Uperthopia 1

The sun blinds you for a second. The fresh air hits your lungs, you can taste the difference even through the filters of your cockpit. You give out the orders as instructed during training, pressing the team to get in formation. In the distance other teams are doing the same, it's like looking in a far away mirror. The familiar voice of your higher up is ringing in your head, they give out the order: burn. So you do. You watch the used soil go into flames. The fields, the grazings and the houses equally returns to dust. [[>>> ->Land2]]

After a few hours, you wipe sweat of your face. The cockpit is made of thick ballistic glass with filthered air conditioner but these are almost pointless considering the hell fire this machines unleash. "Soldier 2682, take your team back to the lift." [[Copy that Officer. ->Land3]]

Somehow the Officer's voice doesn't sounds familiar anymore. "Enter formation C." It's a reflex, you gesture to the team and the five of you form a defensive line around the base of the pillar. Arwin squints his eyes. "Weren't the Farmers evacuated yesterday?" You open your mouth to confirm but you can't deny the hundred of people running towards you. "What the fuck?" Ravi sums up the situation. [[>>> ->Order2]]

They are approaching rapidly. Hundred of them at the very least, mostly elders but also women and small children. Their clothes are in shreds but you recognise the Farmer's uniform. Tears trace white trails on their faces covered in soot. For a moment you wonder how they will all fit in the lift. "..dier 2682 do you copy?" You're dragged back to reality. [[Soldier 2682 waiting for orders.->Order3]]

"Fire at will. No survivors." [[Execute the Order -> Order Executed]] [[Do not execute the Order -> Order Not Executed]]

You freeze. Something breaks inside of you, a string that has been pulling you forward since the day you enlisted. "Soldier 2682, do you copy?" You exhale slowly, the empty space left by the snaped string is cold like a breeze. "For fuck sake... Team VII_8, fire at will, it's an order." You close your eyes and cover your ears, it's not enough to conceal the screams nor the smell of burned flesh. [[>>> ->Order Not Executed2]]

It's a reflex. Your arms moved on their own, you push the buttons and execute the protocol, the machines are heating up and soon the barrels are ready. You feel so disconnected, you watched your body move. Focused and absent at the same time. [[Fire -> Fire]]

You unleash hell fire on those people. You want to close your eyes but you can't. The first within your reach is an old man, you lock eyes with him during a split second. The look of pure terror resonates within you, he opens his mouth to warn the other but the burst of flame hits him first. [[>>>->Fire2]]

It's so long before the horizon clears out of targets to fire at. You painfully unclench your hands from the controls, your fingertips pale from the pressure. These hands shake so much, so uncontrollably, you doubt they are yours. "Good job Team VII_8, come back." [[>>> ->Lift2]]

The lift goes up, putting your stomach to the test. Everyone is dead silent, your head is ringing, the screams collide between your ears in a never ending echo. [[>>> ->GeneralYes]]

Minutes feel like hours, when you finally lift your head up your eyes meet with a field of burned corpses. "Get back Team VII_8." You don't dare meet anyone's eyes. [[>>> -> Lift3]]

The lift goes up, putting your stomach to the test. Everyone is dead silent, your head is ringing, the screams collide between your ears in a never ending echo. [[>>> ->GeneralNo]]

You return to your quarters, still shaken by what you saw during your first mission as a Burner. Seeking refuge, you head to your room, but before you can settle, you're called to see the General. [[>>> ->GeneralNo2]]

You enter the circular room, where a large bay window offers a striking view of the barracks and the training grounds. Reaching the center of the room, you drop to one knee and place a fist on the ground. The General stands with his back to you, his gaze fixed on the view through the bay window. [[Artha, soldier 2682, rank ... Burner. ->GeneralNo3]]

The General speaks with his back turned, still gazing through the window. "Congratulations on your promotion, soldier 2682." [[Thank you, General. ->GeneralNo4]]

"Stand up soldier 2682." You stands up stiff as a board. The General picks up a file with your name on it. "Raised on the training grounds, first in her class, recommended by her lieutenant for the role of Burner." The General looks up from his file and fixes his eyes on you. "It would be a shame to spoil such a promising future." You have a hard time swallowing, here it comes. 'I have been told that you did not carry out the order to fire soldier 2682. Is this true? [[Yes, General. ->GenralNo5]]

"What do you have to say in your defense soldier 2682?" The anger in his voice almost makes you flinch, his gaze feels like it's piercing your skin. [[My Burner was dysfunctional and I could not fire when the order was given. ->GeneralNo6]] [[I thought the order was not in accordance with the mission. ->GeneralNo7]]

"Yet you reported no malfunction on Mecha Burner #84." [[I... ->GeneralNo6.A]]

The General scoffs, you can hear his teeth grinding. "You thought? You are not asked to think soldier 2682, you are asked to carry out the order given to you." He approachs you suddenly and gets very close to your face. His voice hissing in anger, you fight off the urge to look away as gobs of spit cribble your cheek. "This mistake could cost you a lot, soldier 2682. Is that clear?" [[Yes, General. I will not disappoint you again, General. -> GeneralNo7.A]]

"You will speak when spoken to Soldier 2682." His voice is filled up with anger. He looks at you with disdain, you clench your jaw and struggle to relax your muscle. Anything could fuel his anger so you must do your best to keep everything about you as neutral as possible. "You seem to have a sharp tongue, so keep in mind that all information you have because of your rank as a burner is strictly confidential." The General toss your files back on his desk and turns his back to you. "You may dismiss."

He walks away and dismisses you with a sweep of his hand. "Dismiss." You're already about to leave the room. When his voice stops you from opening the door. "Keep in mind that all information available to you through your Burner rank is strictly confidential."

"Stand up soldier 2682." You stand up stiff as a board. The General picks up a file with your name on it. "Raised on the training grounds, first in her class, recommended by her lieutenant for the role of Burner." The General looks up from the files and stares directly at you. You fight off the urge to look away, it's like his eyes see right through you. "You have a bright future ahead of you, Artha. Perhaps one day you will succeed me." You struggle to swallow. This praise sounds awfully like a threat. [[I will not disappoint you General. ->GeneralYes4]] [[(Say nothing)->GeneralYes4]]

"Keep in mind that all information available to you through your rank as a burner is strictly confidential." He turns back to the window and dismisses you with a sweep of his hand. "You may dismiss."

Hairs burn first, lighting up like candles the strands frizz and curl up to the skull then disapear. The clothes last a bit longer, they are devoured like sheets of paper. Irregular holes form and reveal an increasingly darkening flesh. Hands clench into a fist, the elbows retract into a boxer pose. The body starts to cooperate with the fire, nourishing it with fat and oils. Pinkish foam pours out of the mouth transforming the screams into gurgling sounds. [[>>> ->Fire3]]

The screams fill your head like a waterfall. Gutural shrieks of visceral pain. The smell is foul, it coats your throat in grease forbiding you from swallowing. You gag as the strong smell of burned pig meat fills your cockpit. [[>>> ->Fire4]]

You signal your team to get back to the lift, the heavy mecha stomp on the burned land as your team retracts to the pillar. You hear a faint noise and something move in your peripheric vision. [[>>> ->Order1]]