Alex – Heart Of The Vanguard

__________*_Michael_*__________

The four of us watched in awe as Alex and Echo stepped into this portal. I only just got Harry's attention enough to get him to film their departure, as they were swallowed by the red and purple fog before it collapsed in on it's self and vanished completely.

Harry: "Holy shit dude! Alex! THEE Alex?!"

Michael: "I know right!" as equally excited as he was now that I could finally discuss it with someone else.

Darcey: "Dude! How the fuck did you get in contact with her?! She is so cool!"

Tyrone: "And like, waaaayyyy outta your league, holy Jesus man... Dawg, why you been holding out on us?! Fuck, I almost walked home, if it weren't for her showing up like dat."

Michael: "Well thanks for the vote of confidence, Ty. Come on, we need to pack up and move to those coordinates. I don't know how long we've got."

Harry: "Dude, I need to get a picture with her! I need a new profile pic... Say, you think she'll do one of kissing me on the cheek or something?, You know, if I ask nicely?" He asked, still excited while dismantling the camera and tripod.

Tyrone: "Wooww... You are so sad."

Darcey: "What's the harm in asking? I mean, I'm straight but she is like totally hot, I'd ask for a kiss too."

Tyrone: "Damn... Ok now that would be hot."

Michael: "Alright guys, knock it off. Let's get moving." I stated, getting slightly jealous over the idea of Darcey having affections for Alex rather than myself.

Harry: "You know one thing that I want to know? Why us?"

Tyrone: "What you mean?"

Harry: "I mean, like, they have many more experienced teams to do high profile stuff like this. Guys that are positioned all over the world with kit already to hand. Professionals that jump up as soon as they get a call. So I don't see why they would send us half way round the world with gear as well? Wouldn't there already be someone here?, In Iceland?"

Michael: "I don't know, I guess not otherwise they wouldn't have asked us. I wouldn't worry about it, it's an opportunity, let's just grab a hold and take it while we can."

Tyrone: "He's got a point though. I mean, I'm just the tech guy, I know how to set this all up to test it. But I just fix shit, I don't operate out in the field unless it's a breakdown of large equipment and it's usually in town."

Harry: "And I haven't been out on a shoot in years."

Michael: "Hey, they just asked me to rope a team together and get going, they weren't worried about specifics."

Tyrone: "Still sounds a lil odd if you ask me, I mean, you an' I barely know each other, so why pick me?"

My phone started ringing in my pocket, so I pulled it out and instantly panicked when I saw the name... Janice... I cancelled it and dropped the phone back in the pocket of my coat, but in seconds in rang again.

Darcey: "Well someone's desperate to get hold of you."

Michael: "Nah, nobody important." I lied, now silencing the call instead. I had barely started packing the gear when it rang yet again.

Darcey: "Dude, just answer it..." She said and without warning, reached into my pocket and pulled it out before I realised and manage to stop her. "... who's Janice?"

She asked, I just about snatched the phone off her before she could answer.

Harry: "Your manager?"

Michael: "Supervisor..." I corrected, "... she's a pain in the ass. Don't worry about it."

Darcey: "She might have an important update for us or something."

Michael: "No, I doubt that." The phone rang again in my hand, Darcey snatched it more violently and answered it before I could grab it.

Darcey: "Hello?..." She spoke into the phone, and I once again went to grab the phone off of her, only this time, Tyrone put his arm out in my way, holding me back.

Tyrone: "Wha' choo hiding man? Why don't you wanna to talk to your boss?" Before I had an chance to answer, Darcey continued her conversation to my superior.

Darcey: "I'm Darcey.....no, I'm not his girlfriend.....no, we're not at home, we're in Iceland.....

Michael: "Noo... Don't say..." My words trailed out as my story was blown in that split second, I felt like I was sinking into the ground, hell, I wish I could've, my heart was thumping in fear now.

Darcey turned to look at me, confused and seemingly slightly shocked.

Darcey: "...he emailed sick? But he's right here with me..... Yes, in Iceland..... What do you mean, 'why'?, you guys sent us here to do a shoot-..... oh..... you didn't-?..... well yeah, we've got cameras and mics and-..... Yes, there's a Tyrone and a Harry here too-..... he doesn't?..... Oh..... oh ok..... erm, I guess?..... Er, hello?..." She looked at the screen, "...she hung up on me."

Tyrone: "What she say?"

Darcey: "Said that Michael emailed in sick early hours off this morning, she knows nothing about any shoot in Iceland and said even if there was, it's not Michael's place to be here."

Harry: "She say anything about the rest of us being here?"

Darcey: "She doesn't know, as we're not in her department. All she knows is that HE shouldn't be here, he's not a reporter and certainly doesn't have the authority to lead a team on an outing like this."

Michael: "It's not as bad as it seems-"

Darcey: "Well she's speaking to management now about it." Tyrone roughly grabbed me by the front of my coat stopping any chance of escaping him.

Tyrone: "Spill it! What have you dropped us in? We're not meant to be here either! Are we?!"

Michael: "I- no."

Tyrone: "How much shit we in?!"

Michael: "You guys?, probably none. Look, this is all my plan... Ok, you guys finding out so soon wasn't part of that plan, but it could still work."

Harry: "Michael, what have you done?! We're fucked!"

Michael: "We're not fu- guys, we are not fucked-"

Tyrone: "Have we stolen this gear?!..." I paused trying to chose my words wisely, but apparently paused for too long, "...answer me! Is the gear stolen?!" He said grabbing a nearby microphone case from the pile and shaking it beside my head.

Michael: "I... BORROWED!, borrowed without asking, but with every intention of returning it."

Tyrone: "Aww shit!..." He said while letting go of me and dropping the case he had in his other hand into the snow and walking away with his hands on his head. He suddenly shot back to me and grabbed my coat again with both hands this time and putting his face into mine. "...You mother fucker! 7 years! 7 years I've been clean and rebuilding my life! I've got a record man! Stealing equipment from my bosses is gonna fucking get me in the shit again! You asshole! I should fucking kill you!" I was shit scared now, Tyrone had murder in his eyes which intensified his verbal threat.

Darcey: "HEY HEY HEY! Cool it guys, get a grip!..." She came barging between us, intent on separating Tyrone's hold "... it's not worth it! He's not worth it! Let him go Tyrone!" She managed to break his hold and clearly persuaded enough to make him turn away and wave his hand off  dismissively.

Harry: "I trusted you Michael... Why?... Why do this to us?"

Michael: "I... I needed help. I couldn't have done this alone. I mean, you've been behind the camera before, we've also shared so much info on the Dragons... I wouldn't have forgiven myself if I didn't bring you along for this. And Darcey... You- You were just there, you just wanted to help, how could I say no. And Ty?... Tyrone?..." He straight up ignored me, looking out across the mostly white expanse, "...Look I'm sorry. I knew, that if I went down the proper channels to report this, none of us would be involved. This was and still is an opportunity of a lifetime, but-"

Harry: "-But now we're cooked."

My phone rang again, still in Darcey's hand. She looked at the phone.

Michael: "Janice again?" She shook her head,

Darcey: "I recognise the number. It's Dean Johnson."

Harry: "The Executive Producer?" Darcey nodded only in reply, offering the phone  back to me. I slowly accepted it as it continued to ring.

Tyrone: "Answer it. Put it on loudspeaker..." He instructed coldly turning back to us. I hesitated, my cold finger hovering over the screen, "...do it already!" I swiped up the screen, answering the call and quickly put it on loudspeaker.

Dean: "Michael? Michael Jones?"

Michael: "Er, h-hello?"

Dean: "Michael? Do you know who this is?"

Michael: "I er... Yes, er, Dean Johnson, the executive producer at Fox New York."

Dean: "One of them, yes. Michael, tell me, I just had your supervisor, Janice, come barging in and inform me that you have taken some of our equipment without consent, have seemingly tricked 3 of your fellow employees into believing that they had been retconned into doing a story... In Iceland?! Why?!"

Michael: "I have a story, the story of the century- no, I have the biggest story that anyone has ever seen and-"

Dean: "And who did you run this by?"

Michael: "Well, no one but-"

Dean: "But nothing. You're fired Michael-"

Michael: "But, Dean, er, Mr Johnson, sir-!"

Dean: "Get our gear back here. Better still, get the other 3 to bring the equipment back and you can-"

Darcey: "Mr Johnson, it's Darcey." She announced stepping closer to the phone held out in my grip.

Dean: "Darcey?! God girl, he didn't rope you into this too, did he?!"

Darcey: "No sir, I volunteered, besides I was on holiday anyway. Mr Johnson, I fully believe that Michael is onto something here, this is BIG."

Dean: "Alright... Go on, I'm listening."

Darcey: "Alex? The Dragon Hybrid girl... Thing?"

Dean: "What about her?"

Darcey: "How about an exclusive interview with her regarding a well known company that's experimenting on involuntary test subjects. AND said company's secret base is right here, on this island. AND Alex is about to kick the front door in. Oh and by the way there's actually a space ship here, floating just above us."

Dean: "I was hearing rumours of the ship... I've got no one closer... the nearest will be Reykjavik... You got the equipment to go live?"

Michael: "Mr Johnson, sir, I promised Alex that we wouldn't take this on the air until after she had raided this bade and had spoken to me."

Dean: "I don't give a fuck if you promised her a date, a teddy bear, box of chocolate or a wedding, if you wait until after, we'll lose this scoop! You want to keep your job? You go live! Now, answer the questions, do you have the capacity to do that?!"

Darcey: "Err..." We all looked to Tyrone,

Tyrone: "Shiitt... We do. But I aint doing it without getting something outta it. Brotha gotta make a living y'know."

Dean: "How about the same for you, you get to keep your job?!"

Tyrone: "Shit, alright alright! I can do it! I'll do it!"

Dean: "Good. I want that link set up as soon as, this will be breaking news and I want us there on top of it."

Michael: "We'll get it done." I said, even though I knew it would be breaking my promise to Alex.

Dean: "And Michael...? You make this work and I'll make sure you're all much better off, you got that?"

Michael: "Yes sir, understood..." The line ended, ".. We gotta get moving, call that guy back with that van-bus-truck thing!"

__________*_Alex_*__________

The Jump exited on the interior of the ship, 'Thunder Child', the Roclaw drop bay to be precise. I knew exactly where to place the exit of the jump because during my time on Draconia, I had done as much research and downloading from Vanguard databases that I could get my hands on... Metaphorically speaking that is... including ship schematics and floor plans. So... Our arrival in the drop bay wasn't a welcome one it seems... Within seconds of stepping out of the Jump, alarms sounded throughout the bay.

"Intruder alert detected! Hangar Bay!" The automated female voice announced over the speakers that echoed around the large fairly open space.

Echo: "Well if that's any kind of welcome!" He shouted above the alarm.

A team of 5 Vanguard bolted quickly into the hangar, slowing their pace as they neared us.

"Alex?" The lead Draconian male questioned as he approached.

Me: "You know me, Captain?" I flipped my face plates open out of courtesy, but that was all, I kept the rest of my helmet in place. Something was putting me off about this guy, I don't know if it was just his demeanor or what. I identified his rank initially by the same 4 and a half red bandings over his right shoulder and chest plate, same as Wrex's, as I quickly searched for his profile on the Vanguard database I had downloaded... ahh, there we go, 'Captain Boro-Nar', Strike Team Centurion's leader. He answered my question before I managed to read any further into his bio that was displayed to one side of my HUD.

Boro-Nar: "Stand down intruder alert..." he spoke into his gauntlet, "...Everyone in the Vanguard knows you..." He grumbled in a matter-of-factly, "...whether we agree with your involvement in the Vanguard or not."

Me: "You disagree with my existence Captain?"

Boro-Nar: "I disagree with your admission into the Vanguard like it's a sympathetic reward. And I disagree with the decision to put you in charge of a Strike Team made up of mostly tank breds when us pure breeds have to work hundreds of years to achieve the same."

Me: "A bit straight to the point with you, eh?"

Boro-Nar: "I believe in not hiding under false pretences. Who's this?" He gestured to Echo to my left.

Echo: "Name's Echo. And as we're getting it all out in the open, you sound like a dick."

Boro-Nar: "You got something to say?!" He growled taking a step forward to Echo, even the rest of his silent team seem to take offense and collectively stiffen up.

Me: "Enough!..." I stepped in front of Echo, "...Captain, whether you approve of us or not, we're all on the same team here! Reikon will use SkyTech to annihilate everything we all hold dear and we will fail, unless we work together!"

Wrex: "Alex!" I heard his voice call from across the hangar bay. He dropped to a canter on all fours as he entered the room with what looks like another 2 Strike Teams entering the hangar as well.

Me: "Wrex!" I returned the call, pulling my helmet back all the way now and jogged over to meet him half way, he reverted to 2 feet just as he reached me, both of us launching into a hug with one another.

Me: "I'm so-"

Wrex: "Don't keep apologising. Just don't keep running away, alright?"

Me: "I won't, I promise." I said unromantically smearing my face into his lower neck armour. We broke apart after a few seconds as Centurion walked past, with Boro-Nar giving the slightest disgruntled snort.

Echo: "Yep. I stick to my previous statement. Full-on dick." He stated without any subtlety as he approached from behind.

Wrex: "I assume that wasn't aimed at me?"

Echo: "No no, the grumpy bastard that just passed us, Boner or what ever his name was." That made me chuckle a little bit before correcting him.

Me: "It's 'Bo-Ro-Nar', Boro-Nar."

Echo: "Mehh, I like my version better." He stated proudly placing his hands on his hips, making me chuckle again.

Wrex: "Eerrr, who is this?"

Echo: "Oh, where are my manners?, just call me Echo please. And you are...?"

Me: "This is Wrex, he is my, partner. Which for all intensive purposes is as good as married on their home world."

Echo: "Pleasure to meet you Wrex." He extended his hand and Wrex accepted the greeting, giving Echo a firm shake. In front of me.

Wrex: "Likewise."

Me: "Echo here knows the way into the base."

Wrex: "In the politest way possible, there's no need. We've located the entrance. I'm glad you're here, because, in perfect timing, we were just assembling to formulate a plan. Come on, we better get to the briefing room."

__________

We made our way into the briefing room, a very dark room, the only real source of light seemed to be a large table with a luminous blue top in the center of the room. The room was packed - Vanguard - all strike Team members, all wearing typical satin black armour, the odd few with different quantities of striped markings, indicating the different ranks, all were gathered around this table. There was a general murmur in the room which quietened down as soon as Wrex led myself and Echo into the room and multiple heads swivelled our direction.

"Captain Wrex, Alex, if you please."

A Draconian male gestured Wrex over, Wrex gave a friendly gesturing nod to me as if to say 'it's alright' so I followed Wrex over to where this Draconian was, who I was quickly identifying from the Vanguard database...

'Admiral Eishin'... Ahh... Use to be on Strike Team Fury, under Wrex's command. Well this was gonna go one of 2 ways... I noticed as we approached that Jinx, 42 and Sarah were all standing close to this Eishin, Sarah giving me a small wave as we approached.

Eishin: "So, we know why we are all here. There is a blight known as the SkyTech on this continent, located in a secret base, naturally. We have located an entrance though. Easily dismissed if you're not looking for it..." He tapped some controls on the edge of the table and a luminous blue section erupted upwards into a 3D hologram of blue and white bars, lines and dots. The image was showing a pulled out view of Iceland in its entirety, before quickly panning and zooming in on the North West corner of the Island.

Stadharholskirkja.

The map displayed us, Thunder Child, hovering roughly 14,000 feet above the land. But the map zoomed past the ship focusing on an area of land in the middle of nowhere.

Eishin: "This dirt track here leads down into this ravine..." The track and the Ravine highlighted yellow as he narrated, "... A vehicle was detected heading into this ravine earlier but disappeared from our sensors shortly after. This Ravine, is a dead end. No way in or out except for this track that leads into it. Highly suspect. The Relentless is on her way, we may need the reinforcements as we have no idea what the SkyTech have down there in terms of numbers and equipment. In the mean time, until Relentless arrives, I'm sending one team down, strictly Recon only. Any volunteers?"

I immediately presented my hand, Eishin noted with a smile and was about to comment, but a Draconian male on the far side of the table beat him to it, one who's grumbly voice was instantly recognisable...

Boro-Nar: "Alex, this requires a team of professionals. Not some over privileged, fresh out of the shell, or in this case, 'tanks', newbies."

Eishin: "Very well pointed out and volunteered Centurion..." Boro-Nar growled in annoyance but was unable to  defend himself before Eishin continued, "...this seem like the only way in and out..." He said as he continued his briefing, "...so until Centurion return, we may have to stick with this entrance."

Echo: "There is another way in..." but it was at this moment, something bugged me... A tingle down my spine... My sixth sense... Something was here that shouldn't be or something bad was about to happen... But I couldn't tell what... Or maybe it was both?... Either way, it was putting me on high alert and keeping me on edge.

Echo: "...When I escaped, I made my way out through some wave power generators. They're very well disguised to match the rest of the coastline."

"Any defences?" A female called from the crowed somewhere.

Echo: "There was nothing there when I was there. It was actually pretty badly secured, I only had to break out of the maintenance ways to freedom. Poorly guarded, maybe cameras at most."

Me: "We need to scout it out too, we should send in another Team, to make sure it's still a viable option."

Boro-Nar: "Who gave you rank to make that sort of demand of us?"

"Agreed." Another male called.

Me: "Excuse me?" I asked, actually shocked.

"How do you expect us to trust what he has to say? Or any of you for that matter?" Yet another male demanded,

"Yeah, he was one of them, so is all of Fury!...", Another female called.

Jinx: "Hey?! Come on that's not fair!"

"They're on our side! Do you really think they would be here with all of us if they weren't?!" Yet another female called out, but this one was actually siding with us it seems.

Wrex: "Strike Teams! This is absurd!"

Boro-Nar: "And he's a deserter too! Who's to say he didn't do it to defect?!"

Eishin: "Enough..." He called relatively calmly, though he was ignored and the bickering continued. But I wasn't calm,  not because of the arguing, but something else...

The feeling I had earlier, my sixth sense flaring up. It hadn't eased at all during this time and if anything, was only getting worse... Something was about to go very wrong... Wrex had obviously picked up my dazed expression and elevated breathing,

Wrex: "What is it?" He whispered as others continued to argue in the background.

Me: "Something-"

Eishin made very loud and sinister roar over the table, making me snap back to reality and silencing everyone in the process.

Eishin: "Shut it! The lot of you! You are Vanguard! You are Strike Teams! I would trust Wrex with my life! As he has saved it many a time before! And if he's made the decision to trust these Ex-Humans, then I trust them too! We're all on the same side! So if any of you have any further disagreement, please!, Do so now!, I'll make a note of it in my log!"

The room remained silent, but something still didn't feel right... there was a feeling of impending doom and death, but there was also... something... No, someONE here that shouldn't be here. I looked around the room to find the culprit... And it was right next to me!, and I didn't even notice! I'm sure that whoever this armoured Dragon was, they weren't there a moment ago!

I turned my head slightly to look over this figure wearing gloss black Jarvie-Tech armour! It had gold bandings along the edges of some of the armour platings, the shoulder pads, the center lines of the ventral and dorsal torso section and that helmet!

The helmet had a skull, a Dragon's skull, etched into it, the rough carvings making it seem more ghostly. The design followed the shape of the helmet perfectly, even up to the horns, even the eye sockets were perfectly positioned with the golden illuminated eye sensors. It looked kinda like old samurai armour styling actually and it looked like they were looking analytically at the table and the map it displayed... I recognised this armour, from a certain picture, a CCTV still...

Me: "Night Stalker?..." I said softly while edging away slightly and bumping into Wrex.

Her head turned my way slightly,

Night Stalker: "You can see me?" A surprisingly feminine voice emanated from inside the closed helmet, even she backed away slightly from me.

Eishin: "Who are talking to Alex?"

Me: "Night Stalker, she's right here next to me. Can't you see her?" Night Stalker backed away some more.

Sarah: "Did you say Night Stalker?!"

Wrex: "There's no one there Alex?" He said sounding worried and placed a hand on my shoulder. I couldn't understand why no one else couldn't see her, she was right here in front of me! She turned to run,

Me: "Wait!" I lunged and grabbed her wrist, she twisted our arms in such a motion, so unpredictably fast, that it was enough to throw my hold off of her. Whipping her other arm up in a blur, she brought the exhaust port level with my head, the plasma jet charged a blue ball in the barrel... Then, something odd happened... Everything went slo mo... The shot fired ever so slowly at me. Everything all around me, including the plasma round, it all stuttered, then went went fuzzy and I was forced back to where I was standing a few moments prior, back facing the table and everything settled...

Eishin: "...We're all on the same side! So if any of you have any further disagreement, please!, Do so now!, I'll make a note of it in my log!" I looked around confused at all the silent Vanguard in the room... Eishin had literally just said that!

Me: "What the fuck was that?!" I asked anyone else who might have noticed, but I was only met with confused expressions. There was now an odd feeling in the room too, a familiar power, I actually felt more energised than normal, making my hairs stand on end. Then I remembered about Ember, that she was to my right and looked in that direction. There she was again, Night Stalker, or 'Ember'... her line of sight directed back at the table briefly, but now she shook her head and raised and looked at her hands. I saw a brief purple and red glow in her right hand but she quickly snatched that out of sight.

Night Stalker: "Back here? No, this is too late, why? why now?"

"Who the hell are you?!" A random Strike Team member said as he looked over her.

Sarah: "Ember?!"

Night Stalker suddenly looked up as she realised that all eyes were on her.

Night Stalker: "Oh shit- Wait, this is back on that ship before it- *Gasp* there's still a chance to save her!"

A nearby Vanguard tried restraining her by grabbing her wrist. She retaliated by throwing the Vanguard off using a way wave of blue energy before leaping back and using plasma jets to get a further distance away, hovering through the room.

Night Stalker: "You don't know me Alex, not yet! But trust me! Don't try to stop me this time! I need to save her, she's the key to all this!"

Me: "Wait, what do you mean? Come back!" She sped towards the doorway to escape.

Eishin: "Intruder alert! War room! Detain her!" 

Sarah: "No wait!"

Me: "Night Stalker! Ember! Wait! What are you on about?!..." The armoured figure ran for the door, but I froze, mid stride. Not because of Night Stalker, but on my own accord, my sixth sense acted up again striking fear into me as Strike Teams rushed past to go after Night Stalker... We were in trouble... I turned back to all the worried or bemused faces of whoever was left at the table upon realising just how much trouble...

"...Oh fuck..." my helmet ripped up and slammed into place on instinct...

The claxon sounded once before there was an almighty explosion, strong enough to kill all the lights and throw us all from our feet instantly. But it wasn't just the one explosion, there was one after another, each as violent as the last, I couldn't get my footing, being thrown around the room like a rag doll and there was nothing I could do about it. There was shouts of uncertainty, pain and fear throughout the room, so I wasn't the only one unable to gain control.

Finally the explosions stopped, but we weren't out of trouble... I pulled myself from the floor, Eishin's voice sounding just over the claxon,

Eishin: "Argh... Team Leaders, check your team's head count..." There was several murmurs around the room, leaders indeed checking in on the teams as they also got to their feet as well, just as the emergency lights flickered on, illuminating the room orange. It was the sounds that were most disturbing... I could hear the odd smaller explosion further down the hull and the hull itself was creaking and groaning in complaint

Me: "Fury? *Grunt* show me some love, you all alive? You all ok?" I asked over the private com chat.

42: "I'm good."

Sarah: "Still alive."

Jinx: "Feel a little battered, but ok."

Wrex: "I'm standing. Where are you?" I could see him looking around for me in the wrong direction, I had actually been flung quite away from where I was last stood.

Jinx: "I feel like I'm light on my feet, like I'm dizzy but I'm not."

Me: "To your right Wrex." But I knew what Jinx meant, as I stepped towards Wrex, I felt floaty.

Wrex: "SHIT! Gravity generators are down! And if we're losing gravity we're going down!"

Eishin: "He's right! Everyone find something to hold onto! Brace for impact!... Eishin to Bridge, status?!... Bridge respond!... Eishin to engineering, come in!... Come in Engineering!"

No sooner had that been said, it was apparent that they were both correct  about us losing altitude. I was barely making contact with the floor now as I tried to make way over to Wrex, not being made easy as the room was starting to tip to one side, and the howling!... The ship made the definitive howl that you see in films, but it didn't decrease the lower it got, no. The howl grew louder and higher in pitch. I floated, up, toward the ceiling, so did everyone else, flailing in the air trying to get some correct orientation, the only ones have any success was my Team Fury, plasma jets sparked and bursted here and there to right themselves towards the ceiling.

The only definitive thing that made it clear that we had actually made contact with ground was the crash itself... There was a deafening crash and I smashed back into the floor.

(-Jeff Wayne)