The War of the Skies - chapter 1 Part 1

in #story6 years ago

Previous readings intro

Hiding his fears under a rehearsed expression of fortitude countless times in front of the mirror, the defense lawyer rose from his chair determined to make his case.

His tattered suit matched the dilapidated appearance of the room, the
which had several holes in the ceiling and furniture damaged by the weather and the woodworm. The pretrial hearing was held in London's military court, which was by far the best preserved in the city.

When he cleared his throat, a hoarse throat came out of his mouth and bounced off the walls of the crowded room, which had become a sepulchral silence filled with expectation. The lawyer could not suppress the impulse to loosen the tie knot, hoping that this gesture would help him to bear the weight of the poisoned glances of the assistants. He could no longer turn back; he had had his chance, but blinded by greed he had accepted the case, even knowing that he would make many enemies by representing who he hated so much by the people.

-My client pleads not guilty, your honor-he announced with a serene voice.
that I hadn't thought possible a moment ago.
As was to be expected, his words gave way to a whirlwind of indignation and protest against which the judge's blows could not have been made. People spit out their own and interrupted the course of the legal process. The military police saw themselves forced to intervene. The judge alerted them with an uncontrolled wave of his hand and a grimace of urgency, as the power of his voice was insufficient to make himself heard. to hear over the scandal that had broken out. A platoon of men and the armed men trotted around the room in an orderly fashion. The weapons they were carrying managed to exert a deterrent effect on those present.

Source

-There's nothing to worry about,- the lawyer lied to his client, who was in the middle of the case. sitting next to him. It's gonna be all right.
Captain Richard Northon, who everyone called Rick, showed no sign of having even heard from the lawyer. Dressed in his military gala uniform, and with his hands handcuffed to her back, she continued to look lost somewhere on the floor between the table that he shared with the lawyer and the podium from which the judge stood. It was something taller than average and with a strong build. She was wearing her short hair combed to the back of her head. in the back.
The lawyer looked at him strangely, not understanding how he was able to stay away from what was going on around him; after all, he was facing the death penalty. The critical nature of the situation had led the lawyer to seriously consider negotiating the captain's exile as a desperate measure to save his life, although he had not yet mustered the courage to discuss it with him. In his view, that was the only way to avoid the death sentence, a somewhat frequent ruling since martial law and speedy trials had been introduced.
Finally, the voices calmed down and the silence returned to the room. The judge stopped punishing the table with his mallet and swept away those present with an angry look. Only a small sob persisted to the threats of the police. It came from a woman sitting in the back row and leaning forward, whose shaggy hair hid her face. A man sitting beside her, his eyes sunk with pain, passed his arm over her shoulders in a vain attempt to comfort her.
-The trial will take place next Wednesday at ten o'clock in the morning,- he said.
the judge. It will be a closed session," he added with a note of irritation in his voice.
Three army soldiers approached Rick and made him stand up. One of them crouched down and checked that the shackles on his feet were securely fastened but with enough slack to allow him to walk. The attendees cleared the room amidst a stir of exclamations.
-Murderer!- shouted the man who had been consoling the woman in the back row as he approached Rick with his finger. -One of them was our son!-
Someone held the angry father tightly, knowing that he had to be arrested or the police would be forced to reduce him. Rick turned to the man who accused him of murder and held his gaze without expression, but with a glint of sadness in his eyes.
-If there really is justice in this world, you will burn in hell, you bastard -
the father prophesied, throwing a copy of the Bible directly at his head.
Despite seeing it coming and having plenty of reflexes to dodge the book, Rick remained motionless. The Bible crashed into his head and cut a hole in his temple from which a trickle of blood sprouted. The policemen reached the shattered father and violently expelled him from the Hall of Justice.

Source

The next day, Rick woke up early. He drew a vertical line on the wall with a worn piece of chalk next to many others, and then began the recount. At the end, he was not surprised to see that he had already been locked up in the military prison for almost a month...
He was one of the most decorated soldiers in the army and had been in charge of almost all covert operations of some importance. Your service record had remained impeccable, without a single fault worthy of reaching his ears. superior. None of that was taken into account when Rick came back alone from his last assignment. No one else survived. Four soldiers were killed along with the who had gone to arrest the traffickers. The main objective of the operation was to to recover a significant shipment of telium - a new mineral that appeared in the Land after the Wave - which had been stolen from an army warehouse a few years earlier - months earlier. They tasked Rick with bringing him back and, if possible, stopping him. to the thieves. However, nothing went as expected in that mission. The telium he didn't show up anywhere and it fell on Rick to suspect him of stealing it. after he killed his men.

The sound of several pairs of approaching boots came from the hallway. Rick sat down on his bed and waited patiently for his visitors. He assumed that it would be his lawyer to try to convince him again to appeal to exile, as he had done the day before as soon as the preliminary hearing was over. "What an incompetent man," he thought.
A middle-aged man in military uniform approached the bars of his cell and scrutinized him with a stern look.
-I see you're an early riser,- he observed.
Rick recognized it instantly; any member of the army would have done it. The Major Gordon was the highest military authority in London's Secure Zone. since the last war, when the martial state was decreed as a measure for to ensure public order. He wore every conceivable badge in the form of badges attached to the shirt of his uniform, at the height of his left shoulder. A over fifty years old, Gordon retained the look of the one who remains in and only the wrinkles that furrowed her face gave any indication of her age. Rick was very surprised by the commander's visit. Even though I knew that it was he who personally designated him for all missions classified as had never spoken in person.
-Leave us alone- he ordered the two soldiers to escort him. -We've got to get
Talk, Captain- said Gordon when they were alone.
-I can hardly imagine what you might want to talk to me about, sir- replied Rick with a neutral tone.
I'll be very direct. Have you heard of the Portal? asked the commander.
They're going to convict me of a crime I didn't commit," observed Rick without
to understand why Gordon mentioned that. They've probably already selected the bullet that will go through my head, so I don't see how it matters what I've heard.
His fate has not yet been decided," Gordon said. I wouldn't have come to see you
if that's the case. I have better things to do.
I've only heard rumors," Rick replied, "and I'm just curious. It is said that they have found a portal that leads to another world. His face denoted his skepticism.
What else do the rumors say? Gordon asked.
That the army wants to keep it a secret. Some say it is an inexhaustible source of telium. Others believe that the Wave has its origin there, and even say that the Fog has left that other world. There are more theories, all absurd.
Well," said Gordon, satisfied. Well, that portal exists, Captain. And of course we want to keep it a secret, although that's going to be impossible. It was discovered in a foundry and too many people saw it. And as incredible as it may seem, it leads somewhere... unknown. The commander seemed hesitant before he decided to use that last word. A reconnaissance expedition is going to cross it to conduct an investigation. I'm here to offer you the command of that mission. I'd be in charge of security.

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I like it. Great story!

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I am waiting for the next :)

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Intersting!!

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And what's my fault? Why are you picking on me by giving me downvote and making me lose money? What did I do to you wrong, huh?

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