December 11, 2111
Catharine Darcrose
The wood of the holy cross, hung high at the back of the congregation room, was the color of a maraschino cherry. In front of Captain Catharine Darcrose, captain of the 707 Wolf-Pack, was beautiful, old grit and stained glass to decorate the congregation room. Pine-wood benches, padded with cherry-red cushions, lined the room in rows. A room that had an atmosphere to it and was unique in aesthetic compared to most other places on the Whispering Dragon. Some ARW ships had more prestige woven into their respective monasteries, some not so much. It didn't matter to Cathy. A church is a church to her, a place where she can worship in peace. She always felt connected to something higher than herself when in religious houses. The comfort of prayer had helped her through much of her hardships growing up. And though it may not seem like it to most, Cathy had a lot to pray over.
Today was strange. Gone for months on two separate back-to-back missions, Cathy expected to return and for everything to be the same. It wasn't. She didn't quite feel at home here. She had only been back for a few hours, and all she got was uncomfortable stares gazing her way while she marched for the ship's church. Almost like they didn't want to approach her or congratulate her on another successful mission.
In prayer, Cathy didn't notice a solider approaching to her. She lifted her head as the soldier placed his hand on the bench next to her and cleared his throat. "Sorry to disturb you, Captain Darcrose," he paused, "the commander would like a word with you."
"What does she want?"
"Wouldn't say. I do know that it is urgent." The soldier gestured to the chapel doors and began to lead the way.
"No need for that. Despite the long time away, I remember the way." Cathy referred to the unrelated missions her unit only returned from hours prior. In fact, she hadn't even taken off her veridium armor before entering the church; her signature Darcrose family armor, shaded with black and red roses.
"As you wish." The soldier nodded and went off in his own direction.
After a long walk and a few elevators, Cathy found herself inside the debriefing room. On one wall was a hard-glass window peering out to the stars, bright and glowing. In a corner of the room was a table with coffee on one end, an energy drink created by the qwayk called Pighmix on the other end, and cups in-between.
Cathy took a seat at the long table next to Commander Dancing-Sky, who sat at the head. "I've called you here for a debriefing of your last mission," said Dancing-Sky.
"Which one? First, we were sent to aid some valistare rebels. Then, before we had even wrapped up that mission and returned, you sent us on another mission regarding a mercenary."
"The latter."
"I wrote a report."
"I'd rather hear from you," Dancing-Sky responded.
Cathy studied the face of Dancing-Sky for a moment. A rather plain face for a Dor'o, little wrinkles, no discolorations. Unlike many in her species, her face really didn't have too much character to it. "Alright. As you know, we have been tracking down recent partners of the renowned mercenary, Erryn Wolph."
"Were you able to finally put a past to her name?"
"I did." Catharine pulled up bits of information over a hologram emitted from her cyberwatch. "Like the rumors suggested, she is a descendant of King Kaylob, the fabled king of the ancient Tolkran Kingdom. Her father, King Garrol, was murdered by Erryn, and she fled. A bounty was put on her head; one her uncle Bearon failed to complete. She's a survivor. That much is for sure. I've done my duty by this mission and have already began to upload the facts into the ARW's database."
"I'm glad you have, and it brings me right into your next mission."
"Can I expect more intel with my intel this time around?" Cathy asked, with a mix of dry humor.
Dancing-Sky shook her head. "I regret to say that it is even less this time around."
"A bit unfortunate, but I trust command."
"You're a dependable soldier, Cathy. And the lack of intel… well, it is a result of who you are tracking."
This made no sense. She was unaware that she was tracking anyone. "And who am I tracking?"
"A group - or rather a cult, really - called the Brotherhood of Relics. It's why you were sent to verify rumors about Erryn Wolph and the house she came from… all to build up to this."
"The Brotherhood of Relics? I've heard of mercenaries supposedly dressing as brotherhood knights to strike fear in their targets. But is that the extent of it? I've heard there is no such thing as the Brotherhood of Relics, that it is all a myth."
Dancing-Sky swiped over files from her cyberwatch to Cathy's. "A few weeks ago, you may've been correct. But we've come across eye witness testimony of their existence. Captain Wild-Heart has returned from a recent mission--"
Cathy smiled, interrupting on accident. "My sister's team! How is she?"
Dancing-Sky's expression shifted. "Oh, uh… I'm not sure I'm the best person to tell you--"
"No! She isn't… d-dead, is she?"
"No, no. She's MIA."
"MIA! How?"
"She was unable to make it back on Captain Wild-Heart's rescue ship. Instead, she escaped with Captain James Stone on the last ship out of Idor. Due to unidentified reasons, his ship seemed to have malfunctioned and wormholed to some location that we couldn't track."
"So she may be alive?"
"We believe so."
"Rescue operations?"
Dancing-Sky cringed. "Lying to the unit under my commander never was really my style, so let me give you it straight. All teams have been instructed to keep an eye out for any tips or clues as to Captain Stone's location - just like all MIA soldiers - but that is all. There're no actual search teams looking for them."
"Forgive me if I'm stepping out of line, but that--" Cathy stood up and pointed out the window to the stars, "--is my little sister out there. I've already lost my dad and brother, I don't need to lose her, too! And does my mom even know yet?"
"She's a chief admiral, of course she knows. And she also knows that our military resources are needed elsewhere. Your best option is to just trust that Captain Stone will get her and his team home."
Cathy was unhappy, but she could see the logic behind what Dancing-Sky was saying. The ARW is losing the Wersillian War and needs all the manpower focused on fighting the threat. "James Stone better return my sister, or he'll regret it."
"I'm truly sorry, Captain Darcrose, but it is time to return to the mission briefing."
"Sure… proceed." Cathy tried her best to keep her head on straight. Duty has always come first.
"Captain Wild-Heart has confirmed that on their last mission at Idor, Captain Stone and Brad Swift witnessed a member of the brotherhood. She says that the brotherhood even aided them in escaping the planet by sending out rescue plans to my ship."
"Alright, they exist. But if the rumors are correct, they would be the single most difficult group to locate in the entire galaxy."
"Correct, but this is where Erryn Wolph comes in. According to the legends, her ancestor, King Kaylob was king over the ancestors that first started the Brotherhood of Relics."
"So you're thinking that the Wolph family may know where the Brotherhood of Relics are?"
"We are hoping?"
"We?"
Dancing-Sky shrugged. "This mission comes direct from the top. Chief Admiral Day-Bringer personally requested it after a meeting with the other chief admirals."
"What does she expect me to do if I find them?"
"Deliver this message." Day-Bringer gave her a data chip to upload her cyberwatch.
"So is that all?"
"It is."
Cathy had a wry laugh. "You weren't lying when you said there wasn't much intel."
"I don't like to lie."
"Yeah, you've said. So when would you like my unit to start?"
"At midnight tonight, a transport will be waiting for your team. Day-Bringer arranged for you and your team's clearance into the Tolkran Kingdom. I'll send over the details, and I recommend that you start with the king there. See what he knows."
"It's true what they say about the wolf-pack units - we are always on a mission," Cathy said, more to herself than to Dancing-Sky.
"Good luck, and Godspeed." Dancing-Sky led Cathy to the door.
Cathy halted and pressed her palm to the frame of the doorway. "I've never asked anything of you before. Now, I intend to break that precedent. If I complete this mission successfully for you and the chief admirals, will you allow me a leave of absence to search for my sister?"
"If you do this, you will've earned it."
Cathy nodded her head with appreciation. And with that, her meeting was over.