Ch. 26 Green and Red

Knight Harper stepped out of the dimly lit room, securing the door behind him. He adjusted the straps of his patchwork jumpsuit, making sure his Aurum Beam-caster was firmly holstered. The day's hunt was critical; his supplies had dwindled further than he'd ever seen.

The forest planet, now named Sylvanor, had been his home for three long cycles. Once a source of curiosity and beauty, it now felt like a relentless prison. He'd been marooned here, isolated from the rest of the galaxy, from his fellow knights, and the Valorian family. It wasn't how a knight expected his service to unfold.

As Knight Harper moved through the wreckage of the Galahad, he found himself in a surreal and haunting landscape. The once proud and mighty generation ship was now a colossal, broken skeleton, bisected by the crash. Massive sections of the hull had been torn asunder, revealing the lush Sylvanor forest outside.

Sunbeams filtered through ragged openings in the hull, casting warm, dappled light on the metallic debris. Vines and foliage had claimed every available surface, their vibrant green leaves a stark contrast to the cold steel of the ship. Twisted and torn metal beams jutted out at odd angles, their jagged edges testament to the catastrophic impact. Fallen bulkheads, now covered in moss, created a maze of eerie corridors that led nowhere.

As Knight Harper ventured further into the wreckage, he discovered the remnants of what were once comfortable living quarters. Tattered remnants of beds and furniture lay scattered across the floor. A holographic display, long dead, flickered sporadically in the corner, its blue light casting eerie shadows.

Amid the chaos, he found the remains of personal belongings. Toys, books, and trinkets, now coated in dust and dirt, spoke of lives interrupted and dreams shattered. The air was filled with the scent of aged metal and damp earth, an unusual but strangely fitting combination.

Walking through the colossal broken heart of the Galahad, Knight Harper couldn't help but feel a profound sense of melancholy. The collision of the once-majestic starship and the ancient redwood forest of Sylvanor had created a world where nature and technology were locked in a strange, beautiful, and tragic embrace.

Harper's steps were silent on the pine needle-covered ground, a skill he'd honed during his time on this forsaken world. The towering trees around him were both his shield and his jailer. They provided resources and cover for his survival, but they also isolated him from the rest of the universe.

As he moved deeper into the forest, he kept his senses sharp. His green eyes darted around, scanning for movement or signs of game. Today, he was hunting the elusive Giant Fernback, a massive creature with thick, plated hides and enormous claws. The beast was his sole target for the day, it alone could feed him and the newcomer for a few days.

The dense foliage cast eerie shadows, and every rustle of leaves or chirp of a bird sent a shiver down his spine. The weight of his isolation pressed on him as he tracked the massive prey.

The giant fernbacks, majestic yet formidable creatures that roamed the forested planet, moved with a deceptive grace despite their massive size. Towering at around ten feet in height, these creatures resembled a blend of terrestrial arthropods and reptiles, adorned with a protective exoskeleton that boasted intricate patterns resembling fern leaves. Their elongated limbs stopped in sharp, clawed appendages, allowing them to defend themselves and rip chunks out of the Giant Redwood trees that made up the forest.

Knight Harper, after three cycles of survival on this isolated world, had named these creatures and had become intimately familiar with the behavior and living patterns of the giant fernbacks. These creatures were Omnivores, primarily feasting on the colossal redwood tree's bark and inner wood; they would really eat anything they could fit in their giant insect-like mouths. They were territorial and could become fiercely aggressive if provoked or threatened.

Having learned through trial and error, Knight Harper had devised strategies to avoid confrontations with these formidable creatures. He understood the importance of respecting their territory and maintaining a safe distance. Additionally, he had identified specific vocalizations and behaviors that indicated the presence of a nearby giant fernback, allowing him to adjust his course and steer clear of potential encounters.

It was a safe bet that if you heard the sound of one of these giant trees cracking and falling to the ground, a giant fernback was responsible.

As Harper ventured deeper into the forest on this particular hunt, he remained vigilant, relying on his accumulated knowledge to navigate the nuances of the giant fernback's habitat. The towering trees above cast dappled sunlight on the forest floor, creating an intricate dance of shadows that played tricks on the eyes. Harper's senses were finely tuned, attuned to the subtle signs that could mean the difference between a successful hunt and a perilous encounter with the enigmatic giants of the redwood forest.

When Harper was still a squire serving in a squad of 13 other Knights-to-be, his group often took hunting trials on his home planet of Sylvaria. Harper wasn't the best hunter in his group, but he wasn't the worst either; he was awarded for his stealth as a hunter, but his aim was below average, something Harper had been working on even as a full-fledged knight now.

The air was thick with tension as Knight Harper silently stalked through the towering redwoods, his Aurum Beam-caster in his hand and at the ready. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting intermittent beams that played on the fern-covered forest floor. Amidst the colossal trees, a lone giant fernback grazed on the bark of a massive redwood, its attention fixed on the meal.

Harper's trained eyes narrowed as he took aim, steadying his breath. The faint hum of the Aurum Beam-caster filled the air as he squeezed the trigger, sending a brilliant beam slicing through the tranquil forest. The shot struck the giant fernback, its exoskeleton sizzling as the beam seared

through layers of protective armor. The creature let out a roar, its gargantuan form recoiling from the impact.

However, to Harper's dismay, the beast didn't fall immediately. Instead, a surge of adrenaline-fueled the giant fernback, and it turned toward its assailant with a thunderous growl. Knight Harper fired off consecutive shots without hesitation, the Aurum Beam-caster's beams puncturing the creature's exoskeleton like fiery fists.

The wounded giant fernback charged, its enormous legs propelling it forward with surprising speed. Harper nimblely dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the creature's colossal charge. The forest echoed with the clash of nature's titan and the high-pitched screech of the beam caster as Harper continued his calculated assault.

Each shot from the Aurum Beam-caster took its toll, the giant fernback's movements growing sluggish as its life force waned. Harper seized the opportunity, unleashing a final barrage of energy beams. The forest resounded with piercing screeching blasts as the creature's massive form convulsed and finally succumbed to its injuries.

The colossal giant fernback crashed to the forest floor, its skidding momentum carrying it to a stop just a foot away from Knight Harper. The air was thick with the scent of burnt exoskeleton and the tang of victory. Harper, though weary, stood over the fallen creature, his Aurum Beam-caster still humming with residual energy. Another day of survival on this isolated planet, another hard-earned triumph against the formidable denizens of the redwood forest.

Hours passed, and the sun cast long shadows across the landscape. Harper had successfully butchered and carried back the usable pieces of the giant beast to the Galahan, filling his rucksack many times on a back-and-forth trip from the corpse to the ship.

Names of comrades surfaced in his thoughts—Sir Aelar, known for his low tolerance for drink and his skillful aim paired with his fierce loyalty, and Lady Seraphina, whose grace matched the elegance of her Talon blade but helped her very little during any stints in stasis as she always woke up by throwing up her last meal upon leaving her pod. The recollections of shared victories and laughter among them tugged at Harper's heart. He missed the warmth of their company, the unspoken bond of serving a common purpose.

Regret, like a persistent shadow, crept into his consciousness. The order that had sent him on this mission, marooning him on Sylvanor, seemed a heavier burden with each passing cycle. The vibrant memories of Sylvaria now felt bittersweet, haunting him with the notion that even if he were to return, the faces and voices of those he knew might be lost to time. He knew he had been in stasis since leaving Sylvaria for 6 cycles, but how long was he in stasis while the ship had already crashed? At the minimum he had been gone for 9 cycles, but the vegetation growing on the Galahan may hint at an even longer stay than he had first thought. He would need to ask Ralios when he awoke what the current year was.

In the quiet moments between rustling leaves and distant calls of unknown creatures, Harper yearned for the familiar embrace of Sylvaria, a home that seemed worlds away. The thought of trading the solitude of Sylvanor for the company of his fellow knights, even if only in memory, became a persistent longing that whispered through the vastness of the forest.

Somewhere else.

General Zephyros of the Shattered Talon Rebellion sat in a state of focused meditation on the bridge of his ship, his eyes closed to the chaotic surroundings. The dim glow of the consoles cast an eerie light on his features. The hum of the ship's systems provided a discordant symphony as one of his bridge crew broke through the atmosphere of silence.

"Sir, we're here," came the announcement. Zephyros calmly opened his eyes, acknowledging the crew member with a nod. "Good. Well, set up an outpost on this planet and find out what's happening with its blue neighbor. Let's find out if the empire really did find sentient life." he commanded, his voice carrying an air of authority.

As the crew completed their tasks, a cloaked figure approached Zephyros on the bridge. The General turned his attention to her, a wry smile playing on his face. "Ah, you're here. Just the woman I was looking to see," he remarked. Rising from his captain's chair, Zephyros walked toward the large Heptaglass viewports, gazing out at the red planet below.

The cloaked woman joined him, standing by his side. Zephyros spoke without looking away from the crimson planet. "So, Doctor, from what you've skimmed from the Codex of Historiography files, what is this place called?" In a hushed tone, she replied, "The people of this system once called it Mars." Zephyros grunted in acknowledgment, appreciating the simplicity of the name. "Ain't a bad name," he commented before turning to the bridge crew.

"Bring the Defiance into Mars's orbit. We have a lot of work to do and not a lot of time!" he ordered. The crew responded in unison, "Sir," and the colossal Destroyer, The Defiance, hummed into action as it approached the enigmatic red planet, ready to unveil the mysteries hidden beneath its surface and its neighbor's.