Where Dust Glows

Kali felt herself climax slowly approaching, and in a bid to speed it up started squeezing her love canal around Malik. Malik's head exploded with stars as Kali closed tightly around him, the friction and heat of their joining shooting bolts of lightning down his nerves as the urgency of their lovemaking pushed him to his climax at a rapid pace. Malik propped himself up on his arms, drops of sweat falling off his face and landing on Kali's blushed skin as he started driving himself into her even harder.

"I....I'mm....I'mmm....cu...." Kali's words failed to sneak in between her loud moans of pleasure as Malik's increased tempo caused the first trembles of her impending orgasm to start rippling from her center and down the rest of her body as her legs clenched around his waist and her nails dug into his back. Malik grabbed her arms and quickly pinned them over her head, holding her down as he pressed his body against her and started driving himself into her as hard as he could, the sweat acting as a lubricant as their bodies rubbed against each other. The feeling of Kali's nipples rubbing against Malik's rock hard chest was the final push over the edge she needed as she screamed her release and her walls clamped down around Malik, her hot juices gushing all over him as they signaled the arrival of her climax. Malik couldn't hold himself back anymore -- her screams of ecstasy in his ear and the pulsing tightness of her climax drove him over the edge as his moaned loudly, slammed himself home and gripped Kali to him tight, his seed flooding into her and coating her walls as they held each other through the last of their spasms before falling still in their embrace.

"I see someone missed me," Kali contently whispered, enjoying the feeling of Malik still pressing against her as she closed her eyes and savored the contact before the loneliness that was to come. "I have to get going to get ready. The patrol must leave soon." Malik rose off the bed and proceeded to his wash basin to clean himself up. He could have easily acquired better quarters for himself as the field commander of the Rangers, but he preferred the Spartan soldier's quarters that housed the rest of his men. Solidarity with his brothers in arms was important to him, and he knew they respected the fact that he did not take advantage of his senior station and only accepted what was in kind offered to the rest of his men. A shower was definitely not one of them. He quietly dressed himself in his fatigues, stole one last look at the now sleeping beauty in his bed, and walked out the door hoping he would once again be lucky enough to make it back home to enjoy life's simpler pleasures.

** Some Time Later **

Daoud sat quietly in the central chambers as he watched the three men enter. Ali was first, dressed in his usual homemade robes, followed by a very tired and grimey Malik, the rear of the group being made up by Pavel, Malik's corporal who looked almost worse for wear than his superior. The somber expression on all their faces told Daoud that fortune's rays did not shine on his people so deep under the ground. The three men lined up in front of his chair and bowed their heads in respect.

"We have returned, Shepherd." Daoud looked up and smiled sadly. "Seargent Malik -- how many times must I ask you to put aside this formality. I hear enough of this Shepherd at council meetings, and I dislike the notion that my people follow me as blindly as the sheep my title suggests I lead."

"My apologies, Master Daoud." "What news do you bring?" "Our patrol set out a week ago along the Odessa route to the underground warehouse with the aim of acquiring additional batteries for our patrol equipment and to scavenge the area for medicine. Our secondary objective was to acquire quality cloth for garments. We knew something was amiss as we traveled -- the usual feral animal activity was not present in the area. Upon arriving at the storage site, we found that supplies that were verified to be there during a preceeding patrol were no longer present and two animal bodies were found, showing obvious firearm wounds. We were not able to recover anything of use and proceeded to return via the Mantec tunnels in hopes that some of the smaller rooms available off the tunnels may hold some supplies, in addition to avoiding the Odessa line due to the unusual environmental circumstances of the line. On the way, we encountered a possible anomaly and diverted back to Odessa line for the journey back to the compound. No combat engagements to report."

Daoud paused and mulled the news. As far as he knew, they were the only human community in their area of the tunnels, and the Odessa line to the old storage compounds was considered safe and under their control. Clearly, this was a faulty assumption. "Captain Ali, do you have any theories pertaining to the...vanishing of the remaining supplies?"

"We suspect the Sabbat may have been in the area. The possibility of a small rogue pocket of humans was duly weighed, but the shooting reported by Sergeant Malik was too accurate, even for our soldiers. The beasts were slain by a single bullet through the eye socket. I sorrowfully recommend that the Odessa line be considered unsafe to travel."

"Very well Sergeant. You and the corporal may take your leave. Captain, please stay a moment so that we may discuss this development." Malik and Pavel saluted the elder and proceeded out of the room. "What do you think they're going to talk about?" Pavel inquired, worried about the results of their latest patrol. "Beats the fuck out of me," replied Malik. "All I know is that the whole mess reeks of tunnel rats, which is about as pleasant as Kali's cooking. As much as I respect the Shepherd, we may be in serious shit if Ali can't convince him to pull his head out of his ass and make the decision no one is comfortable making."

** Meanwhile **

"What are we going to do Ali? Our living space is shrinking and the air isn't getting any fresher. There is writing on the wall, and it speaks of death and blood."

"Master Daoud...I think time has come to face the end of our existence here. We cannot remain as we are if our thoughts about the Odessa line turn to fact. We need to find a way out."

Daoud looked at Ali, his bright blue eyes burning with the intensity of turmoil his thoughts were causing inside his head. His friend had a point. The journey was one he would not normally object to, but he worried that the costs of such an endeavor would prove too high.

"I ask for your wise council, friend. If you have an idea, now is the time to speak." Ali thoughtfully looked at Daoud. The desperation the older man must have felt to solicit help had his own words ringing deep inside his head. The old ways are best; the old ways which would see them die in his hole. He took a pause, and heard Kara's ideas flow from his mouth to the elder. "We need to explore the unknown tunnels. We have lived in fear of repeating the history of our ancestors, and ignored their accomplishments out of terror of their failures. They had much knowledge about geography and the surrounding lands. Perhaps we can find references to remote areas not scarred so by the war."

"You would have me lead our flock on a romantic journey to their death. The city is toxic and we have many young and weak. The Rangers are used to long treks and hostile terrain-- the rest of us will become ash in the rubble of the world above if we do as you suggest."

"Master Daoud, I respectfully..." Ali did not have a chance to finish his objection as Daoud interjected. "What, Ali? How can you argue against such truth? Perhaps you would have me sprout wings in my old age and fly to paradise?"

"And what if we could, Shepherd? The beacons of hope can only be extinguished by scarred old men throwing rags over them!" Daoud was taken aback by the sudden outburst from the normally soft-spoken man. "Are you proposing men can now fly? My friend, perhaps some rest would do you good."

"No. I simply offer for your consideration that we may find something -- what, I don't know -- but something that would allow us to leave. The Rangers have sworn an oath to protect our people. If our people are no longer safe here, then we will find a means of exit. I simply ask that you allow us to try."

"Very well...you may undertake your expedition. However, before you do, we must discuss something else." Ali looked at Daoud and saw his eyes flood with fear and sorrow. He instantly knew what was on the Shepherd's mind.

"Bal."

"As usual friend, you know what prevents peaceful dreams from coming to me when the lights are put out. He has applied to join you, and preferential treatment is unbecoming of Freemen -- I would shame both him and me by interfering. All I ask is that you try to keep him as safe as one can be in the cold tunnels. He is curious and impulsive, and the ghosts and the Sabbat lure young men to battle from which they are fated to not return."

"I will do my best, Daoud. But a Ranger is a Ranger, and they know what they signed up for. No amount of training and caution can hide us from death once the bony finger beckons." Daoud looked at Ali with a sad smile and nodded. "I know friend...I know. May the spirit of the Free Man walk with you all."

** Some Time Later **

"Rangers!" The ground would have shook if it was not solid concrete as the five men snapped to attention as Malik walked into the small briefing room of the Ranger's area of the compound.

"We welcome a new Ranger into our family today. He has passed the trials and earned his place, and will be heading out with us on patrol. As Rangers, we are the gatekeepers. We are the protectors. And if need be, we are the Free Man's vengeance on those who would do us harm." The strength and pride burning in his men's eyes caused Malik to swell with pride. They were the best of the best -- and they would follow him into through the toxic ash of the surface and the stifling darkness of the tunnel depths at a moment's command. "Ranger's Creed!" The men looked him dead in the eye, and spoke.

"I will bring light to bear against darkness which threatens my people."

"I will bring death to bear against evil which threatens my people."

"I will bring safety to bear against fear which threatens my people."

"I will walk with strength and honor, for humanity is what sets me apart from the beasts."

"I will fight with calm and skill, for rage is what leads men to unbecoming ends."

The men paused and looked to Malik, who spoke the last tenet. "Rangers; we walk together, we fight together. Unity will be our strength and discipline will be our guide." A brief silence filled the room as the mean let the words seep in -- they each found meaning in the symbolic words, the image not of the killer of the evil, but of the protector of the weak, their sacred duty to stand between their people and the monsters that lurked in the dark.

"Corporal Pavel, make battle ready!" The corporal took three steps out of the line and twirled around, the lack of polish to his words more than made up for by the intensity.

"Check your equipment! I don't want to hear one fucking mention of something missing, broken, stuck, or otherwise fucked up! Broken equipment makes a broken Ranger, and the only way to break a Ranger is to kill them. If that statement confuses you, take off the uniform and go back to school! We are heading into nastiest of deep shit this time, and we'll be out for a while. This is not an issue, because when we hit the shit, you'll be so fucking ready to kick ass that the Sabbat will find out just how much Ranger guns sting. Copy?"

"COPY CORPORAL!"

"Fucking right! Check your guns -- make sure the breech works. Ten packs of ammunition for your weapon. Check your sidearm. Four packs of ammunition. Check your flashlight, and your e-crank. I hear one fucking word about taking batteries, I'll shove the little we have left so far up your ass, you'll be spitting them out all week. Check your gas mask for cracks. Come on ladies, put them on, they'll make you beautiful. Check your filters, four each -- we might be going topside. Come on, come on, what are you waiting for, the Free Man? MOVE IT!"

Malik grinned. Pavel was not usually so blunt, but with Bal being new to the troop, sometimes a bit of profanity and roughness could be beneficial to instill a bit of discipline and attitude. He would need both in spades. Around him, Rangers were checking their weapons and making sure their cranks worked. He hated the cranks...the capacitor in them provided maybe 30 minutes of light before it started visibly running down and hand to be hand cranked back to full charge again. But with a "combat not guaranteed" mission of their length, they couldn't risk their remaining batteries to power the headlamps. The movement died down and he was startled from his inner monologue by the still loud Pavel.

"Rangers report battle ready, Sir!"

"Very well. We're heading into Istropolis station -- we haven't been down these tunnels in years and we have no idea what kind of shape they're in. Maintain formation, don't do anything stupid. Check your corners. Call your threats. If we hit Sabbat, your first thought should be getting cover. Remember: they are better shooters and they see better than you. Brains over brawn. Got that?"

"Loud and clear, Sarge."

"Very well...no time like the present. Rangers, move out!"

**** END OF CHAPTER ONE ****.

Thank you all for reading and please go easy on me. First real attempt at this kind of thing, and there is no editor so all screw-ups are mine.