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Chapter 8: Cuts and Burns
The night passed, Tom awoke in his bunk earlier than Kokobiel who was still asleep in his own bunk. The ring hadn't made its full rotation yet, leaving the sky dark and the sun soon to come. Tom got out of his bunk and out into the barracks hall as he walked down to the shower early to wake up his foggy mind and freshen himself up. The water steamed the room as he soaped and washed his hair, before he rinsed he stood with his eyes closed as the water hit his chest.
"M.G why do I know these initials?" Tom said to himself as he thought back to the letter, surely these initials were of some importance if his brain subconsciously remembered it. As he dried himself off a few others groggily walked into the shower, this included Kokobiel who barely even had his eyes open. Tom nudged him with his elbow as Kokobiel passed by and kept on going even after the nudge. Tom shrugged seeing that his squad member was still clearly tired and needed himself a hot shower. An hour or two passed before they were back in the main building talking to the chupa they had met at the landing site just the other day.
"The attack from yesterday wasn't their main target, a much smaller base was. They were able to take this base as we scrambled on our own, so you two and two others will be sent there to deal with the situation. We expect the best so do your best. Dismissed" the chupa said as he saluted before turning around and walking off from the two.
"At the rate we're being moved around I think we'll be able to see the entirety of the ring in just a month or so," Tom said as he turned to Kokobiel who was eating a granola bar he had gotten from the canteen. He nodded to Tom's comment as he seemed to stare off into space.
"Last night you woke up screaming, what happened?" Kokobiel asked suddenly, Tom was taken back by this question as he stuttered slightly before looking away.
"I wouldn't like to talk about it, at least not right now or this sober," Tom said as he let out a sigh.
"Were squadmates if we can't trust each other with our troubles then how can we trust each other when we are on the battlefield?" Kokobiel retorted, clearly he was curious about just what frightened Tom so dearly that he woke up in such a way in the dead of night.
Tom let out another sigh before speaking. Tom looked back to him as tears lightly formed in his eyes.
"... I was young when my parents died, really young, and I watched them die as they screamed and called for help, but there was nothing I could do even when I tried to help. Now I live with the guilt of being unable to help, they shouldn't have been the only ones who died that day." Tom was clearly distraught as he said this, his voice cracked and was weak as he spoke. Kokobiel gave a face of regret and discomfort not realizing just how deep he had struck Tom by asking and not letting it go.
"I-im sorry, I didn't know," Kokobiel said as he reached out to hold onto Tom's shoulder.
"No need to apologize you didn't know to begin with I couldn't blame you for it or you being curious on why. Just think a little harder before you go and ask such questions as that" Tom said as he looked away and brushing Kokobiel's hand off his shoulder. He rubbed his own eyes as he shook it off.
"Finish your granola bar we got to get packing if we're being moved again." Tom said as he turned towards the barracks walking off in that direction. Kokobiel stood there for a few moments before sighing and walking the same way as Tom. Tom pushed open the door to his barrack room as he huffed from frustration wiping off the rest of the tears.
"Him and his big mouth saying the worst things at the worst times, he could have at least waited a day or two," Tom said as he shoved things into his bag. He stopped for a moment as he saw the letter, he opened the letter as he looked at the initials once more, M.G, it meant something to him, and they were written in such a strange way as well, almost as if they had been writing it like this for years. He folded the letter before putting it in his pocket as he went back to packing.
They'd be staying for at most a week, they could work efficiently on this task, small group of rebels, nothing hard, killing couldn't be that hard he'd seen plenty of people do it before. Plus this group of rebels went against what they stood for surely why else would they storm the facility, send their own men to die to take this facility. Tom finished packing as one more thought came to his mind "what if it's a trap?" No surely the rebels wouldn't be that dumb to set a trap for the freelance force. Kokobiel entered the room as he caught Tom staring off into space deep in thought.
"You okay buddy?" Kokobiel asked as he went to shake Tom's shoulder. Tom jumped and turned around.
"Y-yeah course I am, just have my mind on other things that's all." Tom said as he scratched his head.
"Is it about what I said?" Kokobiel asked.
"No not that, just other things is all, it doesn't concern you." Tom said as he felt the note in his pocket, it might concern him eventually but not enough to tell him. Kokobiel shrugged as he looked at Tom awkwardly, he then turned around and began to pack his own items. There wasn't much, Kokobiel didn't require much to be happy, he made it obvious with how little he would pack wherever they would go, but at least he was modest when dressing.
Shirt, pants, socks, the basic needs to Kokobiel, Tom brings everything else, including toothbrushes having to share one is not a fun experience. After they finished packing they headed back outside where Tred stood waiting for them by the landing paid, a pelican sat awaiting them, as well as two other chupas. As they got closer Tom realized that they were the two chupas that they had been paired with were the same ones from their day of transfer. The purple chupa seemed to be staring off into space as the black one yapped their mouth off. Tom through his things into the pelican as Kokobiel did the same, the cargo hold was shut and they all boarded but Tred who saluted the soldiers before walking away from the landing pad.
"So you think we'll be able to wipe out some rebel scum?" The black chupa asked Tom as the pelican began to take flight.
"Possibly, but I don't know yet, I'm mostly recon," Tom said as he adjusted in his seat to face the chupa better. The black chupa had a few scars around his muzzle, a tooth stuck out to the front, and he had a piercing on his left eyebrow. His hair was messy and was a muddy brown, but it was obvious he didn't care too much about it, even if it got in his face.
"Uh, what's your name?" Tom asked the chupa.
"I'm berum, and you're Tom I believe." Berum stated, apparently he remembered Tom's name from getting their ID's.
"Yes, that is correct, nice to meet you Berum," Tom offered a hand to shake in which turn Berum did.
"I heard you guys will be on the opposite side of the building from us, so watch for crossfire." Berum chuckled, trying to cut the tension within the pelican.
"Yeah, I'll make sure to only trim your tail." Tom played along with the joke as the pelican began to cruise through the air.
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