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Dash Starlight Ronald "Dash Starlight" Smit
Jedi Instructor
License to kill

Location:  The Netherlands
Occupation:  Software Engineer
Interests:  Elvis Presley, Aircraft, JA, Laming Jaina
Padawan of:  Virtue
Padawans  †Johauna Darkrider†
_Muro_
Drogan Draconite
Zuka
Sho Koon
DrunkenJedi
Laziana
Keldaron
Last Comment:  User: Mic Den Octela
Comments Made:  5793

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Feb 21 2011 06:43pm

planK
 - Jedi Council
 planK

DASH! AHHHH! HES A MIRACLE!

Dec 21 2006 02:00pm

Virtue
 - Jedi Council
 Virtue

Attention all!

While doing extensive research on many different subjects like the infinately clever person that I am - I managed to trace Dash's name back to Ancient Greek times!

So, for those of you who wish to know what his name actually means - I shall now tell you!

Dash Starlight is in fact Ancient Greek for:

A-Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love

Yes yes! You heard it here first!

Dash, just a quick note to let you (and everyone else who stops by your profile) know that you're the pimp daddy of cool, and I'm very proud of you - you are an awesome Padawan! :D

Everyone do the Dash Dance!

Lord Almighty, I feel my temperature risin'...

- Virtue. :alliance:
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Academy Architect

This comment was edited by Virtue on Dec 21 2006 02:02pm.


Oct 24 2006 03:08pm

Luke
 - Ex-Student
 Luke

“Rebel Scum” Snarled the imperial remnant captain slapped Taav across the face. Beads of sweat rolled down Taav’s face as he struggled against the restraints that held his strong arms behind his back.
“Where is your base!” thundered the imperial officer. Taav flexed his wrist and gave the finger, even though the imperial officer could not see the rude gesture.
“I said where’s your base; rebel filth!” Taav looked straight into the officer’s aging eyes, saying the words he was trained to say.
“Sharroock, Taav, Captain, 668024.” The imperial officer frowned. All these prisoners were very strong-willed. Their conditioning to resist interrogation was unmatched.
“I see I’m wasting my time with questioning you.” The imperial officer turned to exit the holding cell; he nodded to the armor clad stormtrooper, which stood on just outside the cell. The cell’s force field was lowered.
“Wait” the prisoner called. Imperial officer stopped, and turned around.
“I tell the location of my base, but you’ll have to come close.” The imperial officer walked back toward the prisoner.
“Yes?” asked the officer.
“Come close” the prisoner beheckened. The officer walked up to prisoner. He could see that this soldier was no “green horn” (a marine recruit that has not seen combat.) his face was laced with a patchwork of scars. One such scar ran from the prisoner’s chin on the left of his face to his cheek bone.
“Where is your base” The imperial officer asked again. The prisoner smiled.
“If I wanted to I could kill you right now.” The imperial officer laughed.
“That is unlikely.” The restraints holding the prisoner snapped…

Written by Lucas Ammons AKA: "Luke" or "Taav Sharroock"

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Lucas Ammons

Oct 24 2006 11:37am

D@RtHM@UL
 - Student
 D@RtHM@UL

Purple, Pink, doesn't matter, she still can't sing :P

Oct 23 2006 03:46pm

Wicek
 - Nugget
 Wicek

Thank you.

Oct 22 2006 09:22pm

Florian Foxer
 - Student
 Florian Foxer

would just like to say awsome lesson earlier xD thats all:D:D:D
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Im.mor.tal.i.ty (n) Endless life or existence; Enduring frame.

Oct 22 2006 05:30pm

Lirael
 - Jedi Council
 Lirael

ik vertelde me ik ging niet betrokken worden bij een dwaas debat maar ik ben slaperig zo hier ga: roze.

trouwens, waarom bent u een meisje?
_______________
I can write my name with my sparkler. My sparkler > your lightsabre

Oct 22 2006 04:10pm

Sho Koon
 - Student
 Sho Koon

Well Hello there Sir!

It was a pleasure meeting you outside of the academy. It kinda surprised me. :)
_______________
Proud owner of Malak's 50th and special 300th, Alex D'Kana's 3600th and 4000th, Laziana's 200th and [Jawa][Obi-Wan][SW]'s 1300th comment.

Oct 21 2006 04:33pm

DaMi3N
 - Padawan
 DaMi3N

hey dash sry for not responding
i've been pretty inactive lately
so how are you ?
i have alot to do and working till 9 or 11 pm
so not much time for playing or chatting

hope to see you soon
DaMi3N

Oct 20 2006 01:57pm

_Muro_
 - Student
 _Muro_

No problem matey ! I had though wednesday to be honest and well I got drunk so I don't know teaching would be a good thing at that time ^^
_______________
*Proud comment owner of: Dash Starlight's - 700th, Buster Senatu's - 100th, Yuken Zalak's - 250th, Laziana's - 100th, Para's - 75th, Zeke Asakura's - 800th! :)

Oct 20 2006 04:50am

[Jawa][Obi-Wan][SW]
 - Student
 [Jawa][Obi-Wan][SW]

hi matey ive been so busy, but maybe i will be at your class tomoro, the second force 1:) i had so much hw it sucks:(( i hope u are doing good!:)
_______________
Monday September 4th, 2006 R.I.P. Steve Irwin"The Crocodile Hunter" "Rejoice for those around you that transform into the force, morn them do not, miss them do not, death is a natural part of life"-Yoda "Who's the more foolish? The fool or the fool who follows him?"-Ben Kenobi "Mos Eisley Spaceport. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious"-Ben Kenobi
Guided Specially, by Maher Dakari Sparring partner to Sho Koon, "Spared no expense"-John Hamond Jurasic Park, Padawan of RoseRed, "The oppression of the Sith shall never return, u have lost my lord"-Mace Windu, Owner of Pink Floyd Mintaka's 3700th comment! "Only Two there should be, One To Crave the Power and one to Embrace it" - Darth Bane: Path of Destruction


Oct 20 2006 02:50am

_Muro_
 - Student
 _Muro_

Oh Gosh, Dash! ;P this is... it's... PINK ! AAACK!!!
_______________
*Proud comment owner of: Dash Starlight's - 700th, Buster Senatu's - 100th, Yuken Zalak's - 250th, Laziana's - 100th, Para's - 75th, Zeke Asakura's - 800th! :)

Oct 19 2006 09:04pm

Wicek
 - Nugget
 Wicek

n1 pink.

Oct 17 2006 06:49pm

Luke
 - Ex-Student
 Luke

Do anything about creating mods? I was thinking about creating a new mod for JK: JA. :alliance:

That's ok dash, not to worry, do you know anyone that can help me with a video game mod? I have to start somewhere if I want to become a video game designer, right? :alliance:
_______________
Lucas Ammons

This comment was edited by Luke on Oct 18 2006 02:37pm.

Oct 16 2006 06:43am

aggression
 - Student

sorry dash that ive missed you class.
i chould not come:my brother aka "naroya" didnt let me in the pc
_______________
tell me and ill do

Oct 15 2006 09:16pm

Laziana
 - Jedi Instructor
 Laziana

thanks for the class, dash.
i hope that next time you won't have to give me new mines :)

greez,
laz :)
_______________
Proud owner of Buster Senatu's 200th & 300th, Muro's 370th, Maher's 2100th, Henkes' 1639th, Johauna's 400th, 666th and 900th, Sho Koon's 2000th and Kain Sol's 600th comment Download Laziana's lightsaber here! Glory to Arstozka!

Oct 15 2006 03:17pm

Xanatos
 - Student
 Xanatos

.. Yeah! thats it :D
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Oct 14 2006 11:40pm

Xanatos
 - Student
 Xanatos

:) Me too..

Dash, Jaitro never told you.. what happened to your Third degree Cousin.. *breathes heavily*
_______________



This comment was edited by Xanatos on Oct 14 2006 11:40pm.

Oct 14 2006 06:03am

Scarlet
 - Student
 Scarlet

Thankies Dash, i will enjoy this place.. so far I have met nothing but kindness on the servers. I wish all of jka was like this.

Oct 12 2006 11:37pm

Limana D'Kana
 - Student
 Limana D'Kana

Hiiii Dash :D How are ye? Anything fun going on? //Limana
_______________
c",) c",) c",) c",) c",) c",) c",) c",)

Oct 12 2006 07:15pm

Lirael
 - Jedi Council
 Lirael

omg! so am i! i guess that means when we duel there's a whole banana in there some where...:eek:
_______________
I can write my name with my sparkler. My sparkler > your lightsabre

Oct 11 2006 12:17pm

Mister Clutch
 - Student
 Mister Clutch

:D

Oct 09 2006 09:35pm

Rosie
 - Student
 Rosie

Thankyou:)

Oct 09 2006 04:53pm

Kaelis
 - On Leave
 Kaelis

Hey Dash nice to get some duels in with you the otehr day, was good to catch up.

Hope ya feeling better take care bro :)
_______________
Padawan of Roan Belouve, brother to Acura, Proud to be part of the Belouve Dynasty, Proud Owner of Jarhok's 430th comment, Dash Starlights 1600th comment, Saz's 5000th comment and Alex D'Kanas 2100 comment

Oct 07 2006 10:47pm

Luke
 - Ex-Student
 Luke

Keep those ideas coming I'm all ears! What would be cool this fourth party? "The Peace platoon?" Technology what about that? I all ready thought of armor made of lunarroidium (a metal that is made from globs of the molten lunar and asteroid slag. it is then put into a mold. Microscopic machines, a called nano=one-billionith, bots=robots. Are then pumped into the armor as it cools. Before the armor is made, mesuremants are taken of the person that will wear the armor. This to ensure that fits the person wearing it comforably. The armor can go soft acting like a jacket, or hard making it almost inpervious small arms fire. The is put on in three stages: The helmet, torso/upper extermitices ,and lower extermitices. The Cybernetic Hunters have the ability to have the armor as one piece, instead of many. The reason for this is they have nanobots that have injected into their bloodstreams.
_______________
Lucas Ammons

This comment was edited by Luke on Oct 09 2006 03:46pm.

Oct 07 2006 10:45pm

Luke
 - Ex-Student
 Luke


Chapter Two: Fleet Action.

Taav stared out of the Jaguar’s cockpit viewports. He could not stop thinking about Zack. Taav felt bad that he had been powerless to save his closest friend. Eight years had passed since Taav had met Zack in the lower streets of Mars City. Back then Zack had been a street-wise kid who stole food or other things from the locals and tourists alike, to stay alive.
Taav had shown pity to Zack taking the young boy home with him and conceiving his parents to adopt Zack. At first Zack didn’t really want to talk about his family, maybe because he was scared to, or maybe because he didn’t remember much about his past.
Zack’s parents had been homeless, moving from place to place in the depths of the planet-wide metropolis. Zack had been born in an abandoned Martian colony, on the southwest side of Mars City.
The Jaguar hurtled through the tunnel of light that was known wormhole jump.
“Zack what’s our ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) at Azen II” Taav asked yawning. As he leaned back in the pilot chair, Taav felt the chair recline.
“Four hours fifty minutes.” The disembodied voice answered. Taav closed his eyes.
“Very good, wake me up when we have arrived.”


0800hrs AIIST (Azen II Standard Time)
Nyeek Desert, Azen II

The eleven Cybernetic Hunters sat on the sandy, dry, wind-swept ground in the shade provided by the Jaguar, as midday heat coming from the Azen system’s twin suns baked the two inner most planets of the twelve planet star system. All the planets in the system except for four had been terraformed, which is making a planet hospitable artificially, so sentient beings from across the vast galaxy could come there if they choose to. Sitting on a rock Aavor slowly chewed on part of his M.R.E. (Meals Ready to Eat) as he, his brother ,and friends, who where also eating from the plastic-like canisters watched the information presented on the disk Taav had been given. The image of a man standing nearly eight feet tall rotated three-hundred and sixty degrees from a portable holoimager, that was in the center of the meeting place.
The man had red skin, big muscular arms with clawed hands, and single eye in the center of his head. “This is Keb Gall, a former solider turned mercenary. He’s the leader of a group of thugs-for-hire.” said metallic voice that came from portable holoimager.
Dark Star’s tendrils may reach far and wide from the capital world of the Galactic Star Systems, Mars, to the frozen wastelands of Ket yor. “There is bounty on his head of sixty-thousand galactic Jeevans if he is brought in live and thirty-thousand if he’s brought in dead.”
With that message disk popped out of the middle triode cylinder-shaped holoimager that had four L-shaped image inducers, one each side. Taav thought for second then spoke with insight that had made him leader Cybernetic Hunters. “This guy’s probably no dummy, he probably knows he’s being hunted, so he’ll avoid public places at all costs, and he will be heavily guarded. He will expect a bounty hunter or a squad of G.S.S. soldiers to come after him at night, since it will be cooler then. “We will need correct Intel on his whereabouts, how he’s guarded and armed. Another holographic image appeared from the holoimager. It was a detailed map of the place the Cybernetic Hunters where going to investigate.
“This city is located twelve klicks from our current position. The image was of a high adobe-walled city. “From what intel has already been gathered by our spy network, this city is a major base of operations for Gall. I know what you all are thinking. Why can’t we just go in there guns blazing. My answer is that Gall’s men have hidden themselves amongst the innocent civilian populous. The information we have in front of us sketchy at best. We must move into the city to collect more intel. I’ll not accept civilian caluties, or any amounts of collateral damage, do I make myself clear?
“Yes sir.” Taav stood looking at all of the Cybernetic Hunters with his green eyes. “Get some rest, the hunt begins tonight.” Rachael stood next, her brown hair had been pulled back, and until it was taught. Then it had been braided into something that resembled two strands of tightly woven pieces of stitch work. Each braid was twisted around each other like a double helix. The braids on each side of her head ran left or right or up and down. The hair between the braids was so stretched that a line, made by the unbraided part could be seen.
“I’ll take first watch, Captain Sharroock.” Rachael looked at Taav.
“Very good Captain Carlson” Taav nodded staring at his former girlfriend. She wore a hooded brownish-tan cloak. Tri-layered sleeves that ended in thick brown gloves, these sleeves were part of the undergarments the cloak was worn over. The shade provided by the Jaguar as well as the hood of her cloak, most of her face, except her blue eyes, and her ruby lips.
“I was hoping you would remain with me Captain Sharroock, we have matters of jealously to discuss.” The others got to their feet, moving toward the Jaguar’s boarding ramp. As soon the rest of two squads had entered Taav’s ship, and the boarding ramp had been raised, the discussion began.
“I have committed sin of lust, I curse the day your brother rapped me, and I know that you were emotionally distraught after we were forced to break up.” Taav looked away toward the horizon.
“You’ve grown to know me better than I know myself.” Rachael walked over to Taav stepping in front him.
“You were once my boyfriend and commanding officer. You gave the orders and I followed them. I showed you loyalty, giving my love. In return you were gracious; listening to anything had to say. I want to be your girl again, Taav, to stand at your side as your second-in-command. Taav mouth went dry.
“I have a new love in my life, Rach. If the brass had only not punished me, by forcing me to abandoned you, I would still be yours.”
“Although, Jane my girlfriend now, I won’t abounded her, just to be with you.” Rachael signed.
“Jane is loyal, beautiful, and…” Rachael paused searching for the right words. “Unselfish toward other people.”
“No matter what has happened, or will happen between us, always remember; that I still love you, and hope you and I will remain friends” Taav nodded.
“Count on it. Simper Fi, Rach.”
“You’re not a tad bit jealous?” Taav asked cocking an eyebrow.
“Yes, although I try to put myself above such things.” Rachael answered. I can not change the past, the Bible also tells us, that dwelling on such negative emotions are things that will drive us to bitterness, and that we must unshackle ourselves from these emotions.”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself.” Taav confirmed. Taav pivoted on his heal, and then walked the boarding ramp of his ship.
Once on board Taav headed for his bunk, located just behind the Jaguar’s cockpit.
Taav tossed and turned in his bunk. His heart raced as he thought about any number of things. His on going relationship with both Jane and the possible rekindling of Rachael’s relationship with him. If Aavor had done what he had Taav thought angrily. Rachael wouldn’t have been forced to reject me. Taav know he must distance himself from this way of thinking.
NightHawk. That was the answer. NightHawk was one of the two-hundred cars Taav owned. A 2006 jet black Ford GT.

There it was. NightHawk. Much blood, sweat, and tears had gone into rebuilding, then adding to this American muscle car. Do to the fact that this vehicle ran on gasoline, and hydrogen not gasoline was the main fuel source on Mars, modifications had been needed.

The cool night air felt frigid but it didn’t seem to affect any of the Cybernetic Hunters as they raced toward Delaga, due the fact that the Cybernetic Hunters were wearing brownish-tan hooded cloaks made from their leather jackets/armor that their nanobots had artificially softened and dyed. Beneath the layered cloth the Cybernetic Hunters armor still remained in its original form. Taav looked through his visored helmet at the starry night sky.
Delaga is a small spaceport city, of a hundred thousand people. Just the kind of place a low life scum like this Keb Gall would try to hide. This mission is supposed to be a DA (Direct Action) mission. A direct action mission can include Tactical Recovery of Aircraft Personnel (TRAP), Gas/Oil Platform (GOPLAT) raids, Vessel/Board/Search/Seizures (VBSS) and other missions involving close quarter battle.
Suddenly the holoscreen in between the handlebars of Taav’s modified CX-90 anti-magnetic field racing motorcycle activated. (A CX-90 is sci-fi version a street motorcycle.) It showed a column of military vehicles cruising over the sand on anti-magnetic fields. “Computer show our position relative to the position of that column of personal carriers and tanks” ordered Taav, pushing motorcycle to its limits as it hovered a foot off desert floor as Jane clung to him tighter. The holographic image changed from showing triangular-shaped armored personal carriers to an image of a map showing that the Cybernetic Hunters where only five minutes away. Don’t let yourselves get shot because these soldiers probably have EMP (electromagnetic pulse) rifles that could disable our nanobots, meaning we will not be able to regenerate, and then when you get shot you slowly bleed to death. This is how Zack was wounded.
Suddenly high-powered plasma bolts tore through the air. Taav made the souped-up CX-90 fell on its right side at a sixty degree angle; the plasma bolts sizzled directly over them. As Taav righted his motorcycle he saw one transports, and depressing the fire button on the CX-90’s controls fired a volley of plasma fire from the CX-90’s twin plasma cannons mounted on both sides.
The green lines of light struck under the main magnetic field engine. This caused the troop transport to take a nose dive into the sand. Then the sound of motion came from inside the downed craft. The Cybernetic Hunters brought their anti-magnetic field motorcycles to dead halt. Taav looked at the holoscreen puzzled. “The rest of the colu…” before Taav could finish his sentence a spiked fist punched through the ramp/door of the troop transport as still others began shredding the double armored obstacle in their way.
“We need cover…our assault rifles are much more powerful than the plasma cannons on these CX’s” Taav exclaimed jumping off his bike and pointing his assault rifle at the troop carrier as he ran for the cover of some near by boulders. By now the thirty pumas-colored gargoyle-looking aliens let out horrid cry, then they took to the sky in groups of three. The air immediately filled with carefully aimed bolts of plasma fire. The first three yellow-eyed monsters had holes blow in their delicate wing membranes; they plummeted out of the sky like meteors from space.
Seeing their comrades’ shot down by these sharpshooters the rest of demon-like aliens flew low so that the Cybernetic Hunters couldn’t get a lock on them. Unable to use their scoped rifles anymore the Cybernetic Hunters activated hydrogen powered anti-magnetic field belts they had been wearing. The winged creatures screamed a challenge, and the Cybernetic Hunters gave their own shouts and taunts. “Your mother’s so ugly when she looked in a mirror it broke” Taav laughed at one of the demons. Then the two groups of combatants faced off. The demon-like aliens struck first, they arrowed toward the seemingly unarmed recon marines with their pointed tails sticking out in front of them. They flew straight into Cybernetic Hunters defensive perimeter. Taav gripped the tail of one of the creatures that had come too close to him and pulled. With a loud wet tearing sound he separated the creature’s tail from its body. The creature screamed in pain, it turned around tried to flee, mustard yellow blood spurting from its wound. Taav; his reflexes honed by both his marine training and his cybernetic enhancements grabbed the creature by the neck, and then with one sharp twist its neck snapped like a twig. Meanwhile Rachael, her brown hair flying around her as if she was in a hurricane, was locked in mortal combat with one of the “hell’s angels.” She punched it in the head; its cranium split open from the blow, due to her cyberneticly enhanced strength, the hideous creature fell out of the star-lit sky like stone.
Nikii threw a grenade at four on coming gargoyles, it exploded half way there cracking open their thick hides. Aiming her assault rifle she shot winging two more. Two of them came toward Jacorum, claws extended. He spun around whacking them with his four foot long spiked tail. Their heads smacked together knocking them unconscious.
The rest flew off, afraid now that they would be killed. Out of nowhere came the Jaguar its weapons blazing. The Jaguar’s fifty millimeter machine cannon mowed the reminder of the gargoyles down like grass. “Everyone all right” yelled Taav. “We’re fine” answered the others.
This aerial battle was a delaying maneuver…nothing more Taav thought. Those gargoyles must have been genetically engineered and they must be deployed as interceptors, as we have seen Taav heard his brother think. Dark Star will have the air around their base-city swarming with those things thought Rachael, Aavor looked at his girlfriend seeing her muscular six-foot two frame tense up as her deep blue flashed with cold fire. What do you want us to do Taav asked Jane using her nanothought- link.
Retrieve one of the bodies and bring it to the Jaguar, so Taav and I can begin dissection, there has got to be a quicker way to kill these things Nikii thought.

Nikii very carefully made an incision from the creature’s cranium to its sternum with his laser knife, and then he laid it down on the table. Reaching into the creature’s split open sternum Aavor pulled out a ball of muscle as big as his fist, holding close to his face as he studied it. “This creature’s heart looks like it has the same three chambered configuration as in reptiles and amphibians” Aavor exclaimed digging other hand deep creature’s chest cavity, moving it around until he found a weird-shaped organ. The square anti-magnetic field table which the lamb-sized creature laid got splashed with mustard yellow blood. “Reptilian/amphibian style lungs” Nikii said removing his blood soaked right hand from creature’s chest and placing the organs gently on a tray to her left.
Gripping his laser knife from off the table again, Nikii made another incision along the creature’s crouch area. “This creature is asexual” commented Aavor, his left hand was empty and covered in the creature’s blood as he extracted it. “No ovaries or testis side by side, or any sign of sex organs for that matter.” Nikii judged.
Taav sat on the lower right rack of the four bunk beds, which were built into the wall to conserve space in one of the Jaguar’s barracks, a short walk away from the Jaguar’s cockpit and main engineering. “What are you saying Nikii?” Taav asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Nikii turned locking eyes with Taav. “I’m saying…” she was interrupted by the Jaguar’s artificial Intelligence computer. “A fleet of ships approaching, they’ve just dropped out of wormhole jump” Taav slowly rose; his face was a face that seemed to be molded from lunarroidium metal; unreadable and held no sign of emotion.
“What are there hull configurations” Taav asked staring blankly at his surroundings. “One moment…the ships’ hull configurations aren’t constant with any vessel designs of G.S.S. origin, military or otherwise.” Zack answered. These ships might have ordinance and other supplies destined for distribution to Dark Star Rachael thought with a shutter. Dark Star could be gearing up for total war against the G.S.S. theorized Nikii.
All the more reason to launch a preemptive strike Taav ordered. “First, we’ll need to scan…” The Jaguar’s A.I. interrupted Aavor. “Large fleet emerging from wormhole jump… it’s the Galactic Guard.”
Why would the Galactic Guard fleet perform a wormhole jump that would take it half way across the galaxy Just to come the Azen system? Rachael wondered.
“I don’t like it” Taav commented, “Fear Sweat” starting to flow from every pore in his skin. “The multi-species military task force showing up when not called on…out of nowhere…something’s very wrong here,” shiver primal fear shoot down Taav’s back at implications of Rachael’s words.
“The Galactic Guard could be pursuing that fleet that just came out of wormhole jump” Nikii commented.
Rachael looked at her with her deep green eyes. “We questionsss that need answersss” Jacorum said his black forked tongue flicked out from between his lipless mouth as he tasted the scents in the air. “Extreme Caution should be taken when we board one of the G.S.S. ships in orbit…there’s no telling if Dark Ssstar has take control of them” hissed Jacorum.
“Yes, but we have a mission to complete, so that lets complete it than we’ll see what’s going on orbit, agreed?” Taav asked arching an eyebrow.
“Aye, sir”

A warm northwesterly breeze blew across the desert plateau. Taav crouched peering into the star-lit night.
Squad Zulu advance Taav thought looking at high mud brick wall that surrounded the city of Delaga.
Advancing as ordered. Rachael thought moving her squad closer to the wall of the city. A dark silhouette appeared on top of the wall.
“Night watch” Rachael breathed.
Take him out Taav ordered. Andréaus stocked forward his sniper rifle raised.
“Take out take out, did sssomeone sssay take out.” Kama’sh hissed.
“Food isss walking on the wall” Andréaus hissed bacteria-filled slobber ran down his scaly checks.
You can eat him after you shoot him, Andréaus you have my word on that Taav thought.
“Thank you sssir” hissed Andréaus with huger.
The plasma round exited from the M-20A8 sailing its intended target. The bolt of super-heated plasma struck the sentry on the right side of neck. Death was instant. His night vision giving him the light he needed to see in the darkness, Taav walked the grate of a storm drain. Taav crouched grabbing hold of the bars. He all his might but it wouldn’t budge
“Damn.” He was winded from the exertion. They must be reinforced and driven twenty feet underground. Rachael came up beside him. She was covered by her armor except her head.
“How do we get into the city without being detected Captain? Scaling the walls would be dangerous, given their immense height we also can’t jump eighty feet. Nor does our gear have the range needed to scale the wall.”
“Well, that’s why we have demolitions expert Taav said standing.
“Nikii.” A tall young dark-skinned marine woman stepped forward.
“Sir.” Nikii was the newest member of Taav’s squad, she was Aavor’s replacement. Taav pointed the grate.
“Satchel charge.” Nikii moved quickly forward deliberately slow in a half crouch-ran position. The reason for her cautious movement was because her active camouflage. (An image of the environment that is taken by cameras built into a vehicle or clothing of a person. The image is than transferred onto the vehicle or clothing by pressing a button on the dashboard or by selection from a helmet integrated H.H.U.D.) She placed a satchel charge on the bars.
Clear the blast zone, go, go, go! Nikii set the satchel charge’s timer for twenty seconds. The Cybernetic Hunters ran a save distance. The explosion dust and bits of metal flying.
Squad Alpha advance Taav ordered. Squad Alpha moved forward with caution; weapons raised pressed hard against their shoulders. Their movements slow and controlled, their footsteps silent as death. Assaloth was the first to enter the opening.
Squad Beta, cover Squad Alpha Rachael commanded.
Aye, ma’am.
Oh my, Assaloth! Taav choked. What did you eat this time?
My friend, it was not I. Assaloth answered using his nanothought-link. It is the scent of excrement as well as other body fluids.
Feecies. Taav thought with distaste. This mission really sinks. The Cybernetic Hunters chuckled.
Fan out, keep sharp. The ground slick and hard, possibly mud brick had been laid.
Pluup. Squish. Duran and Kama’sh stepped of the side of the tiled mud brick floor, which was raised up four inches above the inky black sewage.
There’s not enough ambient light in this place to use our night vision, use your thermal. Taav thought.
Captain Sharroock, we’ve got movement at twelve o’ clock. Taav froze listening.
“I hope we don’t find anything down here” A man’s voice echoed through the sewer.
“We won’t Dyek.” A women’s voice reassured the man. “Nothing down here but rats.” The man seemed uneasy, “I just think we will.”
“You call your self a mercenary!” the woman scolded.
Mercenary Taav thought with distaste. Well-trained thug is more like it. Everyone knew of Taav’s feelings toward mercs. He hated them for being loyal only the highest bidder.



Assaloth’s forked tongue flicked in and out of his mouth tasting the air. The Cybernetic Hunters walked with caution down a dark corridor adjacent to the hanger where Taav had landed Jaguar.
Assaloth do you smell anything Taav thought slightly scared as he walked slowly behind his friend weapon raised and pressed tightly against his left shoulder. The corridor was deadly quiet.
Negative, Taav, the air seems to be devoid of any scents.
Any sign of the crew?
Negative, Taav. Taav could hear Jane’s slow shallow breathing.
Settle down, Jane Taav ordered.
Don’t you find this strange, Taav? Taav walked point careful to move slowly making as little noise possible, eyes glowing. The corridor was wide ten feet in width, eight feet in height and twenty feet long. Taav stepped in something slippery.
Taav look down Rachael thought. Taav looked down; a pool of blood. In the bodily fluid lay an M-20A4.
What happened here? Taav thought a shiver of fear running up and back down his spine.
Apparently a fire fight Rachael observed. There were many assault rifles scattered on the ground laying in pools of blood.
I don’t like this Aavor thought warily. Jane spun around ripping off a stream of rounds.
What are you firing at, Jane?
I thought I heard movement Jane protested.
You’re hearing things, Jane Aavor said dryly.
I’ am not Jane shoot back.
Sure you’re not. Jane made a sign with her middle finger. Taav suddenly held up his left hand which was balled into a fist. His arm was held out to the left, away from his body at a ninety degree angle. All the cybernetic hunters knew this signal meant. (Stop immediately)
Taav crouched. His eyebrows knitted together, his lips sagged downward as if they had pulled in that direction by the carrier’s artificial gravity. Taav’s jaw though was set. A piece of bloody fabric lay on the deck. Taav picked the fabric studying it. Suddenly something moved quickly through the shadows toward the young recon marines letting out a shriek.
Hold the line! Taav shouted to others using his nano-thought link. The creature charged.
Blood red chameleon-like eyes flashed with a look of hunger in them.
As the creature advanced on them from up on the ceiling, Rachael fired her assault rifle on fully automatic. The armor piercing rounds ricocheted off the creatures armor plated hide. The creature vanished into thin air. Nikii fired plasma bolt at where the creature was still latched on the ceiling. The plasma bolt also was deflected.
“Look out!” Taav yelled as he leapt through the air pushing Rachael out of the way just as the bolt of super heated plasma struck the deck leaving a black scorch mark.
Marines fall back, to the hanger now! Taav ordered adrenaline flowing through his veins. What is that thing? Taav thought running backward keeping his weapon level and pressed tight to his left shoulder. The creature made no further movement as the Cybernetic Hunters retreated back to the hanger.
“We’re dead!” Nikii cried in terror.
“Be silent Nikii,” Taav growled angrily. I am trying to think.”
“You saw what happened when Rachael shot at it! That creature can’t be killed!”
“I said can it Nikii that is a direct order.” Aavor fell silent looking fearfully around the hanger size of six city blocks. M-shaped fighter bombers filled the hanger, yet were not taxiing for take off, there was no voices booming over the intercom. No pilots, mechanics or marines performing their daily duties in or outside of the hanger maybe even the entire ship.
Taav closed his eyes concentrating using his artificial brain to hack the carrier’s main computer. He downloaded the ship’s schematics and much of the ship’s log as he could get.
“What’s our orders sir” Rachael asked blue eyes darting around the hanger.
Taav opened his eyes and grimly spoke to his squadmates.
“Split up and take different routes and then rendezvous at the ship’s armory, then after we gathered enough explosives fire team Zulu make your way to engineering and set charges. Fire team Omega stay in the armory and set charges, and Fire team Alpha you stay in the hanger and set charges.” After the charges are set fire team Zulu and Beta fall back to the hanger, we’re short on time. Marines, each of you knows your job, I expect you to do it quickly and efficiently, is that understood.”
“Sir, yes sir.”

Rachael, leader of recon squad Zulu walked point with her M-2s0A6 (a variant of the M-20A4 that has a grenade launcher attached to It.) pressed hard against her fair-skinned shoulder. Women have been trained to take the role as front line troops since 2028.
Rachael what’s E.T.A. (Estimated Time of Arrival).
Four minutes, sir. Out of corner of her eye Rachael spotted something grayish that was fastened to wall. The grayish things were actually soft leathery egg sacks. The eggs were sixteen inches in diameter and six inches long. The eggs themselves were in groups of six. They pulsed with efforts of the creatures inside as they struggled to escape.
Taav, we’ve got a problem here.
Yeah same here Rachael just double time to the...ahhh!
Taav. Taav! Rachael thought frantically.
All fire teams fall back, man down! Rachael heard Jane think.
The some eggs sacs that lined the corridor suddenly burst open. Using his artificially enhanced night vision Kama’sh saw a long serpent-like creature crawl out of the egg and drop to the floor. The creature slithered toward the members of fire team Zulu. The creature’s eyes were blood red; its scaly body was black in color and had two sets of inch long spikes along the sides of its body. The creature’s head was like that a lamprey with no eyes just a circular mouth with rows upon of razor-sharp teeth.

Jane pressed her hand against the bite wound on Taav’s neck. This seemed futile however because the saliva the creature secreted acted much like an anticoagulant.

“Jane…help me.” Taav said his eyes rolling back in his head.

“Stay with me Taav, don’t give up now” The members of fire team alpha fired their weapons backing up as they did so.
“Jane look out! Cried Andréaus as a “lamprey” coiled its snake-like body then leapt at her. A molten green ball of plasma shot through the air nailing the larval form of the creature that could not be killed in the side. The plasma bolt burned a hole through the “lamprey.” Its body fell in two halves on to the deck with a wet, sickening plouk. Jane covered her mouth with her left hand, feeling queasy. The smell was awful; rotted tissue from the “lamprey’s meal, combined a rotten egg smell given off by the “lamprey” itself. Andréaus walked forward his heavy footsteps pounding the deck sending shockwaves through it. Andréaus stopped when he reached the body of the “lamprey.” He knelt down picking up the two halves of the creature and cramming both sausage-sized pieces into his teeth-filled mouth. The sickening crunch that followed was just too much for Jane’s stomach to handle. She turned her head, blowing chunks all over the deck.
“Sssorry Jane” Andréaus said apologetically. “I ssshould’ve not done that in front of you.” His forked tongue came out and he used to lick green blood from his scaly lips.
“Its okay, Andréaus” Jane blushed sheepishly. “I thought my training and things that I’ve seen for eight years while in the company of you and my other squadmates would’ve prepared me well for what you just did.”
“Even the best, highly trained soldiers have things that they see in combat that displease or scare them greatly but, a good soldier learns to overcome these things and fight on, no matter what.”

Jane plugged herself into the Jaguar as she slid the pilot seat. A cylindrical metal rod pierced her skull as she lay back against the head rest. The incision was deep but not large, only about a two inch circumference. Little cylindrical probes also jabbed into her spinal column at three places. She was in control of ship. When she closed her eyes could see the hanger in real-time as the information was transmitted from the ship’s computer directly into her brain. The question was though, would the Jaguar’s computer respond to her thoughts and do what she wanted. She decided she would test that theory.
Engine nozzles left. A distant mechanical whine could be heard, as the nozzles changed direction.
Activate weapons; a screen showing the weapons in the inventory flashed in front of Jane’s closed eyes:

Available Weapons:

Missiles: six cruise and six sidewinder missiles
12,000 rounds of depleted uranium rounds for machine cannons
Sixteen plasma mines
Ten “Shockwave” bombs

Jane smiled glad that Taav had the sense to stock up on ordinance before they had left Mars Academy. She scrolled through the menus until she found what she was looking for:

Infirmary Status: occupied

Patient status: normal.
Diagnosis: coma, as a result of toxins in blood stream.
Cause of symptoms: unknown
Known cures: none.

Seeing this information referring to Taav, who was in the Jaguar’s infirmary on deck two, made Jane’s blood go cold with a body numbing fear.

“Alert” the G.S.S. carrier’s A.I. said in calm female voice. “Intruders in hanger four, sealing all exits.” Jane mind cycled back through the menus to the image of the hanger bay, the doors where closing, and to the extra protection provided by the energy containment field, which kept the pressure and atmosphere in the hanger constant even when passed through it. Thinking fast Jane opened a comm. link between the three ships.
“Jaguar to Relentless and Predator come in please.”
“Relentlessss here Jaguar what are our orders?”
“Predator here Jaguar, our orders ma’am?” Jane didn’t waste any time with long explanations.
“The hanger doors must be opened or we won’t be able to escape”
“Copy that, Jag.” Bringing weapons to bear.” The two other pilots said in unison.
“Fire only on my command” Jane said dryly selecting cruise missiles from the weapons from Jaguar’s weapons inventory.
“Predator to Jaguar we got a lock, waiting for order to fire.”
“Relentlesss to Jaguar ready to fire on your order.”
“Fire!” Six cruise missiles shot forth from the missile tubes toward the energy field. The combined explosion was blindingly bright.
A high velocity wind was created by the energy shield and door buckling; the hanger had completely become a vacuum. This effect was by the air being sucked out of the hanger.
At that moment Jane throttled the Jaguar’s engines up to full power. The Jaguar rocketed out of the hanger followed closely by Relentless, and predator.
“Nice going Jane” Nikii cried with relief over the comm. link. “You saved our butts”
“Everyone didn’t make it out ok, Predator” Jane sighed. Sadness and grief strangled any happy emotions she might have had at that moment.
“Taav will be fine, Jane you’ll see” Jane almost wept at those words spoken by Aavor; she knew she might not see her boyfriend again and that fact cut deep into her heart. She doubted she would recover from his death, if it came to that.

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Lucas Ammons

Oct 07 2006 05:29pm

Luke
 - Ex-Student
 Luke

Just so you know I've edited my story adding in your suggestions about including other religious beliefs etc. I also mentioned at there are muslims that have remained loyal to the G.S.S. I've psted it on the showcase forum, take a look at it. I know it may need work, but it's a step in the right direction, at least. I'm trying. When you've looked at my story post suggestions on my profile, you game?:alliance:
_______________
Lucas Ammons

This comment was edited by Luke on Oct 07 2006 10:38pm.

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