1) A bad Child

It was dark already, the sky was so beautiful, I knew I had to go back, it's has been two hours Gilian was whinning about getting back and how dangerous it was to stay outside at that time of the day. I finally agreed on going back after beeing able to observe those rollerats from far. No matter how often my parents had told me not to approach those beasts I still wanted to at least know who they are so I could better avoid them. I breathed deeply saying goodbye to the nature and we rushed back to Rome. I knew I'd be in trouble if my parents found out I was wandering out of rome again. When I came back in Highrise 2, I knew they were awake, my father was calling in the backyard with an angry voice as if he knew I wasn't there anyway and my mother was crying on the floor of our apartment. I still remember that day, they were both scared to death and gosh, how harsh the punishment has been to see that in there eyes. I was 14 years old and I promissed I'd never go in wilderness alone again. I guess you can't trust kids promisses at that age.
My mother was a doctor for the Omni-tek in Rome, my father was working in red district as a gardenner. He often had to take care of the gardens before parties or meetings for the Emperor. He told me the Emperor was so magnificient. Always caring, serious and aware of every detail, the Emperor was a wise man and my father never had enough praises for him. Time to time I think I hated the Emperor for being so great, me too I wanted to become someone.
I was 17 at that time, my parents had to accept that the song of the reet was too strong for me. I spent almost all my days outside. Time to time disapearing several days, making my parents worry so bad that my mother had to stop working.
Desperate that I'll never learn anything she taught me how to heal. It must have been the only courses I have followed to the end, even if I directly had to test what I learned in wilderness later on, as I always came back covered of little cuts.
Gilian was a friend I trusted, he was always following me in my expeditions, I guess it was more not to go to courses. He had some problem with authority but I could always lead him where I wanted because once we were too far I was the only one able to bring him back home.
It was time to succeed courses, teachers were almost all unhappy about me, not that I was stupid but I was almost never there or watching through the windows.
I loved Rome, it is so beautiful I was born there and the image of it is always imprinted in my mind when I travel. But I just can't help to discover and move around to always come back. I sure could not stay away from Rome too long, I'd become bitter about life, Rome is my joy. Anyway even if we got out late from school compared to others, Gilian and I got our degrees.

2) A way of living

Right after my studies, my parents wanted me to enroll in Omni-Med. I have to admit that I deceived them once again. Indeed, I had decided that I wanted to see some action, to be outside but always be attached to Rome.
That's how I joined Omni-Pol, their Headquarter is in Rome and those soldiers in full armor always impressed me. I did wanted to be part of those patrols securing the areas around Rome.
The conflict with the rebels never worried me too much, I guess I never really understand there was one. Rome was such an happy and safe place. Inside Omni-Pol, life was not as easy as I thought and I missed my freedom to wander around but in fact I liked the duties and was the first to ask for patrols outside. Others considered me completely crazy to want to go out there with all the beasts and mutants. Even if Gallway Shire around Rome was safe you didn't have to go that far to find some really nasty creatures.
I spent there my first years in Omni-tek, my father was disapointed I chosed such a dangerous job, my mother kept teaching me curing techniques hoping it would help me. It's when rebels got more active that they really wanted me to leave but I was proud to serve the Emperor and OT and refused to resign.
It was my 21st birthday, I was in Omni-Pol Headquarter, reporting after a recon duty that I was getting used to do. I was quite proud to do them, in OT they always notice your skills and find the best way for you to use them. I had asked for free quarter to go have a dinner with my parents on the evening, they had told me that Gilian would be there too, it has been a while he didn't want to see me no more, telling I was supporting the oppressor. I kinda thought he had a problem with his girlfiend or something, I mean OT has always been everything for us, our family, our friend like they always say.
Then I saw my father waiting for me, when he looked at me it was like he was seeing someone else in me. He just said " Son, I don't want your mother to see this, but I have something for you… " He got an old Flechette Pistol out, the gun was rusty but I knew them for being quite good. I hug him and was really happy with my new gun. All my friends got envious about it, the commander even let me keep it on missions.
The dinner itself went well, even if everybody acted as if I had become a stranger. My father could warm the evening talking about the Emperor. I announced them that I might be promoted soon. I didn't say more so I guess they understood I would join InternOp Department. My mother left table early, Gilian too but two weeks later he contacted me and told me about rebel ideals I laughed at him so hard and invited him to have a beer that night. We got back really drunk and best friends ever laughing at each others for our beliefs, fighting five minutes later and falling in eachothers arms after the first one hit the ground.
5 months later, I was working as recon leader around 4HO, I was leading some agents in the wilderness, still using my father gun even if it was not really the kind of weapon that would save your life against a rebel rifle. I lead them deep in rebel area, near a farm, I don't know what happened inside but it must have been nasty. The guy was a knight, he was suspected of several murders but that day he paid it all. InternOp agents didn't wanted any witnesses, the guy's wife was terminated too, I still remember her screams and gosh I hated that job. Then I saw her, the little girl was running toward the forest screaming out loud. An agent just wanted to snipe her but I guess my gun on his head stopped him. " The Emperor would not want us to kill a child Officer. Innocents don't have to pay for the others. Shoot and you'll be pay for your crime. " He threatened me about reporting my behavior but I knew that if he was not killing me now he would not. It took me two hours to find the girl, she was crying in a little bush. I guess she was lucky I found her before the night, Grass Snakes would not have let her live more than 2 days out there.
I took her back to the Barrack with me, nobody was talking. The Opifex Officer was staring at me with an evil look but he was a father too and the second day he was the one taking care of the child when I was gone. She was not talking, not crying anymore, she looked at us with big wide eyes, the 4 heartless OT employees on mission quickly became all jealous " fathers " trying to carry the child the longest and make her laugh. Nobody has succeeded yet but she had become our mascot, one of us was always staying next to her when we had to fight. And we did had to fight, we lost one agent on the way, rebels were hunting us and only my knowledge of the wilderness and our concealment skills allowed us to survive.
I decided to name the child Meisha, she didn't seem to object it and every evening she was smiling when we were starting to make a small fire. She knew it was time for the stories and for our nano doctor to do " magic tours " for her. I'm still smiling thinking that the first night the Opifex Officer Filgin didn't wanted us to make a fire or use our nano for us now he is the one giving his warm cover to Meisha. And I thought Opifex were heartless, how wrong the world can be when you judge without knowing.
We went back two days later at 4H0, the Commander there just looked at us during two long minutes as we were all around Meisha, just barely saluting him. Then he started to laugh out loud at the daddy faces we were making. We still got our 3 days jail but he took care of Meisha during all that time.
I missed Rome and finally got the right to go back home, they let me take Meisha with me, 4H0 was too dangerous. We got half the garnison waving at her when we left, it was a big Atrox called Gurnar who made her laugh for the first time, I never knew how he did but we all got jealous of him.

3) Rome

Aaaah home, even if I was proud to bring Meisha to Rome, it was kinda getting heavy for me to take care of a child as I was not used to it. I was scared something happened to her each time I had to hunt something to eat or so we had to eat leet during the whole trip. Not really tasty but well.
Anyway I was really glad to see the highrises, we ran through bronto right toward gates, Meisha on my back waving to everybody.
That must have been the happiest time in my life, I found back my parents and old friends from Barrack. Had lots of drinking and made everybody to meet Meisha. We put her in an orphanage but I was still allowed to take care with me time to time.
I had taken back my patrols around Rome and was happy with it. War had made me bitted and working for the Emperor gave a sense at my life. I was almost not seeing Gilian anymore. Of course I had told my parents how I had found Meisha so they didn't think anything wrong about it even if I didn't say we were the ones to kill her parents.
Filgin had been assigned back to Rome, he told me Gurnar had finally found someone stronger than him and we started to share memories. We start seeing each others quite often, he was not talking easily but a few beers could always bring him to tell long stories of his duties under OT assignements.
The next day was my day out with Meisha and we found Gilian waiting for us at Blue District Gates. I was glad to see him but he wanted to talk to me about important so we went out, Meisha running around my legs. She was still not talking but docs had not lost all hope. I told Gilian that doc had still hope, she just had to feel good in her nice family. We went in Gallway County near the river and sat down, he had something to say but I could not get him to tell it to me. Then he told me that he heard a rumor of OT agents murdering innocent families. I could not believe my ears. I was convinced it was rebel propaganda. He was playing with my gun as usual when annoyed, always saying " you still have that old pistol uh ? " I told him that I was hoping to be able to adopt Meisha as soon as I would have my own apartment. He told me " Don't you see she suffers here? Why do you think she doesn't talk ? " He was avoiding my eyes and talking angrily, like he was repeating a lesson he had prepared. " You became the devil Randal, it's you who murdered this family, you ! who is always talking about protecting citizens, the greatness of OT and the Emperor ! I know what you did ! " I was shocked, within a few seconds my best friend was accusing me of the worst things. I tried to explain him that I saved Meisha from a bad life, that her parents were criminals. But he just stared disgusted at me and say " I won't let you do more bad Randal, you've been a friend, don't worry you won't suffer " I was like " what… " I didn't saw the sword coming but I did feel it.
Apparently Gilian had joined the rebel and sold me to those who were seaking to avenge their murderous leader.

4) Avenger

When I opened my eyes (tried to at least) I had sticky blood all over my face, I could not open my eyes and my face was hurting like hell. A nano was standing next to me, healing me and calming me down. He did took good care of me and prepared me the best he could to what happened next but I did collapse and cry when I saw what those rebels did to Meisha. They didn't just killed her no they had to crush this little body, to pass their anger on her. " Why not me ? " I kept saying. I was crying through the pain, blood and tears mixed. The nano, raven I learned after, just kneel next to me a hand on my shoulder. " I could not do anything, apparently they were taking your stuffs when I arrived. They disapeared before I even realised something was happening here ".
He brought me and Meisha's body back. I did pay for her burryal, there was no insurance for children. How fair is that ? I was wondering. I got out of hospital a few days later, they could save my right eye but I had to come back home with a wound that would stay forever. They asked me if I wanted the scar removed but I wanted to keep it, I wanted people to see the wound of my soul. That day I had been betrayed by my best friend and I had lost my child, even if I was not her father. I was not doing anything no more. Apparently rebels had got my keys and passes. They could access to some infos about Rome and I was expecting to be fired out of Omni-Pol. Nothing of this happened, Raven has been like a brother to me, he started to take care of all things for me. He explained the whole story to my Commander and he bugged him so much that the Commander brought the story up the hierarchy. A week later I received a message from the Emperor, He didn't pity me but he went straight to the fact and said that he wishes more men was ready to bear their sufferings on their face like I did and that he hoped I'd do my best to avenge the death of an innocent child. It was like a cold shower to me. I realised that I had to avenge what I had to go thru, what they did to Meisha but most of all do my best so it'd never happen again.
It had been days Raven was sleeping home trying to get me out of my sofa and go get a beer to change my mind. He was indeed sleeping when I ran into the room. I didn't explained him much right away, Gilian had kept my pistol so I told Raven, " you've always been there, now find me a gun and I'll give you a reason to fight for ".
I guess I maybe scared him a bit, but he did find that gun. And we left, I asked Filgin to go with us, we left Rome together and we went out in Rebel areas. I knew Gilian too well, he would not bear to live in an little rebel village he had to be in a city. Filgin had learned about the whole story but never reacted, he was just even closed than before. He had a sort of sad look now.
It took us 2 whole months to get Gilian out of Tir, but that day he wished he had never known me. Then one by one we took the other two rebels who had murdered Meisha one by one, those ones had no graves. Gilian had talked quite fast thanks to Filgin even if he did suffer a long time. But I didn't kill him, that would have been too kind. We bring him back to Rome, he was not doing anything but cry anymore, calling me friend, brother, trying to pity me but I did not forgive the betrayal I had beared. He had been judged, sentenced to death publicly for betrayal and murder. Maybe I should have been sorry for his family, maybe.... But Avenger, the way I called myself since then, had not finished his work. We started studying Rome and it surroundings, the way it worked. Filgin was helping us a lot, but he hadn't told us he didn't have the right to leave for 2 months. Even if we stood out for him, he was sent for a mission in Sparta. He was good, but you don't need to be good to survive undercover in Sparta, you need to be the best. He knew it but didn't complain, it was his life and he liked it. We all drank till we passed out the day before he left.
Raven and I were there around the table and wondering " Now what ? We have goals but nothing to realize them ". I was watching news all day long watching all what our Emperor did from here and not seeing anything showing up on news. I was puzzled, not understanding why rebels were attacking us, why people would betray childhood friends, why the great deeds of our Emperor were not recognised. We had to do something, something great…something MAJESTIC. Talking on and on, we decided to gather people we can trust around the same goals, around the same man…the Emperor ! We will bring his voice on rubi-ka, we'll be his hand, those who betray him shall pay. We'll make a new faction, we'll bring a new view on rubi-ka and rise high to guide rubi-ka Citizens. Long Live the Emperor !

Meisha had twelve year old when she was killed…