THE STORY OF TARKEN VOS SOMA
My name is Tarken Vos Soma, proud warrior of the Shajjyni people, and son of Al’tuk Vos Soma, clan leader of the Darrik village. Brother to two sisters, I constantly had my fathers complete attention, so I was trained in the ways of a warrior and raised to be a worthy successor of my father’s place. Ever since I was a mere child I have always had a strong sense of exploration and curiosity to what was outside of the planet that I was born in. Everyday I would see ships coming in and out of the planet, all of them passing through the modern city of “Outer Haven”. I would gaze at the ships in awe and amazement to how they were much faster than any animal we could tame or could be found in the planet. I expressed my curiosity and questions to my father about what was beyond Shajjyn, but as I told him about this I could see his facial expression change from pride to worry and concern.
He told me:“My son, all I can tell you is that whatever is outside, it’s not for you to discover, and your destiny lies within this village, and with your people”. I could not respond to him with any words of defiance because I knew he did not deserve it, since through all of my life he showed nothing but love and care towards me. So I could do nothing but accept his words and wonder back to my room to picture and imagine the sights I was set to miss if I stayed in the village, and thus fell asleep with mixed feelings. Several days later, one morning after I returned from hunting, the sky was dark red, signaling that a storm of acid rain was inbound, not exactly the best kind of omen to start off the day, which worried me in a certain way, because I felt something wasn’t right. When I returned to the village I sighted some heavily armored trucks outside of the entrance and I immediately knew that from this point on my life would completely change.
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As I entered the village I didn’t see anyone outside of their huts, and I could tell that whatever was going on, it had scared everyone so badly that they looked for safety within their homes. I headed for the town hall, sensing that whatever was happening, it was being resolved in there. I snuck into the town hall just so I could go by unnoticed and find out what was going on. As I snuck inside I advanced to the meeting room of the town hall into which I peaked to see what was going on. I examined the room and I could device my father along with some of his warriors, but there were 4 individuals I couldn’t recognize, all of them carrying weapons. One of them was talking to my father and he said: “Listen! If you don’t want your precious village going up in flames and everyone love dead, then do what we say and give us the resources that we are asking for!”
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My father looked with a stern face, but I could see the worry in his eyes he responded, “I am deeply sorry but what you are asking for is simply too ridiculous and impossible to achieve in the short time span you are setting, besides I don’t work for anyone, either we trade goods that are worth what you ask for or there is no deal.”
With that the mysterious individual who was talking to my father stopped and looked back at his friends and then at my father. He said, “Well then, don’t expect us to just walk away with that answer, I will walk away and return in half the time I told you, expecting what I want or else this village will be no more.” He walked towards the door were I was peeking from and I quickly had to hide behind some chairs so I wouldn’t be seen. When they were gone I entered the room with my father, as soon as he saw me he sent off his warriors, leaving me alone with him. I asked what was happening and he responded with a worried face and some silence.
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“Father! What’s going on?” I asked sensing the inevitable answer.
“The village is in danger, the people you just saw go through that door were members of the Akino band, the most dangerous group of mercenaries in the planet” He said. I hear him and my heart stopped for a second, I had heard the name before when my father met with leaders of other villages, and the talked about how one village had disappeared entirely along with their people. Now I knew that it was a serious threat so I felt anxious, worried and scared of how we could be the next victims of the Akino band.
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I looked up at my father and said, “We must fight! We must defend out people! We can’t just allow this to happen!” My father looked away, ashamed of himself for not having he courage of dying for his people. He said that we had to try our best to collect what we could for them and pray to Shynjjani that they would be content with it. I looked at him in disbelief, as if he had just spat on my face, and I walked way in anger. The days went on and as people collected as much as they could I would just train to fight the imminent threat, because I knew that they would not leave us alone after we gave them what they wanted. I talked to my friends at the warrior academy, which agreed with me that we had to fight the Akino clan. When the day finally came I heard the sound of multiple engines approaching our village and my friends and I took our attacking positions, ready to ambush. My father went out to greet them, presenting them with the materials that they had managed to collect.
“I see you did go and look for the things I asked. Wasn’t so hard was it? But my dear friend, I regret to inform you that this isn’t what I asked for.” The leader of the Akino said angrily. In just a second he managed to stab my unsuspecting father in his stomach, and I immediately stood from my hiding place to open fire on the Akino clan, enraged. At the same time my friends did the same, blasting them down with laser, forcing them into hiding behind their trucks. I jumped my barricade and ran for my father, whom I pulled out of the battlefield into cover and aid of my people. My father looked at me with proud eyes and I looked back saddened but determined to finish the Akino clan. After taking care of my father I went back to aid my friends who were already being overrun by the superiority of the Akino. The clan’s warriors then came out to help us and we stood in a standstill of attacking and being attacked for some time, until they managed to get closer. They managed to breach the walls of the village and started shooting up anything they could see. The village became chaos, and I could see warriors falling to the ground beside me, and I started wondering what would happen if we lost. We were being incredibly overpowered by the Akino, and when I thought all was lost, I heard a loud crack in the sky, and as I looked up I saw a spaceship rain fire on the Akino, pushing them back and killing some. I did not know who they were but I was grateful for their help. As we got rid of every remaining member of the band, I sighted their leader making a run for one of their trucks and before he could get on I shot him on his back, killing him.
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After the battle was won the spaceship landed and out of it came people in uniform I had never seen before. After they were all out a tall slender but tough figure exited the ship, wearing a red and white outfit, with a black cape. I approached him, weary of any hostile action from him, but he merely extended his hand and introduced himself as Captain Jonathan Striker.
“I am Captain Jonathan Striker, member of the Infinity Knights and leader of the Apollo Explorer Class ship. We heard about the Akino looking to mess with your people. We have been pursuing them for their war crimes and looking to bring an end to their terror for a long time. I see that your people are very brave and are very strongly capable of resisting adversaries.” I nodded in gratitude for the compliment
“I hope you don’t mind but, what are the Infinity Knights anyways Mr. Striker” I asked curiously.
“The Infinity Knights are a group of people from all around the galaxy who have gathered to bring peace and tranquility to it. We are agents of peace and dedicate ourselves to explore the farthest reaching places in search for new allies to join our federation.” When he said, “explore” I was immediately captivated by the idea of exploring the galaxy and how it was what I always wanted to do. “Speaking of which, do you wish to join us in our adventures Mister?”
“Tarken. Uhh actually I would love to but…” My words faded as I faced the possibility of exploring the whole galaxy, my excitement was unreal, but then I remembered my father. I rushed back to where I left him and checked on him to see if he was all right. He was in stable conditions and I relaxed, knowing my father was now safe. “Father?” I said.
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“Tarken, my boy, you fought bravely today you defended the people of Darrik from certain doom and you have proven yourself worthy of my position.” He said with pride in his voice. I looked at him happily but also worried for what I was about to say.
“Father, the people who aided us, they are called the Infinity Knights…” And as I explained to him about my wishes to join them his expressions grew stern, but also with a light touch of acceptance he replied.
“Son, if it is your wish to join these Infinity Knights in order to bring peace and order to the galaxy, then so be it, I cannot say no to what you desire the most, besides I still have some years of ruling left to do here!” He said with a happy note in the end. I looked at him in disbelief, he had actually allowed me to go and join them. I embraced my father in his bed and I went to talk to Captain Striker about joining them.