The Nest

[Lusitano]

“Only the dead have seen the end of war.” - Plato

Red is on Pygar, more exactly he is on an freighter going to a not known location to the general population, and with a very uncommon cargo for an Zoner. He ended the patrols on Gran Canaria, the bretonians rarely leave the city walls protection, so it was useless to continue mainly as winter is coming. He arrive the destination, one huge cave on a mountain complex. Ken, the owner go to Red to greet him:

Ken: Red my old friend! How are you? What you have for me? Some good stuff?

Red: The last ones. We don’t need then anymore, so I figure out that you may like then.
Ken: Hmmm! Let me see! Twelve … they look strong! Navy or army?

Red: Don’t know and don’t care!

After the exodus from Gran Canaria to Pygar, it was necessary to build a new home. Living inside a cave was out of the question, and after the refusal of Livadia for help to build one big dome, the build was slow and dangerous, mainly the top. The unpredictable strong winds made it too dangerous for who was there, so officially robots was used, but in fact, and very few know it, the job was done by bretonian prisoners, with the loss of at least twenty four! And know that they are no longer in need, Red is getting rid of them before Sara and Matilda find out … is this the new Zoner way or simply we are fed up and simply start to don’t care more? Who cares right?

While the cargo is unloaded, Red and Ken go to the interior of the cave, along the way Red spots some Pygar bugs.

Ken: Damn bugs! No matter how many we kill more will show up!

Red: That is why we built the dome! If Sara and Matilda saw just one …

Suddenly Red ears a woman scream, he goes with Ken to check, and see one man sexually assault one woman … actually a bretonian! Red grabs the assaulter and throw him against the wall.

Ken: Stop it now!

Assaulter: She is a bretonian. * turns to Red* I know who are you, and I know that you killed many in Gran Canaria, and you and your friends brought a lot of then here, so you care?

Red: You touch her again and I will kill you!

The assaulter laughs and touch her shoulder with a finger, and laugh at Red … big mistake … with just one strike Red smashes the assaulter’s throat, leaving him to die. The bretonian woman gets up and touch Red’s arm:

Bretonian: Thank you!

But Red … Red is Red, and grabs her and chokes her:

Red: Do you think I did this for you?! I want that all of your kind to die!!

Ken: No Red no ohh crap!! You killed her!! She was one of the best females I had! Damn it! * Ken calls for some of his staff * Get rid of this two bodies! Yes him too! He was a jerk!
Ken and Red continue to walk to the main reason of that the secrecy of that place … one small gladiator arena. Several people were there to see the ... games, and some even Red knew then!

Ken: Come here! This are the best seats in the house! * Red was looking the this new Zoner entertainment … former traders, farmers miners, beating on blood games! Feasting on death of those in the arena!* Look, the next two were brought by Rutger, two navy fly boys that he shot down.

The two men enter the arena and the crowd cheers.

Red: How you know they will fight each other?

Ken: Red my friend … you know me well *smiles*! Before they enter the arena, they are injected with a mixture of cardi and that gallic stuff, nox ! As soon they that kicks him, they even would kill their own mother!

And few moments later … both men, probably same squadron, friends … they stop being humans and become angry beasts … they fought brutally while the crowd sheer … until one finally succumbs and still the others continue to hit his opponent, until he is hit by one tranquilizer dart and goes down. Then some men enter to clean the arena.

Ken: And the best of all this, is that he will not remember what he done, and we can use him next time* smiles *Oh! I have something for you! One information! Someone said … you know those friends of ours in Bretonia … that not long ago, one Zoner vip was arrested, and then we was take to prison, and then … this is the best part, to New London with an huge escort, and after that, he was released! What you tell me about that?

Red: Vip? Who?

Ken: I don’t know! Someone really important that the brets didn’t want anyone to know about it!

Red: Maybe someone … someone that has a relevant position on the community … someone the brets can use him to manipulate the zoners!

Ken: Yes!! I also thought about it! Erie version 2?! * Red agrees* Someone … that could deserve to … let’s say be in the arena?

Red: And me killing him!

Ken: * laughs* that is the Red I know! Look … a new thing I’m testing! *Three men, bretonians, enter the arena scared … and suddenly another enter but this one is different*

Red: That looks rheinlander but …

Ken: Yes?! Come on!!

Red: Infected?

Ken:*laughs* Yes! We have many of them closer that you think, and most usually commit suicide before we get then, but most are not all and I have few of them. Let’s see if they make a good show and if the crowd likes then.

* The combat was brutal, but Red can’t stop thinking … who is this vip and why bretonia let him go? After the loss of so many in the gallic war, they really don’t want to lose more soldiers, mainly when they want to keep the image of saviors and not oppressors. Red knows that Gran Canaria is a lost war, but bretonian blood will not be spill*