NAF Data File-009
"For a cycle of Alpha and Omega, I seem to pass through a lot of them."
I have been in conscription for the Aetheri Empire for as long as I remember, they own me as property. I have been taught how to fly, to fight and how to sacrifice myself for the good of the Emperor. I don't know if this is what I believe in. At the age of 18 I have passed my flight tests, and have been given my first air-craft. I serve in Squad 13. We are given the task of defending a transport on it's way to the Central air-base, near the palace.
NAF Data File-010
The mission were unsuccessful. As we passed through the Dragons' Belly, a huge underground Cave system that serves as a Crossroads within the main-land, we were ambushed by Marauders, they had hid in the unlit tunnels. And we only found out when we heard the engines overlap our own. Our Wing Commander told us to engage the enemy. That was, until his engines were shut out and he collided with the armoured pincer of the enemy ship. With the chain of command disrupted, some people took their liberty to try and break free of the Empire's chains, and flew off. I gripped my steering gear and tried to shoot at the enemy ship, to no avail. The Pirate ship rammed the transport, and it all ended in the dark maws of the Dragons' Belly. Gripped with Panic and despair, I fled to the Central Air-base. Here I gave my report, and became responsible for the loss of highly advanced salvaged goods, that was to turn the tide in the Empire's struggle.
NAF Data File-011
I was placed in a Court-Martial, for the Crime of fleeing the battle-field, breaking the Chain of Command, and failing my Duty as a soldier, as well as the deaths and desertions of the rest of the Squad. For this, I was punished with a slow death. Placed in jail, 'till starvation claimed me. As I sat there, not even once did I think of this as undeserved. Like a drone, I waited for my rightful punishment. I closed my eyes, waiting for it to happen. At daybreak, my life was changed forever.
I woke up abruptly, in the dawn of day, explosions sounded across the city. I rushed to the door, crying out for an answer to this confusion. There had been an attack on the Air-base. An enemy of the Empire had raided the main city, and had taken out the stationary defence in the area. I searched for cover, where none would be had, in my little cell. The world shook, and for the second time. I felt despair grip me, only in the midst of battle, where men was born and the Empirical soldiers stood strong, I was weak. I heard the whistling howl of an incoming shell, and closed my eyes, hoping for it to end swiftly. It did not. The wall of the cell was torn off, a guard that had been on the outer walls had been diminished to a bloody wretch in the rubble in front of me. Life presented it's bountiful gift of freedom. and to my left, the floor presented my left arm, crushed off beneath the rubble that had flown into the cell. I looked upon my arm, still attached to my body, if only in the flesh, the bones had horribly snapped, and every single part of the pain followed.
That day, an animal that had been tamed from birth, finally roared. I looked over the dead guard in front of me, and grabbed his pocket knife. I looked to my left arm, and tore the world asunder in screams of pain as I cut my own arm off. I threw the knife asides, and stumbled ahead, falling several times on my remaining stump of arm, each time more painful than the last. I tore pieces of the guards uniform, covering the wound up the best I could. With the blood of min staining the roughed up pilot suit of mine, that I had been allowed to take into the afterlife, I looked like more like a savage killer than a scared prisoner. I stood up, and walked out onto the garrison wall.
The first thing that met me here, on the dawn of a new day. Was the scent of blood and gunpowder blowing in my nostrils. Before I could even decide what to do, an airship lowered itself from the skies. A man stood at the edge, holding a hand out for me: "You don't look too good, son! Grab my hand if you care to live." He shouted, I trembled once more, but my mind had no say in this. My arm reached out and grabbed his, jumping onto the ship. As I got safely into the middle of the deck, I noticed other prisoners escaping their stone clutches and turning to the Air-captain for freedom. I plumbed down against the back railing, breathing out as darkness took over my vision.
NAF Data-file 012
Years have passed since the day I left the dreaded empire. Although it is not the same as I fight now, I see the resemblance in every imperialist I fight. They are the same as what I had been, drones without the understanding of what the human life is worth. They seek to please, and based their life around it, yet I clench the pistons in my left hand, crushing the medal of their empire with the arm that I replaced.
I have fought for many, I have loved few, laughed with companions, and shed tears when they died. People come and go, so do I. When I left my previous arrangements with the Baronies and the Commander that I had captained for, I took only my ship, in respect of the men that had set me free. To this day I still haven't recuperated from what happened on that fateful day, but with the Northern Air Fleet, I seek to become the Captain that once reached his arm for me. Until that day, the man named Lehran claims my soul and ship, aboard the Baronoke of the NAF
Wing Commander RethBurn, out.