword arena. Dummies with targets on their head and chests where placed in a circle for sword practice and in rows for archery.
“Let’s head back to the dorm.” Nectar said pulling me away from the huge glass window.
Class rooms filled the first floor on the east side, and so all the dorms where placed on the second floor. Black doors with number plaques aligned the white stone walls. There were a hundred doors total, but only half where taken. My dorm was number 42 about seven doors from Nectar.
Inside was a two roomed house, almost like a hotel room. It had a small bathroom, a double twin bed, two closets (one in the bathroom,) a desk, a TV and Xbox, a microwave, and a mini fridge. I didn’t need really need a kitchen since we had to eat in the mess hall.
“How to you live like this?” Nectar said coming in beside me.
I looked around. “Like what?”
She picked an old pair of shorts off my desk. “Like this.” I guess you could say I’m not the cleanest person in the world.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I said making my way through piles of books and garbage trying desperately to reach the mini fridge.
“Ugh, gross!” Nectar bent down and pulled away the sheets for my unmade bed revealing a hard shell taco.
“What?” I asked throwing her a pop. “I was hungry.”
She stared at me then burst out laughing. “I cannot believe you!” She said in between chuckles.
Finally when the laughter died down she stood. “Well, I will see you at dinner.”
I smiled. “See you then.”

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 25.04.2012

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