Flameryder88

"I look in the mirror, and I don't even know who is staring back. A soldier? A kid? An experiment? A scientist? I don't know who I am. I just know what is expected of me."  -NightStorm

Earth died in 2146. With its death came silence between all its daughter planets. In the time of silence, each planet grew independent, developing its own way of living.  When communications returned, the inhabitants of each planet refused to change and work under one government. This mindset changed in 2235, during the first alien attack. The humans learned that there was an alien group set on wiping out humanity for good. They also learned of an underground project called the Legendary program. A program that uses children to make super-soldiers. It was because of the super-soldiers that humanity survived the first attack. But in the following years, the Legends are dying. It becomes clear that the human's need to end this war or face extinction. At the same time, people are starting to question the products of these human experiments. 

Jade Ryder, aka NightStorm, is the product of a human experiment. The original test performed by her mother before she was born. Jade spent her entire life fighting to be accepted and taken seriously. She follows every order given - all except for one. Jade refuses to work in a team. 
When Jade is forced into a partnership with the last type of person she wanted, a Legendary Soldier, she is forced to face her hidden fears. Jade learns that there is more to this war than she was taught, making her question if she should follow her orders blindly or open her eyes. At the same time, an old childhood illness arises, forcing Jade to reevaluate what's truly important to her.
Now, in 2261, Jade is forced to fight against the discrimination experimental upbringing while trying to find a way to end the war that took so much from her. With everything against her, Jade begins to question everything she once knew.

NightStorm

Vix and Ethan forbid me from working. But they didn't say I couldn't check on something. Something that had been in the back of my mind since I spoke to Greflin. The Jareians. So I decided to check and see if his story matched with a story from a Jareian. We had a few locked in the jail cells under the office building, so I headed there first.


I walked through the dim jail block. The guards glanced at me, but I shot them a warning look. The pair recognized me and didn't bother stopping me. I glanced at the cells. Thick metal bars locked away both human and alien prisoners. I continued walking, looking in each cell. All the Jareians I saw either snarled at me or glared. I doubt any of them would talk. Eventually, I found one who looked at me without any malic. Instead, I saw curiosity in his dark eyes. I stopped and stared at him.


"Do you speak Lexian?" I asked. He inclined his tall head. Even locked in a cell, he held himself high.


"Yes." He said. I knelt in front of the cell before sitting down. "I have nothing say."


"I have questions." I held my hands up to show that I was unarmed. He dipped his head and peered at me through the bars.


"You youngling." He noted. I nodded. He settled on the ground, folding his legs under his body. "Ask."


"How did your people come to work with the Legion?"


"They see our strength. Our brains. Then they take our younglings. Our cared for. Say if we not fight, they die. If we fail, they die." He explained in harsh English. I frowned at the ground. Just like Greflin said.


"It last. Similar to your name at end," he explained. Similar to our last names. They had their own way of doing it. The last syllable was their family name.


"If your cared for were freed, would your people still work with the Legion?" I asked. He waved a hand side to side.


"No." He said it was such finality I believed him. I knew humans did crazy things to protect the people they loved. Why not Jareians.


"Why do the others fight with the Legion?"


"They prefer war." He said. "Lunias trust gods. Higerians because they follow orders."


"How can I get the Higerians on my side?" I asked. He waved his hand side to side.


"I not think you can." He stated. I bit my lip and nodded.


"Thank you, Hiraka." I stood and bowed my head. He dipped his own head in a low bow. "I will do my best to find Kirika. I promise."


"Thank you, youngling." He stood, rising to his full height.


"Storm." I corrected. "My name is NightStorm."


"Thank you, NitStorm." He tried. I smiled and nodded before heading away. The facts, everything I knew, swirled in my mind, contradicting what I was raised on. What was true? Do I believe Greflin and Hiraka? Do I listen to the Master? I didn't know yet.


Chapter 14 [Crossfire]