THE WARRIOR MOON

Ziggy's Corner: Thanks to all those who have reviewed! I just wanna thank ya all again! Anyway I do want to let you know that most of my work was inspired by although I do add a lot of the holes myself. I also have an artist planning on write or rather draw this manga. That's cool too, so stay tuned to updates.

High above the planet, lights flashed like lightning through the clouds. Higher the Strike Wings went, flying through those clouds, Shon's eyes growing wide with shock as he was closing in on space, and space wasn't taking him for her own. "I didn't know that the Strike Wings could operate in space!"

"Most mechs can't function in space," Alexi said, flying next to the Strike Wings in his ship. "Mine most certainly can't…, it's probably why the Sodimanh want it so badly."

Getting off the planet had been easy, sort of. The fight was distracting to everyone, for a time. But it didn't last. Both enemy and "ally" seemed to realize their prize was leaving the field of battle. Omahiz 11 forces and lizard forces both turned their guns at the golden mech, only to miss as the machine forced its way through the atmosphere, and further into space.

"Shon," Secretary Volkova snarled, his angry face appearing on the screen, "just what do you think you are doing?"

"With all due respect, Secretary Volkova that transmition seemed to be a little in err."

"Explain yourself, and while you are at it, explain what you're doing with a member of the Camerea."

Shon paled, and behind him, he could feel Mia do the same as well. "The Camerea?" he whispered.

"You do realized what will happen to you and your dear friend once the Temple of Leal finds out about this, don't you?" the old man smirked.

"You're with the Camerea?" Mialinxa squealed looking at the fin like space ship. "Shon we've got to go back to the planet," she cried.

"They'll kill you both if you go back," Alexi said, his tone serious. "You have a better chance with me."

"Sir, why was the enemy able to tap into the code you sent us?" Shon asked the secretary.

"He probably tapped into our transition, which let the enemy do the same!" the old man barked, fighting a little bit.

He didn't know about it until now. Shon looked at his grandfather, and yet again reminded himself that this was simply a computer program. "Secretary," he began.

"You will head for the base, as previously ordered, or I will have you hunted down, and brought to justice!" the old man shouted, his veins nearly popping out. "Turn around now!"

"Shon," Evani snapped. The boy turned to the screen, "I don't trust him, there's something ambitious about him, always has been."

"The truth now comes out," the politician growled.

"I don't trust the Camerea, but there's nothing to trust about this planet, just keep following the man."

So he followed Alexi, following the ship as they went into space, his hopes, dreams gone. Only desperation, the chance to get an answer or two remained. "Where in the world are we going?"

"Miakoda," the man said.

"Miakoda?!" Mia felt her pulse race. "We can't go there!" She looked at her friend. "We'd be better off on Omahiz 11." The prim and proper girl bit her lower lips, restraining a worried purr. "Come on Shon, show some initiative, and go back home!"

"Home tried to blast us from the sky, if you remember," Evani growled.

"Only because we listened to you, and that… that…," she began stuttering.

Alexi smirked, "Yeah, I like you to, cat girl. Maybe I can sell you to a person who wants a cat skin rug." From over the intercom, he could hear her hiss at him. "Look, Miakoda is the only moon we've got a chance at slipping through the crowd and not gain any unnecessary attention to ourselves."

"That moon is a slave traders' paradise," Mialinxa snapped. "All the low lives live there."

"Again, it'll make us easier to blend into the crowd," Alexi said. "Once we can relax, I'll contact my commander, and we'll figure out what to do from there."

"Relax, Mia," Shon sighed. "We're half way there now anyway, no point in turning back." A gray green orb rose just off in the distance, smaller than Omahiz 11, but vastly busier than the planet from its orbit. Ships of all kinds, sizes, and shapes were huddled around the moon, blocking most light from the sun, or the stars.

"I don't like this," the feisty cat girl growled, crossing her arms.

"Never thought I'd see a time I'd agree with her," Evani snarled, "but I have to agree with you Shon. This is probably the best option right now."

"No, the best option is for us to at the very least, land on one of the other moons," the pamper princess said.

"Which the Galactic Federation and the Temple of Leal both control," Alexi said. The young man groaned, and looked out of the window. "By the way, it might be a good idea if you dock with my ship."

"You're ship isn't big enough for my mech," Shon said with a large frown. "And why should I dock…,"

"Not many mechs can go into space, remember?" Alexi growled. "With the Sodimanh invasion of Omahiz 11, there's bound to be some scouts around here that could report us in; from other side of this conflict. Plus we'd be dealing with pirates and scoundrels who'd want to take the Strike Wings from you."

"So we're back to the size thing," Evani said, looking straight ahead, as if the pilot was facing him.

"And that scrape of heap could tell my ship is what size… how?"

"This scrape of heap has sensors so it can hear what you say, and tell what's out there," Evani growled. "I put a lot of effort into this thing, before I obviously was killed."

"So why don't you answer all of our questions then," Mia grumbled. To add to her irritation, he sat there in the monitor, silent.

"At any rate," Alexi said, "size is suggestive." Flipping a switch, a large portion of his ship uncloaked, as waves of silver ran up and around the body, as if it were emerging from the deeps of an ocean. "Drive it around back, and you can dock there."

Shon did so, reluctantly, watching as the shields shut behind him, and enclosed them in darkness. He was surprised by how big the ship actually was, and even so, it still wasn't that large.

"Pull those switches and turn it into full mech mode, then you can walk it toward that hanger there, and we can get out." Shon did as his grandfather told him, waiting for the machine to put in some kind of coded alarm, in case they were being set up, and gave the okay to leave the Strike Wings.

The two teens, Shon holding his digital grandfather in his arms, walked toward a retrolift, and were taken up toward the main entrance of the ship. From there, they followed Alexi's instructions, and made they're way to the cockpit.

"Just in time, we'll be ready to land and dock in about twenty minutes," the twenty something said, flicking a few switches. "Gotta make sure that our weight doesn't cause any suspicions." He looked at Mialinxa who howled in anger. "Relax your cuteness, it wasn't a fat joke. Miakode just isn't used to my ship carrying so much extra weight, and I doubt I'd be able to explain that the two of you, along with that laptop thing he calls a grandfather is causing the confusion."

The cat girl looked at him further, and then turned her attention to the approaching moon. She swallowed and held her hands tightly, as if they were flying toward a black hole.

"Miakoda air traffic, could you please state the nature of your arrival to the moon?"

"Transitions, nothing more," Alexi said.

"You do realize with the invasion of the planet, transitions might get a lot harder to accomplish?" came the reply. It sounded like a young woman, whose voice betrayed her naivety.

"I'm a pretty charming guy," Alexi chuckled. "In fact, why not met me by the docks after you get off work, and we'll go clubbing." Behind him he could hear Mia grumbled under her throat.

"That won't be necessary sir," the woman stumbled over her words. They could almost hear her blush. "Please arrive at Landing Dock 52, and pay the fee. Enjoy your stay on Miakoda."

"Well that was easy," he chuckled.

"You're a jerk you know," Mia growled. Alexi smirked and shrugged, piloting the ship where he had been told to do, and landed it.

"Okay everyone off." The three of them moved quickly leaving the ship, paying the dues, and leaving the hanger. It was a shock for the two teens to step out and see a brisk early morning sky. Alexi looked at the two of them and chuckled. "Time difference. From where we left Omahiz 11, it was afternoon, but it's morning here in the docks, no different than if we were to travel to a different point on Omahiz 11."

"This is the hotel we'll be staying in," Alexi said, stopping before a large building, colored in bright white and silver, dancing lights around the edges of buildings. People were coming in and out, and the sounds of bells, whistles, dings and sounds of coins being placed into machines. "It's one of my favorites."

"Hotel? This thing is a casino," Mia grumbled glaring at the pilot.

Alexi turned to look at her and frowned, "There's a hotel in here!" He smirked and urged them on. "Anyone askes, just say you're over twenty one." He reached the desk, and put down twenty Black Guilder.

"Staying long?" a long red haired woman asked, winking at him, and leaning on her chin.

"Maybe just a couple of days, Dorthe," he said with a bright grin, tickling her ear. "Cute laugh," he teased.

"I'm going to barf," Mialinxa grumbled under her breath.

"What's with the cat girl? You baby sitting? Or are you now in the business of selling exotic pets?" Dorthe asked, snidely.

Mialinxa glared at the woman. The clerk looked at her and smirked, studying the cat girl with interest. "What is your problem?"

"Nothing, but I think I know a good number of Paradine merchants who could love to get you into their sales camps."

Shon gripped her shoulder and pulled her back, careful not to drop the computer. "Let's just go Mia," Shon groaned.

"Didn't realize that cat girl came with a human a boyfriend," Dorthe cackled.

Could you just show us our rooms?" Alexi asked. The woman looked at him with a hurt expression, but handed them the cards and turned her attention to something else. "Well I guess I can forget about dating her again."

"Brainless, super thin twit," Mia grumbled. She glared at the twenty something and hissed. "She suits you just fine."

The large gambling room, was dark, with a few candles to light the games. "Why is it so dark in here?" Shon asked as they walked through.

"People don't want to draw attention to themselves," his grandfather said. "I can't 'see' what's going on with the lid like this, but I've been here before. Has a good lot of shows too," he said with a chuckle. "Of course I catch you going to one of them boy, and …,"

"And you'll what?" Alexi snapped at the machine. "You'll leak fluid oil on him?" For once Mai giggled about something Alexi said, before realizing he was looking at her. "Our room will be here. You two can go freshen up, I've a phone call to make." Before anyone could say anything, he vanished around a corner, leaving the two teens to look at a large, white door, surrounded by a green edge to it.

"The honeymoon suite," Shon said with a slight smile.

"Not one bit funny," Mia snarled, as they walked into the room.

The voice was harsh, hard and cold, but it was not one of evil. "The Strike Wings, you are sure?"

Alexi pushed closer to the wall, staring at anyone who might get to close to the phone, and himself. "I'm sure. And there's more, Galaxy Warrior Brian is dead."

"Then who was piloting the damn mech?" the voice shouted.

"His fifteen year old grandson," Alexi said. "Sir, I know this is hard to take in, but the boy is a good pilot. With training…"

"With training, he might be able to help our cause, is that what you were going to say?" the voice asked.

"Come on Andy, you know I've brought us plenty of good talent to our group," Alexi hissed.

Whatever the reason, Andrew Bria, commander of the Camerea Alexi was with was not happy. "Don't use my name over the phone, you know better than that," the bald man said. His eyes were appeared to be hooded, and looked like brownish tiger eyes. "No I know that we're not talking on a vid phone, but these new damned phones that use the person's dna to work is just not essential to us staying undercover."

"Leo," the young man said.

"I think we most definitely lose our heads with this new war occurring. The Temples of Leal have been looking for any excuse to hunt us down, you know that. Even our fellow dissentants, The Shores of Zion, wouldn't lose sleep for our deaths." He grit his teeth. "And most definitely do not speak in our language in public," he growled. It wasn't a real language, but a code created out of necessity. "All right, listen, there's nothing we can do for you right now. Stay there for a couple of days, perhaps a week or so, and I'll try and get a transport out to help you guys out."

"That's all we can ask," Alexi said with a sigh.

"And Alexi, let's try and keep your eyes off the women this time, kay?" he chuckled.

The young twenty something sighed and looked away from the phone, "But there are just so many hot young things to play with here," he said, dreamily.

"Then let's make it an order, keep away from the women, got it?"

"Got it," the young pilot said.

Nearly a week in a half had passed, and still nothing. The Battle of Omahiz 11 slowed down, and most of the Sodimanh ships had left orbit once the Federation brought down some of its might. Still, there was no doubt that those ships were mainly looking for a certain mech and its young pilot, and Shon knew it.

He kept mainly to himself, staying in the room, and watching holocams talk about the treason of him and his friends, there were claims that he had betrayed Leal, and there were talks of bringing in Inquistors, which made Mialinxa shudder.

"They don't believe in the death penalty, even for something as stiff as treason," Shon said, not looking at her.

Mia was still wearing the clothes she had on, when they left the planet over a week ago. She sat on her own bed, sniffing and groaning at the stench. "That doesn't stop them from believing in torture, does it?"

His computer, which help his grandfather's image was being recharged right now, and he was thankful, because of these times, the image went into a 'sleep' and so could not retort to the girl's figidness. "You could go shopping, you know?" Shon said.

"I've left the room, and every time I do, someone wants to make me a model, or buy me," she growled. "It's so boring, so terrible, why did I even come back?" she cried.

"To warn a friend?" Shon shot, a little hurt.

She clicked her tongue. "Yeah, and it turns out you didn't need warning at all," she growled. "Aren't we ever going to get off this rock?" The room itself wasn't too bad. It was spacious enough that anyone who wanted privacy could have it. It held enough space that nine more people would be able to move in, and it would still be comfortable, and the bright blue colored walls seemed soothing enough. The beds were large, and held enough estrigin that sleep was assured.

Shon sighed and stood up, holding an image card, that told people he was nearly thirty. Alexi had given each of them one, five days into their stay. He told them no one would both asking questions once shown the card. He scowled at it, and went to leave the room. "I'm going out," he barked.

"You're just going to leave me?" she cried.

"You wanna come with, come with," the boy said. "I'll tell them you're my wife," he chuckled.

"You would not dare," she growled.

"Or you could be my little kitten slave!"

"You've been hanging out with Alexi for too long now," she moaned, pulling herself to her feet, to join him.

"So it's Alexi now, and not 'that jackass', or 'that pig' or, 'that guy', huh?" Shon laughed, poking the cat girl in her sides.

"Jealous?" she asked. Shon rolled his eyes. "Good, because I still think he's a dirty lowlife," she hissed.

They walked down to the casino, Shon holding onto the computer tightly, its batteries nearly finished charging, and walked passed some tables. A harsh voice pulled them toward a table.

"Kid, I've got a game for you," a slimy faced Paradine said. His eyes were pitch black, his lips pouty and swollen, and his arms were long and slender, with only three fingers, and a stubby thumb. His lower lips showed human like teeth, and his head was bulgy. "Come on, it won't take long, you seem like a talented fellow!" A cord of pure liquid flowed from his collar bone, into his throat, pouring water into his body.

"Just forget him Shon, and keep moving," Mia said, throwing up her head and scrunching up her nose, "He stinks anyway."

"Are you going to let that cat, lead you around on a leash all your life, or are you going to take a chance and be a man?" he asked, his voice kind of hissing. Shon turned and looked at him. "I thought not," the Paradine smiled.

"Shon, I," Mialinxa protested, she was silenced by a glared. Grumbling she flipped her white hair, "Boys are so stupid."

"The game is called Trea," the Paradine said, slopping a good number of dice into his hands and into a cup. "You put five dice into this cup." He showed an example, "Then shake the cup, put it down and reason which number has come up the most." He shrugged. "Simple. All that's left to do is to guess on what to wager." He looked over to Mialinxa. "She'd do."

"Dream on," the girl growled.

"Then what about the computer you've got there?" the Paradine asked, nodding to the monitor the boy held in his hands. He could tell Shon was going to object, so he waved a hand. "Come on, let me sweeten the deal," he reached out and grabbed his wrist. "Your laptop, and the girl, for my ship."

"A ship?" he asked, trying to pull a way from the alien.

"Not a very fast ship, but a very good ship, strong, a very good blockaide runner." The Paradine smiled, he could tell he had gotten his mark. "She's called the Warrior Moon, I have her in dock seventeen."

"My friend is not going to bet me or that laptop for any ship, no matter what," Mialinxa snarled. She looked over to him and frowned. "Come on, you're not are you?"

"The computer, the girl, and myself, for your ship and no questions asked." The alien smiled and nodded. He could feel Mia's dark, burning hate burn down on him, but he ignored it. "You have the deed?" The alien showed him the piece of paper.

This was better than he thought it would be, he had never thought he would get this lucky. Two slaves, a piece of hardware that looked really expensie, he was going to be filthy rich. No one had ever bested him at this game, because he of course always cheated at it. They played, "Five sevens," the alien hissed.

"Five fifteens, the boy said. There was a surge of something in his body, and somehow he felt the dice in his hands shift. "Wait, three twelves."

The Paradine frowned, how had he felt the change? "You can't change your original guess. Besides, that's still not enough for you to win."

"The dice changed, I felt it," the boy said.

The Paradine smiled and looked down at him. "The dice do not change." Slowly he
"his free hand, he removed his cup. "Five sevens," he said cockily.

His heart raced, he knew he was going to die, if not from the hands at his new master than by his hands of the girl whose freedom was just lost.

Shon felt his body tingle again, and there was some type of movement from under his hand. He slowly pulled the cup up, to his adminismont, it was five fifteens. A warm pounding fit of joy filled his body. The Paradine was horrified, "Looks like I have a knack for this game." He reached over to take the deed, when then Paradine flashed his blade.

"Your bid was three twelves," he hissed.

"That was my second bid, you said the first one didn't count," Shon growled.

"What is going on?" Evani asked, the computer finally booted up.

"You're grandson just tried to bet us on a game of Trea," Mia growled.

"And I won," Shon growled.

The Paradine was seriously confused now. A talking computer which was the grandfather of the boy before him, who had been the first to beat him. "I don't think so, you said three twelves." He reached for his knife, and gasped as Alexi's hand reached out and snatched his wrist.

"Would you like to take this up to the hotel authorities?" he growled. His eyes shone darkly. "I'm sure they'd be very interested in your history."

"As I'm sure they would be of your's, I know who you are sir," the alien hissed. Like lightning he rose to his feet, "Camerea, this man is Camerea!" he howled.

Most people here knew that already, but there was an extra security that had arrived just recently in the past couple of hours since the war broke out, who would have really been interested in such a fact. Alexi gripped the alien's wrist tighter, and bent it an an arc, sending a kick to his gut, and sending the alien tumbling over the table.

"As if we needed any more attention to us," Mia grumbled.

Security was coming their way, and that meant it was time to head out. The three of them dashed from the casino, Shon stopping on his heels and turning around to grab the document which he had won. How he had felt different changes in the dice, he didn't know, but he was sure to have a question with it with his grandfather.

Forty guards were headed their way now, and Shon tightly clutched the computer, close tightly, and ignored his grandfather's muffled cries as he joined the other two refugees. "What now?" he asked.

"We get on the ship, and bolt," Alexi answered bitterly. "Just a few minutes more and there might have been more help for us, damn it kid, why'd you have to go and do something so stupid?"

"Excuse him for doing something that involved criminal activity," Mia growled. "Probably from the company he's been keeping." Down the halls, through the bunkers they dashed, when Shon skidded to a stop.

"What the hell is it now?" Alexi asked, his voice a high pitched whine. "Look, if you're thinking about that ship, forget it, we don't have time to … damn it wait!" he shouted, watching the boy dart for the docks where it was being held. "They have communications, by now they'll figure that'w where you'll be going." Shon disappeared around the corner, and the twenty something sighed in disgust. "Kid's going to get himself killed."

"And whose fault is that?" Mia began.

"Save it, kitty cat, we've gotta go after him." He rushed toward the direction Shon had run, upholstering a gun he'd hoped not to use. "Don't worry about my ship, I can activate it by remote control, but Shon's never piloted a whole ship before, if he manages to make it to the damn thing, he'll need a pilot."

They caught up with the boy, and opened the hanger bay, only to see guards spill out like insects. Alexi managed to take four down in their tracks but it wasn't going to be enough. They were soon surrounded, two of them holding the boy by his arms, one of them taking the laptop.

"End game, asshole," a tall, bone thin commander snapped, walking up to the three. He stared at Alexi and glared. "Alexi Depue himself, I'm going to get promoted for this."

"Dream on ass clown," Alexi growled. Of course he knew that this was probably bad for him.

"I prefer to dream," the man chuckled, "it tends to make my hopes become reality."

The tension was high, until the ground shook from beneath them, and seven ships appear from outside, shotting randomly. The three took their chance, Shon managed to grab the computer out of one of the guard's hands, and they and bolted for a large ship that looked a little like a pleasure cruise ship of old myth. It was big, hulking mass of metal. It sure has hell didn't look like a blockaide runner, but stranger things had happened. In the chaos they'd made it to the black and green ship, managed to get into the cockpit, and blasted out of the docking bay, surrounded by the other Camerea ships.

Just as the alien had said, it wasn't very powerful, but it made one hell of a blockaide runner, and was large enough to even dock Alexi's as well as three of the seven ships in his holding bay. The Warrior Moon came stocked with weapons, and a cloaking devise, all surrounded by ten Sylor shields. Within two hours, they were out of Federation space, and home in safety.

As soon as they were safe, shadowy figure walked up and examined the boy, and then the catgirl. He sighed. "So this is the famous grandson of the famous pilot, Galaxy Warrior Brian."

"I prefer to be called Evani," Shon's grandfather said from the screen.

"Of course, my apologies, Galaxy Warrior." The man nodded and looked at the boy. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced. My name is Andrew Bria, grand commander of the 732nd division of the Camerea." He smiled only for an instant, and then returned stone faced. "I see we're going to have a lot of work to do with you."

What does he mean by that? Shon's days of being a tavern waiter are most definatley over, that's for sure. By the way, click here if you want to see an early sketch from my manga's artist, kirokokori, who is on This early sketch I'm talking about is Mialinxa, and she's just like I imagined, so thanks a lot kirokokori ! Here's the link: . Enjoy!

UP NEXT: TRAINING DAY