#astronos

             Recruiters for the Astronos facility were not the type of people parents wanted to see.  They were appropriate so long as they weren't threatened, but they were insistent and efficient.  Astronosian recruits were taken from their homes at the age of eight.  Once they had been claimed for training, they would never go home again, nor see the family that raised them.  Once they arrived at Astronos the Astronosian army was their family.  Their comrades were their brothers and sisters, and their officers were their mothers and fathers.  They would be born again in battle, and come to accept their new family in time.

            The protocols that the recruiters followed were well known to parents around the various worlds that made up the Astronosian empire.  The recruiter would arrive at a time when the entire family would be home.  Their crisp uniforms stood out from the casual clothes of civilians.  They would salute whichever adult answered the door first, and request, by assigned codename, the child that they were sent to retrieve.  The real name of the children was not to be mentioned from that point forward, as it was viewed as essential that all ties to their past be severed immediately.  Parents rarely argued or resisted despite their grief.  To interfere with an Astronosian recruitment was punishable with life in prison, and to strike a recruiter called for the death penalty.  The empire lived and died by its army, and they were not to be questioned.

            Often times the recruiters were also responsible for determining each child's class, based on their reaction to the news of their recruitment.  Though young, they were often old enough to understand what was happening, and would react however they thought best.  Battlers, the most common classification in the army, would fight every step of the way.  They kicked, punched, bit, and shoved in attempts to get away from the recruiters.  Snipers and Assassins were often observant children, over-hearing their imminent recruitment, they would disappear into their houses, sometimes taking hours or even entire days to find depending on the house and the intelligence of the recruit. 

            There is one type of class that stands out, however.  Little boys and girls like Titan, their selflessness showing through, did not protest or fight.  They did not run, or hide.  Instead they sought only to make it easier for those around them.  In his particular case, Titan, already large for his age, had walked up despite his mother arguing bitterly that she had no son to be taken.  He had tugged gently on her sleeve, and she'd turned to see her baby boy standing, expression calm as tears rolled down from her eyes.  When the recruiter stepped forward to grab the boy Titan only held up a hand, and recognizing he wouldn't run, the recruiter had nodded and stepped back, shocked by the reaction.  His mother had gazed down at him, love easily apparent in her wet eyes.  Before she could speak, Titan smiled and cut in.

            "It will be ok, mommy.  I'm going to get big and strong, and then I'll come back and see you, don't be afraid."

            He'd hugged his mother's waist then, and, tears streaming down her face once more she knelt down and held her little boy tight in her arms.  Titan's father, standing above, was shocked by two things.  A tough miner who spent long hours in miserable conditions, he did not cry often.  He felt the wetness on his cheeks now, though, at his son's words.  More surprising to the big worker, though, was what he saw when he looked to the recruiter.  It was the first time the man had recruited a future Defender, and even he had been moved.  Rather than insistently pulling the boy away as he'd done so many times before, the soldier nodded to the father.

            "Take a minute with the boy.  It's the last time you'll see him, make it count."  The man whispered quietly enough that Titan didn't hear, then stepped away for a moment, hands behind his back as he collected himself.

            Titan's father immediately leaned down, scooping his boy up in his arms and helping his wife up.

            "They've given you a strong name, boy.  Titan, a large and powerful creature.   You remember who you are, and you use your size and power to protect those you come to love, understand me?"  Tears still rolled freely down both of the adult's faces.

            Titan grinned and hugged around his dad's neck.  "Yes papa!  I'll keep them safe."

            "I know you will, son.  No matter what, never forget that your mother and I love you very much, and whatever happens, you've made us proud."

            The trio hugged a bit longer before Titan finally gave them each a kiss on the cheek.

            "It's time for me to go now, mommy."

            His mother nodded through the numbness that seemed to be clouding her mind.  "Be careful, love."

            "Be strong, boy."

            His father finally set him down, and Titan willingly walked straight up to the recruiter, who despite himself had shed a single tear.  "Are you ready Titan?"

            "Yes, sir." The boy replied.

A bit of a rough draft for some origin stuff involving Silent and Shadow from the sci-fi/fantasy Astronos story I'm writing.  I wanted to write in the universe without having to write in the story so I can get back into the swing of things before I start in on the main writing again.  Hopefully I'll have an update posted after finals.

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                The concrete walls of the barracks housing new Astronosian recruits were functional, but far from welcoming.  The polished granite floor also spoke to the building's purpose.  It was there for utility, not to make anyone feel at home.  Silent also knew that this part of the dormitory, the section that housed potential Assassin recruits, was deliberately kept darker than other areas.  Some day the boys and girls that spent their short nights in this area would be the knife in the dark for the Astronosian armies, and they were expected to be comfortable operating in low-light and no-light situations. 

                The darkness suited Silent just fine.  The recruits weren't permitted to wear their armor in the barracks, and that often left him feeling vulnerable.  Violence was not discouraged so long as it wasn't fatal and didn't interfere with sleeping schedules.  In fact, it was often encouraged, some of the disciplinary officers believing it was necessary to toughen up the young men and women for their futures in combat.  This led to small packs of recruits banding together, fighting for the best spots in the sleeping area, the best food at meals, and the best spots in the training yards.  Outside in the yards, it was often classifications that clashed, potential Assassins backing each other up against packs of Battlers, and squads of Rangers.

                It made no difference to Silent.  He had no friends nor allies in any of the groups, preferring to stay out of sight and out of the way rather than wasting energy fighting with those around him.  Despite this, he was rewarded by the officers on occasion, for excelling in his training.  This caused him problems, as each group he turned down for alliance immediately wanted to punish him.  For that reason, it did not surprise him to find a group of five other recruits waiting for him at the entrance to the mess hall.

                "Changed your mind about working with us yet, Silent?"  The leader of the group, a wiry youth with black hair and green eyes, asked him.

                Silent didn't answer, crossing his arms and staring at the boy, known as Aspen, indifferently.

                "He asked you a question,"  another of the boys, this one to Silent's left, growled out.

                Silent narrowed his eyes as he looked over all five,  only recognizing Aspen, and the girl to his right, Vex.  They were both similarly built to Silent, as were most of the Assassin recruits, wiry and fast, rarely even as large as the smallest of the Battler recruits.  The second boy that spoke was an exception to that rule, built more like a Battler than an Assassin, he'd been accepted into the Assassin program for being able to combine just enough stealth to get in close, with a raw ruthlessness unmatched by any of the more cautious recruits.  The other two seemed to be twins, blonde-haired and blue-eyed as Silent, though a bit shorter.  Finished sizing them up in less than a second he simply shook his head.

                "I thought that might be the case.  Deal with him, Blood," Aspen waved a hand forward toward the larger boy who immediately charged Silent.

                The thinner recruit was ready for him though, and grabbed one of the outstretched arms clawing toward him.  He sidestepped and spun with the larger boy's momentum, flinging him headlong into the concrete wall behind him.  There was a crunching noise, indicating a broken nose, and he slid down the wall, collapsing with his hands holding his face.

                Silent never stopped with the spin though, coming around just in time to meet the charge of the twins.  His right hand pushed a punch low and to the side as his entire body leaned left and down, just barely pulling his face out of the path of the other attack.  The pair reacted quickly, retracting their fists and dodging to either side to split the attention of their foe as Vex followed up down the center.  Outnumbered and surrounded, Silent recognized there was little hope of winning this fight, and vowed to himself to make them pay for the pain they would undoubtedly inflict on him. 

                As Vex leapt forward, one booted foot aiming for his chest, he caught her leg and spun her to the side where she collided with the boy to his right.  The two had crept forward as she'd jumped toward him and he turned now, diving straight to his left and slamming into that boys chest.  The two collapsed on the ground just as Aspen came in with his follow up, trying to slam into Silent's side and dislodge him from his ally.  Countering, Silent swung his right fist around, his left hand pinning the one beneath him by the throat.  His back-handed swing smacked across Aspen's unsuspecting face, turning his momentum enough that his shoulder dropped, connecting with Silent's back and causing him to roll over his intended target onto the recovering Blood.  The large boy, crimson running freely down his face, shouted in pain as Aspen rolled over him, a knee bumping his already injured nose. 

                Distracted with his counter, though, Silent didn't see the punch coming from the boy he'd pinned.  It caught him squarely in the jaw and sent him sprawling to the floor as both of the twins and Vex pushed themselves to their feet.  As Silent tried to rise, the girl stepped over, delivering a solid kick to his stomach and laying him flat again.  He felt several more painful kicks against his side, then the sound of two bodies colliding.  Another kick caught him in one leg, but he started to find his way up again, seeing fighting off to his left.  He rolled sideways, dodging yet another kick, and surveyed the situation.

                Aspen and Blood still lay tangled up on the floor, the first having cracked several ribs in his collision with wall after having tumbled over Blood.  One of the twins had been kicking Silent, but Vex and the other boy were now fighting with a red-haired girl Silent hadn't seen before.  She had jumped upon Vex and had her pinned now, delivering punch after punch to chest, shoulders, and stomach as the boy tried to pull her off.  He quickly turned his eyes back, catching the next kick, intended for his face where he sat on his knees.  Pushing himself up in a burst of movement he drove the boy up by his leg and let him drop back to the ground where he landed flat on his back, head cracking loudly on the granite floor. 

                Silent didn't even pause to see if he'd stay down, instead taking two long strides and diving forward toward the trio nearby.  His arms wrapped around the boy, still focused on trying to pull the red-haired girl off Vex, and he spun himself as he landed.  The momentum pulled the twin off the other girl and brought him crashing down next to Silent where they both grappled for half a minute before a commanding voice spoke out over the bunch of them.

                "What in the name of Astronos is this?"

                The four still fighting all stopped immediately, recognizing the voice of Lieutenant Khalev, head of all the disciplinary sergeants overseeing new recruits.  The red-haired girl scrambled off of Vex as Silent and the other boy disengaged, all four of them quickly rising to stand straight before the officer.  Every one of them was covered in bruises, Vex sported a bloody nose, and Silent had a black eye, though the twin that was still standing had one of his swollen shut.  Aspen finally pushed himself up as well, walking gingerly with a hand pressed to his side to stand beside the others.  The other twin lay unconscious where he'd cracked his head, and Blood whimpered and groaned as he tried to stop the blood pouring out of his shattered nose.

                "Well?" The officer demanded.

                "A misunderstanding, sir." Aspen spoke up.

                "A concussion, a broken nose, two black eyes, a bloody nose and..." He looked Aspen over closely, "what looks to be three broken ribs.  That's a misunderstanding, now, is it?  I want the damn truth, recruit."

                Aspen looked toward Silent, his eyes practically begging to let him lie, but he received only a cold glare from the unspeaking recruit.  The leader of the five reluctantly turned back toward the lieutenant.

                "We were trying to recruit Silent.  When he refused, we fought him."

                "The six of you, against one, and he did this?"  Khalev gave them a doubting look.

                Silent shook his head, drawing the officer's gaze.  "Then what?"

                Silent frowned, but the red-headed girl spoke up for him. "I helped him, sir."

                "Why?"

                "Five against one isn't fair, sir."

                "This is a brawl, it doesn't have to be fair, recruit."

                "Yes, sir."

                "So," the lieutenant's attention once more turned back to Aspen.  "The five of you were beaten by the two of them in what was originally a five on one?"

                "We didn't-" the twin started to speak up, but was cut off by a glare from the officer who then turned back to Aspen again, waiting for an answer.

                "Yes, sir," He answered after a long pause.

                "Pathetic.  Collect those two and get to the infirmary.  I'll decide your punishment before the next hour." 

                The trio saluted, drawing a pained grimace from Aspen, and they gathered their downed allies, dragging them down the dark hallway.  Khalev turned toward Silent and the girl beside him once the other five were out of earshot, looking them over for several long seconds as they waited in an almost painful silence.

                "You did well.  You're dismissed."

                Silent blinked in surprise.

                "That's it?"  The girl beside him demanded.

                "Yes.  That's it, recruit.  Be on your way."  With that, the lieutenant stepped around them and continued down the hall in the direction the five others had departed.

                 Silent watched him until he turned a corner, then fell to one knee, holding his side.  The kicks had been solid and he thought he might have a few bruised ribs of his own, if not broken.  The girl knelt down beside him, helping him turn to sit against a wall.  Her green eyes showed concern as she looked into his blue gaze.

                "Are you alright?"

                He nodded, waving a hand for her to move on.  She shook her head at the notion, instead cupping his chin in one hand to look at his bruised eye.  He tried to push her away with one hand, but she deftly knocked it aside without even turning her attention.  He frowned, a frustrated huff coming from his nose. 

                "Oh hush, I'm just trying to see how bad it is.  Why didn't you just say yes and avoid all this?"

                He shrugged, trying to shift away but immediately regretting that choice as the nerves in his side screamed in pain.  He slumped against the wall, trying to at least swat her hand away from his chin.  She knocked it back down into his lap, the movement having been sluggish. 

                "You don't talk much, do you?"

                He just sighed, shaking his head.

                "Why?"  She turned her attention down, now, gently prodding his ribs.

                His pain sped up his reaction time as he pushed her hand away, sucking in a breath.

                "Alright, alright.  I won't touch it, you big baby."  She frowned as she considered him.  After a second she announced ,  "They're not broken."

                "Good."  He managed to mutter, barely audible.

                She smiled, finally hearing his voice.

                "I'm Shadow."

                He looked up into her green eyes and, for some reason, found himself a little more relaxed.  After a few heartbeats, he spoke again.

                "Thank you."

                "Well you couldn't take care of yourself, obviously." 

                She moved to sit against the wall, leaning against his uninjured side.  When she smiled again, Silent looked up at her, about to ask a question he'd never thought he would get the chance to.  Instead, Shadow spoke for him, as she would so many times in the future.

                "Yes, Silent.  We're friends.  You won't have to fight alone anymore."

Because Tumblr apparently has decided it hates me and now cuts off Astronos part way through chapter 2 I've moved it to wordpress, where I'll post any future updates.