EVE Fiction

Cador Zora, Parouz VIII, Aridia Region
Estate of Ava and Gul Parouz

Arba Shakhar stared up into the night sky, her arms wrapped around her knees. Mentally she began to list off the brightest stars: Hakatiz, Khnar, Ertoo, Yekh...

The low yowl of a slaver hound drew her attention down toward the waving fields of Amarrian wheat and Arba froze as she saw one of the massive beasts padding its way along the path beside the fields, its nose sniffing the air. Beside it, the two Amarrian nobles that own the farm which she had worked for most of her life walked. As she watched them, Arba considered her situation.

"Bahrahk told me that the commander of the Shiksi Company is only sixteen and already got her unit operating better than any of its competition," The lord of the house said as he walked along the path.

Arba bit her lip and ran a hand through her wiry black hair. Silently she wished for them to leave so that she could go back to her small slice of peace and rest that the night air provided. Her dark eyes watched the two holders, the two that called themselves her masters, and gritted her teeth.

"I know far less about training of soldiers then you, my dear Gul. Still, those girls do not have parents, maybe this one is so hesitant because she has taken such a role for herself," The woman said. "I've had my worries about those kameira, I'm sure you have as well."

"They were born and bred for that life, Ava. They're the most loyal soldiers I've ever commanded, and some of the best fighters." The Amarrian holder turned to his wife as Arba watched. "I know that we—"

A boom echoed overhead and Arba's gaze swept away from the Amarrians and turned to the sky. Her eyes widened as a glowing blew contrail drew her attention just before a fighter painted blood red and gold shot just over the roof on which she stood. Another boom drew her attention as another fighter shot past, roaring toward the north. She could make out its hull reflecting the city lights of Cador Zora ten kilometers away.

Then a red crackle of energy shot down from the sky and those glowing gold lights flickered and died one after another as a bloody red ship nearly a kilometer long came to a halt over the city. Other ships came down from above, their drives lighting up the night sky as she watched. Arba swallowed a lump that rose up in her throat as swarms of drones and fighters crisscrossed the sky.

Then a dropship flared above the roof she stood on, it's golden hull marred with a pattern of blood red paint. As the side doors slid open and men clad in bloodied amarrian uniforms leapt to the rooftop, Arba turned and ran. She ducked down as a beam of golden light lanced over her head and burned a line across the rooftop's balcony.

As she hammered the activation stud on the door, she glanced back over her shoulder as the bloodied soldiers ran after her. Others clad in the same grizzly uniform ran to the balcony's edge and lifted their rifles toward the holders. Instantly her mind connected the image of the soldiers with a tale her father had told her of the demons of the night that came to steal children for their blood.

The door hissed open at that moment and she barreled through, as it hissed shut behind her she started scrambling down the stairs, but before she had gone a dozen meters, the door behind her exploded inward, and the concussion knocked her from her feet. Pain flashed through her as she tumbled down the last few steps and hit the floor. Before her mind could register the pain a crimson boot slammed down beside her face. Her gaze flicked up toward a figure clad in the armor just before the butt of a rifle smashed down on her temple.

Then, there was nothing but darkness.