Foreshadow (Part 2)

[Crip 4,735]

                                              Foreshadow (Part 2)

This has taken me a while to get round to writing this part. I've had less time for hobbies and Tanki during the holidays than in term-time. Work that one out :P.

 

I see this part as a "bridge" between the start and the end. Hopefully it makes a worthwhile read, and the 3rd part will be up eventually.

 

Part 1

 

Keiren jerked upright, his eyes snapping open. His hand moved, trembling, up to his face.
It was covered in clinging sweat. That scream; it had broken through his dreams like a pebble thrown into a calm millpond. His first thoughts were for his mother, sleeping a few rooms away. She occasionally suffered from nightmares, mostly about his Father.
He listened, thinking he would hear sobbing. Instead, there was a small sound in the corridor, then a soft knock on his door. Keiren shook his head, trying to collect  his thoughts together. He realised his mother was talking through the wooden door, asking how he was. His mumbled reply seemed to satisfy her, and her footsteps died away.

It was his scream that had shattered his sleep. He fought to reach the tiny fragment of the dream he had undergone, but it fluttered away like an leaf in the swirling autumn wind.
He sank back onto the bed, realizing for the first time that his right hand was embedded deep into the wood, revealing deep,jagged rifts as he removed it.

This hadn't been a normal dream, but yet he was sure he'd felt this way before, several times in fact. His eyes wandered to the red uniform hanging beside his bed, and then to the small framed picture of his tank. His tank, his one true friend; a friend that would never let him down, it had served him faithfully though his years at the academy, and his first year of true regimental service. He often spoke to it, something his dormitary ridiculed. "It's probably more alive than your father is" they would jeer. Hot, sngry tears would spring into his eyes, but he would never react in violence. His father had always been against revenge, and Keiren honoured that.

His academy days had been truely fun: flying past the tests, winning the majority of his duels. His Father had always tried to be there to support him, even sending messages when he could not. But Keiren had never been particularly outgoing, and his regiment preyed on his shyness, though knowing full well they could not match his Railgun prowess on the field. They enjoyed exploiting this weak point in Keiren's armor.

His Father had showed him every trick he knew with it, dedicating his spare time to his family, which involved passing on every piece of skill to Keiren. His last words to him had been strikingly odd. They had been polishing Mistrunner together before his Father left to rejoin his sector when he had turned to Keiren. "Son", he had said. "Even though the Cobra may rule supreme, it never suspects the Eagle. Remember that". Then he had looked past Keiren, away into the afternoon sky; a wistful, longing expression on his face. They had finished the task in silence.

Those words had seemed wholly irrelevant to Keiren at the time, even though he had mused that the "Eagle" was his Father's former regiment, whose symbol was a soaring eagle.

 The "Cobra" though? He could feel it as a half-forgotten memory, locked in his mind, like a old wooden chest hidden deep within a labyrinth. Then he remembered. "Cobra" was the name his fellow tankers gave to the Emperor himself. "King Cobra" they had called him in mocking voices, sneering at his futile attempts to settle peace with the neighbouring countries, although they never said anything in front of a senior officer.

"So my Father knew his regiment was attempting an action against the Emperor himself?" Keiren wondered allowed.

Suddenly his mobile received a message, announcing this with startling shriek, piercing his thoughts as he was brought back into reality. His hand groped towards it, flicking the message open. It was from his commander. "New Orders:" it read. "Rejoin your sector as soon as you can. Regiment 118 is currently crossing the pass, heading northwards. Cannot tell you more, entering wilderness."

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An elderly moustached man is idly flicking through some data files. A sub-ordinate walks quickly in, saluting smartly before handing the man a small tape. Frowning intently, the man listens to the Officer's report. The tape is replayed again and again in front of the man's widening eyes. Alarm is scrawled across his face as he makes a call.

 

"Colonel? Commander Fisher speaking. We have another. Issue Order Talon to your squad immediately."
 

Edited January 15, 2017 by Savage

[asifmehmood 1,576]

XD I like it dude 

[ToHoYoNTaDa 1,147]

I liked it.

[Girly_Power_Pro 23]

love it!

[Tofu 6,773]

What a bump jeez

[Crip 4,735]

What a bump jeez

At least no one can blame me...

[Tofu 6,773]

At least no one can blame me...

Your article, your fault