Nightfall, a peaceful time. It was dark where he lay, in a cold room made of steel with one window, open and letting the breeze roll in. A bed lay at one end, where was now resting, his eyes scanning a report that sat on the bed, in front of him. Light from a single oil lantern illuminated the room, allowing him to see the words written upon it.
He looked up from it, eyes travelling to firm steel walls around him. It didn't feel very welcoming, this room they'd allocated to him, but it was a step up from the others. He could actually stretch his legs without hitting a wall, or worse still, another soldier. It was one of the perks of being among Colonia's 'elite' forces. There were few who ever became elite soldiers. You were either born with the purpose of being one, or you showed great bravery or prowess in a defining battle. He was a Pesteon, a powerful species of bug-type, and as such was the former. As soon as he was old enough to begin training, the country had given him some of the finest in all the land.
Only about two years ago had he begun doing proper missions for the good of Colonia. One might say he was inexperienced. One would be wrong. Just because he hadn't been at it long, didn't mean he was bad at it. In fact, he'd taken to some of his missions like a fish to water, to the point where he'd even been awarded a small medal for his efforts. He never wore it though, he already had a pendant around his neck. A small, fur-covered foot. It had been given to him by a close friend of his father's, a fellow scientist he'd come to call Aunt Fleta. When he'd asked his father, Percival, one of the Royal Court's scientists, what it symbolised, he'd been told it was a 'Rabbit's foot', going off a foreign superstition of some kind that they provided you with good luck. He had kept it on regardless of that, as it held... sentimental value.
Shaking his head, as if to snap himself out of his dreaming, his gaze was once again locked on the report before him. It was a fairly long briefing on an upcoming assault to occur in the north. Him and a small force of roughly forty men were to claim a town for Colonia. A simple enough land-grab, but it had to be done by the book. No alerting neighbouring regions, building a small base of operations in the town. Most of this didn't involve him, he was simply there to make sure it all went by the book and that any enemy forces were dealt with in as efficient a manner as possible. Once all that was over and done with, he'd simply head back to the capital and await further orders. He lived to serve, after all.
With the report read over and his upcoming mission ingrained in his mind, he tossed it onto the floor, his focus now on the hussle and bussle of the city that lay beyond his window. He hadn't gone there in a while, as Colonian affairs had kept him busy. Perhaps he should go there tomorrow. He had time before he was to leave to stop in on the merchants in the marketplace that he had seen often growing up. Or maybe he should go to the palace, say goodbye to his father and the researchers.... No, not that last idea. He always got strange looks from the researchers. Most of the palace seemed to treat him strangely. Hell, even some of the town gave him looks occasionally. He put it down to the fact there was very few Pesteon around. His mother had died when he was born and he knew of no others in the city.
It was strange, being the only one of your kind. It was like you were always alone, even around others. It was an odd feeling, to say the least. He pushed the thoughts from his mind, his gaze turning from the window as he lay back down in his bed. Whatever personal issues he had could wait, the first thing on his mind should be the safety and integrity of his great nation, Colonia. His silly problems were nothing compared to the threats Colonia faced. He scolded himself for being so selfish, before closing his eyes and attempting to sleep.
