Moon
The Prometheus

"Sorry, wrong car..." I muttered in hopes of throwing them off. I slowly backed out for a moment, then rushed back in and tackled one of the guards. The blade of my axe cut straight through his Kevlar vest, and I swung him around like a shield. Blood splattered my mask and exposed mouth.

The other five guards shouted, raising their weapons again and firing. The body blocked the shots, but one or two nicked my arms.

Gritting my teeth, I grabbed ahold of the dead guards gun and aimed it. One, two, three bodies fell in rapid succession.

I threw the body at the last guard, staggering him. I immediately lunged, lopping the head of the body and the living guard off in one swing.

I whirled back to Barnes. But he had slipped out the door.

I chased after him. He was already on the other end of the next car, an empty matte black passenger car, yelling into a mic.

"I need air support right now, damn it!" He roared.

I fired at him once, missing and putting a smoking hole just above his head.

He swore, drawing a handgun from his belt and firing wildly at me as he ducked behind a bench. I ducked behind one too, checking the charge. Almost out.

"Hello. My name is Captain Colton McFee, broadcasting live from the assault on 'Admiral' Barnes's escort train." McFee's voice came over the intercom. I had the feeling everyone else aboard the Prometheus and maybe even the rest of the fleet outside was listening in, too.

"I would like to take this time to remind everyone of the final paragraph of the Gigacorp Manifesto, written over a thousand years ago by Samuel the Great himself: 'If such a day comes to pass that a corrupt Admiral rises to power, either by legal or illegal means, all employees shall have a right to remove the Admiral, be it by democratic or other methods.' Barnes has overstepped his bounds as Admiral. As such, I have been promoted to the rank of Admiral of the Prometheus and hereby declare the Prometheus to be her own sovereign nation.
"We will allow anyone who wishes to leave to do so peacefully. But make no mistake: anyone aboard who raises arms against Prometheus WILL be met with deadly force.
"Last of all, I speak for the people when I formally request to join the Unbroken Convoy. We have Barnes aboard our nation-ship, and the captain of the ship Unbroken is in pursuit of him as a will of good favor.
"This is Admiral McFee of Prometheus, out."

I grinned. Barnes was cussing up a storm.

"You hear that, shithead? You've lost. Give it up and I'll make it quick." I yelled.

Barnes chuckled darkly.

"This is nowhere even close to over, girl. Even if I die, Gigacorp and her allies WILL win. All I'll say is watch you back." He yelled back.

I stood, firing at him again. The window behind him shattered.

He swore again, rolling under the bench and firing up at me. I rolled to the side, throwing aside the dead gun and drawing my axe.

I jumped forwards, slicing the bench in half. Barnes gave a startled shout, barely hopping away as I sliced for his neck.

He ducked through the door, and I chased him...

Right into a car filled with civilians. Some stared at us with wide eyes, but most just looked annoyed.

The rich car I thought to myself. I raised my axe.

"Nowhere to run, Barnes." I said.

"He can jump out the window?" A little boy squeaked.

Then the bushes outside fell away. I caught a quick flash of a barren metal floor and the bridge before we shot out over seemingly empty air.

Barnes swore and took one look at the kid, who couldn't have been any older than seven, and yanked him from the seat. He pressed the gun to the kids head.

Everyone in the car screamed then.

"Here's how this is gonna go," Barnes hissed, "you're going to slide that pretty little axe of yours to me. You're going to open that window. You're going to jump out. And I won't blow the kids brains out."

"Pearl, slide the axe to him. The Overlord, McFee, and I just got here and is waiting just behind the next door. You slide the axe over to him, and he'll quietly come through the back and shoot Barnes." Meyers hissed in my ear.

I resisted the urge to smile.

I dropped the axe.

"Now slide it over." Barnes demanded.

I did, watching as the door behind him slowly slide open.

"Very good. Now—" Barnes never even finished the sentence. One bullet ripped through his shoulder. Another hit his thigh. The third sliced through his neck, splattering the poor kid with blood. Everyone was screaming at that point.

Barnes screamed, too, dropping the kid and the gun. I rushed forwards, planting my foot on his chest. He coughed up a spray of blood.

I leaned down and pushed my face towards his. A fire raged in his eyes.

"How does it feel?" I hissed.

He spat a wad of blood on my mask. I recoiled back automatically.

McFee and his unit came in, followed by The Overlord in all his glory. He wore a thick fur cloak which completely covered his left arm, and a completely face covering helmet with three, fiery slits running from the forehead to chin. He had a black, massive, curved sword strapped to his back. A smoking handgun was in his massive, gauntleted hand as he strode forwards with a nervous Meyers behind him.

"So...what? You just... kill me? After all...this time?" Barnes groaned, blood fanning out under him.

The Overlord didn't hesitate. He shot him in the head twice before I could even question what he had said.

"Out." He snarled at the civilians. They complied, screaming and rushing out of the car.

"...so it's over?" Meyers asked hopefully.

The Overlord gave a dark chuckle that raised the hairs on my arms.

I slid my foot under the handle of my axe, kicking it up and into my hand again.

"Let us hope that I can end it soon." The Overlord said.

Before I could react, The Overlord fired one quick round into Meyer's gut.

He fell to his knees with a damp gurgle, blood spilling from his lips. McFee screamed in rage, but before he could do anything The Overlord had pressed the barrel of the gun to his head. He drew his sword with the other, pointing it at me.

"Try anything, either of you, and I shoot him in the head." He barked.

I stood, hearing my blood rushing in my ears. My heart pounded, and my entire body trembled.

Another man strode in, wearing the same armor as The Overlord. He was a lot smaller, with black and purple wings sprouting from his back. Sandy hair spilled across his now scarred, tanned face. Anger bubbled just below the surface in his eyes.

I shut my eyes, a lump forming in my throat.

"The rest of their unit is secured or neutralized. Orders?" Grian asked.

Then he noticed me, and his expression went cold.

"...Gri?" I asked softy.

"Don't 'Gri' me!" Grian snapped, turning to The Overlord. "She should be dead.

The Overlord sighed.

"Make sure McFee doesn't try anything. I want to...explain, a few things to Miss Moon here before we kill her." The Overlord said. Grian clearly hated it. But he listened.

The Overlord put his gun away.

"So, what? It was all a lie? Did you even KNOW Xisuma?" I demanded.

"Xisuma and I were close friends, yes. We orchestrated the revolution together. Now, what he didn't know is that I was also working with Barnes here." Overlord said, kicking Barnes's foot distastefully. "I was the one who suggested a revolution to him. Almost shot me for it, until I explained that it would get him into power. So he, third in line for Admiral, let it grow right under Gigacorp's nose. Always discreetly turned away investigations and manhunts for Xisuma."

"So you played both sides. So what?" I summarized, stalling. But for what? No one was coming.

The realization hit me so hard my knees almost buckled.

This is where I died.

"My original plan was to enact the invasion once Doc dug up that accursed tablet at the Perimeter. But our friend Xelqua ran away instead, and left your world in internal chaos. So I ordered the Grand Admiral assassinated and wiggled Barnes to the top. From there it was only a matter of time until we could get the Andromeda and Lazarus Fleets mobilized and fighting." The Overlord continued, "Of course, Doc did find the Watcher's Tablet in the Perimeter. We activated the chip in his mind, and Hermitcraft fell. Sadly, that moron Doctor Davidson got his hands on it and refused to let it go without great...urging. And now that all of the pieces have fallen together, we can end this. The gods have abandoned this galaxy. But the Watcher Tablet will give us an army of them under my command. And the Empire of Babel will rise. DAVIDSON!" The Overlord barked.

All of it made perfect, horrible sense. Of course he had intended to take the Galaxy over for himself. I had been stupid to believe otherwise.

A nerdy, nervous looking man scurried in, adjusting the wire-frame glasses on his face. Locks of wild blonde hair fell over his face in waves.

"Yes, sir?" He asked nervously. The Overlord stuck his hand out sharply, not even turning to face Davidson.

"Tablet." He ordered.

Davidson fished around his white lab coat for a moment before producing a small slab of stone etched with ancient, purple Vexian runes and pictures.

"Oh, a rock. I'm so scared." I said with false bravado. But it was just that. Bravado. I could feel the power from here, like a tug in my stomach. Like the stone was trying to pull my soul into it.

"You should be." The Overlord said gravely.

"Can I kill her now?" Grian asked suddenly.

The Overlord nodded.

"You may take your revenge. But no dramatic speeches. Slit her throat and be done with it." He said, hoisting the tablet victoriously. "I have what I want."

Then an engine screamed outside, and disrupter shots tore the right wall to shreds.

. . .

I dropped to the ground, heart pounding and ears ringing. The sound was deafening.

The Overlord and his men shouted obscenities, returning fire. McFee had grabbed Davidson and dragged his whimpering form to me.

"Let's go!" He barked, hauling me up. I nodded, stunned.

McFee pulled us into the first car, sliding a pair of vertically stacked crates in front of the door.

I stared out the window. An air defense ship blasted by again, tearing up the previous car from the left side. The whole thing was spray painted with various portraits.

The only ones I got a clear look at read "GeminiSlay" across it, alongside various taunts signed by different Hermits.

"Get Davidson and the engineers onto the roof and flag that ship down!" I ordered McFee, not caring that he was technically an Admiral now.

"Why? Who are they?" He questioned, but he was already backing for the exit door to the engine.

"My family. Go. I can handle them." I said.

McFee hesitated a moment, then saluted me sharply.

"Ma'am, it was an honor serving with you, even if it was only temporary. May the Valkyries take your soul into the gates of Valhalla." He said.

Then he was gone.

"Pearl, this is Tango, come in!" Tango's voice said in my ear.

"This is Moon, go ahead." I said, not meaning it with the passive-aggressive correction.

"Moon. We're going to land on the roof for extraction. Be there. Please." Gem said this time.

I closed my eyes.

"That's a negative, Hermits. Listen, The Overlord has the slab Doc dug up. Something he called the 'Watcher Tablet.' I have to stop him." I said.

Gem came back, begging me to come back. To let someone else do it.

"Pearl. We're coming down. Hermits, stay with the ship! Keep strafing! Pearl, the Unbroken are with you!" B came over the radio.

I didn't argue. I knew I couldn't convince them otherwise.

"Hermits, this is Moon Strongwinter. Pearl. Signing off." I said.

I took my earpiece out and crushed it under my heel.

The Unbroken crew, even Ivan, in his bloodied bandage, slammed into the room.

"What's this about a tablet and do we need to destroy it?" Nafia asked cheerfully.

I resisted the urge to hug every single one of them.

"The Watcher Tablet. Something Doc apparently dug up that can summon an army of gods. I have no idea, but... I could feel it's power. There's definitely something wrong with it." I said.

Zara cracked her knuckles, then reached back and grabbed her new sword. She marched to the door, waiting for a moment as we heard the Hermits strafe again, then rushed in. We followed.

The Overlord whirled on us, blocking Zara's first blow with his armored forearm.

I lunged, axe already swinging, but Grian came out of nowhere and tackled me...

...right through the shattered window.

"I've been waiting months for this. All I have to do is drop you, Pearl." He snarled, spitting my name out like venom.

My new coat suddenly jolted, and two flaps of feathered metal shot out.

Grian's eyes went wide.

A wing suit.

I smiled, and winked at him from under the mask before pulling up sharply.

I jerked out of Grian's grasp. With a loud clunk a helmet snapped closed over his face. Two energy blades ignited on his arm cuffs, and he blasted after me.

Grian was often regarded as the best flyer on Hermitcraft. But the only person who had ever been able to keep up with him was me.

He ducked and slashed at me as we cruised downwards, getting a few quick slashes at my legs as I got used to the suit. If the thrust hadn't been shooting smoke in Grian's face, he probably would've taken my legs off.

A new gravity suddenly took hold, and I snapped upwards for a moment before jerking back downwards.

The center of the cylinder. Gravity wasn't right here.

Perfect.

Grian may have been the best on Hermitcraft, but he had never experienced combat flight in strange gravities. I had.

He only proved it as he shouted in surprise, flailing around and trying to keep upright.

"I don't wanna hurt you, Gri!" I shouted, smoothly dancing between gravity currents.

"Bull—" Grian shouted, grunting as gravity rocked him to the side again, "shit!"

I slammed into his gut, pushing him up back towards the suspended train tracks. He tried to slash at my back, but the blades slipped harmlessly off the nano technology.

We slammed into the track under the back half of the train, crushing through the concrete and the train itself.

The cars groaned, slowly falling off of the track. I kicked Grian away from me, and we circled up and up again.

"Almost killed your insurgent buddies!" Grian crowed, mock disapproval in his voice. I spared a small glance down.

The Hermits had landed on top of the train. I could hear and see the gunfire and purple blasts of energy from here.

Grian took advantage of the momentary distraction.

He slammed into me, one of his blades slipping below my coat and slicing into my shoulder.

Fiery pain erupted from the entry wound. I screamed involuntarily, kicking Grian in the nuts and pushing him away. He groaned.

I shot up for a moment before cutting the power to the engines. He stared up for a moment before I slammed into him and drove him downwards.

Just before we slammed into the trains roof, I pulled up slightly to prevent Grian from breaking his back.

We both landed hard, rolling. Air turned to cold steel to air again before I slowed down and shakily got to my knees. I held myself up with my axe, watching Grian's limp form.

His chest still rose and fell gently. He groaned, rolling over slightly.

The sight almost broke me.

"Give it up, Gri. Come home." I sobbed, voice weak.

He rolled onto his shoulder, broken helmet falling away.

"You didn't even come for me, Pearl. You ran around with your terrorist insurgent buddies for six. Godsdamned. Months. It never occurred to you to try and get in contact?" He snarled, voice just as weak as mine.

"I was running around with them trying to FIND you! That's why I left Hermitcraft! Please, Gri. Let this go. Help me stop The Overlord. Then we can go home. Be a family again. Please." I was practically begging at this point.

He hesitated, looking at me. Then his eyes went wide.

"Pearl, move." He whispered.

I automatically shifted as a gunshot went off, pinging off the roof next to me.

"You kill Barnes, huh?! I'll rip you limb from limb!" A shrill female voice came from behind me. She wore identical armor to Scar's, except a pale yellow instead of dark grey. Her dark hair whipped in the wind as she raised her gun to fire at me again. Her eyes were wide, wild.

Grian shot past me, but another shape swung up from below and tackled her. The gunshot went off, missing me by a hair.

Then the roof below me got ripped out, and someone pulled me down.

.  .  .
Scar
The Prometheus

I tackled Myth to the side, fighting for her gun. That damn air support had dropped her off almost silently right behind Pear-Moon. The air support circled around the train, watching.

I struggled with her for a moment before knocking the gun out of her hand and off the edge of the train. Wind whooshed over me before the shape of whoever Moon had been fighting soared over me.

Myth kicked me away, and we jumped back up at the same time.

And Grian stood up behind her.

Myth took up a defensive stance between us, clearly aware of Grian.

"I thought you were dead, Gri!" I shouted, ignoring the grind of metal behind me.

"Likewise! How's Mumbo?" He called back.

Myth gave a cruel laugh, silencing us.

"Your little friend Mumbo is dead. I still relish the memory of his screams as I slowly bled him dry." She cackled.

My blood froze, red pounding in my vision. Grian's expression went cold.

"Kill her now?" Grian asked me.

"After you." I replied.

We both jumped at her.

She blocked Grian's first blow with a knife, but I kicked her in the back of the knee and brought her down to one knee. Grian swung back around, fist cracking against her face and breaking her nose with a loud crunch.

She hissed, spinning around and kicking me in the chest. I swung back around, slamming the stock of my rifle into her face.

Grian and I both stepped forwards, punching her in the face simultaneously. She slipped, falling off the side of the train with a strangled scream.

The air support ducked down and caught her.

Then she was gone.

Grian and I stood watching as the ship disappeared, breaths heaving and bodies aching. 

Grian held out his fist to get bumped. I obliged.

Then someone tore the roof out from underneath me, too.