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It was black... A dark, starless night. But there was a glow. Orange. And the smell of smoke.
The sound of some distant, mumbled noise, a pitch that couldn't be made out. Not at first. The muffling began to fade, and as it did the sound became clear.
"Ash, get up! We're bloody pinned down!"
The Captain bolted up, looking around as Sorilian soldiers scrambled to fire back at some distant enemies. It was the first night of the invasion. Ash and these men had been expected to help 'establish a front'. The only thing being established was their deaths. Was hard to tell if this was an intentional plan of Agopian's or Zeemu's, just their incompetence, or someone else who just wanted Ash dead. But that didn't matter right now. Survive.
"Dervene, what's the situation?" Ash shouted to the boy who'd been waking him up.
"We're getting pinned down! Can't tell who it is, but they're Rockians. Percy says they're trying to flank us on both sides!"
"Well that's not going to happen. Percy!" Ash signaled his comrade. "You take some of the boys and go Left Flank! I'm taking Right!" Ash looked back at the young man with him. "Dervene, time to be a hero. You get the boys taking cover here, you're going to fire up their middle and make sure they stay put. Got it?"
The young man looked terrified, but nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes got it Captain!"
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A slight bump in the road quickly pulled Ash out of his rest. His heart raced, as his eyes darted around the carriage, his hand gripping tightly onto the seat. Everything was fine, nothing was wrong, all was as it should be. Once he was a little more reassured, his grip loosened. And just in time too. Caenna let them know they had arrived, and members of the group started filing out.
The Captain followed the rest out, where they were soon greeted by some odd beggar. Ash fished around in his pocket for a moment before producing a copper coin, something from one of The Rockian nations, possibly Sudean, something he'd gotten from trading at some point, somewhere on the planet. He tossed the coin into the beggar's helmet, creating a light metal *ting* as it hit.
"Sorry old chum, that's about all I have. Who is this 'Most Horrible Father' by the by?" Ash asked curiously.