The Iron Skeleton

Chapter 4

Hannah sighed. She stepped out of the Butterfly's cockpit and into the main cabin. Her legs felt cramped from sitting in the same seat for so long, and she also needed a change of pace every now and then. She grinned at one of the soldiers sitting in the cabin, indicating he could sit in the front with a jerk of her thumb. 

Without ceremony, she entered the small holding chamber that contained Falcon. Nobody's checkin' on him, and that's kinda messed up. The man's stunning blue eyes met her brown-irised gaze. 

Hannah cleared her throat. "So, how're ya feelin'?" 

Falcon shrugged. "I can move a bit now, but it's all weak." 

"It's a process." Hannah affirmed with a nod. She gently felt his arms, frowning as she came down to his hands. "They're so cold!" 

"So's your leader." Falcon retorted. 

Hannah giggled as she took the man's meaty hands into her own smaller palms and tried to warm them up. "I guess you're right. Chariya's the kinda gal who's only really nice when you're currently in agreement with her." 

"I've noticed. Now, tell me something. Among the ranks of you...insurgents, I've encountered nothing but surly faces and stony hearts, except for you. What's the deal with you?" 

"Well, I dunno. It's just kinda how I am. Only sunlight makes the flowers grow, and I reckon that's why I try to be bright." 

The corners of Falcon's mouth lifted slightly, but he turned his face away. "What's your name?" 

"Hannah. I'm assumin' you have a name, too?" 

"I do. Falcon." 

Hannah rolled her eyes playfully. "You still haven't convinced me that you're actually a god. C'mon now." 

Falcon bit his lip and remained silent for a minute. "Where are we, anyway?" he finally asked. 

"Passin' over Odego." the girl answered, ignoring the fact he'd disregarded her previous statement. 

The man nodded, but said nothing more in reply. 

"Y'know," Hannah began a minute later, a thought having occurred to her, "have ya ever really thought 'bout why we're doin' this?" 

Falcon glanced up. "Doing what?" 

"Fightin' and strivin' against your Empire." 

"I have, though I try to waste as little time on foolish thoughts as possible." 

"Perhaps it ain't as foolish as ya think, though. I reckon we all have our own reasons, but—" 

"Hannah, don't let them poison your mind! This rebellion is little more than a glorified riot, full of fanatical zealots who kill loyal Alconteans, leave innocent civilians dead in their wake, and have absolutely no plan for reconstruction, assuming they do emerge victorious. How can you possibly think that to be commendable?" 

"Well, that's just a skewed view of it, and lumpin' us with the Ferangian Resistance is unfair to us. We ain't perfect. I readily admit that. But I know for a fact, that the Empire ain't perfect either. You accused us of stealin' men from their families earlier, but that ain't true. Your Redistribution Force does that, sure. And your military drafts do that, also. But our men are all volunteers, and come readily." 

"So your superiors have told you." 

"Actually, I've heard it from many of their own mouths. Falcon, I hope you're actually listenin'," Hannah said, her brow wrinkling, "cause a lot of us just want freedom, politically, and in many cases, religiously. Do you realize how hard it's gettin' to not follow Emil's religion, just 'cause he's so much more obsessed with it than his daddy ever was?"