Camille felt chills over her harms, the ship ventilation had booted up with the closing door blowing cold air over her. The inside was poorly lit, yellowish spot were dispatched along the central hallway giving just enough light for one to not knock himself out. Neffs were not built with any windows which displeased her, Camille liked to stare at the outside during flight. Furthermore, the synthetic smell of the seats was bothering but far better than the awful smell of the base. Already, the girl has considered the engineer that had designed the spaceship to be some moron lacking creativity.

At the front, even in the dim light, she could spot a bulk of silvery hair moving. The other girl was standing with a large pile of gear on the first row, occupying it all by herself. Camille was a bit surprise as she was not allowed such expense.

How did she manage to carry all these? My bag is already so heavy…

As they approach, she turned her head toward them. Anil had not stopped talking and was now displaying his boring knowledge about Neff and spaceship. The other girl was much more interesting, and Camille walked on tiptoe to see her above the soldier’s shoulder. Even from a distance, one could tell at a glance that she was noble. The dress with rustle she wore was popular in this season, she remembered Liane making fuss over them.

At least she was not some boorish country girl, or so she first thought before taking a good look at her. Space travel mutation present in different part of her body, strong and not hidden as only powerful noble like herself would dare. Her blue eyes were infused with reddish fragment, jewels laid on her soft skin. Her silver mane had nothing special, but ended in glossy black fork uncommon and proof to a strong lisp irradiation.

- Hello! My name is Gwenaëlle Devos, call me Gwen please!

- H-Hello, Camille Weiss, from the Weiss family. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.

The two girls stood facing each other in a deep silence. Anil couldn’t understand as they were judging the other, founding out who was supposed to be the above the other. Their family were of similar status and they both had heard their name before.

- Zat! That was quick… I expected a bit more noble’s stuff and flattery. Whatever, I’m going to boot up the neff. You two make friends, am coming back asap.

They watched him leave to the cockpit before turning back to their silent warfare. Gwen was a bit taller than Camille and her bare harms seemed plumper. Camille guessed she had prepared, but that barely changed her childlike face. If she was better than her, it was only by a tiny bit or so Camille believed.

Gwen was the first one to finish her assessment, even for Camille’s unusual outfit she gauged her equal. She smiled at her pear, illuminating her cute face, and started over the conversation.

- Are you going to BD base as well? On Erin IV?

Camille tried to remember her enlistment procedure. It was a minute ago, yet the details were already blurry in her mind. She could remember the two soldiers arguing about it. Even ensure, she answered with a forceful nod.

- Yes, something like that.

- We are so lucky! BD is like the best base on Erin, the planet of heroes. Maybe we will become like them! Or even better, battle cup start! I’m so eager to get there, are you not?

- You enlisted spontaneously?

Camille was not needing the answer. From the beginning, the girl sounded out of her mind.

How could someone want to go to a military base? What was wrong with this girl?

So many questions, stumbling upon her mind as the other answered with overjoy. Camille was lost in disbelief, thinking about the upcoming agony was pulling her to the brink of tear. Her comrade was shaking from impatience.

- Yeah, I wanted to be an MEA pilot like all my life! But we can’t pilot one without joining the military and if I had fun in VR games for a while, they quickly became boring. I used to play Elypse a lot, but I don’t have fun anymore.

- My sister played it… I’m not into videogames.

- Really? Why are you joining then? You are from the Weiss family, the shipping company, right? You don’t have any reason to enlist… You want to become a battle cup stars!

Gwen was confident, but that last shattered when Camille shook her head, her depressed face poorly hidden. Gwen grabbed her comrade hand. Some worried eyes, shaking on her face as she keeps staring at her new partner.

- Then why?

- I didn’t have the choice, she answered bitterly. Maybe it would have been better if I were like you.

- That’s terrible, I’m so sorry for you. Gwen tried to comfort her while holding tightly her hand. Everything will be okay, you will see! Everyone has unlucky day.

The girl’s kindness was touching, yet Camille was unsure about her true feeling. She too would have made a sweet face to satiate her curiosity. Gwen seemed true to her heart; she could also be a skilled actor.

- Everybody tells me this. I can’t see any way for this to get worse, anyway.

- Don’t be so negative! I will help you once we arrive! We are the only two from the ring, we need to help each other.

- Yes, that sound doable…

Camille stared in the distance as she spoke, she was not believing her own words the faintest. She had seen what trainee had to go through and was sure Gwen would soon regret her own choice. Still, she was not about to demoralize her and as the girl was actively trying to cheer her up, she allowed herself to smile. Anil chose that moment to start the spaceship, purring as the lisp engine awoke.

Gwen jumped back into her seat, starting to buckle her seat belt. Camille hesitates a bit before sitting behind, dropping her heavy bag on the next seat. She was about to copy her comrade when Anil returned.

- Everything okay? The lunatic did not scare you off, new head? Joked the boy before gesturing to follow him. There is enough place at the front for all of us, leave your gear there and follow me if you want… Just don’t touch anything!

Gwen was annoyed as she barely finished to strap herself, Camille was much more enthusiastic. She was had never been allowed inside a skycraft cockpit and was curious about its shape. She expected something horrible like the rest of the base. For once, she was mind blowed.

The neff nose was in a round triangle shape, ending in a wall of holoscreens reflecting their surroundings. She could see four seats at the front. The first two, next to one another, were meant for the pilots and surrounded by the ship commands and a prodigious number of buttons. Everything was lit in many colours, drawing some kind of rainbow impossible to translate for their sorry mind.

Anil sat at the front right and invited them to do the same. Camille dropped next to him, which seemed surprisingly amusing for the boy. Gwen was right behind her, but she was not paying much attention to them as her gaze was lost in the impressing display. She reached out for a controller lying next to her but was stopped by the boy.

- Don’t touch anything new head… Zat! I sound like Sibelle…

- What is it supposed to do?

- Well, in any normal neff that would be connected to the main gun. We are in a civilian one, it’s just connected to a camera. No gun for you, new head.

A bit upset, the girl left her toy alone. Anil started pushing buttons and the outside camera came to life. The screen switched to their back followed by the two long wings to return to the front view. The boy seemed pleased after the quick swept and invited them to put their belt as the take-off was imminent. The two acted swiftly, waiting for the raging beast to take off.

- Camille, can you… Reaching with his arm, he tried to press a button in front of the girl. Please?

She timidly pushed it as he could not do it himself. His eyes narrowed and a nefarious smirk twisted his face.

- You were lucky this time trainee.

The engine roared and the neff started to move to the underground departure runway. As the base was only inhabited by two people, Anil had to be the pilot, departure controller and his own co-pilot. As always, he was enjoying the moment. Role playing the different character, changing his voice and using stupid name. The silly plays helped the girls chill, helpful as it would be there first fly in outer space.

Once the last calibration complete, he locked his harness after verifying If his passenger were properly sat. He pulled the gas with a disproportionate smile on his face, the engine rumbled like an angry beast. Camille had barely the time to prepare before founding herself tackled to her seat.

- Get ready! It’s going to be wild!

Camille regretted her trust in the young men almost as much as the slow and pleasant drive of her butler. She didn’t get much time to remember it as the pilot, who had not stopped accelerating, pulled one of the controllers. The neff’s nose propulsors lighted up and gravity inverted. Now facing the sky, they could see the door starting to open. Panic surged through Camille; the door was not opening fast enough. They would crash right into if the pilot failed to react! Anil had no such fear.

The main propulsor screamed, like a missile they flew toward the ridiculous gap. Camille was not daring to breath, eyes clenched on the upcoming doom. A wall of fire surrounded them, the bird secondary propulsors had joined the fight, stabilising their course. Time started to flow slowly as they moved through, allowing her eyes to witness the rain of spark as the steel grazed them. They had brushed it by a drop and as soon as he had confirmed it, Anil threw all the power he had in hand.

The jolt was so intense that they would have slammed into the wall if not for their belts. Anil chuckled like a madman and started to do some figure with his toy. A few rolls and finally he stabilised the beast, turning his head to check on his passenger.

Camille stood astonished; An idiotic smile lost over her face. Her breath was short, whole body had turned numb with the rush of adrenaline in her bloodstream. She had never felt anything like that, she was not the kind to like thrill or action. Yet the speed and fury, the definition of Anil driving had made her blood boil and cleansed her fear. Dropping them behind as they left Earth.

- That’s-That’s so cool! She yelled to her elder. Can I learn that?

- Easy girl! You saw nothing there. He laughed proud of himself. This piece of junk doesn’t have anything in the back. Imagine what you could do with a glider. Zat! Can’t even be compared. That’s said, the take-off trick I just pulled out is not on the easy side. I crashed a lot of time before managing it.

- So, it’s possible to learn it? I want to try to!

- Really? Zat! I was not expecting that from you. Everybody gets to learn the basic, getting off the ground, flying a bit and crashing without killing everyone. There is so much better, you will see.

- Do all the take-offs need to be so violent? Asked a pale Gwen, fighting her grumpy tummy. I thought we died back there…

- Zat! No! Normal people use gravity reactor and just glide up until they left the base. Boring and take so much time! Mine is much better!

Gwen sighted in delight, never she would ride again with the boy. Her life was too precious to be wasted by some crazy moron.

- I like the earth, earth don’t spin in every direction. Grumbled the girl while glaring at Camille’s smile. How can you like that?

- Me? I don’t know… I was not expecting to enjoy it either. At first, I was super scared and couldn’t move at all but then it kicked in and I felt so alive... Maybe something is wrong with me…

Trying to explain, she noticed her lack of logic. As noble’s instinct return, she doubted her own felling. She was not supposed to enjoy something so vulgar. Speed and race where some commoner entertainment, far below her simple but reputable standard. It was like committing a crime against herself, disturbing for the teenager.

- Don’t worry, nothing special about liking speed. I will turn on the gravity regulator, try to avoid giving back your dinner.

The gravity changed once more, pulling them back toward the ground of the neff. All of them felt a slight stomach cramp that swiftly vanished. The boy removed his seatbelt and after a few flicks activated all the engine protective fields.

- We will be leaving the Earth’s gravity field soon… In thirty seconds. After that we will rift to our destination, Erin IV. Have you ever travelled between two solar systems? Looks like your first.

They both shook their head, confirming his prediction. He wasn’t surprised, most young avoided long travel as it could spark mutation even if those last were extremely uncommon. De facto, the boy had never seen two people with distinct mutations like today. And if he was pretty interested in them, he kept it to himself.

- Don’t worry, you won’t feel a thing. Lisp engine lighting up in fifty!

They stood right as the neff oriented itself toward their distant goal. The boy’s eyes moved to the moon and a gloomy smile sprout on his face.

- See ya again, home. List igniting! May the elder guide our way!

A shimmer was felt then nothing, Camille’s gaze moved across the display screen. Mostly black at first, a few trails of light resurfaced soon enough. A web of pure gleaming white was laid over the darkness of the void, drawing roads and trail among the stars. One could witness rain of shooting star, sparkling together as they crossed the dark space. All around, stars would some time appears, shinning for a second before vanishing in a reddish mist. It was a one kind of a show, wondrous and magical as only nature could be.

- Everything is green. We now have to wait until we arrive at Erin IV. Take it easy and try to sleep, we have some time in front of us. As soon as we arrive, you will start your first day, be prepared.

- Can’t we crash anymore? Asked an almost reassured Gwen. What is happening exactly?

- No, we can’t hit anything as long as we travel in lisp space. We are like a bubble in a stream of water, we will bounce off any other drifting ship. Stellar travel is much more secure than atmospheric one, the only way to crash now is if I fail my landing. Don’t worry about that.

Both agreed to not follow his last comment. If his piloting skill were not in question, his lack of caution was much more on their mind.

- Why are the light twinkling like that? Asked Camille. It’s so beautiful!

- Well, we have lots of shielding around us and we also move faster than light, so photons have a bit of trouble reaching us. Those big trailing lights are not made of photon. Those are just a retransmission from the computer to easily visualise them. They are called Nal’Tear, which is a vlin’ns word meaning luminous guide or some bullshit like that. The computer uses them to calculate where we are. Zat! I can stare at them for days.

The two-trainees agreed vividly, the trailing ethereal light was worthy of the greatest art. Camille ran her finger along the trail, a chill slowly rose along her index before invading her whole hand.

- Strange, isn’t it? When they will turn green, we will be next to Erin IV… The boy’s hand reached for his side, a hint of distress finally piercing in. Zat! I forgot my gun at the base! What an idiot!

- What does Zat mean? Asked Gwen. You keep using that word over and over.

Camille bit her lips. She had the same question in mind, but had been taken short by her comrade. The teenager disliked standing out of the conversation, driving it was primordial to appear as a competent orator.

How can I be so slow?

Blind to their comrade inner anguish, the two other continued to talk.

- It’s a swearing in nog’lon language. You know, those tough guys with dark skin, eyes and everything… They have those big bones that are apparent on their body, big shoulder pad.

Camille remembered hearing about them. The alien was known for their brutish strength and lack of control. Even if those were but rumours, she was pleased to have avoided meeting any to this date.

- When I joined the military, they wanted to prevent us from swearing. Probably because soldiers swear a lot, something stupid like that. “Zat” mean father in nog’lon so we used it as they couldn’t ban the word. Anyway, after a will they got bored, and we are again free to swear all we want but we kept using it.

- Is it common to meet with other species on Erin IV?

- Yes. Your squad will probably be made up of different one. Maybe even some vlin’ns like Koliane but they are not that common. They did lose the war because of this planet after all, most parents don’t want their offspring to set foot on unholy land especially a base named after one of our heroes.

- BD stand for Blue Dead, right? I wonder how it looks like! Jumped an ecstatic Gwen. I wanted to see it for so long! Is it at the base? Can we pilot it?

Camille hand naturally reached for her necklace as the conversation turned to some more grasping subject.

- Keep your calm trainee! Yes, our base was named after the greatest hero of the federation. Just like the nine other bases are each named after a guardian. You can’t pilot Blue Dead but it is exposed in front of the reliquary. You will see it often, but the first time is the best, this MEA stink death.

-Excuse me, can you tell me who was this Blue Dead?

They both turned stunned gaze to her. Confessing her lack of culture was painful, but her curiosity would not be satiated with the few words he had spoken. She needed to know more about the woman.

- Surprisingly, I expected you to ask… You need to take some serious history class.

- So, you are going to tell me?

Anil took his benevolent face, followed by a conceited smirk more fitting of himself. Using the words, he had listened to so many times, he spoke the legend of the last war and how the federation had vanquished the vlin’ns empire.

Twenty-four years ago, the vlin’ns empire walked on the federation. Armies were crushed and worlds were falling one after another until the conqueror walked to the dreaded land of Erin IV. The planet was the door between the Vlin’ns empire and the federation’s most important worlds. Naturally, the empire best troops descended upon the dusty planet to claim it for their emperor.

At that time, Vlin’ns were almost undefeated. Only one battle had been lost, a small recon force lost in a forgotten planet. Immemorable for all, yet the act of fate that changed everything. Erin was about to fall. The armies had been crushed and only a few forts stood against the bestial flow of monsters used by the invaders. Victory was a matter day, but destiny shined upon the defender of the word.

From the ruins of the battle, with a shard of steel as a sword and a handful of bullets, an unknown warrior took the life a the first vlin’ns of the war. The name’s Blue Dead started to be whispered on the front line. A plated ghost tainted by the blood of the enemies, looking for revenge in the dust of Erin.

Soon behind emerged the guardians. Follower of the predator unleashed on the word and together they pushed back the assault before joining the fight all across the frontline. Victory after victory, the federation raised back from the brink of defeat to total victory. At last, the Vlin’ns most skilled general brought back the fight on the planet that had been abandoned. The symbol of hope needed to be destroyed, yet again the guardians returned. Saving again the world where their crusade had started.

- Attacking again Erin was the stupidest move of the Vlin’ns general. He was captured, and the war stopped after that. They surrendered as no one wanted to continue to fight. It was fourteen years ago. You were not even born.

The tale was more of the legend than history, Camille loved it. She had seen Blue in the flesh and without a doubt could picture her as the saviour of the federation. She knew something was off within the woman during their first meeting, but discovering she was a national hero was still astonishing.

- Do you know why they call it Blue dead?

- Because of the colour? Suggested Gwen. All the guardians had a similar name.

- They just copied her. Her nickname was given before they even existed. Vlin’ns were used homunculi, monster artificially born to serve as frontline and their blood would turn blue once dried. It is said that Blue Dead thrilled in hand-to-hand combat and after days of battle, the MEA armour started to turn blue. When you will see it, you know the pilot was some kind of monster. Blue Dead is a furious beast! Even motionless, it gives me chills.

- I would love to see Blue Dead fight, it must be spectacular. Whispered Gwen. Each one of them was a genius. I wonder if they would win against the current best team.

- Zat! I would pay to see Dark Dominance blast them.

- DD? There is so much better! Pink Fury would wreck it in no time!

Camille found herself lost in the middle of the heated exchange. She had often heard about rising stars in the martial cup, but never a whisper about the old guardians. How could figure like them be left in decrepitude? They were symbols of hope and victory, people should know about them. As her mind analysed their words, she realized they had not spoken there name once. Not the MEA but the pilots behind.

- Anil, what is Dark Dominance’s pilot name?

- The real name? We only know a few, the others are classified to prevent assassinations and protect their daily life. He spoke with some disappointment in his voice. We are not even sure if Blue Dead survived the last battle, the MEA returned empty and silent.

- That’s so sad, I would love to see them compete again other.

- Maybe they are not interested, suggested Camille as she remembered the Major words. I mean, they fought a war, anyone would want some rest after this.

- Exactly trainee. Only a few veterans take part in battle cup. War leaves scars that nothing can remove, just like coffee on uniforms…

He argued his comment with a short smirk. He turned back to the command as a flow of memories crossed his dark eyes.

- Anil? Are you okay?

The boy pushed Camille question away, something was wrong, but he couldn’t tell.

- You two should rest. Tomorrow will not be an easy day and if I keep talking, you will never find sleep.

Both girls understood the recommendation was not one and stopped speaking. Camille tried to sit comfortably, but the vivid sky prevented her to close her eyes. They stood in silence for a time before Anil started to sing. She knew the song, lullaby of the moon it was called. She remembered the voice of her mother singing her when she was just a baby, foggy memory of a time she could barely think. After some time, her sleepy eyes became hard to keep open and for a short instant she allowed herself to rest. Barely a minute, she thought at first, but then she realized the Nal’Tear had turned green. Gwen was still sleeping behind her and Anil was working on the command.

The lisp engine pushed a long complain as the ship made surface in normal space. In front of them was standing Erin IV. A sphere covered in water and dust, even from space she could see it. Large hurricane over a barren continent. The planet space was populated by many spatioport and a lot of traffic was going through, but Anil ignored them. They started their descent upon the new world.

- This continent is called the devastation. It was abandoned after the war as the vlin’ns flooded it with their monster. Cleaning it will take decades, they left it like that and use it as a training ground now. He explained with his natural smile. We are going to land at the base. Zat! It has been so long!

They orbited a bit before going down. This time only a light pressure was felt as Anil tried his best to keep the other passenger asleep. She still woke up, but only as they were touching the ground.

Camille was still watching the sky above them. Between night and day, she could see the last stars. Her home was somewhere there, waiting for her to come back. She felt empty, what could the family be doing? Were they thinking about her? Looking for a way to get her back? All those questions were harassing her mind, but now she was far away, alone, and desperate for someone to answer.

- Anil, where do you come from?

- Me? I’m born on the moon, the one spinning around your home. He smiled. My parents and sibling are working there in one of the factories.

- Do you miss them?

- Of course… And at the same time, I’m glad to be here. Erin is my home now and my family lives here. Not the one I was born with, but a family, nonetheless. This place is filled with fantastic memory I made with extraordinary people.

- Like Koliane?

- Zat! Yes. The best among the others. He smiled. Soon it will be the same for you and you will understand what it is to have dust in your blood.

At the moment he finished his word, a loud noise was heard. They had finished their landing and the camera moved to display the surrounding base.

- Perfect! Open your eyes trainees and take a good look. This is BD for you!