Jacinto Plato, Sera

Fifty miles outside Ilima City

Starlight POV

Feeling the light hit my face, I blinked a few times before letting a groaned from uneasy nap I took. Blinking out the blurriness from my eye's, I saw the unmistaken form of our new companion, Carmine sitting across from me. His head, still covered by his helmet, rested up against his seat as the Raven shook steadily as we flew over the land. Abby was doing the same next to me as she had her and my helmets off to the side. Looking around, I took in the marvel of technology that carried them. Flight without levitation or a team of Pegasus pulling is such a amazing achievement.

"You look like never ridden Raven before?"

The unknown voice snapped me away from my on looking to the another two Gears on board with them. They were both wearing the standard blue combat armor and sat on both sides of Carmine as they had their hands on the heavy machine guns. I looked at the two for a sec then realized one of them had asked me a question. "Oh, umm... Well, no I haven't."

"Really? Not even in basic?" The one on her left asked with his head tiled to the side.

"I just joined shortly after meeting Abigail here." I replied.

"... You met the sergeant here and just joined in?" The other Door Gunner on her right asked.

"More like she and her friends rescued me from being buried alive." Replied Abby before I could answer. Looking to my friend I saw she was wide awake. "I was suck underground in the Hollow due to a sudden sinkhole swallowed me. Spent a bit of time running and gunning from Locust patrols till I came across a her tribe."

"Tribe?" The Gears and Carmine said at the same time.

I looked at the large Gear and saw him looking at us. "Carmine, sorry if we wake you. How are feeling?" I asked him. Worried about the big guy after what happened to him after the events at Speyer.

"I'm fine... A little hungry after fighting for that long." He answered.

"Will get you something when we get back to Jacinto. Anyway yea, Starlight here from nomad tribe of people that immigrated here during the early days of Pendulum Wars to get away from the UIR."

"Your name is Starlight?" The left door gunner Gear asked.

"Starlight Glimmer is my full name." I said. Abby continued on her made up explanation to the three about me.

"They don't interact with people outside the Tribe vary often so their mostly forgotten with the war and were completely forgotten when the Locust appeared."

I nodded along with the lie and added my two bits in. "Most still prefer to use our native language due to how we isolate ourselves from everyone. But those like me that know your language fluently are still needed to make sure we are getting certain things, and because were always on the move and not rooted in place we give less chances for the Locust to pop up under us."

"So like the Stranded in a way but you all are more well off then most?" The right Door Gunner said to which I nodded. "Well how about that. Their might be some hope of us after all in all this."

"Is it just the two of you that's traveling with us?" I asked.

"Na, the rest of Charly nine is over on the other Raven," The right door man said.

"Why was you guys out this far? You guys couldn't have gotten out here quick enough if you cam from Jacinto." Abby asked. The Gear nodded in agreement.

"Your right Sargent. We were tasked with escorting Drilling Rigs for Operation Hollow Storm." That got some reactions out of both Abby and Carmine.

"Wait a sec," Carmine said. "Are you implying that we're striking down at where they live?"

The Gear nodded his head. "The operation has already started earlier this morning when we escorted rigs over to Landown to use Grindlifts to get to the Hollow. They were dropping a lot of Gears down there to hit them where they live. Command has been pushing this for a while now, but I'm glad I didn't go down there. I'd rather fight out them out under the sun instead of a dark cave where Wretches don't pop out and eat you."

"I get that. Anyway," Abby said before calling into her ear set. "Pilot, what's are ETA to Jacinto?"

"Going to have to wait on that, Sargent. We don't have the fuel for Jacinto so were diverting to Ilima City for a resupply and refuel before we can get you to Jacinto HQ." The Pilot respond back on the radio.

I watch as Abby sigh before talking in her radio. "Roger that. What's are ETA to our fuel point?"

"Were close around ten mikes out," The Pilot answered.

"Contact!" Shouted the pilot of KR- five-six. "Reavers coming at our nine 'o'clock Five four!"

Abby then took charge of the four of inside, "Open those doors and man those gun's you two!" She ordered she ordered the door gunners. Without answering back, the two opened the Ravens door's exposing us to the rushing open air out side.

"Pilot, angle us so we can have a clear shot at them!" Abby ordered.

I felt the world shift as I looked out the Raven. Looking over the horizon I spot several dots in the distance.

"There! Shoot'um Gears!"

The machine gunner along with Carmine fired at the Reavers as they got close. Our Raven weaved as the Revers returned fire. I reached down to but put on my helmet when our weaved to the side to doge an attack. I watched as both mine and Abby's rolled off over the edge. "Crap, Abby our helmets just rolled off!" I said to her.

Abby looked over to where our helmets were and saw that they were gone. "Shit," Abby cursed. "I like that helmet damn it!"

Our Raven swerved again as it dodged another wave of incoming attacks. I look out see the squid like creature of a Reaver. Pulling out my Snub pistol, I fired at the thing as the door gunner fired off a stream of shots. The flying monstrosity cried in pain before it fell to the earth with a cry along with its screaming riders.

"Good job back there, do that to the rest of them!" Our pilot called out to us.

"Watch out! Incoming mortars!" The pilot of KR Five-Six called out.

The raven swerved around as black objects flew past us. The two door gunner Gears leaned out slightly with their big guns to try shooting them out of the sky. While me, Abby, and Carmine held on for dear life. After what seam like forever a rough explosion happened in the air.

"This is KR Five-Six, I'm hit! Rear rotor unresponsive! I ca-" Five-Six signal was suddenly cut off as their chopper must have crashed landed.

"This is KR Five-Four, KR Five-six is down! Were going to circle around and what the hell?!" The pilot shouted.

We all looked out over Ilima city as suddenly buildings, roads, and whole plazas start to fall into the earth.

"What is this?" I hear Abby as I see her face pale at what she was seeing down.

"This is exactly what happened at Tollen! Their sinking the damn city!" Carmine shouted.

Before anyone could comment more on the situation. Another mortar came flying at us and hitting our Ravens side. The force of the mortars blast wave rattles us before the Raven begins to suddenly twist and descend rapidly. I catch a glimpse of one of the door gunner Gears of Charlie nine falling out of one of the choppers side doors. I felt a hand grab hold of my arm as we fall from the sky. Looking out, I see the sight of building at the edge of steep wall, and realized that we were falling into one of Ilima's sink holes. Over the sound of the chipping rotating blades I can barley hear the call the Pilot was yelling out.

This is KR Five-Four! I'm hit, I'm..."Then everything went black.

Author's Note

Just a short chapter to show everyone I'm still alive and kicking.

That's right! I'm not dead