Being a pilot of the sophisticated shadows Ostros opened the doors to many avenues.
However, Cyprun was a beautiful place to live for a year or two. Cassio was sure he was going to be occupied. Made up of six miniature moons circling around a stationary, black hole center known as the Bottom's Dream, the Cyprun Valley System was a rich mixture of forests, exotic beaches, and waterfalls. Cyprun itself, had the largest ocean and waterfall.
In the few days he was there, he lived the Cyprian life. They were friendly and his surroundings could not have been grander. Cyprun's young female population was said to be the largest in the ATM with some of the most stunning and curvaceous female flesh around. Because they were friendly and accepting to anyone, Cassio never had to worry about dates or even pleasing them with expensive stuff. Throughout most of his time, all he did was take women out for dinner, dancing, and nights of sex. He was sure that as soon as he left the place, he was going to leave his marks, along with his seeds, with almost all of the young girls of the two-island planet.
Then, one night, when he went out alone, he met someone that would change his whole life forever. She would become another reason for not only coming here, but settling down in Cyprian life.
Cassio met her as she drank wine wearing a slick silver dress at a bar. Cassio came with the same lingo he used on most women and used it on her, but she was not impressed. He thought it was rude at first, but based on the attitude starting out, Cassio knew that this woman at one time or another had seen and heard it all before.
A challenge, he told himself.
He would see the woman often. Still, it was the same. It had gotten to the point where Cassio tried harder to be cool when he should just be himself.
And be himself he did, which only gave him a conversation and nothing more.
He started out with a joke. The woman flinched. He came with another joke. She came with a smart remark. Then, he told the truth. That was what she was waiting for.
The thrill of that one conversation hooked Cassio from that point forward. There were no more random dates. This was the one woman he wanted to hang out with during his stay.
More conversations follow. In the midst of it, Cassio finally got a name and age as well.
Nineteen-year-old Bianca Stilicho.
From what he knows, Bianca traveled to Cyprun since she started in her teens. Her father was a powerful man with homes everywhere. Cyprun was a vacation spot for her and her family, she had told Cassio on one occasion. Afterwards, whenever she got the chance, she would come here during long breaks from school. Cassio told her about being a pilot, his life in Solaria, his friends, and his new lease on life.
The walls were coming down. Cassio and Bianca was a natural couple in all public places. He would take her to the outposts to show her off to his comrades. She would take him to her father’s villa and show him off to the servants and maids. Her father was not there, so she got away with being the mistress of the household. They would go out dancing, parties, and films, a definite love for the both of them.
Then there was the first kiss.
It started when they came back from an amusement park. They were on a Ferris wheel, nearly seven stories. They kissed when they got midair, unlike anything Cassio had ever tasted. Bianca’s lips were sweet like her favorite fruit, the Cyprian tangerine. His were salty, and was sure that this would be a turnoff for her.
In an interpersonal standing, Cyprun produced a new couple.
Cassio Ramirez and Bianca Stilicho. Sitting in trees. Kissing...
****
Lucius Gaines got his transfer. Most of his comrades from Solaria, were being sent to the Cyprun Valley. He saw this as a sign that the war was close to being over and he was counting the days. A weight was off his shoulders and he thought he could relax and vast in the glow of the clear, crisp, white water, maybe take a swim and fly over it just to say he did it.
Instead, he was sent to Sicili, which had water, but not the way he imagined it.
Unlike Cyprun, Sicili consisted of one large island, but the water was made of blood, or so the legend said. Sicili was a violent place wrapped in honorable mystique. The only honor came it with the ancient architecture the planet still had dating back centuries with artifacts and fossils yet to be discovered. It was said that in the past, aliens occupied the planet until there was a revolution between different sects of aliens. Since the centuries after the ancient feud, there has not been much change. The citizens of the ATM in the age of the 70's B.E. were more violent and cunning than any creature in the galaxy.
Although he heard the rumors and the stories, Lucius never bothered with it. He was there for a purpose. It may him feel better about being there because Juliet was in Sicili as well along with her nursing staff stationed to hospital setups to tend the wounded.
Juliet did not see him until she was available a few days after she first landed, going by the only old-modeled trains running in the planet to see him. Lucius felt a little better and smiled more about his apparent situation. He was not fighting or losing friends. He felt like a kid again being around his friends; especially Alonso, who came days after. He missed Cassio, though, but he told himself that he would make time for him.
When everyone came together, they took a tour of the country, taking a view of the villages from the air and hiking up to the Sicili Mountains. They even went on a special discovery trip to observe ancient artifacts found at the special Forlani Museum in the village of the same name. Thanks to a fellow archeologist with them on the tours, they were able to see the so-called secrets behind the Aventine Monarch Galaxy.
Overall, it was the most exciting and alluring trip Lucius and Juliet ever took.
In going on the tours around the towns of Sicili, old feelings returned to the surface. As far back as he could remember, he was in love with the delicate and innocent Juliet Barao. Those feelings never die as he took it with him in every battle he faced.
They went on a dinner date after their tours and from there, Lucius brought them out.
“I’m in love with you,” he came right out as Juliet was eating. "I have been for a long time. Like one of those romantic books that I kind of hate…it’s just that with everything going on, I just didn’t know when the right time was…I’m so sorry about the last time at the wedding. You were right. It should have been a happier time…We need as many happy times as we can get…That’s kind of why I’m glad we’re here. And why I’m glad you’re here.”
Lucius kept going. Juliet chuckled at his rambling.
“I understand,” Juliet said. “I understood when you said nothing.”
Lucius went back to his calm as Juliet took a sip of her wine and asked him seriously, “Do you think there’ll ever be an end to this war?”
Lucius replied gravely, “I hope so.”
“Why do you say it like that?”
The answer was clear. He was not thinking he would die or thinking that others he knew and loved would die. He thought that if the war did not end, he would become a monster and killing would be a part of his life for all eternity. He had taken too many risks in the skies and he knew that if he kept running into fires and coming back alive, he would fall too much in love with trying to defy death.
“I don’t want to see anybody else die from this,” Lucius said finally.
“I know what you mean," Juliet said. "I love to help people, but I just may lose my mind if I see another man with a missing limb. It makes me think what Ichiamo is doing in Crystal Metropolis to end this.”
“Relying on us,” Lucius answered. “We’re the Rooster Boys after all.”
With that, the seriousness turned into a chuckle. For a while, they was laughter in the Force of Arms War…
****
Cassio took his new girlfriend, Cyprian beauty Bianca Stilicho to his base and they flew his newly-painted red Ostro out into space. He was doing all kinds of tricks in space. Gravity was good to him. They took a four-day cruise around the other
five moons of the Cyprun Valley System: Tyre, Padua, Sardin, Sicili, and Messin. All had different colors from fuchsia to aqua-orange and all were beautiful. Bianca could not help but be amazed at this former playboy who took her to the stars and beyond.
When they got back to Cyprun, she was so full of life and joy that they started kissing passionately as soon as they found a hiding place inside the airport. They took one of the Ostro covers and used it as a bed.
Their first kiss was expected. Their first night making love was spontaneous. Both feelings were good. Cassio had never met a woman as alive as Bianca, and for the first time ever in her life, Bianca let another person into her world and her heart.
****
Bianca visited Cassio at his base and managed to catch him as he was doing maintenance on one of the wings his red Ostro. The minute he spotted her, he jumped off the wing and ran to her.
He gave her a hug and she blurted, "I want to show you something. Can you get away?"
Together, they drove to her palace. The minute he entered the gates, he realized she had company. Maids ran around trying to find decorations to hang around the villa in time for the upcoming holiday in the Cyprun known as “Moonshine Day.” It was the day in which the moons shine thanks to its special magnetic light. Cyprun will share its light with the other five moons, thus lighting the center of the Bottom’s Dream. All this will equal a sun shining for the entire galaxy to see.
Cyprians prepared weeks in advance for one of their grandest days. It was a time of family gatherings and plenty of food and wine. Cassio came by in the midst of running around because something significant was happening in Bianca’s household. Cassio kept asking her, but she stayed silent.
The surprise came in caravan of lengthy, expensive cars; people in a few and presents in the rest. Cassio saw kids coming out as well, along with their parents. He shook his head in confusion. He thought it was something romantic. In looking at the decorations and the hyperactive kids, he put it together.
A man in his fifties came out from the main white car and gave Bianca a big hug. He was followed by a handsome baby boy on his arm wearing a blindfold. Bianca introduced Cassio to the man as his uncle and the young boy as the reason for the party.
All three and Cassio went inside. When they came out, all approached Bianca and the uncle. Cassio was literally pushed out of the way. All were touching the child making humorous noises.
Watching the closeness between Bianca and the child, he figured it all out. His young girlfriend was also a young mother. He asked a servant about the kid and his name.
"His name is Hector," the servant answered.
During the party, he refrained from speaking to Bianca until he could find the right time to talk to her. Anger was rising from him as he continued to wonder why she kept up this lie after they had some good times together.
Then, Cassio saw a sight. He saw how Bianca was treating the child. Her eyes lighted up whenever Hector made a sound trying to talk. The way she held him. The way she bragged about him to her friends. There was no way he could be mad at her for being a mother. Why should he be? Seeing the connection between mother and child brought a tear from his eye.
After the fun kids’ party had ended, Bianca and Cassio were alone with baby Hector, holding her to the sky. Cassio came to her shoulder. Bianca showed him Hector and Cassio brought out his arm without even thinking about it.
"He's a beautiful child," Cassio said to her. "So soft!"
In that minute, Bianca’s connection became his connection as well. He found another reason to see her. Hector Bozario Stilicho was a gift from the gods.
****
After the great surprise at her home, Cassio came by more and more, not just to check on Bianca, but on Hector as well. Since Bianca was a single mother, Cassio did not mind filling in as father figure. Before he knew it, he found himself talking with Bianca about a future with her and Hector.
“Bianca, there’s something I want to ask you. We’ve been seeing each other for a while and I think we need to take this to the next level.”
“What level?” Bianca chuckled.
“A level neither one of us have ever been, but I think willing to try.”
Cassio went into his pockets and went on one knee. He took Bianca’s hand as Hector made some happy noises at them.
“Bianca, I love you very much. And I can’t think of any other way to express that love than this. Bianca Stilicho, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
Bianca’s mouth was wide open. She stood up, but then, she took his hand away and went to the balcony with Hector. The stars were up and a tear came to her eye. Cassio followed her while keeping an eye on Hector.
“Is something wrong?” Cassio said.
“Hector’s father was...We had a one-night stand," she said. "He left and I ended up with Hector. I never saw him again, so I didn’t get the chance to know if he was going to be a good father. I care about that boy very much and I would do anything for him.”
“What are you saying?”
Bianca faced him. “I won’t be with anyone who won’t involve Hector. He’s my life.”
“You think I won’t be a part of his life?”
“I want to be sure. I don’t want to give you an answer until you spend some time with him.”
Cassio was thrilled. This was more than a yes. This was another challenge. He left Bianca’s villa that night with a good thought. He was going to be the best substitute father ever to Hector. He was going to love him just as he loved the mother.
Hector left Bianca feeling more invincible than ever before. Just when Cassio thought the night could not be better as he returned to the airport, he was interrupted by a phone call.
"We have a new mission, Ramirez. We're going to Troyuvant. We need all pilots to come to the base immediately for briefing."
Cassio gave a sigh as he sped up down the road on his cruiser. "Yes sir! I'm on my way!"
He was on the move and soon, back to space to face another mission in which he may not come back. There were parts of him that wanted to stay in Cyprun. However, Cassio had new motivation, so there was no doubt in his mind that he was coming back to Bianca no matter what he had to do.
****
A lone pilot waited for the moment. For days, his home has been a flagship drifting off into space. His time has been spent in or near his Vandal fighter, waiting for the special green light to come on near the sliding entrance door. When it came on, he would be released from the wound of the mothership and then, he must fly with a fleet of at least twenty thousand planes branded with two insignias; one with the colors of green and white, while the other had the bloody cross connected with the brown stripe, representing the Second Renaissance.
He already knew when it would happen. It would be right after a day called Moonshine Day, a day when the Bottom’s Dream that centered the Cyprun Valley lighted up thanks to the rays of the moons’ glow.
While he waited, he wrote many letters. Some were to his aunt, who had taken care of him since he was a kid; and his older brother, who had left years ago to join the fight and was presumed dead. They were his only family. The only people that he cared about. The only people he would go to with his problems.
Other letters were just to him. They were his thoughts, his feelings, his dreams, and anything else that appeared. He knew that when that hatch opened, it would be time to create some chaos.
He was never known for making friends. Only enemies. That was part of the reason he joined the House of Latium and became a part of the Second Renaissance religion. He wanted answers as to who he was and why he was doing what he was doing. So far, there was nothing but questions and with the escalating war, nothing but tension. Plus, he had to deal with the ongoing rumors about turmoil with the hierarchy of the House of Latium, shaking the believers of the Second Renaissance to the core.
Nevertheless, he swore a duty when he joined, and like everything he did with his life, he had to see
it through no matter what happened.
That was just the kind of person Chosen Toshio had always been.
****
With the Force of Arms War raging on, a majority of the ATM forces, a quarter of the soldiers from Solaria, were coming to the Cyprun Valley for refueling and reflection.
Everyone needed a break at this point.
Most of them spent their time trying to find news on what King Ichiamo Santos’s plans were in ending the war. So far, there was none, but he kept their morale up.
Back in Crystal Metropolis, Ichiamo started making speeches about how his father was a warrior and how he would not run from a fight. No one was for running, but everyone was sick of fighting.
INIQUITOUS DOMINION: The Galactic Classic Page 18
