Love

The next morning after the attack on me that ended up hurting Swan, I was given a mission alert from Captian Hallz. I was going back and train once more before the tournament, so I went without saying goodbye to Swan. I didn't know what her feelings were right now, so I needed to focus on my training. I was also helping the crew with their mission on a planet that needed help. I went to the gym to train as I did when I first came to the Pandora.

This time though I was distracted by images of Swan in my head, all I could see was her face when I closed my eyes. I would be doing a simple push up and I could almost smell Swan's flower-like scent. It was very difficult to keep the focus on my takes all day and night. I was in the mess hall one day when Hallz came in with a present for me.

"Here you go my friend, we had these made for you while you've been on Birdia and thought you'll need them soon." captain Hallz said, handing me a box with a new and improved laser sword and new handgun. I looked them over and saw a tree logo on each of the weapons, I thanked both the captain and the commander for the gift and went back to the training hall.

After the day of target practice and training, I headed back to my quarters for rest. As I sat down in a chair near the window Swan called my room from a phone-like device on it. It freaked me out since her face was huge from the tv like device and also I wasn't expecting it. She wanted to ask me a question, "Hey, I wanted to know when you get back here in two days, do you want to go out for a night?" She blushed a bit, I smiled and accepted her invite, this was a chance to get to know her more without people around.

We chatted for a moment till I got a call from Zogy, "Jake, we need you for battle support, get to the dropship now!" She barked as I said goodbye to Swan and ran to the dropship as Zogy asked. I had my weapons ready and I hit my combat suit option on my wrist to activate it right as the ship hit the ground. I looked like a futuristic superhero with my suit blacked out and my logo from the weapons on my chest.

Right when the doors opened and I was able to step out, I saw our whole squad and forces were under attack. I saw shots fly past my face and I saw the enemy, they were pirates like always, they were trying to take over the planet. I saw a few Captians I knew, they looked like they were in deep trouble with the pirate getting close. Zogy was on the ground with everyone and she noticed I was finally here. She yelled to me scaring the captains around her, "Zero get your ass moving and cut down their ranks." She pointed to the stream of pirates shooting at us still, I smiled with my new strength and more energy I can fight longer than in the first battle.

I looked over at the weapons and ran into the crowd, Zogy and some of the officers watched take out a ton of pirates. Shooting and cutting them all as fast as I could, after the aw of a human cutting down pirates the rest of the officers joined me in the fight. Then when I got to the end of the line I saw a Pirate captain in a thrown smiling at me. "Ah the legendary human U-F dog, you most think you can kill us the same way twice?" He asked me, I smiled back at him and shot at his shoulder.

He looked at me growled and then he came at me with a sword he had, he didn't see my laser sword so I cut it in half. The pirate hit the ground, then he saw the cold expression on my face. He smiled as he did before, but he was shot in the head. I turned to the field of enemies looking at me as their leader had just fallen. As for Swan's ship, the pirates ran to their escape pods, while I stood a watched this my eyes got tired like before. This time though I didn't pass out this time, I did fall to the ground. Zogy and Hallz saw this and had me rushed to a drop-ship going back to the Pandora.

Zogy and Hallz were in the ship when we were going back and I heard this from them. "Good job Sargent Zero, good fight, because of you we completed the mission with only a few deaths." I looked confused with them saying Sargent but was informed that I was promoted from the mission. Then I was given a new uniform with my rank, It was strange though, because most officers when they are still cadets can't rank up. Though I finished a couple of missions and have been training for the tournament I was considered an Official U-F officer and an academy cadet.

I was in my room for a while after receiving all that and just rested for a while, then I went to bed. The next day I was released from the Pandora and I was done with my training for the tournament. Why was I done so fast was still weird for me, but, with all I learned I was a force even without the enhancements. I got a message from the head General of Base planet, it was long but very informative.

"Sargent Zero, you have received this rank as a cadet only because of your accomplishments as a member of both Captain Swan's and Hallz's crew. From this, you will be receiving your required enhancements in two weeks right after you are done with the tournaments. With this, you'll be put on a ship of your choice and be automatically graduating from the Academy. Kind Regards General Birdia."

I smiled and wondered which ship I should be on, should I join Swan's or should I go with someone who gets into more action. This was a very important choice for me so I put it in the back of my mind till I got home. I learned Swan safely went back to the base planet without me. When I was home and opened the door, I saw Swan was waiting for me in the living room. She looked at me and I smiled like a child showing her my letter from both the Head General and Hallz. "Does this mean you can join my crew?" She asked me as I sat next to her.

"Why don't we go for that date or whatever, I could really use a drink right now." She smiled and we left for a cafe near the apartment. We headed to the park first walking side by side talking about the mission and my training. I was still in my new uniform and Swan was in her's too, we looked like old lovers conversing about life. Then Swan spoke about something that turns my eyes towards her more.

"Jacob, I had my eyes on you since we met in the hangar, you were kind and gentle like a spring breeze back home. To everyone you meet, you show your politeness and smile even when you don't want to., you even learned to speak many languages that aren't even possible to learn as a cadet. Though why I ask you to join me is not for your skills of combat but is for your person. We need someone that can be helpful just as they can be powerful when it calls for force. " She started to ramble a bit about why she wanted me to join the crew.

I looked at Swan and her eyes seem to glimmer in the falling sunset, "Swan I don't care where I go as long as it's with you, I love you for the way you are." She blushed, but shook her head no, "We can't though, my people won't.." She was saying when I grabbed her right shoulder, "Swan I don't care what the rules are, we are here. We can do anything we want here in the U-F, have children, make a life with each other. The Force wants us to be together with all these chances of faith by putting us in these situations. I don't care what others think about me and you, what matters is what I feel for you."

Swan blushed and we headed into the cafe almost holding hands, we talked about what my next move should be. With us going against the rules of her people she was scared of losing her parents. We drank a bit, then my eyes got really tired, Swan held out her hand to me and I took it. We paid for our drinks and went for a walk around the area. We were smiling at each other and sharing our favorite moments.

That night was blurred after about midnight, I didn't remember anything till I woke up in a strange place. It was late morning and I had nothing to do, but waking up in a weird place again was getting very old. I took a look around and saw Swan was next to me still asleep and I saw her pictures around her bedroom. "Ah, this must be her house, hope we didn't do anything stupid last night."

I picked up my mission pad and saw no notification on it yet, I was relieved, and then when I was about to turn around I felt Swan's hand touch my shoulder. She had woken up when I moved to the edge of the bed, "Good morning Swan, Did you have fun last night? " I asked her when she blushed for a moment, We heard someone, not us cough from the door. We jumped and saw it was Swan's mother standing there watching us. Swan's father came a bit later when we were all in the living room.

Swan whispered to me, "How are we going to explain to my parents you were just crashing for the night." I looked over at her and asked about the date we had, "We can tell them about that later." She said out loud when Swan's father sat near us. Swan's mother looked not happy about what she had seen, but was willing to hear our explanation.

"Mother, Father, I and Jake here, love each other and had a date last night, We had fun then talked about a lot of things about our future together. I know you have a bunch of questions or even hate me or him for this, but I do love this Human man. " Swan paused after she got emotional, She never got that way ever, even when she got hurt those weeks ago. I smiled with her tears and Swan's father thought that to be weird.

"What you Jacob, do you feel the same for her?" He asked me, my smile went away and the mood got serious for a moment. "Sir, I fell for Swan the moment I met her, The way my heart felt during my first conversation with her made my body tight. I wanted to be around her and have more conversations. I would give my life for this woman and everyone she loves, not one person will harm her. " I said as my eyes teared up for her, Swan's father found the answer he was looking for.

Roxian spoke up and let us both hear something they had been planning since they met me. "My dear daughter, we have been looking for a suiter for you to marry but you like no man. We both feared you would die with no one to call your own. Then Jacob here fell into our laps, we saw he liked you and when you had him dance that night. We thought he was going to ask to date you, but those things happened. Sad, yet it brought us to this moment, we got permission from the council of elders to let Jacob become us. He will become a citizen of Birdia and with that, he will be able to date you or even marry you. " Roxian said to us and we looked at each other, I would not see myself with anyone else.

"I'll do it, I'll do it for Swan because I don't see myself with anyone but her." As I said this they wanted me to pack right away for Birdia. I had to perform a bunch of rituals to become a member of Swan's people. I would be there till the moment when the tournament would start, so I had plenty of time. So after that was all planned I headed to the apartment with Swan staying back talking to her parents.