Theo sat upon the dew speckled knoll with Merrion, sharing the last of their rations as the alien sun rose over the mountains topping with snow. Nothing showed the slaughter they had endured not too long ago. The light breeze softly kissed the exposed skin of their necks and faces, Theo sighed with a sorrowful dread of the memories of his fallen comrades and the hateful Banshees. Merrion nursed his left arm that had been bandaged in a thin sling that he had broken in the fleeing from Jones as she turned, and the command crew of Sector Zero One as they tried to kill him. A village of Nordflea sat at the base of the next hill, no defence walls could be seen, the grass was beautiful and emerald, their buildings numerous and narrow, only a single level above ground and made of curved stones that had moss growing on them, most of them ran under the soil, all had concealed tunnels joining each building together, allowing The Gryph to travel between buildings quickly and undetected above ground. The Gryph relied heavily on ranged weaponry and hit and run tactics, their battle armour was thin and light to allow them to move swiftly. As Theo and Merrion approached Nordflea, the blue beam from a Gryph weapon whizzed towards them, kicking up dirt and soil as the warning shot made contact with the earth at their feet, "Stand!" called the unmistakably foreign accent of a Gryph, "Stand and tell!" three Gryph came out of what seemed like a grass hill just to the left of the entrance road, it was actually a well covered guard bunker that blended perfectly with the moss covered buildings. Theo and Merrion hastily lowered their weapons and placed their hands in the air, gesturing peace or surrender. After they shared their experience of Red Sector Zero One with the guards, they had their arms tied and heads hooded. The Gryph had taken them prisoner. Theo's fears soon commanded his sensors. Surely he was about to be executed or tortured; was all his brain would allow him to think. What scared him the most, he didn't know which one he preferred. With his heart beating quickly and heavily in his breast, the damp smell of oil and dry blood filled his nostrils, the head bag stank, or was it the room he had been lead into. Feeling the hard floor beneath his feet change to a hollow grate that echoed in the small area, he felt the mechanics of the room descend. He was inside an elevator clearly, going down, into the sub floors. Into their torture chambers. Theo heard the Gryph talking in their own tongue, cackling maliciously, probably with excitement at the new ways they had planned to inflict pain and death onto Theo. "Merrion!" whispered Theo and was answered with a butt of a rifle in between his shoulders. "Your friend no here. Leave message, I am sure he will not get." said the Gryph to his right with another laugh. Theo recalled what Jack had said about the Gryph. Theo found himself repeating his friends earlier racism "Pale bastards." he spat and was again struck with the end of a rifle. Jack was right not to trust them. The Gryph surely had this planned for the humans all along. The elevator stopped suddenly with a bounce on the stopping springs, with that information, Theo knew he was on the lowest sub-floor. With another hit between his shoulders, he slowly walked forward, feeling with his feet for objects in his path when he felt his captors arms slip in between his and lift him slightly, forcing him forward with greater speed. Until he was forced to sit in a cold hard metal chair.
"Now, Human. What Name?"
"Corporal Theo Richmond, Red Seven-Three"
"What your job?"
"Corporal Theo Richmond, Red Seven-Three"
"What your job!"
"Corporal Theo Richmond, Re..."
Theo was struck at the back of the head with the butt of the rifle
"Answer Commander!" spat the guard
Theo breathed heavily with defiance, "I. Will. Not. Consort. With. Alien. Traitors!" every word forced through gritted teeth. He could feel the warm wet blood flow down the back of his head where he had been struck. "Traitor? We defend ourself. You attack us. Bring us bad enemy that destroy space station!" spat the commanding Gryph. If only they removed his hood, so he could see where the Gryph were, Theo very much wanted to spit in their faces.
The door to the room opened with a creak and quick but light steps rushed passed Theo and the unknown figure spoke to the one of the Gryph, who seemed to hum with agreement.
"So, you hold back secret fleet. Come to us in friendship, and then reveal your secret, destroy our orbital defence, but misfire and attack your own forces! Ha! I have never seen such stupidity from a space bound race. But, say that... perhaps you seek revenge for the first fleet you sent? Hmm?" he asked purposefully. Theo did not understand. First fleet? He was in the first fleet. What revenge was this mad alien talking about?
"I am in the First fleet..."
"No, you are the second Human fleet to come. We destroy the first one."
"No. we are the first fleet to come here."
"Stupid human" said the commander and spoke in his native tongue as the guard behind Theo struck him again, knocking him out.