"Instead of alienating the Planet, we assimilate it," Deputy Chairman Jamski spoke with great enthusiasm, "Instead of alienating the two factions, we combine them. Together, we will create the greatest period of economic expansion in Chiron history!”
Marshal Rokossovky stood with Buster, Moongoose, Jamski and Vev on a temporary stage in front of thousands of cheering Free Drone workers. He listened to Jamski's speech half mindedly, while his keen eyes habitually searched the crowd below him. The Free Drones and the Human Hives have finally officially closed the pact after a long day's negotiation. The document had been sent to Chairman Voltaire for his signature. Meanwhile Rokossovky planned to stay in the Drone’s territory for a couple more days. He got more things to do here.
Rokossovky’s eyes set at a far corner in the crowd. Something caught his attention. Was that a black butterfly? He didn’t get a clear look before it was buried in the thousands of heads again. But it looked kind of familiar … Rather rare for a Drones girl to have any decoration on her hair … Rokossovky hurried down the stage. He did not want to waste time to let the guards know where he was going. He had to be quick. Stay there, don’t go. He prayed as he made his way though the crowds.
What is he doing? Jade suddenly realized that the marshal was walking toward this direction. She turned around hastily and tried to flee when she suddenly bumped into somebody. “Sorry John!” She mumbled while continued trying to get away. But an alarm flashed in her mind forcing her to turn back. John? He should be with Jamski. That man was not John. She realized why she had mistaken that man as John just now. He was dressed up in a black robe, just as a Hive probe team agent. And he had something in his hand … Jade did not have time to take in the situation but her instinct made her to turn and follow the man. He moved quickly in the crowd, like an eel in the water. Jade was only two steps from him, but it was so hard to push away all those big Drones boys.
Damn it! He had gotten the perfect position. And damn it that bustard had to decide to step down from the stage. Now he had to get closer to him to get a clear shot. But he’d have him after all. The man took out his laser gun and aimed it to Marshal Rokossovky.
“Noooo!” Jade lunged forward with all her strength. With a big thump, like a stone thrown into a lake, the crowd receded with surprised clutters for a short moment, and then flew back to form a circle. Only one second later, a tall figure jumped up from the ground, violently broke the circle and dashed away. Twenty steps away, two men in black robes followed, racing right after him.
Rokossovky pushed his way into the circle. In the middle of a swamp of blood, there lied a girl, face down and motionless. Rokossovky turned her over and held her into his arms. She was still conscious. Rokossovky pressed his hands onto the small wound in her chest, trying to staunch the gushing blood. He looked at her face. Her eyes swam with pain, but she saw him. She smiled.
“Marshal.”
The lighting in the sky was beautiful, soft and subdued. The expanse of Chiron slipped into twilight as Centauri A and B touched the horizon together.
It was Double down.
Marshal Rokossovky stood with Buster, Moongoose, Jamski and Vev on a temporary stage in front of thousands of cheering Free Drone workers. He listened to Jamski's speech half mindedly, while his keen eyes habitually searched the crowd below him. The Free Drones and the Human Hives have finally officially closed the pact after a long day's negotiation. The document had been sent to Chairman Voltaire for his signature. Meanwhile Rokossovky planned to stay in the Drone’s territory for a couple more days. He got more things to do here.
Rokossovky’s eyes set at a far corner in the crowd. Something caught his attention. Was that a black butterfly? He didn’t get a clear look before it was buried in the thousands of heads again. But it looked kind of familiar … Rather rare for a Drones girl to have any decoration on her hair … Rokossovky hurried down the stage. He did not want to waste time to let the guards know where he was going. He had to be quick. Stay there, don’t go. He prayed as he made his way though the crowds.
What is he doing? Jade suddenly realized that the marshal was walking toward this direction. She turned around hastily and tried to flee when she suddenly bumped into somebody. “Sorry John!” She mumbled while continued trying to get away. But an alarm flashed in her mind forcing her to turn back. John? He should be with Jamski. That man was not John. She realized why she had mistaken that man as John just now. He was dressed up in a black robe, just as a Hive probe team agent. And he had something in his hand … Jade did not have time to take in the situation but her instinct made her to turn and follow the man. He moved quickly in the crowd, like an eel in the water. Jade was only two steps from him, but it was so hard to push away all those big Drones boys.
Damn it! He had gotten the perfect position. And damn it that bustard had to decide to step down from the stage. Now he had to get closer to him to get a clear shot. But he’d have him after all. The man took out his laser gun and aimed it to Marshal Rokossovky.
“Noooo!” Jade lunged forward with all her strength. With a big thump, like a stone thrown into a lake, the crowd receded with surprised clutters for a short moment, and then flew back to form a circle. Only one second later, a tall figure jumped up from the ground, violently broke the circle and dashed away. Twenty steps away, two men in black robes followed, racing right after him.
Rokossovky pushed his way into the circle. In the middle of a swamp of blood, there lied a girl, face down and motionless. Rokossovky turned her over and held her into his arms. She was still conscious. Rokossovky pressed his hands onto the small wound in her chest, trying to staunch the gushing blood. He looked at her face. Her eyes swam with pain, but she saw him. She smiled.
“Marshal.”
The lighting in the sky was beautiful, soft and subdued. The expanse of Chiron slipped into twilight as Centauri A and B touched the horizon together.
It was Double down.
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