The Evergreen Files: Banshee; Book One

After half an hour, Lyra packed the cards away and stood up, casually looking around the medical room. Straightened her white tunic and removed her torch pen. “Okay Lieutenant Gordon, let me see into your soul.” she said with a smile as she pinned back his eye lids and blinded him with the light. She smelled so good! Solomon cursed her beauty, he cursed his baboon blundering, making himself a fool and kissing her! Her scent was of a sea breeze, that danced over the shore, bringing with it a hint of lavender, he could almost see the clear blue skies with her smell. “Solomon...” said Lyra as she clicked the light off. “You should not kiss a woman like that.” she commanded rather sternly, Solomon’s light mood quickly sank to the depths. “you kiss her like this.” she said softly and she smoothly moved her head in to kiss him. Her lips felt like soft silk, no friction was to be found upon their perfect surface. Solomon felt that the sensations could never be explained by mere mortal stupid words. Solomon felt as if all the problems in all the worlds had vanished, nothing evil existed any more, and never will again. After a few seconds Lyra pulled away with a cheeky wink and started to walk off, before turning on her heel to face Solomon once more, “oh, you’re discharged, Lieutenant. you may go.” she said with a dismissive wave.

Solomon stood at the armoury doors, gathering his thoughts. His head still ached from the fight with the crimson beasts. Decius had requested Solomon’s presence at the Armoury to show ‘something good we’ve found’ were his exact words. Solomon placed his hand upon the cold metal door. The Armoury was deathly silent, trying to train his veteran ears to any noise that seeped from the usually boisterous room, the dread of the week long coma still lingered deep within his heart, the Banshees talons that never pierced his chest, still hurt. Taking a deep breath he entered his code and the doors slid open, what lay inside, took Solomon by surprise.

The Armoury was a basic room, filled with the smell of gun discharge and oil lubrication, with the often companion of sweat. Now the room was decorated with bright yellow and blue triangular banners, golden balloons littered the floor and a large red banner with golden writing was hung from the ceiling Welcome Back Lieutenant Commander! Was scribed upon its skin. Solomon was greeted with an explosion of voices crying out “Surprise!” and cheers echoed the corridors. The first squad was ready to receive Solomon first, whooping and cheering, Decius scuttled over to Solomon with a large pint of over-flowing pale amber ale. With a joyful smile, he patted Solomon’s back and gave a crisp salute, that Solomon returned best he could, still trying to process the room. The entire first company was here along with most of the other company captains. Sandra sat with a large grin and a full pint of amber alcohol, she gave a small bow and raised her pint to him, flicking back her long hair and suppressed a smile as Decius walked over to her.

It was nearly an hour of celebrating before Solomon noticed the two Gryph in the corner of the room, observing the behaviour of the various soldiers. Both had an untouched pint of ale, sat on the table at their side. All of the soldiers simply ignored them. Dancing, singing and more cheering erupted from every soldiers voice. Solomon cut his way through the crowd to come face to face with the Gryph. They greeted him with placing their right hand over their hearts and lowering their heads in respect – Solomon returned the gesture uncertainly. “How are we feeling then, gents?” asked Solomon merrily. The two Gryph exchanged nervous glances to one and other. “Lieutenant Solomon, what you ask?” said the left Gryph who had very thin hair, tightly pulled into a top knot, his face was as slim as his body, his eyes as black as the void of space. Solomon thought for a moment, forgetting these are aliens and English was not their language of nature. “How are we feeling today?” he asked again slower. “Are you feeling good?” he said with an exaggerated smile, “Or are we feeling bad?” he said with an exaggerated frown, then returning to his normal expression. The slim Gryph blinked at Solomon trying to process the questions. The Gryph next to him was slightly more plumper, supporting a second layer of flab under his chin, his laugh was broad and deep. “Sykra, me thought you had learned much more!” he bellowed laughing. He then said something in their own language, which made Solomon feel unwelcome, but when Sykra looked at Solomon with a smile and replied “I am very good, I thank you, my human is not rather good yet.” he said bowing his head once more “But I am learning.” he added briskly. The fat Gryph laughed a bit more. “You will have to excuse the little early fights we will have! The language be hard, I, Carlo” he said with a warming smile. Solomon returned the smile and stood awkwardly with his drink, bouncing on his heels. After a few moments, Carlo spoke, eager to break the silence. “So, Solomon. Tell me, you will. What is the reasoning for this?” he asked, gesturing the crowded, decorated room. Solomon suppressed a smirk, passing both of the Gryph their untouched drinks, he asked them to join him in taking a mouthful as he explained what alcohol was.

Carlos took his first sip and tried his very hardest not to shudder with the bitterness of the pale golden ale. Sykra could not stop coughing after his first and only sip, placing the drink back upon the table where it remained for the rest of the evening and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. Solomon laughed and raised his glass to them, “Don’t worry, some humans choose not to drink it too, it takes... some getting used to!” he said with a chuckle. Sykra forced a smile, his face had positively turned green from the drink, Carlo forced himself another sip of the ale. The music carried through the room, Solomon couldn’t help but feel the family ties from his soldiers that had thrown such a breath taking celebration for him coming out of his coma. Solomon’s mind was drawn back to the dark beach with the three Banshees temporarily before Sykra broke into his train of thought. “Solomon, what happened to make you sleep so long?” he asked slowly, looking for the correct words, that never came to him. Solomon revealed the battle with the Crimson Predators.

“After Lyra was wounded, Sandra and I, dragged her to the landing zone, we tried to gather our strength in at the primary supply area... then lots come from the trees, too many to count. I ordered the heavy weapons and explosives team to fire upon the largest concentration of the beasts, but one got around the flank and got hold of the Explosives team, that unluckily for me, had a primed rocket launcher loaded, in the panic, it was fired and that is the last thing I remember.” Solomon looked sadly at Sykra for a moment. “Apparently it was miss-fired at the supply containers that was then flung on top of me, which then, put me in that coma you mentioned earlier. Darren, the soldier who fired the weapon, he died... he’d feel so guilty he put me in a coma.” he said forcing a smile. Carlo let out a deep sigh. “Yes, We call them ‘Mares’ they are truly violent, they do not usually hunt in that area.” he said placing his hand on Solomon’s shoulder, “We sent them away, with sound barrels!” he quickly added when he saw Solomon’s grim expression. Solomon gestured to the Gryph that they should join in the merry making and join him in a dance.

Solomon brought himself up upright on the end of his bed, his head aching from the alcohol still in his system. Solomon gave off a groan that would impress even a large bear as he lifted his body from the soft bed. His room had the low lighting of the morning schedule. Solomon had not been cleared for duty yet, having only woken form his coma the day prior, his room was still a mess, his clothing had been left on the floor from when before the fight with the Mares, upon the clothing, was a slim pale blue figure with a messy thin hair bun. Sykra was snoring loudly and was hugging a bucket, with traces of something yellow inside, Solomon held his nose to shield himself from the sour smell flowing out of the bucket. Pouring himself a hot steaming cup of coffee, he began to remember the night, getting drunk with Sykra turned out to be a fantastic idea! Carlo was the first to leave, he wanted to meet more humans and expand his language and ended up leaving with Sandra and Decius, with broad smiles upon their faces.

Sitting in the string chair that usually had his uniform clinging to its back, he sat smiling at Sykra’s pathetic state, after half of his coffee, he set another pot to boil, lightly tapping Sykra in the ribs with his foot, Solomon tried to wake him up. The mess hall was a wondrous heavenly smelling room, “bacon, sausage, spam, mushrooms, black and white pudding, baked beans, white beans, hash browns, everything a growing man needs!” said Solomon Heartily to Sykra as he welcomed him into the eating chambers, Sandra was sitting with Carlo who had filled his plate with nothing but spam, greedily guzzling down the meat, he laughed at Sandra’s tales. Sykra picked some fruit and seeded bread for his plate, sitting next to Carlo with a sickened face, the face Solomon and Sandra knew all too well!

Later that day, Sykra and Carlo bid their farewell to the crew of the Evergreen in the embarkation decks, they had only come to learn more of how the humans interact. The First Company assembled to leave for Merriden IV once more. Their numbers had been healed, Solomon learned twenty of his family had perished on the previous landing. With the time they had spend recovering aboard The Evergreen, the other companies had secured a large area with the help of The Gryph and their Sonic Barrels, construction and entrenchment had commenced. “Lieutenant Commander” said Eve, “We will be landing you, and your company in the red sector of the area designated, The creatures known as Mares have attempted only once to breach the perimeters, that was some time ago. Be Safe Solomon, you are not cleared for active duty yet, your status is strictly as an overseer. Your active duties begin tomorrow.” Solomon tried to suppress a smirk as he thanked Eve. Sealing his helmet over his head, he ordered all troops to get inside their vessels and prepare for the drop. They had left the Evergreen in record time, giving Solomon a swelling of pride in his breast. After half an hour of the turbulent decent, the Pilot called back to the sitting troops, informing them that they will be on the ground in six minutes. The final count down always lasted an eternity in Solomon’s eyes, the adrenaline pumping through his veins always slowed time down for him.

The unknown of the drop.

The craft shuddered as it landed on the dry dusty grass, blowing clouds against the makeshift metal skeleton buildings, human soldiers wearing the blue of The Evergreen but supporting red unvisored helmets, revealing their faces. Scuttling around the landed craft, ten stood in two parallel lines outside the scratched metal ramp that had begun lowering, Solomon and his platoon walked out saluting their waiting soldiers, who in return took their bags, a proud man stood in the centre, at the middle of the two lines, wearing his blue armour and a red beret, a pistol holstered across his breast, Solomon instantly knew who this aged man was. The Red Sector Commander. He had been assigned this position before the convoy of ships left Earth. Solomon approached the man who curtly nodded at Solomon with a soft smile. “Greetings ladies! I’m Commander Broom. Welcome to The Red Sector!” he said loudly over the dying engines of the landing craft “I will escort you to your accommodations!” he shouted, and turned to Solomon “We’ll talk business on the way.” he added softly the sun was cooler here, already this planets noon and Solomon wasn’t feeling the heat yet, Casting his eyes over the horizon, Solomon spotted the battlement defences, no more than half a mile away, easily seen over the flat grassy plains, red flags stood proudly, red as the blood that had been spilled on Solomon’s first visit. Soldiers wearing the red helmets patrolled the dirt mound walled perimeter with their weapons drawn, but held at the waists, relaxed. The wind whistled as it danced through all the metallic buildings.

The two men spoke of the creatures near by, the hostile and friendly alike, giving Solomon the lay of the land, Commander Broom smiled as he pointed at a dusty metal door that read “S. Gordon, First Company Commander” written in white chalk pen, Solomon smiled at Commander Broom as he took his bag from the trailing caddy-soldier and entered his quarters.

It was a small room, no bigger than shoe box, sporting a single bed and not much more. The room was cosy to say the least. With a sigh, Solomon slung his bang onto the stiff springy bed, which almost sprung the bag over the other side.

An hour into Solomon’s stroll through the metal makeshift single story buildings that resembled the civilian market place. A few stalls, half empty, selling scarce wares, some ammunition that did not match the weapons he used, small amounts of bread, cheeses and containment boxes for extortionate prices, probably to cover the wages of the multiple Gryph scuttling about each stall trying to sell you everything down to your own boots. The last stall however, caught Solomon’s eye, a stall, run by, a single Gryph, In the Human Section. The Gryph’s thick black hair was scraped back into a large messy bun, was it a female or male Gryph? Damn, it was hard to tell the difference! The Gryph’s face was slim, with a pointed chin, its nose came out as a smooth beak that was too short for the length of its face. “Good Day!” Solomon said with a cheery smile, glancing at her baked foods. “Pleasant Day, Hooman” responded the Gryph in a light high toned voice. This gave Solomon the idea it was a female. “What are these, then?” he asked heartily as he smelled her baked goods, odours similar to ginger and cinnamon filled his nostrils with much delight. “They smell like gingerbread and cinnamon rolls!” he added giddily, Gingerbread was Solomon’s favourite, always casting him back to when his mother used to do her weekly bake when he was a child. And there’s the cinnamon rolls! Christmas! Solomon adored Christmas! it was always his favourite time of year. Before the Gryph could answer Solomon, he had transferred credits over and greedily taken five gingerbread biscuits and seven cinnamon rolls. Solomon’s day had taken a turn for the best. “Yes. Ginnerbred and cinagrog buns...of course.” said the Gryph Absently, happy for the sale.

The wind had kicked up a troublesome dust cloud that whipped and bit at peoples uncovered faces, but Solomon’s mood could not be cast down as he crunched one of the gingerbread biscuits between his teeth, keeping his lips sealed as to not ruin the taste with air-sand. Decius sat outside the command squads barracks in the dust, with Private Schniebler kneeling beside him, talking in hushed words, not noticing Solomon until he was stood next to them, offering them both a cinnamon roll. “They look alike though!” whispered Schniebler before he silenced himself. Solomon looked at the two men inquisitively before asking them who looks like who.

“They look very similar, just paler and weirder coloured eyes!” said Decius quietly and quickly to the two men, looking over his shoulder to see if any one else was near by, Solomon just blinked at him. What was the young lad nattering on about now? Copan Schniebler cleared his throat as the wind kicked up even more dust, “Sir, The Gryph... and Those creatures on that green ship we butted heads with, come to think of it, it was a Gryph ship, wasnt it? It looked just like the ones in orbit, watching our landing” Solomon paused as he recalled the pale murderous creatures on the beach in his head.

Similar heights.

Similar head shape.

Exact eye shape.

Solomon dismissed the idea to the two men, however would ponder on the thought silently for a few more days to come. Solomon sat with the two men, asking them how they liked their rooms and the Red Sector, Decius fetched his helmet that was still wet from the red colouring that now had a red line running down the middle of the once fully blue head bowl. proudly, he presented the coloured piece of metal to Solomon, “What do you think of the new colours, boss?” he asked eagerly, as if needing his peers approval of his work. Solomon nodded with a smile as he excused himself from the two men, making his way down the dusty street towards the scolding sun. The company commanders of The Evergreen had been summoned to the command building that stood with full armoured plate walls, unlike the slums the soldiers and civilians had been given, half built from wood and stone, half plated walls. The Command structure was always the first priority. Solomon understood this, growing up with a military family, he knew, without the command structure, if the settlements were attacked, there would be no defensible haven. no last stand. The forces would be split into small pockets to be picked off one by one until they had all been slaughtered, As high as Solomon held his men and women fighters, he knew, without a defence point, they wouldn’t last long. He knew it was always possible, because it had happened before. The Luna Rebellions; it’s how they overrun and beat them. The Evergreen had been deployed on a flanking mission against one of the Primary War Lords who had fled to Mars the entire 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 11th companies had been obliterated on the landing zone with much more of the other companies. Only remnants of the other military bodies had survived. A dark time. So many family died on that mission.

Solomon sighed deeply as he recalled the O’Riley Twins, finding their shot up bodies in the room that once resembled the Evergreen Third Companies Armoury with most of the remains of the third. Captain Tricks had suffered an insufferable loss that day. So many friends, brothers and sisters in arms killed. It took its toll on the poor man. Not even out of his twenties and suffered more loss than most people will ever suffer in their entire long lives three times over.

The Sun had risen past its central point and had begun to slowly descend as Solomon entered the heavily sandbagged entrance. Walls reinforced with the local sand in brown bags, two Human Soldiers stood with a salute as Solomon approached the entrance area. The dust kicked up from the wind had made his blue uniform more of a tanned and weathered shade, with a cough, he patted himself down, causing a small cloud to surround him. The small sandbagged room ended with an armoured door, and the two armed soldiers who looked Solomon up and down, clearly scanning for his command colour and emblem. Clearing the cloud with his hands and approaching them, his command emblem obviously became clear as they straightened their backs with another salute and opened the heavy armoured door. The floor past the door was immaculate. Clean beyond belief considering the previous room, you could build a sand castle or two! The room was spacious, small lights built in the walls and ceiling illuminating the way, three rows of black coloured metal seating lined up in the centre of the room. Solomon looked for a sign for ‘Briefing Room’. After a couple of attempts, he sighed, rubbing his eyes which itched from the sand, walking over to a water cooler he had just spotted in the corner of the waiting room, he got himself a cup of water and waited. For what? he did not know. A sign, perhaps. After his second cup, the heavily armoured door opened again and, in walked the massive hulking body of Captain Deeph, leering a glance at Solomon, Lucius merely grunted with a nod towards the corridor. Quickly finishing his drink, Solomon followed Lucius down the metal clean corridor with doors every few meters on each side. Lucius eventually halted at one half way down, and entered. All the Company Commanders were in attendance, already seated. They had been waiting on Solomon and Lucius.

Commander Broom stood impatiently at the front of the small briefing room, adjusting the waist line of his cargo pants so they met with his breast plate armour, he cleared his throat and began the briefing. Solomon and Lucius quickly took their seats, Solomon gingerly settled himself down, whilst Lucius almost made the floor fall through as he slumped himself into the chair that struggled to support his weight.

“Gentlemen.” began Commander Broom. “Each ship, has been given an area, We, The Evergreen, are Red. Henceforth, you’re all been renamed. When you are on planet, for all communications to command, First company Platoon one, you are now, Red one-one. Second Platoon, you are now Red one-two, Second Company Platoon one, you are now Red two-one and Platoon two, you are Red two-two and so on and so forth, yada, yada, yada, usual boring stuff, you get the idea. If not, then how the hell you even got your rank is beyond me.” Solomon knew he had rehearsed this briefing many times with the confidence Broom cast around the room as he spoke, but as he was silent, he fidgeted not knowing what to do. Broom made a signal and two men in red form fitting armour gave each company commander a box with their company number on. “Inside, you will find your new call sign patches, hand them out accordingly, also you will find a Commanders Radio List, this will contain every radio sequence for every unit you may need to contact.” he said stifling a yawn. “Now then, Lads. The real business, each company will work with a Gryph Counterpart, get to know your new friends, and friends they will be, because, as I understand it, we are here to stay for quite a while. Red One, you will be assigned to External Recon, you will have to deal out on your boys and girls, who goes out when and where, Your Gryph counterpart will be doing the same thing with their units, it will be yours and theirs job to cover everything between yourselves, share everything and all that. Red two, you will be assigned to Vanguard...”

“baby sitting? Are you serious, Man!” growled Lucius.

The briefing room carried his voice far better than he intended, all nine company commanders turned to look at him with smirks and raised brows, Commander Broom cleared his throat and continued.

“Yes, well, as we all know, the Captain of the Second Company, does enjoy killing, so we thought, ’what better job to give him than to protect the food and supplies that goes into the wild and surrounding villages. Food and supplies which are sure to attract unwanted attention.” Broom had set his eyes on Lucius. A penetrating stare of a drill sergeant. He had that piercing stare down perfectly. A stare sharper than the best crafted knife. “Unwanted attention that, I am sure we would like... how would you say it?” continued Broom, “Dead.” even though the mission was much to the liking of Lucius, he sat their like a sulking child, bulging with muscle. Broom may be a skinny little thing, but he knew how to handle the special breed that become soldiers.

After some time of silence, Lucius finally grunted in agreement with Broom. “Right.” Smiled Broom. “As I was saying, Red three, you will be assigned...” one of the guards came crashing through the door, catching his breath, “Sir’s, we are under attack! Awaiting instructions, Sir!” he said panting.

Very coolly, Broom exhaled rubbing his eyes with a groan of irritation, “Very well, All soldiers, report to your stations, in the box you’ll find your objectives as I was briefing, good hunting.” he said walking to his small metal desk in the front corner, where he pulled out his helmet and rifle.