The war

Posted on Wed Jan 9th, 2019 @ 10:50pm by Ensign Kara Hoffman

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Holodeck: Medieval Earth - Location Unknown
Timeline: Present
1345 words - 2.7 OF Standard Post Measure

The glowing orange and yellow light of the sun, rises over the horizon. A large field of glassy plains now turned into a bogged mud and blood soaked mess of armoured bodies and various shields and weapons lay in the fields. Several armoured warriors trek across the fields, breathing heavily. The clanging of steel against steel. The five warriors with the emblem of a blue dragon etched into their full plate armour, all of which were stained with blood.

A lone warrior kneeling down in front of them afar, her great sword on the ground before her. She stood, grasping her sword tight as they approached from the towering city in the distance. A tense silence and stillness drifts as the wind whistles across these fields filled with death and sadness.

The four warriors of the blue dragon Templar come to a stop, they all eye the woman ahead with caution. One of the men, with a husky voice, as if he had not spoken in years let's his voice echo ahead of him. "You there, drop your sword and come with us peacefully. You shall not be harmed if you surrender now." With that, he unlatches his shield from the belt on his back, and draws his sword, steadying himself. "Don't make this difficult, rogue!"

The woman stared through her full helm, her eyes narrowed. She moved her hand up, to remove her helmet, to let it drop to the ground. It was Kara. A scar across her cheek clearly from a dagger or sword blade that had caught her in the face. "I am Knight Hoffman. I will not surrender! Although I am the last standing, I am the champion of the red republic. I will not come quietly! Approach at your own risk knights of the Blue dragon!" She steadied herself into a defensive stance, raising her great sword and widening her legs.

A few moments passed of uneasy silence. As each of the men stared through grit teeth, clasping their weapons. The silence seemed unending, before the Captain stepped forwards. His armour was embellished with blue ribbons and leather. He was softer spoken, but his voice was dark and held an almost intimidating quietness to it. "If you refuse to give in, we will kill you. Has there not been enough bloodshed caused by your silly little rebellion? You have proven to be a capable warrior, you will not be killed. Rather... possibly put to work. When the war is over and your people have surrendered to us, we will possibly let you return to your homelands." With those words, the men behind him, began to laugh and slap each other on the shoulders, as one shouted. "Yeah right, as if the king would allow that!" The Captain snapped his helmeted head round, and the men quickly silenced themselves.

Kara smiled, and her eyes narrowed. "Computer, Deactivate safety protocols."
The computer with a beep confirmed. "Holodeck safety protcols disengaged."

Kara put one foot in front of the other, raising her sword high into the air. She yelled, at the top of her lungs. "If you want me, then come and get me. If you think you can!" Dropping the two handed great sword to the ground. Clasping it with both hands she began to run, dragging the sword at her side leaving a sharp cut in the mud as it sliced through the earth, as she ran towards the men.

The Captain held out his hands for the other men to hold their positions, as he stepped forwards and drew his own great sword, that was sheathed upon his back, falling into a defensive position as Kara approached.

Kara charged, as fast as she could do in her armour, which was heavy and uncomfortable. However the thrill was one she had always wanted to experience. She brought her great sword up with both hands and brought it down towards the Captain. He raised his own sword up, as the two swords clashed, Kara stopped and realised he was stronger than she thought. A struggle commenced, as they moved in a circle around each other, steel screeching steel, as they both grunted and breathed heavy trying to find a weakness. Without warning the Captain shoved out his knee, to catch Kara in her abdomen, and pushed her away with relative ease. "Not good enough!" He yelled, moving it in punch her square in the nose.

Pain, dizziness, disorientation. She could feel the blood running down her lips. She smiled, and screamed loudly, as they both traded sword clashes, parrying and throwing out jabs, kicks and elbows as they did so, each trying to find the upper hand in this battle. Clang, ting, kerunk. Their swords and armour continued to clash, in a desperate battle.

Kara caught the Captains eyes, and in that sudden moment, she almost understood what it was to understand someone simply through fighting them. She saw vivid emotions of the past. The suffering of two nations. The plight of all these people, brought down to a champions clash. She knew how the story ended, but she was unsure if she could even survive it. With one punch as their their swords clashed, and a kick to his groin, the man gasped and for a moment loosened the grip on his sword. Kara moved in, as graceful as a dancer, putting her legs through his, and wrestling his sword free from his grip, she threw it as far as she could to the side. The men who stood around, began to move in closer. "No! Captain your weapon!" However they were not fast enough. Kara deftly shoved the Captain off her, and thrust her sword ahead of her, as she pushed with all her force, into him. They both fell to the ground in a heap of metal. As kara moved off of him the Captain had been impaled through the abdomen by her sword, of which she had let go of and she stood back gasping heavily.

The other soldiers stopped and fell to their knees. "Captain..." Their morale seemed broken as their Captain lay impaled and dying.

The Captain reached out his hand towards Kara, and she took it although not really knowing why. One moment ago this was her enemy. "Please, you...must continue on in...my place. Our peoples must...come together. End this war please. If you...can..." He coughed, and lay his head down onto the ground, as his breathing became slower. Kara smiled with a renewed warmth, and slowly removed his helmet. "I'm so sorry goran, I wish this did not have to happen. I will take over for you, my dearest brother. I will find a way, I swear to you." With that she kissed his forehead.

However with what seemed his last breath, Goran's hand came up from the ground, a small dagger in it. Kara saw it from the corner of her eye, however it was too late, The dagger had stuck, right into the side of her leg. She let out a horrific scream, a pain she had never quite felt before. Her eyes wide with pain, she gritted her teeth. "Goran, you foolish brother!" With a swift punch to the man's face, and another and another. Kara began to savagely beat him, until no more breathing could be felt. His hands fell to his side. The men moving in to stop her, moving their swords towards her.

"Shit! Computer end simulation!" The computer did so, as the holo-deck grid appeared before her. "Ah...shit.." She lay on the ground for a moment, as the dagger dissipated, but the serious wound remained. She watched for a few moments as her blood began oozing from her leg, and onto the holo-deck floor. "Better...get to the doc. Didn't remember he stabbed her at the end. I'm an idiot." Kara stood to her feet. With the holographic armour and weapons now gone, she was in her normal uniform again, as she limped and hobbled out of the holo-deck, exhausted but exhilarated.