November 14th, 2005.

Lusty was in her office at the firehouse. She put a piece of paper into a typewriter, which she knows how to use. Lusty cracked her knuckles and neck, and then she started to type.

The letter said:

Dear Mayor,

I am writing to voice my concern about our city's priorities and encourage you to focus on initiatives to enhance our quality of life in the city of Empire.

It's unfortunate to see the city investing in bars, gentlemen's clubs, and pubs that don't contribute to essential growth or serve the majority of residents. Instead, we must improve residential structures and public services, particularly in the Eastside.

We can take lessons from our city's history, such as the initiative to replace wooden homes with prefabricated steel homes in the Post-World War 2 era. If we could accomplish this, then we can do it today.

Although the city has invested in renovating sports stadiums, we need to prioritize fundamental needs like modern housing, clean streets, and strengthened civil services, including more firehouses, police precincts, and upgrades to schools.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to observing positive changes under your administration.

Best regards,

Lieutenant Claire 'Lusty' Johnson

Rescue Engine/Squad Company 141

1404 Starfish Street, Riverview, Empire

Lusty typed the same for the city's eleven Aldermen and eleven District Representatives. To Lusty, she knew that the District Reps are there to support their districts and the people in their districts. But in reality, they’re only doing it for the money and whatnot, but nothing happens anyway.

Then she put all the papers she typed and mailed each one out to each District Representative and every Alderman in the city, even to the mayor. When she put them into the mail dropbox and returned to her office, she opened up her sketch notebook and started to doodle some ideas about what future fire and police stations would look like; she made a few sketches of spacious and eco-friendly firehouses and police stations and with space for whoever is assigned their can train in their off time or wait for a call to come in.

Some of them she drew were very detailed, and one firehouse she sketched with a blue ballpoint pen and a number two pencil was down to the point one firehouse she drew had a comprehensive and long apparatus bay for one type 1 fire engine, a ladder truck, a water tender, foam tender, and either a HAZMAT unit, Mobile Air unit, Mobile Communications unit, Operational Support Unit, or maybe house an Ambulance or a Mass Casualty Unit vehicle. But it has a maintenance/storage area behind it, a communications room, a kitchen/dining area, a training area, a sleeping quarters/bedroom, and a locker room area, but it’s all a single-story firehouse.

For a police station, besides being eco-friendly, she drew an outside sketch with the roof having rooftop solar panels. She also put notes on the side of it saying: PC= Personnel carrier (aka a police van), SC= Special carrier an APC, SP= Squad Patrol (Police Car), HL= Helicopter, and others. The station she drew is a modern three-story building, with the first floor being the main lobby, changing/locker room, and presentation room. The second floor has offices and an armory, the basement has cells, and the third floor has more offices but for detectives.

Lusty hummed quietly, wondering when her new probationary firefighters would finally arrive. The ongoing war had caused significant changes to the training schedule for both fire and police personnel. Instead of the typical ten weeks, training had been extended to 180 days. This was because 70% of instructors had been called back into military service, leaving only a limited number available to train recruits. Lusty had taken a specialized course to learn how to fight metallic fires, adding a few extra weeks to her training.

As Lusty glanced at the newspaper on her desk, she noticed that the city had completed the construction of its nuclear power plant ahead of schedule. However, she couldn't help but worry about the potential consequences if an earthquake of 6.0 or higher hit the city. Lusty feared that such an event could trigger a nuclear meltdown or cause the plant to go into lockdown to prevent radiation from being released into the air. She was also concerned that the plant's owner and the city might push the nuclear reactors beyond their safe operating levels during a heatwave, violating federal laws. While Lusty recognized that nuclear reactors are not nuclear bombs, she remained hopeful that such a catastrophic event would never occur.

Lusty left her office and went into the kitchen to get a coffee.

“Hey, Lieutenant, have you heard from James, Wallace, Lincoln, and Rogers?” asked John.

Lusty replied, “Nope. I haven’t heard a word from them. They are fighting a war, and to be frank, they’re fighting in a war, and I’m not their babysitter. To be honest, they are either still alive, dead, or Prisoners of War. I know I could and should be more positive, but we’re in a war. And from what my dad and a few granduncles told me was, and I quote, ‘In war, someone you care for will die, someone you hate will die. Someone will die even if they were Saints, Earthly Angels, and Messiahs their entire lives or be Demon Spawns and Devils. An individual can survive a war, but it is not common but possible. But we think you won’t hear the bullet or artillery or mortar shell that’ll hit you. When one has your name on it, you can do nothing even if you’re a praying man.’ But I have never been on the front of a war, but if they are still alive, then hope they’re fine, but I’m just saying a lie.”

As Lusty watched the TV, she sipped on her cup of coffee and listened to the news discussing the ongoing war. The war has been the center of attention since July 21st, and a recent report by a military strategist suggests that the Little Bird Army, Marine, Air Force, and Navy Intelligence Services are making progress. However, their speed of advancement has surprised the Little Bird military, and it is predicted that they will reach the outskirts of Moscow by Christmas. Despite this, Little Bird has an advantage over their Soviet counterparts regarding tanks, range, armor, and speed.

The soldiers and officers are fighting for payback after the Soviet invasion in July, but the officers must ensure that their soldiers act appropriately. From July to August, several officers and a few soldiers treated civilians kindly and avoided causing harm. This approach was because of their understanding of the Hearts and Minds campaign. It was only known to the Intelligence and Recon specialists. Although they may be considered the enemy, it's important to remember that they are still human beings. Some may be simply following orders, while others may have their reasons.

Lusty was fascinated by the startling disclosure that the Soviets had commandeered Little Bird military vehicles during the Fort Suction conflict. Despite the Little Birden soldiers, tankers, and pilots demonstrating a willingness to decimate the captured tanks, armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, and other military equipment, she found an element of humor in the situation. She understood that warfare often necessitates using any available resources, including seized enemy gear.

The Little Bird's military policy typically mandates the destruction of their equipment to prevent enemy acquisition. Still, the swift nature of the surprise invasion left them inadequate time to execute this. Lusty conceded that, when engaged in a battle, she would undoubtedly leverage any resources that could contribute to her defense or the assault of her opponent.

As she contemplated returning to her job, Lusty envisioned a parallel universe where she was childless and actively participating in the war. She pictured herself as an adept sniper, eliminating targets with exacting precision. However, she realized that a sniper's role often involves eliminating a threat that isn't immediate, given that self-defense is an easier justification for violence than premeditated action. Moreover, she understood that a sniper cannot afford to be plagued by emotions such as anxiety or remorse.

After getting a steaming cup of coffee, Claire returned to her office. However, realizing that the day seemed to be moving leisurely, she indulged in some light reading and humming to pass the time. Lusty had initially expected that her time with the Special Operations Command company would be packed with activities and tasks. However, she soon realized that they had a lot of downtime, which they utilized to either unwind or ensure that all their equipment was functioning, Fire department equipment that malfunctions is sent for repair promptly. Even if the required spare part is outdated, a replacement is sought after, even if it may be a decade or more old. Fire department equipment is typically replaced every seventeen years, but current models retain the vintage look and design of those made during the 1960s era.

She decided to examine the paperwork in the office meticulously. However, she focused solely on the records of Shift A, disregarding those for Shifts B, C, and D. Among the documents she came across was a notification from headquarters. It revealed that the current apparatus was manufactured from late fall to mid-winter in 1987.

However, it was received in the spring of 1988 due to shipping and delivery delays. Fortunately, plans were in place to acquire a new apparatus between spring and summer of 2006. The continuation of the war posed a potential risk of delay or suspension for this acquisition. This was mainly due to the scarcity of essential building materials like steel, prioritized for military purposes such as bullets, aircraft, other munitions manufacturing, vehicles, and tank tracks.

I came a long way from just being a poor city gal to a middle-class city gal, Lusty thought, Came a long way from eating whatever my mom made or not eating at all with my dad rarely going out to spend a dollar for a few cheeseburgers and a few things of fries. But when he did, the moon was blue. Don’t know who came up with the term ‘Blue Moon’, but my dad didn’t eat until he made sure I and my mother ate, then he would go last to eat. The one thing I can’t do is make porridge and oatmeal like my mother did even when I make it from memory, I can’t make it how my mother could. I guess my mother had a magical touch to her when it came to her making something.

Lusty sorted through the stacks of papers on the desk, separating those labeled for Captain Johannessen, Captain Parker, or Captain Thompson into neat piles. The remaining papers were left in separate piles for the other three shifts.

Along one wall hung a collection of photos featuring former officers, all of whom were male and Caucasian except for Marcus, who was of African descent. Among them, Lusty stood out as the only female and mixed-race officer. Even in the older photos dating back to the early 1910s, the officers' facial expressions suggested they had better things to do than pose for a picture on their day off. Of course, a majority of them were for Engine and Ladder 47, not Engine/Squad 141, and their photos are still there because they were a part of the house before going to Uptown for a few months until relocated to Eastside and the only reason why they had to move from Uptown to Eastside because of Rescue Company 17 being put into service in the interwar period.

After an hour sifting through paperwork, Lusty conducted an impromptu rig inspection. She used the quiet time to keep her mind occupied and to ensure everything was in order. During her inspection, she discovered some of their essential manual tools and a saw were missing. She inquired about their whereabouts and was informed they had been sent to a maintenance shop for repairs. In the meantime, they were going to be provided with replacements. However, Lusty was advised to obtain a note or letter from the maintenance shop.

Upon returning to her office and sorting through the paperwork, Lusty finally located the paper she had been told about. She had initially missed it because it was stuck to another piece of paper. The note revealed they were experiencing a material shortage due to an ongoing war. As a result, they could not procure the metal required to repair their pike poles, axes, saws, and other tools with metal parts. Despite these challenges, they remained committed to their unofficial motto of "Always doing more with less," a sentiment the Little Bird Marines shared. They had been working tirelessly, but the Rescue Companies in the city have a higher priority than the other companies on gear maintenance and repairs.

“What has kept this house not from falling apart?” asked Lusty, who was just thinking out loud.

Someone replied, “That’s because all of the improvements and maintenance have been done by the members in this place. The city doesn’t give a damn about us. Many of these firehouses were built when horses pulled wagons and carriages before electrification, so when electricity became a thing, many members went to vocational schools to learn how to become an electrician.

"The wiring within these walls dates around the turn of the 19th to 20th century. Surprised that this place hasn’t burnt down yet due to the century-old wiring. This firehouse? It was built in the late 1800s, only to collapse in the 1907 Earthquake. Until it was rebuilt but in a Romanesque Revival style architecture. But most of the funds to rebuild it came from the people who lived in this district and volunteers who took time out of their days, weeks, and months to rebuild it. Also, the city had two choices back in 1907: to spend about half a million today’s money on repairs on the firehouses in the city or build a bar… They went with the latter so the members did a lot of repairs needed and spent their own money to buy stuff until the Bureau of Fire Protection sent the city money for the repairs and even had a beancounter type person come out and make sure the money went to where it was supposed to go and it did.”

Lusty was about to reply, but she looked up, and it was Marcus.

“If you’re going to ask.” continued Marcus, “Those who spent their hard-earned money on repairs that the city should’ve provided well were compensated out of the city’s coffers. It’s funny that they refused to pay. They were forced to pay what the hard workers spent on stuff that they shouldn’t have spent a penny on. Lazy, corrupt, soulless pricks.”

Lusty replied, “Yeah because they'd instead let the poor die and fend for themselves, but the rich they’ll bend over backward. I remember when City Hall moved Firehouse 47 to another district out of Eastside, and the average response was within three minutes once they moved, it went up to five minutes, and that's on a good day, it was usually seven minutes or more. I remember my mom saying, and I quote, ‘Typical fucking city hall. Always leaving the poor to do things ourselves and take away what we need. Close our firehouse, but the ones within five minutes of city hall will remain open, and those around the Mayor’s residence will stay open for him. Fucking jackass. But we’ll manage, and when we do, City Hall will pull a surprise face and try and tax us to death for it.’ I agree with my mom, too.”

“Well, your mother was a smart person,” said Marcus, “And she raised a wonderful woman who I had the pleasure of working with.”

Lusty replied, “I will never forget the words of wisdom my mother imparted upon me years ago. City Hall destroyed our community farms and replaced them with unhealthy establishments. We stood firm and boycotted these businesses until they shut down. However, when we rebuilt the farms, City Hall cut off our water supply, leaving us unable to cook, bathe, or farm. We had to dig wells and rely on groundwater to survive.

"After six months of this, City Hall was forced to apologize and restore our water supply because their actions were affecting firefighting efforts. Engine 47 and other fire engines require a constant water supply to function efficiently, But they all have 1000/500 or one thousand-gallon tanks with a GPM of 500. Without water, they cannot help rescue people in a fire. During those six months, any fire in Eastside would require the deployment of two additional fire engines to supply Engine 47 with enough water, making it a minimum of a three-alarm fire due to the water shortage. When I first joined, I never thought we needed to know math in this job.”

“If a fire is on the seventh floor of a high-rise building,” said Marcus, “How much hose do you need, and how much PSI do you need for the hose and GPM? Also, add friction loss,”

Lusty replied, “While drawing out a scenario on a blackboard in a classroom may seem simple, the real world requires us to rely on mental calculations. For example, if we were to visualize a 2 ½ inch hose stretched out to a length of seventy feet, we would need to utilize a high-rise pack to manage it effectively. It's worth noting that a firehose can reach a bursting pressure of over 1600 PSI, and friction loss can occur when the water's resistance against the interior of the hose causes a pressure drop at the terminal end. Friction loss is 144, PSI is 184 at the source. I would say seventy, but I'm going to take into account that the standpipe it'll be connected to is on the fifth floor, so it'll be at a hundred feet but going to add another fifty feet to the hose just to be on the safe side because don't know if it's a commercial or residential high rise."

Soon, another person entered the officer’s quarters. “Lusty got some bad news.”

Lusty replied, “What is it, Daniella?”

“Remember that little girl you used to babysit as a teenager,” said Daniella, “Sunny, well, while she was out the other night and was taken, but the cops released the person who took her.”

Lusty interrupted, “I’ll go and talk to the Lieutenant or Captain at the Ninth precinct and tell them what’s what and let criminals go instead of charging them. Hope I don’t have to say it to them, but if I do then I’d probably have to say something that I probably don’t have to.”

“Come on, I'll give you a ride,” said Marcus.

***

Ninth Precinct, Uptown.

Lusty exited the 1965 Salamander Coupe (1965 Cadillac De Ville) and closed the door. She went inside, but she kept her radio on so she would know when to leave when called.

When she entered the three-story concrete-built police station, she went to the front desk and asked if she could talk to whoever was in charge because it was important. The desk sergeant then used a phone on the desk and called Captain Ryan, saying she had a visitor who wanted to talk to her so she had the Desk Sergeant bring Claire to her office on the second floor.

***

Second Floor, Ninth Precinct, Uptown.

“What can I do for you, Lieutenant,” asked Captain Asyling.

Lusty replied, “Well, someone kidnapped someone I used to babysit, but you just had him kicked to the curb.”

“Wasn’t my order my superior had him kicked to the curb,” said Captain Asyling, “Told my superior to go to hell about what he told me to do. Didn’t want to, but it’s out of my hands.”

Lusty replied, “In other terms, you and the police department and your superiors are telling criminals that if they get arrested by the police, they’re going just to get released within an hour. The total opposite of ‘We Protect and Serve’. I’m sure that if a rich person were kidnapped, then the police dept would send every officer and every SWAESU officer to look for them. But if a poor person gets kidnapped, well, it’s not a waste of paper to write up that report.”

“I know, but I tried to tell my superiors that if we just let criminals who harm the poor just get away, then that’s not justice. It shows one side and gives the poor to have an ‘Us vs. them’ mentality,” said Capt. Asyling. “I know how it feels. In the Navy, I reported a crime that happened to me. The Navy more or less told me, ‘I don’t have a weapon between my legs,’ instead, let the three just go and continue to serve on the same ship as me. I know how it feels to be poor when born and raised in the Westside. But I tried to explain to my superiors that cutting the bastard loose would show the poor that we don’t give a damn about them, but nope. Listen I know that you’re frustrated and angry but the only way the jackass can be arrested again is if he messes up.”

Lusty replied, “You mean ‘messes up’ if he commits a capital offense or murders someone, then the police department would do what they should’ve done instead of trying to save face. The only thing I know about the Empire Police Department is that in the 1930s, it’s officers were drunken Irishmen who beat people up for being of Italian descent. In the 1960s, it was sober Irishmen who beat people up for having long hair or protesting a controversial and unpopular war. Yeah until then he’s ‘untouchable’ until the jackass messes up. I or my friends probably got to do what the police dept won’t due because of yellow belly assholes.”

“I can arrest you for just implying a death threat,” said Captain Asyling, “Just for saying that I can arrest you but I won’t because I’m not going to violate someone’s freedom of speech.”

Lusty then left and got back into the car with Marcus.

“Drop me off in the Eastside for a few minutes,” said Lusty.

Marcus agreed because he saw it as helping a friend, but when he did, he just turned up the fire department radio in his car because his gut was telling him that if he didn’t, he wouldn’t like what she had to say. He was right because when Lusty got a few people she talked to, she told them what the police did to kick out a criminal instead of keeping them locked up. Soon, they told their friends and family, and it didn't take long until everyone in the district of Eastside found out that the cops still don’t care about them.

But they can’t do anything that counts as treason or anything that falls under a capital offense or civil unrest. But Lusty reassured them that she’ll take care of it. At the same time, they fortify their district in case the guy comes back, but what Lusty did either falls under a riot or an armed rebellion because she and her old neighbors and people she would and still call family would do what the Empire Police Department is unable or unwilling to do.

Claire got back into the car with Marcus, but he didn’t ask what she told them because, to him, it wasn’t none of his business. While Marcus was taking Lusty back to Squad 141 firehouse, a call came over the radio of a gas explosion at the fourteenth precinct in the district of Riverview.

Lusty was smart enough to bring her turnout gear with her in case she and her company got called out for emergencies.

“So have you been paying attention to the news?” asked Lusty.

Marcus replied, “About the war? Nope, I already fought in a war. I don't need to watch or listen to a war.”

“I mostly have been watching or listening to it like a hawk,” said Lusty. “They say we’ve taken fewer casualties than expected but have reached a stalemate on the Soviet-Eastern Europe border…”

Marcus interrupted, “And the news tells you what the people want to hear, not the truth but a comforting lie. They’re saying that our casualties are lower to give people hope that their loved ones will return. Yeah, it’s possible we’re in a stalemate against the Warsaw pact, or we could be losing, and 80% of Europe is under the Red's control or vice versa. We could be on Moscow’s doorstep right about now, but the news says we’re stalemating because the longer the war goes on, the more money from the public and taxes is used to fight the war. But just like in both World Wars and Korea, our civilian factories went from making whatever for us and went to making for the military.

"But like in World War 2, Rubber was and still is 50/50, with half of monthly production going to the military and the other half to us. But unlike the intro and the early start of World War 2, our navy was our safeguard besides the Second and Fourth fleets, which were Convoy Escorts bound for Europe during the Second World War. But don’t entirely believe what the news is saying because they’re either telling you what the Government wants you to hear or saying what people want to hear, not what they need to hear. But victory would cost 1.4 trillion bucks, but the only way that will happen is, well, a four-way Baseball game will happen next weekend in this city.”

“I know the money is being raised,” said Lusty, “Two movie stars did a rally or something like that, and it raised 56 million dollars, and a three-way baseball game in Fort Bluejay and our nation's Capital raised a total of 75 million dollars, but that’s because a lot of people bought war bonds. The people in this country are either overly patriotic or enjoy baseball, and seeing three baseball teams playing at once must make them get a hard-on. But mostly, I’ve just been thinking about how the Soviets were able to the city of Fort Suction in June besides a surprise invasion.”

Marcus replied, “The 5th Shock Army faced off against a group of 1200 Fort Suction Militia members, who were supported by 80 M61 MBTs (M60 Patton) and 134 IFVs, along with police backup. The Fort Suction Militia members were heavily outnumbered, and the airforce blew up three bridges and railroad bridges to trap them. A battle of attrition ensued until the military was ordered to retake the city a month later. The president authorized a thermonuclear strike on Fort Suction if they couldn't. This decision was made because it was believed that if the Soviets reached the town of Cascade, they would have access to a nuclear launch facility that could be used against us or our allies, potentially starting an international war or some shit like that.”

“If our air force blew the bridges then…” said Lusty, “Oh, that’s right, Army Combat Engineers and Engineers could’ve and probably built pontoon bridges so the tanks and other military vehicles would cross while the infantry could just cross by boats or by walking on the same pontoon bridges.”

During their conversation, Marcus and Lusty turned their attention away to the ongoing war. Lusty was concerned about the aftermath and the need to rebuild Fort Suction, which is the economic and financial hub of their country, Little Bird. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that their hard-earned taxes and money were being diverted towards funding the war. She was surprised that civil servants like her received only eighty dollars a month instead of their usual 120 dollars a week due to the war. Lusty vividly remembered the day she received her paycheck and noticed forty dollars were missing.

Marcus inquired, "If you're interested in the war's progress, why not enlist? Your children can stay with their biological father and his spouse."

Lusty replied, "I would like to fight in the war, but I know it's not wise. By the time I finish my basic training, the war may already be over. If I do end up fighting, there's a high chance I'll get shot and either seriously injured or killed before even getting into combat. Furthermore, if the news is correct, the war could end within a few months or a year. However, there's always a possibility that they may keep me here.

"Additionally, Dave can watch them, but his wife doesn't count as a 'family member.' It would only be me and him. If I go through with it, people will likely view it as if I just pushed them out of a moving car… I probably look good or cute in white wearing an Arctic camo uniform."

Marcus replied, “Yeah because nobody won’t know you’re a female while you’re wearing body armor underneath your uniform because the armor and gear you’re going to wear will make you look like a man, and a man looks like he’s a Professional Wrestler or a Football player. But they’ll know you’re female because of your face and how you speak. Well, back in my day, the body armor that the army started to wear made females look like men, but nowadays, they probably improved body armor and gear for both genders to retain their physical look. A female can conceal her gender while wearing body armor underneath her uniform. The protective gear and equipment can make an individual look like a professional wrestler or a football player rather than a female. However, their gender can still be discerned from their facial features and speech patterns. In the past, body armor designed for females often gave them a masculine appearance, but technological advancements may have improved the protective gear for both genders, allowing them to maintain their physical appearance.”

Lusty was about to say something.

“Just like how without having a scba pack strapped to your back,” said Marcus, “Just wearing the turnout jacket doesn’t show that you’re a female until they see your face or wearing an air pack on your back that fills up the gap to enclose it and have the inside of the jacket be against the station uniform.”

Lusty replied, “And if I did enlist…”

“I see that you join OCS and be a Captain or a Lieutenant,” said Marcus, “But like in every war, Officers are targeted because it decreases the morale of the regular soldiers.”

It wasn’t long until she got there where they were called, to which Marcus stayed on the scene. Marcus thought about talking to Lusty before they got there about how everywhere someone can go on Little Bird, someone would see Aggressive, jingoistic, and anti-communist propaganda, but they are at war.

I know that if Zofia was downtown during the chaos, Lusty thought, Then she wouldn’t be here unless if she’s a freeway cop, meaning instead of during her, they’ll just give her freeway therapy of just assigning her to the farthest point of the precinct she was just at. It would probably be better if they just handed her a pink slip and tell her entitled spoiled ass to hit the road literally.

Lusty cleared her mind, trying not to think about Zofia or the war even though while heading to work in the morning, her regular route was blocked due to road work so she had to take the long way around and went through the ports. But when she did near the naval yard, she saw several M75 ‘Scyth’ pneumatically powered, air-cooled anti-aircraft rotary cannon mounted inside a rotating turret mechanism, typically situated atop a modular tetrapodal mount.

Upon entering the police station, Lusty couldn't help but observe the anti-communist propaganda adorning the walls. Despite its prevalence being a product of 1950s American culture, where technology was embraced optimistically, the nuclear family was emphasized, and consumer capitalism was on the rise, it wasn't entirely unexpected. This resonates with the overarching theme of Little Bird, centered around Americana during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.

When Lusty went inside, she saw her company bringing people out in a professional manner of not sidestepping anyone or moving slowly; they were moving fast enough to bring people out and going back in without a second thought.

When she was told that they got to the lobby and were almost done, Lusty went and tried to open the door that leads to the stairwell that either goes up to the second and third floor and the roof or down to the basement where the booking, processing, and cells are.

When Lusty opened the door, she saw Zofia against the door, curled into a ball.

“You know,” said Lusty, “I could leave you here.”

Lusty then picked up Zofia and put her on her back.

***

Outside.

“I never want to see anything like that again!” said Lusty, “Never! Cops go after criminals… or let them go, but we firefighters go into burning buildings.”

Zofia replied after coughing, “Thanks for saving me.”

“I don’t need any thanks,” said Lusty, “Just doing my job.”

Lusty put Zofia down on the ground.

Zofia replied, “How are you feeling? You’re acting a little strange…”

Lusty ignored Zofia and ran back in.

***

Upon returning to the police station, Lusty noticed several fires burning. However, due to a gas leak, they could not extinguish the fires and only focused on preventing them from spreading to other areas.

Lusty’s gut feeling was telling her not to go into the basement, but she did anyway but before she could open the basement door, she put her hand on the door. Even through the fireproof gloves, she could feel the heat on the other side, but she was smart enough not to open it but she still could feel the heat on her palm of her right hand.

***

Outside but waiting for the Utility company.

“How are you feeling, Claire,” said Zofia, “You’re acting a little strange?”

Lusty replied, “How do you think I feel? People died here. You don’t seem to understand that it could easily be you. When you’re at the scene of a fire or a gas leak, you’re always face to face with death. It’s a part of the job. Sometimes, there are limits on what you can do. You think being a cop is easier. Well, newsflash cops get shot at and have to deal with civil unrest occasionally.”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

***

While heading back to the firehouse.

Lusty glanced at a creased paper and then carefully tucked it back into her pocket. She knew exactly what it contained but when Chauffeur inquired about its contents, Lusty pretended to be oblivious and claimed that her parents wrote it as the envelope was addressed to her. But don’t know what’s written on the inside.

When they returned to the firehouse, Lusty immediately went to the locker room and opened her locker but she opened the letter from her parents.

The letter says in cursive and bold:

To Claire, our honey.

Don’t let anyone stand in your way.

Love, Mom and Dad.

Lusty was filled with joy as she remembered the valuable advice her parents had instilled in her since childhood. They had always encouraged her to pursue her dreams without letting anyone stand in her way, regardless of their social status, gender, or other factors. This advice had stayed with her since she was in the third grade, and had expressed her desire to become a firefighter.

Despite facing numerous obstacles, especially from people who believed that being a female hindered pursuing her dream job, Lusty never gave up. She knew that women had previously taken over male-dominated jobs, especially during wars, when men had to fight in battles. She had faced harassment at work, but she dealt with it head-on.

Lusty remembered that some of the females in her class had requested a separate test with lower standards so that they could pass. However, Lusty disagreed and shared the same view with Dave's girlfriend/wife, Linda. They believed they needed to be trained with the same one hundred-and-ninety-pound mannequin as the men. They knew that getting used to a seventy-pound mannequin would be insufficient when they hit the streets and had to carry someone two or three times their weight.

However, she knew everyone must respect their carry limit and not attempt to take anything above their weight limit. But Lusty has met other female firefighters who reject any form of accommodation or special treatment because they want to prove themselves like their male counterparts.

Lusty went to the front desk at the firehouse and did paperwork there, but Zofia soon came as she was doing paperwork.

“Listen I don’t want any trouble,” said Zofia, “But thanks for saving me. Why did you save me if we hate each other and…”

Lusty interrupted, “I thought about leaving you there. But I’m a firefighter even if you are scum, I can’t leave you to perish even though it has crossed my mind to leave you there. If you were Stalin or one of the worst human beings in human history, my company and I would’ve left you behind in a heartbeat.”

Zofia extended her hand for a handshake with Lusty, but Lusty refused as they were still enemies. Lusty doesn't want to be thanked for doing her job unless it is a child who thanks them, in which case she’ll make an exception.

“Even though we’re enemies,” said Zofia, “But how can you do your job without thinking about death?”

Lusty replied, “I put the death thing at the back of my mind. If I let the death thing just plague my mind then I would’ve put my resignation papers in after my first day. I know it’s at the back of my mind and if it wasn’t there then I wouldn’t be honest to myself. But this is like a family where we're together for 96 hours every other week and we have good times and bad times just like a normal family. When I was a pre-teen and I asked a firefighter on how they do their job knowing anytime they can die on their job at any time and out of the blue and one said to me was ‘Firemen need to have poor imaginations and fast reactions because if you let your imagination think about what could happen, then you can’t do this job’ and another one said and I quote ‘We work in a team that always have each other backs nobody works better alone than as we work together as a team’ and to me, that’s true because since day one we were put in a team and have to work in a team not as individuals.”

Zofia decided to leave to return to work, but at first, she thought she would have to owe Lusty a favor since Lusty was doing her job and didn’t do it to be a good Samaritan. But for a while, Zofia thought about going back and telling Lusty that she owed her a favor and whatever Lusty wanted. Then Zofia had to get it, but she didn’t.

As Zofia left, Lusty's mind raced with thoughts of revenge against the man the police had just kicked out. She knew she had to devise a plan that could not be traced back to her or would cause the public to demand justice from the police department. If all else failed, Lusty could always retreat to the safety of Eastside, where the fiercely loyal residents would protect her at any cost, even if it meant going to war with a government agency. She was determined to show everyone that she was not someone to be underestimated and was willing to go to great lengths to protect the people she cared for, even if they were just teenagers in her care in the past.

Lusty also thought that if she gets arrested for going after the guy, she won’t say a damn thing, or if she does say something, she’ll just say, “Well, this is what happens when you won’t do your damn job. ‘Protect and Serve’ my ass more like ‘We protect criminals and serve the ones who pay us off.’ Well, this happens when you don’t do your job, and regular people get to do it for them.” But Lusty thinks that won’t happen, but she’s also thinking of an alibi in case.

Due to Lusty being raised in the Eastside, she does have a disdain for the police department. That’s because of the lack of policing in her old neighborhood. The cops that usually patrolled her old neighborhood were bigots with a badge and gave Lusty both misogynist and racist insults to her, and that only added fuel to the fire against her hate towards the police.

Still, while she knows there are good cops out there, she mostly encounters the ones people talk about. But a majority of the cops she has met only enforce the laws they make up in their minds, not enforce the laws that are already on the books. She has met a few friendly cops, though, and the first cop she met was nice and let her off with a warning instead of giving her a ticket for going ten miles per hour over the speed limit.

Lusty then went into the kitchen, she opened a doughnut box and got a chocolate doughnut with strawberry filling. She never stopped thinking about what she planned to do to the guy. Still, she thought for a minute about having Dave as a backup because, to her, having extra muscle never hurt anyone. Still, he’s currently not in the country of Little Bird on a top-secret mission behind enemy lines; he's unavailable. She thought about asking some of Dave’s family she met. She thought about asking them for help, but the ones she met they’re busy fighting in the war, too.

No, I won’t ask some of my old neighbors, Lusty thought, A majority of them would lock the guy in his car, tie him up and sew his mouth shut, then catch his car on fire.

For a minute, Lusty thought about making another song, but most of her mind was thinking about what she was going to do, but it was nothing but violent actions she could think of. But that’s because her old neighbors and the people in her old neighborhood always told her to take the aggressive route, not the one that would make her look like a doormat, and that people would walk over her.

As Lusty entered the apparatus bay, her eyes were immediately drawn towards a radio sitting on the desk. With a sense of intrigue, she approached the device and carefully switched it on, hoping to hear the latest news or some relaxing music. However, the sounds emanating from the radio were not what she had expected.

Instead of the soothing tunes or informative updates she was anticipating, she was taken aback by the sounds of gunfire, explosions, and people shouting commands. As she listened closely, she didn’t realize that radio transmissions were capable of traveling vast distances by bouncing off the upper layers of the atmosphere. This phenomenon was a result of a unique quirk of signals under specific atmospheric conditions, which allowed them to bankshot around the curvature of the Earth, utilizing the atmosphere as a reflector. Lusty found this to be an incredibly fascinating discovery and was amazed by the potential applications of this phenomenon in the field of radio communication.

Although she was unsure whether it was the smallish backpack-like manpack, portable VHF FM combat-net radio transceiver utilized by military signal specialists or the large radios at military bases that were responsible for these transmissions, she listened attentively, intrigued by the sounds as if they were an enthralling and captivating radio program.

Lusty also took out a piece of paper from the desk and wrote on it with a black ink ballpoint pen and wrote in bold:

SOVIETS IN LITTLE BIRD

* Didn’t know the terrain

* Poor Intelligence

* Underestimated the enemy’s capabilities

* Over-confident

* Did not fight on home ground

= Massacre

Lusty just wrote on why she thinks the Soviets failed at their invasion of Little Bird but the news did reveal that some of the POWs they interrogated revealed that their higher-ups believed it would be a cakewalk and how they would’ve taken over the country within a few months not be bogged down in one city and shot at like fish in a barrel.

But the news also said that one Soviet officer that the military captured and interrogated said, “If they (Little Bird soldiers) are willing to run through artillery, napalm, and gunfire and fight in brutal hand to hand combat and they came willing we weren’t going to push them back home… They are home. We’ve already lost the war.” But Lusty did just listen to the radio as if it was an everyday program that was playing either if it was Jazz and blues, doo-wop, rock-and-roll, big band, pop and rock, swing or adult contemporary genre music, the news or a radio show/radio program.

“Is it me or is Rock and Roll getting lousy?” asked John.

Lusty replied, “It’s not music. It’s the war that’s going on.”

John was about to reply when the fire bell went off for them to head downtown for an explosion in a high-rise building. Still, while they were heading there, the candidates that Lusty had under her command were speculating on what could’ve caused it only for Lusty to tell them “A majority of the city’s infrastructure dates back to the Goddamn Stone Age or the Paleolithic Era!”

As they were responding, the road ahead of them was clear, but Lusty was just looking at how clear the day sky was with no clouds. The sky looked peaceful. Now and again, there would be the sight of jets in the sky where the air force is performing Dawn to Dusk Combat Air Patrol around the city of Empire.

I finally thought of the payback I’m going to do, Lusty thought, But going to wait off shift to execute my plan. But I'm going to have an alibi, though. If the cops can kick a jackass who deserves to be behind bars back out onto the streets, I will do the same.

Lusty had a nagging feeling telling her not to proceed, but she knew she couldn't ignore what was happening. If she didn't act, one of her former neighbors would do something worse than she could imagine. However, she knew that no matter what she did, the Bureau of Law would come down on her like a speeding freight train on fire, traveling at eighty miles per hour.

Soon, there was the sound of an airhorn, and their apparatus got hit from the side. The first thing that Lusty did was grab hold of the door, and soon, Squad 141 apparatus hit the road on the side. The last thing that Lusty thought of that came forward now was when Zofia showed her true colors, and Lusty saw how Zofia came across as a self-centered and entitled brat willing to destroy someone else's life to satisfy her ego. But after that, Lusty knocked some glass off the side of her head, and the first thing she did was to check on her chauffeur, who was holding the steering wheel tight.

Lusty grabbed her SOG-styled knife and cut the seatbelt off of her.

After a few minutes, Lusty decided to get her bearings. She could’ve heard a faint siren in the distance, but that stopped. It wasn’t long until the door swung open, and it was Dave where the tunnel that they would’ve gone through was closed for some major repairs. Soon some Mil-Spec webbing came down and Dave wrapped it around Lusty to pull her out.

“Guess you weren’t expecting to see me today,” said Dave. “Also, the tunnel’s closed for maintenance today. Can’t believe 82 hit you even though y’all had the right away and the green light.”

Lusty just replied, “Damn, my head hurts. Guess some glass cut it.”

Dave brought Lusty out carefully before he went, took off his black leather with yellow stripe jacket, put it over Chauffeur/Engineer John, and used his right foot with the rubber steel-toed hip boot to shatter the chauffeur's side windshield. Soon, there was a loud sound: a hydraulic rescue tool cut part of the steel bar between the chauffeur's and officer’s windows.

“Looks like the dashboard moved a bit and crushed his right leg,” said Lusty, “Think we can move it with either a hydraulic rescue tool or a Halligan bar.”

Lusty stood on the side of the fire engine to get a Halligan bar and with both the hydraulic rescue tool and Halligan bar. They were able to move the dashboard a bit and were able to get John out where Lusty made a homemade splint to stabilize his leg,

When Lusty handed Dave the Halligan bar she had she rubbed her head for a minute but when the Captain of Ladder Company 82 came over to snap at Lusty and to blame her for her company running a red light even though they had the right away and the green light.

“Your chauffeur needs to get his eyes examined,” said Lusty, “We had a green light if your chauffeur slowed down instead of trying to beat us through the intersection.”

Soon, Dave came over, tapping the Halligan bar against his right leg.

“Your company has to slow down to make sure that there isn’t no oncoming traffic even though Squad 141 had the green light,” said Dave.

The Captain of Ladder Company 82 shoved Dave.

“Put your Goddamn hand on me again,” warned Dave, “We're gonna have problems. No seriously, put your hand on me again, we're gonna have problems.”

Dave handed Lusty the Halligan bar, and when the Captain of Ladder 82 shoved Dave again soo the Captain of Ladder Company 82 was on his knees where Dave had him in a chokehold. Dave said, “I can end it here and now, and don’t think I won’t.”

Of course, it wasn’t long until Marcus and a few higher-ups from HQ arrived.

When the higher-ups wanted to talk to Squad 141 chauffeur, they didn’t like that he wasn’t there because he was taken to the hospital for a leg fracture and open leg fracture.

“Hey, Lieutenant,” said Marcus, “You’re bleeding,”

Lusty calmly replied, “I ain’t got any time to bleed. I’m putting the rest of my company's lives over my own. I already got three of my Candidates are going to the hospital for having my guess is committed or linear skull fractures. Skull and Leg fractures are a higher priority than minor bleeding. It’s called triage, and from what I remember from my days at the academy, I was told that any type of bone fracture has a higher priority over minor bleeding. And John, some part of his lower leg bone was sticking out. So his leg fracture is more severe than my minor cut on the side of my head.”

***

At the hospital.

Lusty had a minor cut on her head that was taken care of and didn't require any stitches. She cut part of her hair off to put a bandage on the cut, which will heal within a few weeks.

“What the hell are all of you looking at,” said Lusty when she saw the other guys from Ladder Company 82 staring at her.

Soon, a white shirt from HQ came to talk to Lusty.

“Lieutenant, I want to know how the accident began,” asked the Divisional Chief.

Lusty replied, “I can tell you we had the right of way. We had the green light even though we slowed down a bit to make sure no cross traffic came. But when he got right to the center of the four way intersection, boom that’s when Ladder 82 hit us.”

“Even though the Chauffeur of Ladder 82 is in a coma,” said the Divisional Chief.

Lusty interrupted, “Three of my guys have skull fractures. My chauffeur has a broken leg, one is under emergency medical observation, and Apili has a broken windpipe and a twisted neck, and the three that have broken skulls were put in medical comas even though I don’t know if that was wise but if you’re going to blame my company for causing an accident that we didn’t cause, but they caused because they refused to slow down to check for cross traffic or to slow down for their light because we had the right away they didn’t.”

“Even though your company had a red light…” said the Divisional Chief before being interrupted.

Lusty interrupted, “Was red turned green. Before accusing someone, get your facts in order first. We had a red light, but while we were nine seconds away from the intersection, it turned green, meaning we had the right of way. And last time I checked, a green light means vehicles in a lane have the right of way while a red light means those vehicles have to stop, and yellow means they have to slow down before it turns red.”

Lusty was showing her contempt for authority.

“And I’m going to assume that you’re blaming my company for causing the accident,” said Lusty, “Because I’m a female. I know the world would be better off without chauvinistic pigs like you.

***

Back at Squad 141 Firehouse.

Lusty went into the kitchen.

“Hey Lieutenant,” said a firefighter, “Making lunch but letting it simmer. Want to try a sip.”

Lusty replied, “Sure, I’ll try it.”

When Lusty tried a sip it was hot. “What is it?”

The guy replied, “La jota Triestina.”

“If it’s Italian,” said Lusty, “And going to burn the hide off our tongues. I will have to kick your ass on behalf of an entire country and the same country that gave us pizza. Every stew I ever ate before wasn’t hot enough to burn the hide off of my tongue and throat.”

Another firefighter replied, “We heard, Lieutenant, over the intercom and radio. Are you and everyone else okay?”

“I got a cut on my head,” said Lusty, “I’m fine, but John has a broken leg with some bone sticking out, three are in medical comas, and another one is going under emergency observation because of having broken skulls, but there’s bleeding to the brain because they didn’t have their helmets on or they fell off when they were forcefully ejected, and Apili landed at an angle with force and crushed windpipe and twisted neck. But no, the Divisional Chief wants to blame me and my company, so I pulled the ‘You’re accusing my company because the officer is a female’ card.”

The same firefighter replied, “Yeah, and I know why. Captain Novak and Division Chief Smitty have been friends since kindergarten and drinking brothers.”

Lusty replied, “Let me guess, they’re also brothers-in-law? And married each other sisters or some shit like that?”

“Yeah, you’re right,” said the same firefighter, “To be honest, Division Chief Smitty has friends in high places, so to give you advice, it’ll be better to lay low this time because he’ll use every card he has up his sleeve to make your life a living hell. I should know because when I was a Capt. on Engine 59, I called out one of his orders, being stupid of wanting us to spray water on Sodium Hydroxide. He ordered my company to pour water on some Sodium Hydroxide, but I told him it reacts violently with water and needed foam or a HAZMAT company to fight it. The next day yeah, I was demoted back to the rank of Firefighter and transferred here, but that was back in ‘89, but the jackass put a barrier or something like that where I cannot get another promotion and cannot be an officer again.”

Lusty replied, “He abused his power because you called him out to make a bad scenario worse. Going to fight Fire with Fire. He tries abusing his power with me, I’m going to strike harder than what he’ll do to me. If he sends me to another house well, he’ll lose a car, if he suspends me, he’ll… Not going to finish what I’m going to say.”

Lusty would rather just keep the two guys on the C02 unit out of the loop of what she’ll do. If she does go through with it then she’ll want them to make sure they’re safe against the law because of what she says and don’t want to drag them down with her.

It wasn’t long until the members of B shift for Squad 141 showed up where they were called into service to take over for Shift A because of it just being Lusty there but when they arrived Lusty went home.

***

Lusty’s apartment.

Lusty looked through her closet, and one piece of clothing that was hanging up was her mother’s antique buckskin clothes from when Lusty’s mother was living with her parents and their tribe in the deep forest when Lusty looked through a drawer, she found her parents yearbook from the 1968 school year. When Lusty looked through her mother’s yearbook, she saw her mother still wearing her Native painting on her arms and around her face, having thin black lines on her arms, around her neck, and three black paint lines going diagonally on her face.

Still, she saw that even when her mother in high school had some tattoos on her arm, one being a shark. Another is a spider leg, but a few she has are of a bow and arrow, a foot, and a healing powder bag but the spider leg means she’s an expert in stealth and survival. The shark means assault and healing, but Lusty’s mother was a hunter-gatherer, with her father going out to hunt for meat. In contrast, her mother, or Lusty’s grandmother, was a midwife in the group, using her extensive knowledge of herbal remedies to help those sick.

Lusty sighed deeply, taking in a breath of fresh air. She decided to visit the members of the Nightingale Native Little Birdens, as her mother's tribe was located near the city of Empire, but far enough away not to be affected by city life. However, the journey to reach them would require a full day's walk, as the area they lived in was rugged and inaccessible by vehicle.

Despite being half Native Little Birden, Lusty was aware that the tribe might turn her away. She and her mother were only allowed to visit in the past because her mother was a full Native. Lusty's father did not come along due to the past conflict between the original settlers of the city of Empire and the tribe near it. This feud lasted for 140 years and resulted in a war that ended in 1850 when the military and federal government acted as a third party on the side of the natives because if it weren’t for the Natives then the original settlers would’ve died by starvation. When some settlers wanted to take their land the Natives used the night to fight the ones who tried to fight them.

After the war, the city and the tribe more or less buried the hatchet. However, the city had to pay for the damages they caused when the tribe retaliated. The Chieftain said, "It won't change the past, but I hope it can lead to a better future."

Lusty decided to go and visit, but her old neighbor, who was watching her infants, didn’t want to hear another word and told Lusty, even reassuring her that her infants were safe with her.

***

The next day.

Lusty entered a camp and she saw huts and round houses where roundhouses were built with cobblestone with thatching rooves and the huts made of mud, logs, and thatching rooves. She also saw a few huts and a farm where she saw wheat. She also saw a few spiritual structures, even a tomb.

It’s quiet, too quiet, Lusty thought, They probably think I’m an intruder, and be granted, they don’t know me and I’m more or less on their land without their permission. Just going to go and leave.

Lusty turned around and was face to face but they weren’t within arm's length but Lusty saw the chieftain.

“I know who you are,” said the Chieftain, “You’re Claire Johnson.”

Lusty replied, “No offense Chief but how do you know me?”

“It was a long time ago,” said the Chieftain, “You were a Puerulus, you were about up to my knee when I last saw you.”

Lusty tilted her head in confusion.

"I meant little girl when I said Puerulus," clarified the Chieftain. "I remember your mother. She was the best hunter we had. If she and her parents had not left, then she would have become the Chieftain. She was skilled in tiptoeing in the forest to hunt for animals and used her stone dagger to skin the animal before hanging the meat up to smoke over the fire. How’s your mother doing?"

Lusty hesitated briefly before replying, “She died back in 1996. But I was able to save what she brought with her where I still have her Native clothing before it was burned by an arsonist. But she really never talked about her roots as a Native besides making stuff and saying how she always could go for deer jerky. I remember every night hearing my mother say, ‘Goddess of Love, we invoke your name, fill my heart with passion flame. Guide my path to protect my daughter and protect my little girl from the people who want to use her for their own advantage. Bless you, Goddess of Love, with your nurturing light in your loving care.’ I heard it every night after my mother lit a candle in the kitchen to pray or whenever I was sick or got hurt my mother always prayed, ‘Dear Goddess of Health, I beseech your grace to heal my daughter's ailment and restore her embrace with your gentle touch. Mend her sick body and bring vitality and wellness that she seeks’. But I never asked who she was praying to, though because I thought it was just her own thing.”

“The Goddess of Love Amara,” said the Chieftain, “And the Goddess of Health, Aelena. Your grandmother always prayed to Aelena to help heal injured or sick members of this clan.”

Lusty replied, “I don’t mean any offense but why don’t you… I already know the answer, and it’s that this place has been your home since the Neolithic age.”

“Yes this land has been our home since,” said the Chieftain, “Since 4500 BC. Many animals and people tried to remove us from our land, but the animals that tried became food and the people that tried were slaughtered. When your mother and her parents left we didn’t beg them to stay were they had a choice to come or to return at a later date. But if something happened to you before you came of age, then you would been with us.”

Lusty replied, “If you don’t mind me asking. But did my mom have a spirit animal?”

“She did,” said the Chieftain, “Her’s was a dog. A dog means Loyalty, bravery, friends, affection, protection, communication, patience, and devotion, her mother was a Bull meaning Fertility, expressive, strength, courage, procurement, and hasty, and her father or your grandfather was a Cardinal meaning Cheerful, brilliant, bold, extraordinary, dignity and trust.”

Lusty replied, “That describes my mother in a nutshell.”

“Alright no offense but why are you here?” asked the Chieftain.

Lusty replied, “I know that from my mother I’m part native, but I want to learn my native roots.”

“I’ll help you learn your Native roots,” said the Chieftain, “If you go deep in the forest to retrieve a special rose flower that grows on vines that grow high to get some sunlight.”

Undeterred by the pain in her legs, Lusty embarks on a quest to discover her mother's heritage. Despite facing resistance from her father's side of the family, who disapproved of her father's choice to marry someone from a different cultural background, Lusty's father stood by his decision. He considered his wife his soulmate. Lusty's determination to uncover her roots despite the obstacles in her path. But Lusty always did like how Lusty’s mom, while in the 12th grade and throughout college never left her boyfriend's side even if he dropped out to fight in Vietnam, she remained by his side the entire time even when she got into college and when other guys mostly jocks would ask her out she always refused. Even when one jock called Lusty’s father a baby killer in the early 1970s, Lusty’s mother kicked him right in the stomach where while she sat in the middle of the war and didn’t take sides of Anti-war or Pro-war side but she stayed by her boyfriend through the thick and thin.

Lusty trekked through the dense forest for several miles, her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of the specific rose flower that the chieftain had requested. She possessed an innate intuition, either passed down from her mother or bestowed upon her by a higher power - perhaps their God or Goddess, a Guardian Angel, or a departed family member, most likely a deceased parent - that guided her to the precise location of the flower. Her unwavering determination and mystical guidance led her to fulfill the chieftain's demand easily.

“Chieftain, if you don’t mind me asking,” asked Lusty, “What did members of the Nightingale tribe do in wars that Little Bird was in?”

The Chieftain replied, “Raiders mostly. Go and raid enemy lines at night or in urban combat we would use our battle cry to terrify the enemy. We once used wooden spears then wooden spears with a bone head and bow and arrows… When the settlers arrived some thought they would scare us away with their thundersticks but we would raid them at night and even capture some of their thundersticks and black powder. Oh, I know that they’re called muskets but I’m just calling them what our ancestors called them. But because of our cultural identity instead of knives, we carry tomahawks in the military and we don’t wear military caps but we either wear our headdresses or decorate the helmets we have to fit our cultural identity. But we always speak in our native tongue in the military.”

The two then entered the center tent which was the Chieftain's tent.

“Here drink this berry cherry-tea mix,” said the Chieftain.

Lusty took the cup even though she shouldn’t, but she’s not being rude to the people she’s a descendant from and the same people who are aggressive and warmongers to defend themselves and can fight and will fight. She did it out of respect as well. When she took a sip she entirely didn’t like the flavor of it, but she swallowed it and she drank it all even though she didn’t care for the flavor.

“Soon you’re going to see inside yourself to see what your Spirit animal is,” said the Chieftain, “But every Native tribe is different. Soon you are going to envision what you want and see your spirit animal. Your mother did it, and everyone has to do it in this tribe.”

Lusty closed her eyes.

***

Lusty’s mind.

Lusty stood amidst a dense forest, surrounded by towering trees, lush bushes, and the soft earth underfoot. Looking down, she realized she was standing in a cool, babbling stream. She glanced at herself and noted that she was dressed in a simple loincloth and a sports bra fashioned from similar material. She couldn't help but notice the intricate Nightingale tribe painting marks adorning her body in strategic places. As she caught her reflection in the stream, she saw that her face was painted red with the same paint that the Nightingale tribe had used for centuries during times of war. Her grip tightened around the cool, sharp handle of the tomahawk in her hand, ready for whatever battle lay ahead.

“Follow Child,” said a familiar female voice in a soothing and calming tone.

Lusty then followed a shadowy figure that resembled a woman.

Breathless and exhilarated, Lusty sprinted past a menagerie of wild beasts that should have been a threat to her. But to her amazement, the wolves, foxes, deer, and even an enormous brown bear all ignored her presence. It was as if something otherworldly was shielding her from harm, or perhaps the latent power within her was too formidable for them to challenge. Suddenly, the shadowy figure leaped up into an Agathis Macrophylla tree. Without hesitation, Lusty began to climb the tree, tapping into her childhood memories of climbing trees. She ascended to where the shadowy figure was perched, her heart racing with excitement as she balanced herself confidently on the tree branch.

As Lusty tried her best to maintain balance and not tumble down, a mysterious figure appeared before her. With a curious tone, Lusty asked, "Who are you?" And to her surprise, as the figure stepped out of the shadows, she realized it was none other than her own mother.

“See over there those groups of people,” said Lusty’s mother, “You have to fight them your way but you have to use the Tomahawk though. Listen honey I know it’ll be hard for you but you can do this. I know you can do it and your father knows you can too!”

Lusty replied, “I’m ready mom. I want to learn my native roots and if this is what Chieftan Thunderhawk says I got to do, then I got to do it.”

“Chief Thunderhawk is a no-nonsense but patient man,” said Lusty’s mother, “I remember I taught him how to be a Stalker and a Hunter, but deep down, he’s a Warrior at heart when he was a kid. I remember his father, Chief Thunderstrike.”

Lusty replied, “Mom, if you don’t mind me asking. How did you get that scar on your leg and arm?”

“Hyena got my leg and a Brown Bear got my arm,” said Lusty’s mother, “Made that Hyena my bitch too with the Biface. If not for my dad, I would’ve become dinner or lunch for that bear.”

Lusty then climbed down the tree where she first thought about jumping from tree to tree from where her targets were, but to her, that’s a lot far-fetched, and not interested in a tree branch snapping.

Lusty also climbed another tree.

“You ready to hate me more than you hated anyone else?” asked Lusty’s mother.

Lusty replied, “I don’t hate you, Mom I love you.”

“After helping you do this ritual,” said Lusty’s mother, “You’re going to hate me.”

Lusty replied, “I already do.”

“Then we’re halfway there,” said Lusty’s mother, crossing her arms.

Lusty then went and attacked the people who were the people who pissed her off in the past, and that just made it easier for her, but since it’s in her mind, it’s not real.

When she was done, her mother soon appeared.

“This was your vision quest,” said Lusty’s mother, “Even though you weren’t born and raised in this clan. Everyone has a different vision guide. Mine was of a hawk, but sometimes it’s an animal or a human. Also, walk a little further into the forest.”

Lusty did with her inner fire still burning.

Soon, a wolf came and sat in front of her.

“Are you a good boy?” said Lusty, staring into the wolf’s eyes.

***

Reality.

“I saw my Spirit Guardian and my Spirit Animal,” said Lusty, “It’s a wolf.”

Chief Thunderhawk replied, “A wolf symbolizes courage, strength, loyalty, and success at hunting. Even though long ago, your mother said you’ll be courageous and loyal. I remember when your mother told me about her Spirit Animal being a Hawk, and she was a Hawk too on how fast she would strike prey.”

When Lusty was six, Lusty felt proud when her mother said she’d be courageous and loyal. She is loyal and brave, but she has no problem calling out people and protecting those who are her friends, family, or coworkers whom she sees as family and will call out anyone who tries to harm them.

Soon, another Nightingale Native came in.

“Night Shade, I assume the hunt is going well?” asked Chief Thunderhawk.

Night Shade replied, “It is Chieftain Thunderhawk. My Stalkers are bringing back the few bears now.”

“Night Shade, this is Claire,” said Chief Thunderhawk, “You remember her grandparents and mother?”

Night Shade replied, “I do remember her grandparents and mother. Her grandmother Elder Elara Walking Peace. If it wasn’t for her then my sister wouldn’t be here. If it weren’t for her then my mother and sister wouldn’t be here. Her mother, Hawking Bird, taught me how to use a recurve bow.”

“If you don’t mind me asking,” said Lusty, “But how are people named or get their names in the Nightingale Tribe?”

Chief Thunderhawk Replied, “When they’re born they are given a so-called placeholder name. When they come of age, usually twelve, they have to fight and defend themselves from seven others. If they win they can choose a name for themselves but if they fail then the Elder or the Elder Chieftain gives them a new name usually one that won’t let them forget that they lost but if they failed then they can retry it after they heal up though. When your mother was born the name that her mother gave her was Silver Hawk because that's what she was always called before when she turned twelve.”

Lusty was enthusiastic to learn about her ancestral history and inquired about her tribe's role in the First World War. Chieftain Thunderhawk, who had a limited grasp of English, shared that their tactics were akin to the German Sturmtruppen but emphasized nighttime infiltration. They also utilized weapons obtained from the Central Powers, mainly German, to confuse their foes.

Nevertheless, they favored their customary Tomahawks over regular Trench knives. Fascinatingly, they decorated the buttstock of their weapons with brass studs, showcasing their cultural identity.

There were portrait likes in the Chieftan Hall where he meets with the Elders but each portrait has a previous Chieftain one from 1898 to 1962 was once whom Lusty kinda recognized but she tilted her head because she saw the guy before but can’t remember where she saw him.

“He’s your Great Grandfather,” said Chieftain Thunderhawk, “Chieftain turned War Chieftain Eagle Talon. He fought in World War 1 with nothing but his Tomahawk and his custom-made lever-action rifle just wearing his leather outfit during the Spring and Summer and wore his wool outfit during the Autumn and Winter in Europe. But here he mostly wore his Leather or a Linen outfit all year around. But he had his Chieftain Aide be acting Chieftain until the war was over or he died but the War ended and he returned, though he was the best Orion we had.”

Within the Nightingale Tribe, the term "Orion" holds a unique and complex meaning. It refers to a "Male Stalker," however, this term does not hold the same negative connotations as it might in other contexts. Rather, it is used to describe a skilled scout who possesses exceptional combat and stealth skills. The Orions are considered the elite of the elite, and their reputation is well-deserved. They are the pioneers of the Little Bird Army Rangers and Little Bird Military Special Forces, highly respected groups known for their exceptional combat prowess and stealth abilities. The Native Little Birdens originally created these groups in the late 1700s, long before the start of the Great War, to train individuals in wilderness warfare and survival skills in challenging conditions. Today, these groups continue to serve as a testament to the incredible skills and abilities of the Orions, and the legacy of the Little Birdens who trained them.

Lusty delved deeper into her tribal heritage and discovered that her mother's side of the family consisted mainly of Orions or Warriors. She finally understood where her fighting spirit came from and where she could roam freely without causing a commotion. Her heart raced with excitement when she learned about the ceremony of earning a new name, and despite feeling nervous, she gathered the courage to ask Chieftain Thunderhawk if she could participate. To her surprise, he hesitated at first, but eventually granted her permission.

Lusty fought like she was a fierce warrior, and her skills in combat were unmatched. She fought with the heart of a lion, and the young ones admired her courage. When she emerged victorious, Chieftain Thunderhawk asked her what her Native name would be now. Without hesitation, Lusty replied that she would be called Hawk Talon, as it perfectly captured her lightning-fast moves and fierce fighting style. Chieftain Thunderhawk nodded in agreement, acknowledging her bravery and skill as a warrior.

***

A couple of days later, during her week off. Lusty found out where the guy who kidnapped a woman she used to babysit as a child and pre-teen but Lusty put on her native paint and the native clothing she was wearing in her vision quest.

Lusty was in a tree with a recurve bow she had and silently took out the people around the guy he didn’t even know because of being inside while the guy’s guards were outside but when Lusty got off of the tree she went inside with just a knife. Still, she lockpicked the door though but due to her training as well she knows the basics of human autonomy.

When Lusty confronted the guy he taunted Lusty that since he knows influential people that he’s untouchable but she just used her recurve bow and shot the guy in the leg where the obturator artery is. She then left without saying a word but she left and went home.

***

It was the next day and Lusty decided to go for a walk to stretch her legs. As she stepped out of her apartment building, she noticed a police car parked outside, waiting for her. Without any hesitation, she voluntarily went to the police station where she was interrogated by a detective for an hour. Eventually, they released her without any charges. A desk sergeant then informed the lead officer and detective that a higher-up had ordered Lusty's release. The man whom Lusty had shot with a bow and arrow was furious when he learned that the police were letting her go. He demanded an explanation from the police and was told that the orders came from someone much higher, like a military officer giving direct orders, but not within the Bureau of Law. But it was someone who had a lot of political power though no one knows who.

When Lusty walked out of the Tenth Precinct the first person she meets is Dave and when Lusty asked Dave if he had anything to do with her being released he said, “I’ve heard that you were here but I got here a few minutes ago.”

She believed it when she knew that his uncle Bill is the president of Little Bird but he wouldn’t ask his uncle for any favors or something like that because he wasn’t going to ask for any favors from his family who has any power within the Government or the military. Lusty knows that Dave has another job that protects him from the law if he does a job/mission involving homeland security but she doesn’t have that job.

When she got into Dave’s car she told him that she wanted to talk to Divisional Chief Smitty again so he took her to Firehouse 53. Lusty found out that he more or less replaced them and replaced Lusty as an officer but when Lusty asked if the new chauffeur has both an EDL or Emergency Driver’s License and a HAZMAT License with the latter is because Squad companies like foam engines and HAZMAT companies have twenty-five gallons worth of Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances in firefighting foam to quickly cut oxygen to the fire, cool it and put it out and prevent it from relighting because one of three things in the fire triangle is removed because fire needs oxygen, heat, and fuel and without the oxygen, it’ll burn itself out unless if smothered with the foam.

Lusty also asked if their so-called replacements have the following certifications of Vertical rescue, HAZMAT Tech A, and Collapse Rescue which are the basic requirements to even get a chance to join a Squad Company not a guarantee, and the candidates that Lusty had were because she chose them and asked them to be assigned to her because she was willing to give them a chance to prove themselves. But Division Chief Smitty didn’t give her an answer because he says that he doesn’t have to answer to her.

Lusty told him that if their so-called replacements don’t have the basic certifications and they go to an emergency that they don’t have the proper training for then he’ll be in violation of the Little Bird National Safety Act 1914, Little Bird Wartime National Safety Act 1914 and 1942 of making things worse. Lusty used her knowledge of metallic fires on the Division Chief and told him that Alkali metals react with water to produce heat and hydrogen gas. The heavier alkali metals will react more violently with water. And if there is ever a fire in a defense plant and they use water to fight a fire and cause damage that could’ve been prevented if they didn’t use the wrong extinguishing agent which could and probably would make a fire worse than originally was.

Lusty’s arguments fell on deaf ears though until Dave came in but when he brought up the same argument he wasn’t interested until Dave said, It's a tale as old as time - blaming a woman for something she didn't do while taking the side of a friend, drinking buddy, or brother-in-law. But let me tell you, my friend, this kind of behavior won't fly for long. If you keep acting like a manchild, the city, borough, and stratocratic government will have your badge and resignation before you can even finish your lunch. And believe me, that's not the end of it. Your department will be scrutinized under a microscope for violating the 1917 Counter-Espionage Act and you'll be facing trial. So let's be smart and do the right thing, shall we? The department would be looked at with a microscope under suspicion of violating the 1917 Counter-Espionage Act and you’ll be tried as a spy for deliberately doing it.”

Division Chief Smitty rolled his eyes, not caring until Dave put his hands on his desk.

“I said if you don’t reverse what you have done,” said Dave, “And something bad happens worse than it should've because you rather be on the side of your brother in law and drinking buddy. But if something bad does that could’ve been prevented with trained skilled professionals over untrained ones. I bet a fire or emergency in a defense plant would go sideways if they used water on anything valuable to the war effort and destroyed it that could’ve been prevented.”

Division Chief Smitty had a snarky comment for Dave and Lusty, pointing out the door behind them. The remark didn't sit well with the pair, but as they were leaving, they heard about a fire at a military defense plant that Dave had unintentionally mentioned earlier. On their way out, Dave confessed to Lusty that he never blames his wife Linda even when he messes up - he takes full responsibility for his mistakes.

Lusty was curious about Dave's upbringing and asked him about his father. Dave revealed that his father had taught him to always side with his girlfriend or wife, even if she was wrong. Lusty could relate as her mother had the same mentality; always right, even when she's wrong. As they chatted, it became evident that Dave and Lusty shared a common trait - a desire to keep their partners happy. Lusty mentioned that her father was the same and always put her mother's happiness first.

Dave also sighed because his father and uncle died in a building collapse in 2003 in the city of Chocolate in a high-rise fire that weakened the beams and support beams that made it collapse and killed 2353 firefighters on how severe the call was that had outside companies come in to aid the city companies. But that’s a day no one really wants to talk about.

The two went to Lusty’s apartment, and Lusty told Dave about her Native roots, which he found interesting, but she mentioned that their children are also part Native like her. Lusty explained her native history too which he found interesting. He also used her phone to call someone but Lusty didn’t pay attention to what he was talking to or what he was saying because it wasn’t her business, but she made a black peppered turkey sandwich and made Dave one too.

***

Next week.

As Lusty walked out of the tenement building, she found herself surrounded by seven people who appeared to have some kind of issue with her. Not one to back down from a challenge, Lusty told them where to go, but three of them decided to take matters into their own hands and engage her in hand-to-hand combat. Despite being outnumbered, Lusty managed to knock two of them to the ground.

However, the situation quickly escalated when the remaining four drew their pistols and aimed them at her. In a moment of quick thinking, Lusty used one of them as a human shield, causing the four to fire and hit their own colleague. The sound of gunfire echoed through the streets, and someone from a nearby tenement shouted at Lusty to flee before the cops arrived.

Feeling shaken but determined, Lusty demanded to know what was going to happen next. The answer she received was cryptic yet reassuring, "Don't worry, we'll take care of it."

With that, Lusty continued on her way to work, her heart still racing from the adrenaline-fueled encounter.

Lusty had some new candidates with her now but a new chauffeur but when their new driver and engineer didn’t sit well with Lusty though. But she says that John will come back even when the new Engineer says that he ain’t going to give the spot back which made Lusty punch him right in the face.

The new Chauffeur told Lusty that he isn’t giving John’s spot. Lusty told him that he shouldn’t be so cocky because the moment John can walk again and goes through rehab on walking again, he’s coming back. Lusty didn't care what Division Chief Smitty says or does, and she doesn’t care who his friends are in high places.

Lusty also didn't care about the new candidates; some Lusty thinks are moles or just want to know every step she does with Lusty, more or less telling them to mind their own business because what she does is no one else’s business. But wherever she went in the firehouse, one of her new candidates was there, but she didn’t do anything to give them ammo to Division Chief Smitty to do something to her as a retaliatory strike. At the same time, she more or less told them that she didn’t care who sent them but Squad 141 firehouse is her firehouse and won’t be in fear of them, and they can tell Division Chief Smitty whatever they want, but she won’t live in fear of them.

They only had two things to report to Division Chief Smitty and that was once when Lusty left the firehouse with the radio she had on when she went down the street to a coffee shop to get an Espresso and the other time when they were heading to a fire and the chauffeur didn’t take the fire engine out of a gear that suppose to give the fire engine a start to go before having to be put in first gear. Lusty scolded him more harshly than a parent scolds their child.