Spoiler: show
Part 1
The boredom of the night shift.
In a cold, starless night, where the silence's so thick you could almost slice it, the sole source of entertainment in this out-of-town scrapyard was an old, refurbished Toshiba laptop that should have probably been scrapped and made into a toaster about decade ago.
``Godammit!´´
Those were the frustrated words of the sole living inhabitant of the junkyard at a time even rats and crows were asleep. His Windows XP's Minesweeper had proven too mighty a foe to overcome, after perhaps one hour without a victory on Normal difficulty.
*Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!*
The obnoxious buzz of a vibrating cellphone suddenly reminded him that he wasn't the last living man on earth. The irritation-rousing word ''BOSS'' displayed on black letters over its shiny green screen; it was so old it made the old Toshiba laptop look like a Macbook Pro.
``What?´´
Tiredness and irritation permeated his words as he picked up the phone.
``Wazzap boyo! Enjoying the graveyard shift? Watch out for zombie minivans out there.´´
A raspy voice with fake Aussie accent emerged from the phone's noisy speaker in a manner filled with mockery and mayhap a bit of sadistic amusement.
``.......´´ - He didn't feel like replying the comment.
Even if his boss was a rather nice and easygoing fellow, the words he wanted to say to him would most certainly warrant a boot up his ass with the words ''You''re fired!!'' on it.
``Oi oi, don't take it that badly, Cole. Y'know how this shit is now and then.´´
Dropping the sadism and mockery, the voice on the phone took a more sympathetic tone.
``Yeah, but this now and then has been going on for two weeks now. I dearly love my bed, boss, and I don't want her to think I am cheating on her.´´ - Retorted Cole sarcastically.
The phone went silent for a moment, the boss on the other side letting out a big sigh.
``Haah, I'm sorry lad, but we've had about three robberies just this week, and you know Conrad wouldn't stay up at night even if I hired the best hooker in the world for him. You're the only one I can trust on this.´´ - His tone was serious, but also caring.
Yet, it wasn't enough to subdue's Cole irritation.
``I still don't get who the heck would stay up to the 3AM to steal old cars from a junkyard; I mean, who would pay for those rusty yank tanks?´´ - Cole's irritation kept mounting up.
``Plenty o'people actually. You'd be surprised how much money you can make out from something as simple as the hood figurine of a 50s Bel Air.´´ - Now his tone had a strange manner of pride.
``Anyway, if nothing happens here in the next ten minutes, I am blowing this joint; I don't care if they steal the engine block of a vintage Rolls Royce, I'm going home.´´
``You can deduct whatever gets taken from my paycheck. I'd rather lose money than get more minutes of my live wasting away in this dump.´´
He had done a rather big effort to hold his rage on these words.
``Fair enough lad, but keep in mind that engine block would be worth more than what you earn in a year. Just sayin'. Have a good night.´´
With those words, the line became silent, and Cole let out a long, tired sigh as he slumped on his chair; the myriad of tools in his belt making a clicking sound as they scrapped against the table.
He looked at his wristwatch and kept staring at it.
Second after second passed, which soon became minutes and these minutes counted to ten; that was just six hundred seconds, but they felt like a year. Perhaps this sudden slowdown in time had been his last ticket to escape, and he would later come to regret not having said five or three instead of ten.
The laptop's shutdown was slow; WinXP had never been too fast, specially in such old rig. Once the coolers became silent, he stashed it inside his bag, and made sure he had all his tools on his belt and pockets; it would be a long walk to the bus stop, and he didn't want to have to come back because he forgot his favorite wrench or something.
*Thlunk, Tink-Tink, Tap*
A noise like that of toppling down a castle of beer cans became audible from outside the half-opened window.
``Aw man, what now?´´ - Thought Cole as he got up from his seat.
He has been sitting there for so long his overall had encrusted itself to his buttocks.
Peering outside the window, the skyscrapers of car husks surrounded by shorter, haphazard piles of old CRT monitors and discarded keyboards made it look like he was in the center of a hilly valley.
``Haaah... If the thieves show up now and something gets stolen, that'll mean no new laptop for maybe a year or two.´´ - Said Cole in a tone akin to a man who's about to take that choice that'll save his future but ruin his present.
···
Making his way through the endless darkness, he found himself at the only place in the junkyard that held something more or less valuable; the Relic Repository, as his boss called it.
Unlike the piles and towers around him, this place was all neatly arranged like an actual parking lot; big, rounded 50s yank tanks stood along with the kind of late 60s muscle cars that action movie protagonists drove and crashed with style. As rusty and broken as most were, they could still fetch a fortune in the right places, and in the last months, many of them had ''magickally'' disappeared from their lots, to much of the boss's despair.
``Hellooooooo! Any thieves out there? Come out so I can fix you good.´´
Called out Cole to the emptiness of night as he brandished his beloved 18'' monkey wrench; given all the trouble these thieves had caused him, he was seriously feeling like beating one to death, just to vent out his frustration.
*Tlink, Tin, Klink.*
A big black rat came out from the broken left headlight of a badass Dodge Charger which would had looked quite cool if it didn't have more bullet holes than Bonnie & Clyde's Death Car. It was the cops who brought that car to the deposit a couple of years ago, they said it had been part of a grisly murder case involving a child killer and his cannibalistic wife, whom the cops had shot to death as they tried to flee in this wonderful piece of american muscle.
Conrad, Cole's co-worker, didn't dare come near it, let alone at night, as he claimed the ghost of its late passengers had tried to strangle him with the driver's seat belt. He probably had tried to take the car for a joy ride and got stuck inside it, as Cole couldn't imagine how Conrad's taco-stuffed belly could fit inside the driver seat.
``Heh, lazy fat bastard.´´
*Tlank!*
Cole kicked out an empty oil can, which hit the hood of the ''haunted'' car, which bounced off it.
``It's his fault I'm stuck with this shift; damn coward. As if anything scary could really happen in this dump.´´ - Shouted Cole defiantly to the car as if blaming it, too.
Nothing but silence could be heard at the moment.
``Tsk, better head home before I lose my chance to sleep.´´ - Said Cole as he turned around and began to make his way back.
*Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm*
But a strange humming sound called out his attention, and made all the hairs in his neck stand.
It sounded like a really big computer cooler or one of those remote-controlled drones.`
``Oi, t-this shit isn't funny.´´ - Said Cole shaking as he turned around and faced the haunted car. The humming was getting stronger and he couldn't quite tell from where it came.
*HUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM*
Fear was starting to overtake him as the humming became almost deafening.
*Brum, Trtrtrt*
*Fhsssh*
*Honk! Honk!*
As if out of an old horror movie, an old blender he had just stepped on started spinning, along with a broken TV not far from him and the horns of some of the cars.
``This shit isn't funny!´´ - Cried out Cole as he smashed the TV's screen, but every electronic device around him was coming to life.
The lights and horns of the cars, TVs and displays sprawled around, old radios and recorders, industrial machines and fans, and even some really creepy thing that looked like a scrapped animatronic with the ripped face of a smiling woman who was twitching out of a junk pile next to him.
The cacophony of all this noise would've made a passerby believe there was a rock concert here.
``What the fuck is going on!?´´ - Shouted Cole as he tried to run away in a state of absolute terror.
*Fwap!*
Suddenly, it was all white, like one of those police choppers was lighting him up with a floodlight. Cole's feet could no longer feel the floor, he was floating, along with many of the ''living trash'' around him, it was all floating up.
``What the fuuuuu-´´
It all vanished into white; he couldn't hear or see anything, he could only feel the lack of gravity and his own, overwhelming terror.
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Part 2
``Ughaa...´´
Cole's senses began to return to him, or at least, his sense of gravity did; he could feel his body on the ground again, and there was something rather heavy on top of him.
``What the hell, I feel like I'm sleeping under a trashcan.´´ - Those were Cole's thoughts as he opened his eyes, only to find the dirty, ripped face of the animatronic upon him; staring at him with its last remaining eye and its extra-creepy Barbie smile.
``Gya! Fuck! Get down! Down!´´ - In a stroke of panic, he kicked the broken animatronic away and began to pummel it with his wrench, which he was still holding onto.
*Pham, pham, pham.*
He beat on its face till it was nothing mashed cables and plastic.
``Shit... I seriously gotta lay down those jumpscare games. They're messing up with my mi-´´ - Cole's words stuck on his throat as he realized he wasn't in the junkyard, or any other familiar place anymore.
``...´´
Only silence emerged from his lips as he gazed onto the unfamiliar place.
A corridor of rusted black metal walls, trash-littered floor and light fixtures either smashed or blinking in an unsettlingly creepy way.
``Okay... is this a bad dream?´´ - Said Cole as he checked his own body.
He still had all his stuff with him; his tool-studded belt, his overly heavy laptop bag, his sweaty overalls and his beloved 18'' wrench.
``Sheesh, this shit feels really... real.´´
Finding nothing wrong with himself, Cole decided to put his hand on one of the rusty black metal walls. It was cold to the touch and rugged. It was real, but his mind hadn't yet connected all the dots.
``This just can't be; this feels real wrong..... REAL wrong.... real....´´ -
He turned his face towards the corridor as he spoke.
``.... Like I just dived into a level of Half-Life.... or Doom....´´
His attention suddenly shifted to a set of deep scratches into the metal; like some big clawed thing had shaved three perfectly perpendicular lines of the metal. He could feel his neck hairs standing again.
*Grrroooorgh*
A low, angry growl suddenly broke the silence of the corridor.
``.... Hopefully not a level of Prey.....´´
Following these words, a hideous creature stumbled around the end of the corridor; rubbing its fleshy head against the walls.
``... Or worse, Dead Space...´´ - Cole swallowed as he saw it.
The creature was roughly the size of a big Doberman, with a hideous reddish-pink color and a texture akin to that of a chewed bubblegum stuck under a school desk. Its four legs ended in ugly black stumps and its head was long and smooth like a racing car. Two crab-like eyes emerged from its back, and one of them looked as if it had trouble focusing.
The beast continued to emit a slow, growling sound as it rubbed its smooth head against the walls of the corridor again and again, like a cat marking its turf.
``Okay... time for my strategic retreat.´´ - Thought Cole as he took a couple of steps back.
``Gotta keep quiet... gotta keep-´´
*Shraash... Dunk!*
As he tried to walk back, he accidentally kicked the remains of the animatronic, which fell through a hole in the floor, striking something at the bottom which made an echo like a gong.
``Fuck.´´ - That was all he managed to mutter before the beast's crab-like eyes focused on him.
``Iiiaaaagh!!´´
Letting out crazed screech, the beast charged toward Cole like an enraged bloodhound.
``Shit, fuck, fucking shit!´´ - Swore Cole as he ran as fast as his legs could.
The corridor in front of him winded from left to right and right to left constantly, but he was too panicked to worry about which path he took.
``Uagh!´´
But, upon taking one last left, he found himself crashing full-face into a wall; it was a dead-end.
*Grrroooorgh*
The beast growled at him as it saw him cornered.
``I dunno what the fuck's going on here, but it seems it's Game Over.... shit.´´ - Said Cole as he desperately groped the wall; hoping for it to open or move or something.
The beast approached him slowly, and measuring every step.
``I... I don't know what kind of fuck you are, but you bet your alien brain that I'm gonna make it into mush if you come closer. - Bluffed Cole as he brandished his wrench; he was scared out of his wits.
Suddenly, the beast stepped back and became quiet. For a moment, Cole thought it was backing up; he was wrong.
*Rrrawwrrh!*
Taking impulse with its hind legs, the beast leaped at him like a wolverine; a grotesque maw of uneven fangs bared at him.
``SHIT!´´ - He cried as he put his wrench in front of his face as a futile defense attempt.
*T'woosh!*
However, as the beast leaped, a thick, cobalt-colored beam hit it, bathing it in heat and light.
*Ka-Thump*
The beast, now well-roasted, slammed against the wall to the right, leaving a trail of malodorous blood as it slid down to the floor.
``UhAm shO Tuh'ta.´´
Another weird sound came from the left.
``W-What the...´´
With his heart beating so loud it almost echoed in the corridor, Cole tried to recover from his near-death experience as he saw the creature that now emerged in front of him.
``TaH-kO tuTu'Hm?´´
Although the corridor was pretty dim, Cole could make out a vaguely humanoid shape in front of him. It was two heads taller than him, with a wine-red skin and apparently four human-ish arms, one of them carrying some sort of cannon, which let out a soft smoke.
``TaH-kO tuTu'Hm?´´ - Again it repeated those intelligible words.
``W-What's going on?´´ - Inquired Cole as he held his wrench in front of him as if it were a sword; the hands holding it shaking like jelly.
*Beep!*
The tall figure seemed to manipulate something around its neck, which made a sound akin to that of old cellphones' keys.
``ArE yOu hUrt?´´
Its words came out unevenly pronounced and with the wrong emphasis; like a native Spanish speaker trying to read English. However, that was more than enough for Cole to understand.
``N-No, I... I am fine.´´ - Replied Cole without stopping his trembling.
``THen coME. FolLOW.´´
With those words, the figure stepped out of the darkness of the corridor and into one of the blinking but still functional lights.
It, or more precisely, she became fully visible to Cole for the very first time.
Two smooth black eyes, like polished onyx, adorned a face devoid of a nose or eyebrows, and rather thin lips that wore a serious expression. She was clearly not human, but that did not meant she wasn't cute to look at.
Save for her four arms and her feet which looked like some sort of two-fingered claws with a back griper, her body was more or less human, specially the big breasts that protruded from under the somewhat tattered outfit she wore, which looked like some sort of re-purposed military uniform. Her hair was as red as her skin, and it flowed down gently.
Still, despite being faced by a real sexy alien girl, something he had always fantasized about, Cole couldn't shake off his inherent fear of the unknown.
``Follow? Where are you taking me to?´´ - Inquired Cole distrustfully without moving his wrench away from his battle-ready position.
The four armed woman remained silent for a moment.
``WaNt tO liVE?´´ - She replied in the same uneven tone. Yet her words didn't sound as menacing as they sounded annoyed.
``O-Of course. I don't wanna die here.´´ - Cole put his wrench back into his belt as he said this. Whatever or whomever this woman was, she didn't want him dead, at least not yet apparently.
``THen coME. FolLOW. AnD staY cloSE iF waNt tO liVE.´´ - Her words couldn't be clearer, in meaning at least.
···
Following her quiet guidance, Cole and the four-armed woman went through the darkened corridors.
Whatever that place was, it wasn't faring well; broken lights, smashed doors and shattered panels dotted the corridors everywhere, along with many signs of battle, struggle and dark brown stains that could easily be dried blood. Whatever had happened here, it hadn't been by any measure nice, and Cole felt deep in his gut that he didn't want to find out what had clawed out the solid metal walls like that.
``What the hell am I doing? I'm following a red-skinned space babe as she takes me deeper and deeper into what could easily be the USG Nishimura... and I left my Plasma Cutter at home, haha...´´ - Mused Cole sarcastically as he held onto his trusty wrench with one hand and the shoulder strap of his laptop bag with the other; never staying as much three steps behind his unusual companion.
The winding dark corridors went on for what seemed to be long hours. Sadly, whatever electric field had brought all the junk to life back at the scrapyard has also apparently fried Cole's wristwatch. He prayed for his laptop to not have suffered the same fate.
Finally, after much wandering, they came upon what seemed to be a gigantic hangar door; maybe big enough to fit a whole Airbus through.
*Tang, Tang, Tlink, Tlink, Tang*
While Cole was wondering what could had such a door been built to fit, the four armed woman made a rhythmic knock on the door.
``Ik ben aht.´´ - A voice from the other side muttered those unintelligible words.
``EnT bA SuN.´´ - And she replied with yet another phrase beyond Cole's understanding.
With these ''magickal words'', a tiny shutter on one of the sides of the gate opened, flooding the corridor with light.
``Cha Zalura, ue ente. Iet teki... ta?´´
As Cole's eyes adapted to the sudden flood of light, he finally saw the one who had been speaking to his companion.
A dog, or least, someone who looked like a greyish-white Alaskan Malamute wearing a ragged green shirt, standing on its hind legs, and looking at Cole with an expression of absolute surprise.
``Zalura, dan tatara? Ue hyomayen iet teki ta?´´
The dog's surprised face changed into an annoyed frown as he turned his attention to the four armed woman and began to talk to her while contemptuously pointing at Cole.
``UlLe kOrum hiSA, DEsri. HyoMAyen teKI shO Tuh'ta.´´ - She replied in a rather calm fashion.
The dog let out a sigh and manipulated some sort of neck device he was wearing.
*Beep!*
Just like when the four armed woman had done it, there was a small electronic beep.
``Awright listen, ya water monkey.´´ - The dog suddenly spoke in a very peeved voice and a heavy accent.
``I'm only lettin' ya in 'cuz Zalura asked me nic'ly. My name is Desri, and if you ever try to pet me, or dare gimme a stupid name like ''Scooby'' or ''Fluffy'', I'll sic ya up so badly no bone of yours will be left whole. Undahstood?´´ - Growled the dog at Cole with an expression most unfriendly.
``DEsri, doN'T bE a jeRK.´´ - Replied the four armed woman, whose name was apparently Zalura, as she folded her four arms in a bit of annoyance.
``Don't worry, I'm more of a cat person; I wouldn't have pet you even if you were okay with it.´´ - Cole replied in a tone of non-commitance.
After letting out one last grunt of annoyance, the dog, or Desri as he called himself, moved away from the shutter, letting Cole inside and shutting it afterwards.
``WelcOME tO ThE noN-VOlatile salVAge COllectOr niNE.´´ - Said Zalura to Cole in a friendly tone.
He still had a bit of a hard time figuring her emotions.
``Oh, and above 'dat, welcome to the Phylactery. Hope ya like it here as we'll never be leaving this accursed hunk o'rust.´´ - Added Desri in a tone not so enthusiastic .
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Part 3
What Cole was feeling was a strangely mixed sensation.
The ''Non-Volatile Salvage Collector 9'', or NVSC9 as Desri called it, was quintessentially a space junkyard.
Piles upon piles of unusual junk filled a place roughly the size of a soccer field, and amidst its piles there was from rusty metal plates and pipes, to what seemed to be broken fighter jets and even a couple of cars from Earth.
On one hand, he was in a place filled with all kinds of exotic junk, which the mere thought of it made his hands reach for his tools; led by the raw curiosity that compelled him to take them apart to figure how they were made.
But on the other hand, if what ''Angry Dog'' Desri had told him was true; that they were all trapped in this giant space derelict known simply as the Phylactery, the prospect of never returning home certainly instilled quite a bit of panic in him. But the panic was soon replaced by depression, which in time he ignored simply by thinking of something else.
``So, you say this place is essentially a big mousetrap?´´ - Asked Cole as he sat over what looked like a broken wing of sorts.
``Ya could put it like 'dat, yeah. None of us came 'ere on our own volition.´´ - Replied Desri in a rather sympathetic tone.
Zalura was feeling tired, so she had asked him to show Cole around the NVSC9. He was really weak to Zalura's requests.
``But... why? Why is the crew of this ship abducting us all?´´ - Powerlessness and desperation permeated Cole's words.
``Crew? Hah! Never even SEEN one of 'em 'ere. We've only seen their bones 'ere 'n 'dere, and they weren't tasty at all.´´ - It wasn't too clear if that last part had been a joke.
``They could all be dead fer as much as we knew. Tetlekar can prob'bly tell ya all this better than I; he's been 'ere for almost a century now, y'know.´´ - Added Desri as he scratched his neck with one of his hind paws.
``Huh? There's more people here than you and Zalura?´´ - Asked Cole as lifted an eyebrow.
``Yup! With ya, we're six, water monkey. They're out scavengin' right now.´´
``Also, try to get well along with ev'rybody, else bad things might happen. If ya think I 'ave a bad mood, wait till ya meet Haudrica. I simply can't stand that chitinous bitch; if she weren't so skilled in healing I would've poisoned her food long ago. ´´ - Growled Desri as he lifted his cheeks, showing a wide array of dog teeth.
``Anyhow, this clearin' 'ere is where we live. So don't go touchin' other people's stuff.´´ - Said Desri as he motioned to the trash-free area they all were at the moment.
What seemed to be a sort of repurposed cargo bay was the place Desri called home, and Zalura laid currently asleep inside the cockpit of a crashed fighter. There were also a couple of other similar places on the edges of the clearing, which Cole assumed they belonged to the other absent inhabitants.
Aside from that, there were a series of workbenches, tools, hotplates, crates and other similar appliances laid scattered around the clearing. It all looked like a Post-Apocaliptic settlement straight out of a Fallout game, but in space.
``Ev'rywhere else is fair game, so feel free to do whatever ya want with 'hat scrap. For now, try to find y'self a place to call home out there. Once the others are back, ya can ask Mizelle to bring it 'ere for ya.´´ - Explained Desri as he got up from the crate he has been sitting on.
He walked away without even saying as much as ''C'ya later'', leaving Cole to his own devices.
···
This NVSC9 was a treasure trove for junkers and scavengers. Not only there were all manner of broken spacecrafts, strange machines and complex devices whose sole appearance puzzled Cole; there were a fair number of ''Earthling'' artifacts too. There were cars both modern and classic, small planes and bits of larger ones, as well as a decent number of computers, TVs, unrecognizable industrial machinery, freezers and many other more familiar domestic appliances, although some of them looked like they hailed from the WW2-era such as vacuum tube radios and retro-styled kitchen stoves.
It all made Cole wonder for how long had the Phylactery been spiriting away people from Earth, yet it also made him wonder if he would find the USS Cyclops or the Avengers from the Lost Flight 19 buried under this trash, and that made his inner history nerd giggle.
After a couple of hours of wandering, digging around the trash and resisting the temptation of trying to disassemble something, Cole found just what he had been looking for.
``This will do. Just hope there aren't skeletons in the beds.´´ - Thought Cole as he laid eyes upon what could be his new home.
Laying atop half a dozen of smashed cars stood a battered but not smashed recreational vehicle.
For the style alone, it was probably from around the 90s, but Cole had always wanted to have one of these, so having found one here made him quite happy.
The truck part in front was totalled, but the rest of it looked in pretty good condition. Its windows were gone, yes, but it wasn't like he had any rain to worry about now.
``Now comes the hard part; getting into it.´´ - Muttered Cole as he began to climb the pile of smashed cars, trying to grab hold of the door's handle.
``Ugh, dammit.´´ - Sadly, said door was still locked.
Pulling out a screwdriver from his belt, he tried to force the lock or pry the door open. However, all that pulling and yanking caused the RV to lose its delicate balance upon the pile.
*Creeeeak*
Groaned the metal as it moved around precariously.
``Oh damn, not now...´´ - This wasn't the first time Cole had fallen from a pile of scrap, but they had never been pleasant experiences.
*Grooak!*
With that last creak, the RV plummeted down, along with Cole.
``Whoa!! Uh...?´´ - Cried out Cole as he fell, still hanging from the door's handle.
But, his fall was suddenly stopped mid-air and now both he and the RV floated a few inches from the ground.
``That was a close call. Good thing Desri told me that there was a new resident that needed a bit of help.´´ - Commented a soft yet relieved voice as the RV made a soft landing.
``W-Who?´´ - With his feet finally in the ground, Cole called out to whomever was on the other side of the RV.
Standing there with a bright smile on her face, a girl of a rather short stature and bright orange hair looked at Cole with a friendly gesture.
Her clothes were a bit patched up, like those of everybody else but still looked cute on her.
However, he was way to focused on the feature that set her apart from a human.
On the sides of her head, a pair long, pointy and fur covered ears, almost as long as a hand protruded out. Their fur was the same color of her hair and the way she had just wriggled triggered many excited responses in Cole; he couldn't stop but gawk at them with unbridled fascination and a decent rate of lust.
``Uhm, sorry, did my ears scare you?´´ - The girl covered her long, fluffy ears with her hands embarrassingly, and this made Cole realize what he had been doing.
``Oh, no no no. They're quite cute. They just surprised me, that's all.´´ - Replied Cole as he tried to hold his excitement back.
``You're... Mizelle, right? Desri said I'd need your help.´´ - Added Cole in a much more self-restrained tone.
She gave out a nod of agreement before speaking.
``Yes. Do you wish to move this to the clearing?´´ - Asked Mizelle as she looked at the RV.
``Nah, not yet. I first need a way to get past this lock.´´ - Said Cole as he pointed to the door.
``Oh, I can do that for you.´´ - With these words, she closed her eyes and extended her hand towards the lock, which made a clicking sound as it opened.
``Whoa! That's some seriously cool stuff.´´ - Cole gave her a thumbs up as he spoke. Mizelle blushed a bit.
The inside of the RV wasn't as bad as Cole had initially thought. Sure, the freezer was filled with indescribable spoilage horrors and the TV had been smashed, but he could clean that up, and it wasn't like there was anything to watch on TV either.
So, after a quick clean up and a short journey Mizelle was landing the RV on the clearing. However, as Cole stepped out of it, he realized that there was an argument going on between Desri and a slender, emerald-haired woman he hadn't seen before.
``Did you forgot what happened the last time we let one of those water monkeys here, Desri? How many times someone has to get hurt till you understand those savages cannot be trusted!´´ - Lashed out the slender woman in a highly exasperated tone.
``He SeEms gooD. DiD nOT ATtack ZALura or DEsri.´´ - Said Zalura in her usual uneven tone.
``And? You said the same about the last bastard, and look at what he did to Mizelle! Just because they're capable of speech doesn't mean they are not animals!´´ - Countered the slender woman in an even more spite-laden exasperated tone. The situation looked rather sensible.
``H-Haudrica, please don't fight?´´ - Asked Mizelle in a meek, concerned manner.
``Ah, Mizelle, where had you been? These idiots just brought in another sava-´´ - While her words had initially sounded more friendly than those she lashed at Desri and Zalura, the moment she saw Cole, she vanished like the wind, only to suddenly reappear in front of Cole, pinning him to the side of the RV with a blade that emerged from her arm.
From the distance, she had looked rather human-esque, but close by, it was clear such conception was not fully accurate.
While her face looked mostly human, her red, composite eyes and her ear-to-ear mouth conjured many an image of fear in Cole. Her short green hair covered the sides of her face, and a sort of chitinous plating covered her neck and the visible part of her hands. The blade she held at Cole's neck looked to be made of the same material. She wore a red and emerald-green uniform that would've looked quite fancy if it wasn't for all the stitches it had.
``What did you do to her you savage!?´´ - Roared Haudrica at Cole as she held her blade at his neck; blood-lust clearly visible in her expression.
``Haudrica, stop! He didn't hurt me or anything!´´ - Cried out Mizelle, almost breaking into tears.
``Lies! I'm sure he forced you to say that! What did you do to her you bastard.´´ - She wasn't listening to reason; she was completely berserk.
``S-Stop! Please don't kill me!´´ - Cole was perhaps more scared than he had ever been in his life.
``Stop!? Why the fuck you think you can order me to stop, you water bag! Tell me what did you do to Mizelle or I'm ripping that lying throat of yours open!!´´ - She slowly pushed her blade into Cole's neck, close enough to draw blood.
``Haudrica, put him down.´´ - A harsh male voice echoed from behind her, but Cole was too terrified to bother in looking.
``He says he hasn't done anything, and so says Mizelle. I see no reason to doubt him.´´´- Continued the male voice in the same harsh manner.
``No reason? That's because you don't know these monsters! Everything they say is a lie!`´ - Screamed Haudrica amidst her madness.
``... Haudrica, I am going to count up to three, if you haven't let him go by then, you'll have a lot to regrow.´´
Finally, Cole was able to focus his eyes away from Haudrica and into the man behind her who was trying to stop her. He looked vaguely human and wore a rather out-of-place formal suit, but yet, there was something that didn't look quite right with his face, but Cole couldn't muster enough willpower to focus on it.
``One.´´ - The man began counting in a cold tone.
``Y-You can't be serious!´´ - Haudrica looked considerably afraid.
``Two.´´ - His voice grew even more severe.
``Graagh! Die!´´ Cried Haudrica as she moved her blade back and was about to strike Cole's neck.
``Three.´´
*Bwam*
Cole felt something wet sprinkle his face as he fell to his knees.
``Gyaaaagh!´´ - Wailed Haudrica as she held onto her now-missing left shoulder. Her left arm now laid in the floor next to Cole.
*Bleagh*
That was too much for him; Cole vomited.
``Why? Why did you do this, Tetlekar!? You too saw the atrocities of that monster.´´ - Cried out Haudrica in desperation; tears pouring from her eyes.
``Because you are trying to kill a complete stranger just because he's the same race as your aggressor. By allowing yourself to be led by impulse like that, you current actions make you lower than a beast.´´ - Stated the one called Tetlekar as he stood in front of her.
``Oi, ya alright, lad?´´ - Running on his fours like an actual dog, Desri ran towards Cole, whom was still vomiting.
He didn't reply, he just panted and sweated.
``... Say, I didn't catch your name before. What did you say you were called?´´ - Asked Desri as he tried to change the mood.
It seemed as if he did had a nicer side after all.
``... Cole..... Cole Dedrick....´´ - Said Cole as he continued panting.
He still had no idea of what had happened just now.
···
Once the situation had calmed, Mizelle carried Haudrica away to her room. According to Desri, her arm would had grown back again in a couple of days, so there was nothing to worry. Still, this whole event had left Cole rather shaken, as the scarce composure he had managed to gather in order to not lose his calm to this whole situation had now vanished.
He just sat in the edge of his new bed, which still didn't feel like his own at all; he had lost all he had in his life and had been cast into a place from where he could never escape.
``Are you awake, Dedrick?´´ - Speaking in a calm, soothing tone, Tetlekar entered the RV and sat in the vacant bed in front of Cole.
He previously had a moment to take a good look at him. Although he looked almost completely human on the outside, Tetlekar was actually an android. Yet the only ways to tell that apart was because of the scar on his left cheek, which had the dull, silvery color of solder, and that his hands were like highly polished aluminium gauntlets.
``Just call me Cole, please. And I'm sorry I caused that trouble.´´ - Said Cole, still with a downcast stare.
``It's alright, do not feel guilty; this is not your fault. Those two girls had a terrible experience before. I don't know the details but they haven't fully healed their wounds. Specially Haudrica, whom still very sensible about it.´´ - Explained Tetlekar in a soft, soothing tone.
``Thanks you, but still, I can't yet get over all of this. Why are we all trapped in this cage of rust?´´ - Asked Cole as his worries resurfaced.
``I understand your feelings; it has been a very long time for me and there are times I still wonder what has become of the world outside.´´
``Still, while we remain in here, the only thing we can do is survive; survive and keep exploring the Phylactery, and maybe, just maybe, we'll one day find an answer to that question, and way to get back to our worlds.´´
The way in which Tetlekar was speaking evoked the feelings of someone whom once was just as scared as Cole about this whole place, but that, with time, has learned to accept said reality.
``...What can I do to help?´´ - A glint of hope could be felt in Cole's words.
``That's something only you can answer, as only you know your own capabilities.´´ - Replied Tetlekar as he got up from his seat and headed for the door.
Cole was left alone to his own thoughts yet again.
``...What can I do to help?´´ - He repeated his own question as he looked around his new home, and said place still needed a lot work to provide a comfortable living.
Getting up from his bed, Cole put on his tool belt, and looked at all the hanging wires and loose cupboards of the RV.
``Then, I'll start by making this place feel like home.´´ - Monologued Cole as he cracked his knuckles.
For all of his life, he had dreamed of an adventure like this, but now that he had it, he felt nervous and insecure about it. It was time to change that. With his own hands.
<End of Chapter 1>
The boredom of the night shift.
In a cold, starless night, where the silence's so thick you could almost slice it, the sole source of entertainment in this out-of-town scrapyard was an old, refurbished Toshiba laptop that should have probably been scrapped and made into a toaster about decade ago.
``Godammit!´´
Those were the frustrated words of the sole living inhabitant of the junkyard at a time even rats and crows were asleep. His Windows XP's Minesweeper had proven too mighty a foe to overcome, after perhaps one hour without a victory on Normal difficulty.
*Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!*
The obnoxious buzz of a vibrating cellphone suddenly reminded him that he wasn't the last living man on earth. The irritation-rousing word ''BOSS'' displayed on black letters over its shiny green screen; it was so old it made the old Toshiba laptop look like a Macbook Pro.
``What?´´
Tiredness and irritation permeated his words as he picked up the phone.
``Wazzap boyo! Enjoying the graveyard shift? Watch out for zombie minivans out there.´´
A raspy voice with fake Aussie accent emerged from the phone's noisy speaker in a manner filled with mockery and mayhap a bit of sadistic amusement.
``.......´´ - He didn't feel like replying the comment.
Even if his boss was a rather nice and easygoing fellow, the words he wanted to say to him would most certainly warrant a boot up his ass with the words ''You''re fired!!'' on it.
``Oi oi, don't take it that badly, Cole. Y'know how this shit is now and then.´´
Dropping the sadism and mockery, the voice on the phone took a more sympathetic tone.
``Yeah, but this now and then has been going on for two weeks now. I dearly love my bed, boss, and I don't want her to think I am cheating on her.´´ - Retorted Cole sarcastically.
The phone went silent for a moment, the boss on the other side letting out a big sigh.
``Haah, I'm sorry lad, but we've had about three robberies just this week, and you know Conrad wouldn't stay up at night even if I hired the best hooker in the world for him. You're the only one I can trust on this.´´ - His tone was serious, but also caring.
Yet, it wasn't enough to subdue's Cole irritation.
``I still don't get who the heck would stay up to the 3AM to steal old cars from a junkyard; I mean, who would pay for those rusty yank tanks?´´ - Cole's irritation kept mounting up.
``Plenty o'people actually. You'd be surprised how much money you can make out from something as simple as the hood figurine of a 50s Bel Air.´´ - Now his tone had a strange manner of pride.
``Anyway, if nothing happens here in the next ten minutes, I am blowing this joint; I don't care if they steal the engine block of a vintage Rolls Royce, I'm going home.´´
``You can deduct whatever gets taken from my paycheck. I'd rather lose money than get more minutes of my live wasting away in this dump.´´
He had done a rather big effort to hold his rage on these words.
``Fair enough lad, but keep in mind that engine block would be worth more than what you earn in a year. Just sayin'. Have a good night.´´
With those words, the line became silent, and Cole let out a long, tired sigh as he slumped on his chair; the myriad of tools in his belt making a clicking sound as they scrapped against the table.
He looked at his wristwatch and kept staring at it.
Second after second passed, which soon became minutes and these minutes counted to ten; that was just six hundred seconds, but they felt like a year. Perhaps this sudden slowdown in time had been his last ticket to escape, and he would later come to regret not having said five or three instead of ten.
The laptop's shutdown was slow; WinXP had never been too fast, specially in such old rig. Once the coolers became silent, he stashed it inside his bag, and made sure he had all his tools on his belt and pockets; it would be a long walk to the bus stop, and he didn't want to have to come back because he forgot his favorite wrench or something.
*Thlunk, Tink-Tink, Tap*
A noise like that of toppling down a castle of beer cans became audible from outside the half-opened window.
``Aw man, what now?´´ - Thought Cole as he got up from his seat.
He has been sitting there for so long his overall had encrusted itself to his buttocks.
Peering outside the window, the skyscrapers of car husks surrounded by shorter, haphazard piles of old CRT monitors and discarded keyboards made it look like he was in the center of a hilly valley.
``Haaah... If the thieves show up now and something gets stolen, that'll mean no new laptop for maybe a year or two.´´ - Said Cole in a tone akin to a man who's about to take that choice that'll save his future but ruin his present.
···
Making his way through the endless darkness, he found himself at the only place in the junkyard that held something more or less valuable; the Relic Repository, as his boss called it.
Unlike the piles and towers around him, this place was all neatly arranged like an actual parking lot; big, rounded 50s yank tanks stood along with the kind of late 60s muscle cars that action movie protagonists drove and crashed with style. As rusty and broken as most were, they could still fetch a fortune in the right places, and in the last months, many of them had ''magickally'' disappeared from their lots, to much of the boss's despair.
``Hellooooooo! Any thieves out there? Come out so I can fix you good.´´
Called out Cole to the emptiness of night as he brandished his beloved 18'' monkey wrench; given all the trouble these thieves had caused him, he was seriously feeling like beating one to death, just to vent out his frustration.
*Tlink, Tin, Klink.*
A big black rat came out from the broken left headlight of a badass Dodge Charger which would had looked quite cool if it didn't have more bullet holes than Bonnie & Clyde's Death Car. It was the cops who brought that car to the deposit a couple of years ago, they said it had been part of a grisly murder case involving a child killer and his cannibalistic wife, whom the cops had shot to death as they tried to flee in this wonderful piece of american muscle.
Conrad, Cole's co-worker, didn't dare come near it, let alone at night, as he claimed the ghost of its late passengers had tried to strangle him with the driver's seat belt. He probably had tried to take the car for a joy ride and got stuck inside it, as Cole couldn't imagine how Conrad's taco-stuffed belly could fit inside the driver seat.
``Heh, lazy fat bastard.´´
*Tlank!*
Cole kicked out an empty oil can, which hit the hood of the ''haunted'' car, which bounced off it.
``It's his fault I'm stuck with this shift; damn coward. As if anything scary could really happen in this dump.´´ - Shouted Cole defiantly to the car as if blaming it, too.
Nothing but silence could be heard at the moment.
``Tsk, better head home before I lose my chance to sleep.´´ - Said Cole as he turned around and began to make his way back.
*Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm*
But a strange humming sound called out his attention, and made all the hairs in his neck stand.
It sounded like a really big computer cooler or one of those remote-controlled drones.`
``Oi, t-this shit isn't funny.´´ - Said Cole shaking as he turned around and faced the haunted car. The humming was getting stronger and he couldn't quite tell from where it came.
*HUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM*
Fear was starting to overtake him as the humming became almost deafening.
*Brum, Trtrtrt*
*Fhsssh*
*Honk! Honk!*
As if out of an old horror movie, an old blender he had just stepped on started spinning, along with a broken TV not far from him and the horns of some of the cars.
``This shit isn't funny!´´ - Cried out Cole as he smashed the TV's screen, but every electronic device around him was coming to life.
The lights and horns of the cars, TVs and displays sprawled around, old radios and recorders, industrial machines and fans, and even some really creepy thing that looked like a scrapped animatronic with the ripped face of a smiling woman who was twitching out of a junk pile next to him.
The cacophony of all this noise would've made a passerby believe there was a rock concert here.
``What the fuck is going on!?´´ - Shouted Cole as he tried to run away in a state of absolute terror.
*Fwap!*
Suddenly, it was all white, like one of those police choppers was lighting him up with a floodlight. Cole's feet could no longer feel the floor, he was floating, along with many of the ''living trash'' around him, it was all floating up.
``What the fuuuuu-´´
It all vanished into white; he couldn't hear or see anything, he could only feel the lack of gravity and his own, overwhelming terror.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
``Ughaa...´´
Cole's senses began to return to him, or at least, his sense of gravity did; he could feel his body on the ground again, and there was something rather heavy on top of him.
``What the hell, I feel like I'm sleeping under a trashcan.´´ - Those were Cole's thoughts as he opened his eyes, only to find the dirty, ripped face of the animatronic upon him; staring at him with its last remaining eye and its extra-creepy Barbie smile.
``Gya! Fuck! Get down! Down!´´ - In a stroke of panic, he kicked the broken animatronic away and began to pummel it with his wrench, which he was still holding onto.
*Pham, pham, pham.*
He beat on its face till it was nothing mashed cables and plastic.
``Shit... I seriously gotta lay down those jumpscare games. They're messing up with my mi-´´ - Cole's words stuck on his throat as he realized he wasn't in the junkyard, or any other familiar place anymore.
``...´´
Only silence emerged from his lips as he gazed onto the unfamiliar place.
A corridor of rusted black metal walls, trash-littered floor and light fixtures either smashed or blinking in an unsettlingly creepy way.
``Okay... is this a bad dream?´´ - Said Cole as he checked his own body.
He still had all his stuff with him; his tool-studded belt, his overly heavy laptop bag, his sweaty overalls and his beloved 18'' wrench.
``Sheesh, this shit feels really... real.´´
Finding nothing wrong with himself, Cole decided to put his hand on one of the rusty black metal walls. It was cold to the touch and rugged. It was real, but his mind hadn't yet connected all the dots.
``This just can't be; this feels real wrong..... REAL wrong.... real....´´ -
He turned his face towards the corridor as he spoke.
``.... Like I just dived into a level of Half-Life.... or Doom....´´
His attention suddenly shifted to a set of deep scratches into the metal; like some big clawed thing had shaved three perfectly perpendicular lines of the metal. He could feel his neck hairs standing again.
*Grrroooorgh*
A low, angry growl suddenly broke the silence of the corridor.
``.... Hopefully not a level of Prey.....´´
Following these words, a hideous creature stumbled around the end of the corridor; rubbing its fleshy head against the walls.
``... Or worse, Dead Space...´´ - Cole swallowed as he saw it.
The creature was roughly the size of a big Doberman, with a hideous reddish-pink color and a texture akin to that of a chewed bubblegum stuck under a school desk. Its four legs ended in ugly black stumps and its head was long and smooth like a racing car. Two crab-like eyes emerged from its back, and one of them looked as if it had trouble focusing.
The beast continued to emit a slow, growling sound as it rubbed its smooth head against the walls of the corridor again and again, like a cat marking its turf.
``Okay... time for my strategic retreat.´´ - Thought Cole as he took a couple of steps back.
``Gotta keep quiet... gotta keep-´´
*Shraash... Dunk!*
As he tried to walk back, he accidentally kicked the remains of the animatronic, which fell through a hole in the floor, striking something at the bottom which made an echo like a gong.
``Fuck.´´ - That was all he managed to mutter before the beast's crab-like eyes focused on him.
``Iiiaaaagh!!´´
Letting out crazed screech, the beast charged toward Cole like an enraged bloodhound.
``Shit, fuck, fucking shit!´´ - Swore Cole as he ran as fast as his legs could.
The corridor in front of him winded from left to right and right to left constantly, but he was too panicked to worry about which path he took.
``Uagh!´´
But, upon taking one last left, he found himself crashing full-face into a wall; it was a dead-end.
*Grrroooorgh*
The beast growled at him as it saw him cornered.
``I dunno what the fuck's going on here, but it seems it's Game Over.... shit.´´ - Said Cole as he desperately groped the wall; hoping for it to open or move or something.
The beast approached him slowly, and measuring every step.
``I... I don't know what kind of fuck you are, but you bet your alien brain that I'm gonna make it into mush if you come closer. - Bluffed Cole as he brandished his wrench; he was scared out of his wits.
Suddenly, the beast stepped back and became quiet. For a moment, Cole thought it was backing up; he was wrong.
*Rrrawwrrh!*
Taking impulse with its hind legs, the beast leaped at him like a wolverine; a grotesque maw of uneven fangs bared at him.
``SHIT!´´ - He cried as he put his wrench in front of his face as a futile defense attempt.
*T'woosh!*
However, as the beast leaped, a thick, cobalt-colored beam hit it, bathing it in heat and light.
*Ka-Thump*
The beast, now well-roasted, slammed against the wall to the right, leaving a trail of malodorous blood as it slid down to the floor.
``UhAm shO Tuh'ta.´´
Another weird sound came from the left.
``W-What the...´´
With his heart beating so loud it almost echoed in the corridor, Cole tried to recover from his near-death experience as he saw the creature that now emerged in front of him.
``TaH-kO tuTu'Hm?´´
Although the corridor was pretty dim, Cole could make out a vaguely humanoid shape in front of him. It was two heads taller than him, with a wine-red skin and apparently four human-ish arms, one of them carrying some sort of cannon, which let out a soft smoke.
``TaH-kO tuTu'Hm?´´ - Again it repeated those intelligible words.
``W-What's going on?´´ - Inquired Cole as he held his wrench in front of him as if it were a sword; the hands holding it shaking like jelly.
*Beep!*
The tall figure seemed to manipulate something around its neck, which made a sound akin to that of old cellphones' keys.
``ArE yOu hUrt?´´
Its words came out unevenly pronounced and with the wrong emphasis; like a native Spanish speaker trying to read English. However, that was more than enough for Cole to understand.
``N-No, I... I am fine.´´ - Replied Cole without stopping his trembling.
``THen coME. FolLOW.´´
With those words, the figure stepped out of the darkness of the corridor and into one of the blinking but still functional lights.
It, or more precisely, she became fully visible to Cole for the very first time.
Two smooth black eyes, like polished onyx, adorned a face devoid of a nose or eyebrows, and rather thin lips that wore a serious expression. She was clearly not human, but that did not meant she wasn't cute to look at.
Save for her four arms and her feet which looked like some sort of two-fingered claws with a back griper, her body was more or less human, specially the big breasts that protruded from under the somewhat tattered outfit she wore, which looked like some sort of re-purposed military uniform. Her hair was as red as her skin, and it flowed down gently.
Still, despite being faced by a real sexy alien girl, something he had always fantasized about, Cole couldn't shake off his inherent fear of the unknown.
``Follow? Where are you taking me to?´´ - Inquired Cole distrustfully without moving his wrench away from his battle-ready position.
The four armed woman remained silent for a moment.
``WaNt tO liVE?´´ - She replied in the same uneven tone. Yet her words didn't sound as menacing as they sounded annoyed.
``O-Of course. I don't wanna die here.´´ - Cole put his wrench back into his belt as he said this. Whatever or whomever this woman was, she didn't want him dead, at least not yet apparently.
``THen coME. FolLOW. AnD staY cloSE iF waNt tO liVE.´´ - Her words couldn't be clearer, in meaning at least.
···
Following her quiet guidance, Cole and the four-armed woman went through the darkened corridors.
Whatever that place was, it wasn't faring well; broken lights, smashed doors and shattered panels dotted the corridors everywhere, along with many signs of battle, struggle and dark brown stains that could easily be dried blood. Whatever had happened here, it hadn't been by any measure nice, and Cole felt deep in his gut that he didn't want to find out what had clawed out the solid metal walls like that.
``What the hell am I doing? I'm following a red-skinned space babe as she takes me deeper and deeper into what could easily be the USG Nishimura... and I left my Plasma Cutter at home, haha...´´ - Mused Cole sarcastically as he held onto his trusty wrench with one hand and the shoulder strap of his laptop bag with the other; never staying as much three steps behind his unusual companion.
The winding dark corridors went on for what seemed to be long hours. Sadly, whatever electric field had brought all the junk to life back at the scrapyard has also apparently fried Cole's wristwatch. He prayed for his laptop to not have suffered the same fate.
Finally, after much wandering, they came upon what seemed to be a gigantic hangar door; maybe big enough to fit a whole Airbus through.
*Tang, Tang, Tlink, Tlink, Tang*
While Cole was wondering what could had such a door been built to fit, the four armed woman made a rhythmic knock on the door.
``Ik ben aht.´´ - A voice from the other side muttered those unintelligible words.
``EnT bA SuN.´´ - And she replied with yet another phrase beyond Cole's understanding.
With these ''magickal words'', a tiny shutter on one of the sides of the gate opened, flooding the corridor with light.
``Cha Zalura, ue ente. Iet teki... ta?´´
As Cole's eyes adapted to the sudden flood of light, he finally saw the one who had been speaking to his companion.
A dog, or least, someone who looked like a greyish-white Alaskan Malamute wearing a ragged green shirt, standing on its hind legs, and looking at Cole with an expression of absolute surprise.
``Zalura, dan tatara? Ue hyomayen iet teki ta?´´
The dog's surprised face changed into an annoyed frown as he turned his attention to the four armed woman and began to talk to her while contemptuously pointing at Cole.
``UlLe kOrum hiSA, DEsri. HyoMAyen teKI shO Tuh'ta.´´ - She replied in a rather calm fashion.
The dog let out a sigh and manipulated some sort of neck device he was wearing.
*Beep!*
Just like when the four armed woman had done it, there was a small electronic beep.
``Awright listen, ya water monkey.´´ - The dog suddenly spoke in a very peeved voice and a heavy accent.
``I'm only lettin' ya in 'cuz Zalura asked me nic'ly. My name is Desri, and if you ever try to pet me, or dare gimme a stupid name like ''Scooby'' or ''Fluffy'', I'll sic ya up so badly no bone of yours will be left whole. Undahstood?´´ - Growled the dog at Cole with an expression most unfriendly.
``DEsri, doN'T bE a jeRK.´´ - Replied the four armed woman, whose name was apparently Zalura, as she folded her four arms in a bit of annoyance.
``Don't worry, I'm more of a cat person; I wouldn't have pet you even if you were okay with it.´´ - Cole replied in a tone of non-commitance.
After letting out one last grunt of annoyance, the dog, or Desri as he called himself, moved away from the shutter, letting Cole inside and shutting it afterwards.
``WelcOME tO ThE noN-VOlatile salVAge COllectOr niNE.´´ - Said Zalura to Cole in a friendly tone.
He still had a bit of a hard time figuring her emotions.
``Oh, and above 'dat, welcome to the Phylactery. Hope ya like it here as we'll never be leaving this accursed hunk o'rust.´´ - Added Desri in a tone not so enthusiastic .
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
What Cole was feeling was a strangely mixed sensation.
The ''Non-Volatile Salvage Collector 9'', or NVSC9 as Desri called it, was quintessentially a space junkyard.
Piles upon piles of unusual junk filled a place roughly the size of a soccer field, and amidst its piles there was from rusty metal plates and pipes, to what seemed to be broken fighter jets and even a couple of cars from Earth.
On one hand, he was in a place filled with all kinds of exotic junk, which the mere thought of it made his hands reach for his tools; led by the raw curiosity that compelled him to take them apart to figure how they were made.
But on the other hand, if what ''Angry Dog'' Desri had told him was true; that they were all trapped in this giant space derelict known simply as the Phylactery, the prospect of never returning home certainly instilled quite a bit of panic in him. But the panic was soon replaced by depression, which in time he ignored simply by thinking of something else.
``So, you say this place is essentially a big mousetrap?´´ - Asked Cole as he sat over what looked like a broken wing of sorts.
``Ya could put it like 'dat, yeah. None of us came 'ere on our own volition.´´ - Replied Desri in a rather sympathetic tone.
Zalura was feeling tired, so she had asked him to show Cole around the NVSC9. He was really weak to Zalura's requests.
``But... why? Why is the crew of this ship abducting us all?´´ - Powerlessness and desperation permeated Cole's words.
``Crew? Hah! Never even SEEN one of 'em 'ere. We've only seen their bones 'ere 'n 'dere, and they weren't tasty at all.´´ - It wasn't too clear if that last part had been a joke.
``They could all be dead fer as much as we knew. Tetlekar can prob'bly tell ya all this better than I; he's been 'ere for almost a century now, y'know.´´ - Added Desri as he scratched his neck with one of his hind paws.
``Huh? There's more people here than you and Zalura?´´ - Asked Cole as lifted an eyebrow.
``Yup! With ya, we're six, water monkey. They're out scavengin' right now.´´
``Also, try to get well along with ev'rybody, else bad things might happen. If ya think I 'ave a bad mood, wait till ya meet Haudrica. I simply can't stand that chitinous bitch; if she weren't so skilled in healing I would've poisoned her food long ago. ´´ - Growled Desri as he lifted his cheeks, showing a wide array of dog teeth.
``Anyhow, this clearin' 'ere is where we live. So don't go touchin' other people's stuff.´´ - Said Desri as he motioned to the trash-free area they all were at the moment.
What seemed to be a sort of repurposed cargo bay was the place Desri called home, and Zalura laid currently asleep inside the cockpit of a crashed fighter. There were also a couple of other similar places on the edges of the clearing, which Cole assumed they belonged to the other absent inhabitants.
Aside from that, there were a series of workbenches, tools, hotplates, crates and other similar appliances laid scattered around the clearing. It all looked like a Post-Apocaliptic settlement straight out of a Fallout game, but in space.
``Ev'rywhere else is fair game, so feel free to do whatever ya want with 'hat scrap. For now, try to find y'self a place to call home out there. Once the others are back, ya can ask Mizelle to bring it 'ere for ya.´´ - Explained Desri as he got up from the crate he has been sitting on.
He walked away without even saying as much as ''C'ya later'', leaving Cole to his own devices.
···
This NVSC9 was a treasure trove for junkers and scavengers. Not only there were all manner of broken spacecrafts, strange machines and complex devices whose sole appearance puzzled Cole; there were a fair number of ''Earthling'' artifacts too. There were cars both modern and classic, small planes and bits of larger ones, as well as a decent number of computers, TVs, unrecognizable industrial machinery, freezers and many other more familiar domestic appliances, although some of them looked like they hailed from the WW2-era such as vacuum tube radios and retro-styled kitchen stoves.
It all made Cole wonder for how long had the Phylactery been spiriting away people from Earth, yet it also made him wonder if he would find the USS Cyclops or the Avengers from the Lost Flight 19 buried under this trash, and that made his inner history nerd giggle.
After a couple of hours of wandering, digging around the trash and resisting the temptation of trying to disassemble something, Cole found just what he had been looking for.
``This will do. Just hope there aren't skeletons in the beds.´´ - Thought Cole as he laid eyes upon what could be his new home.
Laying atop half a dozen of smashed cars stood a battered but not smashed recreational vehicle.
For the style alone, it was probably from around the 90s, but Cole had always wanted to have one of these, so having found one here made him quite happy.
The truck part in front was totalled, but the rest of it looked in pretty good condition. Its windows were gone, yes, but it wasn't like he had any rain to worry about now.
``Now comes the hard part; getting into it.´´ - Muttered Cole as he began to climb the pile of smashed cars, trying to grab hold of the door's handle.
``Ugh, dammit.´´ - Sadly, said door was still locked.
Pulling out a screwdriver from his belt, he tried to force the lock or pry the door open. However, all that pulling and yanking caused the RV to lose its delicate balance upon the pile.
*Creeeeak*
Groaned the metal as it moved around precariously.
``Oh damn, not now...´´ - This wasn't the first time Cole had fallen from a pile of scrap, but they had never been pleasant experiences.
*Grooak!*
With that last creak, the RV plummeted down, along with Cole.
``Whoa!! Uh...?´´ - Cried out Cole as he fell, still hanging from the door's handle.
But, his fall was suddenly stopped mid-air and now both he and the RV floated a few inches from the ground.
``That was a close call. Good thing Desri told me that there was a new resident that needed a bit of help.´´ - Commented a soft yet relieved voice as the RV made a soft landing.
``W-Who?´´ - With his feet finally in the ground, Cole called out to whomever was on the other side of the RV.
Standing there with a bright smile on her face, a girl of a rather short stature and bright orange hair looked at Cole with a friendly gesture.
Her clothes were a bit patched up, like those of everybody else but still looked cute on her.
However, he was way to focused on the feature that set her apart from a human.
On the sides of her head, a pair long, pointy and fur covered ears, almost as long as a hand protruded out. Their fur was the same color of her hair and the way she had just wriggled triggered many excited responses in Cole; he couldn't stop but gawk at them with unbridled fascination and a decent rate of lust.
``Uhm, sorry, did my ears scare you?´´ - The girl covered her long, fluffy ears with her hands embarrassingly, and this made Cole realize what he had been doing.
``Oh, no no no. They're quite cute. They just surprised me, that's all.´´ - Replied Cole as he tried to hold his excitement back.
``You're... Mizelle, right? Desri said I'd need your help.´´ - Added Cole in a much more self-restrained tone.
She gave out a nod of agreement before speaking.
``Yes. Do you wish to move this to the clearing?´´ - Asked Mizelle as she looked at the RV.
``Nah, not yet. I first need a way to get past this lock.´´ - Said Cole as he pointed to the door.
``Oh, I can do that for you.´´ - With these words, she closed her eyes and extended her hand towards the lock, which made a clicking sound as it opened.
``Whoa! That's some seriously cool stuff.´´ - Cole gave her a thumbs up as he spoke. Mizelle blushed a bit.
The inside of the RV wasn't as bad as Cole had initially thought. Sure, the freezer was filled with indescribable spoilage horrors and the TV had been smashed, but he could clean that up, and it wasn't like there was anything to watch on TV either.
So, after a quick clean up and a short journey Mizelle was landing the RV on the clearing. However, as Cole stepped out of it, he realized that there was an argument going on between Desri and a slender, emerald-haired woman he hadn't seen before.
``Did you forgot what happened the last time we let one of those water monkeys here, Desri? How many times someone has to get hurt till you understand those savages cannot be trusted!´´ - Lashed out the slender woman in a highly exasperated tone.
``He SeEms gooD. DiD nOT ATtack ZALura or DEsri.´´ - Said Zalura in her usual uneven tone.
``And? You said the same about the last bastard, and look at what he did to Mizelle! Just because they're capable of speech doesn't mean they are not animals!´´ - Countered the slender woman in an even more spite-laden exasperated tone. The situation looked rather sensible.
``H-Haudrica, please don't fight?´´ - Asked Mizelle in a meek, concerned manner.
``Ah, Mizelle, where had you been? These idiots just brought in another sava-´´ - While her words had initially sounded more friendly than those she lashed at Desri and Zalura, the moment she saw Cole, she vanished like the wind, only to suddenly reappear in front of Cole, pinning him to the side of the RV with a blade that emerged from her arm.
From the distance, she had looked rather human-esque, but close by, it was clear such conception was not fully accurate.
While her face looked mostly human, her red, composite eyes and her ear-to-ear mouth conjured many an image of fear in Cole. Her short green hair covered the sides of her face, and a sort of chitinous plating covered her neck and the visible part of her hands. The blade she held at Cole's neck looked to be made of the same material. She wore a red and emerald-green uniform that would've looked quite fancy if it wasn't for all the stitches it had.
``What did you do to her you savage!?´´ - Roared Haudrica at Cole as she held her blade at his neck; blood-lust clearly visible in her expression.
``Haudrica, stop! He didn't hurt me or anything!´´ - Cried out Mizelle, almost breaking into tears.
``Lies! I'm sure he forced you to say that! What did you do to her you bastard.´´ - She wasn't listening to reason; she was completely berserk.
``S-Stop! Please don't kill me!´´ - Cole was perhaps more scared than he had ever been in his life.
``Stop!? Why the fuck you think you can order me to stop, you water bag! Tell me what did you do to Mizelle or I'm ripping that lying throat of yours open!!´´ - She slowly pushed her blade into Cole's neck, close enough to draw blood.
``Haudrica, put him down.´´ - A harsh male voice echoed from behind her, but Cole was too terrified to bother in looking.
``He says he hasn't done anything, and so says Mizelle. I see no reason to doubt him.´´´- Continued the male voice in the same harsh manner.
``No reason? That's because you don't know these monsters! Everything they say is a lie!`´ - Screamed Haudrica amidst her madness.
``... Haudrica, I am going to count up to three, if you haven't let him go by then, you'll have a lot to regrow.´´
Finally, Cole was able to focus his eyes away from Haudrica and into the man behind her who was trying to stop her. He looked vaguely human and wore a rather out-of-place formal suit, but yet, there was something that didn't look quite right with his face, but Cole couldn't muster enough willpower to focus on it.
``One.´´ - The man began counting in a cold tone.
``Y-You can't be serious!´´ - Haudrica looked considerably afraid.
``Two.´´ - His voice grew even more severe.
``Graagh! Die!´´ Cried Haudrica as she moved her blade back and was about to strike Cole's neck.
``Three.´´
*Bwam*
Cole felt something wet sprinkle his face as he fell to his knees.
``Gyaaaagh!´´ - Wailed Haudrica as she held onto her now-missing left shoulder. Her left arm now laid in the floor next to Cole.
*Bleagh*
That was too much for him; Cole vomited.
``Why? Why did you do this, Tetlekar!? You too saw the atrocities of that monster.´´ - Cried out Haudrica in desperation; tears pouring from her eyes.
``Because you are trying to kill a complete stranger just because he's the same race as your aggressor. By allowing yourself to be led by impulse like that, you current actions make you lower than a beast.´´ - Stated the one called Tetlekar as he stood in front of her.
``Oi, ya alright, lad?´´ - Running on his fours like an actual dog, Desri ran towards Cole, whom was still vomiting.
He didn't reply, he just panted and sweated.
``... Say, I didn't catch your name before. What did you say you were called?´´ - Asked Desri as he tried to change the mood.
It seemed as if he did had a nicer side after all.
``... Cole..... Cole Dedrick....´´ - Said Cole as he continued panting.
He still had no idea of what had happened just now.
···
Once the situation had calmed, Mizelle carried Haudrica away to her room. According to Desri, her arm would had grown back again in a couple of days, so there was nothing to worry. Still, this whole event had left Cole rather shaken, as the scarce composure he had managed to gather in order to not lose his calm to this whole situation had now vanished.
He just sat in the edge of his new bed, which still didn't feel like his own at all; he had lost all he had in his life and had been cast into a place from where he could never escape.
``Are you awake, Dedrick?´´ - Speaking in a calm, soothing tone, Tetlekar entered the RV and sat in the vacant bed in front of Cole.
He previously had a moment to take a good look at him. Although he looked almost completely human on the outside, Tetlekar was actually an android. Yet the only ways to tell that apart was because of the scar on his left cheek, which had the dull, silvery color of solder, and that his hands were like highly polished aluminium gauntlets.
``Just call me Cole, please. And I'm sorry I caused that trouble.´´ - Said Cole, still with a downcast stare.
``It's alright, do not feel guilty; this is not your fault. Those two girls had a terrible experience before. I don't know the details but they haven't fully healed their wounds. Specially Haudrica, whom still very sensible about it.´´ - Explained Tetlekar in a soft, soothing tone.
``Thanks you, but still, I can't yet get over all of this. Why are we all trapped in this cage of rust?´´ - Asked Cole as his worries resurfaced.
``I understand your feelings; it has been a very long time for me and there are times I still wonder what has become of the world outside.´´
``Still, while we remain in here, the only thing we can do is survive; survive and keep exploring the Phylactery, and maybe, just maybe, we'll one day find an answer to that question, and way to get back to our worlds.´´
The way in which Tetlekar was speaking evoked the feelings of someone whom once was just as scared as Cole about this whole place, but that, with time, has learned to accept said reality.
``...What can I do to help?´´ - A glint of hope could be felt in Cole's words.
``That's something only you can answer, as only you know your own capabilities.´´ - Replied Tetlekar as he got up from his seat and headed for the door.
Cole was left alone to his own thoughts yet again.
``...What can I do to help?´´ - He repeated his own question as he looked around his new home, and said place still needed a lot work to provide a comfortable living.
Getting up from his bed, Cole put on his tool belt, and looked at all the hanging wires and loose cupboards of the RV.
``Then, I'll start by making this place feel like home.´´ - Monologued Cole as he cracked his knuckles.
For all of his life, he had dreamed of an adventure like this, but now that he had it, he felt nervous and insecure about it. It was time to change that. With his own hands.
<End of Chapter 1>
Chapter 2
Spoiler: show
Part 1
``Whew, this will be enough.´´ - Setting down a small crate full of recovered screws, Cole looked upon the task he had set upon himself, and all he had gathered to fulfill it.
Neatly arranged upon a makeshift table made of some crates and a large sheet of metal, laid a wide selection of wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, drill bits, hacksaws, bolt cutters and a couple of soldering irons. There was also an old drill and a rather rusty crowbar, along with a battered but still functional multimeter by the floor.
Next to it, there were crates filled with screws, circuit boards, metal pipes, switches, electrical motors, car batteries, lightbulbs and a wide array of platings, wires, bits of metal and gears.
All this well-sorted salvage brought a smile to Cole's lips.
``Oi oi, thought ya wanted to patch up yer place, not build a Class Five Capital Dreadnought; do ya really need all dat stuff?´´ - Inquired Desri amusedly as he sat on the roof of the RV.
He had been sitting there for a while now; seemed rather entertained of watching Cole drive through the trash to gather all that salvage.
``Maybe not now, but maybe I'll need it later. You never know what you'll need when fixing such a big place. Still, I wish I had a vise and a buzzsaw, but maybe I can make myself one of those later.´´ - Said Cole as he picked up one of the hacksaws. It's edge was well-used, but still good.
``But enough chit-chat, it's wrench time!´´ - With these daring words, Cole headed towards what remained of the RV's truck front. His first task was removing that twisted hunk of metal from there as it made the whole RV pitch to the right.
After half an hour of struggle against the rusted bolts and a bit of help from Zalura, the RV was sliding out of the truck's chassis with a loud screech.
``YOu STIll neED thiS PaRt?´´ - Asked Zalura as she held the truck's chassis in the air as if it weighted nothing. Those toned arms of hers weren't for show.
``Nah, I already stripped it of anything useful, which wasn't much. Hope whomever was driving this survived.´´ - Replied Cole dismissively as he began to measure the space between the upper part of the cabin, which used to rest over the truck, and the floor with a measuring tape.
``OkAY.´´
*Swash, bwawlam!*
Without even a second thought, Zalura threw the wreckage away as if it were a ball of paper. The clangor echoed all over the place.
``Hey! Don't do that! You could've broken something.´´ - Visibly spooked by the clangor, Cole turned over to Zalura and scolded her while raising an index finger in a no-no fashion.
``BuT ColE SAid yOu doN'T neEDeD iT.´´ - Replied Zalura as she leaned her head in confusion.
``Yes, but by throwing it out like that it could had broken many good and still-useful junk when it crashed. You have to be careful.´´ - Cole's scolding was rather harsh, but as soon as Zalura gave out an ''OkAY'' nod, he just turned around and resumed his measuring.
``... Dude b'comes a compl'tely dif'rent fella when workin'... Like he's posses'd by somethin'.´´ - Commented Desri as he scratched his right ear with his forepaw.
Cole was like a whirlwind; with the measures from the upper cabin and some of the pipes and plates, he built a small but simple support for the cabin. Then he moved to the inside of the RV, where he continued to work on all the inner details, such as the furniture, the lighting, the beds and the disgusting-beyond-words toilet.
As what would had been the afternoon (if they had any sun to notice it) fell, Cole sat on the doorstep of the RV, panting like a tired courier and drinking the last water of a bottle he always had with him.
``Whew, that was some workout.´´ - He wiped his mouth with his sleeve as he spoke.
``You have finished with your current task, it seems.´´ - In a soft, polite tone, Tetlekar made his presence known. He walked towards Cole at slow, leisurely speed.
``I just wanted to inform you that I've prepared dinner for everyone. Wondered if you'd like to eat.´´ - His attitude was strangely servile, which belied his previous demonstration of badassitude.
``S-Sure thing.´´ - Replied Cole nonchalantly.
···
Cole had been so concentrated on his repairs that he had failed to feel the unusual smell that emanated from the center of the clearing.
Hanging on a pipe between two smashed crates and heated by what seemed to be an amalgam of hot plates, a battered metal pot bubbled with a hay-colored liquid that exuded an unfamiliar smell.
As he arrived, Mizelle was pouring some of it into a square open can she was using as bowl. Desri and Zalura waiting in line behind her.
Upon seeing Cole, she merely gave out a kind smile before heading away with her plate. Her destination being an empty seat besides Haudrica, whom was eating her stew with haste a few steps away from everyone else. A light green, almost white fleshy formation was emerging from her formerly empty left shoulder. Still, with just one hand, she was having a bit of a hard time eating.
She reacted to Mizelle's arrival by just stopping eating for a moment and exchanging some unheard words with her while smirking. Or maybe she was smiling? Cole found it hard to tell both apart due to the shape of her mouth.
The moment she noticed Cole looking her way, she countered by throwing a hate-filled glare towards him before turning her attention back to her food.
``Will she be okay?´´ - Guilt permeated Cole's question as he looked at Mizelle and Haudrica.
``Don't cha worry, her arm'll 'ave grown back in a few days. This ain't the first time som'one has to shoot off one o' her limbs. Now ya see why I said couldn't stand her attitude.´´ - Growled Desri as he filled his plate. He had said that loud enough for Haudrica to hear him, but she didn't show any reaction.
``That's not what I meant...´´ - Thought Cole as he looked at Haudrica sympathetically. Desri's words had failed to ease his guilt, but he felt it wouldn't be a good idea to press the issue.
After Zalura had served herself a rather big portion of the stew, Cole served himself a moderate portion in a bowl he had found on the RV, although there was still some left in the pot.
``CaN I haVE tHe reSt?´´ - Asked Zalura to Tetlekar. Her black eyes gleamed with barely restrained hunger.
Tetlekar just gave a short nod and she happily returned to the stew pot and emptied it. Cole couldn't help but guess that it took a lot of food to keep that big body moving and that an android like Tetlekar would had no need for food.
``...´´ - Cole sat down along with Desri and Zalura, and reached for his first spoonful of the stew. Although it didn't smell bad and had a rather nice color, Cole couldn't help but wonder about what manner of ingredients would be possible to procure inside of this place, so he found himself staring intently and silently at his filled spoon.
``Don't cha worry, doesn't taste dat bad.´´ - Desri probably meant this words as encouragement, but they had the opposite effect.
After a couple of minutes of spoon staring, Cole breathed deep and brought it to his mouth.
``.... It's not that bad....´´ - He said in surprise.
Tetlekar's stew had the taste of a cheap broth flavored with soup cubes instead of actual ingredients, but he had tasted many far worse dishes on roadside dinners or the cafeteria of his highschool.
With that first spoonful in, the other came rather easily; after all, he hadn't eaten anything in almost a day now, and had worked a good sweat repairing the RV.
``Ya.... still seem rather unfaz'd with this whole situation, dude. Thought ya'd be bit more... shaken by all this stuff.´´ - After licking away a good deal of his stew in a very dog-esque fashion, Desri seemed to have gotten fed up with the sudden silence.
``Aside from the whole abductions stuff, being the first human who meets sentient alien races, the trapped here part, and the fact I'm having lunch with a talking dog? Well, not much really.´´ - Replied Cole carefreely.
``Maybe the videogames sort of desensitized me...´´ - He thought that, but didn't say it.
Both Desri and Zalura smiled at his comment, although Desri let out a bit of an amused snort.
``Sorry to burst yer bubble pal, but you ain't the first water monkey to come out of yer little blue planet, let 'lone deal with more advanced races.´´ - Stated Desri in considerable amusement. Cole lifted an eyebrow in surprise.
``Say what?´´ - He exclaimed.
``Ya prolly don't know, but yer race has been tradin' with the Oularnian Plutarchy fer over fifty years now.´´
``Still, far as I know, your tribal chieftains, or pres'dents as ya call 'em, have chosen to keep all the contacts hidden from the general populace. Dunno why.´´ - Continued Desri after a few more licks of stew.
``Trading? We? With a space empire? B-But what could we have that's of any real use out here. I don't think the silly lead-spitters we call weapons or our ''highly advanced robotics'' are on high demand out here.´´ - Cole pointed to the faraway Tetlekar as he made his last remark; now this had really shocked him.
``Act'lly, while yer tech might be more prim'tive than in most of the major g'lactic factions, ya 'ave various unique r'sources dat are pretty sought-after outta 'ere.´´ - He licked out the last of his stew after these words.
``Ya 'ave one o'da largest concentrations of non-solid and barely tainted water in the galaxy, not to mention quite a few deposits of rare energetic minerals.´´
``Still, ya can get both o' those from other places 'round the galaxy; your biggest export is somethin' ya 'ave on yerself right now.´´ - Desri poked Cole's cheek with his right paw playfully.
``Genetics.´´ - He declared boldly.
``While yer intell'gence and lifespan are barely av'rage, ye 'ave one o' the biggest, most diverse pools o' genetic material, both from yer race an' other lesser non-sentient ones, in the galaxy. An' yer race has an absurdly high reproduction rate; somethin' many o' the highest races envy ya for. Yer chieftains 'ave been tradin' g'netic material for technology, both ol' an' new.´´ - Added Desri as he got up from his seat and stretched himself in his usual dog fashion.
``You mean we export s-slaves!?´´ - Asked Cole in a bit of a fright.
``Hrm, yes 'n no. While I got to see more than one livin' human bein' transport'd or sold som'where, most o' 'em ''Earthling Exports'' were blood, tissue and organs, as well as some livin' animals as well.´´
``Ya guys 'ave this white, flightless bird ya eat that, while the meat was pretty OK, 'em bones 'ave been some o' the tastiest ones I've ever crunch'd. Soft enuff for the elderly to chew, yet crunchy enough for a pup to like 'em, and with a real sweet marrow.´´ - Desri was almost drooling, and Cole couldn't help but imagine an overly-happy Desri digging through the trash of a KFC as if it was a box of candies.
Still, all that was just way more info than Cole could process at once...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
Even if he had patched up the RV as best as he could, it still had no electricity or whatsoever he could use, as said function relied on the engine of the truck since this old model didn't came with an extra generation.
Hence, he had to look for an alternate power source; one that would be, most certainly, not of human making.
``What about this one, is it alive?´´ - Asked Cole as he banged his palm softly against the smooth body of some sort of space fighter, or at least, what remained of it, which was about half the thing; the tail and one of the wings had been ripped away.
``Give me a moment...´´ - Muttered Tetlekar as he put both his hands on the smooth panel. A series of linear patterns showed on his eyes, like many lines of code moving on a screen. The cockpit made a soft humming noise, and a couple of parts lit up on the control board. But almost as soon as it started, it ended.
``... Beaten, but still functioning. This Oscillating Core could probably be what you need the problem is....´´ - As he spoke, Tetlekar ran his metallic index finger over a faded crest on the side of the ship.
It depicted a hexagonal shape, featuring a spiraling tower flanked by two crossed scythes, and with a head shaped like an inverse triangle with bright triangular eyes on.
``... that this is an Irisonian Fighter; the only one who can probably tell you how to use this is.... Haudrica.´´ - The concern became obvious on Cole's face as Tetlekar mentioned that name.
``Well... maybe I can keep searching. I'm sure that there must be other still working power devices out there.´´ - Said Cole as he failed to hide unhappiness.
``Yo guys! Found ya at last!´´ - Hoping from wreck to wreck, Desri came running four-legs towards Cole and Tetlekar.
He panted a bit before continuing.
``Zalura and Mizelle just came back from the scavengin' run at ol' Corridor 172, and they said dat 'bout half a dozen o' new vaults open!´´ - Exclaimed Desri with a wide and toothy grin.
``Problem is, Haudrica's already gearin' up to go pick 'em up. But with an arm o' less, she might not come back; those rooms had active Security Units b'fore.´´ - His tone now turned very serious. Tetlekar also frowned upon hearing this statement.
``That isn't good. Tell her to wait for us; we'll be there in a moment.´´ - He spoke in a very driven manner.
···
``For the last time, my answer is no! I'd rather go in there hog-tied and blindfolded than along with that savage!!´´ - Haudrica's roar resounded all around.
``Haudrica, you know as well as me that the contents of those storage rooms could feed us all for weeks, and that there's no way to tell to tell when they'll open again.´´ Stated Tetlekar is a mixture of anger and urgency.
``I know, which is why you and me are going to clean them up. But this savage will stay here; tied up to a wreck if possible.´´ - She didn't even looked at Cole as she spoke; she just pointed at him as if he were a wild animal.
``Zalura and Mizelle already went overboard to bring us that information, and Desri made sure the way there was safe. But, without your left arm, you won't be able to fight well, nor carry anything, that's why we should bring Cole along; he can carry the supplies.´´ - Continued Tetlekar in the same tone.
Haudrica looked at her stump, which now looked a bit larger than it did a while ago, before speaking.
``I wonder whose's fault is that I'm currently impaired when I'm needed the most.´´ Her voice was heavy with contempt, directed both at Cole and Tetlekar.
``Yours and yours alone; you could have backed up, you didn't, and now we're all going to suffer because of your impulsiveness.´´ - Retorted Tetlekar as he frowned.
``D-Don't worry, I'm sure I can help with-´´ - Trying to somehow help a bit, Cole began talking, but he was cut almost immediately.
``Be silent, you savage! No one is talking to you!´´ - Haudrica lashed out at him mercilessly.
``Haudrica, don't do this. If-if you go there by yourself, you could die.´´ - Reaching out to her remaining arm, Mizelle pleaded out to Haudrica with teary eyes.
She looked at Mizelle with an expression that could only be described as blank; not angry nor happy.
``Huurgh.... Fine, bring the water monkey along.´´ - Letting out a bitter sigh, Haudrica gave in.
``However, he's your responsibility in there; don't expect me to absolutely anything to help him, and if I have the need to use him as a meat shield, I will. Now get ready; those open storages won't stay like that forever.´´
WIth these bitter words, Haudrica turned around and headed towards her place, which looked like some kind of train wagon. And Mizelle followed after her.
``Sheesh... she simply doesn't drop it.´´ - Groaned Desri contemptuously.
``Anyhow, come with me, Cole. Yer gonna need some extra gear for this kind of run.´´ - He added as he walked towards his own place.
···
When Desri said ''Extra Gear'', Cole had instinctively thought it'd be some kind of laser pistol or plasma chainsaw; some cool thing to defend himself against the critters out there. But instead, he got a lantern tacked onto one of his chest pockets, and one big rucksack filled with many other rucksacks. He couldn't help but feel really disappointed as he carried them while following after Tetlekar and Haudrica through a series of windy tunnels and eerie corridors.
``We have arrived. Cryovaults Corridor 172. Auxiliary Emergency Supplies, 5th Coreward Wing.´´ - Stated Tetlekar as he read a sort of holomap that projected on his left hand.
For a moment, Cole felt like he was in one big-ass self-storage facility; metal shutter after metal shutter lined the walls, all of them marked with some unintelligible codes and with a sort of computer panel on a side of the door.
Some of the deposits had their panels dark or smashed; the shutters of these were fully open and looked like they had been emptied long ago. The rest of them, however, their panels shone in either a medical green color or a warning red one. The red ones are the most, and there are only a handful of greens, yet the greens' shutters were open, and they looked full of many brick-sized boxes of a opaline colour.
``What should I do?´´ - Whispered Cole to Tetlekar.
``Fill as many bags you can with those, and stay out of my sight.´´ - Strangely enough, it was Haudrica who replied his inquiry.
Not asking any more questions, Cole emptied the rucksack and began to pack as many of those tiny boxes he could. They felt cold and smooth to the touch, like a metal ingot.
As he did that, Haudrica stood watch in the corridor, and Tetlekar did something to the storage's panel.
With his hands moving as fast as he could, he managed to fill all the seven bags he had gotten. Still, that hadn't been even the 20% of the storage's contents.
``It is done. They won't be locking this one for some time.´´ - Said Tetlekar satisfactorily. The panel of the storage had become dark.
``Let's move onto another, then. The more we can have, the better.´´ - That was perhaps the first time Cole had heard Haudrica sound pleased with something.
*Ka-thunk!*
A sound of metal striking against metal suddenly broke the silence, and erased the pleased expressions of both Tetlekar and Haudrica; this couldn't be good.
``Get inside, quick. Hide behind the pile, and whatever you do, don't move.´´ - Tetlekar was panicked, and this scared Cole far more than an angry Haudrica. Yet she was just as afraid, as she didn't even mind squeezing herself against Cole and Tetlekar as they hit in a corner of the storage.
*Hooooohumhooooohumhooooohum*
Whatever it was, it sounded like one of those old, tape-fed printers, and it was getting close real fast.
With all of their lights off and carefully measuring each and every breath, the trio remained in the corner, and Cole was stuck with being the one outermost part of the squeeze, yet this also allowed him to notice what they were hiding from.
*HOOOOOHUMHOOOOOHUMHOOOOOHUM*
Its shape was reminiscent of a chess pawn; round head, protruding neck area, and a cone rounded around the bottom for a body. Still, they key differences were that this ''pawn'' sported a part of floating, three-fingered claw arms, and wicked, glowing red eye of a pentagonal shape on its head.
It stood right outside the shutter and looked around for a moment. Then it headed to the door's panel and touched a couple of buttons, nothing happened so it repeated it, nothing once again. Apparently having given up with the panel, he moved to the left, and away of Cole's sight.
*Shaaa-Pom!*
The all-too-familiar noise of a shutter sliding down and shutting was heard almost immediately. Fortunately, it wasn't the shutter of the storage they were hiding at. After that one came another and another, up to a total of four more.
*Ka-thunk!*
The striking metal sound echoed from the end of the corridor yet again, and after a short while, silence reigned again. Yet, they all remained unmoving until they were sure the ''pawn'' was indeed away.
``Uufgh!´´ - Moaned Cole as Haudrica pushed him out of the way and ran towards the corridor. Her right arm's blade was out.
``Gone, and it closed the other storages.´´ Grunted Haudrica as she relaxed her stance and retracted her blade.
``What the hell was that thing?´´ - Asked Cole as he got up.
``A Caretaker Unit. We're lucky it wasn't a Cleaner Unit or Security Unit, else we wouldn't be having this conversation now.´´ - Replied Tetlekar as he joined Haudrica in the corridor.
The other storages with green panels that were open had been all closed and their panels turned red.
``Uhm, maybe we should get out of here before more of those things show up.´´ - Cole was still trembling a bit as he said that.
``I concurr, we best take what we can carry and-´´ A sudden flashing red light in his holomap made Tetlekar not finish his phrase.
``This cannot be.´´ - His eyes widened and his tone became one of urgency.
Without uttering another word, he ran towards the way they had come, but he didn't get too far.
``Damnation!´´ - Cursed Tetlekar as he slammed his hand against the shutter that was now blocking their way back. Even Haudrica now looked considerably spooked.
``That Caretaker Unit swapped the tunnels. It means we must now find another way back.´´ - He began to manipulate his holomap as he spoke.
``.... You're telling me I'm trapped in here with this beast now!?´´ - Haudrica's fear was soon replaced by anger.
``Fortunatedly for us all, no. There's another way we can take back to the NVSC9, however, while it's far shorter, it hasn't been secured properly and passes right by the Organic Collector 73.´´ - Tetlekar was struggling to maintain his calm.
``Then what should we do?´´ - Asked Cole as he tried to wrap his mind around all that was going on.
``Nothing, at least you two. I'll make a run for it, scout the route, and bring Zalura with me to clear it.´´ - Replied Tetlekar as he adjusted his necktie.
``What? Do you expect me to stay out here, with this savage, doing nothing but hoping that my luck will spare me another encounter with a Unit?´´ - This wasn't Haudrica's usual anger but one also laced with fear.
``Yes, and if you both want to live, it'd be best if you don't come with me.´´
``The aberrations on OC73 don't like the taste of metal, so I'll be safe. You two, however, won't be safe.´´ - His tone had become really stern and teacher-like, and while Cole didn't have much problem with it, Haudrica remained bewildered.
``But you really expect me to-´´ - Haudrica didn't got to finish her phrase as Tetlekar landed one sound sentence.
``Did you forgot what happened last time?´´ - Haudrica froze upon these words; the fear visible in her face.
``I, no, of course not, dammit. But you really expect me to stay out here with this savage!?´´ - She repeated herself yet again.
``Then make your mind; one lone ''savage'' or a pack of aberrations. Make your mind.´´ - Tetlekar's words were curt, direct and strangely redundant. Haudrica didn't reply.
``I shall be back before long. If a Unit appears, just hide in the storage room; they can't control the shutter's lock anymore, so you'll be okay.´´ - With these last words, Tetlekar dashed away. It was pretty surprising how fast he could move.
``...´´ - Only silence reigned. At least, until Cole broke it.
``Say-´´ - He didn't get the chance to speak more; Haudrica's blade was already pointing at his throat.
``Breath another word out at me and it'll be your last.´´ - Her tone sounded as angry as usual, but she retracted her blade after delivering this ultimatum.
``Okay...´ ´ - Thought Cole; he didn't dare to say it.
``Wonder just how these are used?´´ - He grabbed one of the ingot-esque boxes from the pile still at the storage.
It didn't seem to have a lid or cap one could open; it looked just like one small block of an opaline-colored metal, and save for a few unrecognizable symbols on one side, it didn't show any visible cue on their function.
Meanwhile, at the corridor, Haudrica stood there silently. Her head moving from side to side like a standing fan.
*Whiiiiiiuuuuuuuuu*
Suddenly, a sound caught Cole's ear. It sounded like a dentist's drill, and it sounded quite close.
``Hey, do you heart that?´´ - Said Cole as he looked around warily.
``I thought I had told you that if you breathed out another word at me, it would be your last.´´ - Countered Haudrica with her usual threat.
``I'm not joking. Don't you hear anything weird?´´ - His tone was taking a sound of urgency, but Haudrica failed to notice it.
``The only thing I hear is your annoying noise of your windpipe, so if you-´´ - She spoke in a rather loud and annoyed tone, and that was probably why she couldn't hear the shutter behind her opening.
*HOHUM!*
This storage was empty, save for some strange brown piles in a corner, and a dusty Caretaker Unit, who emerged from inside with an angry hum.
Upon seeing Cole and Haudrica, its red eye flashed and its tiny arms extended to the side. However, Haudrica was frozen in place.
``Run away!´´
*Pwang!*
Shouted Cole as he flung his wrench towards the Unit, hitting it in the head. But that didn't deter it from going after Haudrica.
``Ah, fuck this!´´ - Again his better judgement, he ran towards the Unit, picked up his wrench and proceeded to beat on it.
*Thang, thang, thang*
He unleashed strike after strike upon the Unit, but it didn't even seem to notice them; it simply kept advancing upon Haudrica, whom had completely frozen in terror.
``Run, dammit, run!´´ - Cried Cole again, but it was useless.
*Scrutchk*
``Hyaaaaaa!!´´
The Unit's claws reached upon Haudrica's remaining arm. It made a disgusting crushing sound as it bent in an unnatural direction.
``Let her go, you piece of junk!!´´ - Roared Cole as he landed one last strike on the back of the unit.
*Tilink*
A small metal lid came off the Unit's back, revealing a tangled thicket of wires a and cables.
``Fucking die!´´ - Following his electrician instincts, Cole reached onto the tangled wires and began to tear them out.
*HOHUHUM!*
This seemingly upset the Unit, as it let go off Haudrica and reached onto Cole's forearms.
``Uwaaah!!´´ - Cole could feel its overwhelming strength crushing his bones; as if he had stuck his arms in an industrial press. But that didn't stop him from yanking wires.
The inside of the Unit was roughly as big as a junction box, but despite his tearing and yanking of wires in there, Cole didn't felt any jolts or electricity at all.
*HOOoohuuuumm.....*
As Cole yanked out a handful of wires, the Unit made a protesting sound followed by a soft, humming sound, with its red eye turning dark; it was dead, or more precisely, off.
Its claws, which were still clutching Cole's forearms, fell apart as if they had nothing holding them together.
Haudrica fell to her knees; she was panting hard and her eyes open wide. This had been as much a shock for her as it had been for Cole.
``Ieagh!´´ - With the effects of adrenaline leaving, Cole began to feel the pain of his wounds; his arms felt heavy and swollen, not to mention the overbearing pain. Even worse, he could feel his consciousness failing him; he was about to faint from the pain.
``ColE HerE, hUrt. HauDRIca toO.´´ - Zalura was running towards Cole, gun in hand and Tetlekar not far behind.
``Damnation! What happened here?´´ - Tetlekar ran up to Cole as he reached for something in his pocket.
``We got ambushed by Caretaker Unit. But I managed to pull the plug on it, haha.´´ - Cole jested a bit in the last part.
``Here, chew on this. Do so until it dissolves, and don't swallow it.´´ - Explained Tetlekar as he shoved what seemed to be a tiny, bright red square on Cole's mouth.
Whatever it was, it had a minty taste; more like toothpaste than an actual mint gum, but Cole could feel the swelling in his arms going away.
``Can you stand?´´ - Asked Tetlekar as he took a step back.
He was still feeling a bit dizzy but he managed to. His arms weren't hurting anymore, but still felt rather heavy. Moving them around seemed to make the heavy feeling go away, but it came back if he stopped moving them.
``Yeah, sorta. How's Haudrica?´´ - Cole looked past Tetlekar as he asked that. Haudrica's face looked like that of someone just had faced the reaper but it had passed them by.
``She's in shock, but she'll probably be fine once she rests a bit. Fortunately her right arm wasn't fully torn off, which I guess was thanks to you.´´ - Replied Tetlekar in a rather flat relief tone, as if his mind was off to somewhere else.
``Speaking of that....´´ - His attention turned away from Cole and Haudrica to the disabled Caretaker Unit.
``How did you even manage to hurt this thing, let alone disable it? I have never even seen anyone successfully outrun one of these once they go in pursuit mode.´´ - Asked Tetlekar as he looked at the Caretaker Unit.
``With a good deal of luck and two spoonfuls of desperation.´´ - Jested Cole as he kicked away one of the Unit's claws.
``I just whacked the thing with my wrench, a service panel of sorts came off, and then I got to play ''Mad Electrician'' with its wires. Like I said before, I managed to pull the plug on it.´´ - Perhaps what amused him more was how he had forsaken pretty much every security measure regarding electrical work and not died of a jolt.
``Hm, highly unorthodox, but also fully effective. I must say I am impressed.´´ - Commented Tetlekar as he rubbed his chin.
``TEtlekAr, aLl reaDY, yoU caRrY HauDRIca.´´ - Said Zalura as she cut into their conversation. She was carrying all the seven bags of loot by herself.
Haudrica, on the other hand, was on her knees; staring at the floor with an empty stare. She hadn't recovered yet.
``... Say, can we take this thing home, too? I really want to figure out how does it work.´´ - Said Cole as he put his hand on top of the head of the Caretaker Unit.
``Sure you jest, Cole. If that Unit were to spring back to life, it could be the end of us all.´´ - Tetlekar sounded most serious.
``If that happens, which I doubt as I pulled each and every wire it had back here, I can just disable it again.´´
``Besides, you said this is the first time someone ever takes down one of these, so maybe there's something we could learn from its inner workings. Imagine if we could somehow rig this one to open up storages for us? It's worth a try.´´ - Declared Cole boldly.
Although all he was saying was true, his true motivation was simple curiosity of how these robots worked. Even if he wasn't 100% certain he'd be able to change its programming, let alone re-enable it, he believed that at least, there was something he could learn from it.
``Hmm... At the very least, we could use it to figure out if they have any weaknesses we could exploit for our own use later. Alright, you can take it.´´ - Replied Tetlekar after a bit of pondering.
``However, you're fully responsible of whatever happens with it. So if it starts rampaging, I'm throwing it out of the airlock, with you along with it if necessary.´´ - Added Tetlekar as he frowned; his warning had been quite serious, enough to almost make Cole waver.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
The way back to the NVSC9 was fortunately uneventful, although when they passed by the place Tetlekar had called the Organic Collector 73, the charred corpses of many nondescript alien beasts laid sprawled around the corridor.
Upon arrival, both Desri and Mizelle were quite relieved to see everyone in one piece, although Mizelle broke into tears as she saw the condition in which Haudrica still was and Desri looked quite nervous regarding Cole's latest acquisition.
A few day went by with no significant events other than Haudrica coming back to herself and lashing out like crazy and Cole realizing that his wounds had been far more severe than he had imagined.
Although they hadn't broken, both of his arm bones had cracked in various places, and it could be real dangerous if he made any effort with them, which meant no more scrap diving and wrecks climbing until they healed which, according to Tetlekar, the medicine he had given Cole would make them heal much faster at the cost of increased appetite.
*Nom chomp grumb urp*
The sounds he made as he ate his lunch could have woken up the dead; he was feeling so hungry he had forsaken all kinds of etiquette.
``Paah... That was delicious.´´ - Exclaimed Cole as he finished gobbling his food, which had been some sort of juicy meat ragout.
``ColE EatiNG likE ZALura NOw.´´ - Commented Zalura in a mild amusement.
``But ya 'ave better et'quette than him. Yer makin' yerself look like an actual monkey, Cole.´´ - Snarked Desri, also in a mild amusement.
``Sorry guys, I had no idea the effects of that tablet would be that strong; it's just that I feel like I haven't eaten in months.´´ - Cole wiped his mouth with his sleeve as he spoke.
``I still can't believe all this food is synthetic. It tastes very real to me.´´ - Added Cole as he looked at his now-empty plate.
Those opaline bricks he had risked his arms and life to gather had actually been what Desri called an ''Organic Block'' and served as the resources needed by a food synthesizer they had found among the scrap and managed to restore. It wasn't by any measure perfect or with a variety of foods available, but Cole was already thinking on ways to fix that.
``That's 'cuz the synth's pretty juiced up organic blocks now; ya 'aven't tasted how bad it is when it's runnin' low on 'em. We had a few dryouts couple years ago where it was almost outta blocks and, be it stew or ragout, it all tasted the same.´´ - Deep disgust was plainly visible on Desri's face as he spoke.
Not too far from them, Haudrica and Mizelle were having their lunch separated from the rest as usual. But, while Mizelle looked completely normal, Haudrica had been very quiet, almost mute, after her recovery rampage. To the point even Mizelle was a bit worried.
``So, how are yer arms feelin'? Still hurtin'?´´ - Asked Desri as he got up from his seat and headed to the pot for a second serving.
``Not much anymore. They still hurt a bit when I have to put strength into something, but Tetlekar says they'll be good again in just a couple of days.´´ - Replied Cole as he looked at his arm. The purplish gashed left where the Unit had gripped his arms were still plainly visible.
``In the meantime, I'm gonna try to take apart that Caretaker Unit, and see if I can make some sense of its innards. Never seen a machine like that before.´´ - Cole clutched his hand as he spoke; it was as if he could already hold the tools he was going to use.
``Just be careful with it, yo. Tetlekar wasn't jokin' 'bout the airlock thing. He serio'sly hates 'em Units. How else d'ya think he got that scar of his? It was a Security Unit that caught him unprep'red.´´ - Desri didn't seem to happy about Cole's Unit either.
``I know, but I think I can do it.´´ - Replied Cole confidently.
``A fictional character in my world once said ''Machines aren't capable of evil. Humans make them that way.'' and I think she was right.´´
``Anyhow, see you later, guys. I've got work to do.´´ - Said Cole as got up and stretched his arms.
He was about to live one of his childhood dreams; dismantling and fixing a robot, and he wasn't about to let his own fear stop him.
<End of Chapter 2>
``Whew, this will be enough.´´ - Setting down a small crate full of recovered screws, Cole looked upon the task he had set upon himself, and all he had gathered to fulfill it.
Neatly arranged upon a makeshift table made of some crates and a large sheet of metal, laid a wide selection of wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, drill bits, hacksaws, bolt cutters and a couple of soldering irons. There was also an old drill and a rather rusty crowbar, along with a battered but still functional multimeter by the floor.
Next to it, there were crates filled with screws, circuit boards, metal pipes, switches, electrical motors, car batteries, lightbulbs and a wide array of platings, wires, bits of metal and gears.
All this well-sorted salvage brought a smile to Cole's lips.
``Oi oi, thought ya wanted to patch up yer place, not build a Class Five Capital Dreadnought; do ya really need all dat stuff?´´ - Inquired Desri amusedly as he sat on the roof of the RV.
He had been sitting there for a while now; seemed rather entertained of watching Cole drive through the trash to gather all that salvage.
``Maybe not now, but maybe I'll need it later. You never know what you'll need when fixing such a big place. Still, I wish I had a vise and a buzzsaw, but maybe I can make myself one of those later.´´ - Said Cole as he picked up one of the hacksaws. It's edge was well-used, but still good.
``But enough chit-chat, it's wrench time!´´ - With these daring words, Cole headed towards what remained of the RV's truck front. His first task was removing that twisted hunk of metal from there as it made the whole RV pitch to the right.
After half an hour of struggle against the rusted bolts and a bit of help from Zalura, the RV was sliding out of the truck's chassis with a loud screech.
``YOu STIll neED thiS PaRt?´´ - Asked Zalura as she held the truck's chassis in the air as if it weighted nothing. Those toned arms of hers weren't for show.
``Nah, I already stripped it of anything useful, which wasn't much. Hope whomever was driving this survived.´´ - Replied Cole dismissively as he began to measure the space between the upper part of the cabin, which used to rest over the truck, and the floor with a measuring tape.
``OkAY.´´
*Swash, bwawlam!*
Without even a second thought, Zalura threw the wreckage away as if it were a ball of paper. The clangor echoed all over the place.
``Hey! Don't do that! You could've broken something.´´ - Visibly spooked by the clangor, Cole turned over to Zalura and scolded her while raising an index finger in a no-no fashion.
``BuT ColE SAid yOu doN'T neEDeD iT.´´ - Replied Zalura as she leaned her head in confusion.
``Yes, but by throwing it out like that it could had broken many good and still-useful junk when it crashed. You have to be careful.´´ - Cole's scolding was rather harsh, but as soon as Zalura gave out an ''OkAY'' nod, he just turned around and resumed his measuring.
``... Dude b'comes a compl'tely dif'rent fella when workin'... Like he's posses'd by somethin'.´´ - Commented Desri as he scratched his right ear with his forepaw.
Cole was like a whirlwind; with the measures from the upper cabin and some of the pipes and plates, he built a small but simple support for the cabin. Then he moved to the inside of the RV, where he continued to work on all the inner details, such as the furniture, the lighting, the beds and the disgusting-beyond-words toilet.
As what would had been the afternoon (if they had any sun to notice it) fell, Cole sat on the doorstep of the RV, panting like a tired courier and drinking the last water of a bottle he always had with him.
``Whew, that was some workout.´´ - He wiped his mouth with his sleeve as he spoke.
``You have finished with your current task, it seems.´´ - In a soft, polite tone, Tetlekar made his presence known. He walked towards Cole at slow, leisurely speed.
``I just wanted to inform you that I've prepared dinner for everyone. Wondered if you'd like to eat.´´ - His attitude was strangely servile, which belied his previous demonstration of badassitude.
``S-Sure thing.´´ - Replied Cole nonchalantly.
···
Cole had been so concentrated on his repairs that he had failed to feel the unusual smell that emanated from the center of the clearing.
Hanging on a pipe between two smashed crates and heated by what seemed to be an amalgam of hot plates, a battered metal pot bubbled with a hay-colored liquid that exuded an unfamiliar smell.
As he arrived, Mizelle was pouring some of it into a square open can she was using as bowl. Desri and Zalura waiting in line behind her.
Upon seeing Cole, she merely gave out a kind smile before heading away with her plate. Her destination being an empty seat besides Haudrica, whom was eating her stew with haste a few steps away from everyone else. A light green, almost white fleshy formation was emerging from her formerly empty left shoulder. Still, with just one hand, she was having a bit of a hard time eating.
She reacted to Mizelle's arrival by just stopping eating for a moment and exchanging some unheard words with her while smirking. Or maybe she was smiling? Cole found it hard to tell both apart due to the shape of her mouth.
The moment she noticed Cole looking her way, she countered by throwing a hate-filled glare towards him before turning her attention back to her food.
``Will she be okay?´´ - Guilt permeated Cole's question as he looked at Mizelle and Haudrica.
``Don't cha worry, her arm'll 'ave grown back in a few days. This ain't the first time som'one has to shoot off one o' her limbs. Now ya see why I said couldn't stand her attitude.´´ - Growled Desri as he filled his plate. He had said that loud enough for Haudrica to hear him, but she didn't show any reaction.
``That's not what I meant...´´ - Thought Cole as he looked at Haudrica sympathetically. Desri's words had failed to ease his guilt, but he felt it wouldn't be a good idea to press the issue.
After Zalura had served herself a rather big portion of the stew, Cole served himself a moderate portion in a bowl he had found on the RV, although there was still some left in the pot.
``CaN I haVE tHe reSt?´´ - Asked Zalura to Tetlekar. Her black eyes gleamed with barely restrained hunger.
Tetlekar just gave a short nod and she happily returned to the stew pot and emptied it. Cole couldn't help but guess that it took a lot of food to keep that big body moving and that an android like Tetlekar would had no need for food.
``...´´ - Cole sat down along with Desri and Zalura, and reached for his first spoonful of the stew. Although it didn't smell bad and had a rather nice color, Cole couldn't help but wonder about what manner of ingredients would be possible to procure inside of this place, so he found himself staring intently and silently at his filled spoon.
``Don't cha worry, doesn't taste dat bad.´´ - Desri probably meant this words as encouragement, but they had the opposite effect.
After a couple of minutes of spoon staring, Cole breathed deep and brought it to his mouth.
``.... It's not that bad....´´ - He said in surprise.
Tetlekar's stew had the taste of a cheap broth flavored with soup cubes instead of actual ingredients, but he had tasted many far worse dishes on roadside dinners or the cafeteria of his highschool.
With that first spoonful in, the other came rather easily; after all, he hadn't eaten anything in almost a day now, and had worked a good sweat repairing the RV.
``Ya.... still seem rather unfaz'd with this whole situation, dude. Thought ya'd be bit more... shaken by all this stuff.´´ - After licking away a good deal of his stew in a very dog-esque fashion, Desri seemed to have gotten fed up with the sudden silence.
``Aside from the whole abductions stuff, being the first human who meets sentient alien races, the trapped here part, and the fact I'm having lunch with a talking dog? Well, not much really.´´ - Replied Cole carefreely.
``Maybe the videogames sort of desensitized me...´´ - He thought that, but didn't say it.
Both Desri and Zalura smiled at his comment, although Desri let out a bit of an amused snort.
``Sorry to burst yer bubble pal, but you ain't the first water monkey to come out of yer little blue planet, let 'lone deal with more advanced races.´´ - Stated Desri in considerable amusement. Cole lifted an eyebrow in surprise.
``Say what?´´ - He exclaimed.
``Ya prolly don't know, but yer race has been tradin' with the Oularnian Plutarchy fer over fifty years now.´´
``Still, far as I know, your tribal chieftains, or pres'dents as ya call 'em, have chosen to keep all the contacts hidden from the general populace. Dunno why.´´ - Continued Desri after a few more licks of stew.
``Trading? We? With a space empire? B-But what could we have that's of any real use out here. I don't think the silly lead-spitters we call weapons or our ''highly advanced robotics'' are on high demand out here.´´ - Cole pointed to the faraway Tetlekar as he made his last remark; now this had really shocked him.
``Act'lly, while yer tech might be more prim'tive than in most of the major g'lactic factions, ya 'ave various unique r'sources dat are pretty sought-after outta 'ere.´´ - He licked out the last of his stew after these words.
``Ya 'ave one o'da largest concentrations of non-solid and barely tainted water in the galaxy, not to mention quite a few deposits of rare energetic minerals.´´
``Still, ya can get both o' those from other places 'round the galaxy; your biggest export is somethin' ya 'ave on yerself right now.´´ - Desri poked Cole's cheek with his right paw playfully.
``Genetics.´´ - He declared boldly.
``While yer intell'gence and lifespan are barely av'rage, ye 'ave one o' the biggest, most diverse pools o' genetic material, both from yer race an' other lesser non-sentient ones, in the galaxy. An' yer race has an absurdly high reproduction rate; somethin' many o' the highest races envy ya for. Yer chieftains 'ave been tradin' g'netic material for technology, both ol' an' new.´´ - Added Desri as he got up from his seat and stretched himself in his usual dog fashion.
``You mean we export s-slaves!?´´ - Asked Cole in a bit of a fright.
``Hrm, yes 'n no. While I got to see more than one livin' human bein' transport'd or sold som'where, most o' 'em ''Earthling Exports'' were blood, tissue and organs, as well as some livin' animals as well.´´
``Ya guys 'ave this white, flightless bird ya eat that, while the meat was pretty OK, 'em bones 'ave been some o' the tastiest ones I've ever crunch'd. Soft enuff for the elderly to chew, yet crunchy enough for a pup to like 'em, and with a real sweet marrow.´´ - Desri was almost drooling, and Cole couldn't help but imagine an overly-happy Desri digging through the trash of a KFC as if it was a box of candies.
Still, all that was just way more info than Cole could process at once...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
Even if he had patched up the RV as best as he could, it still had no electricity or whatsoever he could use, as said function relied on the engine of the truck since this old model didn't came with an extra generation.
Hence, he had to look for an alternate power source; one that would be, most certainly, not of human making.
``What about this one, is it alive?´´ - Asked Cole as he banged his palm softly against the smooth body of some sort of space fighter, or at least, what remained of it, which was about half the thing; the tail and one of the wings had been ripped away.
``Give me a moment...´´ - Muttered Tetlekar as he put both his hands on the smooth panel. A series of linear patterns showed on his eyes, like many lines of code moving on a screen. The cockpit made a soft humming noise, and a couple of parts lit up on the control board. But almost as soon as it started, it ended.
``... Beaten, but still functioning. This Oscillating Core could probably be what you need the problem is....´´ - As he spoke, Tetlekar ran his metallic index finger over a faded crest on the side of the ship.
It depicted a hexagonal shape, featuring a spiraling tower flanked by two crossed scythes, and with a head shaped like an inverse triangle with bright triangular eyes on.
``... that this is an Irisonian Fighter; the only one who can probably tell you how to use this is.... Haudrica.´´ - The concern became obvious on Cole's face as Tetlekar mentioned that name.
``Well... maybe I can keep searching. I'm sure that there must be other still working power devices out there.´´ - Said Cole as he failed to hide unhappiness.
``Yo guys! Found ya at last!´´ - Hoping from wreck to wreck, Desri came running four-legs towards Cole and Tetlekar.
He panted a bit before continuing.
``Zalura and Mizelle just came back from the scavengin' run at ol' Corridor 172, and they said dat 'bout half a dozen o' new vaults open!´´ - Exclaimed Desri with a wide and toothy grin.
``Problem is, Haudrica's already gearin' up to go pick 'em up. But with an arm o' less, she might not come back; those rooms had active Security Units b'fore.´´ - His tone now turned very serious. Tetlekar also frowned upon hearing this statement.
``That isn't good. Tell her to wait for us; we'll be there in a moment.´´ - He spoke in a very driven manner.
···
``For the last time, my answer is no! I'd rather go in there hog-tied and blindfolded than along with that savage!!´´ - Haudrica's roar resounded all around.
``Haudrica, you know as well as me that the contents of those storage rooms could feed us all for weeks, and that there's no way to tell to tell when they'll open again.´´ Stated Tetlekar is a mixture of anger and urgency.
``I know, which is why you and me are going to clean them up. But this savage will stay here; tied up to a wreck if possible.´´ - She didn't even looked at Cole as she spoke; she just pointed at him as if he were a wild animal.
``Zalura and Mizelle already went overboard to bring us that information, and Desri made sure the way there was safe. But, without your left arm, you won't be able to fight well, nor carry anything, that's why we should bring Cole along; he can carry the supplies.´´ - Continued Tetlekar in the same tone.
Haudrica looked at her stump, which now looked a bit larger than it did a while ago, before speaking.
``I wonder whose's fault is that I'm currently impaired when I'm needed the most.´´ Her voice was heavy with contempt, directed both at Cole and Tetlekar.
``Yours and yours alone; you could have backed up, you didn't, and now we're all going to suffer because of your impulsiveness.´´ - Retorted Tetlekar as he frowned.
``D-Don't worry, I'm sure I can help with-´´ - Trying to somehow help a bit, Cole began talking, but he was cut almost immediately.
``Be silent, you savage! No one is talking to you!´´ - Haudrica lashed out at him mercilessly.
``Haudrica, don't do this. If-if you go there by yourself, you could die.´´ - Reaching out to her remaining arm, Mizelle pleaded out to Haudrica with teary eyes.
She looked at Mizelle with an expression that could only be described as blank; not angry nor happy.
``Huurgh.... Fine, bring the water monkey along.´´ - Letting out a bitter sigh, Haudrica gave in.
``However, he's your responsibility in there; don't expect me to absolutely anything to help him, and if I have the need to use him as a meat shield, I will. Now get ready; those open storages won't stay like that forever.´´
WIth these bitter words, Haudrica turned around and headed towards her place, which looked like some kind of train wagon. And Mizelle followed after her.
``Sheesh... she simply doesn't drop it.´´ - Groaned Desri contemptuously.
``Anyhow, come with me, Cole. Yer gonna need some extra gear for this kind of run.´´ - He added as he walked towards his own place.
···
When Desri said ''Extra Gear'', Cole had instinctively thought it'd be some kind of laser pistol or plasma chainsaw; some cool thing to defend himself against the critters out there. But instead, he got a lantern tacked onto one of his chest pockets, and one big rucksack filled with many other rucksacks. He couldn't help but feel really disappointed as he carried them while following after Tetlekar and Haudrica through a series of windy tunnels and eerie corridors.
``We have arrived. Cryovaults Corridor 172. Auxiliary Emergency Supplies, 5th Coreward Wing.´´ - Stated Tetlekar as he read a sort of holomap that projected on his left hand.
For a moment, Cole felt like he was in one big-ass self-storage facility; metal shutter after metal shutter lined the walls, all of them marked with some unintelligible codes and with a sort of computer panel on a side of the door.
Some of the deposits had their panels dark or smashed; the shutters of these were fully open and looked like they had been emptied long ago. The rest of them, however, their panels shone in either a medical green color or a warning red one. The red ones are the most, and there are only a handful of greens, yet the greens' shutters were open, and they looked full of many brick-sized boxes of a opaline colour.
``What should I do?´´ - Whispered Cole to Tetlekar.
``Fill as many bags you can with those, and stay out of my sight.´´ - Strangely enough, it was Haudrica who replied his inquiry.
Not asking any more questions, Cole emptied the rucksack and began to pack as many of those tiny boxes he could. They felt cold and smooth to the touch, like a metal ingot.
As he did that, Haudrica stood watch in the corridor, and Tetlekar did something to the storage's panel.
With his hands moving as fast as he could, he managed to fill all the seven bags he had gotten. Still, that hadn't been even the 20% of the storage's contents.
``It is done. They won't be locking this one for some time.´´ - Said Tetlekar satisfactorily. The panel of the storage had become dark.
``Let's move onto another, then. The more we can have, the better.´´ - That was perhaps the first time Cole had heard Haudrica sound pleased with something.
*Ka-thunk!*
A sound of metal striking against metal suddenly broke the silence, and erased the pleased expressions of both Tetlekar and Haudrica; this couldn't be good.
``Get inside, quick. Hide behind the pile, and whatever you do, don't move.´´ - Tetlekar was panicked, and this scared Cole far more than an angry Haudrica. Yet she was just as afraid, as she didn't even mind squeezing herself against Cole and Tetlekar as they hit in a corner of the storage.
*Hooooohumhooooohumhooooohum*
Whatever it was, it sounded like one of those old, tape-fed printers, and it was getting close real fast.
With all of their lights off and carefully measuring each and every breath, the trio remained in the corner, and Cole was stuck with being the one outermost part of the squeeze, yet this also allowed him to notice what they were hiding from.
*HOOOOOHUMHOOOOOHUMHOOOOOHUM*
Its shape was reminiscent of a chess pawn; round head, protruding neck area, and a cone rounded around the bottom for a body. Still, they key differences were that this ''pawn'' sported a part of floating, three-fingered claw arms, and wicked, glowing red eye of a pentagonal shape on its head.
It stood right outside the shutter and looked around for a moment. Then it headed to the door's panel and touched a couple of buttons, nothing happened so it repeated it, nothing once again. Apparently having given up with the panel, he moved to the left, and away of Cole's sight.
*Shaaa-Pom!*
The all-too-familiar noise of a shutter sliding down and shutting was heard almost immediately. Fortunately, it wasn't the shutter of the storage they were hiding at. After that one came another and another, up to a total of four more.
*Ka-thunk!*
The striking metal sound echoed from the end of the corridor yet again, and after a short while, silence reigned again. Yet, they all remained unmoving until they were sure the ''pawn'' was indeed away.
``Uufgh!´´ - Moaned Cole as Haudrica pushed him out of the way and ran towards the corridor. Her right arm's blade was out.
``Gone, and it closed the other storages.´´ Grunted Haudrica as she relaxed her stance and retracted her blade.
``What the hell was that thing?´´ - Asked Cole as he got up.
``A Caretaker Unit. We're lucky it wasn't a Cleaner Unit or Security Unit, else we wouldn't be having this conversation now.´´ - Replied Tetlekar as he joined Haudrica in the corridor.
The other storages with green panels that were open had been all closed and their panels turned red.
``Uhm, maybe we should get out of here before more of those things show up.´´ - Cole was still trembling a bit as he said that.
``I concurr, we best take what we can carry and-´´ A sudden flashing red light in his holomap made Tetlekar not finish his phrase.
``This cannot be.´´ - His eyes widened and his tone became one of urgency.
Without uttering another word, he ran towards the way they had come, but he didn't get too far.
``Damnation!´´ - Cursed Tetlekar as he slammed his hand against the shutter that was now blocking their way back. Even Haudrica now looked considerably spooked.
``That Caretaker Unit swapped the tunnels. It means we must now find another way back.´´ - He began to manipulate his holomap as he spoke.
``.... You're telling me I'm trapped in here with this beast now!?´´ - Haudrica's fear was soon replaced by anger.
``Fortunatedly for us all, no. There's another way we can take back to the NVSC9, however, while it's far shorter, it hasn't been secured properly and passes right by the Organic Collector 73.´´ - Tetlekar was struggling to maintain his calm.
``Then what should we do?´´ - Asked Cole as he tried to wrap his mind around all that was going on.
``Nothing, at least you two. I'll make a run for it, scout the route, and bring Zalura with me to clear it.´´ - Replied Tetlekar as he adjusted his necktie.
``What? Do you expect me to stay out here, with this savage, doing nothing but hoping that my luck will spare me another encounter with a Unit?´´ - This wasn't Haudrica's usual anger but one also laced with fear.
``Yes, and if you both want to live, it'd be best if you don't come with me.´´
``The aberrations on OC73 don't like the taste of metal, so I'll be safe. You two, however, won't be safe.´´ - His tone had become really stern and teacher-like, and while Cole didn't have much problem with it, Haudrica remained bewildered.
``But you really expect me to-´´ - Haudrica didn't got to finish her phrase as Tetlekar landed one sound sentence.
``Did you forgot what happened last time?´´ - Haudrica froze upon these words; the fear visible in her face.
``I, no, of course not, dammit. But you really expect me to stay out here with this savage!?´´ - She repeated herself yet again.
``Then make your mind; one lone ''savage'' or a pack of aberrations. Make your mind.´´ - Tetlekar's words were curt, direct and strangely redundant. Haudrica didn't reply.
``I shall be back before long. If a Unit appears, just hide in the storage room; they can't control the shutter's lock anymore, so you'll be okay.´´ - With these last words, Tetlekar dashed away. It was pretty surprising how fast he could move.
``...´´ - Only silence reigned. At least, until Cole broke it.
``Say-´´ - He didn't get the chance to speak more; Haudrica's blade was already pointing at his throat.
``Breath another word out at me and it'll be your last.´´ - Her tone sounded as angry as usual, but she retracted her blade after delivering this ultimatum.
``Okay...´ ´ - Thought Cole; he didn't dare to say it.
``Wonder just how these are used?´´ - He grabbed one of the ingot-esque boxes from the pile still at the storage.
It didn't seem to have a lid or cap one could open; it looked just like one small block of an opaline-colored metal, and save for a few unrecognizable symbols on one side, it didn't show any visible cue on their function.
Meanwhile, at the corridor, Haudrica stood there silently. Her head moving from side to side like a standing fan.
*Whiiiiiiuuuuuuuuu*
Suddenly, a sound caught Cole's ear. It sounded like a dentist's drill, and it sounded quite close.
``Hey, do you heart that?´´ - Said Cole as he looked around warily.
``I thought I had told you that if you breathed out another word at me, it would be your last.´´ - Countered Haudrica with her usual threat.
``I'm not joking. Don't you hear anything weird?´´ - His tone was taking a sound of urgency, but Haudrica failed to notice it.
``The only thing I hear is your annoying noise of your windpipe, so if you-´´ - She spoke in a rather loud and annoyed tone, and that was probably why she couldn't hear the shutter behind her opening.
*HOHUM!*
This storage was empty, save for some strange brown piles in a corner, and a dusty Caretaker Unit, who emerged from inside with an angry hum.
Upon seeing Cole and Haudrica, its red eye flashed and its tiny arms extended to the side. However, Haudrica was frozen in place.
``Run away!´´
*Pwang!*
Shouted Cole as he flung his wrench towards the Unit, hitting it in the head. But that didn't deter it from going after Haudrica.
``Ah, fuck this!´´ - Again his better judgement, he ran towards the Unit, picked up his wrench and proceeded to beat on it.
*Thang, thang, thang*
He unleashed strike after strike upon the Unit, but it didn't even seem to notice them; it simply kept advancing upon Haudrica, whom had completely frozen in terror.
``Run, dammit, run!´´ - Cried Cole again, but it was useless.
*Scrutchk*
``Hyaaaaaa!!´´
The Unit's claws reached upon Haudrica's remaining arm. It made a disgusting crushing sound as it bent in an unnatural direction.
``Let her go, you piece of junk!!´´ - Roared Cole as he landed one last strike on the back of the unit.
*Tilink*
A small metal lid came off the Unit's back, revealing a tangled thicket of wires a and cables.
``Fucking die!´´ - Following his electrician instincts, Cole reached onto the tangled wires and began to tear them out.
*HOHUHUM!*
This seemingly upset the Unit, as it let go off Haudrica and reached onto Cole's forearms.
``Uwaaah!!´´ - Cole could feel its overwhelming strength crushing his bones; as if he had stuck his arms in an industrial press. But that didn't stop him from yanking wires.
The inside of the Unit was roughly as big as a junction box, but despite his tearing and yanking of wires in there, Cole didn't felt any jolts or electricity at all.
*HOOoohuuuumm.....*
As Cole yanked out a handful of wires, the Unit made a protesting sound followed by a soft, humming sound, with its red eye turning dark; it was dead, or more precisely, off.
Its claws, which were still clutching Cole's forearms, fell apart as if they had nothing holding them together.
Haudrica fell to her knees; she was panting hard and her eyes open wide. This had been as much a shock for her as it had been for Cole.
``Ieagh!´´ - With the effects of adrenaline leaving, Cole began to feel the pain of his wounds; his arms felt heavy and swollen, not to mention the overbearing pain. Even worse, he could feel his consciousness failing him; he was about to faint from the pain.
``ColE HerE, hUrt. HauDRIca toO.´´ - Zalura was running towards Cole, gun in hand and Tetlekar not far behind.
``Damnation! What happened here?´´ - Tetlekar ran up to Cole as he reached for something in his pocket.
``We got ambushed by Caretaker Unit. But I managed to pull the plug on it, haha.´´ - Cole jested a bit in the last part.
``Here, chew on this. Do so until it dissolves, and don't swallow it.´´ - Explained Tetlekar as he shoved what seemed to be a tiny, bright red square on Cole's mouth.
Whatever it was, it had a minty taste; more like toothpaste than an actual mint gum, but Cole could feel the swelling in his arms going away.
``Can you stand?´´ - Asked Tetlekar as he took a step back.
He was still feeling a bit dizzy but he managed to. His arms weren't hurting anymore, but still felt rather heavy. Moving them around seemed to make the heavy feeling go away, but it came back if he stopped moving them.
``Yeah, sorta. How's Haudrica?´´ - Cole looked past Tetlekar as he asked that. Haudrica's face looked like that of someone just had faced the reaper but it had passed them by.
``She's in shock, but she'll probably be fine once she rests a bit. Fortunately her right arm wasn't fully torn off, which I guess was thanks to you.´´ - Replied Tetlekar in a rather flat relief tone, as if his mind was off to somewhere else.
``Speaking of that....´´ - His attention turned away from Cole and Haudrica to the disabled Caretaker Unit.
``How did you even manage to hurt this thing, let alone disable it? I have never even seen anyone successfully outrun one of these once they go in pursuit mode.´´ - Asked Tetlekar as he looked at the Caretaker Unit.
``With a good deal of luck and two spoonfuls of desperation.´´ - Jested Cole as he kicked away one of the Unit's claws.
``I just whacked the thing with my wrench, a service panel of sorts came off, and then I got to play ''Mad Electrician'' with its wires. Like I said before, I managed to pull the plug on it.´´ - Perhaps what amused him more was how he had forsaken pretty much every security measure regarding electrical work and not died of a jolt.
``Hm, highly unorthodox, but also fully effective. I must say I am impressed.´´ - Commented Tetlekar as he rubbed his chin.
``TEtlekAr, aLl reaDY, yoU caRrY HauDRIca.´´ - Said Zalura as she cut into their conversation. She was carrying all the seven bags of loot by herself.
Haudrica, on the other hand, was on her knees; staring at the floor with an empty stare. She hadn't recovered yet.
``... Say, can we take this thing home, too? I really want to figure out how does it work.´´ - Said Cole as he put his hand on top of the head of the Caretaker Unit.
``Sure you jest, Cole. If that Unit were to spring back to life, it could be the end of us all.´´ - Tetlekar sounded most serious.
``If that happens, which I doubt as I pulled each and every wire it had back here, I can just disable it again.´´
``Besides, you said this is the first time someone ever takes down one of these, so maybe there's something we could learn from its inner workings. Imagine if we could somehow rig this one to open up storages for us? It's worth a try.´´ - Declared Cole boldly.
Although all he was saying was true, his true motivation was simple curiosity of how these robots worked. Even if he wasn't 100% certain he'd be able to change its programming, let alone re-enable it, he believed that at least, there was something he could learn from it.
``Hmm... At the very least, we could use it to figure out if they have any weaknesses we could exploit for our own use later. Alright, you can take it.´´ - Replied Tetlekar after a bit of pondering.
``However, you're fully responsible of whatever happens with it. So if it starts rampaging, I'm throwing it out of the airlock, with you along with it if necessary.´´ - Added Tetlekar as he frowned; his warning had been quite serious, enough to almost make Cole waver.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
The way back to the NVSC9 was fortunately uneventful, although when they passed by the place Tetlekar had called the Organic Collector 73, the charred corpses of many nondescript alien beasts laid sprawled around the corridor.
Upon arrival, both Desri and Mizelle were quite relieved to see everyone in one piece, although Mizelle broke into tears as she saw the condition in which Haudrica still was and Desri looked quite nervous regarding Cole's latest acquisition.
A few day went by with no significant events other than Haudrica coming back to herself and lashing out like crazy and Cole realizing that his wounds had been far more severe than he had imagined.
Although they hadn't broken, both of his arm bones had cracked in various places, and it could be real dangerous if he made any effort with them, which meant no more scrap diving and wrecks climbing until they healed which, according to Tetlekar, the medicine he had given Cole would make them heal much faster at the cost of increased appetite.
*Nom chomp grumb urp*
The sounds he made as he ate his lunch could have woken up the dead; he was feeling so hungry he had forsaken all kinds of etiquette.
``Paah... That was delicious.´´ - Exclaimed Cole as he finished gobbling his food, which had been some sort of juicy meat ragout.
``ColE EatiNG likE ZALura NOw.´´ - Commented Zalura in a mild amusement.
``But ya 'ave better et'quette than him. Yer makin' yerself look like an actual monkey, Cole.´´ - Snarked Desri, also in a mild amusement.
``Sorry guys, I had no idea the effects of that tablet would be that strong; it's just that I feel like I haven't eaten in months.´´ - Cole wiped his mouth with his sleeve as he spoke.
``I still can't believe all this food is synthetic. It tastes very real to me.´´ - Added Cole as he looked at his now-empty plate.
Those opaline bricks he had risked his arms and life to gather had actually been what Desri called an ''Organic Block'' and served as the resources needed by a food synthesizer they had found among the scrap and managed to restore. It wasn't by any measure perfect or with a variety of foods available, but Cole was already thinking on ways to fix that.
``That's 'cuz the synth's pretty juiced up organic blocks now; ya 'aven't tasted how bad it is when it's runnin' low on 'em. We had a few dryouts couple years ago where it was almost outta blocks and, be it stew or ragout, it all tasted the same.´´ - Deep disgust was plainly visible on Desri's face as he spoke.
Not too far from them, Haudrica and Mizelle were having their lunch separated from the rest as usual. But, while Mizelle looked completely normal, Haudrica had been very quiet, almost mute, after her recovery rampage. To the point even Mizelle was a bit worried.
``So, how are yer arms feelin'? Still hurtin'?´´ - Asked Desri as he got up from his seat and headed to the pot for a second serving.
``Not much anymore. They still hurt a bit when I have to put strength into something, but Tetlekar says they'll be good again in just a couple of days.´´ - Replied Cole as he looked at his arm. The purplish gashed left where the Unit had gripped his arms were still plainly visible.
``In the meantime, I'm gonna try to take apart that Caretaker Unit, and see if I can make some sense of its innards. Never seen a machine like that before.´´ - Cole clutched his hand as he spoke; it was as if he could already hold the tools he was going to use.
``Just be careful with it, yo. Tetlekar wasn't jokin' 'bout the airlock thing. He serio'sly hates 'em Units. How else d'ya think he got that scar of his? It was a Security Unit that caught him unprep'red.´´ - Desri didn't seem to happy about Cole's Unit either.
``I know, but I think I can do it.´´ - Replied Cole confidently.
``A fictional character in my world once said ''Machines aren't capable of evil. Humans make them that way.'' and I think she was right.´´
``Anyhow, see you later, guys. I've got work to do.´´ - Said Cole as got up and stretched his arms.
He was about to live one of his childhood dreams; dismantling and fixing a robot, and he wasn't about to let his own fear stop him.
<End of Chapter 2>
Chapter 3
Spoiler: show
Part 1
Buddhist Monks claim that, with enough concentration and meditation, one can abandon the boundaries of the flesh and ascend to a state where the mind and the world are one... or something like that.
The way Cole was focusing on his notebook was akin to that of a monk trying to achieve a state of Zen.
``Hrmmmmm.................´´ - A humming sound emerged from his lips as he pushed them with the eraser of his pencil. His eyes staring hard enough into the paper to bore a hole into it.
Suddenly, he burst into action; like a coiled spring being released.
``There are 32 sockets, but only 11 jacks, and of these, just 6 remained in place. Which leaves me with only 7 jacks to place, but the number of combinations is still too large for wild guessing, and keeping in mind that if i- ´´ - He sketched like mad as he spoke; drawing line after line of his schematic.
He was trying to figure out how to alter the behavior of his Caretaker Unit and how to do so without Tetlekar jettisoning him and the Unit if the later went on rampage.
``Um.... Hello...?´´ - The sound of a meek voice outside his RV suddenly broke Cole out of his thought reverie.
``Y-Yes, one moment.´´ - He arose from his seat enthusiastically and ran towards his RV's door, which he opened rather brusquely.
``Eeek!´´ - Mizelle leaped back in a bit of a fright.
She stood there silent for a moment, as if gathering the strength to speak.
``What's up, Mizelle? What brings you here?´´ - Cole was in such a state of mind that he didn't even realize how nervous Mizelle was; he was on full ''Working Mode''.
``T-Tetlekar asked me to tell you that he's already done with that machine you gave him. You can pick it up whenever you can.´´ - Said Mizelle nervously.
She seemed strangely fidgety for such a simple message.
``OK, cool. Tell him I'll be with him in a moment.´´ - Replied Cole along with a thumbs up.
``A-Also...´´ - Mizelle's voice trailed off as she looked to the sides and surroundings of Cole's RV.
``Did you see Haudrica around here?´´ - That seemed to be the question she was having such a hard time to say. The mention of that name caused Cole's over-exitement to vanish.
``N-No, not at all. Why do you ask?´´ - Now it was he who was feeling nervous.
``I haven't seen her in the whole morning. S-She wasn't in her bed when I woke up and I thought I had felt her smell around here. G-Guess I was wrong.´´ - Mizelle seemed very embarrassed about what she was saying for some reason.
``Okay, if I see her, I'll tell her you came looking for her. Although I doubt she'll even let me speak.´´ - He scratched the back of his head in a bit of embarrassment as he spoke.
``Uhm... Cole...´´ - Mizelle's eyes became downcast; she looked like she was struggling to say something again.
``Hm?´´ - Cole lifted an eyebrow in expectancy.
``P-Please, don't hate Haudrica. S-She's a very good and friendly person, i-it's just that.... that....´´ - Her voice seemed to die out as she reached the end of her sentence.
``N-Nevermind.´´ - With these cryptic last words, Mizelle ran away, leaving Cole with more questions than answer.
He stood there, watching her run away, in a mild state of confusion. But that didn't last long.
``... Okay, guess I'd better finish this last sketch before I pick up the-´´ - He turned around and closed his door, but the moment he looked back, there was an all-too-familiar chitinous blade at his neck.
``...´´ - Haudrica's composite eyes were landing a glare on Cole almost as sharp as the blade at his neck.
``H-Hello...´´ - Rising his arms in a surrendering gesture, Cole stuck to the wall like a cornered rat.
He could feel the fear overtaking his body and his knees starting to shake. And yet, Haudrica didn't utter a single word; she just stared him menacingly.
``... Why...´´ - This word came out of her mouth almost as a ghastly whisper.
``... Why did you save me back there...?´´ - Haudrica cast her stare down. Her emerald-colored bangs obscuring part of her face.
``Huh?´´ - Cole's reply to it was one of confusion.
``WHY DID YOU SAVE ME BACK THERE, DAMMIT!?´´ - Roared Haudrica as she lifted her head and pushed her blade into Cole's neck, which caused him to retreat even further into the corner he was trapped at to avoid its sharp tip.
``You could had ran away. You could had left me behind and ran away. Ran away to save your miserable existence....´´ - Her whole hand and body where shaking as she spoke.
``... and yet, you fought against that accursed machine with nothing but a scrap of metal and a berserker's zeal...´´ - Shaking with anger? That wasn't too clear.
``Answer me, dammit! Tell me why did you do it or I'll cut that lying head of your shoulders! Tell me now!!´´ - Haudrica lifted her head as she shouted this last sentence; her teeth clenched with anger and desperation in her voice.
It was then when Cole saw them; gathering in the corners of her scarlet, composite eyes, and trickling down her pale cheeks as they reached her chin and dropped to the floor.
Tears.
``I-It was instinct.´´ - Replied Cole as he looked at her in the eyes.
``I didn't think; I just acted. I don't know what made me do it.´´
``If I told you it was courage or bravery, or something like that, then I'd be the liar you claim I am.´´
``If you want to put the blame on something, then call it an act of madness. Because that's what I think it was.´´
Cole's words were filled with terror, but also with unwavering resolution. Haudrica's eyes widened upon this answer, and the shakings of her hands became stronger.
However, just as fast as they increased, the shakings ceased. And Haudrica retracted her blade while her face took an expression that was hard to describe; like a mask put upon a mask.
``I think you are nothing but mindless savage; a beast capable of speech and of comprehending it.´´ - Haudrica looked away from Cole as she said these contemptuous words.
``However, you have proven your usefulness. And given the situation we are all in, we cannot spare to waste anything which might be useful. That's why I am letting you live.´´ - Cole couldn't see the face Haudrica was making, but he was pretty certain that if he saw it, his head would roll.
``T-Thanks y-´´ He didn't get to finish his words of gratitude before he found her blade once again upon his neck. Her left arm, which had been severed before, had fully grown back again, although its chitin still was of a paler green than that of her shoulder or neck.
``Keep your empty thanks to yourself.´´ - Said Haudrica in her usual furious manner.
``Do not ever forget that, from now on, I'll be watching you; waiting till that moment in which you'll reveal your true colors to us all. And mark my words, that when that time comes, it'll be my scythe the first thing you feel on your lying throat.´´ - Despite the content of her words, her tone didn't sound as murderous as it did a while ago.
``Now move! I can't stand another instant inside this dirty hovel.´´ - She motioned Cole to move away from the door, which she pushed as she marched away at a hasted pace.
``Whew.... what a woman.... I don't know if she's crazy or just hates my guts...´´ - Cole collapsed as he closed the door and leaned onto it from inside. His knees still shaking like jelly.
···
``... You're here, I see...´´ - His voice sounded distant and hollow; as if he had gone through a Herculean ordeal.
That was indeed a rare sight; despite all Cole had seen him do, this was the first time Tetlekar had shown any sign of tiredness.
``So... was it possible?´´ - Asked Cole with an eager smile. Tetlekar rubbed one of his eyes before replying. Cole felt that, had he been human, there would surely been bags under his eyes.
``This device of yours is not old; it's ancient. In all of my one hundred and twelve years of existence, I had never interacted with a machine so old, so primitive... and so begrimed.´´ - Said Tetlekar in a mixture of tiredness and irritation as he put his hand on the keyboard or Cole's laptop, which laid open on top of a rusty plate of fuselage.
``Was there any reason for you to keep such a sheer quantity of...... explicit imagery showing female members of your race engaged in such a plethora of genitive and venereal acts, most of them clearly not meant to function for any kind of reproductive purposes?´´
Cole didn't knew what made him more ashamed; the fact that Tetlekar had found ''those'' or the way he had worded it.
``S-Sorry, I thought I had erased that...´´ - Cole covered his eyes as he spoke; he couldn't deem to look at Tetlekar, let alone at Zalura, whom was also there, as he was well aware that many of the pictures in his ''collection'' catered to certain unique fetishes of his.
``I had never sullied my receiving arrays with such morbid material. I am seriously starting to see the truth in Haudrica's claims.´´ - If Tetlekar's forehead had any veins, they'd be popping out in anger.
``Sorry...´´ - Cole apologized yet again.
``S-Still, did you manage to do it?´´ - Perhaps he was just trying to change the topic, or maybe Cole really wanted to know if his theory had been on spot.
``Despite that grisly incident, I was able to repurpose your terminal for what you plan to use it.´´
``However, keep in mind that what I did was but a shot in the shadows; I am not certain it will work as you intend or if it will ever work at all. It should be able to parse the signals, but I cannot tell you if what you will obtain will make any sense to you, or even me. And once again I tell you; please be cautious with what you do if you do not want a deep breath of deep space.´´
Based on his tone alone, Cole could notice Tetlekar was ''back to normal''.
``It's worth a short, as it's all I've got. And don't worry, I have no intention of taking a dive out there.´´ - Stated Cole as he closed his laptop and took it with him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
``Hmhmmhm~♪. ´´ - Hummed Cole tunelessly as he carried the Caretaker Unit outside his RV.
Despite being barely 80 centimeters tall, the Unit weighted as if it were three times larger, which made Cole wonder just what kind alloy was its body made of.
``There! Now let's set up these christmas lights.´´ - Said Cole as he put the Unit down next to a tall crate which now served as table for his laptop.
A colorful band of wires extended from where had previously been one of his laptop's USB jacks, and now hung lazily at the side of it.
If both his theory about the Unit's method of operation and Tetlekar's modifications to his laptops workings were effective, this hack job of a robot rewiring of his could perhaps work.
``If this goes well, it'll become my very own RJD2, if not, it'll resurrect as a full Dalek...´´ - Muttered Cole to himself as he began bridging some of the Unit's wires with the ones from his laptop.
``Heyo Cole! D'ya already did somethin' worthy o'gettin' thrown over the airlock?´´ - Desri's usual accented voice made itself heard behind Cole.
He seemed to be in unusually good mood, and strangely enough, was in company of Mizelle.
``Hey, it's so rare to see you two hanging together.´´ - Said Cole as he gave them a fast ''Hi!'' salute before turning his hands back to his thicket of wires.
``Haudrica and Zalura are out scavengin' right now. Ya might not b'lieve it, but they work pretty well t'gether.´´ - Replied Desri in a merry tone. He was, indeed, in an unusually good mood.
``Heh, guess she only hates me.´´ - Thought Cole as he twisted the end of two wires together.
``So, what brings ya guys here?´´ - Asked Cole noncommitantly; he was about to enter ''Working Mode''.
``Nothin' really; just came to check o'ya to make sure weren't doin' anything that might doom us all.´´ - Desri's words didn't sound true, but Cole was too busy to press the issue now.
``And since that Unit o' your isn't killin' me, I'd say we're cool. Be seein' ya later, water monkey.´´ - Added Desri as he turned around and headed back. It had been a while since he had called Cole that name, but it didn't feel angry or despective this time.
Yet, his departure left Mizelle and Cole by themselves, and both remained silent until Mizelle broke the ice.
``Y-You sure know a lot about machines...´´ - That was an awkward comment, but it still made Cole happy.
``Hehe, thanks. I'm really nothing special; just a grease monkey with too much free time on his hands. There were many others more skilled than I back at my home world.´´ - Said Cole with a smile.
Yet, his smile was pretty short-lived. The mention of home brought many friendly faces to his mind.
His burger-chomping co-worker Conrad, his boss with his handlebar-stache, that bunch of friendly choppers who often came looking for spare pieces for their Harleys, that old man from a nearby city's museum who liked to dig around for anything of historical value, the scary cop squad who had brought in the ''haunted dodge''.
Despite being far out of the city, the scrapyard had no shortage of visitors, and since his boss was almost always away during weekdays and Conrad had trouble lifting his own ass, it was Cole who often attended all of these visitors, which while not always pleasant, it was often an interesting experience.
Remembering all of this brought the dreaded questions back to Cole's mind: Was there a way to return? Would he be able to do it? What had those he was close to done upon his disappearance? Were they sad? Did they search for him?
Before he had even noticed it, his expression had turned to one full of glum and melancholy.
``I-I'm sorry... I didn't mean to make you sad...´´ - With these words, Mizelle bowed her head apologetically.
``It's okay, it ain't your fault or anything. I just... want to return home.´´ - Cole said those dreaded words; those he so earnestly tried to not think about.
``What about you; what kind of place was your home? Do you ever miss it?´´ - The ambience between them had suddenly become rather grim, so Cole tried to improve that a bit. Aside from that, he was a bit curious.
Mizelle smiled faintly and denied with her head before replying.
``I never had one; I am a Qauranite Artificial Homunculi, I was created as a multi-purpose slave.´´
*Thunk!*
Cole dropped the clipper he was holding when he heard that. She had said it so naturally it had been downright terrifying.
``W-What?´´ - He stopped all he was doing and turned around to face Mizelle.
``I don't know the details, but I was not born by natural means.´´
``''The Qauranite Regime has some very advanced technology, but still relies on a very outdated slave-dependant feudal system.'', that's what Haudrica told me.´´
``''They capture other sentient races and use them as slave labor, yet the richest and most powerful landlords have their own slaves custom-made for their own specific needs. Be it mining, farming or simply as breeding slaves to have more powerful offspring.''´´ - The way she spoke clearly indicated that she didn't understand the meaning of what she had just said. She was just repeating those words blissfully unaware of their meaning.
Just the last part of her sentence was enough to make Cole want to puke.
``That's why, I'm happy here. With Haudrica, with Desri, with Zalura and with Tetlekar, and of course, with you too, Cole.´´ - Declared Mizelle with a bright smile. Yet, after all she had said, even such a smile felt sad and pained.
``Mizelle...´´
``Unyah...!?´´
Perhaps it was fueled by simple protective instinct, or by a simple desire to console her. Whatever had been the reason, Cole hugged Mizelle softly, as if fearful that she would break under the pressure of his arms.
Her body felt tiny and powerless under his arms, and yet this was a girl capable of lifting an RV in the air with the power of her mind alone and that cried when others tried to get violent.
There were no ulterior motives or hidden agendas to his actions; they were fully honest and caring towards Mizelle. She seemed confused by such a sudden gesture, yet she did not seem in any way disgusted or scared of it.
``It's okay, we're not going anywhere. Specially me; I'm not even sure that there's a way for me to return home so don't worry, I'm gonna be staying here for a long while.´´ - Cole said that with a reassuring smile.
``O-Okay.´´ - Still not fully understanding what had just transpired, Mizelle replied with a smile of her own.
*Tlunk, tik*
*Bzzap!*
A long screwdriver that was sitting on the table, next to the laptop suddenly rolled out of it. Falling to the ground and shorting two wires that were still not connected.
*Hummm....*
The Unit's pentagonal eye, which had been brown all this time, it became bright red yet again.
Cole and Mizelle's ''Panick-o-meter'' was about to show a prominent spike, until they noticed that, other than humming back to life, the Unit wasn't doing anything at all. Even its arms, whose all parts and components Cole had gathered there, remained in the ground, unmoving.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Taskmaster command
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Overseer feedback
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Taskmaster command
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Overseer feedback
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Taskmaster command
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Overseer feedback
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Taskmaster command
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Overseer feedback
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
In the black and white command screen on Cole's laptop, these words began to repeat over and over, like a software stuck in a sub-process.
The messages went on an on for a while, filling about three screens with the same lines while Cole and Mizelle watched motionlessly. Upon certain point, however, it changed.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Taskmaster command
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Overseer feedback
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/WARNING! Maximum number of communication attempts reached.
/Engaging Standby Maintenance Mode
/Disabling Automatic Response System.......
/SUCCESS!
/Disabling Taskmaster Adjoining Link.......
/SUCCESS!
/Disabling Overseer Dependence Override.......
/SUCCESS!
/Disabling Mainframe Hierarchical Interface.......
/SUCCESS!
/Standby Maintenance Mode Engaged
....
/External Control Interface Detected
/Awaiting Direct User Command
....
With this last words, the Caretaker Unit remained unmoving, and while Cole was no master hacker or even consider himself a ''code monkey'', he knew more than enough about computers and code to know what that last line of text meant.
``I-It worked...!´´ - His grin was so wide his mouth was starting to look like Haudrica's.
However, as he was about to reach for the keyboard, he realized he had no idea of what to do; he didn't even knew where to start, and one wrong command could possibly re-enable the Unit and ruin all he had accomplished, or more precisely, the screwdriver had.
``Mizelle!´´ - Excitedly, he looked at the still dumbfounded Mizelle and spoke.
``Go fetch Tetlekar. Tell him the hijack was a success. Quickly!´´ - Cole was almost drooling with overexcitement.
···
``Once again, your methods are highly unorthodox, but also fully effective. Although to be honest I am not even certain it was because of your methods.´´ - Said Tetlekar in a rather cryptic fashion as me moved his hands away from Cole's laptop, which he finished checking.
``What do you mean?´´ - Asked Cole as he lifted an eyebrow.
``This apparatus, and this box.´´ - Replied Tetlekar as he picked up the screwdriver from the ground, it still had a pair of blackened marks on the places where the sparks flew.
He used it to aim at a tiny box where three cords converged. The box's corners also looked a bit blackened, and they hadn't been like that before.
``When this fell and shorted the wires, the resulting surge overloaded and destroyed this particular circuit module. Seems this was the Unit's commlink; the part of it which relayed information to its Taskmaster, and from which it received its commands.´´ - Explained Tetlekar as he pointed to the blackened corners.
``In other words, ya cut the leash that link'd it to its master. Good job 'dat one.´´ - Added Desri amusedly. Cole couldn't help but chuckle at him using the words ''leash'' and ''master'' like that.
``It also may be worth mentioning that this Unit had no AI to speak off. Else it would had continued to function even after its commlink failed.´´ - Commented Tetlekar in what seemed to be a despective tone.
``Meaning it wasn't an autonomous robot, but a remotely controlled drone, huh. We have those in my world, too, although they're much more basic.´´ - Said Cole as he put his hand on the ''head'' of the Unit. It was warm to the touch and it vibrated slightly, like a refrigerator.
``So, what can we do with it now? Since my original idea of rigging its AI to open up storages won't work as it lacks an AI to rig up, what uses could this Unit still have?´´ - Cole seemed to have lost quite a bit of enthusiasm upon learning the Unit was closer to a remote-controlled car than an actual sentient robot.
``On the contrary, even in this current state, it remains versatile for a variety of purposes. However, with the right know-how it could be, shall we say, repurposed for what you had originally intended to make use of it for.´´ - Now it was Tetlekar whom remained substantially interested in the Unit.
``And just how do we do that? For such a thing I would need to have some very detailed schematics of how its systems work, and I highly doubt that those are lying around.´´ - Said Cole in an analytic manner.
``Actually, I can solve that. Now that it's active, I could use my sensors to map its inner workings and create a set of schematics that, while not one hundred percent exact, should be more than enough to figure what need to be changed and/or replaced in it.´´ - Commented Tetlekar as he rubbed his chin.
``Well, that sounds like a plan to me. Get me those schematics, and I'll do the scrap diving to find whatever we need and install it.´´ - Cole had just gotten his motivation back.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
The anniversary of Cole's first week on the Phylactery had a rather dull arrival.
Not being able to work with his Unit until Tetlekar had mapped out its schematics and not being able to do any mild-to-heavy work as his arms had yet to fully heal.
In the meantime, he began to do his own mapping; not of his Unit, but of the NVSC9, which had more stuff than he had imagined. As knowing the ''where was what'' would most certainly help in many of his future projects.
``Electronic scrap, usable glass panels, heavy metal plating, weird wash machine-shaped thingie, some functioning lights, old tires....´´
Cole walked around the piles as he wrote down a few descriptions about them on a crude map he had sketched on his notebook.
There were many strange, unrecognizable artifacts amongst the more mundane junk. However, he was starting to classify those as ''Oddities'' and merely marked their location to check on them later, hopefully with the help of Desri or Tetlekar.
After a few more piles, Cole considered his daily mapping done, closed his notebook and began to walk back to the RV, until the sound of an unusual conversation reached his ears.
``ToH'dOaH, iTA uaL. KUra iT taKLada'eR.´´
It was those familiar but still-incomprehensible words. Which had been the first friendly gesture he had received upon arrival.
``Cha, kura ed'sala. Taklada'er sri ual'lala.´´ - Speaking in the same dialect but a different accent, Desri replied to whatever Zalura had said in a rather upbeat manner.
Sprawled in the ground in front of them was a square of what was either tarp or some similar material. Countless parts and components were laid upon; some rusty and tarnished and some smooth and clean. All of them but one completely unrecognizable to Cole, and that one was the barrel of Zalura's gun.
She was on her knees, polishing it dutifully with a dirty rag. It then became rather obvious what they were doing.
``Hey guys! Doing weapon maintenance?´´ - Said Cole as he made his presence know.
*Beep*
There was that sound again as both Desri and Zalura manipulated some sort of pin they wore on the neck of their shirts.
``Maint'nance? Nah, more like reducin' the chances o' it blowin' up next time she fires it.´´ - Remarked Desri amusedly.
``NOT enOUgH sParE parTS fOr proPEr maInTEnancE.´´ - Zalura's statement showed considerable concern.
With this last words, she put the rag down and began to assemble her weapon with a considerable speed. Having four hands certainly made this kind of job easier.
``TEtlekAr aND ZALura goiNg tO danGEroUs plACe nOW. WEapon caN'T FAil thERe, ELse DeAd.´´ - She added as she slotted the last part of her gun into place.
To Cole, Zalura's weapon looked like the bastard lovechild of a flamethrower, a bazooka and a light machinegun. A wide barrel on a long stock and set with four ''tanks'' on the sides, along with many other mechanical and electronic parts. According to Desri, that kind of weapon was called a ''Thermosupressor''; a sort of heat ray meant to make the victim faint from internal overheating rather than actually burning them, although Zalura had modified it to be an effective killing weapon.
``Where are you going?´´ - Cole asked that with both concern and curiosity.
``To a place ya already know well; the O'ganic Collector 73. We need some real meat.´´ - It was Desri who replied.
``... Real meat?´´ - Those words made Cole rather nervous.
``Despite the fact the flavor is emulated accurately, the meat made by the synthesizer lacks some important components found in real, organic meat. Proteins, for instance. And long periods of not ingesting protein can lead to some undesirable medical conditions, and such must be prevented at all costs.´´ - Sporting his usual proper way of speaking, Tetlekar made his entrance, accompanied by Mizelle, whom reacted to Cole's presence with a warm yet silent smile.
``TEtlekAr, aLl reaDY.´´ - Stated Zalura in a very soldier-like fashion. Tetlekar gave a nod of approval.
``So, y'can 'spect some real exotic supper today, hahaha.´´ - Continued Desri rather amusedly.
With no further exchange of words, Zalura, Tetlekar and Mizelle headed out. Leaving only Cole and Desri behind, and Haudrica, who was sleeping.
``Uwaaa... Nothin' t'do but wait and waste time till they all get back.´´ - Said Desri with a yawn.
``Say, mind if I ask you something?´´ - Cole spoke after a brief pause.
``Shoot.´´ - Retorted Desri nonchalantly as he climbed onto a wreck and sat atop of it.
``What is that language you and Zalura often speak with? I haven't seen anyone else speak it and you don't seem to use it when talking to anyone other than Zalura.´´ - Cole asked that question that had been puzzling him for a while now, and Desri seemed rather happy about this inquiry.
``It's called Uluk; it's the native tongue o' Zalura's hom'world. Very hard to speak for many races as it relies strongly on the c'ntrast in the sound o' the syllables and the wave these produce when spoken.´´ - Replied Desri in a rather savvy tone.
``She comes from a tiny planet called Uluthazcia. Place's rather warm an' almost entirely cov'red in dense, rainy junglelands and deep bogs which are ripe with dang'rous predators. However, it also has one o' the largest d'posits o' rare minerals and fuels on its quadrant, so it soon b'came a target for the greedy minin' guilds o' the Oularnian Plutarchy.´´ - Desri motioned Cole to sit down nearby as he was in for a long story.
``How'ver, 'em fools would soon find out that comin' un'nvited into som'one else's planet and startin' to remove large chunks o' soil would inev'tably attract the hostile attention o' the local natives, and d'spite their technological inferiority, 'em Uluthazcians gave the Oularnians a sound ass beatin'. So, after a few disastrous campaigns, 'em guildmasters had to swallow their pride an' make peace with the Uluthazcians.´´
``Still, the tales o' their ferocity an' tactical genius found its way to the high c'mmand of the Plutarchy's military, and they soon b'gan to pepper their planet with recruitment stations. That's the part where I come in, haha.´´ - Desri raised his muzzle boastfully.
``Da lingustic barriers were b'coming a serious trouble; there were even a few skirm'shes due to simple misunderstandin's. So, the Plutarchy gath'red the best linguists their fat pockets could cost to study and learn their tongue, m'self included. There we spent 'bout two years makin' sense of it and teachin' it to 'em Plutarchy's officers. From there we-´´
For almost an hour, Desri continued talking almost non-stop; about his adventures in Uluthazcia, the people he met there, the Uluthazcians customs and culture, their real spicy food and many other things. Cole continued to listen attentively, only interrupting to clarify some particulars bits of information.
As he spoke, Cole couldn't help but imagine how fascinating would it be to go such a place, or roving from planet to planet for a living like many friends that Desri mentioned did for a living. There was a whole universe out there; way from home at Earth, and away from the cage of the Phylactery, and he now wanted to see it.
``-and they have this sort o'celebration where their women dance 'round in skimpy clo-´´
*Blam!*
As Desri was making a rather obscene comment, an echoing bang resounded on the NVSC9's exit shutter.
``Help...´´
As Cole and Desri came upon it, this word emerged from the other side of the shutter almost as a whimper.
``Mizelle!?´´ - She collapsed into Cole's arms as Desri opened the shutter.
Her arms and legs were covered in cuts and scratches, many of them quite deep and bleeding.
``Cole... Help... Zalu.. ra... Tetle... trapped...´´ - Her weak words were barely leaving her throat. She was in grave danger.
``Get her to bed, quickly! I'll bring Haudrica before she bleeds to death.´´ - With these parting words, Desri dashed away, and Cole did the same towards Mizelle's home.
···
Mizelle's home reminded Cole of a Type 2 Volkswagen, although it was clearly not from Earth, and unsurprisingly, it was just behind Haudrica's wagon home. It had no door, so Cole just went inside and placed her on the collection of old pillows she called a bed.
As he carried her, her already tattered clothes had fallen apart, revealing a pair of modest, almost childlike, but well-formed breasts. However, Cole was so focused on what he was doing that he hadn't even looked at them.
Her wounds were bleeding quite a lot, and there wasn't even anything around he could use to give her a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.
There was nothing he could do, so he left her there and went to look for Desri and Haudrica.
``She's ready, where's Hau-´´
``SCRAM!´´
He didn't have to look much. As he exited Mizelle's place, Haudrica came in running like a tornado, pushing him out of the way without any delicacy.
Her expression was of absolute terror and she also looked like she was holding back her tears.
``Move it!´´ - Now it was Desri whom went in, running on four legs.
Cole stood there for a moment, dumbfounded and unable to reacted.
``Mizelle...´´ - This had been too much of a shock to him; all he could do was to stare blankly at her blood, still on his hands.
``I'm here, is there anything I can do to help?´´
Coming back to his senses, Cole followed after Desri and Haudrica, and upon doing so, he saw something disturbing.
``Yes, shut up and let me work!!´´ - Lashed back Haudrica as she turned her head to look at Cole, which was when he saw it.
Despite its ear-to-ear length being plainly visible, Haudrica always kept most of her mouth closed, which made it look like an almost normal human mouth. However, now she had opened her mouth in full, and a pair of vicious-looking mandibles had emerged from within her cheeks. It was scary enough to make Cole freeze in his place, but that was just the start of it.
*Shwatch*
Without doing as much as flinching, Haudrica brought her left hand to her mandibles and chopped her pinky and ring fingers in half.
The liquid that came from her cut fingers wasn't blood but a clear-green and viscous substance that reminded Cole of liquid soap. Yet, he was to terrified about the whole thing he didn't even comment on it.
``Gggh!´´
Haudrica's face contorted with pain as she squeezed her finger stumps like a tube of toothpaste, the clear-green liquid pouring into the largest of Mizelle's wounds. When it entered in contact with her blood, the liquid began to harden like a crystal, sealing all of her bleeding cuts almost instantly.
``This... this will be enough. Her life isn't in danger any more.´´ - This was perhaps the first time Cole had seen Haudrica's look of relief. Her voice sounded a bit strange due to her mandibles.
``W-Will she be okay?´´ - Asked Cole as he recovered from his shock.
``As long as she eats well and doesn't bleed any more, she will.´´ - Replied Desri, also in a relieved tone.
``Hau... drica...´´ - Mizelle spoke softly and weakly.
``Mizelle! Talk to me! Who did this to you!?´´ - Cried Haudrica in desperation.
``Zalura.... Tetlekar... trapped in... collector... please save... them...´´ - She breathed heavily as she said every word.
``What happened out there?´´ - Asked Cole in urgency. Mizelle breathed in an out a couple of times before replying.
``... A regenerating... aberration...´´
Her reply instilled fear in all those who heard it.
The prospect was now looking very grim.
<End of Chapter 3>
Buddhist Monks claim that, with enough concentration and meditation, one can abandon the boundaries of the flesh and ascend to a state where the mind and the world are one... or something like that.
The way Cole was focusing on his notebook was akin to that of a monk trying to achieve a state of Zen.
``Hrmmmmm.................´´ - A humming sound emerged from his lips as he pushed them with the eraser of his pencil. His eyes staring hard enough into the paper to bore a hole into it.
Suddenly, he burst into action; like a coiled spring being released.
``There are 32 sockets, but only 11 jacks, and of these, just 6 remained in place. Which leaves me with only 7 jacks to place, but the number of combinations is still too large for wild guessing, and keeping in mind that if i- ´´ - He sketched like mad as he spoke; drawing line after line of his schematic.
He was trying to figure out how to alter the behavior of his Caretaker Unit and how to do so without Tetlekar jettisoning him and the Unit if the later went on rampage.
``Um.... Hello...?´´ - The sound of a meek voice outside his RV suddenly broke Cole out of his thought reverie.
``Y-Yes, one moment.´´ - He arose from his seat enthusiastically and ran towards his RV's door, which he opened rather brusquely.
``Eeek!´´ - Mizelle leaped back in a bit of a fright.
She stood there silent for a moment, as if gathering the strength to speak.
``What's up, Mizelle? What brings you here?´´ - Cole was in such a state of mind that he didn't even realize how nervous Mizelle was; he was on full ''Working Mode''.
``T-Tetlekar asked me to tell you that he's already done with that machine you gave him. You can pick it up whenever you can.´´ - Said Mizelle nervously.
She seemed strangely fidgety for such a simple message.
``OK, cool. Tell him I'll be with him in a moment.´´ - Replied Cole along with a thumbs up.
``A-Also...´´ - Mizelle's voice trailed off as she looked to the sides and surroundings of Cole's RV.
``Did you see Haudrica around here?´´ - That seemed to be the question she was having such a hard time to say. The mention of that name caused Cole's over-exitement to vanish.
``N-No, not at all. Why do you ask?´´ - Now it was he who was feeling nervous.
``I haven't seen her in the whole morning. S-She wasn't in her bed when I woke up and I thought I had felt her smell around here. G-Guess I was wrong.´´ - Mizelle seemed very embarrassed about what she was saying for some reason.
``Okay, if I see her, I'll tell her you came looking for her. Although I doubt she'll even let me speak.´´ - He scratched the back of his head in a bit of embarrassment as he spoke.
``Uhm... Cole...´´ - Mizelle's eyes became downcast; she looked like she was struggling to say something again.
``Hm?´´ - Cole lifted an eyebrow in expectancy.
``P-Please, don't hate Haudrica. S-She's a very good and friendly person, i-it's just that.... that....´´ - Her voice seemed to die out as she reached the end of her sentence.
``N-Nevermind.´´ - With these cryptic last words, Mizelle ran away, leaving Cole with more questions than answer.
He stood there, watching her run away, in a mild state of confusion. But that didn't last long.
``... Okay, guess I'd better finish this last sketch before I pick up the-´´ - He turned around and closed his door, but the moment he looked back, there was an all-too-familiar chitinous blade at his neck.
``...´´ - Haudrica's composite eyes were landing a glare on Cole almost as sharp as the blade at his neck.
``H-Hello...´´ - Rising his arms in a surrendering gesture, Cole stuck to the wall like a cornered rat.
He could feel the fear overtaking his body and his knees starting to shake. And yet, Haudrica didn't utter a single word; she just stared him menacingly.
``... Why...´´ - This word came out of her mouth almost as a ghastly whisper.
``... Why did you save me back there...?´´ - Haudrica cast her stare down. Her emerald-colored bangs obscuring part of her face.
``Huh?´´ - Cole's reply to it was one of confusion.
``WHY DID YOU SAVE ME BACK THERE, DAMMIT!?´´ - Roared Haudrica as she lifted her head and pushed her blade into Cole's neck, which caused him to retreat even further into the corner he was trapped at to avoid its sharp tip.
``You could had ran away. You could had left me behind and ran away. Ran away to save your miserable existence....´´ - Her whole hand and body where shaking as she spoke.
``... and yet, you fought against that accursed machine with nothing but a scrap of metal and a berserker's zeal...´´ - Shaking with anger? That wasn't too clear.
``Answer me, dammit! Tell me why did you do it or I'll cut that lying head of your shoulders! Tell me now!!´´ - Haudrica lifted her head as she shouted this last sentence; her teeth clenched with anger and desperation in her voice.
It was then when Cole saw them; gathering in the corners of her scarlet, composite eyes, and trickling down her pale cheeks as they reached her chin and dropped to the floor.
Tears.
``I-It was instinct.´´ - Replied Cole as he looked at her in the eyes.
``I didn't think; I just acted. I don't know what made me do it.´´
``If I told you it was courage or bravery, or something like that, then I'd be the liar you claim I am.´´
``If you want to put the blame on something, then call it an act of madness. Because that's what I think it was.´´
Cole's words were filled with terror, but also with unwavering resolution. Haudrica's eyes widened upon this answer, and the shakings of her hands became stronger.
However, just as fast as they increased, the shakings ceased. And Haudrica retracted her blade while her face took an expression that was hard to describe; like a mask put upon a mask.
``I think you are nothing but mindless savage; a beast capable of speech and of comprehending it.´´ - Haudrica looked away from Cole as she said these contemptuous words.
``However, you have proven your usefulness. And given the situation we are all in, we cannot spare to waste anything which might be useful. That's why I am letting you live.´´ - Cole couldn't see the face Haudrica was making, but he was pretty certain that if he saw it, his head would roll.
``T-Thanks y-´´ He didn't get to finish his words of gratitude before he found her blade once again upon his neck. Her left arm, which had been severed before, had fully grown back again, although its chitin still was of a paler green than that of her shoulder or neck.
``Keep your empty thanks to yourself.´´ - Said Haudrica in her usual furious manner.
``Do not ever forget that, from now on, I'll be watching you; waiting till that moment in which you'll reveal your true colors to us all. And mark my words, that when that time comes, it'll be my scythe the first thing you feel on your lying throat.´´ - Despite the content of her words, her tone didn't sound as murderous as it did a while ago.
``Now move! I can't stand another instant inside this dirty hovel.´´ - She motioned Cole to move away from the door, which she pushed as she marched away at a hasted pace.
``Whew.... what a woman.... I don't know if she's crazy or just hates my guts...´´ - Cole collapsed as he closed the door and leaned onto it from inside. His knees still shaking like jelly.
···
``... You're here, I see...´´ - His voice sounded distant and hollow; as if he had gone through a Herculean ordeal.
That was indeed a rare sight; despite all Cole had seen him do, this was the first time Tetlekar had shown any sign of tiredness.
``So... was it possible?´´ - Asked Cole with an eager smile. Tetlekar rubbed one of his eyes before replying. Cole felt that, had he been human, there would surely been bags under his eyes.
``This device of yours is not old; it's ancient. In all of my one hundred and twelve years of existence, I had never interacted with a machine so old, so primitive... and so begrimed.´´ - Said Tetlekar in a mixture of tiredness and irritation as he put his hand on the keyboard or Cole's laptop, which laid open on top of a rusty plate of fuselage.
``Was there any reason for you to keep such a sheer quantity of...... explicit imagery showing female members of your race engaged in such a plethora of genitive and venereal acts, most of them clearly not meant to function for any kind of reproductive purposes?´´
Cole didn't knew what made him more ashamed; the fact that Tetlekar had found ''those'' or the way he had worded it.
``S-Sorry, I thought I had erased that...´´ - Cole covered his eyes as he spoke; he couldn't deem to look at Tetlekar, let alone at Zalura, whom was also there, as he was well aware that many of the pictures in his ''collection'' catered to certain unique fetishes of his.
``I had never sullied my receiving arrays with such morbid material. I am seriously starting to see the truth in Haudrica's claims.´´ - If Tetlekar's forehead had any veins, they'd be popping out in anger.
``Sorry...´´ - Cole apologized yet again.
``S-Still, did you manage to do it?´´ - Perhaps he was just trying to change the topic, or maybe Cole really wanted to know if his theory had been on spot.
``Despite that grisly incident, I was able to repurpose your terminal for what you plan to use it.´´
``However, keep in mind that what I did was but a shot in the shadows; I am not certain it will work as you intend or if it will ever work at all. It should be able to parse the signals, but I cannot tell you if what you will obtain will make any sense to you, or even me. And once again I tell you; please be cautious with what you do if you do not want a deep breath of deep space.´´
Based on his tone alone, Cole could notice Tetlekar was ''back to normal''.
``It's worth a short, as it's all I've got. And don't worry, I have no intention of taking a dive out there.´´ - Stated Cole as he closed his laptop and took it with him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
``Hmhmmhm~♪. ´´ - Hummed Cole tunelessly as he carried the Caretaker Unit outside his RV.
Despite being barely 80 centimeters tall, the Unit weighted as if it were three times larger, which made Cole wonder just what kind alloy was its body made of.
``There! Now let's set up these christmas lights.´´ - Said Cole as he put the Unit down next to a tall crate which now served as table for his laptop.
A colorful band of wires extended from where had previously been one of his laptop's USB jacks, and now hung lazily at the side of it.
If both his theory about the Unit's method of operation and Tetlekar's modifications to his laptops workings were effective, this hack job of a robot rewiring of his could perhaps work.
``If this goes well, it'll become my very own RJD2, if not, it'll resurrect as a full Dalek...´´ - Muttered Cole to himself as he began bridging some of the Unit's wires with the ones from his laptop.
``Heyo Cole! D'ya already did somethin' worthy o'gettin' thrown over the airlock?´´ - Desri's usual accented voice made itself heard behind Cole.
He seemed to be in unusually good mood, and strangely enough, was in company of Mizelle.
``Hey, it's so rare to see you two hanging together.´´ - Said Cole as he gave them a fast ''Hi!'' salute before turning his hands back to his thicket of wires.
``Haudrica and Zalura are out scavengin' right now. Ya might not b'lieve it, but they work pretty well t'gether.´´ - Replied Desri in a merry tone. He was, indeed, in an unusually good mood.
``Heh, guess she only hates me.´´ - Thought Cole as he twisted the end of two wires together.
``So, what brings ya guys here?´´ - Asked Cole noncommitantly; he was about to enter ''Working Mode''.
``Nothin' really; just came to check o'ya to make sure weren't doin' anything that might doom us all.´´ - Desri's words didn't sound true, but Cole was too busy to press the issue now.
``And since that Unit o' your isn't killin' me, I'd say we're cool. Be seein' ya later, water monkey.´´ - Added Desri as he turned around and headed back. It had been a while since he had called Cole that name, but it didn't feel angry or despective this time.
Yet, his departure left Mizelle and Cole by themselves, and both remained silent until Mizelle broke the ice.
``Y-You sure know a lot about machines...´´ - That was an awkward comment, but it still made Cole happy.
``Hehe, thanks. I'm really nothing special; just a grease monkey with too much free time on his hands. There were many others more skilled than I back at my home world.´´ - Said Cole with a smile.
Yet, his smile was pretty short-lived. The mention of home brought many friendly faces to his mind.
His burger-chomping co-worker Conrad, his boss with his handlebar-stache, that bunch of friendly choppers who often came looking for spare pieces for their Harleys, that old man from a nearby city's museum who liked to dig around for anything of historical value, the scary cop squad who had brought in the ''haunted dodge''.
Despite being far out of the city, the scrapyard had no shortage of visitors, and since his boss was almost always away during weekdays and Conrad had trouble lifting his own ass, it was Cole who often attended all of these visitors, which while not always pleasant, it was often an interesting experience.
Remembering all of this brought the dreaded questions back to Cole's mind: Was there a way to return? Would he be able to do it? What had those he was close to done upon his disappearance? Were they sad? Did they search for him?
Before he had even noticed it, his expression had turned to one full of glum and melancholy.
``I-I'm sorry... I didn't mean to make you sad...´´ - With these words, Mizelle bowed her head apologetically.
``It's okay, it ain't your fault or anything. I just... want to return home.´´ - Cole said those dreaded words; those he so earnestly tried to not think about.
``What about you; what kind of place was your home? Do you ever miss it?´´ - The ambience between them had suddenly become rather grim, so Cole tried to improve that a bit. Aside from that, he was a bit curious.
Mizelle smiled faintly and denied with her head before replying.
``I never had one; I am a Qauranite Artificial Homunculi, I was created as a multi-purpose slave.´´
*Thunk!*
Cole dropped the clipper he was holding when he heard that. She had said it so naturally it had been downright terrifying.
``W-What?´´ - He stopped all he was doing and turned around to face Mizelle.
``I don't know the details, but I was not born by natural means.´´
``''The Qauranite Regime has some very advanced technology, but still relies on a very outdated slave-dependant feudal system.'', that's what Haudrica told me.´´
``''They capture other sentient races and use them as slave labor, yet the richest and most powerful landlords have their own slaves custom-made for their own specific needs. Be it mining, farming or simply as breeding slaves to have more powerful offspring.''´´ - The way she spoke clearly indicated that she didn't understand the meaning of what she had just said. She was just repeating those words blissfully unaware of their meaning.
Just the last part of her sentence was enough to make Cole want to puke.
``That's why, I'm happy here. With Haudrica, with Desri, with Zalura and with Tetlekar, and of course, with you too, Cole.´´ - Declared Mizelle with a bright smile. Yet, after all she had said, even such a smile felt sad and pained.
``Mizelle...´´
``Unyah...!?´´
Perhaps it was fueled by simple protective instinct, or by a simple desire to console her. Whatever had been the reason, Cole hugged Mizelle softly, as if fearful that she would break under the pressure of his arms.
Her body felt tiny and powerless under his arms, and yet this was a girl capable of lifting an RV in the air with the power of her mind alone and that cried when others tried to get violent.
There were no ulterior motives or hidden agendas to his actions; they were fully honest and caring towards Mizelle. She seemed confused by such a sudden gesture, yet she did not seem in any way disgusted or scared of it.
``It's okay, we're not going anywhere. Specially me; I'm not even sure that there's a way for me to return home so don't worry, I'm gonna be staying here for a long while.´´ - Cole said that with a reassuring smile.
``O-Okay.´´ - Still not fully understanding what had just transpired, Mizelle replied with a smile of her own.
*Tlunk, tik*
*Bzzap!*
A long screwdriver that was sitting on the table, next to the laptop suddenly rolled out of it. Falling to the ground and shorting two wires that were still not connected.
*Hummm....*
The Unit's pentagonal eye, which had been brown all this time, it became bright red yet again.
Cole and Mizelle's ''Panick-o-meter'' was about to show a prominent spike, until they noticed that, other than humming back to life, the Unit wasn't doing anything at all. Even its arms, whose all parts and components Cole had gathered there, remained in the ground, unmoving.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Taskmaster command
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Overseer feedback
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Taskmaster command
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Overseer feedback
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Taskmaster command
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Overseer feedback
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Taskmaster command
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Overseer feedback
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
In the black and white command screen on Cole's laptop, these words began to repeat over and over, like a software stuck in a sub-process.
The messages went on an on for a while, filling about three screens with the same lines while Cole and Mizelle watched motionlessly. Upon certain point, however, it changed.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Taskmaster command
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/Caretaker Unit 317281-9 requesting Overseer feedback
/ERROR! Commlink not found or damaged.
/WARNING! Maximum number of communication attempts reached.
/Engaging Standby Maintenance Mode
/Disabling Automatic Response System.......
/SUCCESS!
/Disabling Taskmaster Adjoining Link.......
/SUCCESS!
/Disabling Overseer Dependence Override.......
/SUCCESS!
/Disabling Mainframe Hierarchical Interface.......
/SUCCESS!
/Standby Maintenance Mode Engaged
....
/External Control Interface Detected
/Awaiting Direct User Command
....
With this last words, the Caretaker Unit remained unmoving, and while Cole was no master hacker or even consider himself a ''code monkey'', he knew more than enough about computers and code to know what that last line of text meant.
``I-It worked...!´´ - His grin was so wide his mouth was starting to look like Haudrica's.
However, as he was about to reach for the keyboard, he realized he had no idea of what to do; he didn't even knew where to start, and one wrong command could possibly re-enable the Unit and ruin all he had accomplished, or more precisely, the screwdriver had.
``Mizelle!´´ - Excitedly, he looked at the still dumbfounded Mizelle and spoke.
``Go fetch Tetlekar. Tell him the hijack was a success. Quickly!´´ - Cole was almost drooling with overexcitement.
···
``Once again, your methods are highly unorthodox, but also fully effective. Although to be honest I am not even certain it was because of your methods.´´ - Said Tetlekar in a rather cryptic fashion as me moved his hands away from Cole's laptop, which he finished checking.
``What do you mean?´´ - Asked Cole as he lifted an eyebrow.
``This apparatus, and this box.´´ - Replied Tetlekar as he picked up the screwdriver from the ground, it still had a pair of blackened marks on the places where the sparks flew.
He used it to aim at a tiny box where three cords converged. The box's corners also looked a bit blackened, and they hadn't been like that before.
``When this fell and shorted the wires, the resulting surge overloaded and destroyed this particular circuit module. Seems this was the Unit's commlink; the part of it which relayed information to its Taskmaster, and from which it received its commands.´´ - Explained Tetlekar as he pointed to the blackened corners.
``In other words, ya cut the leash that link'd it to its master. Good job 'dat one.´´ - Added Desri amusedly. Cole couldn't help but chuckle at him using the words ''leash'' and ''master'' like that.
``It also may be worth mentioning that this Unit had no AI to speak off. Else it would had continued to function even after its commlink failed.´´ - Commented Tetlekar in what seemed to be a despective tone.
``Meaning it wasn't an autonomous robot, but a remotely controlled drone, huh. We have those in my world, too, although they're much more basic.´´ - Said Cole as he put his hand on the ''head'' of the Unit. It was warm to the touch and it vibrated slightly, like a refrigerator.
``So, what can we do with it now? Since my original idea of rigging its AI to open up storages won't work as it lacks an AI to rig up, what uses could this Unit still have?´´ - Cole seemed to have lost quite a bit of enthusiasm upon learning the Unit was closer to a remote-controlled car than an actual sentient robot.
``On the contrary, even in this current state, it remains versatile for a variety of purposes. However, with the right know-how it could be, shall we say, repurposed for what you had originally intended to make use of it for.´´ - Now it was Tetlekar whom remained substantially interested in the Unit.
``And just how do we do that? For such a thing I would need to have some very detailed schematics of how its systems work, and I highly doubt that those are lying around.´´ - Said Cole in an analytic manner.
``Actually, I can solve that. Now that it's active, I could use my sensors to map its inner workings and create a set of schematics that, while not one hundred percent exact, should be more than enough to figure what need to be changed and/or replaced in it.´´ - Commented Tetlekar as he rubbed his chin.
``Well, that sounds like a plan to me. Get me those schematics, and I'll do the scrap diving to find whatever we need and install it.´´ - Cole had just gotten his motivation back.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
The anniversary of Cole's first week on the Phylactery had a rather dull arrival.
Not being able to work with his Unit until Tetlekar had mapped out its schematics and not being able to do any mild-to-heavy work as his arms had yet to fully heal.
In the meantime, he began to do his own mapping; not of his Unit, but of the NVSC9, which had more stuff than he had imagined. As knowing the ''where was what'' would most certainly help in many of his future projects.
``Electronic scrap, usable glass panels, heavy metal plating, weird wash machine-shaped thingie, some functioning lights, old tires....´´
Cole walked around the piles as he wrote down a few descriptions about them on a crude map he had sketched on his notebook.
There were many strange, unrecognizable artifacts amongst the more mundane junk. However, he was starting to classify those as ''Oddities'' and merely marked their location to check on them later, hopefully with the help of Desri or Tetlekar.
After a few more piles, Cole considered his daily mapping done, closed his notebook and began to walk back to the RV, until the sound of an unusual conversation reached his ears.
``ToH'dOaH, iTA uaL. KUra iT taKLada'eR.´´
It was those familiar but still-incomprehensible words. Which had been the first friendly gesture he had received upon arrival.
``Cha, kura ed'sala. Taklada'er sri ual'lala.´´ - Speaking in the same dialect but a different accent, Desri replied to whatever Zalura had said in a rather upbeat manner.
Sprawled in the ground in front of them was a square of what was either tarp or some similar material. Countless parts and components were laid upon; some rusty and tarnished and some smooth and clean. All of them but one completely unrecognizable to Cole, and that one was the barrel of Zalura's gun.
She was on her knees, polishing it dutifully with a dirty rag. It then became rather obvious what they were doing.
``Hey guys! Doing weapon maintenance?´´ - Said Cole as he made his presence know.
*Beep*
There was that sound again as both Desri and Zalura manipulated some sort of pin they wore on the neck of their shirts.
``Maint'nance? Nah, more like reducin' the chances o' it blowin' up next time she fires it.´´ - Remarked Desri amusedly.
``NOT enOUgH sParE parTS fOr proPEr maInTEnancE.´´ - Zalura's statement showed considerable concern.
With this last words, she put the rag down and began to assemble her weapon with a considerable speed. Having four hands certainly made this kind of job easier.
``TEtlekAr aND ZALura goiNg tO danGEroUs plACe nOW. WEapon caN'T FAil thERe, ELse DeAd.´´ - She added as she slotted the last part of her gun into place.
To Cole, Zalura's weapon looked like the bastard lovechild of a flamethrower, a bazooka and a light machinegun. A wide barrel on a long stock and set with four ''tanks'' on the sides, along with many other mechanical and electronic parts. According to Desri, that kind of weapon was called a ''Thermosupressor''; a sort of heat ray meant to make the victim faint from internal overheating rather than actually burning them, although Zalura had modified it to be an effective killing weapon.
``Where are you going?´´ - Cole asked that with both concern and curiosity.
``To a place ya already know well; the O'ganic Collector 73. We need some real meat.´´ - It was Desri who replied.
``... Real meat?´´ - Those words made Cole rather nervous.
``Despite the fact the flavor is emulated accurately, the meat made by the synthesizer lacks some important components found in real, organic meat. Proteins, for instance. And long periods of not ingesting protein can lead to some undesirable medical conditions, and such must be prevented at all costs.´´ - Sporting his usual proper way of speaking, Tetlekar made his entrance, accompanied by Mizelle, whom reacted to Cole's presence with a warm yet silent smile.
``TEtlekAr, aLl reaDY.´´ - Stated Zalura in a very soldier-like fashion. Tetlekar gave a nod of approval.
``So, y'can 'spect some real exotic supper today, hahaha.´´ - Continued Desri rather amusedly.
With no further exchange of words, Zalura, Tetlekar and Mizelle headed out. Leaving only Cole and Desri behind, and Haudrica, who was sleeping.
``Uwaaa... Nothin' t'do but wait and waste time till they all get back.´´ - Said Desri with a yawn.
``Say, mind if I ask you something?´´ - Cole spoke after a brief pause.
``Shoot.´´ - Retorted Desri nonchalantly as he climbed onto a wreck and sat atop of it.
``What is that language you and Zalura often speak with? I haven't seen anyone else speak it and you don't seem to use it when talking to anyone other than Zalura.´´ - Cole asked that question that had been puzzling him for a while now, and Desri seemed rather happy about this inquiry.
``It's called Uluk; it's the native tongue o' Zalura's hom'world. Very hard to speak for many races as it relies strongly on the c'ntrast in the sound o' the syllables and the wave these produce when spoken.´´ - Replied Desri in a rather savvy tone.
``She comes from a tiny planet called Uluthazcia. Place's rather warm an' almost entirely cov'red in dense, rainy junglelands and deep bogs which are ripe with dang'rous predators. However, it also has one o' the largest d'posits o' rare minerals and fuels on its quadrant, so it soon b'came a target for the greedy minin' guilds o' the Oularnian Plutarchy.´´ - Desri motioned Cole to sit down nearby as he was in for a long story.
``How'ver, 'em fools would soon find out that comin' un'nvited into som'one else's planet and startin' to remove large chunks o' soil would inev'tably attract the hostile attention o' the local natives, and d'spite their technological inferiority, 'em Uluthazcians gave the Oularnians a sound ass beatin'. So, after a few disastrous campaigns, 'em guildmasters had to swallow their pride an' make peace with the Uluthazcians.´´
``Still, the tales o' their ferocity an' tactical genius found its way to the high c'mmand of the Plutarchy's military, and they soon b'gan to pepper their planet with recruitment stations. That's the part where I come in, haha.´´ - Desri raised his muzzle boastfully.
``Da lingustic barriers were b'coming a serious trouble; there were even a few skirm'shes due to simple misunderstandin's. So, the Plutarchy gath'red the best linguists their fat pockets could cost to study and learn their tongue, m'self included. There we spent 'bout two years makin' sense of it and teachin' it to 'em Plutarchy's officers. From there we-´´
For almost an hour, Desri continued talking almost non-stop; about his adventures in Uluthazcia, the people he met there, the Uluthazcians customs and culture, their real spicy food and many other things. Cole continued to listen attentively, only interrupting to clarify some particulars bits of information.
As he spoke, Cole couldn't help but imagine how fascinating would it be to go such a place, or roving from planet to planet for a living like many friends that Desri mentioned did for a living. There was a whole universe out there; way from home at Earth, and away from the cage of the Phylactery, and he now wanted to see it.
``-and they have this sort o'celebration where their women dance 'round in skimpy clo-´´
*Blam!*
As Desri was making a rather obscene comment, an echoing bang resounded on the NVSC9's exit shutter.
``Help...´´
As Cole and Desri came upon it, this word emerged from the other side of the shutter almost as a whimper.
``Mizelle!?´´ - She collapsed into Cole's arms as Desri opened the shutter.
Her arms and legs were covered in cuts and scratches, many of them quite deep and bleeding.
``Cole... Help... Zalu.. ra... Tetle... trapped...´´ - Her weak words were barely leaving her throat. She was in grave danger.
``Get her to bed, quickly! I'll bring Haudrica before she bleeds to death.´´ - With these parting words, Desri dashed away, and Cole did the same towards Mizelle's home.
···
Mizelle's home reminded Cole of a Type 2 Volkswagen, although it was clearly not from Earth, and unsurprisingly, it was just behind Haudrica's wagon home. It had no door, so Cole just went inside and placed her on the collection of old pillows she called a bed.
As he carried her, her already tattered clothes had fallen apart, revealing a pair of modest, almost childlike, but well-formed breasts. However, Cole was so focused on what he was doing that he hadn't even looked at them.
Her wounds were bleeding quite a lot, and there wasn't even anything around he could use to give her a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.
There was nothing he could do, so he left her there and went to look for Desri and Haudrica.
``She's ready, where's Hau-´´
``SCRAM!´´
He didn't have to look much. As he exited Mizelle's place, Haudrica came in running like a tornado, pushing him out of the way without any delicacy.
Her expression was of absolute terror and she also looked like she was holding back her tears.
``Move it!´´ - Now it was Desri whom went in, running on four legs.
Cole stood there for a moment, dumbfounded and unable to reacted.
``Mizelle...´´ - This had been too much of a shock to him; all he could do was to stare blankly at her blood, still on his hands.
``I'm here, is there anything I can do to help?´´
Coming back to his senses, Cole followed after Desri and Haudrica, and upon doing so, he saw something disturbing.
``Yes, shut up and let me work!!´´ - Lashed back Haudrica as she turned her head to look at Cole, which was when he saw it.
Despite its ear-to-ear length being plainly visible, Haudrica always kept most of her mouth closed, which made it look like an almost normal human mouth. However, now she had opened her mouth in full, and a pair of vicious-looking mandibles had emerged from within her cheeks. It was scary enough to make Cole freeze in his place, but that was just the start of it.
*Shwatch*
Without doing as much as flinching, Haudrica brought her left hand to her mandibles and chopped her pinky and ring fingers in half.
The liquid that came from her cut fingers wasn't blood but a clear-green and viscous substance that reminded Cole of liquid soap. Yet, he was to terrified about the whole thing he didn't even comment on it.
``Gggh!´´
Haudrica's face contorted with pain as she squeezed her finger stumps like a tube of toothpaste, the clear-green liquid pouring into the largest of Mizelle's wounds. When it entered in contact with her blood, the liquid began to harden like a crystal, sealing all of her bleeding cuts almost instantly.
``This... this will be enough. Her life isn't in danger any more.´´ - This was perhaps the first time Cole had seen Haudrica's look of relief. Her voice sounded a bit strange due to her mandibles.
``W-Will she be okay?´´ - Asked Cole as he recovered from his shock.
``As long as she eats well and doesn't bleed any more, she will.´´ - Replied Desri, also in a relieved tone.
``Hau... drica...´´ - Mizelle spoke softly and weakly.
``Mizelle! Talk to me! Who did this to you!?´´ - Cried Haudrica in desperation.
``Zalura.... Tetlekar... trapped in... collector... please save... them...´´ - She breathed heavily as she said every word.
``What happened out there?´´ - Asked Cole in urgency. Mizelle breathed in an out a couple of times before replying.
``... A regenerating... aberration...´´
Her reply instilled fear in all those who heard it.
The prospect was now looking very grim.
<End of Chapter 3>
Chapter 4
Spoiler: show
Part 1
Dangerous situations bring out the hidden depths of a person. However, said hidden depths aren't always pleasant.
``WHAT D'YA JUST SAID, BITCH!?´´ - Desri's roar was so loud it felt as if the whole Phylactery shook with it.
``I meant exactly what you heard; I said leave them.´´ - Replied Haudrica as she furrowed her brow.
``How can you even suggest such a thing!?´´ - Cole's own shout almost matched Desri's in loudness, although his wasn't half as angry.
``In this accursed place, only the strongest and most capable survive. Those two failed one of the above, why should we risk our lives for those who might not even have their own anymore.´´ - Retorted Haudrica harshly; her words were entirely devoid of mercy.
``I can't believe this. Did you already forgot Zalura and Tetlekar risked their lives to save us both!? How can you even suggest leaving them to their luck!?´´ - Cole was getting more furious by the minute.
``I never asked them to.´´ - She replied dryly.
``Besides, it was his fault we got in that situation in the first place; had he gone by himself, we wouldn't have been by ourselves when your little new Unit ambushed us.´´ - Nothing but scorn and antipathy permeated Haudrica's words.
``And what 'bout Mizelle, huh? Should we had left her die? She was weak too an' all she could do was flee. By yer logic we shouldn't 'ave even both'red to heal her! Would ya 'ave liked that!?´´ - Roared Desri furiously, his fangs fully bared.
``Mizelle is different!´´ - This remark seemed to have actually angered Haudrica.
``She didn't go out there on her own! Those two forced her to come along because they need her power! She's nothing but a slave to them; a cargo vehicle to haul trash around!´´ - As she usually did with Cole, she put her blade on Desri's neck while she replied. But Desri remained fully unfazed.
``Heh, pretty words those y'said. Yer the only one 'ere who sees her like that, y'know.´´
Haudrica took a step back; as if Desri's words had been an actual blow to her.
``You see her as less than a slave; she's a toy, a pet ya keep 'round who smiles at cha and makes ya feel that there's somethin' in yer miserable life that's worth the air you waste. She's just a toy that relieves ya o' yer frustrations.´´ - Retorted Desri fearlessly as he flashed an unfriendly smile.
Haudrica's face contorted with anger beyond comprehension, and yet, there was also shame.
``... If you want to live to see tomorrow, you'll shut up right now.´´ - Her voice was like a ghastly curse.
``Go ahead then, bitch. Slash m' neck open.´´ - Desri taunted her with a cruel smile and even lifted his head for a better view of his throat. But Haudrica didn't move.
``Hehe, ya know ya can't do it; only two people 'ere who can operate the Synthesizer are Tetlekar an' me. So, without him, ya need me alive, else ya'll starve.´´ - Desri pushed away Haudrica's blade as if it were nothing. Her face was almost bursting from the effort of restraining her anger.
They just gazed at each others with murderous glares.
*Shooog*
A familiar sound suddenly called Haudrica and Desri out of their staring contest. Cole had just opened the exit shutter.
``If you guys wanna keep trading barbs all day, then be my guest. But I'm not gonna stay here till you finish; I'm heading out to find Zalura and Tetlekar, with or without you.´´ - Cole was doing his earnest to sound driven and resolute, even if his knees were shaking a bit.
``Oi Cole, ya can't be seriously thinkin' o'-´´ - Desri sounded as if he had just been kicked in the head; his shock and disbelief were beyond measure. But Cole didn't let him finish.
``If none of you is going to do it, then I'll do it; I'm heading out to find them. If you want to come along then come, but make your mind about it quick; every second we waste speaking increases the chance this rescue operation will end up as a corpse recovery.´´ - Interjected Cole brusquely.
``Have it your way, fool. I couldn't care less about you.´´ - Haudrica made her mind fast, and her reply was as Cole expected.
Desri let out a long, tired sigh before speaking.
``Just gimme a minute, pup.´´ - With these words, Desri dashed away into his home.
A brief moment of silence passed by; Cole and Haudrica stood there, unmoving and trading glares. Yet, Haudrica's glare wasn't her usual hatred-filled one but merely an analytical stare. It was as if she was trying to find the bluff on Cole's words, but considering that she remained quiet, it seemed she hadn't spotted it.
``Oi boyo, fetch!´´ - As these words broke the silence, Cole noticed a black cylindrical object flying his way.
Cole couldn't help but think it felt strange to have a dog telling him to ''fetch'', but the moment he caught what Desri flung at him, it made his thoughts drift to somewhere else.
``Whoa! Where did you got this? Had never seen one of these in the real myself.´´ - Said Cole in disbelief.
He was holding a stun baton; of the kind that came with a flashlight and a hand guard. It looked like it had seen some use, but it seemed intact enough to be used without fear of malfunctions.
``Zalura found it on her last run. Text on it told me it's from yer world. Not too sure o' what it's but it seems like a weapon, sorta. Maybe it can be o' use ya; it's better than nothin'.´´ - Replied Desri as he scratched one of his ears.
``It is and it isn't. We call this a Zap-Light; it's a weapon not meant for killing, but for incapacitating. Still, it can be made deadly with the right know-how.´´ - Explained Cole as he made sure it still worked.
``No time for that now, though. I'm heading out; thanks for the gadget, it'll be of help.´´ - With these words, Cole headed for the exit.
``Wait! I'm coming with ya.´´ - Added Desri as he ran after Cole and departed together.
The shutter was closed afterwards, yet Haudrica kept staring at it for a long while; as if wrestling with an idea in her head.
``... Nevermind. What that fool and the savage do isn't my concern.´´ - Muttered Haudrica to herself as she turned around and headed back to her place.
···
The brilliant white light of Cole's new gadget filled the corridor ahead of them.
With the guidance of Desri, he was making his way to the Organic Collector, hoping at the very least to find about Zalura and Tetlekar's whereabouts. But it was when almost arriving that he noticed something in particular about his destination.
``.... This is the place where I arrived.´´ - This realization hit Cole like a hammer.
The rusted-up walls, the smashed light fixtures, the claw marks in the walls, and even that pretty dangerous hole in the floor.
``Ya sure? Zalura told me it had been farther down, t'wards the other Salvage Collector; NVSC5.´´ - Commented Desri as he warily moved around the hole.
``That's because I got chased by an aberration; ran as fast as I could, and stumbled upon Zalura.´´ - Replied Cole as he aimed his Zap-Light into the hole, and just as he expected, the still-creepy remains of that animatronic was still down there.
``Hm, sorta makes sense. But enuff with that; just turn right in that corner and look fer the red light.´´ - Said Desri as he ran ahead of Cole.
The following corridor was far, far larger than the previous ones; it was about as wide as the NVSC9's door and there was even a rail system of sorts running through it.
``Don't cha worry; nothin' has ever come from these rails. Nothin' we've ever seen at least.´´ - As if sensing Cole's fears, Desri made that comment.
Concentric to the hallway was a sizable door topped with a bright red light, or at least, what was left of a door; it looked as it had been smashed from the inside with something as big as a van and probably just as fast.
Inside, what looked like the remains of a lobby; a receptionist's desk with a dozen of smashed waiting chairs laid sprawled all over. There was a sort of terminal in the desk, but it had been smashed so badly it was hard to tell what shape it originally had.
There were also old bloodstains splashed around, and bones- plenty of bones, although none of them looked even closely human.
``This is just the entr'nce area; nothin' much goin' on 'ere now, but it clearly did back on its day.´´ - Desri entered ahead of Cole and looked around. He stopped to sniff one of the bones and snort disgustedly back at it.
``Geez.... This place reminds me of that one level of Doom. Not the best comparison to make now...´´ - Thought Cole as he put his hand on the handle of his wrench, which hung loosely on his belt.
Behind the desk, two gateways led onto a set of ascending stairs, one to each side. Once in there, they were pretty short and fast to climb, but it was up there where Cole first laid eyes on what unfolded before him.
Like the bastard lovechild between a greenhouse and an aquarium, a large, rounded glass cube extended below them.
Most of the glass was smashed, and inside of it looked like what would've been the aftermath of a fight between gladiators and wild animals at Ancient Rome; dozens and dozens of unidentified creatures laid lifeless around the bottom of the glass square. And still no sign of Zalura or Tetlekar.
*Thung!*
*Urrrk*
But that changed soon enough.
With a thunderous noise followed by the familiar ''groan'' of twisting metal, Zalura leaped out the area still unseen to Cole and Desri, and clung onto the wall with the ease of a chameleon.
``Zalura!´´ - Desri couldn't hold his shout of happiness. He would soon regret it.
Gathering under Zalura like a flood of brown, red and dark orange, a mass of unidentified aberrations clawed at the wall under Zalura in a futile effort of reaching her.
However, upon hearing Desri's shout, they all stopped clawing the wall, looked above towards Cole and Desri, and ran towards another direction. Yet, it didn't take Cole long to realize that said direction was a spiraling pathway leading to them.
``RUn!´´ - Cried out Zalura as she held onto the wall. The aberrations were heading full speed towards Cole and Desri.
``You don't have to tell me!´´
There were only three paths before Cole. One from where he had come, towards the destroyed lobby. The second was the one from where the aberrations were coming. And the third led upstairs towards a long, circling catwalk into what seemed to be a control room of sorts. He took the later.
``Goddammit! It's a fucking Zerg Rush!´´ - Shouted Cole as he ran as fast as his legs could muster, and Desri running four-legs next to him.
The catwalk made a long and rather unnecessary circle over the glass cube before reaching the control room.
``Oh man, not now.´´
However, its door was closed, and the panel that would have controlled it was broken; smashed most likely by the desperate blows of some other creature who thought the same as Cole.
``It's a dead-end. What do I do?´´ - Cole was desperately trying to make the panel react, but no matter what he touched on what remained of its controls, it was dead.
``They're comin'!´´ - Cried out Desri in a state of panic almost as big as Cole's.
The horde of aberrations was almost upon them.
``Fuck!´´
*Bzaap!*
*Din! Bwoo.*
In an act of desperation, Cole stabbed the panel with his Zap-Light. Strangely enough, that brought the panel to life and the door opened with a soft humming.
``Inside!´´
*Bzazapap!*
*Deen! Bwoo.*
Cole pushed Desri inside and moved in a well, just as the panel emitted a smokey spark before closing behind them.
*Bang, bang, bang*
The aberrations rammed against the door as hard as they could, making the whole place shake around like a gong.
``We-We're saved.´´ - Panted Cole as he tried to regain his breath.
``Yeah, safe but trapp'd 'ere.´´ - Desri didn't sound too happy about it.
Looking around the control room, the whole place was pretty much intact; dusty, but intact. Which made sense as they were perhaps the first ones to get into there. Alive at least.
In the central of three chairs that overlooked the consoles under the long, horizontal glass that gave them such a panoramic view of the carnage below, laid a lifeless humanoid skeleton.
Whomever or whatever it was, it wore a red-orange and white suit with metal joints in the neck, waist, elbows and knees. Sadly, it wasn't possible to tell what kind of face or even head it had, as all of its skull but its jaw, which still clung to its desiccated neck muscles, laid gathered in broken pieces upon its waist. The long-since-dry bloodstain in the roof and the metal object still clutched to its skeletal right hand gave out a clue of what had broken the skull like that; a shot to the mouth.
``One o' the crewmen. Now ya see all that remains o' the Phylactery's masters; nothin' but bones an' dust.´´ - Commented Desri in a rather despective tone as he looked at the bones.
``Even so, there must be something we can use in here. This place looks like it was of some importance, so maybe there's something in here we can use to our advantage.´´ - With these words, Cole began checking out the consoles, trying to see if there was something that still worked, but it was all dark.
``Dunno 'bout it, seri'sly. If Dusty Bones here couldn't escape his own death trap, what hope do we 'ave o' succeedin'?´´ - Desri sounded as if he had either given up on everything, or accepted his death.
``We won't know until we try.´´ - Said Cole as he moved from the console to the nearby walls and roof area.
``This whole place doesn't seem broken, it's more like it has no power. Maybe there's a way to fix that up.´´ - Cole was groping all the walls around, hoping to find a switch or something along those lines.
``An' what good will that do to us, dammit!? What can we even do!?´´ - Desri was starting to lose his bearings.
``First of all, we stay calm, old dog. If we lose our minds to panic, then we're dead.´´ - Ceasing his search for a moment and looking at Desri in the eyes as he spoke.
``I'm just as afraid as you, maybe even more as I have no idea of what I'm doing. But if I'm going to die, I'd rather die knowing that I tried my best to prevent it, not just sit down and bite the barrel like Mr. Bones here did. So, if you aren't going to help me, just shut up and let me work.´´
With these words, Cole returned to what he was doing; he was in full ''Working Mode'', albeit one induced by fear.
``Nothing here, nothing there. Where could it be?´´
The walls and consoles were just full of dark lights, dead gauges and unresponsive buttons.
``Haah... If we wanna rub the walls 'til they wear away and an exit opens, then be my guest, I'm just gonna curl down h-yauck!´´
*Btz!*
Desri tried to get under the consoles, but almost as soon as he did it, he jumped back.
``What happened?´´ - This drew Cole's attention.
``S-Somethin' down 'ere spark'd me. Damn piece o' junk!´´ - Desri kicked the console angrily along with this words.
*Ki-lik*
With an obnoxious creak, a tiny service panel opened up in the underside of the console, its cover hanging down loosely.
``Well now, I guess you beat me to it. Good job.´´ - As Cole checked the panel, a smile came to his lips. Although Desri still looked confused.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
``Just wadda ya doin' down there?´´
Cole was underneath the console, rummaging away while sparks flew around, and Desri looked rather confused.
``I'm trying to patch this up. Is Zalura OK out there?´´ - Replied Cole as he reached for a screwdriver on his belt.
``She hasn't mov'd; tried to climb up a while 'go, but the aberrations gath'red on the area above. Pesky beasties I say...´´ - Desri had been relegated to ''watchman duty''.
``Well, on the positive side, they're no longer bashing on the door, which means that even if it opens up, we'll be-Oh! I think I found it.´´ - Cole suddenly changed his tone from an analytical one to a triumphant one.
``Wadda ya find?´´ - Asked Desri as he looked underneath.
``The source of the power, and seems like something's missing here, hmm...´´
``This looks like a junction panel or fuse box of sorts, and some are missing. Did they break?´´
With these words, Cole came out from under the console.
Once out, he sat cross-legged in the floor and folded his arms, lost in thought.
A moment of silent pondering went by. Silent at least within the control room, as outside, the aberrations howled and grunted as they tried to reach Zalura. And still no trace of Tetlekar anywhere; Cole had already considered the worse possibility.
``Haah... Look, pup, I'm not tryin' to belittle ya; I know ya know this stuff better than many, but I don't think ya can patch this junk heap up. If Mr. Dusty Bones 'ere, who probably knew this place better than I know the pad on my paw, couldn't get it patch'd up, what hope d'ya have o' doin' it.´´ - Said Desri with an apologetic sigh. He was staring to look rather depressed.
``... Bones...?´´ - Cole glanced at the skeleton as he muttered that, and noticed something odd with it.
``... Maybe he wasn't trying to fix it.´´ - He added as he got up and walked towards it.
It's left hand laid clutched against its belly, and it was also holding something. A pair of segmented metallic tubes with intermittent red and yellow lines.
``Wadda ya mean, and what are ya doin'?´´ - Asked Desri as Cole reached onto the tubes, and whatever decomposed sinews had still held the hand into place crumbled effortlessly as Cole took the tubes.
``The fusebox down there has a total of three fuses, two are missing, one is still there, and it looks just like these two here, which make me think Mr. Bones here never tried to fix it in the first place; he actually shut it down. I wonder why...´´ - Cole headed back under the console as he said that.
Placing the fuses back was real simple, but now he had to turn on the power itself, which despite being as simple as flipping the switch next to the box, it carried a great risk.
``How's the catwalk? Any aberrations there?´´ - Asked Cole from underneath the console.
``... A few; they're all focus'd on Zalura now, but that could change easily.´´ - Replied Desri in a far less depressed tone. It seems he was recovering his will to live.
Cole remained silent for a moment before replying.
``Alright. If when I switch this on, the door opens, then cry out for Zalura; tell her to get away or move to a more advantageous position while the aberrations focus on us. If they get too close, I'll shut the power again.´´ - Explained Cole as he came out again.
``But what if the door doesn't close?´´ - Asked Desri concernedly.
``Then we'll keep Mr. Bones company. Now get ready; I'm powering this up.´´ - Said Cole in a rather grim way as he went back underneath.
``Okay, I'm ready to die.´´ - Desri didn't have to phrase it that way, but he still did.
``Alright...´´ - Muttered Cole as he put his thumb on the power switch.
``.... YAMATO BLAST OFF!´´ - That was sure a cliché line, but he had always wanted to say it like that.
*Duuuuuuuuuhhhn*
That was a rather nostalgic starting sound; it was almost like that of his old desk PC back home, but way louder.
The whole control room had been pretty dim so far; illuminated only by the leftover light of half a dozen of roof-mounted floodlights that lit the glass-covered area. But as the humming of the power resounded, the control room became as lit as a summer noon. And the same went on for the consoles, whom became as lit as a Christmas tree.
Yet ironically, the door didn't open.
``Well... Imma not sure if I should be glad or 'nnoyed. Still alive but still trap'd in 'ere.´´ - Commented Desri with a hollow, toothy smile as he looked at the still-closed door.
``Maybe not anymore. Mr. Bones had this hanging from his neck.´´ - Said Cole as he waved a small slab of circuitry about as big as an iPhone.
``An access key.´´ - Desri's face lit upon seeing it.
``Yup! Tetlekar told me about these the other day. It seems finding Mr. Bones might prove a greater boon to us all than all the meat of those aberrations.´´ - Continued Cole with a confident smile.
``An' after being hound'd by 'em, I seriously don't feel like eatin' their meat.´´ - Added Desri comically.
Soon after locating the door panel where the key was to be used, Cole and Desri stood ready behind the exit door, hoping that all that ramming of the aberrations and Cole's stun attack hadn't damaged the door beyond use.
*Din! Bwoo.*
Just like before, the door made a sound when it opened.
*Gughrooo!*
And it was like a dinner bell for all the aberrations, who roared as they ran for the catwalk again.
``Zalura, ka'or ite nam'aja! Nam'aja!´´ - Cried out Desri in Uluk. Why in Uluk? Cole had no idea.
Hearing these words, Zalura gave out a nod as she dropped from the wall, ran up the catwalk and latched herself onto the wall again.
``DEsri, taKLada'eR nAN! NAm'Aja eRA!´´ - Upon reaching a safe height in the proximity of the control room, Zalura replied in a tone of urgency.
``What's she saying!?´´ - Asked Cole from behind the door frame.
``Nev'rmind! Close the door!´´ - Desri wasn't in the mood for translating the full phrase.
*Bzzt!*
However, the door didn't close; the panel went all red and flashed a sort of warning in an unknown language.
``Fuck! It won't close!´´ - Cried out Cole as he panicked.
*Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!*
The panel refused to cooperate, and the aberrations were almost on them.
``Close, you goddamned piece of scrap!!´´ - Roared Cole as he punched the panel, it didn't even crack.
*Gughrah!*
An aberration jumped towards him.
``Fuck!´´ - Swore Cole as covered his head with his arms; his death was imminent.
*Slash!*
Or so he thought.
A smelly brown liquid splashed on him as the leading aberration of the pack was sliced in the air, split in two perfect halves, split like the second it had taken to happen.
The responsible for such a feat stood right in front of him, with both blades out and an expression of burning rage.
``H-Haudrica!?´´ - Said Cole as he lost his balance, falling back on his bum.
She didn't reply; she was fully focused on the aberrations, whom didn't stop their charge.
*Slash, swash, whosh*
The term ''Dervish'' crossed Cole's mind as he saw Haudrica in action.
She moved with the grace of a dancer, the speed of a whirlwind and the drive of a reaper.
An aberration fell with her every movement. One slash, one kill. One step, one kill. One jump, one kill. It was as if she had planned every attack with anticipation, like a carefully choreographed waltz where every step reaped a life, and all of it so fast Cole could barely follow it with his eyes. She was almost a blur.
Finally, after an instant that seemed to go on forever, there were no aberrations in one piece, and Haudrica stood there; encircled by the butchered corpses and covered in dark brown blood, which dripped from her still-drawn blades and ever-frowning face.
``....´´ - She turned around and silently looked at Cole, whose only reaction was crawling back as her visage alone looked like something out of hell.
``Look at yourself; crawling over the floor like a spineless maggot; unable to defend yourself or protect others.´´ - Haudrica delivered her usual cruel remarks as her mouth sported a wicked grin of viciously sharp teeth.
``And yet, you saved me before, even if it was, as you called it, an act of madness.´´
``I have now paid life with life. Consider yourself fortunate, and be grateful of Mizelle as it was she who asked me to do so. Else I wouldn't be here.´´ - She added while retracting her blade. Was that gratitude in her words? Or just masked conceit? Cole couldn't tell each apart.
``Ya conceit'd bitch! First ya refuse to come and then-Hrmph!´´ - Desri had come out from behind Cole and was already flinging insults at Haudrica, but Cole grabbed onto his muzzle and shut it.
``Desri, shut up. She saved us both and deserves the gratitude.´´ - Stated Cole in a firm and scolding manner.
Desri was about to retort furiously as he shook off Cole's hand but Zalura didn't let him.
``DEsri, doN'T bE a jeRK.´´ - Said Zalura as she landed next to Haudrica with a loud clang. Desri looked as if he wanted to say something but held himself back, letting out only a long furious sigh.
``Now that we're done with these things can someone tell me where's Tetlekar?´´ - Asked Cole as he kicked the split corpse of one of the aberrations.
``DowN BElow, iN MaIn COllectOr. HoLdinG dowN tHE ReGenEraTOr.´´ - Replied Zalura in a tone most grave.
``The what?´´ - That was all Cole could reply.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
With all the growling and howling, and claws scraping against metal, neither Cole nor Desri had noticed one particular sound that now echoed in the newly wrought silence.
*Klang, tlang. Klang tlang.*
It was like someone was hammering the walls with a club. A real big club made of something hard. It was rather unnerving.
``So, just what happened 'ere?´´ - Asked Desri as he, Cole, Haudrica and Zalura descended to the bottom of the glass cube.
``WhiLE wE huNteD, ShiP COllectEd nEw liFE fRom a woRLd bELow. NEw liFE wAS hOstiLE; aTtACKed oTheR aBeRRAtionS aND grEw BIg, THen aTtACKed ZAlura aND TEtLekar aND MiZeLle.´´
``SItuaTIoN beCAMe daNGeroUs fASt. MiZeLle sAId wE NeeDed reiNfoRCEmEntS aND WeNt tO fETch HElp. TEtLekar stAyeD InSiDE tO SLow tHE ReGenEraTOr. I TRied tO HElp MiZeLle bUt bEcaME cORneReD.´´ - Narrated Zalura as she led everybody towards a dark corridor which smelled of rotten meat. Her last words were tinged with guilt.
``IS MiZeLle OKay?´´ - She added as she stopped and looked at Haudrica.
``She's not so okay, but she'll be fine. It's nothing that won't heal with some rest.´´
Haudrica's reply was far more.... nicer than what Cole had expected; he thought she'd lash out at Zalura, but instead, she just sounded flat, and sadly, the darkness of the corridor didn't allow Cole to see what kind of face she was making.
Zalura's movements thorough the almost pitch-black corridors were quite fast, which made a lot of sense to Cole as he had learned from Desri that night vision was a trait of her whole race.
*KLANG, TLANG. KLANG, TLANG!*
As they walked, the echoing metallic bangings were steadily becoming louder and louder.
The smelly corridor came to an end in what appeared to be an elevator shaft, which was forced open and was lit by many dim yellowish lights which illuminated the corridor a bit.
``STraNge. LIghTs wEReN't On beFOre.´´ - Commented Zalura as she rubbed her chin with her upper right arm while folding her two lower arms. The upper left one just hung down lazily.
``Maybe it's because I powered back the control room upstairs.´´ - Replied Cole as he looked down the elevator shaft. It was really wide, but short, and there was what looked like a damaged cargo elevator less than six meters below.
There was an emergency ladder on one of the sides, but it looked like it had broken halfway down.
``So, how do we get down?´´ - Asked Cole as he gazed at the broken elevator in the bottom; that thing wasn't moving from there again.
``HoLD OntO mE.´´ - Cole had no time ask Zalura what she meant with that.
``Whoa, w-what the HEEEELLLLLLL.......!!´´
Without waiting for as much as Cole's confirmation, Zalura got him into a fireman's carry and jumped down the elevator shaft.
*BUWAMNG!!*
The surface of the cargo elevator bent under the impact of her clawed feet.
``Mo-Mother of fuck, girl. You s-scared ten ye-years off my l-life!´´ - Said Cole between pantings as Zalura put him down. He was still holding onto his heart, which was beating like a machine-gun.
``SOrRy.´´
With that short answer, Zalura began to climb the shaft, which she did rather quick, and before long, Haudrica and Desri had also been brought down in the same manner.
``Just how far are we going?´´ - Asked Haudrica in a tone of suspicion.
``OVer tHEre.´´ - Replied Zalura as she pointed to a door, or what was left of it.
This thick reinforced door leaned onto the door frame it was once secured to, held into place by a pile of metallic crates. But while the crates looked smashed and battered, the door appeared to be in relatively good shape; clearly it hadn't been broken by force, it had been removed from its frame.
``As wE FLed, MiZeLle uSeD tHEse CRateS tO tRAp tHE ReGenEraTOr inSIdE... ALonG WItH TEtLekar.´´ - Zalura made a worried pause as she began to move the crates away.
Before long, the weight of the door pushed away the rest of the crates, clearing the way.
*KLANG, TLANG. KLANG, TLANG!*
The source of the sound was now so close Cole could almost feel its shock waves.
···
The room that greeted them upon crossing the door was a high-rise glass corridor; like one big glass pipe overlooking the area below, which was where the action was at.
*KLANG, TLANG. KLANG, TLANG!*
*KLANG, TLANG. KLANG, TLANG!*
In a shape reminiscent of a giant funnel, the room below started thin and became wider as it reached the bottom, which was, to much of Cole's surprise, covered in what looked like actual dirt, with yellowed grass and some squalid bushes growing on it.
However, what truly drew his attention whats the aberration that rose from its center like a sort of gigantic, wicked tree made of pulsating flesh and covered in long appendages.
``.... That looks like something outta tentacle rape manga; not precisely what I'd ever want to be near of. I'd better watch myself lest I end up suffering a fate worse than death...´´ - Thought Cole as he felt a strange fear overtaking his body.
``Where's Tetlekar?´´ - Asked Desri as he looked at the area below.
*KLANG, TLANG. KLANG, TLANG!*
The giant aberration hit the funnel's wall that laid right in front of it with a fast barrage of its fleshy appendages.
``There!´´ - Cried out Cole as he pointed to what he had seen.
Way above the ground on the funnel's wall, yet not as high as they were, was a large rectangular window right beside a closed door. And on the other said window, Cole has spotted Tetlekar laying on the ground. Hopefully, still alive.
However, the catwalk leading to that door laid a couple of levels down, in pieces. Only a small portion barely enough to stand remained in the door.
*KLANG, TLANG. KLANG, TLANG!*
The aberration rained blows upon the wall again. Clearly, it was trying to get to Tetlekar, but failing.
``Don't shout, you savage! You want to draw that thing's attention to us!?´´ - Whispered Haudrica angrily as she grabbed Cole's neck. He was almost certain that she would snap it, but she didn't.
``Awright then, how d' we get him outta there?´´ - Said Desri as he rubbed his chin.
``THat iS tHE ReGenEraTOr. DiRECt aTtACKs aRE usELeSs. LimBs REgroW iNstAntLy.´´ - Commented Zalura with a bitter look.
``Hmm....´´ - Muttered Haudrica as she gazed at the window below.
``The way I see it there's simply no way of getting him. I think it would be the best just to leave him alone.´´
At first, Cole was ready to counter Haudrica's argument, but the moment he realized she hadn't said it in her usual ''angry hatred'' way, the words simply didn't come out.
``I... hate m'self for sayin' this but I think she might be right this time 'round.´´ - Said Desri as he let out a pained sigh.
``The reason he isn't movin's probably 'cuz he exaust'd his energy r'serves and is rechargin' them; seen him do that b'fore. Plus, it ain't like he'll starve or bleed out. Imma still s'prised that aberration's attacking him; they always ignor'd him.´´
Desri's argument was logic, and no one seemed to have anything to say about it. Or at least, no one except Cole.
``We can't do that.´´ - He declared boldly. Everybody else looked a tad bewildered.
``We don't know if he's actually woun-err, damaged or with a similar issue. Plus, there's no way to tell if those walls will hold until he has recharged. If those tentacles get him before he wakes up, he'll be scrap metal...´´ - Cole was just as afraid of the aberration as everyone else, but he simply couldn't condone to abandon Tetlekar there.
``Are you dense, dammit? There's no way we can beat that thing! And I'm certain he'd rather have us all remain alive and not die for him here.´´ - Haudrica had been strangely thoughtful of late, which felt very out-of-character for her.
``We don't have to; we just need to get him out of there.´´ - Replied Cole as he leaned onto the railing of the observation platform and gazed at the closed door thoughtfully.
Despite the fact the catwalk had been destroyed, the door's access panel and the door itself looked more or less intact. The panel's screen was bright red, however; it was likely that Tetlekar had hacked it to stay closed, which meant that there was a chance Cole's access key had a fair chance of not working, but he still had to try.
``.... I have an idea of what we can do, but I'll need everybody's help...´´ - Stated Cole after a moment of silent thought.
···
``This plan's crazy y'know.´´ - Desri's words were a tad contradictory; while the words themselves expressed doubt, his tone and his toothy smile looked rather confident.
``We have an idiom back at my world; ''Crazy enough to work.'', and I think this can work without problems as long as we all stick to our missions.´´ - Explained Cole as he traced an arrow in the dust of the floor.
``The main goal in this whole thing is speed; how fast will that thing respond to the noise, how fast we can get down there, how fast I can get past the door, how fast we can pick up Tetlekar, how fast will that thing change targets and how fast we can get away.´´ - He traced a new arrow for the direction of every step.
``And what if the door doesn't open?´´ - Asked Haudrica in her usual accusatory tone.
``We hightail it.´´ - Cole's reply was quick and devoid of doubt.
``The only thing that we can't do is deadlock ourselves in combat against the Regenerator. Meaning, only attack the appendages that come towards the door, and don't directly engage it. It would waste too much energy. Any questions?´´ - Added Cole as he encircled his crude drawing of the Regenerator and the door respectively.
No one said anything else.
``Alright then, let's go.´´ - Cole let a long breath in and out a couple of times; he was just as nervous.
``HoLD OntO mE.´´ - With this words, Zalura got hold of both Cole and Haudrica and stood at the edge of the observation platform.
*AWOOOOO!!*
As they jumped down, Desri let out the loudest howl his lungs could muster, and certainly enough, the Regenerator's appendages moved towards him.
*BUWAMR!!*
However, this distraction didn't last long, as the echo of Zalura landing on the creaky remains of the platform immediatly turned its attention towards them.
``Get moving!´´ - As soon as Zalura put him down, Cole ran towards the door as planned, with both her and Haudrica guarding his back.
A barrage of appendages flew towards them, but Haudrica sliced them effortlessly. However, just as fast as they were cut, they grew back.
*Bzzt!*
The door wasn't cooperating either; it refused to recognize Cole's Access Key.
``Ah come on!´´
*Ding!*
With those frustrated words, Cole punched the door's panel, and somehow, this made it react.
``Tetlekar! We're getting you outta-Ugh!´´
Once the door opened, Cole ran inside and reached for Tetlekar's left arm and tried to pull it, only to notice that he was heavier than an engine block.
``Shit... Just what are you made of?´´ - Groaned Cole as he tried to lift Tetlekar from the ground, but it was futile; he was a deadweight.
``This is too much! We have to leave, NOW!!´´ - Cried out Haudrica from outside as she hacked away at the appendages, but they were overwhelming both her and Zalura.
``Dammit, dammit...´´ - Muttered Cole as he looked to the girls and to Tetlekar; unable to make his mind.
The place he was inside was a control room not too different from the one above, with the sole exception that this one was already functioning; bright lights and unreadable lines of text flashed across the consoles. It was then when it occured to him.
``No, come inside! Hurry!´´ - Replied Cole as he ran towards the door's inner panel, which was all lit with green color.
Haudrica and Zalura did as ordered, and Cole shut the door behind them so fast that a handful of appendages got trapped under it.
``Just... great! Now we're all... trapped in here.´´ - Lashed out Haudrica between breaths.
``Not really, I have full control of the door; we can open it whenever we-Urk!´´ - Haudrica grabbed Cole by the collar of his overall, choking his words and lifting him from the ground.
``And what about that beast out there? Are you in control of that too!?´´ - Shouted Haudrica at his face. The tone of her voice indicated she was considerably scared.
She dropped Cole unceremoniously as she finished her phrase.
``We-We'll find a way to deal with it.´´ - Replied Cole as he recovered his breath.
``TEtLekar.´´ - Fully ignoring the argument going on between those two, Zalura moved towards the unconscious (or more like inhabilitated) Tetlekar and shook him a bit. He didn't react; his body was stiff and motionless, like an engine without fuel.
``Is he okay?´´ - Moving away from Haudrica, Cole joined Zalura next to Tetlekar.
``In sTanDBy. THerE mUSt bE DAMage.´´ - Explained Zalura as she pulled Tetlekar up to a sitting position before pushing the sides of his neck slightly to the inside, which made a sort of clicking sound.
``Engaging!´´ - The voice in which Tetlekar spoke wasn't his usual calm voice but a very mechanical and almost archetypically robotic voice. His eyes opened up but were fully white with the exception of a long list of blue lines moving across them.
``Damage detected, assessing severity...... No damage to core functions, minor structural damage, medium damage to secondary systems. Powering up core functions.´´
Cole couldn't help but notice that this was the first time he had witnessed Tetlekar's more ''robotic'' side. It was a strange thing to behold.
``Powering up complete. System at 88% of efficacy. Starting up personality modules.´´
With these words, Tetlekar's body twitched a bit. His eyes closed and reopened again, finally regaining that dull grey color and that stern expression he always wore. Still, what surprised Cole the most was that his clothes ''disappeared'' more than once, revealing a body structure formed many smooth metallic panels which shone like the screen of a LED TV and were arranged in a pattern reminiscent of the segments of a tortoise's carapace.
``Damnation, I abhor these situations.´´ - With these words, his clothes materialized after a couple erratic color swaps and he started to get up slowly; as if his limbs were numb from oversleeping.
``Aurgh!´´ - However, he didn't get too for.
As soon as he tried to push himself up, a burst of colorful sparks came out of his left shin. His shoe and part of that leg's pants vanished from the shin, revealing that the colorful sparks were leaking from within his plating.
``Tsk, this day continues on improving.´´ - Apparently, Tetlekar was capable of sarcasm.
Trapped inside a control room, with a dangerous aberration cutting their escape path and Tetlekar's wounds to deal with. Despite his efforts to suppress it, Cole was starting to feel his fear creeping onto him.
However, panicking would accomplish nothing, and he knew that well. He would have to fight both his fear and the aberrations to get out, and he needed a plan for that.
<End of Chapter 4>
Dangerous situations bring out the hidden depths of a person. However, said hidden depths aren't always pleasant.
``WHAT D'YA JUST SAID, BITCH!?´´ - Desri's roar was so loud it felt as if the whole Phylactery shook with it.
``I meant exactly what you heard; I said leave them.´´ - Replied Haudrica as she furrowed her brow.
``How can you even suggest such a thing!?´´ - Cole's own shout almost matched Desri's in loudness, although his wasn't half as angry.
``In this accursed place, only the strongest and most capable survive. Those two failed one of the above, why should we risk our lives for those who might not even have their own anymore.´´ - Retorted Haudrica harshly; her words were entirely devoid of mercy.
``I can't believe this. Did you already forgot Zalura and Tetlekar risked their lives to save us both!? How can you even suggest leaving them to their luck!?´´ - Cole was getting more furious by the minute.
``I never asked them to.´´ - She replied dryly.
``Besides, it was his fault we got in that situation in the first place; had he gone by himself, we wouldn't have been by ourselves when your little new Unit ambushed us.´´ - Nothing but scorn and antipathy permeated Haudrica's words.
``And what 'bout Mizelle, huh? Should we had left her die? She was weak too an' all she could do was flee. By yer logic we shouldn't 'ave even both'red to heal her! Would ya 'ave liked that!?´´ - Roared Desri furiously, his fangs fully bared.
``Mizelle is different!´´ - This remark seemed to have actually angered Haudrica.
``She didn't go out there on her own! Those two forced her to come along because they need her power! She's nothing but a slave to them; a cargo vehicle to haul trash around!´´ - As she usually did with Cole, she put her blade on Desri's neck while she replied. But Desri remained fully unfazed.
``Heh, pretty words those y'said. Yer the only one 'ere who sees her like that, y'know.´´
Haudrica took a step back; as if Desri's words had been an actual blow to her.
``You see her as less than a slave; she's a toy, a pet ya keep 'round who smiles at cha and makes ya feel that there's somethin' in yer miserable life that's worth the air you waste. She's just a toy that relieves ya o' yer frustrations.´´ - Retorted Desri fearlessly as he flashed an unfriendly smile.
Haudrica's face contorted with anger beyond comprehension, and yet, there was also shame.
``... If you want to live to see tomorrow, you'll shut up right now.´´ - Her voice was like a ghastly curse.
``Go ahead then, bitch. Slash m' neck open.´´ - Desri taunted her with a cruel smile and even lifted his head for a better view of his throat. But Haudrica didn't move.
``Hehe, ya know ya can't do it; only two people 'ere who can operate the Synthesizer are Tetlekar an' me. So, without him, ya need me alive, else ya'll starve.´´ - Desri pushed away Haudrica's blade as if it were nothing. Her face was almost bursting from the effort of restraining her anger.
They just gazed at each others with murderous glares.
*Shooog*
A familiar sound suddenly called Haudrica and Desri out of their staring contest. Cole had just opened the exit shutter.
``If you guys wanna keep trading barbs all day, then be my guest. But I'm not gonna stay here till you finish; I'm heading out to find Zalura and Tetlekar, with or without you.´´ - Cole was doing his earnest to sound driven and resolute, even if his knees were shaking a bit.
``Oi Cole, ya can't be seriously thinkin' o'-´´ - Desri sounded as if he had just been kicked in the head; his shock and disbelief were beyond measure. But Cole didn't let him finish.
``If none of you is going to do it, then I'll do it; I'm heading out to find them. If you want to come along then come, but make your mind about it quick; every second we waste speaking increases the chance this rescue operation will end up as a corpse recovery.´´ - Interjected Cole brusquely.
``Have it your way, fool. I couldn't care less about you.´´ - Haudrica made her mind fast, and her reply was as Cole expected.
Desri let out a long, tired sigh before speaking.
``Just gimme a minute, pup.´´ - With these words, Desri dashed away into his home.
A brief moment of silence passed by; Cole and Haudrica stood there, unmoving and trading glares. Yet, Haudrica's glare wasn't her usual hatred-filled one but merely an analytical stare. It was as if she was trying to find the bluff on Cole's words, but considering that she remained quiet, it seemed she hadn't spotted it.
``Oi boyo, fetch!´´ - As these words broke the silence, Cole noticed a black cylindrical object flying his way.
Cole couldn't help but think it felt strange to have a dog telling him to ''fetch'', but the moment he caught what Desri flung at him, it made his thoughts drift to somewhere else.
``Whoa! Where did you got this? Had never seen one of these in the real myself.´´ - Said Cole in disbelief.
He was holding a stun baton; of the kind that came with a flashlight and a hand guard. It looked like it had seen some use, but it seemed intact enough to be used without fear of malfunctions.
``Zalura found it on her last run. Text on it told me it's from yer world. Not too sure o' what it's but it seems like a weapon, sorta. Maybe it can be o' use ya; it's better than nothin'.´´ - Replied Desri as he scratched one of his ears.
``It is and it isn't. We call this a Zap-Light; it's a weapon not meant for killing, but for incapacitating. Still, it can be made deadly with the right know-how.´´ - Explained Cole as he made sure it still worked.
``No time for that now, though. I'm heading out; thanks for the gadget, it'll be of help.´´ - With these words, Cole headed for the exit.
``Wait! I'm coming with ya.´´ - Added Desri as he ran after Cole and departed together.
The shutter was closed afterwards, yet Haudrica kept staring at it for a long while; as if wrestling with an idea in her head.
``... Nevermind. What that fool and the savage do isn't my concern.´´ - Muttered Haudrica to herself as she turned around and headed back to her place.
···
The brilliant white light of Cole's new gadget filled the corridor ahead of them.
With the guidance of Desri, he was making his way to the Organic Collector, hoping at the very least to find about Zalura and Tetlekar's whereabouts. But it was when almost arriving that he noticed something in particular about his destination.
``.... This is the place where I arrived.´´ - This realization hit Cole like a hammer.
The rusted-up walls, the smashed light fixtures, the claw marks in the walls, and even that pretty dangerous hole in the floor.
``Ya sure? Zalura told me it had been farther down, t'wards the other Salvage Collector; NVSC5.´´ - Commented Desri as he warily moved around the hole.
``That's because I got chased by an aberration; ran as fast as I could, and stumbled upon Zalura.´´ - Replied Cole as he aimed his Zap-Light into the hole, and just as he expected, the still-creepy remains of that animatronic was still down there.
``Hm, sorta makes sense. But enuff with that; just turn right in that corner and look fer the red light.´´ - Said Desri as he ran ahead of Cole.
The following corridor was far, far larger than the previous ones; it was about as wide as the NVSC9's door and there was even a rail system of sorts running through it.
``Don't cha worry; nothin' has ever come from these rails. Nothin' we've ever seen at least.´´ - As if sensing Cole's fears, Desri made that comment.
Concentric to the hallway was a sizable door topped with a bright red light, or at least, what was left of a door; it looked as it had been smashed from the inside with something as big as a van and probably just as fast.
Inside, what looked like the remains of a lobby; a receptionist's desk with a dozen of smashed waiting chairs laid sprawled all over. There was a sort of terminal in the desk, but it had been smashed so badly it was hard to tell what shape it originally had.
There were also old bloodstains splashed around, and bones- plenty of bones, although none of them looked even closely human.
``This is just the entr'nce area; nothin' much goin' on 'ere now, but it clearly did back on its day.´´ - Desri entered ahead of Cole and looked around. He stopped to sniff one of the bones and snort disgustedly back at it.
``Geez.... This place reminds me of that one level of Doom. Not the best comparison to make now...´´ - Thought Cole as he put his hand on the handle of his wrench, which hung loosely on his belt.
Behind the desk, two gateways led onto a set of ascending stairs, one to each side. Once in there, they were pretty short and fast to climb, but it was up there where Cole first laid eyes on what unfolded before him.
Like the bastard lovechild between a greenhouse and an aquarium, a large, rounded glass cube extended below them.
Most of the glass was smashed, and inside of it looked like what would've been the aftermath of a fight between gladiators and wild animals at Ancient Rome; dozens and dozens of unidentified creatures laid lifeless around the bottom of the glass square. And still no sign of Zalura or Tetlekar.
*Thung!*
*Urrrk*
But that changed soon enough.
With a thunderous noise followed by the familiar ''groan'' of twisting metal, Zalura leaped out the area still unseen to Cole and Desri, and clung onto the wall with the ease of a chameleon.
``Zalura!´´ - Desri couldn't hold his shout of happiness. He would soon regret it.
Gathering under Zalura like a flood of brown, red and dark orange, a mass of unidentified aberrations clawed at the wall under Zalura in a futile effort of reaching her.
However, upon hearing Desri's shout, they all stopped clawing the wall, looked above towards Cole and Desri, and ran towards another direction. Yet, it didn't take Cole long to realize that said direction was a spiraling pathway leading to them.
``RUn!´´ - Cried out Zalura as she held onto the wall. The aberrations were heading full speed towards Cole and Desri.
``You don't have to tell me!´´
There were only three paths before Cole. One from where he had come, towards the destroyed lobby. The second was the one from where the aberrations were coming. And the third led upstairs towards a long, circling catwalk into what seemed to be a control room of sorts. He took the later.
``Goddammit! It's a fucking Zerg Rush!´´ - Shouted Cole as he ran as fast as his legs could muster, and Desri running four-legs next to him.
The catwalk made a long and rather unnecessary circle over the glass cube before reaching the control room.
``Oh man, not now.´´
However, its door was closed, and the panel that would have controlled it was broken; smashed most likely by the desperate blows of some other creature who thought the same as Cole.
``It's a dead-end. What do I do?´´ - Cole was desperately trying to make the panel react, but no matter what he touched on what remained of its controls, it was dead.
``They're comin'!´´ - Cried out Desri in a state of panic almost as big as Cole's.
The horde of aberrations was almost upon them.
``Fuck!´´
*Bzaap!*
*Din! Bwoo.*
In an act of desperation, Cole stabbed the panel with his Zap-Light. Strangely enough, that brought the panel to life and the door opened with a soft humming.
``Inside!´´
*Bzazapap!*
*Deen! Bwoo.*
Cole pushed Desri inside and moved in a well, just as the panel emitted a smokey spark before closing behind them.
*Bang, bang, bang*
The aberrations rammed against the door as hard as they could, making the whole place shake around like a gong.
``We-We're saved.´´ - Panted Cole as he tried to regain his breath.
``Yeah, safe but trapp'd 'ere.´´ - Desri didn't sound too happy about it.
Looking around the control room, the whole place was pretty much intact; dusty, but intact. Which made sense as they were perhaps the first ones to get into there. Alive at least.
In the central of three chairs that overlooked the consoles under the long, horizontal glass that gave them such a panoramic view of the carnage below, laid a lifeless humanoid skeleton.
Whomever or whatever it was, it wore a red-orange and white suit with metal joints in the neck, waist, elbows and knees. Sadly, it wasn't possible to tell what kind of face or even head it had, as all of its skull but its jaw, which still clung to its desiccated neck muscles, laid gathered in broken pieces upon its waist. The long-since-dry bloodstain in the roof and the metal object still clutched to its skeletal right hand gave out a clue of what had broken the skull like that; a shot to the mouth.
``One o' the crewmen. Now ya see all that remains o' the Phylactery's masters; nothin' but bones an' dust.´´ - Commented Desri in a rather despective tone as he looked at the bones.
``Even so, there must be something we can use in here. This place looks like it was of some importance, so maybe there's something in here we can use to our advantage.´´ - With these words, Cole began checking out the consoles, trying to see if there was something that still worked, but it was all dark.
``Dunno 'bout it, seri'sly. If Dusty Bones here couldn't escape his own death trap, what hope do we 'ave o' succeedin'?´´ - Desri sounded as if he had either given up on everything, or accepted his death.
``We won't know until we try.´´ - Said Cole as he moved from the console to the nearby walls and roof area.
``This whole place doesn't seem broken, it's more like it has no power. Maybe there's a way to fix that up.´´ - Cole was groping all the walls around, hoping to find a switch or something along those lines.
``An' what good will that do to us, dammit!? What can we even do!?´´ - Desri was starting to lose his bearings.
``First of all, we stay calm, old dog. If we lose our minds to panic, then we're dead.´´ - Ceasing his search for a moment and looking at Desri in the eyes as he spoke.
``I'm just as afraid as you, maybe even more as I have no idea of what I'm doing. But if I'm going to die, I'd rather die knowing that I tried my best to prevent it, not just sit down and bite the barrel like Mr. Bones here did. So, if you aren't going to help me, just shut up and let me work.´´
With these words, Cole returned to what he was doing; he was in full ''Working Mode'', albeit one induced by fear.
``Nothing here, nothing there. Where could it be?´´
The walls and consoles were just full of dark lights, dead gauges and unresponsive buttons.
``Haah... If we wanna rub the walls 'til they wear away and an exit opens, then be my guest, I'm just gonna curl down h-yauck!´´
*Btz!*
Desri tried to get under the consoles, but almost as soon as he did it, he jumped back.
``What happened?´´ - This drew Cole's attention.
``S-Somethin' down 'ere spark'd me. Damn piece o' junk!´´ - Desri kicked the console angrily along with this words.
*Ki-lik*
With an obnoxious creak, a tiny service panel opened up in the underside of the console, its cover hanging down loosely.
``Well now, I guess you beat me to it. Good job.´´ - As Cole checked the panel, a smile came to his lips. Although Desri still looked confused.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
``Just wadda ya doin' down there?´´
Cole was underneath the console, rummaging away while sparks flew around, and Desri looked rather confused.
``I'm trying to patch this up. Is Zalura OK out there?´´ - Replied Cole as he reached for a screwdriver on his belt.
``She hasn't mov'd; tried to climb up a while 'go, but the aberrations gath'red on the area above. Pesky beasties I say...´´ - Desri had been relegated to ''watchman duty''.
``Well, on the positive side, they're no longer bashing on the door, which means that even if it opens up, we'll be-Oh! I think I found it.´´ - Cole suddenly changed his tone from an analytical one to a triumphant one.
``Wadda ya find?´´ - Asked Desri as he looked underneath.
``The source of the power, and seems like something's missing here, hmm...´´
``This looks like a junction panel or fuse box of sorts, and some are missing. Did they break?´´
With these words, Cole came out from under the console.
Once out, he sat cross-legged in the floor and folded his arms, lost in thought.
A moment of silent pondering went by. Silent at least within the control room, as outside, the aberrations howled and grunted as they tried to reach Zalura. And still no trace of Tetlekar anywhere; Cole had already considered the worse possibility.
``Haah... Look, pup, I'm not tryin' to belittle ya; I know ya know this stuff better than many, but I don't think ya can patch this junk heap up. If Mr. Dusty Bones 'ere, who probably knew this place better than I know the pad on my paw, couldn't get it patch'd up, what hope d'ya have o' doin' it.´´ - Said Desri with an apologetic sigh. He was staring to look rather depressed.
``... Bones...?´´ - Cole glanced at the skeleton as he muttered that, and noticed something odd with it.
``... Maybe he wasn't trying to fix it.´´ - He added as he got up and walked towards it.
It's left hand laid clutched against its belly, and it was also holding something. A pair of segmented metallic tubes with intermittent red and yellow lines.
``Wadda ya mean, and what are ya doin'?´´ - Asked Desri as Cole reached onto the tubes, and whatever decomposed sinews had still held the hand into place crumbled effortlessly as Cole took the tubes.
``The fusebox down there has a total of three fuses, two are missing, one is still there, and it looks just like these two here, which make me think Mr. Bones here never tried to fix it in the first place; he actually shut it down. I wonder why...´´ - Cole headed back under the console as he said that.
Placing the fuses back was real simple, but now he had to turn on the power itself, which despite being as simple as flipping the switch next to the box, it carried a great risk.
``How's the catwalk? Any aberrations there?´´ - Asked Cole from underneath the console.
``... A few; they're all focus'd on Zalura now, but that could change easily.´´ - Replied Desri in a far less depressed tone. It seems he was recovering his will to live.
Cole remained silent for a moment before replying.
``Alright. If when I switch this on, the door opens, then cry out for Zalura; tell her to get away or move to a more advantageous position while the aberrations focus on us. If they get too close, I'll shut the power again.´´ - Explained Cole as he came out again.
``But what if the door doesn't close?´´ - Asked Desri concernedly.
``Then we'll keep Mr. Bones company. Now get ready; I'm powering this up.´´ - Said Cole in a rather grim way as he went back underneath.
``Okay, I'm ready to die.´´ - Desri didn't have to phrase it that way, but he still did.
``Alright...´´ - Muttered Cole as he put his thumb on the power switch.
``.... YAMATO BLAST OFF!´´ - That was sure a cliché line, but he had always wanted to say it like that.
*Duuuuuuuuuhhhn*
That was a rather nostalgic starting sound; it was almost like that of his old desk PC back home, but way louder.
The whole control room had been pretty dim so far; illuminated only by the leftover light of half a dozen of roof-mounted floodlights that lit the glass-covered area. But as the humming of the power resounded, the control room became as lit as a summer noon. And the same went on for the consoles, whom became as lit as a Christmas tree.
Yet ironically, the door didn't open.
``Well... Imma not sure if I should be glad or 'nnoyed. Still alive but still trap'd in 'ere.´´ - Commented Desri with a hollow, toothy smile as he looked at the still-closed door.
``Maybe not anymore. Mr. Bones had this hanging from his neck.´´ - Said Cole as he waved a small slab of circuitry about as big as an iPhone.
``An access key.´´ - Desri's face lit upon seeing it.
``Yup! Tetlekar told me about these the other day. It seems finding Mr. Bones might prove a greater boon to us all than all the meat of those aberrations.´´ - Continued Cole with a confident smile.
``An' after being hound'd by 'em, I seriously don't feel like eatin' their meat.´´ - Added Desri comically.
Soon after locating the door panel where the key was to be used, Cole and Desri stood ready behind the exit door, hoping that all that ramming of the aberrations and Cole's stun attack hadn't damaged the door beyond use.
*Din! Bwoo.*
Just like before, the door made a sound when it opened.
*Gughrooo!*
And it was like a dinner bell for all the aberrations, who roared as they ran for the catwalk again.
``Zalura, ka'or ite nam'aja! Nam'aja!´´ - Cried out Desri in Uluk. Why in Uluk? Cole had no idea.
Hearing these words, Zalura gave out a nod as she dropped from the wall, ran up the catwalk and latched herself onto the wall again.
``DEsri, taKLada'eR nAN! NAm'Aja eRA!´´ - Upon reaching a safe height in the proximity of the control room, Zalura replied in a tone of urgency.
``What's she saying!?´´ - Asked Cole from behind the door frame.
``Nev'rmind! Close the door!´´ - Desri wasn't in the mood for translating the full phrase.
*Bzzt!*
However, the door didn't close; the panel went all red and flashed a sort of warning in an unknown language.
``Fuck! It won't close!´´ - Cried out Cole as he panicked.
*Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!*
The panel refused to cooperate, and the aberrations were almost on them.
``Close, you goddamned piece of scrap!!´´ - Roared Cole as he punched the panel, it didn't even crack.
*Gughrah!*
An aberration jumped towards him.
``Fuck!´´ - Swore Cole as covered his head with his arms; his death was imminent.
*Slash!*
Or so he thought.
A smelly brown liquid splashed on him as the leading aberration of the pack was sliced in the air, split in two perfect halves, split like the second it had taken to happen.
The responsible for such a feat stood right in front of him, with both blades out and an expression of burning rage.
``H-Haudrica!?´´ - Said Cole as he lost his balance, falling back on his bum.
She didn't reply; she was fully focused on the aberrations, whom didn't stop their charge.
*Slash, swash, whosh*
The term ''Dervish'' crossed Cole's mind as he saw Haudrica in action.
She moved with the grace of a dancer, the speed of a whirlwind and the drive of a reaper.
An aberration fell with her every movement. One slash, one kill. One step, one kill. One jump, one kill. It was as if she had planned every attack with anticipation, like a carefully choreographed waltz where every step reaped a life, and all of it so fast Cole could barely follow it with his eyes. She was almost a blur.
Finally, after an instant that seemed to go on forever, there were no aberrations in one piece, and Haudrica stood there; encircled by the butchered corpses and covered in dark brown blood, which dripped from her still-drawn blades and ever-frowning face.
``....´´ - She turned around and silently looked at Cole, whose only reaction was crawling back as her visage alone looked like something out of hell.
``Look at yourself; crawling over the floor like a spineless maggot; unable to defend yourself or protect others.´´ - Haudrica delivered her usual cruel remarks as her mouth sported a wicked grin of viciously sharp teeth.
``And yet, you saved me before, even if it was, as you called it, an act of madness.´´
``I have now paid life with life. Consider yourself fortunate, and be grateful of Mizelle as it was she who asked me to do so. Else I wouldn't be here.´´ - She added while retracting her blade. Was that gratitude in her words? Or just masked conceit? Cole couldn't tell each apart.
``Ya conceit'd bitch! First ya refuse to come and then-Hrmph!´´ - Desri had come out from behind Cole and was already flinging insults at Haudrica, but Cole grabbed onto his muzzle and shut it.
``Desri, shut up. She saved us both and deserves the gratitude.´´ - Stated Cole in a firm and scolding manner.
Desri was about to retort furiously as he shook off Cole's hand but Zalura didn't let him.
``DEsri, doN'T bE a jeRK.´´ - Said Zalura as she landed next to Haudrica with a loud clang. Desri looked as if he wanted to say something but held himself back, letting out only a long furious sigh.
``Now that we're done with these things can someone tell me where's Tetlekar?´´ - Asked Cole as he kicked the split corpse of one of the aberrations.
``DowN BElow, iN MaIn COllectOr. HoLdinG dowN tHE ReGenEraTOr.´´ - Replied Zalura in a tone most grave.
``The what?´´ - That was all Cole could reply.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
With all the growling and howling, and claws scraping against metal, neither Cole nor Desri had noticed one particular sound that now echoed in the newly wrought silence.
*Klang, tlang. Klang tlang.*
It was like someone was hammering the walls with a club. A real big club made of something hard. It was rather unnerving.
``So, just what happened 'ere?´´ - Asked Desri as he, Cole, Haudrica and Zalura descended to the bottom of the glass cube.
``WhiLE wE huNteD, ShiP COllectEd nEw liFE fRom a woRLd bELow. NEw liFE wAS hOstiLE; aTtACKed oTheR aBeRRAtionS aND grEw BIg, THen aTtACKed ZAlura aND TEtLekar aND MiZeLle.´´
``SItuaTIoN beCAMe daNGeroUs fASt. MiZeLle sAId wE NeeDed reiNfoRCEmEntS aND WeNt tO fETch HElp. TEtLekar stAyeD InSiDE tO SLow tHE ReGenEraTOr. I TRied tO HElp MiZeLle bUt bEcaME cORneReD.´´ - Narrated Zalura as she led everybody towards a dark corridor which smelled of rotten meat. Her last words were tinged with guilt.
``IS MiZeLle OKay?´´ - She added as she stopped and looked at Haudrica.
``She's not so okay, but she'll be fine. It's nothing that won't heal with some rest.´´
Haudrica's reply was far more.... nicer than what Cole had expected; he thought she'd lash out at Zalura, but instead, she just sounded flat, and sadly, the darkness of the corridor didn't allow Cole to see what kind of face she was making.
Zalura's movements thorough the almost pitch-black corridors were quite fast, which made a lot of sense to Cole as he had learned from Desri that night vision was a trait of her whole race.
*KLANG, TLANG. KLANG, TLANG!*
As they walked, the echoing metallic bangings were steadily becoming louder and louder.
The smelly corridor came to an end in what appeared to be an elevator shaft, which was forced open and was lit by many dim yellowish lights which illuminated the corridor a bit.
``STraNge. LIghTs wEReN't On beFOre.´´ - Commented Zalura as she rubbed her chin with her upper right arm while folding her two lower arms. The upper left one just hung down lazily.
``Maybe it's because I powered back the control room upstairs.´´ - Replied Cole as he looked down the elevator shaft. It was really wide, but short, and there was what looked like a damaged cargo elevator less than six meters below.
There was an emergency ladder on one of the sides, but it looked like it had broken halfway down.
``So, how do we get down?´´ - Asked Cole as he gazed at the broken elevator in the bottom; that thing wasn't moving from there again.
``HoLD OntO mE.´´ - Cole had no time ask Zalura what she meant with that.
``Whoa, w-what the HEEEELLLLLLL.......!!´´
Without waiting for as much as Cole's confirmation, Zalura got him into a fireman's carry and jumped down the elevator shaft.
*BUWAMNG!!*
The surface of the cargo elevator bent under the impact of her clawed feet.
``Mo-Mother of fuck, girl. You s-scared ten ye-years off my l-life!´´ - Said Cole between pantings as Zalura put him down. He was still holding onto his heart, which was beating like a machine-gun.
``SOrRy.´´
With that short answer, Zalura began to climb the shaft, which she did rather quick, and before long, Haudrica and Desri had also been brought down in the same manner.
``Just how far are we going?´´ - Asked Haudrica in a tone of suspicion.
``OVer tHEre.´´ - Replied Zalura as she pointed to a door, or what was left of it.
This thick reinforced door leaned onto the door frame it was once secured to, held into place by a pile of metallic crates. But while the crates looked smashed and battered, the door appeared to be in relatively good shape; clearly it hadn't been broken by force, it had been removed from its frame.
``As wE FLed, MiZeLle uSeD tHEse CRateS tO tRAp tHE ReGenEraTOr inSIdE... ALonG WItH TEtLekar.´´ - Zalura made a worried pause as she began to move the crates away.
Before long, the weight of the door pushed away the rest of the crates, clearing the way.
*KLANG, TLANG. KLANG, TLANG!*
The source of the sound was now so close Cole could almost feel its shock waves.
···
The room that greeted them upon crossing the door was a high-rise glass corridor; like one big glass pipe overlooking the area below, which was where the action was at.
*KLANG, TLANG. KLANG, TLANG!*
*KLANG, TLANG. KLANG, TLANG!*
In a shape reminiscent of a giant funnel, the room below started thin and became wider as it reached the bottom, which was, to much of Cole's surprise, covered in what looked like actual dirt, with yellowed grass and some squalid bushes growing on it.
However, what truly drew his attention whats the aberration that rose from its center like a sort of gigantic, wicked tree made of pulsating flesh and covered in long appendages.
``.... That looks like something outta tentacle rape manga; not precisely what I'd ever want to be near of. I'd better watch myself lest I end up suffering a fate worse than death...´´ - Thought Cole as he felt a strange fear overtaking his body.
``Where's Tetlekar?´´ - Asked Desri as he looked at the area below.
*KLANG, TLANG. KLANG, TLANG!*
The giant aberration hit the funnel's wall that laid right in front of it with a fast barrage of its fleshy appendages.
``There!´´ - Cried out Cole as he pointed to what he had seen.
Way above the ground on the funnel's wall, yet not as high as they were, was a large rectangular window right beside a closed door. And on the other said window, Cole has spotted Tetlekar laying on the ground. Hopefully, still alive.
However, the catwalk leading to that door laid a couple of levels down, in pieces. Only a small portion barely enough to stand remained in the door.
*KLANG, TLANG. KLANG, TLANG!*
The aberration rained blows upon the wall again. Clearly, it was trying to get to Tetlekar, but failing.
``Don't shout, you savage! You want to draw that thing's attention to us!?´´ - Whispered Haudrica angrily as she grabbed Cole's neck. He was almost certain that she would snap it, but she didn't.
``Awright then, how d' we get him outta there?´´ - Said Desri as he rubbed his chin.
``THat iS tHE ReGenEraTOr. DiRECt aTtACKs aRE usELeSs. LimBs REgroW iNstAntLy.´´ - Commented Zalura with a bitter look.
``Hmm....´´ - Muttered Haudrica as she gazed at the window below.
``The way I see it there's simply no way of getting him. I think it would be the best just to leave him alone.´´
At first, Cole was ready to counter Haudrica's argument, but the moment he realized she hadn't said it in her usual ''angry hatred'' way, the words simply didn't come out.
``I... hate m'self for sayin' this but I think she might be right this time 'round.´´ - Said Desri as he let out a pained sigh.
``The reason he isn't movin's probably 'cuz he exaust'd his energy r'serves and is rechargin' them; seen him do that b'fore. Plus, it ain't like he'll starve or bleed out. Imma still s'prised that aberration's attacking him; they always ignor'd him.´´
Desri's argument was logic, and no one seemed to have anything to say about it. Or at least, no one except Cole.
``We can't do that.´´ - He declared boldly. Everybody else looked a tad bewildered.
``We don't know if he's actually woun-err, damaged or with a similar issue. Plus, there's no way to tell if those walls will hold until he has recharged. If those tentacles get him before he wakes up, he'll be scrap metal...´´ - Cole was just as afraid of the aberration as everyone else, but he simply couldn't condone to abandon Tetlekar there.
``Are you dense, dammit? There's no way we can beat that thing! And I'm certain he'd rather have us all remain alive and not die for him here.´´ - Haudrica had been strangely thoughtful of late, which felt very out-of-character for her.
``We don't have to; we just need to get him out of there.´´ - Replied Cole as he leaned onto the railing of the observation platform and gazed at the closed door thoughtfully.
Despite the fact the catwalk had been destroyed, the door's access panel and the door itself looked more or less intact. The panel's screen was bright red, however; it was likely that Tetlekar had hacked it to stay closed, which meant that there was a chance Cole's access key had a fair chance of not working, but he still had to try.
``.... I have an idea of what we can do, but I'll need everybody's help...´´ - Stated Cole after a moment of silent thought.
···
``This plan's crazy y'know.´´ - Desri's words were a tad contradictory; while the words themselves expressed doubt, his tone and his toothy smile looked rather confident.
``We have an idiom back at my world; ''Crazy enough to work.'', and I think this can work without problems as long as we all stick to our missions.´´ - Explained Cole as he traced an arrow in the dust of the floor.
``The main goal in this whole thing is speed; how fast will that thing respond to the noise, how fast we can get down there, how fast I can get past the door, how fast we can pick up Tetlekar, how fast will that thing change targets and how fast we can get away.´´ - He traced a new arrow for the direction of every step.
``And what if the door doesn't open?´´ - Asked Haudrica in her usual accusatory tone.
``We hightail it.´´ - Cole's reply was quick and devoid of doubt.
``The only thing that we can't do is deadlock ourselves in combat against the Regenerator. Meaning, only attack the appendages that come towards the door, and don't directly engage it. It would waste too much energy. Any questions?´´ - Added Cole as he encircled his crude drawing of the Regenerator and the door respectively.
No one said anything else.
``Alright then, let's go.´´ - Cole let a long breath in and out a couple of times; he was just as nervous.
``HoLD OntO mE.´´ - With this words, Zalura got hold of both Cole and Haudrica and stood at the edge of the observation platform.
*AWOOOOO!!*
As they jumped down, Desri let out the loudest howl his lungs could muster, and certainly enough, the Regenerator's appendages moved towards him.
*BUWAMR!!*
However, this distraction didn't last long, as the echo of Zalura landing on the creaky remains of the platform immediatly turned its attention towards them.
``Get moving!´´ - As soon as Zalura put him down, Cole ran towards the door as planned, with both her and Haudrica guarding his back.
A barrage of appendages flew towards them, but Haudrica sliced them effortlessly. However, just as fast as they were cut, they grew back.
*Bzzt!*
The door wasn't cooperating either; it refused to recognize Cole's Access Key.
``Ah come on!´´
*Ding!*
With those frustrated words, Cole punched the door's panel, and somehow, this made it react.
``Tetlekar! We're getting you outta-Ugh!´´
Once the door opened, Cole ran inside and reached for Tetlekar's left arm and tried to pull it, only to notice that he was heavier than an engine block.
``Shit... Just what are you made of?´´ - Groaned Cole as he tried to lift Tetlekar from the ground, but it was futile; he was a deadweight.
``This is too much! We have to leave, NOW!!´´ - Cried out Haudrica from outside as she hacked away at the appendages, but they were overwhelming both her and Zalura.
``Dammit, dammit...´´ - Muttered Cole as he looked to the girls and to Tetlekar; unable to make his mind.
The place he was inside was a control room not too different from the one above, with the sole exception that this one was already functioning; bright lights and unreadable lines of text flashed across the consoles. It was then when it occured to him.
``No, come inside! Hurry!´´ - Replied Cole as he ran towards the door's inner panel, which was all lit with green color.
Haudrica and Zalura did as ordered, and Cole shut the door behind them so fast that a handful of appendages got trapped under it.
``Just... great! Now we're all... trapped in here.´´ - Lashed out Haudrica between breaths.
``Not really, I have full control of the door; we can open it whenever we-Urk!´´ - Haudrica grabbed Cole by the collar of his overall, choking his words and lifting him from the ground.
``And what about that beast out there? Are you in control of that too!?´´ - Shouted Haudrica at his face. The tone of her voice indicated she was considerably scared.
She dropped Cole unceremoniously as she finished her phrase.
``We-We'll find a way to deal with it.´´ - Replied Cole as he recovered his breath.
``TEtLekar.´´ - Fully ignoring the argument going on between those two, Zalura moved towards the unconscious (or more like inhabilitated) Tetlekar and shook him a bit. He didn't react; his body was stiff and motionless, like an engine without fuel.
``Is he okay?´´ - Moving away from Haudrica, Cole joined Zalura next to Tetlekar.
``In sTanDBy. THerE mUSt bE DAMage.´´ - Explained Zalura as she pulled Tetlekar up to a sitting position before pushing the sides of his neck slightly to the inside, which made a sort of clicking sound.
``Engaging!´´ - The voice in which Tetlekar spoke wasn't his usual calm voice but a very mechanical and almost archetypically robotic voice. His eyes opened up but were fully white with the exception of a long list of blue lines moving across them.
``Damage detected, assessing severity...... No damage to core functions, minor structural damage, medium damage to secondary systems. Powering up core functions.´´
Cole couldn't help but notice that this was the first time he had witnessed Tetlekar's more ''robotic'' side. It was a strange thing to behold.
``Powering up complete. System at 88% of efficacy. Starting up personality modules.´´
With these words, Tetlekar's body twitched a bit. His eyes closed and reopened again, finally regaining that dull grey color and that stern expression he always wore. Still, what surprised Cole the most was that his clothes ''disappeared'' more than once, revealing a body structure formed many smooth metallic panels which shone like the screen of a LED TV and were arranged in a pattern reminiscent of the segments of a tortoise's carapace.
``Damnation, I abhor these situations.´´ - With these words, his clothes materialized after a couple erratic color swaps and he started to get up slowly; as if his limbs were numb from oversleeping.
``Aurgh!´´ - However, he didn't get too for.
As soon as he tried to push himself up, a burst of colorful sparks came out of his left shin. His shoe and part of that leg's pants vanished from the shin, revealing that the colorful sparks were leaking from within his plating.
``Tsk, this day continues on improving.´´ - Apparently, Tetlekar was capable of sarcasm.
Trapped inside a control room, with a dangerous aberration cutting their escape path and Tetlekar's wounds to deal with. Despite his efforts to suppress it, Cole was starting to feel his fear creeping onto him.
However, panicking would accomplish nothing, and he knew that well. He would have to fight both his fear and the aberrations to get out, and he needed a plan for that.
<End of Chapter 4>
Chapter 5
Spoiler: show
Part 1
``Would you please give me a hand with this?´´ - Tetlekar was trying to pry open the panels in his leg and failing.
Whatever alloy Tetlekar was made of, it seemed to become completely feather light whenever it received electrical charges. When it didn't however, it was heavier than basalt. He was having a very hard time moving his malfunctioning leg, but when Cole tried to help him push it, he couldn't even budge it an inch.
The flow of sparks coming between the plates of his shin shone in green and purple colors, like the back of a CD.
``Does it hurt?´´ - Cole jammed a screwdriver between the plates as he asked.
``I have no pain receptors, but the constant surges and power spikes generated by this damage are disrupting my motor system. It makes me feel... disoriented.´´ - Replied Tetlekar as Cole pried out one of the plates, revealing a set of crystalline, colorful wires connecting to many odd-shaped grey boxes, each of them marked with a tiny diamond-shaped crystal.
``Whoa, mind telling me what should I do?´´ - Cole was a bit overwhelmed by the strange technology.
``Look for a cracked crystal, or one that's turned red.´´ - Explained Tetlekar as he leaned onto the wall.
``Haudrica, fill me in with the situation.´´ - He added as he turned his head towards her.
``Haah... Not much to say. Mizelle's safe back at the collector, the mutt is faithfully waiting for us on the observation tunnel, Zalura lost her weapon, the savage got a few new toys and we're now stuck in this locked room with no supplies, weapons or any way to escape alive.´´ - Said Haudrica with a sigh of pure exasperation.
``A real optimist, aren't ya?´´ - Snarked Cole.
``I am just stating the facts, savage. Can your mind process such a simple thing?´´ - Retorted Haudrica in a loud, disdainful tone.
Cole just let out a sigh of exasperation as he continued to work on Tetlekar's leg.
``Is that what I believe it is?´´ - Inquired Tetlekar as he noticed the Access Key hanging from Cole's neck.
``Yeah, although it hasn't been working well so far; it only worked once to open a door but-Oh! I think I found it.´´ - Cole didn't finish his phrase as he pointed to one of the many diamond-shaped crystals. It had indeed turned reddish.
Strangely enough, Tetlekar smiled at this revelation.
``Far less complex than I expected. Leave the rest to me, I can finish this by myself.´´
With these words, he pulled out the crystal, which was about as long as a spark plug and replaced it with another one from another component.
Cole just left him to his own devices.
``Anyway let's see what we can do here...´´ - He said as he moved towards the consoles under the window.
···
This console's layout was far more complex than that of the previous control room; aside from the gauges, knobs and lights from before, there were also a couple of small monitors and a larger one in the center with a sort of semicircular key panel under it. All its keys covered in strange characters. However, unlike the previous control room, everything seemed active and functional. For him, it was a bit overwhelming.
``Hrrk....´´ - He groaned.
His complete illiteracy regarding those symbols made him feel that perhaps he had bitten far more than what he could chew.
``Maybe this one?´´ - He didn't think too much; he just pushed a lone, squarish blue button on the lower left of the console, which made a distinct blip.
*Tktsha!*
A sound like that of a sealed room depressurizing followed shortly there after.
``Eeek!´´ - Cried out Haudrica in a strangely girly tone as she dashed away from the wall that had just opened and what had fallen from inside it.
*Cluk, clackt*
Emerging from the opening in the wall and plummeting down as it fell apart, the moldy carcass of some animal almost fell upon Haudrica.
``Y-Y-You... you...´´ - She was shaking, both with anger and because of the fright. Cole remained speechless, although in his face there was a clear expression of ''Oh shit!''.
``YOU NUMBSKULLED MORON!!´´ - Cried out Haudrica as she moved in that lightning fast speed and reached for Cole's neck, lifting him from the ground.
``I've just had it with you! You go around poking and tinkering with all the machines and dangerous stuff that could kill us all like a child searching for something to play with! Machines whose most basic components your primitive mind can't even fathom, yet you act as if you knew all about them!´´ - She fumed up so much she might as well had been breathing fire.
``If I am going to die here, I'll do such knowing that I squeezed the life out of you!´´
``I... can't breathe...´´ - Cole's face was starting to turn blue. She was serious.
``Haudrica, this is not the time for that. Put him down, now.´´ - However, although he maintained his usual neutral expression, Tetlekar's voice was far more terrifying than Haudrica's.
``Tsk, fine. Why are you always protecting this maggot?´´ - Replied Haudrica as she let go off Cole's neck.
``Maybe because I don't spend most of my time badmouthing everyone.´´ - Thought Cole as he regained his breath while trying to get up.
*Blip*
But, as he did so, he accidentally pushed another button in the console.
``Oh man...´´ - He thought as he expected something bad to happen to Haudrica again, having him end up with her strangling him AGAIN.
However, it didn't happen; no secret doors opened or skeletons fell from closets.
Instead, a sort of hazy holographic projection emerged from the console.
At first, it gave out a few flashes of white, but before anyone could react to it, a masked figure appeared on it, and it began talking. Although more than an actual mask, it looked like some sort of hazmat suit.
``Do you guys get any of what's he saying?´´ - Asked Cole as he looked back towards Tetlekar and Zalura. Both shook their heads in denial before replying.
``None of my language protocols match it.´´ - Replied Tetlekar as he looked at the projection with a rather scrutinizing gaze.
``DEsri wOUld knOw.´´ - Zalura sounded a tad melancholic.
``Could you guys shut up! I'm trying to listen here!´´
Haudrica lashed back at everybody all of a sudden, which was when they noticed she had been listening to the projection attentively.
And after a brief silence, she began speaking, or more precisely, translating.
``''This is Cador Phon, Assistant Xenobiologist speaking from the main control room of the Organic Collector where I've locked myself into. I am recording this log so it might serve of help to whatever sort of rescue squad or scavenger team ever comes for us, although I dearly hope that no one will be that unlucky.''´´
``''It's been almost a week now since the issues first began. The systems have gotten erratic and glitchy to the point we feel lucky the whole station hasn't broken apart. Systems under the direct control of the Mainframe either don't work as they should or refuse to accept our commands entirely, yet both Main Command and the Bridge Crew have maintained total silence with us. Some of the guys at the Science Teams believe they might not even be alive anymore. Systems under the control of local Overseer Units seem to work without issue, although they seem to have problems in communicating between them; no issues to report on Automated Maintenance.''´´
``''The Crew's morale is not doing so well, however; fights have broken between the Security Detachments and the Engineering Teams over access to the storages; the Engineers want to cut a pathway to the Bridge through the old maintenance tunnels, but for that, they need better equipment, but the Security guys don't let them as they fear mutiny. It has been nothing but bickering and shouts so far, but given their highly trigger-happy tendencies and their lack of common sense that Security Commander Irmaugh has shown so far, it won't be long till someone gets shot. We, on the Science Team, are feeling the pressure as well, but we've managed to keep it together so far.''´´
``''As for myself, the reason I've locked myself in this control room is due to the Gyenmel we extracted from a world about last month having a sudden bout of explosive growth, accompanied by-.''´´
The recording freezes and the image starts looking fussy, as if someone had paused it.
Everyone remains in silence for a moment, expecting the recording to continue, but it doesn't.
``Just what was that about?´´ - Commented Cole as he approached to the console, taking a better look at the frozen image.
``It was Jyakxue, and a very fluent speaker of it.´´ - Haudrica's reply showed a newfound interest.
``Jiak... juak... cui?´´ - Cole's tongue failed to repeat that alien word.
``A dead language belonging to long-gone Jya folk. I am more surprised by fact that you understand it than by the fact that crewman spoke it.´´
Widening his eyes in surprise, Tetlekar spoke to Haudrica, whose reply was accompanied of a wide, pride-clad grin.
``Let's just say that Irisonian Border Fleet has many a way to codify secret orders, Jyakxue being one I'm good with.´´ - She boasted mockingly, puffing her chest. It was quite strange to see her so proud of something.
The camera was now pointing down, looking at the keypad, as if it had fallen from whatever was holding it. And more shouts can be heard in the audio.
``''Control that damned thing.''´´ - Haudrica translated.
More shouts were heard, although these sounded rather distorted and muffled. Then a hand was seen pressing some keys, and the projection disappeared completely.
``What did it say?´´ - Asked Tetlekar.
``I couldn't make it out; something ''air duct'', then ''breach'' and ''power failure''. Everything else is all jumbled.´´ - Replied Haudrica, rubbing her chin ponderously.
``Maybe that creature happened.´´ - Cole pointed to the Regenerator outside, still thrashing around.
``Could be, but right now, I'm more concerned about how do we get out of here. Zalura, do you think that-´´ - Tetlekar turned his head around as he said his second sentence, only to notice that Zalura wasn't anywhere in the room.
``Zalura?´´ - He called out.
``BAck hEre.´´ - And her reply sounded from the hatch which the carcass had fallen from.
On the other side of the hatch was a rather cramped room, which was featureless save for a rusty ladder going into a hole on ceiling.
``Did you find something?´´ - Asked Cole as he approached Zalura. Haudrica and Tetlekar following behind.
``TheRE iS An aIr cuRrENt cOmINg frOm hERe. MIghT bE aN eXIt.´´
With these words, she tried to climb the rusty ladder.
*Crreonk! Thunk!*
Only for it to practically crumble under her weight. The bar she stepped on snapped, and the side she held on bent effortlessly.
``... SOrry.´´
Had her skin not been so red already, her face would had reddened with shame.
``Don't worry about it. It was already quite rusty, so it was pretty prone to collapsing.´´ - Replied Cole as he advanced towards the ladder.
``Hmm....´´ - He muttered, as he turned on his Zap-Light and aimed at the hole where the ladder led.
The metallic gleam of the tunnel's roof was rather far away; it was tall enough for one person to walk in without having to kneel. However, there was also a rank smell on the air coming from it; like a mixture between the smell of wet dog and the stench of a long-dead roadkill.
``Zalura, lift me up.´´ - Cole pointed to the opening as he said that.
Grabbing him from his shins and knees, Zalura raised him slowly into the tunnel.
The tunnel was like a ventilation shaft, but about ten times bigger than what he had expected; there was enough space for a compact car to go through unhindered.
Looking around, however, revealed something unnerving; footprints, bloody foot prints, long since dried up, heading into the tunnel.
``Maybe it was that crewman from the video, he could had been hurt by that beast back there.´´ - Thought Cole as he looked down at the entry hatch.
``There might be a way out here! Come on.´´ - He said as he motioned everyone to climb up as well.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
Other than the clangor of their own steps and darkness, there was absolutely nothing within the ventilation shaft.
The bloody footprints grew thinner and thinner as they advanced, until they vanished from the floor. The only thing that didn't go away was the rank smell of wet roadkill.
``Just how far does this damn thing go?´´ - Complained Haudrica as she stood next to Cole in the lead, this fact alone being the source of most of her annoyance.
Even without a clock, he could feel like they had been already walking for at least one hour, and other than a couple turns, the tunnel showed no exits at all.
``To be completely honest, I believe anywhere will be a better place to be than next to the Regenerator.´´ - Commented Tetlekar as he made some adjustments on a panel under his wrist.
``As long as we don't end up surrounded by Units, yes. But given how far we are going, the chance of running into a Security Unit, or worse, a Keeper Unit, grows by every step we take into uncharted tunnels.´´
Although she was doing her best to hide it, there was a tinge of fear in her words.
``Hey, look!´´ - Cole was about to reply her, but something ahead drew his attention.
On the floor not far from them was a hole with a ladder, and with a tenuous light coming from it. It wasn't too different from the one that had led them to the tunnel.
``Maybe this is our exit.´´ - Said Cole enthusiastically as he headed down the hatch. Fortunately, the ladder didn't break.
``Hm... a storage room?´´ -
The room down below was rather unassuming; only a couple empty shelves, a few small metallic boxes, and what seemed to be a tall sack leaning onto the wall on a far corner. On one end, there was a broken door, leading to a vacant corridor.
``Come down, everyone. Here's our way o-oh damn.´´ - Cole's call was cut short the moment he noticed what the ''sack'' on the corner was.
``Is something the matter?´´ - Inquired Tetlekar as he landed on the floor.
``See for yourself.´´ - Replied Cole as he aimed his Zap-Light at the corner.
Sitting on a pool of dry blood and leaning onto the wall. His hand clutching a wound badly bandaged over his protective suit. His legs looking as if something chewed on them, but the color and design of his suit made it easy enough for him to be recognized.
``It's that crewman from the recording... Cador Phon, huh? Poor bastard.´´
It was Haudrica who made that comment.
``A tragic end, undoubtedly.´´ - Added Tetlekar as he scrapped a bit of dry blood from the floor and pressed it against his thumb and index finger, a few tiny lights crossed his eyes when he did it.
``.... Qauranite...´´ - He muttered.
``Although I cannot quite ascertain how long has he been dead due to an apparent malfunction, I am certain he was a Qauranite. He must bleed to death here.´´ - He added as he wiped his hand.
``Heh, serves him right, slaver bastard.´´ - Said Haudrica as she spat on the corpse disrespectfully.
``...´´
Cole wanted to say something back to her; this ceaseless scorn of hers towards almost everything and everyone was starting to get on his nerves. The only thing that stopped him from doing so was being well-aware of his own ignorance.
He was, after all, a stranger in that universe; conceptions and biases that were probably common knowledge to all his companions were, in the most literal sense, entirely alien to him, and if there was one thing he had since long learned, was that giving out opinions without truly knowing was one good way to get trouble.
``... Anyway, let's go out and see if we can get our bearings. We need to go back to Desri.´´ - Said Cole, as nonchalantly as he could.
···
``Zalura! Ev'ryone!´´
The old dog practically charged towards Zalura the moment he saw her, his tail waging happily.
``Geez, we're all here, y'know.´´ - Jested Cole as the overly happy Desri.
The storage room they had ended up at hadn't been that far away from the Organic Collector's entrance, which made Cole think that maybe the tunnel had gone around in a circle.
Desri himself had merely gone back to the Organic Collector's lobby, waiting for everyone to return. And he had used that time to gather some meat from all the aberrations that Haudrica had sliced. Not the most pleasant pastime, but that was the main reason they had all gone there after all.
``Jyakxue!? Yer pullin' my tail, dude.´´
Surprise, amusement and disbelief washed over Desri's face.
Haudrica and Tetlekar had gone to secure the way to the NVSC9 as Cole, along with Zalura and Desri, carried all the meat-filled rucksacks.
``I've known o' some folks who could und'rstand a few words o' it, maybe write a basic sent'nce or two, but listenin' to a whole convers'tion o' it an' understandin' it? Not even ma mentor could pull 'dat one out, an' he was a fella who knew his stuff. I think Haudrica's playin' ya guys for fools.´´ - Continued Desri as he passed one of the rucksacks to Cole.
``Well, I really don't know enough to fully confirm or dismiss her skill. But I've seen many people pretend they can translate something they can't even read, and you can usually tell them apart quite easily.´´ - Replied Cole as he put the rucksack on his back begrudgingly; the meat inside smelled quite bad and was still soaking both the rucksack and his back on blood.
``It iS tHE tRuTh DEsri. HaUdRIcA dId nOT LoOk likE A LIAr.´´ - Added Zalura, who was also burdened with many of the leaking rucksacks.
Desri's reply was preceded by a sigh.
``Suit y'self, guys. I'll hafta see this t'believe it.´´ - His tone of voice made clear he didn't believe a word of it.
The return journey to the NVSC9 was fortunately uneventful; the only significant happening being Cole's jumpsuit getting soaked in smelly fluids.
``Heyo! Open up!´´ - Cole bashed the entrance shutter brusquely. The only thought on his mind being how glad he was that he had previously fixed the RV's shower and water pipes; he just wanted to take a good bath.
``Understood.´´ - Tetlekar's calm voice echoed from the other side of the shutter as it opened.
``Welcome back. The preparations are ready. Today, we shall eat meat.´´
With an expression worthy of a proud chef serving his best dish to a wealthy customer, Tetlekar pointed to the boiling stewpot with the spoon he was holding.
Cole, however, wasn't too excited.
``Here you go, be right back.´´ - He practically threw his rucksack at Tetlekar, whom stared back at Cole with a confused expression as the latter ran towards his RV home like a rabbit.
···
``Feelin' better? Saved one bowl o' ab'rration stew fer ya.´´
This was Desri's greeting to Cole when he arrived at the stew pot after almost an hour of back scrubbing and clothes washing.
``I'll be once I'm back in my own clothes; these ones smell of dust.´´ . - He replied as he took the dented bowl that he was being offered. And while the stew wasn't half bad, but Cole did an extra effort just to not think about the ingredients.
He was wearing a musty pair of jeans and an orange shirt that was way too big for him. But until his jumpsuit and undershirt dried, that was all he had.
``So, where's everybody else?´´ - Asked Cole as he noticed only he and Desri still sat by the pot.
``Zalura's gon' wreck-divin' to see if she can find a new weap'n, Haudrica's tending Mizelle's wounds an' Tetlekar at his place, patchin' h'mself up. Just ya 'n me for lunch.´´ - Explained Desri as he finished the stew he had left.
``I see, and I take you're feeling better too.´´ - Inquired Cole as he continued to eat his stew.
``Whatcha talkin' 'bout? I haven't felt bad at all.´´ - Replied Desri with a smile.
But Cole hadn't forgotten of how depressed Desri had gotten back at the control room, so it felt really strange to see him so upbeat; there had to be something wrong.
``I was just asking because you looked pretty bad when we got trapped. Like you had... given up on life?´´ - He pressed the issue as politely as he could.
*Plok*
Desri almost dropped his bowl when Cole said this, but managed to catch it before it fell down.
``Haaaah... Guess ya do pay att'ntion.´´ - He said remorsefully with a sigh, turning around to face Cole as he did so.
``Say pup, d'ya have relatives back home? Parents or children whom may worry 'bout yer dis'ppearance?´´ - Asked Desri as he looked at Cole in the eyes.
``...´´ - Cole's expression became rather grim.
``Relatives no; I'm a runaway, I fled home when I was much younger to carve myself a life. My parent's didn't even bother to look for me then, so I highly doubt they even think of me.´´ - Said Cole bitterly.
``However, while I had no relatives, I did have a family.´´ - He added, his expression now taking a more melancholic look.
``It's the same thing, pup.´´ - Stated Desri with a hollow smile.
``No it's not!´´ - Interjected Cole rather brusquely, making Desri lift an eyebrow in surprise.
``Your relatives are imposed upon you, and often come with a sense of entitlement that they own your life just because you crawled out of one of their orifices. Your family, however, is the people you choose to bring into your life; those friends who've proven they're more than just casual acquaintances, and that will sometimes stick out their necks to help you out.´´
There was rage in his words; an old, contained rage that wasn't directed at Desri.
``Your race is strange indeed.´´ - Commented Desri amusedly.
``Well, speaking those terms, what I had back home were indeed a family...´´
With this words, he turned to the side, gazing upon the corrugated metal wall that stood not far away. He looked at it in silence, as if he was trying to see the stars that shone beyond it.
``It's been four, a'most five, years since I left m'home planet of Khadri in the miss'on that brought me to this damn'ble place. It might not seem much time t'ya, but my kind lifespan ain't very long; we mature fast, we grow old an' weak, and then we finally die, rarely past our second decade.´´ - He explained.
``Thing is, I left my two young sons and a newly born daughter back home, along with my wife, my brothers and their own children.´´
``Most o' the time, I try to not think 'bout it; mopin' aroun' won't bring food to m'plate or make 'em Units go away, so I instead focus at the problems I have at hand, but that doesn't mean I don't think 'bout them.´´
``Now an' then, whenever I find m'self in a s'tuation I b'lieve I won't walk from, I start feelin' regret an' melancholy; what if I hadn't taken dat job? What if I had told the nav'gator to take 'nother route? Would I be back home with 'em? Seein' my pups grow and agin' along with m'wife? The mem'ries som'times get unbear'bly wrackin'...´´
As he spoke, Desri seemed to sink into himself; a strong sense of guilt oozing from his every word. He made a small pause to sigh and to wipe away the tears that had made their way to the corners of his eyes.
``I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pried in.´´
Cole lowered his head penitently as he spoke.
``Don't be, lad. Don't burden y'self with the sorrows o'this old dog.´´ - Replied Desri with a strange form of encouragement.
``But in da end, I only got two choices; I can spend me ev'ryday mopin' around, bellowin' and cursin' like a certain Irisonian bitch while makin' the lives o'all those 'round me miserable, or I can just tough it up, smile, and keep walkin' forward while I hope that, at the end, I may see m'family again.´´
He rose from his seat as he spoke in a manner that could only be described as solemn.
``So, if there's any lesson y'can learn from my failin's, is that y'sometimes oughta listen to yer guts and emotions instead o' your brain an' common sense. Even if ya don't see the results 'mmediately, sometimes ya just gotta do what ya b'lieve is best, wh'tever this may be.´´ - Added Desri as he once again sported that somewhat smug smile often found on his face.
He was back to his old self.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
``Haah.... This is getting nowhere...´´ - Frowning his brow with indignation, Cole wiped away the sweat that clung to it.
He was quite proud of his skill handling machines, but now and then, something would prove to be too much of a challenge for him.
In front of him laid a power generator, or at the very least, that had been the idea behind it.
Having given up on using any sort of ''Alien Power Source'', he tried to build an old-fashioned electric generator using what had at hand. But despite having more or less all the parts he needed, the lack of a working gas engine and fuel to make it work or at least a decently sized electric one and enough car batteries was making his efforts futile.
``These batteries are all dry, and I'd sooner find a whole tanker worth of gasoline than any sulfuric acid here.´´ - Muttered Cole as he removed all the caps of a car battery and turned it upside-down. Only rust fell from the orifices.
``Um, hello.´´
A meek yet polite greeting. Cole didn't even have to look back to realize who was there.
``Heyo Mizelle! How are you feeling?´´ - He put down the battery he was holding and turned around.
She now looked far better than she had two days ago; her wounds were many, and some of them quite deep, but under Haudrica's intensive care, she had healed in no time.
``Much better. Now I can finally walk again by myself.´´ - She hopped a bit to the side to show her legs' full mobility, although some scars were still visible.
``What about you?´´ - She added.
``I'm OK; more than anything I got plenty of big scares. But its thanks to you that both me and Desri are still alive, so thanks.´´ - Said Cole as he flashed a genuine smile.
``.... Huh?´´ - Mizelle leaned her head in confusion.
``B-But I didn't do anything.´´ - She said, sounding somewhat guilty.
``Eh? But Haudrica said she had gone to help us because you asked her to.´´
Now Cole was the confused one. But strangely enough, Mizelle suddenly smiled.
``I fell unconscious; my last memory after I got back is that of Haudrica healing my wounds, and when I woke up next, you were all gone already. So if Haudrica came to your rescue, it was something she herself wanted to do.´´ - There was an odd sense of happiness in her words.
``But... why would she lie about that?´´ - Asked Cole amusedly. His words heavy with both surprise and disbelief.
``Haudrica is a good person, but... she's afraid of other people. She has suffered a lot at the hands of many people, even those who claimed to be her friends. That is why she tries to keep others away; she's just afraid that you might hurt her.´´
There was sadness in Mizelle's words, and perhaps also a feeling of powerlessness; she clearly cared a lot about Haudrica, maybe even more than what she cared about her.
``Geez, that's just-´´ - Cole shook his head before speaking those words, but his sentence was cut short before he was done saying them.
``Hey! Mizelle! Where are you?´´ - Following a loud cry, the aforementioned person made her presence known.
``Haudrica.´´ - She called her out.
``Ah, there you are. Are your legs feeling better? You shouldn't walk too much or-´´
Her initial expression had been quite friendly, and maybe even cute in her own way, but the moment she saw Cole, her face twisted back into that bitter frown Cole already considered as her ''Default'' face.
``What are YOU doing here?´´ - She asked menacingly, quickly hastening her walk to come between Mizelle and Cole.
``I live here, as you may remember.´´ - Replied Cole sarcastically as he patted the wall of his RV house.
``I couldn't care less.´´ - She retorted.
``Let's go Mizelle. If you stay close to him for too long, you may catch one of this savage's diseases.´´
She reached for Mizelle's hand and tried to pull her away, almost like an overprotective parent.
``Hey Haudrica, what have I done to deserve so much of your hatred?´´ - Cole cut to the chase and spoke his mind; he was tired of keeping quiet.
``I know I am not the best kind of person and that I have plenty of faults; I don't mind being hated. But at least, I'd like to know why. Or at the very least, give me a chance to earn your trust.´´ - Continued Cole defiantly.
``I don't need to give any reasons to an animal. You are-´´
``Stop it!´´
Her words were as vitriolic as usual, until Mizelle cut her short with a shout, brusquely shaking away her grip on her hand.
``Why do you keep doing this? Why do you keep loathing and hating everyone who tries to be nice to you!? It's not fair!´´
Cole's eyes widened in disbelief as, for the first time, he saw Mizelle's anger. Yet Haudrica's shock was far greater than his.
``Mizelle, why are you acting this? Did this savage's lies poison your mind?´´- Haudrica was at the edge of a panic attack.
``Y-You're the... only one who lies...´´ - Mizelle was starting to cry.
``I was born knowing nothing... nothing but how to serve... yet you, you didn't treat me like a servant, like a slave. You... were nice to me... you treated me like I was someone... you gave me a name... and I loved it...´´ - She was speaking between sobs.
``Even if I fail... I want to get along with everyone... I want everyone to know you as I do...´´
Although her body was shaking, her words were brimming with determination.
``...´´ - Haudrica's mouth opened a few times, but her words didn't come out.
Cole also wanted to say something, but he felt like it wasn't his place to intrude in their conversation.
``I... I... I'm sorry...´´
With those words, Mizelle ran away, leaving Haudrica in an utter state of shock.
A minute after a minute passed; the silence reigned for what seemed like forever.
Haudrica looked practically paralyzed; like when that Unit had ambushed her and Cole at the vaults.
``.... Hey-´´
Taking one step forward, Cole tried to say something.
``Stop!´´ - But she didn't let him.
``I... I don't want... your pity...´´ - Haudrica hissed out these words.
``You know nothing about me, and nothing about Mizelle either. So whatever you say, it'll change nothing.´´ - She didn't have the strength to even look menacing.
Cole breathed in deeply before replying. Steeling himself for what could come.
``Then give me chance to know you both.´´
``I understand you have your reasons to hate me, and I won't blame that. But like I said, I'd like at the very least a chance to prove you that I'm not what you think I am. That's all I ask for.´´
He wasn't bluffing or pretending to be tough; those were indeed his honest feelings. And even if he didn't share Mizelle's hopes of being friends with everyone, at the very least, he wanted to avoid hostility.
``Hehe... Fair enough.´´ - A sarcastic grin formed on Haudrica's downcast face as she raised it and looked away, never allowing Cole to see her expression.
``But bear in mind that I'll be a very hard judge, and if I ever even suspect that you might be lying to me or Mizelle, there won't be threats or warnings-´´ - She vanished from where she was as she said that, reappearing right in front of Cole, with both scythes at his neck.
``I'll simply loop your head from your shoulders.´´
She had done that so many times that Cole had started to get used to it.
``I will keep that in mind.´´ - Replied Cole unwaveringly.
His expression as calm and collected as he could possibly be.
And with those last threatening words, she turned around and ran away, most likely to find Mizelle as soon as possible.
An odd bit of silence went by after she was gone from his sight, and a feeling he couldn't quite describe overtook Cole. However, it was gone almost as fast as it came.
``Haaah.... Anyhow, let see if I can find a way to make one of these fossils work.´´ - Said Cole to no one in particular as he turned back to his chimera of a power generator.
``Everything in this place is almost ten years old, and these batteries weren't new at that time either, I wonder if...´´ - He mumbled to himself as he grabbed yet another battery. It felt really light; clearly it had dried up too.
``That was most certainly a fair display of boldness.´´ - These words came out of nowhere.
``Yikes! Man, don't sneak up on people! I almost dropped this battery on my foot.´´ - Cole almost jumped out of his skin.
Tetlekar was standing right behind him, sporting his usual calm and collected demeanor.
``My apologies.´´ - He bowed a bit as he said that.
``So, I take you saw that heated exchange back there. Don't take me wrong, I'm not as idealist as Mizelle.´´ - Explained Cole as he picked up another battery.
``While I understand that her intentions are noble, life isn't a fairy tale; you can just ''befriend'' everybody and hope that they return the feeling. But at the very least, I'd like my interactions with Haudrica to not come out with harsh words and sharp objects at my jugular vein.´´ He added as he uncapped the battery.
``That is a fair goal.´´ - Replied Tetlekar nonchalantly.
``However, I came to deliver you my also fair warning. Do not underestimate Haudrica's grief; I do honestly believe that she's beyond the point where she can be reasoned with, but I have been wrong before, and I wouldn't mind to be so again.´´
His words were a tad menacing, but also clad in hope.
``Tch! Dry again.´´ - Grunted Cole as he tossed the battery away.
``Say, since this place is the ninth Salvage Collector around, doesn't that mean there are others as well? I heard from Desri that there was a NVSC5. Would it be possible for me to go there. There are some parts I wanna look for. ´´ - Asked Cole as he sat on the pile of discarded batteries he had gathered there.
``Yes, there are twelve in total, but I would not recommend going to most of them.´´ - Tetlekar brought his hand to his chin as he replied.
``The 1st, 3rd, 7th and 12th ones are locked. The 2nd one is empty as well as a death trap; the Phylactery's management system is malfunctioning there and sometimes the airlocks open without warning. The 4th one is filled with noxious substances. The 6th and 10th ones have hull breaches, hence they lack breathable air or gravity. And the 11th one has... undesirables living on it.´´
His explanation was rather fast-paced, as if he was reading a document on his mind more than actually speaking.
``What about the 5th and 8th ones?´´ - Asked Cole. Tetlekar remained silent for a moment before speaking.
``There is... nothing particular about them. But no one has set foot on either in years, so there's no telling about what manner of danger may have taken residence on them so...´´
Tetlekar stopped talking when he noticed that his warning was lost on Cole; he was already grinning from ear-to-ear. The fiery curiosity already burning in his eyes.
``... Just, if possible, try to not die.´´ - He added one last warning before turning away. He wasn't going to stop Cole on this one.
<End of Chapter 5>
``Would you please give me a hand with this?´´ - Tetlekar was trying to pry open the panels in his leg and failing.
Whatever alloy Tetlekar was made of, it seemed to become completely feather light whenever it received electrical charges. When it didn't however, it was heavier than basalt. He was having a very hard time moving his malfunctioning leg, but when Cole tried to help him push it, he couldn't even budge it an inch.
The flow of sparks coming between the plates of his shin shone in green and purple colors, like the back of a CD.
``Does it hurt?´´ - Cole jammed a screwdriver between the plates as he asked.
``I have no pain receptors, but the constant surges and power spikes generated by this damage are disrupting my motor system. It makes me feel... disoriented.´´ - Replied Tetlekar as Cole pried out one of the plates, revealing a set of crystalline, colorful wires connecting to many odd-shaped grey boxes, each of them marked with a tiny diamond-shaped crystal.
``Whoa, mind telling me what should I do?´´ - Cole was a bit overwhelmed by the strange technology.
``Look for a cracked crystal, or one that's turned red.´´ - Explained Tetlekar as he leaned onto the wall.
``Haudrica, fill me in with the situation.´´ - He added as he turned his head towards her.
``Haah... Not much to say. Mizelle's safe back at the collector, the mutt is faithfully waiting for us on the observation tunnel, Zalura lost her weapon, the savage got a few new toys and we're now stuck in this locked room with no supplies, weapons or any way to escape alive.´´ - Said Haudrica with a sigh of pure exasperation.
``A real optimist, aren't ya?´´ - Snarked Cole.
``I am just stating the facts, savage. Can your mind process such a simple thing?´´ - Retorted Haudrica in a loud, disdainful tone.
Cole just let out a sigh of exasperation as he continued to work on Tetlekar's leg.
``Is that what I believe it is?´´ - Inquired Tetlekar as he noticed the Access Key hanging from Cole's neck.
``Yeah, although it hasn't been working well so far; it only worked once to open a door but-Oh! I think I found it.´´ - Cole didn't finish his phrase as he pointed to one of the many diamond-shaped crystals. It had indeed turned reddish.
Strangely enough, Tetlekar smiled at this revelation.
``Far less complex than I expected. Leave the rest to me, I can finish this by myself.´´
With these words, he pulled out the crystal, which was about as long as a spark plug and replaced it with another one from another component.
Cole just left him to his own devices.
``Anyway let's see what we can do here...´´ - He said as he moved towards the consoles under the window.
···
This console's layout was far more complex than that of the previous control room; aside from the gauges, knobs and lights from before, there were also a couple of small monitors and a larger one in the center with a sort of semicircular key panel under it. All its keys covered in strange characters. However, unlike the previous control room, everything seemed active and functional. For him, it was a bit overwhelming.
``Hrrk....´´ - He groaned.
His complete illiteracy regarding those symbols made him feel that perhaps he had bitten far more than what he could chew.
``Maybe this one?´´ - He didn't think too much; he just pushed a lone, squarish blue button on the lower left of the console, which made a distinct blip.
*Tktsha!*
A sound like that of a sealed room depressurizing followed shortly there after.
``Eeek!´´ - Cried out Haudrica in a strangely girly tone as she dashed away from the wall that had just opened and what had fallen from inside it.
*Cluk, clackt*
Emerging from the opening in the wall and plummeting down as it fell apart, the moldy carcass of some animal almost fell upon Haudrica.
``Y-Y-You... you...´´ - She was shaking, both with anger and because of the fright. Cole remained speechless, although in his face there was a clear expression of ''Oh shit!''.
``YOU NUMBSKULLED MORON!!´´ - Cried out Haudrica as she moved in that lightning fast speed and reached for Cole's neck, lifting him from the ground.
``I've just had it with you! You go around poking and tinkering with all the machines and dangerous stuff that could kill us all like a child searching for something to play with! Machines whose most basic components your primitive mind can't even fathom, yet you act as if you knew all about them!´´ - She fumed up so much she might as well had been breathing fire.
``If I am going to die here, I'll do such knowing that I squeezed the life out of you!´´
``I... can't breathe...´´ - Cole's face was starting to turn blue. She was serious.
``Haudrica, this is not the time for that. Put him down, now.´´ - However, although he maintained his usual neutral expression, Tetlekar's voice was far more terrifying than Haudrica's.
``Tsk, fine. Why are you always protecting this maggot?´´ - Replied Haudrica as she let go off Cole's neck.
``Maybe because I don't spend most of my time badmouthing everyone.´´ - Thought Cole as he regained his breath while trying to get up.
*Blip*
But, as he did so, he accidentally pushed another button in the console.
``Oh man...´´ - He thought as he expected something bad to happen to Haudrica again, having him end up with her strangling him AGAIN.
However, it didn't happen; no secret doors opened or skeletons fell from closets.
Instead, a sort of hazy holographic projection emerged from the console.
At first, it gave out a few flashes of white, but before anyone could react to it, a masked figure appeared on it, and it began talking. Although more than an actual mask, it looked like some sort of hazmat suit.
PhonAndrocles.png
The figure spoke in a soft and rather intellectual-sounding voice, yet not a single one of his words made any sense to Cole. He couldn't even tell where a word started and where another ended. It was like hearing a documentary tape spoken in a foreign language while it was being re-winded.``Do you guys get any of what's he saying?´´ - Asked Cole as he looked back towards Tetlekar and Zalura. Both shook their heads in denial before replying.
``None of my language protocols match it.´´ - Replied Tetlekar as he looked at the projection with a rather scrutinizing gaze.
``DEsri wOUld knOw.´´ - Zalura sounded a tad melancholic.
``Could you guys shut up! I'm trying to listen here!´´
Haudrica lashed back at everybody all of a sudden, which was when they noticed she had been listening to the projection attentively.
And after a brief silence, she began speaking, or more precisely, translating.
``''This is Cador Phon, Assistant Xenobiologist speaking from the main control room of the Organic Collector where I've locked myself into. I am recording this log so it might serve of help to whatever sort of rescue squad or scavenger team ever comes for us, although I dearly hope that no one will be that unlucky.''´´
``''It's been almost a week now since the issues first began. The systems have gotten erratic and glitchy to the point we feel lucky the whole station hasn't broken apart. Systems under the direct control of the Mainframe either don't work as they should or refuse to accept our commands entirely, yet both Main Command and the Bridge Crew have maintained total silence with us. Some of the guys at the Science Teams believe they might not even be alive anymore. Systems under the control of local Overseer Units seem to work without issue, although they seem to have problems in communicating between them; no issues to report on Automated Maintenance.''´´
``''The Crew's morale is not doing so well, however; fights have broken between the Security Detachments and the Engineering Teams over access to the storages; the Engineers want to cut a pathway to the Bridge through the old maintenance tunnels, but for that, they need better equipment, but the Security guys don't let them as they fear mutiny. It has been nothing but bickering and shouts so far, but given their highly trigger-happy tendencies and their lack of common sense that Security Commander Irmaugh has shown so far, it won't be long till someone gets shot. We, on the Science Team, are feeling the pressure as well, but we've managed to keep it together so far.''´´
``''As for myself, the reason I've locked myself in this control room is due to the Gyenmel we extracted from a world about last month having a sudden bout of explosive growth, accompanied by-.''´´
The recording freezes and the image starts looking fussy, as if someone had paused it.
Everyone remains in silence for a moment, expecting the recording to continue, but it doesn't.
``Just what was that about?´´ - Commented Cole as he approached to the console, taking a better look at the frozen image.
``It was Jyakxue, and a very fluent speaker of it.´´ - Haudrica's reply showed a newfound interest.
``Jiak... juak... cui?´´ - Cole's tongue failed to repeat that alien word.
``A dead language belonging to long-gone Jya folk. I am more surprised by fact that you understand it than by the fact that crewman spoke it.´´
Widening his eyes in surprise, Tetlekar spoke to Haudrica, whose reply was accompanied of a wide, pride-clad grin.
``Let's just say that Irisonian Border Fleet has many a way to codify secret orders, Jyakxue being one I'm good with.´´ - She boasted mockingly, puffing her chest. It was quite strange to see her so proud of something.
PhonAndrocles2.png
However, just as she was about to add something, the projection twitched to life again, and it did so with a shout.The camera was now pointing down, looking at the keypad, as if it had fallen from whatever was holding it. And more shouts can be heard in the audio.
``''Control that damned thing.''´´ - Haudrica translated.
More shouts were heard, although these sounded rather distorted and muffled. Then a hand was seen pressing some keys, and the projection disappeared completely.
``What did it say?´´ - Asked Tetlekar.
``I couldn't make it out; something ''air duct'', then ''breach'' and ''power failure''. Everything else is all jumbled.´´ - Replied Haudrica, rubbing her chin ponderously.
``Maybe that creature happened.´´ - Cole pointed to the Regenerator outside, still thrashing around.
``Could be, but right now, I'm more concerned about how do we get out of here. Zalura, do you think that-´´ - Tetlekar turned his head around as he said his second sentence, only to notice that Zalura wasn't anywhere in the room.
``Zalura?´´ - He called out.
``BAck hEre.´´ - And her reply sounded from the hatch which the carcass had fallen from.
On the other side of the hatch was a rather cramped room, which was featureless save for a rusty ladder going into a hole on ceiling.
``Did you find something?´´ - Asked Cole as he approached Zalura. Haudrica and Tetlekar following behind.
``TheRE iS An aIr cuRrENt cOmINg frOm hERe. MIghT bE aN eXIt.´´
With these words, she tried to climb the rusty ladder.
*Crreonk! Thunk!*
Only for it to practically crumble under her weight. The bar she stepped on snapped, and the side she held on bent effortlessly.
``... SOrry.´´
Had her skin not been so red already, her face would had reddened with shame.
``Don't worry about it. It was already quite rusty, so it was pretty prone to collapsing.´´ - Replied Cole as he advanced towards the ladder.
``Hmm....´´ - He muttered, as he turned on his Zap-Light and aimed at the hole where the ladder led.
The metallic gleam of the tunnel's roof was rather far away; it was tall enough for one person to walk in without having to kneel. However, there was also a rank smell on the air coming from it; like a mixture between the smell of wet dog and the stench of a long-dead roadkill.
``Zalura, lift me up.´´ - Cole pointed to the opening as he said that.
Grabbing him from his shins and knees, Zalura raised him slowly into the tunnel.
The tunnel was like a ventilation shaft, but about ten times bigger than what he had expected; there was enough space for a compact car to go through unhindered.
Looking around, however, revealed something unnerving; footprints, bloody foot prints, long since dried up, heading into the tunnel.
``Maybe it was that crewman from the video, he could had been hurt by that beast back there.´´ - Thought Cole as he looked down at the entry hatch.
``There might be a way out here! Come on.´´ - He said as he motioned everyone to climb up as well.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
Other than the clangor of their own steps and darkness, there was absolutely nothing within the ventilation shaft.
The bloody footprints grew thinner and thinner as they advanced, until they vanished from the floor. The only thing that didn't go away was the rank smell of wet roadkill.
``Just how far does this damn thing go?´´ - Complained Haudrica as she stood next to Cole in the lead, this fact alone being the source of most of her annoyance.
Even without a clock, he could feel like they had been already walking for at least one hour, and other than a couple turns, the tunnel showed no exits at all.
``To be completely honest, I believe anywhere will be a better place to be than next to the Regenerator.´´ - Commented Tetlekar as he made some adjustments on a panel under his wrist.
``As long as we don't end up surrounded by Units, yes. But given how far we are going, the chance of running into a Security Unit, or worse, a Keeper Unit, grows by every step we take into uncharted tunnels.´´
Although she was doing her best to hide it, there was a tinge of fear in her words.
``Hey, look!´´ - Cole was about to reply her, but something ahead drew his attention.
On the floor not far from them was a hole with a ladder, and with a tenuous light coming from it. It wasn't too different from the one that had led them to the tunnel.
``Maybe this is our exit.´´ - Said Cole enthusiastically as he headed down the hatch. Fortunately, the ladder didn't break.
``Hm... a storage room?´´ -
The room down below was rather unassuming; only a couple empty shelves, a few small metallic boxes, and what seemed to be a tall sack leaning onto the wall on a far corner. On one end, there was a broken door, leading to a vacant corridor.
``Come down, everyone. Here's our way o-oh damn.´´ - Cole's call was cut short the moment he noticed what the ''sack'' on the corner was.
``Is something the matter?´´ - Inquired Tetlekar as he landed on the floor.
``See for yourself.´´ - Replied Cole as he aimed his Zap-Light at the corner.
Sitting on a pool of dry blood and leaning onto the wall. His hand clutching a wound badly bandaged over his protective suit. His legs looking as if something chewed on them, but the color and design of his suit made it easy enough for him to be recognized.
``It's that crewman from the recording... Cador Phon, huh? Poor bastard.´´
It was Haudrica who made that comment.
``A tragic end, undoubtedly.´´ - Added Tetlekar as he scrapped a bit of dry blood from the floor and pressed it against his thumb and index finger, a few tiny lights crossed his eyes when he did it.
``.... Qauranite...´´ - He muttered.
``Although I cannot quite ascertain how long has he been dead due to an apparent malfunction, I am certain he was a Qauranite. He must bleed to death here.´´ - He added as he wiped his hand.
``Heh, serves him right, slaver bastard.´´ - Said Haudrica as she spat on the corpse disrespectfully.
``...´´
Cole wanted to say something back to her; this ceaseless scorn of hers towards almost everything and everyone was starting to get on his nerves. The only thing that stopped him from doing so was being well-aware of his own ignorance.
He was, after all, a stranger in that universe; conceptions and biases that were probably common knowledge to all his companions were, in the most literal sense, entirely alien to him, and if there was one thing he had since long learned, was that giving out opinions without truly knowing was one good way to get trouble.
``... Anyway, let's go out and see if we can get our bearings. We need to go back to Desri.´´ - Said Cole, as nonchalantly as he could.
···
``Zalura! Ev'ryone!´´
The old dog practically charged towards Zalura the moment he saw her, his tail waging happily.
``Geez, we're all here, y'know.´´ - Jested Cole as the overly happy Desri.
The storage room they had ended up at hadn't been that far away from the Organic Collector's entrance, which made Cole think that maybe the tunnel had gone around in a circle.
Desri himself had merely gone back to the Organic Collector's lobby, waiting for everyone to return. And he had used that time to gather some meat from all the aberrations that Haudrica had sliced. Not the most pleasant pastime, but that was the main reason they had all gone there after all.
``Jyakxue!? Yer pullin' my tail, dude.´´
Surprise, amusement and disbelief washed over Desri's face.
Haudrica and Tetlekar had gone to secure the way to the NVSC9 as Cole, along with Zalura and Desri, carried all the meat-filled rucksacks.
``I've known o' some folks who could und'rstand a few words o' it, maybe write a basic sent'nce or two, but listenin' to a whole convers'tion o' it an' understandin' it? Not even ma mentor could pull 'dat one out, an' he was a fella who knew his stuff. I think Haudrica's playin' ya guys for fools.´´ - Continued Desri as he passed one of the rucksacks to Cole.
``Well, I really don't know enough to fully confirm or dismiss her skill. But I've seen many people pretend they can translate something they can't even read, and you can usually tell them apart quite easily.´´ - Replied Cole as he put the rucksack on his back begrudgingly; the meat inside smelled quite bad and was still soaking both the rucksack and his back on blood.
``It iS tHE tRuTh DEsri. HaUdRIcA dId nOT LoOk likE A LIAr.´´ - Added Zalura, who was also burdened with many of the leaking rucksacks.
Desri's reply was preceded by a sigh.
``Suit y'self, guys. I'll hafta see this t'believe it.´´ - His tone of voice made clear he didn't believe a word of it.
The return journey to the NVSC9 was fortunately uneventful; the only significant happening being Cole's jumpsuit getting soaked in smelly fluids.
``Heyo! Open up!´´ - Cole bashed the entrance shutter brusquely. The only thought on his mind being how glad he was that he had previously fixed the RV's shower and water pipes; he just wanted to take a good bath.
``Understood.´´ - Tetlekar's calm voice echoed from the other side of the shutter as it opened.
``Welcome back. The preparations are ready. Today, we shall eat meat.´´
With an expression worthy of a proud chef serving his best dish to a wealthy customer, Tetlekar pointed to the boiling stewpot with the spoon he was holding.
Cole, however, wasn't too excited.
``Here you go, be right back.´´ - He practically threw his rucksack at Tetlekar, whom stared back at Cole with a confused expression as the latter ran towards his RV home like a rabbit.
···
``Feelin' better? Saved one bowl o' ab'rration stew fer ya.´´
This was Desri's greeting to Cole when he arrived at the stew pot after almost an hour of back scrubbing and clothes washing.
``I'll be once I'm back in my own clothes; these ones smell of dust.´´ . - He replied as he took the dented bowl that he was being offered. And while the stew wasn't half bad, but Cole did an extra effort just to not think about the ingredients.
He was wearing a musty pair of jeans and an orange shirt that was way too big for him. But until his jumpsuit and undershirt dried, that was all he had.
``So, where's everybody else?´´ - Asked Cole as he noticed only he and Desri still sat by the pot.
``Zalura's gon' wreck-divin' to see if she can find a new weap'n, Haudrica's tending Mizelle's wounds an' Tetlekar at his place, patchin' h'mself up. Just ya 'n me for lunch.´´ - Explained Desri as he finished the stew he had left.
``I see, and I take you're feeling better too.´´ - Inquired Cole as he continued to eat his stew.
``Whatcha talkin' 'bout? I haven't felt bad at all.´´ - Replied Desri with a smile.
But Cole hadn't forgotten of how depressed Desri had gotten back at the control room, so it felt really strange to see him so upbeat; there had to be something wrong.
``I was just asking because you looked pretty bad when we got trapped. Like you had... given up on life?´´ - He pressed the issue as politely as he could.
*Plok*
Desri almost dropped his bowl when Cole said this, but managed to catch it before it fell down.
``Haaaah... Guess ya do pay att'ntion.´´ - He said remorsefully with a sigh, turning around to face Cole as he did so.
``Say pup, d'ya have relatives back home? Parents or children whom may worry 'bout yer dis'ppearance?´´ - Asked Desri as he looked at Cole in the eyes.
``...´´ - Cole's expression became rather grim.
``Relatives no; I'm a runaway, I fled home when I was much younger to carve myself a life. My parent's didn't even bother to look for me then, so I highly doubt they even think of me.´´ - Said Cole bitterly.
``However, while I had no relatives, I did have a family.´´ - He added, his expression now taking a more melancholic look.
``It's the same thing, pup.´´ - Stated Desri with a hollow smile.
``No it's not!´´ - Interjected Cole rather brusquely, making Desri lift an eyebrow in surprise.
``Your relatives are imposed upon you, and often come with a sense of entitlement that they own your life just because you crawled out of one of their orifices. Your family, however, is the people you choose to bring into your life; those friends who've proven they're more than just casual acquaintances, and that will sometimes stick out their necks to help you out.´´
There was rage in his words; an old, contained rage that wasn't directed at Desri.
``Your race is strange indeed.´´ - Commented Desri amusedly.
``Well, speaking those terms, what I had back home were indeed a family...´´
With this words, he turned to the side, gazing upon the corrugated metal wall that stood not far away. He looked at it in silence, as if he was trying to see the stars that shone beyond it.
``It's been four, a'most five, years since I left m'home planet of Khadri in the miss'on that brought me to this damn'ble place. It might not seem much time t'ya, but my kind lifespan ain't very long; we mature fast, we grow old an' weak, and then we finally die, rarely past our second decade.´´ - He explained.
``Thing is, I left my two young sons and a newly born daughter back home, along with my wife, my brothers and their own children.´´
``Most o' the time, I try to not think 'bout it; mopin' aroun' won't bring food to m'plate or make 'em Units go away, so I instead focus at the problems I have at hand, but that doesn't mean I don't think 'bout them.´´
``Now an' then, whenever I find m'self in a s'tuation I b'lieve I won't walk from, I start feelin' regret an' melancholy; what if I hadn't taken dat job? What if I had told the nav'gator to take 'nother route? Would I be back home with 'em? Seein' my pups grow and agin' along with m'wife? The mem'ries som'times get unbear'bly wrackin'...´´
As he spoke, Desri seemed to sink into himself; a strong sense of guilt oozing from his every word. He made a small pause to sigh and to wipe away the tears that had made their way to the corners of his eyes.
``I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pried in.´´
Cole lowered his head penitently as he spoke.
``Don't be, lad. Don't burden y'self with the sorrows o'this old dog.´´ - Replied Desri with a strange form of encouragement.
``But in da end, I only got two choices; I can spend me ev'ryday mopin' around, bellowin' and cursin' like a certain Irisonian bitch while makin' the lives o'all those 'round me miserable, or I can just tough it up, smile, and keep walkin' forward while I hope that, at the end, I may see m'family again.´´
He rose from his seat as he spoke in a manner that could only be described as solemn.
``So, if there's any lesson y'can learn from my failin's, is that y'sometimes oughta listen to yer guts and emotions instead o' your brain an' common sense. Even if ya don't see the results 'mmediately, sometimes ya just gotta do what ya b'lieve is best, wh'tever this may be.´´ - Added Desri as he once again sported that somewhat smug smile often found on his face.
He was back to his old self.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
``Haah.... This is getting nowhere...´´ - Frowning his brow with indignation, Cole wiped away the sweat that clung to it.
He was quite proud of his skill handling machines, but now and then, something would prove to be too much of a challenge for him.
In front of him laid a power generator, or at the very least, that had been the idea behind it.
Having given up on using any sort of ''Alien Power Source'', he tried to build an old-fashioned electric generator using what had at hand. But despite having more or less all the parts he needed, the lack of a working gas engine and fuel to make it work or at least a decently sized electric one and enough car batteries was making his efforts futile.
``These batteries are all dry, and I'd sooner find a whole tanker worth of gasoline than any sulfuric acid here.´´ - Muttered Cole as he removed all the caps of a car battery and turned it upside-down. Only rust fell from the orifices.
``Um, hello.´´
A meek yet polite greeting. Cole didn't even have to look back to realize who was there.
``Heyo Mizelle! How are you feeling?´´ - He put down the battery he was holding and turned around.
She now looked far better than she had two days ago; her wounds were many, and some of them quite deep, but under Haudrica's intensive care, she had healed in no time.
``Much better. Now I can finally walk again by myself.´´ - She hopped a bit to the side to show her legs' full mobility, although some scars were still visible.
``What about you?´´ - She added.
``I'm OK; more than anything I got plenty of big scares. But its thanks to you that both me and Desri are still alive, so thanks.´´ - Said Cole as he flashed a genuine smile.
``.... Huh?´´ - Mizelle leaned her head in confusion.
``B-But I didn't do anything.´´ - She said, sounding somewhat guilty.
``Eh? But Haudrica said she had gone to help us because you asked her to.´´
Now Cole was the confused one. But strangely enough, Mizelle suddenly smiled.
``I fell unconscious; my last memory after I got back is that of Haudrica healing my wounds, and when I woke up next, you were all gone already. So if Haudrica came to your rescue, it was something she herself wanted to do.´´ - There was an odd sense of happiness in her words.
``But... why would she lie about that?´´ - Asked Cole amusedly. His words heavy with both surprise and disbelief.
``Haudrica is a good person, but... she's afraid of other people. She has suffered a lot at the hands of many people, even those who claimed to be her friends. That is why she tries to keep others away; she's just afraid that you might hurt her.´´
There was sadness in Mizelle's words, and perhaps also a feeling of powerlessness; she clearly cared a lot about Haudrica, maybe even more than what she cared about her.
``Geez, that's just-´´ - Cole shook his head before speaking those words, but his sentence was cut short before he was done saying them.
``Hey! Mizelle! Where are you?´´ - Following a loud cry, the aforementioned person made her presence known.
``Haudrica.´´ - She called her out.
``Ah, there you are. Are your legs feeling better? You shouldn't walk too much or-´´
Her initial expression had been quite friendly, and maybe even cute in her own way, but the moment she saw Cole, her face twisted back into that bitter frown Cole already considered as her ''Default'' face.
``What are YOU doing here?´´ - She asked menacingly, quickly hastening her walk to come between Mizelle and Cole.
``I live here, as you may remember.´´ - Replied Cole sarcastically as he patted the wall of his RV house.
``I couldn't care less.´´ - She retorted.
``Let's go Mizelle. If you stay close to him for too long, you may catch one of this savage's diseases.´´
She reached for Mizelle's hand and tried to pull her away, almost like an overprotective parent.
``Hey Haudrica, what have I done to deserve so much of your hatred?´´ - Cole cut to the chase and spoke his mind; he was tired of keeping quiet.
``I know I am not the best kind of person and that I have plenty of faults; I don't mind being hated. But at least, I'd like to know why. Or at the very least, give me a chance to earn your trust.´´ - Continued Cole defiantly.
``I don't need to give any reasons to an animal. You are-´´
``Stop it!´´
Her words were as vitriolic as usual, until Mizelle cut her short with a shout, brusquely shaking away her grip on her hand.
``Why do you keep doing this? Why do you keep loathing and hating everyone who tries to be nice to you!? It's not fair!´´
Cole's eyes widened in disbelief as, for the first time, he saw Mizelle's anger. Yet Haudrica's shock was far greater than his.
``Mizelle, why are you acting this? Did this savage's lies poison your mind?´´- Haudrica was at the edge of a panic attack.
``Y-You're the... only one who lies...´´ - Mizelle was starting to cry.
``I was born knowing nothing... nothing but how to serve... yet you, you didn't treat me like a servant, like a slave. You... were nice to me... you treated me like I was someone... you gave me a name... and I loved it...´´ - She was speaking between sobs.
``Even if I fail... I want to get along with everyone... I want everyone to know you as I do...´´
Although her body was shaking, her words were brimming with determination.
``...´´ - Haudrica's mouth opened a few times, but her words didn't come out.
Cole also wanted to say something, but he felt like it wasn't his place to intrude in their conversation.
``I... I... I'm sorry...´´
With those words, Mizelle ran away, leaving Haudrica in an utter state of shock.
A minute after a minute passed; the silence reigned for what seemed like forever.
Haudrica looked practically paralyzed; like when that Unit had ambushed her and Cole at the vaults.
``.... Hey-´´
Taking one step forward, Cole tried to say something.
``Stop!´´ - But she didn't let him.
``I... I don't want... your pity...´´ - Haudrica hissed out these words.
``You know nothing about me, and nothing about Mizelle either. So whatever you say, it'll change nothing.´´ - She didn't have the strength to even look menacing.
Cole breathed in deeply before replying. Steeling himself for what could come.
``Then give me chance to know you both.´´
``I understand you have your reasons to hate me, and I won't blame that. But like I said, I'd like at the very least a chance to prove you that I'm not what you think I am. That's all I ask for.´´
He wasn't bluffing or pretending to be tough; those were indeed his honest feelings. And even if he didn't share Mizelle's hopes of being friends with everyone, at the very least, he wanted to avoid hostility.
``Hehe... Fair enough.´´ - A sarcastic grin formed on Haudrica's downcast face as she raised it and looked away, never allowing Cole to see her expression.
``But bear in mind that I'll be a very hard judge, and if I ever even suspect that you might be lying to me or Mizelle, there won't be threats or warnings-´´ - She vanished from where she was as she said that, reappearing right in front of Cole, with both scythes at his neck.
``I'll simply loop your head from your shoulders.´´
She had done that so many times that Cole had started to get used to it.
``I will keep that in mind.´´ - Replied Cole unwaveringly.
His expression as calm and collected as he could possibly be.
And with those last threatening words, she turned around and ran away, most likely to find Mizelle as soon as possible.
An odd bit of silence went by after she was gone from his sight, and a feeling he couldn't quite describe overtook Cole. However, it was gone almost as fast as it came.
``Haaah.... Anyhow, let see if I can find a way to make one of these fossils work.´´ - Said Cole to no one in particular as he turned back to his chimera of a power generator.
``Everything in this place is almost ten years old, and these batteries weren't new at that time either, I wonder if...´´ - He mumbled to himself as he grabbed yet another battery. It felt really light; clearly it had dried up too.
``That was most certainly a fair display of boldness.´´ - These words came out of nowhere.
``Yikes! Man, don't sneak up on people! I almost dropped this battery on my foot.´´ - Cole almost jumped out of his skin.
Tetlekar was standing right behind him, sporting his usual calm and collected demeanor.
``My apologies.´´ - He bowed a bit as he said that.
``So, I take you saw that heated exchange back there. Don't take me wrong, I'm not as idealist as Mizelle.´´ - Explained Cole as he picked up another battery.
``While I understand that her intentions are noble, life isn't a fairy tale; you can just ''befriend'' everybody and hope that they return the feeling. But at the very least, I'd like my interactions with Haudrica to not come out with harsh words and sharp objects at my jugular vein.´´ He added as he uncapped the battery.
``That is a fair goal.´´ - Replied Tetlekar nonchalantly.
``However, I came to deliver you my also fair warning. Do not underestimate Haudrica's grief; I do honestly believe that she's beyond the point where she can be reasoned with, but I have been wrong before, and I wouldn't mind to be so again.´´
His words were a tad menacing, but also clad in hope.
``Tch! Dry again.´´ - Grunted Cole as he tossed the battery away.
``Say, since this place is the ninth Salvage Collector around, doesn't that mean there are others as well? I heard from Desri that there was a NVSC5. Would it be possible for me to go there. There are some parts I wanna look for. ´´ - Asked Cole as he sat on the pile of discarded batteries he had gathered there.
``Yes, there are twelve in total, but I would not recommend going to most of them.´´ - Tetlekar brought his hand to his chin as he replied.
``The 1st, 3rd, 7th and 12th ones are locked. The 2nd one is empty as well as a death trap; the Phylactery's management system is malfunctioning there and sometimes the airlocks open without warning. The 4th one is filled with noxious substances. The 6th and 10th ones have hull breaches, hence they lack breathable air or gravity. And the 11th one has... undesirables living on it.´´
His explanation was rather fast-paced, as if he was reading a document on his mind more than actually speaking.
``What about the 5th and 8th ones?´´ - Asked Cole. Tetlekar remained silent for a moment before speaking.
``There is... nothing particular about them. But no one has set foot on either in years, so there's no telling about what manner of danger may have taken residence on them so...´´
Tetlekar stopped talking when he noticed that his warning was lost on Cole; he was already grinning from ear-to-ear. The fiery curiosity already burning in his eyes.
``... Just, if possible, try to not die.´´ - He added one last warning before turning away. He wasn't going to stop Cole on this one.
<End of Chapter 5>
Chapter 6
Spoiler: show
Part 1
Many a brave explorer will say that curiosity is the force that leads to new discoveries, but what they often fail to say is how addictive such force can become. And dangerous if accompanied by recklessness.
``Hmm-hmhmhm-hm~♪. ´´
Humming a tuneless melody, Cole packed the tools he couldn't fit on his belt within a rusty but still-sturdy toolbox he came come to, and placed it inside of the duffel bag where he had already stashed a blanket, two water bottles and a sandwich box containing what he had dubbed as ''Aber-Rations''; the more tasty parts of the aberrations meat which Tetlekar had somehow turned into a kind of jerky.
``Hehe, adventuring supplies.´´ - Said Cole to himself as he zipped the bag up. A smug smile forming on his face.
The idea of going to visit a junkyard he had never been to before always gave him the kind of eager expectations a kid has on Christmas Morning, even when said job was being pushed onto him by his boss or his lazy co-worker. And such eagerness hadn't left his mind since Tetlekar had told him of the other Salvage Collectors.
Without further ado, he zipped up the bag and put it on his back, almost falling over for a moment due to its weight.
···
Minding each and every step, Cole advanced through the dimly lit corridor. His trusty wrench in one hand and his Zap-Light in the other, and stopping only to look at the copy of Tetlekar's map he had scribbled on his notebook.
While he had been told that there shouldn't be any aberrations or Units on those corridors, the same they had thought of both the Organic Collector and the Cryovaults Corridor; there was always the chance of the unforeseen.
``Hm, left, right, straight.....´´
He gave the map a quick look before continuing.
``And now left aga-mhpft.´´
But as he turned around, he crashed literally headlong into something.
``Whoa!´´ - Jumping back with a shout, Cole pointed his Zap-Light forward, ready to stun whatever he had crashed into and run away. Or at least, that would had been his intention if that ''something'' hadn't called him out.
``ColE, yOu aRe heRE?.´´ - Zalura seemed just as surprised as him.
She was carrying a rucksack over her shoulder in her upper left arm, and a sort of jagged metal spear on both her right ones.
``Holy shit, girl. You almost gave me a heart attack.´´ - Cole put his hand on his chest as he spoke, feeling his cardiac machine-gun.
``SOrry.´´ - She apologized as she lowered her weapon.
``Don't worry about it. So, did Tetlekar send you here to watch over me?´´
There was a feeling of annoyance at his words, but they weren't towards Zalura herself.
``No, CAme loOkINg fOr a nEW weApoN.´´ - She replied calmly, as if somehow feeling Cole's annoyance.
``Well, the more the merrier then, and better if we run into any nasty critters.´´ - Said Cole as he moved towards the half-open shutter of the Salvage Collector.
Unlike the large shutter of the NVSC9, this place had two smaller shutters, one after the other, with the chamber connecting them seeming like some sort of security checkpoint, clearly long-deserted.
The second shutter had been torn open by something, and now only a large metal plate, which Zalura lifted with ease, served as the door.
``Go iN.´´ - She said as she motioned Cole to enter through the opening which, after a short crawl, had them both blinded with light.
Perhaps the first difference that Cole spotted on the NVSC5 was how brightly lit it was; a set of floodlights on its ceiling made the place as bright as a stadium. However, it was after his eyes adapted to the blinding light that he truly beheld the place before him.
``Holy crap on a stick... with bacon!´´
Even those words didn't do justice to the amount of amazement that overwhelmed Cole.
Unlike the very junkyard-y mess of the NVSC9, everything in this place was arranged in a sort of towering metallic platforms that formed a labyrinth that extended beyond what the eyes could make out. Each ''tower'' had at least five tiers, while some wider ones went as far as seven; they were all connected by a series of ladders and each bearing a neatly arranged pile of more components than what Cole's mind could even hope to process.
For a moment, the smiling, mustachioed face of his boss came to mind; he was always very orderly about all the stuff in his junkyard, almost to the point of obsession. So it wasn't hard for Cole to imagine the gleeful smile his boss would had worn had he been in his shoes, although it would most likely not be as wide and gleeful as the one he himself was already sporting.
``Oh boy....´´ - Said Cole as he twirled his wrench with his index finger, like a Wild West Outlaw with a gun.
``... It's wrench time!´´ - He declared boldly as he dashed away.
``StOP!´´
Or at least, he would had if Zalura hadn't grabbed him by the neck of his jumpsuit, stopping his advance. Her voice carried a tone of warning.
``LoOk oUt.´´ - She said as she pointed forwards with her two right hands.
And before Cole had the chance to ask what was going on, he heard it.
*Hoohuumhoohuum*
That now-bloodcurdling humming sound so characteristic of a Unit, getting closer at great speed.
*HOOHUUMHOOHUUM*
With its signature sound echoing around, an Unit carrying a small metal box approached to the foot of a nearby tower. It placed the box it was carrying on top of another bigger box that was on the pile there, and without as much as turning towards Cole and Zalura, who were quite within range, it left. It's sound growing lower as it vanished from their sight.
``T-There are Units here!?´´ - Cole made that question in a bit of a fright; had he known there were Units wandering this Collector, he would had not been as reckless.
``YEs, bUT oNly WOrKeR UNiTs.´´ - Replied Zalura as she put the now-dumbfounded Cole down.
``WOrKeR UNiTs aRE UsUaLly HARmleSs.´´ - She added, making a strong emphasis on the word ''usually''.
``How usually?´´ - Asked Cole as he looked around the corner warily, watching the Unit in the distance.
``If yOU Do nOT AtTaCK tHEm oR mAkE A mesS, yOU WilL bE OKay.´´ - She explained as he picked up something from one of the piles, looked at it and shook her head in disapproval and put it down again.
Cole let out a long sigh before facing Zalura and replying.
``Well, then let's hope we can remain orderly.´´
He said with a bit of sarcasm as he walked towards the nearest tower of junk, with Zalura following not far behind.
···
As he went from tower to tower, tier to tier, pile of junk to pile of junk, Cole's initial impressions of ''Orderliness'' vanished like smoke.
``Hrm.... Nothing but trash here as well.´´ - He muttered as he jumped down from the third tier of a tower to the second, and from there to the ground.
Although it all had looked quite orderly and neatly arranged, there was no ''sense'' to that order; a funnel, a base ball, a dress shoe, some kind of canister and a bent piece of pipe sat inside of a rusty bucket, which stood next to an old tire, some metal plating, a battered drawer-like thing and some kind of unrecognizable chunk of iron, all of it in front of what resembled one of those old telephonic switchboards he had seen on vintage films. It was all an orderly chaos.
``Hahh..... This place is like the lovechild of a garage sale and a flea market was raised by someone with a really serious obsessive-compulsive disorder.´´ - Mumbled Cole as he picked up the base ball and tossed it from hand to hand.
He had already picked up a few objects here and there, but most everything was trash.
``Found anything good?´´ - Shouted Cole upwards to Zalura, who was like four tiers above him, in a rather dull manner.
``NoThINg, bUt I sEE An ARea oVEr tHEre wiTh soMetHInG lARge oN IT. MAybe pArT oF A carRieR oR CrUiSer.´´ - She replied as she climbed down with the nimbleness of a monkey.
``Carrier or cruiser?´´ - Those two words sparked Cole's curiosity. So after tossing the base ball back into the bucket, he followed Zalura towards what she had seen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
``.... Bigger than I had imagined it.´´ - Commented Cole as he gazed at the structure towering before him, despite it being tossed in a hole.
This area was different from the rest; instead of the tiered towers, there where large, shallow and rectangular pits on the ground which resembled to empty metal pools, each containing one specific thing, or more accurately, the large broken parts of one specific thing. This one contained what looked like part of some wrecked spacecraft, about as big as a middle-sized supermarket, with most of it standing out of the pit.
It's original shape was a bit hard to tell apart, as the whole thing had been torn apart like a badly cut sandwich; three broken wings protruded upwards, encircling the mass of torn rooms and corridors that sprawled from their ends.
More than a few lights still seemed to work from inside the rooms; dim and blinking, and sometimes reflecting on the shattered metal furniture around them, but working nonetheless. Which meant it still had power somehow.
``What is it supposed to be, some kind of military battleship?´´ - Asked Cole as he instinctively scanned the wreck for a good place to get into it.
``A cOLoNy TRanSporT.´´
Shaking her head, Zalura replied. And without any further words, she jumped onto the wreck.
``OuLarNian, aNd NOt tOo oLd.´´ - She added as she looked at some sort of sign on one of the corridors' walls.
Her skill to leap and land on her legs like some kind of wildcat was indeed a boon to navigate that pile of jagged metal. Those were the thoughts of Cole as he tried to catch up with her, his backpack not making it any easier.
The corridor they were traversing was leaned onto the right and rather twisted; enough to make some of the wires and plating on the walls to pop off in some places.
Cole followed Zalura without any comments to add; his mind was too busy processing the layout of the place around him, as well as the nervousness that he felt every time he passed by a door.
Although most of them led to a mass of crumpled metal or just to a big fall down, Cole's mind couldn't help but relate the corridor to those of many a Sci-Fi movie involving a killer alien or some other kind of life-threatening danger. The knuckles of his right hand, which held his wrench, turning white from how hard his grip on it was.
Whatever came out one of those, he was ready to beat the ever-loving crap out of it... or at least try so, until Zalura stepped in and gave him a demonstration of how true badassitude was meant to be. He could almost see it happening on his mind.
``Say-´´ - Cole decided to break the almost overwhelming silence.
``Have you ever been in one of these ships before? You seems strangely familiar with the layout of this place.´´
He asked as they reached an intersection. Zalura took the left path without a split second of hesitation.
``I HaVE.´´
It took an awkwardly long instant for her to reply; long enough to make Cole wonder if he had said something he shouldn't have.
``WHen ZALura fiRSt LefT hOme ViLlagE, iT wAS In oNe Of tHeSE. It wAS HaRd.´´
She spoke with a strong air of melancholy; something which Cole found quite unusual of her, as she had always portrayed herself as pretty stoic and cool-headed.
Nonetheless, he sort of had expected her to add something; about her leaving her planet and places she had been to.
According to Desri, she had once been a roving mercenary of sorts, and Cole couldn't help but be a bit curious about her past, as she never said anything.
Before either of them had the chance to add anything, however, they came upon the end of the corridor.
A double door, larger than the ones from the corridor and of a darker, gunmetal-grey hue blocked their way.
*Wreeeoooooonggggkkh!!*
Without uttering a single word, Zalura reached towards the center of the door with all her four arms, taking a short breath before prying them to the side with a horrendous screech. She had put so much force and effort into it that her arms were now pulsating slowly; thousands of wiry veins and muscles twitching under her skin.
``... You really don't talk much, do you?´´ - Commented Cole as he gazed upon what laid beyond the door; a set of dim and almost claustrophobic stairs littered with bits of plating.
Another silence went by as they headed down, leading onto what had probably been the ship's machine room. ''Probably'' being the big word there, as about one-third of the room was gone; its eastern side leading into the void below.
``SpEAkinG iS hArD; hArD To mAKe WoRDs sOuNd RIGht.´´ - She replied; a certain degree of shame visible on her expression.
``I can imagine; must be real hard to speak a language that's not your own all the time.´´ - Cole sounded a bit apologetic.
``By the way, Desri told me about the time he spent on Uluthazcia; place sounds really cool for adventurous types.´´ - He added merrily.
There was more than just a compliment there; he had wanted to say he'd like to see that kind of world himself, but was a bit shy about openly admitting it.
``...´´
Zalura said nothing back; she only gave Cole a short smile before continuing her walk.
Yet another moment of silence went by as they made their way across the destroyed room. Cole stopped for a moment to gaze over the edge of the abyss; a layer of unrecognizable scrap lining the bottom of the pitfall.
``... CAn ZALura aSk CoLe soMeThiNg?´´
She asked suddenly out of the blue, and in a strangely third-person fashion.
``S-Shoot.´´ - The stutter in Cole's casual answer was the proof that it hadn't been so casual.
`` WhY dO yOU alWaYs MakE... liKe NoTHiNg mAkES yOU afRAId?´´ - She inquired slowly, as if making a pause to choose each word from a phrase book.
``I-I don't understand. I do get scared, and plenty of times actually. Like when that Aberration chased me back when we met, or when I was first introduced to Haudrica's favorite sharp objects.´´ - Replied Cole, sliding his thumb across his neck as he said the second half of his answer.
``Ah, nO. ASkeD wROng.´´ - She took a step back, clearly embarrassed, and lowered her head in thought as she rephrased her question.
``WHy yOU So At eaSe wItH LifE oN PhYLaCTerY? ALwaYs aCt LiKe On A coZy HOme.´´
Continued Zalura, her speech becoming more pidgin than usual.
``Haaah...´´
Cole looked away and sighed; his stare becoming lost in the distance. He stood like that for a moment.
``... SORry, sHoULd nOt HaVe ASkeD.´´ - She said as she seemed to retreat from Cole.
``Wait!´´ - This broke him out of his thought reverie.
``It's... not that I don't want to talk about it. It's because... I really don't know what to answer...´´ - Now it was him who was pausing to choose each word.
If Zalura had eyebrows, he was certain that one of them would have risen from his answer.
The silence tried to grow again, but Cole didn't let it.
``Even if this is still a whole new experience for me, I sometimes feel strangely familiar with it all; It's not the first time in my life when I have to leave everything I ever knew behind without as much of as a warning, let alone a choice...´´ - He explained as he leaned onto the cold, metal wall.
``Long story short, I ran from my home as teen; with nothing but the clothes on my back and the determination to survive in a world that wouldn't give a damn if I just vanished from it. Not too different from what we have now, is it?´´
Narrated Cole, putting a bit a sense of irony on his last sentence.
``DEsri tOLd mE yOU HaTe YoUr SIbliNgS.´´ - Stated Zalura as she reached for some kind of locker that was embedded onto the wall.
``Uhu, guilty as charged....´´ - Cole made the mental note of never telling Desri anything he wanted to keep secret.
``In the end, I found myself a job and a place to live, as well as made some new friends there.´´ - Continued Cole as he peeked curiously into the locker as Zalura forced it open.
``And before I had even realized, I had gotten a whole new life that wasn't half bad; I had a home, friends, cash for my hobbies and a job I enjoyed.´´
He added as he saw Zalura pull out some nondescript metal parts from the locker, and realized that there were a few lockers like that one on the wall he was leaning on. He couldn't help but wonder what they were for.
``I'm a simple man; I don't need much in my life to be happy. And honestly, save for the murderous monstrosities and bone-snapping killer robots, it ain't too different here.... Maybe that's why I don't really mind this place, and I enjoy being around you guys.´´
Cole said that last part with a bit of embarrassment, yet those were his honest feelings.
``EVen wIth HauDRIca tRyINg tO KiLL yOU?´´ - Jested Zalura, an amused grin finding its way to her face.
``Heh, yeah, even like that.´´ - ''She just made a joke!'' Cole thought as he laughed a bit while replying.
···
Whatever Zalura had been looking for in the machine room, she didn't find it. So they moved towards the upper part of the wreck instead, which involved more than one Parkour stunt of jagged metal climbing.
``Whew!´´ - Sighed Cole as Zalura put him down. They had just climbed in through a broken window.
The place they were at was lined with consoles and other control devices of some sort, along with a couple smashed chairs.
``Is this the Bridge?´´ - He asked as he looked at one of the consoles. There were still more than a few lights blinking on it and screens with what probably were error messages.
``DeFEnsE cONtrOL aND SecUrIty.´´ - Replied Zalura as she immediately headed towards a row of tall cabinets that lined the nearby wall beyond a small security cage.
As Zalura tore through the cage, Cole stayed near the windows, looking at the half broken consoles.
While they were just as full of incomprehensible screens and buttons, the overall design was quite different from the ones of the Organic Collector's control rooms. More than anything, these consoles looked much more ''Hi-Tech''; they had a much more sleek and orderly layout; like that of an expensive PC, while the ones in the Organic Collector looked like something out of a 70s Sci-Fi film; blocks of beige metal with lots of gauges and switches.
*Bang, bang!*
But his detailed analysis of the consoles was halted by two echoing strikes of metal.
``......´´
Accompanied by a sigh of frustration and an expression just as frustrated, Zalura had tried to punch the lockers open, but no avail.
These lockers didn't look any different from the ones in the machine room, however; a small access panel with a screen and a slot of sorts. It made no sense why not even Zalura's herculean strength managed to open it.
``Need a hand?´´ - Asked Cole as he approached to her.
``NoT rEaLLy.´´
Zalura replied while exerting more force onto the locker's door, but it wasn't budging. She finally had to stop as she ran out of breath.
``Mind if I take a more cautious approach?´´ - Asked Cole yet again.
Zalura panted a few times before replying.
``GoOd LUck.´´ - She said so dismissively as Cole began to look closer at the locker.
The only difference Cole could spot between this lockers and the ones below was that the panels of these ones were active, while those of the ones in the machine room were dark.
``Hm, these seem pretty sturd-whoa!´´
Without much thinking, Cole lightly tapped the locker's door with his wrench, only to find it sticking to it like a magnet to a freezer, and it took considerable strength to remove it from there.
``So, that's the trick, eh? These lockers use magnets to secure their doors. And between that and these panels, I am to assume they are powered somehow...´´ - Muttered Cole as his attention shifted back to the consoles.
``I think I found the problem here.´´ - Said Cole as he walked towards the consoles.
``Zalura, can you tell me what does it say on these screens?´´ - Asked Cole as he pointed to one of the largest screens still functioning.
There was a message flashing on the screen; some blinking while lines of text over a red background on it, and even if Cole couldn't read it, he could tell that all of the smaller screens on the consoles had the very same message based on the symbols' shape alone.
``It sAyS...´´ - Replied Zalura as she got closer to the screen.
``HUll iNteGRiTy COmProMiSeD.... AuXILiaRly Su.... SuBsySteMs NoN...rESpOnsIVe... eMeRgeNCy POwEr In UsE... CoRE LOcKdoWn iN EfFeCt.´´
She read loudly and slowly while tracing each line with one of her index fingers.
``Had the feeling it was something like that.´´ - Commented Cole as he put down his duffelbag, taking a nail puller from it before crawling under the console.
``I'll try and see if I can somehow power this whole thing down, maybe they'll lose power and open.´´ - He added as he poked around the underside of the console with his nail puller; looking for something he could pry open.
``Gotcha.´´ - It didn't take long to find it.
``Urrk... gah!´´ - But his strength wasn't enough to force it open.
``NeEd A haND?´´
Zalura asked that with a bit of amusement.
``Yes really.´´ - And Cole didn't let the irony go waste.
Once Cole was out of the way, Zalura yanked the nail puller with full force.
*Groaan... tlank!*
And after a bit of resistance, a whole section of the console's underside had been ripped away, along with some internal wires. It had been such a forceful tear that some of the screen had gone dark; a slight smokey smell filled the air.
``Whew, that was some percussive maintenance.´´ - Jested Cole as he took the nail puller and got under the console again, mindfully dodging all the hanging wires that now hung down from it.
Concentric to the largest parts of the console there were some kind of metallic disks about the size of a small pizza, each with handles on the sides. Three of them in total.
``Out you go!´´ - Said Cole as he pulled the leftmost one out. It was heavy, but it slid with ease, and it was a bit taller than he had expected.
*Waaaaaoooooonn.....*
The unmistakable sound of a machine powering down filled the room, which became a bit more silent.
``Seems I pulled the plug.´´ - Thought Cole as he did the same with the other two disks.
Soon enough, even the room's lights went out; the area was fully silent now.
``Hm, guess I overdid it.´´ - Said Cole as he crawled out from under the console. A tinge of guilt permeating his words.
``IT iS OkAY.´´ - Replied Zalura from some unseen place; the room was now so dark Cole couldn't even see her.
He turned on his Zap-Light and looked around. Zalura was back at the lockers, all of which had already opened, and she was holding some kind of weapon, two of them in fact.
From the distance, it was the shine of their chassis, polished to a mirror-like shine, what was more noticeable. Specially given how it reflected the Zap-Light's shine.
The chassis itself was not too different of a human-made assault rifle, with the exception that its ''barrel'' was angled on the sides and extended back to the very stock. Around the trigger area, a sturdy handle was overshadowed by a set of plates that seemed to serve as a hand-guard of sorts, or perhaps part of the aiming mechanism. These parts weren't polished like the rest of the gun, but of a deep coal-black color.
Overall, it was a weapon of a rather human-ish design; similar in design to many ''Plasma Rifles'' from Sci-Fi movies and games he knew. But as Cole wondered why it didn't have a more ''alien'' design, he remembered that the ship was of Oularnian made, just like Tetlekar, and he looked almost human, so maybe the other Oularnians were as well.
``Those look pretty powerful.´´ - He said as he walked over to where Zalura was.
``ThEy aRE.´´ - She replied as she held two of them in a firing position, one on each set of arms.
``ZeTt'erhLan CascaDe ProJectorS.´´ - Those three words sounded unusually well pronounced.
``TheY cUT ThOroUgH mOsT sHieLdIng WIth eASe, maKiNG wOunDs tHat bLeEd LOts And HEaL sLoW. MY PeoPLE cAll thEm ''Zh'aC Pu''.´´
The way in which Zalura explained it carried that unique kind of pride born from the kind of experience which only war veterans or retired soldiers can boast. Cole couldn't help but feel some awe.
``Good thing you found such a treasure. Let's hope I'm just as lucky.´´ - Commented Cole as he got a bit closer to see them in detail. They also had a scope of sorts.
For a moment, however, Zalura seemed confused.
``WiLL COle LeAvE tHosE BEhinD?´´ - She asked as she pointed to those three ''caps'' that Cole had removed from the console.
``These? A-Are they useful for something? Should I be taking them?´´
Stunned by the sudden inquiry, Cole picked up one of the caps from the ground as he asked those questions.
``XaLaTAn pOwER CoReS. VeRY lOng-LasTIng eNerGy SOUrcEs.´´ - Explained Zalura as she began packing a series of tightly packed, bright purple canisters she had also taken from the lockers. Perhaps the ammo for those weapons.
``What? This is a battery!? I thought it was a fuse or something.´´ - Cole almost shouted those sentences as a smile formed on his face.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
``Heyo, catch!´´ - Shouted Cole as he flung his duffelbag towards Zalura, who was already on the ground. These ''Xalatan Power Cores'' (or XPCs as he had already been dubbing them) had made his already-hefty bag even heavier, and it would had made climbing down that wrecked ship much harder.
``ShaLL ZALura aND COle hEaD BacK?´´ - She asked, catching the duffelbag with ease.
``Yeah.´´ - Replied Cole as he landed from a small jump.
``We're already pretty loaded so, let's just rest a bit and-´´ - His sentence was interrupted the moment he noticed some strange movement up ahead.
*Weonweonweon*
It was barely visible and almost inaudible but of about half a dozen of Worker Units had gathered around the foot of one of the towers, all of them acting rather agitated.
``What's going there?´´ - Asked Cole as he pointed towards the Units.
Zalura focused her sight on them for a moment before speaking.
``CAnNot sEE. WiLL geT cLosE ANd cHeCK.´´
``Wait!´´
Zalura had already taken the first step when Cole motioned her to stop, before reaching for a pair of binoculars that hung from his duffelbag.
``Better check from here first.´´ - He said as he put them to his eyes, adjusting the distance. He was already quite glad of having grabbed those from one of the trash towers.
While from the distance all that was visible was the chaotic coterie of Worker Units, the binoculars revealed a notably different Unit standing amidst them.
It was more or less one head taller than the Worker Units and its slimmer body frame made stood out against the more stubby other Units. It also seemed to be carrying something.
``WhAT Do yOU sEe?´´ - Asked Zalura in a tone of worry.
``There's a new Unit there, it's bigger than the others and-´´ - As Cole was saying this, the tall Unit turned around, enabling him to see what it was carrying.
``-it looks like it has a shield of sorts.´´
Zalura's eyes widened in shock as Cole put down his binoculars to look at her.
``SEcuRItY UNiT!´´ - She exclaimed, and Cole could almost feel the blood of his face draining away as he remembered one particular phrase from Tetlekar.
``''We're lucky it wasn't a Cleaner Unit or Security Unit, else we wouldn't be having this conversation now.''´´
That memory echoed with fear.
``W-What do we do? That was the way out.´´ - Asked Cole as he reached for his wrench, although this time he doubted it'd be of use.
``LEt US MOve InTo tHAt PiT. SEcuRItY UNiTs oNly aTtacK yOu iF tHEy seE YoUr boDY. ´´ - Commanded Zalura as she pointed to another square pit right in front of them. Cole didn't wait a second to follow her lead.
···
Despite their depth, the walls of the pits weren't fully vertical but had a considerable slope, somewhere around sixty degrees. This, combined with the fact the walls were quite bumpy and somewhat stepped made for a rather easy descent.
``FoR nOW, SHouLd ResT oN wReCK OvEr THEre. WaTCh UNiTs FroM AFaR.´´ - Said Zalura as both she and Cole picked up their packs, which they had sent sliding into the pit before coming down.
``Mhm, and who knows, maybe we'll find some-´´ - Cole's words froze in his mouth as he turned around and saw the aforementioned wreck.
He had seen them in movies, documentaries and even parts of them on large-scale boneyards, but he had never seen one of them face to face, or more specifically, face to fuselage.
``Holy scrap.´´ - That pun came out unconsciously.
``It's a B-29!´´
It was glass nose, which had always reminded him of a greenhouse, what made his mind connect the dots.
``Is thAT whAT tHis CRaFt iS cAlLed?´´ - Zalura sounded quite interested.
``Yes, it's the mighty ''Superfortress''!´´ - Announced Cole in a tone that oozed with nerd pride.
``IT... dOeS nOT LoOk VEry STRonG...´´ - She commented politely, as if frightful to offend Cole.
``Well, this thing's probably thrice my age, so it shouldn't be surprising it's battered.´´ - He added as they walked towards the wreck.
Unlike the colony transport spaceship from before, whose over-sized wreck towered out of the pit it had been placed into, this old-time relic of war just laid humbly at the bottom of its pit.
It back had snapped in the middle and its wings, weighted by its massive turbines, had come down as rust and decay overtook the metal. Other than that, it looked fairly well-preserved; its paint was still quite visible, and to much of Cole's surprise, instead of the usual star insignia of the USAF, this bomber wore the tricolor roundel of the British RAF. What wasn't missing, however, was the usual ''pin-up'' nose art, still perfectly visible despite the years of decay.
A drawing of a voluptuous blond woman clad in a bunny girl outfit, with one foot on top of a large bomb while pushing her breasts up. The words ''Bunny Buns Bring Bombs'' painted over her head in red and yellow letters didn't fail to make Cole chuckle with its clever alliteration.
``DO hUmAN FEmaLeS aLsO cOUrT THeiR mALes ?´ - There was a tinge of familiarity mixed with curiosity as Zalura made that question.
``Well... yes, but not always. It's... usually us guys who do the courting and stuff.... Not like I know much about it.´´ - Replied Cole slowly, saying that last sentence low enough for Zalura to not hear it.
``...´´
But instead of a reply, she put her upper right hand to her chin and pondered in silence.
``... BuT, tHEn I DOn't uNdeRStaNd.´´ - She said, before Cole had the chance to say something else.
``If hUmAN FEmaLeS dO noT CouRt thEIr mALes, ThEn wHy ZALura saW mAnY dePicTionS oF HUmaNs feMALes iN maTinG RItuAls oN DEviCe COle gAve TEtLekar. WHat diD COle uSe tHOse foR?´´ - Zalura made that unusually long comment and that question with the kind of deadpan expression that would've made a deaf man think she was asking Cole to tell her the time.
``T-T-T-That is....!´´ - He had never stuttered that much before. Cole could feel his whole face turning red up to the ears.
``T-That's something we humans don't talk about! Specially in front of a woman of any kind...´´ - He replied as he covered his face shamefully; he simply couldn't stomach the idea of having to explain Zalura what porn was used for.
At that moment, he would had been quite happy if the Phylactery's hull had just breached where he was standing and dumped him into space.
``IS tHaT So? SOrry...´´ - Thankfully, she was quick to control her curiosity.
``Haaah... Seriously, why didn't I delete it all?´´ - Thought Cole as they made their way inside of the plane.
···
The inside of the plane was a complete mess; some unusual and rather large machines that had originally lined the walls had now come out and fallen all over the plane cargo compartment. There was also paper; lots and lots of yellowed papers and folders littered all over, filling every nook and cranny they could fit into. Overall, it was a rather claustrophobia-inducing place.
But perhaps even stranger than all that litter was the complete absence of weaponry; the side guns were missing, although the racks where they had once been placed were still there, and the entire sighting platform for the upper back turret deck had been repurposed for what seemed like a telescope of sorts.
``What the hell was going on here?´´ - Mumbled Cole as he picked up a random piece of paper from the ground, which almost crumbled on his hand.
Whatever had once been written on it had faded almost to the point of illegibility; all he could make out where some long tabulated charts filled with numbers... and the date it had been written.
``March 17 of.... 1952!?´´ - The points finally connected in his mind.
``So... not WWII but Cold War era, huh? Wonder what this was. A communication plane? An espionage one?´´ - He mumbled as he dropped the piece of paper and began to make his way upwards. The origins and story of this plane certainly drew his curiosity, but there were more important things on his mind.
``WHere aRE wE heAdiNg to?´´ - Asked Zalura as she followed Cole, both wading through the ankle-deep pile of papers and scrap.
``To the cabin; there will probably be two comfortable seats to rest, as well as a good point of vantage to watch for the Units.´´ - Replied Cole as he pushed upwards.
As they advanced, the litter of papers and machines gave way to some more piled-up machines blocking the way which Zalura had to push away so they could keep moving forward.
Following the machines and a broken airlock came a dozen musty and dusty cots, some of them littered with books, clothes and even some long-since-faded photos.
And yet, even upon arriving at the cockpit, there was still no sign of any crew, dead or otherwise. He had steeled his mind for the prospect of finding at least one skeleton there, but as he climbed the surprisingly-still-sturdy ladder leading into the cockpit, he simply came to the conclusion that, if the crew lived through whatever the Phylactery did to them, they probably didn't stay in the plane.
The cockpit was perhaps the most intact part of the plane, not counting the shattered glass nose and the omnipresent rust. And given the way the engine throttle levers were left, this plane was caught in mid-flight.
``Whew, finally some respite.´´ - Said Cole as he practically collapsed into the radio operator's seat. Zalura, on the other hand, spent a moment curiously inspecting all the machines. This plane's workings seemed to puzzle her as much as those of that colony transport did Cole.
···
For a while, only the sounds of chewing, along with a rare creak of metal, was all that filled the ambiance.
The quantity of meat Zalura had brought for herself was almost a whole haunch of a large Aberration, and yet she devoured it entirely as Cole munched through his strips of Aber-Ration jerky.
Feeling his stomach full and his energy recovered, Cole climbed on top of the cockpit to spy on the Security Unit. From what he had managed to see, it was somehow damaged, but Zalura had already told him that such only made it even more dangerous. The Worker Units were apparently towing it to somewhere, so now it was all about leaving the NVSC5 unnoticed.
``Hmm... seems it'll be all about speed, or maybe we could take another path around them and avoid getting into their line of sight.´´ - Said Cole as he came down, this time laying on the copilot's seat.
Zalura gave a nod as she replied.
``MaYbe CoULd aLso diStrACt tHem. ''UNitS wILl COme tO CHeCk aNyTHing tHAt iS hOt oR LoUD.'', oR So sAiD HauDRIca onCe.´´ - She made that quote in a rather brusque manner, perhaps reflecting its original source.
Cole couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
``Heh, guess she says stuff other than ''I'll lop your head from your shoulders!'' now and then.´´ - He said, trying to mimic Haudrica's tone and failing.
``....´´
But an awkward silence fell as he finished his phrase.
``... Say, can I ask you something?´´ - Cole turned to face Zalura as he spoke; his expression deadly serious. She merely replied with an affirmative nod.
``You... seem to get along pretty well with Haudrica, right?´´ - Said Cole somewhat nervously.
``EAch reSpECts tHe StReNgTH oF tHE OtHer.´´
Zalura's reply was rather solemn.
``So, do you happen to know why she despises me so much? She seems to hate me more than anything in this world, yet refuses to tell me why.´´
He finally let out that one question.
``....´´
Zalura remained silent for a moment; her stoic expression making hard for Cole to discern if she had been offended by the inquiry, or simply worried about what to reply.
``SoRRy... ´´
More than sounding apologetic, she sounded nervous.
``Haaah.... Figures. I still don't understand how I am supposed to get along with her if nobody tells me shit about what to do.´´ - Replied Cole in frustration.
``NO, noT thAT. LoOK.´´ - But Zalura was quick to correct herself.
As Cole turned around, she was pointing to a tiny device clasped to the edge of her jacket's neck.
From afar, it looked remarkably similar in size and shape to a Hands Free, but its design was clearly not human-made. There was a sort of light on it, blinking yellow and red.
Cole had seen her manipulate it from the very moment they met, and he had often wondered about its function.
``EcHO pRoCceSOr, LoW pOwER. SToRy lOng. No TAlk mUCh nOw.´´
And now he knew it. Zalura's speech had just worsened dramatically.
However, just as it looked like she was about to say something else, she arose from her seat and gazed out through the broken glass, focusing on something at the distance.
``WilL tEll COle lAtEr. NoW wE LeaVE.´´ - Her voice suddenly took a rather concerning mixture of worried and alert.
``What's wrong? Did the Units move again?´´ - Asked Cole as he reached for his binoculars and tried to focus on the Units.
While the Security Unit hadn't moved from its place, there was an odd increase in the number of Worker Units around them, as if they were gathering near it.
``Why so many of them now?´´ - Asked Cole as he tried to count the Units. He had already counted over 20.
``CoMe tO PRotEct dAmaGed MAsTeR.´´ - Replied Zalura, whom had already picked up her pack, and was preparing to head down.
``Ok, just let me grab a few things. I may also have found a way to distract the Units if we need to.´´ - Said Cole as he did the same and followed after her, but not without picking up one particular tool that hung from the cockpit's wall.
``HoW?´´ - Asked Zalura from the bottom of the ladder.
``With this!´´ - Cole proudly showed what he was holding; a flare gun.
``Haudrica said they like heat and noise, right? Flares have plenty of both.´´ - He continued as he came down the ladder.
``Problem is, even if this box has eight of them, it has been here for over half a century, so there's always a chance of them not working.´´ - He loaded one in the gun as he spoke.
``OKay.´´ - Zalura's replies were getting even shorter.
With the Units gathering around them and Zalura's ''speech device'' running low on batteries, if Cole wanted to end this expedition on a good note, they had to leave immediately, and all he could do was hope his plan would work.
<End of Chapter 6>
Many a brave explorer will say that curiosity is the force that leads to new discoveries, but what they often fail to say is how addictive such force can become. And dangerous if accompanied by recklessness.
``Hmm-hmhmhm-hm~♪. ´´
Humming a tuneless melody, Cole packed the tools he couldn't fit on his belt within a rusty but still-sturdy toolbox he came come to, and placed it inside of the duffel bag where he had already stashed a blanket, two water bottles and a sandwich box containing what he had dubbed as ''Aber-Rations''; the more tasty parts of the aberrations meat which Tetlekar had somehow turned into a kind of jerky.
``Hehe, adventuring supplies.´´ - Said Cole to himself as he zipped the bag up. A smug smile forming on his face.
The idea of going to visit a junkyard he had never been to before always gave him the kind of eager expectations a kid has on Christmas Morning, even when said job was being pushed onto him by his boss or his lazy co-worker. And such eagerness hadn't left his mind since Tetlekar had told him of the other Salvage Collectors.
Without further ado, he zipped up the bag and put it on his back, almost falling over for a moment due to its weight.
···
Minding each and every step, Cole advanced through the dimly lit corridor. His trusty wrench in one hand and his Zap-Light in the other, and stopping only to look at the copy of Tetlekar's map he had scribbled on his notebook.
While he had been told that there shouldn't be any aberrations or Units on those corridors, the same they had thought of both the Organic Collector and the Cryovaults Corridor; there was always the chance of the unforeseen.
``Hm, left, right, straight.....´´
He gave the map a quick look before continuing.
``And now left aga-mhpft.´´
But as he turned around, he crashed literally headlong into something.
``Whoa!´´ - Jumping back with a shout, Cole pointed his Zap-Light forward, ready to stun whatever he had crashed into and run away. Or at least, that would had been his intention if that ''something'' hadn't called him out.
``ColE, yOu aRe heRE?.´´ - Zalura seemed just as surprised as him.
She was carrying a rucksack over her shoulder in her upper left arm, and a sort of jagged metal spear on both her right ones.
``Holy shit, girl. You almost gave me a heart attack.´´ - Cole put his hand on his chest as he spoke, feeling his cardiac machine-gun.
``SOrry.´´ - She apologized as she lowered her weapon.
``Don't worry about it. So, did Tetlekar send you here to watch over me?´´
There was a feeling of annoyance at his words, but they weren't towards Zalura herself.
``No, CAme loOkINg fOr a nEW weApoN.´´ - She replied calmly, as if somehow feeling Cole's annoyance.
``Well, the more the merrier then, and better if we run into any nasty critters.´´ - Said Cole as he moved towards the half-open shutter of the Salvage Collector.
Unlike the large shutter of the NVSC9, this place had two smaller shutters, one after the other, with the chamber connecting them seeming like some sort of security checkpoint, clearly long-deserted.
The second shutter had been torn open by something, and now only a large metal plate, which Zalura lifted with ease, served as the door.
``Go iN.´´ - She said as she motioned Cole to enter through the opening which, after a short crawl, had them both blinded with light.
Perhaps the first difference that Cole spotted on the NVSC5 was how brightly lit it was; a set of floodlights on its ceiling made the place as bright as a stadium. However, it was after his eyes adapted to the blinding light that he truly beheld the place before him.
``Holy crap on a stick... with bacon!´´
Even those words didn't do justice to the amount of amazement that overwhelmed Cole.
Unlike the very junkyard-y mess of the NVSC9, everything in this place was arranged in a sort of towering metallic platforms that formed a labyrinth that extended beyond what the eyes could make out. Each ''tower'' had at least five tiers, while some wider ones went as far as seven; they were all connected by a series of ladders and each bearing a neatly arranged pile of more components than what Cole's mind could even hope to process.
For a moment, the smiling, mustachioed face of his boss came to mind; he was always very orderly about all the stuff in his junkyard, almost to the point of obsession. So it wasn't hard for Cole to imagine the gleeful smile his boss would had worn had he been in his shoes, although it would most likely not be as wide and gleeful as the one he himself was already sporting.
``Oh boy....´´ - Said Cole as he twirled his wrench with his index finger, like a Wild West Outlaw with a gun.
``... It's wrench time!´´ - He declared boldly as he dashed away.
``StOP!´´
Or at least, he would had if Zalura hadn't grabbed him by the neck of his jumpsuit, stopping his advance. Her voice carried a tone of warning.
``LoOk oUt.´´ - She said as she pointed forwards with her two right hands.
And before Cole had the chance to ask what was going on, he heard it.
*Hoohuumhoohuum*
That now-bloodcurdling humming sound so characteristic of a Unit, getting closer at great speed.
*HOOHUUMHOOHUUM*
With its signature sound echoing around, an Unit carrying a small metal box approached to the foot of a nearby tower. It placed the box it was carrying on top of another bigger box that was on the pile there, and without as much as turning towards Cole and Zalura, who were quite within range, it left. It's sound growing lower as it vanished from their sight.
``T-There are Units here!?´´ - Cole made that question in a bit of a fright; had he known there were Units wandering this Collector, he would had not been as reckless.
``YEs, bUT oNly WOrKeR UNiTs.´´ - Replied Zalura as she put the now-dumbfounded Cole down.
``WOrKeR UNiTs aRE UsUaLly HARmleSs.´´ - She added, making a strong emphasis on the word ''usually''.
``How usually?´´ - Asked Cole as he looked around the corner warily, watching the Unit in the distance.
``If yOU Do nOT AtTaCK tHEm oR mAkE A mesS, yOU WilL bE OKay.´´ - She explained as he picked up something from one of the piles, looked at it and shook her head in disapproval and put it down again.
Cole let out a long sigh before facing Zalura and replying.
``Well, then let's hope we can remain orderly.´´
He said with a bit of sarcasm as he walked towards the nearest tower of junk, with Zalura following not far behind.
···
As he went from tower to tower, tier to tier, pile of junk to pile of junk, Cole's initial impressions of ''Orderliness'' vanished like smoke.
``Hrm.... Nothing but trash here as well.´´ - He muttered as he jumped down from the third tier of a tower to the second, and from there to the ground.
Although it all had looked quite orderly and neatly arranged, there was no ''sense'' to that order; a funnel, a base ball, a dress shoe, some kind of canister and a bent piece of pipe sat inside of a rusty bucket, which stood next to an old tire, some metal plating, a battered drawer-like thing and some kind of unrecognizable chunk of iron, all of it in front of what resembled one of those old telephonic switchboards he had seen on vintage films. It was all an orderly chaos.
``Hahh..... This place is like the lovechild of a garage sale and a flea market was raised by someone with a really serious obsessive-compulsive disorder.´´ - Mumbled Cole as he picked up the base ball and tossed it from hand to hand.
He had already picked up a few objects here and there, but most everything was trash.
``Found anything good?´´ - Shouted Cole upwards to Zalura, who was like four tiers above him, in a rather dull manner.
``NoThINg, bUt I sEE An ARea oVEr tHEre wiTh soMetHInG lARge oN IT. MAybe pArT oF A carRieR oR CrUiSer.´´ - She replied as she climbed down with the nimbleness of a monkey.
``Carrier or cruiser?´´ - Those two words sparked Cole's curiosity. So after tossing the base ball back into the bucket, he followed Zalura towards what she had seen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
``.... Bigger than I had imagined it.´´ - Commented Cole as he gazed at the structure towering before him, despite it being tossed in a hole.
This area was different from the rest; instead of the tiered towers, there where large, shallow and rectangular pits on the ground which resembled to empty metal pools, each containing one specific thing, or more accurately, the large broken parts of one specific thing. This one contained what looked like part of some wrecked spacecraft, about as big as a middle-sized supermarket, with most of it standing out of the pit.
It's original shape was a bit hard to tell apart, as the whole thing had been torn apart like a badly cut sandwich; three broken wings protruded upwards, encircling the mass of torn rooms and corridors that sprawled from their ends.
More than a few lights still seemed to work from inside the rooms; dim and blinking, and sometimes reflecting on the shattered metal furniture around them, but working nonetheless. Which meant it still had power somehow.
``What is it supposed to be, some kind of military battleship?´´ - Asked Cole as he instinctively scanned the wreck for a good place to get into it.
``A cOLoNy TRanSporT.´´
Shaking her head, Zalura replied. And without any further words, she jumped onto the wreck.
``OuLarNian, aNd NOt tOo oLd.´´ - She added as she looked at some sort of sign on one of the corridors' walls.
Her skill to leap and land on her legs like some kind of wildcat was indeed a boon to navigate that pile of jagged metal. Those were the thoughts of Cole as he tried to catch up with her, his backpack not making it any easier.
The corridor they were traversing was leaned onto the right and rather twisted; enough to make some of the wires and plating on the walls to pop off in some places.
Cole followed Zalura without any comments to add; his mind was too busy processing the layout of the place around him, as well as the nervousness that he felt every time he passed by a door.
Although most of them led to a mass of crumpled metal or just to a big fall down, Cole's mind couldn't help but relate the corridor to those of many a Sci-Fi movie involving a killer alien or some other kind of life-threatening danger. The knuckles of his right hand, which held his wrench, turning white from how hard his grip on it was.
Whatever came out one of those, he was ready to beat the ever-loving crap out of it... or at least try so, until Zalura stepped in and gave him a demonstration of how true badassitude was meant to be. He could almost see it happening on his mind.
``Say-´´ - Cole decided to break the almost overwhelming silence.
``Have you ever been in one of these ships before? You seems strangely familiar with the layout of this place.´´
He asked as they reached an intersection. Zalura took the left path without a split second of hesitation.
``I HaVE.´´
It took an awkwardly long instant for her to reply; long enough to make Cole wonder if he had said something he shouldn't have.
``WHen ZALura fiRSt LefT hOme ViLlagE, iT wAS In oNe Of tHeSE. It wAS HaRd.´´
She spoke with a strong air of melancholy; something which Cole found quite unusual of her, as she had always portrayed herself as pretty stoic and cool-headed.
Nonetheless, he sort of had expected her to add something; about her leaving her planet and places she had been to.
According to Desri, she had once been a roving mercenary of sorts, and Cole couldn't help but be a bit curious about her past, as she never said anything.
Before either of them had the chance to add anything, however, they came upon the end of the corridor.
A double door, larger than the ones from the corridor and of a darker, gunmetal-grey hue blocked their way.
*Wreeeoooooonggggkkh!!*
Without uttering a single word, Zalura reached towards the center of the door with all her four arms, taking a short breath before prying them to the side with a horrendous screech. She had put so much force and effort into it that her arms were now pulsating slowly; thousands of wiry veins and muscles twitching under her skin.
``... You really don't talk much, do you?´´ - Commented Cole as he gazed upon what laid beyond the door; a set of dim and almost claustrophobic stairs littered with bits of plating.
Another silence went by as they headed down, leading onto what had probably been the ship's machine room. ''Probably'' being the big word there, as about one-third of the room was gone; its eastern side leading into the void below.
``SpEAkinG iS hArD; hArD To mAKe WoRDs sOuNd RIGht.´´ - She replied; a certain degree of shame visible on her expression.
``I can imagine; must be real hard to speak a language that's not your own all the time.´´ - Cole sounded a bit apologetic.
``By the way, Desri told me about the time he spent on Uluthazcia; place sounds really cool for adventurous types.´´ - He added merrily.
There was more than just a compliment there; he had wanted to say he'd like to see that kind of world himself, but was a bit shy about openly admitting it.
``...´´
Zalura said nothing back; she only gave Cole a short smile before continuing her walk.
Yet another moment of silence went by as they made their way across the destroyed room. Cole stopped for a moment to gaze over the edge of the abyss; a layer of unrecognizable scrap lining the bottom of the pitfall.
``... CAn ZALura aSk CoLe soMeThiNg?´´
She asked suddenly out of the blue, and in a strangely third-person fashion.
``S-Shoot.´´ - The stutter in Cole's casual answer was the proof that it hadn't been so casual.
`` WhY dO yOU alWaYs MakE... liKe NoTHiNg mAkES yOU afRAId?´´ - She inquired slowly, as if making a pause to choose each word from a phrase book.
``I-I don't understand. I do get scared, and plenty of times actually. Like when that Aberration chased me back when we met, or when I was first introduced to Haudrica's favorite sharp objects.´´ - Replied Cole, sliding his thumb across his neck as he said the second half of his answer.
``Ah, nO. ASkeD wROng.´´ - She took a step back, clearly embarrassed, and lowered her head in thought as she rephrased her question.
``WHy yOU So At eaSe wItH LifE oN PhYLaCTerY? ALwaYs aCt LiKe On A coZy HOme.´´
Continued Zalura, her speech becoming more pidgin than usual.
``Haaah...´´
Cole looked away and sighed; his stare becoming lost in the distance. He stood like that for a moment.
``... SORry, sHoULd nOt HaVe ASkeD.´´ - She said as she seemed to retreat from Cole.
``Wait!´´ - This broke him out of his thought reverie.
``It's... not that I don't want to talk about it. It's because... I really don't know what to answer...´´ - Now it was him who was pausing to choose each word.
If Zalura had eyebrows, he was certain that one of them would have risen from his answer.
The silence tried to grow again, but Cole didn't let it.
``Even if this is still a whole new experience for me, I sometimes feel strangely familiar with it all; It's not the first time in my life when I have to leave everything I ever knew behind without as much of as a warning, let alone a choice...´´ - He explained as he leaned onto the cold, metal wall.
``Long story short, I ran from my home as teen; with nothing but the clothes on my back and the determination to survive in a world that wouldn't give a damn if I just vanished from it. Not too different from what we have now, is it?´´
Narrated Cole, putting a bit a sense of irony on his last sentence.
``DEsri tOLd mE yOU HaTe YoUr SIbliNgS.´´ - Stated Zalura as she reached for some kind of locker that was embedded onto the wall.
``Uhu, guilty as charged....´´ - Cole made the mental note of never telling Desri anything he wanted to keep secret.
``In the end, I found myself a job and a place to live, as well as made some new friends there.´´ - Continued Cole as he peeked curiously into the locker as Zalura forced it open.
``And before I had even realized, I had gotten a whole new life that wasn't half bad; I had a home, friends, cash for my hobbies and a job I enjoyed.´´
He added as he saw Zalura pull out some nondescript metal parts from the locker, and realized that there were a few lockers like that one on the wall he was leaning on. He couldn't help but wonder what they were for.
``I'm a simple man; I don't need much in my life to be happy. And honestly, save for the murderous monstrosities and bone-snapping killer robots, it ain't too different here.... Maybe that's why I don't really mind this place, and I enjoy being around you guys.´´
Cole said that last part with a bit of embarrassment, yet those were his honest feelings.
``EVen wIth HauDRIca tRyINg tO KiLL yOU?´´ - Jested Zalura, an amused grin finding its way to her face.
``Heh, yeah, even like that.´´ - ''She just made a joke!'' Cole thought as he laughed a bit while replying.
···
Whatever Zalura had been looking for in the machine room, she didn't find it. So they moved towards the upper part of the wreck instead, which involved more than one Parkour stunt of jagged metal climbing.
``Whew!´´ - Sighed Cole as Zalura put him down. They had just climbed in through a broken window.
The place they were at was lined with consoles and other control devices of some sort, along with a couple smashed chairs.
``Is this the Bridge?´´ - He asked as he looked at one of the consoles. There were still more than a few lights blinking on it and screens with what probably were error messages.
``DeFEnsE cONtrOL aND SecUrIty.´´ - Replied Zalura as she immediately headed towards a row of tall cabinets that lined the nearby wall beyond a small security cage.
As Zalura tore through the cage, Cole stayed near the windows, looking at the half broken consoles.
While they were just as full of incomprehensible screens and buttons, the overall design was quite different from the ones of the Organic Collector's control rooms. More than anything, these consoles looked much more ''Hi-Tech''; they had a much more sleek and orderly layout; like that of an expensive PC, while the ones in the Organic Collector looked like something out of a 70s Sci-Fi film; blocks of beige metal with lots of gauges and switches.
*Bang, bang!*
But his detailed analysis of the consoles was halted by two echoing strikes of metal.
``......´´
Accompanied by a sigh of frustration and an expression just as frustrated, Zalura had tried to punch the lockers open, but no avail.
These lockers didn't look any different from the ones in the machine room, however; a small access panel with a screen and a slot of sorts. It made no sense why not even Zalura's herculean strength managed to open it.
``Need a hand?´´ - Asked Cole as he approached to her.
``NoT rEaLLy.´´
Zalura replied while exerting more force onto the locker's door, but it wasn't budging. She finally had to stop as she ran out of breath.
``Mind if I take a more cautious approach?´´ - Asked Cole yet again.
Zalura panted a few times before replying.
``GoOd LUck.´´ - She said so dismissively as Cole began to look closer at the locker.
The only difference Cole could spot between this lockers and the ones below was that the panels of these ones were active, while those of the ones in the machine room were dark.
``Hm, these seem pretty sturd-whoa!´´
Without much thinking, Cole lightly tapped the locker's door with his wrench, only to find it sticking to it like a magnet to a freezer, and it took considerable strength to remove it from there.
``So, that's the trick, eh? These lockers use magnets to secure their doors. And between that and these panels, I am to assume they are powered somehow...´´ - Muttered Cole as his attention shifted back to the consoles.
``I think I found the problem here.´´ - Said Cole as he walked towards the consoles.
``Zalura, can you tell me what does it say on these screens?´´ - Asked Cole as he pointed to one of the largest screens still functioning.
There was a message flashing on the screen; some blinking while lines of text over a red background on it, and even if Cole couldn't read it, he could tell that all of the smaller screens on the consoles had the very same message based on the symbols' shape alone.
``It sAyS...´´ - Replied Zalura as she got closer to the screen.
``HUll iNteGRiTy COmProMiSeD.... AuXILiaRly Su.... SuBsySteMs NoN...rESpOnsIVe... eMeRgeNCy POwEr In UsE... CoRE LOcKdoWn iN EfFeCt.´´
She read loudly and slowly while tracing each line with one of her index fingers.
``Had the feeling it was something like that.´´ - Commented Cole as he put down his duffelbag, taking a nail puller from it before crawling under the console.
``I'll try and see if I can somehow power this whole thing down, maybe they'll lose power and open.´´ - He added as he poked around the underside of the console with his nail puller; looking for something he could pry open.
``Gotcha.´´ - It didn't take long to find it.
``Urrk... gah!´´ - But his strength wasn't enough to force it open.
``NeEd A haND?´´
Zalura asked that with a bit of amusement.
``Yes really.´´ - And Cole didn't let the irony go waste.
Once Cole was out of the way, Zalura yanked the nail puller with full force.
*Groaan... tlank!*
And after a bit of resistance, a whole section of the console's underside had been ripped away, along with some internal wires. It had been such a forceful tear that some of the screen had gone dark; a slight smokey smell filled the air.
``Whew, that was some percussive maintenance.´´ - Jested Cole as he took the nail puller and got under the console again, mindfully dodging all the hanging wires that now hung down from it.
Concentric to the largest parts of the console there were some kind of metallic disks about the size of a small pizza, each with handles on the sides. Three of them in total.
``Out you go!´´ - Said Cole as he pulled the leftmost one out. It was heavy, but it slid with ease, and it was a bit taller than he had expected.
*Waaaaaoooooonn.....*
The unmistakable sound of a machine powering down filled the room, which became a bit more silent.
``Seems I pulled the plug.´´ - Thought Cole as he did the same with the other two disks.
Soon enough, even the room's lights went out; the area was fully silent now.
``Hm, guess I overdid it.´´ - Said Cole as he crawled out from under the console. A tinge of guilt permeating his words.
``IT iS OkAY.´´ - Replied Zalura from some unseen place; the room was now so dark Cole couldn't even see her.
He turned on his Zap-Light and looked around. Zalura was back at the lockers, all of which had already opened, and she was holding some kind of weapon, two of them in fact.
From the distance, it was the shine of their chassis, polished to a mirror-like shine, what was more noticeable. Specially given how it reflected the Zap-Light's shine.
The chassis itself was not too different of a human-made assault rifle, with the exception that its ''barrel'' was angled on the sides and extended back to the very stock. Around the trigger area, a sturdy handle was overshadowed by a set of plates that seemed to serve as a hand-guard of sorts, or perhaps part of the aiming mechanism. These parts weren't polished like the rest of the gun, but of a deep coal-black color.
Overall, it was a weapon of a rather human-ish design; similar in design to many ''Plasma Rifles'' from Sci-Fi movies and games he knew. But as Cole wondered why it didn't have a more ''alien'' design, he remembered that the ship was of Oularnian made, just like Tetlekar, and he looked almost human, so maybe the other Oularnians were as well.
``Those look pretty powerful.´´ - He said as he walked over to where Zalura was.
``ThEy aRE.´´ - She replied as she held two of them in a firing position, one on each set of arms.
``ZeTt'erhLan CascaDe ProJectorS.´´ - Those three words sounded unusually well pronounced.
``TheY cUT ThOroUgH mOsT sHieLdIng WIth eASe, maKiNG wOunDs tHat bLeEd LOts And HEaL sLoW. MY PeoPLE cAll thEm ''Zh'aC Pu''.´´
The way in which Zalura explained it carried that unique kind of pride born from the kind of experience which only war veterans or retired soldiers can boast. Cole couldn't help but feel some awe.
``Good thing you found such a treasure. Let's hope I'm just as lucky.´´ - Commented Cole as he got a bit closer to see them in detail. They also had a scope of sorts.
For a moment, however, Zalura seemed confused.
``WiLL COle LeAvE tHosE BEhinD?´´ - She asked as she pointed to those three ''caps'' that Cole had removed from the console.
``These? A-Are they useful for something? Should I be taking them?´´
Stunned by the sudden inquiry, Cole picked up one of the caps from the ground as he asked those questions.
``XaLaTAn pOwER CoReS. VeRY lOng-LasTIng eNerGy SOUrcEs.´´ - Explained Zalura as she began packing a series of tightly packed, bright purple canisters she had also taken from the lockers. Perhaps the ammo for those weapons.
``What? This is a battery!? I thought it was a fuse or something.´´ - Cole almost shouted those sentences as a smile formed on his face.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
``Heyo, catch!´´ - Shouted Cole as he flung his duffelbag towards Zalura, who was already on the ground. These ''Xalatan Power Cores'' (or XPCs as he had already been dubbing them) had made his already-hefty bag even heavier, and it would had made climbing down that wrecked ship much harder.
``ShaLL ZALura aND COle hEaD BacK?´´ - She asked, catching the duffelbag with ease.
``Yeah.´´ - Replied Cole as he landed from a small jump.
``We're already pretty loaded so, let's just rest a bit and-´´ - His sentence was interrupted the moment he noticed some strange movement up ahead.
*Weonweonweon*
It was barely visible and almost inaudible but of about half a dozen of Worker Units had gathered around the foot of one of the towers, all of them acting rather agitated.
``What's going there?´´ - Asked Cole as he pointed towards the Units.
Zalura focused her sight on them for a moment before speaking.
``CAnNot sEE. WiLL geT cLosE ANd cHeCK.´´
``Wait!´´
Zalura had already taken the first step when Cole motioned her to stop, before reaching for a pair of binoculars that hung from his duffelbag.
``Better check from here first.´´ - He said as he put them to his eyes, adjusting the distance. He was already quite glad of having grabbed those from one of the trash towers.
While from the distance all that was visible was the chaotic coterie of Worker Units, the binoculars revealed a notably different Unit standing amidst them.
It was more or less one head taller than the Worker Units and its slimmer body frame made stood out against the more stubby other Units. It also seemed to be carrying something.
``WhAT Do yOU sEe?´´ - Asked Zalura in a tone of worry.
``There's a new Unit there, it's bigger than the others and-´´ - As Cole was saying this, the tall Unit turned around, enabling him to see what it was carrying.
``-it looks like it has a shield of sorts.´´
Zalura's eyes widened in shock as Cole put down his binoculars to look at her.
``SEcuRItY UNiT!´´ - She exclaimed, and Cole could almost feel the blood of his face draining away as he remembered one particular phrase from Tetlekar.
``''We're lucky it wasn't a Cleaner Unit or Security Unit, else we wouldn't be having this conversation now.''´´
That memory echoed with fear.
``W-What do we do? That was the way out.´´ - Asked Cole as he reached for his wrench, although this time he doubted it'd be of use.
``LEt US MOve InTo tHAt PiT. SEcuRItY UNiTs oNly aTtacK yOu iF tHEy seE YoUr boDY. ´´ - Commanded Zalura as she pointed to another square pit right in front of them. Cole didn't wait a second to follow her lead.
···
Despite their depth, the walls of the pits weren't fully vertical but had a considerable slope, somewhere around sixty degrees. This, combined with the fact the walls were quite bumpy and somewhat stepped made for a rather easy descent.
``FoR nOW, SHouLd ResT oN wReCK OvEr THEre. WaTCh UNiTs FroM AFaR.´´ - Said Zalura as both she and Cole picked up their packs, which they had sent sliding into the pit before coming down.
``Mhm, and who knows, maybe we'll find some-´´ - Cole's words froze in his mouth as he turned around and saw the aforementioned wreck.
He had seen them in movies, documentaries and even parts of them on large-scale boneyards, but he had never seen one of them face to face, or more specifically, face to fuselage.
``Holy scrap.´´ - That pun came out unconsciously.
``It's a B-29!´´
It was glass nose, which had always reminded him of a greenhouse, what made his mind connect the dots.
``Is thAT whAT tHis CRaFt iS cAlLed?´´ - Zalura sounded quite interested.
``Yes, it's the mighty ''Superfortress''!´´ - Announced Cole in a tone that oozed with nerd pride.
``IT... dOeS nOT LoOk VEry STRonG...´´ - She commented politely, as if frightful to offend Cole.
``Well, this thing's probably thrice my age, so it shouldn't be surprising it's battered.´´ - He added as they walked towards the wreck.
Unlike the colony transport spaceship from before, whose over-sized wreck towered out of the pit it had been placed into, this old-time relic of war just laid humbly at the bottom of its pit.
It back had snapped in the middle and its wings, weighted by its massive turbines, had come down as rust and decay overtook the metal. Other than that, it looked fairly well-preserved; its paint was still quite visible, and to much of Cole's surprise, instead of the usual star insignia of the USAF, this bomber wore the tricolor roundel of the British RAF. What wasn't missing, however, was the usual ''pin-up'' nose art, still perfectly visible despite the years of decay.
A drawing of a voluptuous blond woman clad in a bunny girl outfit, with one foot on top of a large bomb while pushing her breasts up. The words ''Bunny Buns Bring Bombs'' painted over her head in red and yellow letters didn't fail to make Cole chuckle with its clever alliteration.
``DO hUmAN FEmaLeS aLsO cOUrT THeiR mALes ?´ - There was a tinge of familiarity mixed with curiosity as Zalura made that question.
``Well... yes, but not always. It's... usually us guys who do the courting and stuff.... Not like I know much about it.´´ - Replied Cole slowly, saying that last sentence low enough for Zalura to not hear it.
``...´´
But instead of a reply, she put her upper right hand to her chin and pondered in silence.
``... BuT, tHEn I DOn't uNdeRStaNd.´´ - She said, before Cole had the chance to say something else.
``If hUmAN FEmaLeS dO noT CouRt thEIr mALes, ThEn wHy ZALura saW mAnY dePicTionS oF HUmaNs feMALes iN maTinG RItuAls oN DEviCe COle gAve TEtLekar. WHat diD COle uSe tHOse foR?´´ - Zalura made that unusually long comment and that question with the kind of deadpan expression that would've made a deaf man think she was asking Cole to tell her the time.
``T-T-T-That is....!´´ - He had never stuttered that much before. Cole could feel his whole face turning red up to the ears.
``T-That's something we humans don't talk about! Specially in front of a woman of any kind...´´ - He replied as he covered his face shamefully; he simply couldn't stomach the idea of having to explain Zalura what porn was used for.
At that moment, he would had been quite happy if the Phylactery's hull had just breached where he was standing and dumped him into space.
``IS tHaT So? SOrry...´´ - Thankfully, she was quick to control her curiosity.
``Haaah... Seriously, why didn't I delete it all?´´ - Thought Cole as they made their way inside of the plane.
···
The inside of the plane was a complete mess; some unusual and rather large machines that had originally lined the walls had now come out and fallen all over the plane cargo compartment. There was also paper; lots and lots of yellowed papers and folders littered all over, filling every nook and cranny they could fit into. Overall, it was a rather claustrophobia-inducing place.
But perhaps even stranger than all that litter was the complete absence of weaponry; the side guns were missing, although the racks where they had once been placed were still there, and the entire sighting platform for the upper back turret deck had been repurposed for what seemed like a telescope of sorts.
``What the hell was going on here?´´ - Mumbled Cole as he picked up a random piece of paper from the ground, which almost crumbled on his hand.
Whatever had once been written on it had faded almost to the point of illegibility; all he could make out where some long tabulated charts filled with numbers... and the date it had been written.
``March 17 of.... 1952!?´´ - The points finally connected in his mind.
``So... not WWII but Cold War era, huh? Wonder what this was. A communication plane? An espionage one?´´ - He mumbled as he dropped the piece of paper and began to make his way upwards. The origins and story of this plane certainly drew his curiosity, but there were more important things on his mind.
``WHere aRE wE heAdiNg to?´´ - Asked Zalura as she followed Cole, both wading through the ankle-deep pile of papers and scrap.
``To the cabin; there will probably be two comfortable seats to rest, as well as a good point of vantage to watch for the Units.´´ - Replied Cole as he pushed upwards.
As they advanced, the litter of papers and machines gave way to some more piled-up machines blocking the way which Zalura had to push away so they could keep moving forward.
Following the machines and a broken airlock came a dozen musty and dusty cots, some of them littered with books, clothes and even some long-since-faded photos.
And yet, even upon arriving at the cockpit, there was still no sign of any crew, dead or otherwise. He had steeled his mind for the prospect of finding at least one skeleton there, but as he climbed the surprisingly-still-sturdy ladder leading into the cockpit, he simply came to the conclusion that, if the crew lived through whatever the Phylactery did to them, they probably didn't stay in the plane.
The cockpit was perhaps the most intact part of the plane, not counting the shattered glass nose and the omnipresent rust. And given the way the engine throttle levers were left, this plane was caught in mid-flight.
``Whew, finally some respite.´´ - Said Cole as he practically collapsed into the radio operator's seat. Zalura, on the other hand, spent a moment curiously inspecting all the machines. This plane's workings seemed to puzzle her as much as those of that colony transport did Cole.
···
For a while, only the sounds of chewing, along with a rare creak of metal, was all that filled the ambiance.
The quantity of meat Zalura had brought for herself was almost a whole haunch of a large Aberration, and yet she devoured it entirely as Cole munched through his strips of Aber-Ration jerky.
Feeling his stomach full and his energy recovered, Cole climbed on top of the cockpit to spy on the Security Unit. From what he had managed to see, it was somehow damaged, but Zalura had already told him that such only made it even more dangerous. The Worker Units were apparently towing it to somewhere, so now it was all about leaving the NVSC5 unnoticed.
``Hmm... seems it'll be all about speed, or maybe we could take another path around them and avoid getting into their line of sight.´´ - Said Cole as he came down, this time laying on the copilot's seat.
Zalura gave a nod as she replied.
``MaYbe CoULd aLso diStrACt tHem. ''UNitS wILl COme tO CHeCk aNyTHing tHAt iS hOt oR LoUD.'', oR So sAiD HauDRIca onCe.´´ - She made that quote in a rather brusque manner, perhaps reflecting its original source.
Cole couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
``Heh, guess she says stuff other than ''I'll lop your head from your shoulders!'' now and then.´´ - He said, trying to mimic Haudrica's tone and failing.
``....´´
But an awkward silence fell as he finished his phrase.
``... Say, can I ask you something?´´ - Cole turned to face Zalura as he spoke; his expression deadly serious. She merely replied with an affirmative nod.
``You... seem to get along pretty well with Haudrica, right?´´ - Said Cole somewhat nervously.
``EAch reSpECts tHe StReNgTH oF tHE OtHer.´´
Zalura's reply was rather solemn.
``So, do you happen to know why she despises me so much? She seems to hate me more than anything in this world, yet refuses to tell me why.´´
He finally let out that one question.
``....´´
Zalura remained silent for a moment; her stoic expression making hard for Cole to discern if she had been offended by the inquiry, or simply worried about what to reply.
``SoRRy... ´´
More than sounding apologetic, she sounded nervous.
``Haaah.... Figures. I still don't understand how I am supposed to get along with her if nobody tells me shit about what to do.´´ - Replied Cole in frustration.
``NO, noT thAT. LoOK.´´ - But Zalura was quick to correct herself.
As Cole turned around, she was pointing to a tiny device clasped to the edge of her jacket's neck.
From afar, it looked remarkably similar in size and shape to a Hands Free, but its design was clearly not human-made. There was a sort of light on it, blinking yellow and red.
Cole had seen her manipulate it from the very moment they met, and he had often wondered about its function.
``EcHO pRoCceSOr, LoW pOwER. SToRy lOng. No TAlk mUCh nOw.´´
And now he knew it. Zalura's speech had just worsened dramatically.
However, just as it looked like she was about to say something else, she arose from her seat and gazed out through the broken glass, focusing on something at the distance.
``WilL tEll COle lAtEr. NoW wE LeaVE.´´ - Her voice suddenly took a rather concerning mixture of worried and alert.
``What's wrong? Did the Units move again?´´ - Asked Cole as he reached for his binoculars and tried to focus on the Units.
While the Security Unit hadn't moved from its place, there was an odd increase in the number of Worker Units around them, as if they were gathering near it.
``Why so many of them now?´´ - Asked Cole as he tried to count the Units. He had already counted over 20.
``CoMe tO PRotEct dAmaGed MAsTeR.´´ - Replied Zalura, whom had already picked up her pack, and was preparing to head down.
``Ok, just let me grab a few things. I may also have found a way to distract the Units if we need to.´´ - Said Cole as he did the same and followed after her, but not without picking up one particular tool that hung from the cockpit's wall.
``HoW?´´ - Asked Zalura from the bottom of the ladder.
``With this!´´ - Cole proudly showed what he was holding; a flare gun.
``Haudrica said they like heat and noise, right? Flares have plenty of both.´´ - He continued as he came down the ladder.
``Problem is, even if this box has eight of them, it has been here for over half a century, so there's always a chance of them not working.´´ - He loaded one in the gun as he spoke.
``OKay.´´ - Zalura's replies were getting even shorter.
With the Units gathering around them and Zalura's ''speech device'' running low on batteries, if Cole wanted to end this expedition on a good note, they had to leave immediately, and all he could do was hope his plan would work.
<End of Chapter 6>
Chapter 7
Spoiler: show
Part 1
Muffled steps and hushed breaths.
With their eyes forward and their packs on their backs, Cole and Zalura moved from tower to tower, always making sure of staying unseen.
The Worker Units were all moving towards the damaged Security Unit like an army of ants towards a sugar cube, and then going back to search the towers for something; most likely replacement parts.
*Hoohumhoohum*
``........´´
Following its usual obnoxious sound, a unit came and picked up a sheet of metal from the base of some large, industrial-looking machine. And right behind it was hiding Cole, whose right hand shook slightly as he held the flare gun.
``Now!´´ - He said softly as he signaled Zalura, who was hiding on the second tier of the tower, to dash towards the next one.
``FOur, ThrEe.´´ - Counted Zalura as they ran past another tower. The device on her neck still flashing, and her sentences getting shorter.
The exit was already within their sight, but so was the Security unit.
*Hohum*
*Bzzt*
*Creonk, Creonk.*
The process going on near it was quite a curious one; the Worker Units were taking apart its shield and armor's plating and replacing it with a patchwork of metals recovered from the surrounding scrap.
Perhaps, thought Cole, both this place and the NVSC9 were meant to be some kind of self-sustained repair and maintenance stations for the Units, and the reason the Phylactery gathered junk was for such uses. However, his mind was too busy trying to determine if the exit was within the visibility range of any of the Units.
*Hohum!*
``Shit!´´ - He quickly hid back as one of the Worker Units had focused on him as soon as he came out of cover. Yet, once he had vanished, the Unit returned to fiddling with the other one.
``This is a deadlock; there's just no way around it.´´ - Said Cole to Zalura, whom was hiding next to him this time.
``USe fIre?´´ - Asked Zalura, pointing to the flare gun.
``Yes, but I need to time it correctly.´´ - Replied Cole as he loaded a flare into it.
``If they don't see the heat of the flare, they'll hear the noise of the gun, and that'll draw them here. They all have to see the light.´´ - He continued as he aimed the flare gun at the distance, trying to get more acquainted with its grip.
``These Units work in teams; when one's setting the plates, the other heads out for more. I need to distract this second team, as the first will be too busy to look at us.´´ - He thought as he put his finger on the trigger.
``Wait... wait...´´ - Cole muttered, watching the Units arrive with more scrap. Zalura watching them silently next to him.
``... Now!´´
*Click*
He fired, or at least, he tried to. It was a dud.
``Shit! Talk about bad timing.´´ - In a rush, he took out the flare dud and tossed it away behind him.
``Patience... patience...´´ - Again, he muttered, trying to prevent his aiming hands from shaking as he reloaded and aimed.
``... Now!´´
*Pwaaptchu! Fzzzt*
A dry explosion along with a fizzing sound gave birth to a shining orb of light. However, he hadn't yet fired the gun, and the orb was right behind him.
The dud had detonated on its own.
*HOOOOOHUUUM!!*
And suddenly, all the eyes were on them.
``RUN FOR IT!!´´ - He didn't even bother to hush his voice; he and Zalura jumped ahead, barely dodging the encircling Units.
*Hoohumhoohumhoohumhoohumhoohumhoohum!!*
The Units didn't sound very happy, and they were keeping up with Cole and Zalura's speed. However, they were already upon the exit.
``DoOR oPeN!´´ - Cried Zalura as she lifted the sheet of metal covering the exit.
*Pzaaa!*
``You go first! I'll hold them!´´
*Pzaaa!*
Cole shot directly at the closest Unit, and then at a nearby tower. Some of the Units seemed disoriented by this, but not all of them.
``COme!´´ - She pulled Cole out by his backpack before putting the metal sheet down.
*Bang, bang!*
But the Units weren't giving up so easily.
``Help me pile this junk over here. Should be enough to delay them.´´ - Said Cole as he grabbed a nearby hunk of metal and place it over the other metal sheet. Zalura did the same with a much larger piece of scrap.
They didn't knew if that makeshift barricade was going to be enough, but they wouldn't stay here to verify it; one the pile was big enough, they ran away, and didn't stop until they were far enough to not hear the Unit's humming.
``Man.... that was some race... can't feel my legs...´´ - Said Cole as he collapsed in a corner of the corridor, barely able to catch his breath.
``How are you feeling?´´ - He asked.
As expected, Zalura was still standing, looking at the nearby corridor with a rather stern expression.
``PE'owA Ita'KAn-zUaUN.´´ - Those weren't normal words, and both of them noticed.
···
With her means of communication out of batteries and their frantic escape having taken them too far away from the route they had come from, Zalura was looking quite nervous, and Cole wasn't much better.
``We went straight for two junctions and then we went left and right after. That means taking another right on next corner. Or is it on the junction farther ahead?´´ - Said Cole as he read his map.
``ChA, HuYjA... NE'MeLuIPA-WaEyR.´´ - Zalura muttered something as she followed Cole.
It was a tense situation; Zalura probably knew the way back better than Cole, but she was unable to guide him there. Undoubtedly exasperating.
``Hey.´´ - He called her out, tapping her lower right shoulder.
``This is the path I came from, I'm pretty sure. The NVSC9 is just five junctions away.´´ - As he spoke, he made a series of slow arm motions, trying to show her what was going on.
She didn't reply, but she seemed to acknowledge it, although that didn't make Cole any less worried.
But, after they turned right, they were met with a familiar sight.
``T-This is...´´ - Cole muttered
Row after row of metal shutters, all of them with electrical panels ranging from red, green and off. There was also a strong sense of déjà vu.
``... Kinda ironic. Being back here.´´ - Thought Cole as he turned on his Zap-Light, and searched for that one pair of open vaults.
Absolutely nothing had changed his previous time there; one open vault still abundant of Organic Blocks and one empty vault filled with nothing but dust and a pile of rags in a corner, all the other laid closed.
``Hopefully I can start working on the Unit once I get back.´´ - Said Cole as he aimed his light at the dusty vault, thinking of his Unit back at home.
``Hm?´´ - But then, something drew his attention; something in the pile of rags was reflecting light.
``Just what's that there-Oh, shit...´´
As he carefully entered the vault, he noticed that the pile of rags sporting a shiny bangle, one that still clung to the hand that once worn it.
It was a corpse.
``Another crewman?´´ - That was the first thought when he moved closer to see it.
However, more than a skeleton, he instead was greeted by a dry humanoid carcass, much closer to a mummy than to a standard corpse, its facial features still somewhat discernible. But the main visual giveaway of what he was were the clothes he was wearing; an all-too-familiar red and green uniform.
``An Irisonian!?´´ - The name came to mind almost unconsciously, along with the face of the perpetually angry frown of the one who wore a uniform like this.
``ChA, COle!´´ - But Zalura just drew his attention away.
``OiMa'na, tEi-dOs D'kuEioL. ALn'Uman iT'cHirA-zO.´´ - She sounded excited enough that she didn't care about the linguistic barriers.
``What's it?´´ - Said Cole as he came out, but Zalura had already run towards the nearby end of the corridor and was pointing to the left.
``ALn'Uman iT'cHirA-zO.´´ - She repeated that alien phrase again as Cole approached.
``It's open!´´ - A smile found its way to his face as he said that. He could still remember coming that way, and how Tetlekar had been cursing at the Unit sealing it, but now, it was open; the way home was clear.
``Nice find!´´ - Said Cole as he gave her a thumbs up. She didn't seem to quite understand the gesture, but she followed after Cole regardless.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
``Oi! We're here! Someone open up the shutter.´´ - Said Cole merrily as he banged on the shutter with his hand.
``Whozzat' out 'here? This ain' no place fer ya water monkeys! Go 'way!´´ - A very amused and heavily accented voice rang from the other side in a fake scornful manner.
``Desri, cut the jokes. Zalura's Echo Processor ran out of batteries.´´ - Replied Cole in mild annoyance.
The shutter opened without any further bad jokes.
``Zalura, chak'at ku ei-iam. Iata'ma ei-athu.´´ - Said Desri to Zalura in Uluk as soon as they made eye contact.
``IN'maNom, DEsri. COle ka'tahTy eRu.´´ - And she replied in the same manner as they walked away, leaving Cole by himself.
``.... Geez, I'm fine, thanks for asking!´´ - Said Cole sarcastically; he could almost hear the ''obligatory wind'' sound effect playing behind him.
Then again, he couldn't quite blame Zalura; if her Echo Processor was like any kind of human electronic device, it probably wouldn't just recharge instantly.
Although it wouldn't have surprised him if it did; there was just too much he didn't knew yet about that technology, and the Xalatan Power Cores he was still carrying would most likely serve as his starting line.
···
Like any seasoned traveler would certainly know, while packing up is one of the most exciting parts of a journey, unpacking what they brought from the road was even better. For Cole however, that last part was the opposite; unpacking always had that ''day after the big party'' feeling in which he had to find a place for everything and do away with the mess.
Following the sound of opening zippers, a modest pile of junk and empty sandwich boxes poured from inside his duffelbag.
``The boxes to the sink, the bottles to the kitchen counter, the tools for the cabinets and drawers....´´ - He muttered as he put all his things back to their respective places, finally turning his attention to those which had no place yet.
An used (but still sturdy) roll of duct tape, two spray cans of paint, some sort of electric control panel, a small keypad, a car's starter, a supermarket-style card reader, a gaudy wristwatch, a battered walkie-talkie, an old beeper, and of course, those binoculars that had already been useful, the flare gun which saved his ass, as well as those over-sized spacecraft batteries which seemed to hum in a very low tone.
``Hrmm... not exactly invaluable treasures, but not useless junk either.´´ - Mumbled Cole as he picked up the watch, which was still working.
Once all the human junk was stored away, Cole left the XPCs on top of the dinner table (which had since long become his workbench) and began to wonder just how he would make them work.
Their general shape reminded Cole of those dish-shaped air filters that Conrad's tow truck used back at the scrapyard; perfectly round and about four fingers tall. Underneath it had two handles, which he had used to pull them out, while their top sported a sort of Y-shaped slot, each with a protruding metal piece shaped like a beaver's teeth on its end which was most likely the power contact. However, each set of these ''teeth'' had a slightly different shade of color.
``By standard human logic, one of these is the ground while the other two are the good ol' plus and minus, or maybe...´´
Riding on this train of thought, Cole reached for his notebook and pencil, along with that old multi-meter he had managed to get working.
``... Maybe it's like a commuted power genera-´´
*Ding!*
*Pahf!*
He had barely grazed the surface of one of the ''teeth'' with the test lead and the gauge's needle smacked its maximum, followed by the loud bang of the multi-meter's security fuse blowing to smithereens.
``Holy shit!´´ - Cole was almost as shocked as his instrument. He hadn't yet assimilated what had just happened.
``Power?... More like ''Super Power''. Seems I'll have to take a different approach.´´ - Thought Cole as he put down the multi-meter and headed outside.
``Hmm-hm-hmhm, hmm-hm-hmhm~♪´´
Soldering iron in hand and solder roll on the other, Cole hummed tonelessly as he applied a coat of tin solder to the end of a wire.
Littered on the ground next to him were a dozen power transformers, along with a myriad of other components he was putting together. Hopefully, that would reduce the XPC's power to an at least manageable level.
``Greetings Cole, are you busy?´´
All of a sudden, the sound of Tetlekar's even-toned and overly polite voice broke the silence.
``A bit, wadda ya need?´´ - Replied Cole without moving from his position or even looking back; he was full into ''Working Mode''.
``I merely wanted to inform you that I am done with your previous request.´´ - Continued Tetlekar, seemingly unfazed by Cole's behavior.
He was most certainly talking about the mapping of the Unit's functions, but Cole now had bigger things in mind.
``Cool! Just leave the laptop on the table. I'll check it out once I'm done with this gadget. I'll go pick up the Unit later.´´
Cole was so absorbed in his work that he hadn't even noticed that Mizelle was also there, but remaining fully silent.
``Oh, it's already here.´´
*Paff*
As Tetlekar spoke, the sound of something hitting the ground finally broke Cole out of his ''Working Mode'', making him look back.
``What was th-whoa!´´ - But as he did so, he practically jumped back in fright.
His Unit was right there, behind him. And while he usually wouldn't have reacted like that, being chased by an army of those so recently had caused such reaction.
``That is what happens when you do not look at those who are speaking to you.´´ - Commented Tetlekar in a tone that could only be described as scolding.
``Nah, just a bit jumpy after what happened on the NVSC5.´´ - He said as he regained his posture. And while at first he couldn't understand why his Unit had landed like that, but then he noticed Mizelle standing next to Tetlekar, with a bit of an amused expression.
She gave Cole as silent smile as their eyes met.
``Well, given the way you look, I am to assume you found what you were looking for.´´ - Said Cole as he got up and dusted off his jumpsuit's legs.
``Quite so, and I must say it was a far more enlightening experience than I had initially anticipated, and I can imagine that its results will greatly please you.´´ - Said Tetlekar as he placed the laptop on a small table Cole had outside his RV; there was a strange sense of achievement both in his facial expression and the way he was speaking.
``... What are you making?´´ - It was Mizelle who made this question as she saw what Cole was working on.
``Oh, this? It's just a makeshift power converter. Hopefully it'll help me to harness the electricity of those XPCs I found into power I can use.´´ - Replied Cole as he pointed at the power transformers.
``XPC?´´ - Now it was Tetlekar who made an inquiry, rising an eyebrow. Mizelle didn't seem to understand Cole's answer.
``Zalura called them Xalatan Power Cores. I found three of them in the same place as she found her new guns. Although I'm still trying to figure out how to use them without my stuff blowing up, hence the converter.´´ - Explained Cole as he pointed to the multimeter laying on the table; it's fuse waiting to be jury-rigged.
``Three of them!?´´
This was the first time Cole had ever seen such a display of emotions from Tetlekar. He looked positively ecstatic.
···
``Here they are. You seem pretty excited about them.´´ - Commented Cole as he pointed to the dinner table, and Tetlekar almost dashed towards it.
``How could I not be? Do you rememb-oh, apologies. I forgot I did not explain it back then.´´ - His excitement died down as he apologized.
But following those words, he pushed the center of one of the XPCs and gave it a few spins, which caused its cap to pop up like a lid, revealing a honeycomb-like structure studded with tall, diamond-shaped crystals.
``Hey aren't those...?´´ - Cole recognized them immediately.
He hadn't even finished asking as Tetlekar pushed one of the crystals slightly, making it jump out.
``Indeed, they are the same source of energy that powers my functions; high-energy Xalatan nodes. The best and most expensive source of power available for non-military usage.´´ - Explained Tetlekar with what could only be described as ''machine pride''; he had probably been quite expensive, and was proud of such.
``Sweet! So, does that mean you could tell me how can I use one of these to power this place up?´´ - Now it was Cole who was excited.
``I can, but with one condition.´´ - Replied Tetlekar with a mercantile smile.
``You want one for yourself.´´ - Cole read him like an open book.
``Quite so; it will be refreshing to run on non-refurbished power for a while now.´´ - He said.
``Then you got a deal!´´ - And Cole replied with a smile and a thumbs up.
···
Tetlekar had many skills, but teaching wasn't apparently one of them. Unnecessary technical and quite mind-boggling, his lengthy explanation took more than a few times to sink into Cole. Although the latter was wondering if such wasn't because of Tetlekar's skills, but due to his own ignorance of facts that for all these space-dwelling folks were as understood as it was to him that fire was hot.
Still, Cole was a diligent student; so after a few tries and trading more than one bit of common knowledge, he was able to sketch a prototype of his new ''Hybrid Power Converter'', which he didn't waste time to start building.
``-and that's the fourth relay...´´ - He mumbled as he made sure the soldering on this one's contacts were firm.
``Hand me the capacitors; the big black ones with golden numbers.´´ - And following these words, they were on his hand, which he had stretched back.
Although Tetlekar had left to try out his new Xalatan crystals, Mizelle had remained with Cole, out of curiosity for what he was doing.
``These ones?´´ - She asked, meekly pushing them into his palm.
``Yup! These will do nicely.´´ - Said Cole, encouragingly.
While she had done nothing but watch for the first half an hour, she started asking Cole about the usage of each part and component he went to pick up as the minutes went by. And before Cole had realized, she had become a very efficient and fast-learning apprentice who was a bit too eager to help out.
This, combined with her unique skill to make a 40 Kgs voltage transformer weight less than a paperclip, made her such an efficient helper that Cole finished his hybrid converter much faster and with much less effort than he had initially calculated.
``Whew, that's a wrap; the core's in place. Now for the maiden voyage...´´ - He declared triumphantly as he placed the XPC in place and secured it with a couple of bolts. Making sure all was connected before putting the keys inside of the car starter that served as its main switch and making some final adjustments on the mismatching myriad of switches and dial knobs he had set to control the power output.
``Uhm, won't you connect it to your home first?´´ - Asked Mizelle as she leaned her head to the side; her fluffy ears perking up in attention.
``Nope; this is just the ''live'' test; I just wanna know if it really works. Once I make sure it doesn't blow up or sets my power grid on fire, I'll hook it to the RV.´´ - Replied Cole as he began checking the gauges, which were still at zero.
He took in a deep breath as he grabbed the key; nervousness clawing at him.
``...And God said-´´
*Click*
``''Let there be light,''´´ - Cole had never been a religious type, but he felt it was the best quote for the moment he turned the key.
*HAOUMMmmmmmm!*
The was a soft hum and the gauges skyrocketed; all needles beyond the maximum, and some warning lights shone red.
*Tlaktlak, tlaktlak, tlaktlak, tlaktlak!*
But as he quickly flipped a series of switches, the needles went down and the red lights turned yellow. And a few more adjustments later, they were all green.
*Tack, tock. Tack, tock. Tack, tock.*
The converter made a sound akin to that of a car's parking lights, most likely due to all the relays it had inside, diverting the power through many smaller transformers and resistors.
``...´´
Silently, he grabbed a socket with a light bulb on he had previously prepared and made its wires touch the output contacts.
It shone blindingly bright.
``And there was light.´´ - He added, smiling proudly as he basked in the warm, yellow light.
Mizelle, on the other hand, was staring directly at the light bulb; her expression akin to that of a cat gazing at a fluttering cloth.
``Don't look at it for too long; it'll make your eyes hurt.´´ - Said Cole as he pulled the socket away.
``O-Okay.´´
She gave a nod and rubbed her eyes, looking charmingly cute in the process.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
``Whew, that was tiring. Do you want some water?´´ - Asked Cole as he approached the now-functioning freezer. The mere thought of having cold water at last was enough to make him thirsty.
``Ah, s-sure.´´ - Mizelle seemed more than a bit nervous as she followed Cole into the RV.
With the exception of a few minor appliances, the RV was now fully powered and lit by its fluorescent lamps. And Cole's laptop was finally getting some very necessary recharge.
``Here ya go. It's still not as cold as I like it, but it's better than its usual warmth.´´ - He said as he handed Mizelle a full glass of water.
She nodded wordlessly and began sipping it rather slowly; her eyes wandering around the RV.
``Hehe, sorry, had I known someone else would be coming in, I would've cleaned up the mess a bit.´´ - Commented Cole as he tried to draw Mizelle's attention away from the piles of parts and components that littered almost every flat surface.
``N-No it's just....´´ - This comment got her rather flustered.
``You're so... different.´´ - She said cryptically as she put her glass down.
``Different? From who?´´ - Cole spoke, raising an eyebrow.
``From... Eustace. The first human I met... that WE met...´´
Mizelle's reply was a cocktail of emotions; curiosity, nostalgia, confusion, sadness, and others he couldn't discern. All of these feelings mixed in ways they seemed to counter each other; it was a strange thing.
However, coming from her, Cole knew where it was heading.
``So, he's the one who made Haudrica hate my guts, eh?´´ - He thought, sinking his gaze on his glass of water.
``Was he so different from me?´´ - Said Cole almost jokingly as he tried his best to hide his contempt under his curiosity.
Mizelle gave short nod before replying.
``At first he was... weird. Saying words I did not understand, jumping at shadows and afraid of Haudrica.´´
``But... he was afraid of THEM much more... of our captors, who chased us because of me. He, too, had been their prisoner.´´
She picked up her glass with her power and drank a bit from it. It was still a curious sight for Cole to see anything floating in the air just like that.
``With time, we became friends. He laughed with us, helped Haudrica hunt Aberrations, and even taught me how to speak. Haudrica liked him too, even if she still acted aloof.´´
As Mizelle narrated her story, it was the feeling of genuine happiness which overcame all of the others; it was as if she was telling Cole her most treasured memory.
This feeling was strong enough to make Cole feel bad about his initial prejudices of this Eustace man. In a sense, he felt a strange kind of kinship to him; having gone through struggles similar to his own.
``But.... it all changed that one day...´´
And just like that, her happy expression fell from her as if a mask had dropped from her face.
She now looked angry, sad, and above all, confused.
``He went missing one day. Haudrica even looked for him as she feared the worst. But just like that, he came back; unhurt and seemingly normal, so much we did not notice his change in attitude. By the time we realized, it was too late...´´ - Mizelle's words were sorrowful to the point it looked like she would break in tears.
``Hey, it's okay.´´ - Cole felt the need to speak up as he saw her state.
``You don't have to remember something sad just for me. You can stop if you want.´´ - He said as encouragingly as he could, sitting next to Mizelle and giving her a soft pat in the back.
``No...´´ - She shook her head.
``I... I need to say it.´´ - She added, in a manner so driving it was scary.
Mizelle took in a few breaths before continuing.
``...Haudrica had gone out alone; she said she had found a place on her previous scavenging run that perhaps could be a good place to rest. Eustace and I waited behind.´´
``For a while, nothing happened; it just went out as usual. But all of a sudden, he asked me if he'd like to see a ''really cool place'' he had found when had gotten lost....´´
Again, she went silent for a moment. But this time, Cole did not try to stop her. And after a short pause, she resumed.
``I... was dumb and naïve; Haudrica had told me to never go out scavenging, but I thought it would be okay; I was with Eustace after all.´´
``We walked for a while. At first I was worried that it was too far from our hideout and that Haudrica could get back before we did, but he always said that ''everything will be okay''.´´
``The place he got me to was kind of strange; there was this big window, from where you could see the stars outside and even a big, shiny red planet. It was beautiful, but....´´
Mizelle put her hand on her chest and lowered her head.
``Suddenly, there was pain, and all went black....´´
``.... The next thing I saw, I was back in a cage.´´ - She teared up as she said that, and Cole could feel the anger welling up within him.
``There was... blood, all over. Haudrica had found me, and slaughtered some of the slavers who were moving my cage. But Eustace was nowhere to be found.´´
``Then, for almost a very long time, we continued to wander; hunting Aberrations and scavenging anything edible. Haudrica said nothing of Eustace, and she was always so angry about it I was afraid of asking her.´´
She clutched the hem of her shirt as she finished that sentence.
``After that Haudrica, was never the same again. She became cruel and violent; not towards me, but towards everyone and everything else. Towards me, she remained the same and tried to act like normal, but there were times when her fury got the best of her when I was looking.´´
``Even when Zalura found us and saved us from a Unit, Haudrica still tried to attack her despite of that, thinking she would tell our captors of where we were. And hadn't Tetlekar showed up there, she would had probably succeeded.´´
``It was then when we came to live here, in the NVSC9. She was against it at first, but Tetlekar convinced her that we'd be safer here.´´
With those words, she raised her head and looked over the broken window of the RV; gazing at the towering piles of scrap with an expression of relief.
``That explain a lot of things.´´ - Said Cole as he offered her some more water. She accepted.
``So, you never heard from this Eustace guy again?´´ - Cole asked.
``No, we did. Zalura found him one day and brought him here.´´ - Replied Mizelle, shaking her head in denial.
``...´´ - Cole's sole reply was a startled silence, his eyes growing wider with shock.
``Haudrica was furious; she tried to kill him almost immediately, and she would had if Tetlekar hadn't stopped her yet again.´´
``She continued to say that he was a traitor, and that he would lead the slavers here if he was left alive. While Eustace continued to say that he had been attacked along with me that day, but that the slavers had left him for dead.´´
``Except for Haudrica, everybody believed him... including me...´´
Her stare fell down again, and her tone got a bit softer. Guilt permeating her words.
``Again, he was nice to me; to everybody, even Haudrica, and Desri, whom joined us around that time.´´
As she spoke, Cole now felt a grim sense of déjà vu; like he was seen his arrival at the NVSC9 from the eyes of someone else.
``..... I still don't understand.....´´
``... Why?... Why was he so nice to everyone?... Why did he help the slavers again?...´´
Said Mizelle, making long pauses between each sentence. It was not sadness that her words evoked but confusion; a numbing sense of confusion. Like being lost in the most absolute darkness.
A long silence filled the air after that; with the exception of the fridge's humming and the clicking sound of the generator outside.
In this silence, Cole wrestled with the ideas in his mind; should he ask her what became of Eustace to sate his own curiosity? Or should he just leave it at that to save Mizelle yet another grim recollection.
``He's dead.´´ - But she was faster than him.
``When the attack of the slavers failed and they fled, leaving him behind, Haudrica went after him and killed him before he escaped.´´
She added, lowering her head until Cole couldn't see her face, now hidden by her hair. He could see the tears falling into her shirt.
``Haudrica... she warns me about you...´´
Said Mizelle without lifting her head.
``She says you are the same... that you're just playing nice, and that you will betray me when I feel I can trust you most...´´
``I... I really don't know... I know I'm dumb... I'm made like that... trusting and obedient... I just.... want to believe in others... I want to believe in good people...´´
She can barely speak between the sobs.
``... Cole.... are you the same?... Are all humans bad like Eustace... or are you a good one?..´´
With those words, she finally raised her head. Her bangs covering her forehead and face, like a sheepdog.
``Haaah....´´ - Following a minute of silence, Cole sighed.
``You aren't dumb Mizelle.´´ - He said, raising from his seat.
``But, what you say has a big problem.´´ - Continued Cole as he stood in front of her.
``There is no ''Bad'' or ''Good'' with people. Nobody is ever entirely nice or wholly evil. We all have a some of both.´´
Having said those words, he put his index finger under her chin, and raised her head even more.
``I always try to be good, but that does not meant I cannot be a jerkass. And some times, I will probably be a jerkass.´´ - He added as he gently moved her hair away from her face, revealing a big pair of teary greenish-golden eyes that gazed at him like a sad puppy.
``That said, it's not for me to call myself either. It'll be through the eyes of others that I'm judged, and labeled accordingly.´´
He said that rather solemnly.
``Cole....´´
*Wap*
She suddenly arose and hugged his chest tightly.
``Thank you.... really... thank you.´´
Although he couldn't see the expression she was making, the feeling of sadness in her words was gone.
``Hey, don't sweat it. That's what friend are for.´´
He replied nonchalantly while returning the embrace. She felt so tiny in his arms; her head barely reaching his shoulder.
···
``Great to see you're feeling better now.´´ - Said Cole in a merry manner as he handed Mizelle a battered, army-green canteen filled to the brim with cold water.
The RV's fridge was working like a charm, and Mizelle had just discovered how water is much better cold than warm.
``If you run out, just hop by again. As long as my generator keeps running and Tetlekar keep synthesizing it, we'll not run out of cold water.´´ - Added Cole as he proudly pointed to the aforementioned generator, which continued to hum and click.
``Y-Yes, see you at supper, Cole.´´ - Replied Mizelle as she ran away happily. It was so nice to see her energetic again.
``Mm... haah... Now let's see what Tetlekar did with the Un-whoa.´´ - He breathed in an out loudly before speaking, but the moment he turned around, there was a familiar figure now standing on his doorstep.
``W-When did you get there?´´ - Asked Cole.
``Concealing my presence in this noisy and cluttered place is but child's play to me. I arrived shortly after you took Mizelle inside.´´
The way Haudrica spoke was a strange one, or more precisely, it was strange for her. Her voice's usual anger and bitterness, while not entirely absent, were considerably toned down. Instead, she spoke in a flat and serious manner that gave a strong no-nonsense air.
``If you're looking for Mizelle, she left already.´´ - Stated Cole in that dismissive manner he often addressed Haudrica with.
``.......´´ - But she did not reply; she merely stood there, meeting Cole's gaze.
``..............´´ - And he exactly the same in response. Both of them remained like that for what could had either been just an instant or a long while.
``... If you are done trying to count the number of folds in my irises, I would like to resume what I was doing.´´ - Finally, he spoke.
``Just what are you trying to do?´´ - She asked as soon as Cole broke the staring contest.
``I wanna get some work on the Unit done.´´ - Replied Cole nonchalantly.
``You know well what I'm asking you about, you two-legged maggot. And if you don't tell me what are you trying to accomplish I'll kill you where you stand!´´ - And just like that, Haudrica voice was back to her normal hateful tone.
``Do I really need to have an ulterior motive for my every interaction with Mizelle?´´ - Retorted Cole, now in a much more serious manner.
``Why wouldn't you?´´ - Replied Haudrica, slightly toning down her anger to much of Cole's surprise.
``Maybe because I don't need it. Why should I need it? Did Mizelle need one as well for talking with m-?´´
Right before he finished his sentence, Haudrica literally vanished from her place and reappeared right in front of Cole. This small time window was what gave him the awareness to realize that he shouldn't remain where he stood.
*Whoosh!*
Haudrica's blade passed so close to him he could hear it whistling; slashing so close to him that it managed to cut away some of his bangs as he fell back to dodge it. She probably meant to do it like that, or else Cole would most certainly not had been able to dodge it.
``You are just the same kind of savage scum as Eustace was... So don't you ever dare to judge Mizelle in any way again. ´´ - Unlike her previous threats, these words sounded genuinely menacing; enough to make Cole truly afraid for a moment. But fear was quickly overpowered by what could best be described as courage-inducing anger as a certain memory crossed his mind; one he had once struggled to bury in his mind.
``Hahah....´´ - He laughed spontaneously at the train of thoughts coursing his mind.
``You know what, you were right. I did have an ulterior motive´´ - Added Cole as he got up; his stare never moving from the battle-ready Haudrica that stood in front of him.
Haudrica did not reply, or even move. She was clearly waiting for Cole's answer in the same way a detective expected a criminal's confession.
``I wanted to know why you treat everyone as a goddamn piece of shit!´´ - He shouted. His reply taking Haudrica by surprise.
She tried to say something, but Cole didn't gave her the chance.
``And you know what, now that I know, it really pisses me off.´´ - Added Cole as he sported an angry grin.
``I don't mind being hated for my errors, or even for what I am. But what I really can't stand is to be compared to someone else and judged because of them.´´
There was so much hatred and pain in those words; enough to make even Haudrica's own anger waver. She had opened an old wound.
``What are you trying to say?´´ - She asked scornfully.
``My name... is Cole Dedrick.´´ - And Cole replied, shaking with fury.
``I am not this Eustace guy, nor I am the same or similar to him; I am myself, with all the good and bad that might encompass.´´
``So I will not serve as a scapegoat for some coward to vent her frustrated anger towards someone else!´´
By his second sentence, he had already started to shout.
``If you still hate him so much, then go take it out on him! Drag out his corpse, grind his bones, burn him to ashes, put these ashes in a kettle and fucking pee all over them until they dissolve!!´´ - And his shouts continued to get louder.
``Just quit putting the blame on me, because I didn't-´´
It was then when he realized that Haudrica's pose and expression had radically changed.
She was no longer standing in a combat pose, or even looking at him anymore. She was looking down; blades holstered and fists clenched, and while her hair didn't let him see the look in her eyes, he could clearly see her mouth, and her teeth, gnashing together so hard one could almost hear them grinding.
She looked deeply hurt, which made Cole realize all he had just spurted out on her in his anger.
But he had no chance to say anything.
*Twack!*
Moving with her usual lightning speed, Haudrica slapped him with the back of her hand, and since it was covered in hard exoskeleton, it felt like getting hit by a hammer, it knocked him down and hurt probably just as much.
``You... know nothing... about me.... NOTHING!!´´ - Cried out Haudrica.
``How dare you call me a coward!? Do you think I choose to be like this? To have this shackles put on my mind that make me powerless when I need my strength the most? To be enslaved to the whims of anyone who'll simply toss me away like a piece of garbage when I'm no longer needed!?´´
Now she looked just as hurt as him, yet Cole couldn't make any sense of what she was saying.
But before, Cole had the chance to retort, she darted away, vanishing from his sight in an instant. And while it was only for a brief moment, he managed to see the tears that filled her eyes.
``..............´´
An absolute silence seemed to suddenly envelop everything as Cole sat in the ground, folding his legs until he could place his folded arms on his knees, and lower his head into them.
``Haaah.... I'm such an hypocritical asshole.... ´´ - He muttered after a sigh. Feeling the guilt crush him like a trash compactor.
Retaining self-control had never been a problem for Cole, but he knew just as well that whenever his control slipped off him, it would always lead to troubling times. And now he had lost it in the worst possible moment.
<End of Chapter 7>
Muffled steps and hushed breaths.
With their eyes forward and their packs on their backs, Cole and Zalura moved from tower to tower, always making sure of staying unseen.
The Worker Units were all moving towards the damaged Security Unit like an army of ants towards a sugar cube, and then going back to search the towers for something; most likely replacement parts.
*Hoohumhoohum*
``........´´
Following its usual obnoxious sound, a unit came and picked up a sheet of metal from the base of some large, industrial-looking machine. And right behind it was hiding Cole, whose right hand shook slightly as he held the flare gun.
``Now!´´ - He said softly as he signaled Zalura, who was hiding on the second tier of the tower, to dash towards the next one.
``FOur, ThrEe.´´ - Counted Zalura as they ran past another tower. The device on her neck still flashing, and her sentences getting shorter.
The exit was already within their sight, but so was the Security unit.
*Hohum*
*Bzzt*
*Creonk, Creonk.*
The process going on near it was quite a curious one; the Worker Units were taking apart its shield and armor's plating and replacing it with a patchwork of metals recovered from the surrounding scrap.
Perhaps, thought Cole, both this place and the NVSC9 were meant to be some kind of self-sustained repair and maintenance stations for the Units, and the reason the Phylactery gathered junk was for such uses. However, his mind was too busy trying to determine if the exit was within the visibility range of any of the Units.
*Hohum!*
``Shit!´´ - He quickly hid back as one of the Worker Units had focused on him as soon as he came out of cover. Yet, once he had vanished, the Unit returned to fiddling with the other one.
``This is a deadlock; there's just no way around it.´´ - Said Cole to Zalura, whom was hiding next to him this time.
``USe fIre?´´ - Asked Zalura, pointing to the flare gun.
``Yes, but I need to time it correctly.´´ - Replied Cole as he loaded a flare into it.
``If they don't see the heat of the flare, they'll hear the noise of the gun, and that'll draw them here. They all have to see the light.´´ - He continued as he aimed the flare gun at the distance, trying to get more acquainted with its grip.
``These Units work in teams; when one's setting the plates, the other heads out for more. I need to distract this second team, as the first will be too busy to look at us.´´ - He thought as he put his finger on the trigger.
``Wait... wait...´´ - Cole muttered, watching the Units arrive with more scrap. Zalura watching them silently next to him.
``... Now!´´
*Click*
He fired, or at least, he tried to. It was a dud.
``Shit! Talk about bad timing.´´ - In a rush, he took out the flare dud and tossed it away behind him.
``Patience... patience...´´ - Again, he muttered, trying to prevent his aiming hands from shaking as he reloaded and aimed.
``... Now!´´
*Pwaaptchu! Fzzzt*
A dry explosion along with a fizzing sound gave birth to a shining orb of light. However, he hadn't yet fired the gun, and the orb was right behind him.
The dud had detonated on its own.
*HOOOOOHUUUM!!*
And suddenly, all the eyes were on them.
``RUN FOR IT!!´´ - He didn't even bother to hush his voice; he and Zalura jumped ahead, barely dodging the encircling Units.
*Hoohumhoohumhoohumhoohumhoohumhoohum!!*
The Units didn't sound very happy, and they were keeping up with Cole and Zalura's speed. However, they were already upon the exit.
``DoOR oPeN!´´ - Cried Zalura as she lifted the sheet of metal covering the exit.
*Pzaaa!*
``You go first! I'll hold them!´´
*Pzaaa!*
Cole shot directly at the closest Unit, and then at a nearby tower. Some of the Units seemed disoriented by this, but not all of them.
``COme!´´ - She pulled Cole out by his backpack before putting the metal sheet down.
*Bang, bang!*
But the Units weren't giving up so easily.
``Help me pile this junk over here. Should be enough to delay them.´´ - Said Cole as he grabbed a nearby hunk of metal and place it over the other metal sheet. Zalura did the same with a much larger piece of scrap.
They didn't knew if that makeshift barricade was going to be enough, but they wouldn't stay here to verify it; one the pile was big enough, they ran away, and didn't stop until they were far enough to not hear the Unit's humming.
``Man.... that was some race... can't feel my legs...´´ - Said Cole as he collapsed in a corner of the corridor, barely able to catch his breath.
``How are you feeling?´´ - He asked.
As expected, Zalura was still standing, looking at the nearby corridor with a rather stern expression.
``PE'owA Ita'KAn-zUaUN.´´ - Those weren't normal words, and both of them noticed.
···
With her means of communication out of batteries and their frantic escape having taken them too far away from the route they had come from, Zalura was looking quite nervous, and Cole wasn't much better.
``We went straight for two junctions and then we went left and right after. That means taking another right on next corner. Or is it on the junction farther ahead?´´ - Said Cole as he read his map.
``ChA, HuYjA... NE'MeLuIPA-WaEyR.´´ - Zalura muttered something as she followed Cole.
It was a tense situation; Zalura probably knew the way back better than Cole, but she was unable to guide him there. Undoubtedly exasperating.
``Hey.´´ - He called her out, tapping her lower right shoulder.
``This is the path I came from, I'm pretty sure. The NVSC9 is just five junctions away.´´ - As he spoke, he made a series of slow arm motions, trying to show her what was going on.
She didn't reply, but she seemed to acknowledge it, although that didn't make Cole any less worried.
But, after they turned right, they were met with a familiar sight.
``T-This is...´´ - Cole muttered
Row after row of metal shutters, all of them with electrical panels ranging from red, green and off. There was also a strong sense of déjà vu.
``... Kinda ironic. Being back here.´´ - Thought Cole as he turned on his Zap-Light, and searched for that one pair of open vaults.
Absolutely nothing had changed his previous time there; one open vault still abundant of Organic Blocks and one empty vault filled with nothing but dust and a pile of rags in a corner, all the other laid closed.
``Hopefully I can start working on the Unit once I get back.´´ - Said Cole as he aimed his light at the dusty vault, thinking of his Unit back at home.
``Hm?´´ - But then, something drew his attention; something in the pile of rags was reflecting light.
``Just what's that there-Oh, shit...´´
As he carefully entered the vault, he noticed that the pile of rags sporting a shiny bangle, one that still clung to the hand that once worn it.
It was a corpse.
``Another crewman?´´ - That was the first thought when he moved closer to see it.
However, more than a skeleton, he instead was greeted by a dry humanoid carcass, much closer to a mummy than to a standard corpse, its facial features still somewhat discernible. But the main visual giveaway of what he was were the clothes he was wearing; an all-too-familiar red and green uniform.
``An Irisonian!?´´ - The name came to mind almost unconsciously, along with the face of the perpetually angry frown of the one who wore a uniform like this.
``ChA, COle!´´ - But Zalura just drew his attention away.
``OiMa'na, tEi-dOs D'kuEioL. ALn'Uman iT'cHirA-zO.´´ - She sounded excited enough that she didn't care about the linguistic barriers.
``What's it?´´ - Said Cole as he came out, but Zalura had already run towards the nearby end of the corridor and was pointing to the left.
``ALn'Uman iT'cHirA-zO.´´ - She repeated that alien phrase again as Cole approached.
``It's open!´´ - A smile found its way to his face as he said that. He could still remember coming that way, and how Tetlekar had been cursing at the Unit sealing it, but now, it was open; the way home was clear.
``Nice find!´´ - Said Cole as he gave her a thumbs up. She didn't seem to quite understand the gesture, but she followed after Cole regardless.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
``Oi! We're here! Someone open up the shutter.´´ - Said Cole merrily as he banged on the shutter with his hand.
``Whozzat' out 'here? This ain' no place fer ya water monkeys! Go 'way!´´ - A very amused and heavily accented voice rang from the other side in a fake scornful manner.
``Desri, cut the jokes. Zalura's Echo Processor ran out of batteries.´´ - Replied Cole in mild annoyance.
The shutter opened without any further bad jokes.
``Zalura, chak'at ku ei-iam. Iata'ma ei-athu.´´ - Said Desri to Zalura in Uluk as soon as they made eye contact.
``IN'maNom, DEsri. COle ka'tahTy eRu.´´ - And she replied in the same manner as they walked away, leaving Cole by himself.
``.... Geez, I'm fine, thanks for asking!´´ - Said Cole sarcastically; he could almost hear the ''obligatory wind'' sound effect playing behind him.
Then again, he couldn't quite blame Zalura; if her Echo Processor was like any kind of human electronic device, it probably wouldn't just recharge instantly.
Although it wouldn't have surprised him if it did; there was just too much he didn't knew yet about that technology, and the Xalatan Power Cores he was still carrying would most likely serve as his starting line.
···
Like any seasoned traveler would certainly know, while packing up is one of the most exciting parts of a journey, unpacking what they brought from the road was even better. For Cole however, that last part was the opposite; unpacking always had that ''day after the big party'' feeling in which he had to find a place for everything and do away with the mess.
Following the sound of opening zippers, a modest pile of junk and empty sandwich boxes poured from inside his duffelbag.
``The boxes to the sink, the bottles to the kitchen counter, the tools for the cabinets and drawers....´´ - He muttered as he put all his things back to their respective places, finally turning his attention to those which had no place yet.
An used (but still sturdy) roll of duct tape, two spray cans of paint, some sort of electric control panel, a small keypad, a car's starter, a supermarket-style card reader, a gaudy wristwatch, a battered walkie-talkie, an old beeper, and of course, those binoculars that had already been useful, the flare gun which saved his ass, as well as those over-sized spacecraft batteries which seemed to hum in a very low tone.
``Hrmm... not exactly invaluable treasures, but not useless junk either.´´ - Mumbled Cole as he picked up the watch, which was still working.
Once all the human junk was stored away, Cole left the XPCs on top of the dinner table (which had since long become his workbench) and began to wonder just how he would make them work.
Their general shape reminded Cole of those dish-shaped air filters that Conrad's tow truck used back at the scrapyard; perfectly round and about four fingers tall. Underneath it had two handles, which he had used to pull them out, while their top sported a sort of Y-shaped slot, each with a protruding metal piece shaped like a beaver's teeth on its end which was most likely the power contact. However, each set of these ''teeth'' had a slightly different shade of color.
``By standard human logic, one of these is the ground while the other two are the good ol' plus and minus, or maybe...´´
Riding on this train of thought, Cole reached for his notebook and pencil, along with that old multi-meter he had managed to get working.
``... Maybe it's like a commuted power genera-´´
*Ding!*
*Pahf!*
He had barely grazed the surface of one of the ''teeth'' with the test lead and the gauge's needle smacked its maximum, followed by the loud bang of the multi-meter's security fuse blowing to smithereens.
``Holy shit!´´ - Cole was almost as shocked as his instrument. He hadn't yet assimilated what had just happened.
``Power?... More like ''Super Power''. Seems I'll have to take a different approach.´´ - Thought Cole as he put down the multi-meter and headed outside.
``Hmm-hm-hmhm, hmm-hm-hmhm~♪´´
Soldering iron in hand and solder roll on the other, Cole hummed tonelessly as he applied a coat of tin solder to the end of a wire.
Littered on the ground next to him were a dozen power transformers, along with a myriad of other components he was putting together. Hopefully, that would reduce the XPC's power to an at least manageable level.
``Greetings Cole, are you busy?´´
All of a sudden, the sound of Tetlekar's even-toned and overly polite voice broke the silence.
``A bit, wadda ya need?´´ - Replied Cole without moving from his position or even looking back; he was full into ''Working Mode''.
``I merely wanted to inform you that I am done with your previous request.´´ - Continued Tetlekar, seemingly unfazed by Cole's behavior.
He was most certainly talking about the mapping of the Unit's functions, but Cole now had bigger things in mind.
``Cool! Just leave the laptop on the table. I'll check it out once I'm done with this gadget. I'll go pick up the Unit later.´´
Cole was so absorbed in his work that he hadn't even noticed that Mizelle was also there, but remaining fully silent.
``Oh, it's already here.´´
*Paff*
As Tetlekar spoke, the sound of something hitting the ground finally broke Cole out of his ''Working Mode'', making him look back.
``What was th-whoa!´´ - But as he did so, he practically jumped back in fright.
His Unit was right there, behind him. And while he usually wouldn't have reacted like that, being chased by an army of those so recently had caused such reaction.
``That is what happens when you do not look at those who are speaking to you.´´ - Commented Tetlekar in a tone that could only be described as scolding.
``Nah, just a bit jumpy after what happened on the NVSC5.´´ - He said as he regained his posture. And while at first he couldn't understand why his Unit had landed like that, but then he noticed Mizelle standing next to Tetlekar, with a bit of an amused expression.
She gave Cole as silent smile as their eyes met.
``Well, given the way you look, I am to assume you found what you were looking for.´´ - Said Cole as he got up and dusted off his jumpsuit's legs.
``Quite so, and I must say it was a far more enlightening experience than I had initially anticipated, and I can imagine that its results will greatly please you.´´ - Said Tetlekar as he placed the laptop on a small table Cole had outside his RV; there was a strange sense of achievement both in his facial expression and the way he was speaking.
``... What are you making?´´ - It was Mizelle who made this question as she saw what Cole was working on.
``Oh, this? It's just a makeshift power converter. Hopefully it'll help me to harness the electricity of those XPCs I found into power I can use.´´ - Replied Cole as he pointed at the power transformers.
``XPC?´´ - Now it was Tetlekar who made an inquiry, rising an eyebrow. Mizelle didn't seem to understand Cole's answer.
``Zalura called them Xalatan Power Cores. I found three of them in the same place as she found her new guns. Although I'm still trying to figure out how to use them without my stuff blowing up, hence the converter.´´ - Explained Cole as he pointed to the multimeter laying on the table; it's fuse waiting to be jury-rigged.
``Three of them!?´´
This was the first time Cole had ever seen such a display of emotions from Tetlekar. He looked positively ecstatic.
···
``Here they are. You seem pretty excited about them.´´ - Commented Cole as he pointed to the dinner table, and Tetlekar almost dashed towards it.
``How could I not be? Do you rememb-oh, apologies. I forgot I did not explain it back then.´´ - His excitement died down as he apologized.
But following those words, he pushed the center of one of the XPCs and gave it a few spins, which caused its cap to pop up like a lid, revealing a honeycomb-like structure studded with tall, diamond-shaped crystals.
``Hey aren't those...?´´ - Cole recognized them immediately.
He hadn't even finished asking as Tetlekar pushed one of the crystals slightly, making it jump out.
``Indeed, they are the same source of energy that powers my functions; high-energy Xalatan nodes. The best and most expensive source of power available for non-military usage.´´ - Explained Tetlekar with what could only be described as ''machine pride''; he had probably been quite expensive, and was proud of such.
``Sweet! So, does that mean you could tell me how can I use one of these to power this place up?´´ - Now it was Cole who was excited.
``I can, but with one condition.´´ - Replied Tetlekar with a mercantile smile.
``You want one for yourself.´´ - Cole read him like an open book.
``Quite so; it will be refreshing to run on non-refurbished power for a while now.´´ - He said.
``Then you got a deal!´´ - And Cole replied with a smile and a thumbs up.
···
Tetlekar had many skills, but teaching wasn't apparently one of them. Unnecessary technical and quite mind-boggling, his lengthy explanation took more than a few times to sink into Cole. Although the latter was wondering if such wasn't because of Tetlekar's skills, but due to his own ignorance of facts that for all these space-dwelling folks were as understood as it was to him that fire was hot.
Still, Cole was a diligent student; so after a few tries and trading more than one bit of common knowledge, he was able to sketch a prototype of his new ''Hybrid Power Converter'', which he didn't waste time to start building.
``-and that's the fourth relay...´´ - He mumbled as he made sure the soldering on this one's contacts were firm.
``Hand me the capacitors; the big black ones with golden numbers.´´ - And following these words, they were on his hand, which he had stretched back.
Although Tetlekar had left to try out his new Xalatan crystals, Mizelle had remained with Cole, out of curiosity for what he was doing.
``These ones?´´ - She asked, meekly pushing them into his palm.
``Yup! These will do nicely.´´ - Said Cole, encouragingly.
While she had done nothing but watch for the first half an hour, she started asking Cole about the usage of each part and component he went to pick up as the minutes went by. And before Cole had realized, she had become a very efficient and fast-learning apprentice who was a bit too eager to help out.
This, combined with her unique skill to make a 40 Kgs voltage transformer weight less than a paperclip, made her such an efficient helper that Cole finished his hybrid converter much faster and with much less effort than he had initially calculated.
``Whew, that's a wrap; the core's in place. Now for the maiden voyage...´´ - He declared triumphantly as he placed the XPC in place and secured it with a couple of bolts. Making sure all was connected before putting the keys inside of the car starter that served as its main switch and making some final adjustments on the mismatching myriad of switches and dial knobs he had set to control the power output.
``Uhm, won't you connect it to your home first?´´ - Asked Mizelle as she leaned her head to the side; her fluffy ears perking up in attention.
``Nope; this is just the ''live'' test; I just wanna know if it really works. Once I make sure it doesn't blow up or sets my power grid on fire, I'll hook it to the RV.´´ - Replied Cole as he began checking the gauges, which were still at zero.
He took in a deep breath as he grabbed the key; nervousness clawing at him.
``...And God said-´´
*Click*
``''Let there be light,''´´ - Cole had never been a religious type, but he felt it was the best quote for the moment he turned the key.
*HAOUMMmmmmmm!*
The was a soft hum and the gauges skyrocketed; all needles beyond the maximum, and some warning lights shone red.
*Tlaktlak, tlaktlak, tlaktlak, tlaktlak!*
But as he quickly flipped a series of switches, the needles went down and the red lights turned yellow. And a few more adjustments later, they were all green.
*Tack, tock. Tack, tock. Tack, tock.*
The converter made a sound akin to that of a car's parking lights, most likely due to all the relays it had inside, diverting the power through many smaller transformers and resistors.
``...´´
Silently, he grabbed a socket with a light bulb on he had previously prepared and made its wires touch the output contacts.
It shone blindingly bright.
``And there was light.´´ - He added, smiling proudly as he basked in the warm, yellow light.
Mizelle, on the other hand, was staring directly at the light bulb; her expression akin to that of a cat gazing at a fluttering cloth.
``Don't look at it for too long; it'll make your eyes hurt.´´ - Said Cole as he pulled the socket away.
``O-Okay.´´
She gave a nod and rubbed her eyes, looking charmingly cute in the process.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
``Whew, that was tiring. Do you want some water?´´ - Asked Cole as he approached the now-functioning freezer. The mere thought of having cold water at last was enough to make him thirsty.
``Ah, s-sure.´´ - Mizelle seemed more than a bit nervous as she followed Cole into the RV.
With the exception of a few minor appliances, the RV was now fully powered and lit by its fluorescent lamps. And Cole's laptop was finally getting some very necessary recharge.
``Here ya go. It's still not as cold as I like it, but it's better than its usual warmth.´´ - He said as he handed Mizelle a full glass of water.
She nodded wordlessly and began sipping it rather slowly; her eyes wandering around the RV.
``Hehe, sorry, had I known someone else would be coming in, I would've cleaned up the mess a bit.´´ - Commented Cole as he tried to draw Mizelle's attention away from the piles of parts and components that littered almost every flat surface.
``N-No it's just....´´ - This comment got her rather flustered.
``You're so... different.´´ - She said cryptically as she put her glass down.
``Different? From who?´´ - Cole spoke, raising an eyebrow.
``From... Eustace. The first human I met... that WE met...´´
Mizelle's reply was a cocktail of emotions; curiosity, nostalgia, confusion, sadness, and others he couldn't discern. All of these feelings mixed in ways they seemed to counter each other; it was a strange thing.
However, coming from her, Cole knew where it was heading.
``So, he's the one who made Haudrica hate my guts, eh?´´ - He thought, sinking his gaze on his glass of water.
``Was he so different from me?´´ - Said Cole almost jokingly as he tried his best to hide his contempt under his curiosity.
Mizelle gave short nod before replying.
``At first he was... weird. Saying words I did not understand, jumping at shadows and afraid of Haudrica.´´
``But... he was afraid of THEM much more... of our captors, who chased us because of me. He, too, had been their prisoner.´´
She picked up her glass with her power and drank a bit from it. It was still a curious sight for Cole to see anything floating in the air just like that.
``With time, we became friends. He laughed with us, helped Haudrica hunt Aberrations, and even taught me how to speak. Haudrica liked him too, even if she still acted aloof.´´
As Mizelle narrated her story, it was the feeling of genuine happiness which overcame all of the others; it was as if she was telling Cole her most treasured memory.
This feeling was strong enough to make Cole feel bad about his initial prejudices of this Eustace man. In a sense, he felt a strange kind of kinship to him; having gone through struggles similar to his own.
``But.... it all changed that one day...´´
And just like that, her happy expression fell from her as if a mask had dropped from her face.
She now looked angry, sad, and above all, confused.
``He went missing one day. Haudrica even looked for him as she feared the worst. But just like that, he came back; unhurt and seemingly normal, so much we did not notice his change in attitude. By the time we realized, it was too late...´´ - Mizelle's words were sorrowful to the point it looked like she would break in tears.
``Hey, it's okay.´´ - Cole felt the need to speak up as he saw her state.
``You don't have to remember something sad just for me. You can stop if you want.´´ - He said as encouragingly as he could, sitting next to Mizelle and giving her a soft pat in the back.
``No...´´ - She shook her head.
``I... I need to say it.´´ - She added, in a manner so driving it was scary.
Mizelle took in a few breaths before continuing.
``...Haudrica had gone out alone; she said she had found a place on her previous scavenging run that perhaps could be a good place to rest. Eustace and I waited behind.´´
``For a while, nothing happened; it just went out as usual. But all of a sudden, he asked me if he'd like to see a ''really cool place'' he had found when had gotten lost....´´
Again, she went silent for a moment. But this time, Cole did not try to stop her. And after a short pause, she resumed.
``I... was dumb and naïve; Haudrica had told me to never go out scavenging, but I thought it would be okay; I was with Eustace after all.´´
``We walked for a while. At first I was worried that it was too far from our hideout and that Haudrica could get back before we did, but he always said that ''everything will be okay''.´´
``The place he got me to was kind of strange; there was this big window, from where you could see the stars outside and even a big, shiny red planet. It was beautiful, but....´´
Mizelle put her hand on her chest and lowered her head.
``Suddenly, there was pain, and all went black....´´
``.... The next thing I saw, I was back in a cage.´´ - She teared up as she said that, and Cole could feel the anger welling up within him.
``There was... blood, all over. Haudrica had found me, and slaughtered some of the slavers who were moving my cage. But Eustace was nowhere to be found.´´
``Then, for almost a very long time, we continued to wander; hunting Aberrations and scavenging anything edible. Haudrica said nothing of Eustace, and she was always so angry about it I was afraid of asking her.´´
She clutched the hem of her shirt as she finished that sentence.
``After that Haudrica, was never the same again. She became cruel and violent; not towards me, but towards everyone and everything else. Towards me, she remained the same and tried to act like normal, but there were times when her fury got the best of her when I was looking.´´
``Even when Zalura found us and saved us from a Unit, Haudrica still tried to attack her despite of that, thinking she would tell our captors of where we were. And hadn't Tetlekar showed up there, she would had probably succeeded.´´
``It was then when we came to live here, in the NVSC9. She was against it at first, but Tetlekar convinced her that we'd be safer here.´´
With those words, she raised her head and looked over the broken window of the RV; gazing at the towering piles of scrap with an expression of relief.
``That explain a lot of things.´´ - Said Cole as he offered her some more water. She accepted.
``So, you never heard from this Eustace guy again?´´ - Cole asked.
``No, we did. Zalura found him one day and brought him here.´´ - Replied Mizelle, shaking her head in denial.
``...´´ - Cole's sole reply was a startled silence, his eyes growing wider with shock.
``Haudrica was furious; she tried to kill him almost immediately, and she would had if Tetlekar hadn't stopped her yet again.´´
``She continued to say that he was a traitor, and that he would lead the slavers here if he was left alive. While Eustace continued to say that he had been attacked along with me that day, but that the slavers had left him for dead.´´
``Except for Haudrica, everybody believed him... including me...´´
Her stare fell down again, and her tone got a bit softer. Guilt permeating her words.
``Again, he was nice to me; to everybody, even Haudrica, and Desri, whom joined us around that time.´´
As she spoke, Cole now felt a grim sense of déjà vu; like he was seen his arrival at the NVSC9 from the eyes of someone else.
``..... I still don't understand.....´´
``... Why?... Why was he so nice to everyone?... Why did he help the slavers again?...´´
Said Mizelle, making long pauses between each sentence. It was not sadness that her words evoked but confusion; a numbing sense of confusion. Like being lost in the most absolute darkness.
A long silence filled the air after that; with the exception of the fridge's humming and the clicking sound of the generator outside.
In this silence, Cole wrestled with the ideas in his mind; should he ask her what became of Eustace to sate his own curiosity? Or should he just leave it at that to save Mizelle yet another grim recollection.
``He's dead.´´ - But she was faster than him.
``When the attack of the slavers failed and they fled, leaving him behind, Haudrica went after him and killed him before he escaped.´´
She added, lowering her head until Cole couldn't see her face, now hidden by her hair. He could see the tears falling into her shirt.
``Haudrica... she warns me about you...´´
Said Mizelle without lifting her head.
``She says you are the same... that you're just playing nice, and that you will betray me when I feel I can trust you most...´´
``I... I really don't know... I know I'm dumb... I'm made like that... trusting and obedient... I just.... want to believe in others... I want to believe in good people...´´
She can barely speak between the sobs.
``... Cole.... are you the same?... Are all humans bad like Eustace... or are you a good one?..´´
With those words, she finally raised her head. Her bangs covering her forehead and face, like a sheepdog.
``Haaah....´´ - Following a minute of silence, Cole sighed.
``You aren't dumb Mizelle.´´ - He said, raising from his seat.
``But, what you say has a big problem.´´ - Continued Cole as he stood in front of her.
``There is no ''Bad'' or ''Good'' with people. Nobody is ever entirely nice or wholly evil. We all have a some of both.´´
Having said those words, he put his index finger under her chin, and raised her head even more.
``I always try to be good, but that does not meant I cannot be a jerkass. And some times, I will probably be a jerkass.´´ - He added as he gently moved her hair away from her face, revealing a big pair of teary greenish-golden eyes that gazed at him like a sad puppy.
``That said, it's not for me to call myself either. It'll be through the eyes of others that I'm judged, and labeled accordingly.´´
He said that rather solemnly.
``Cole....´´
*Wap*
She suddenly arose and hugged his chest tightly.
``Thank you.... really... thank you.´´
Although he couldn't see the expression she was making, the feeling of sadness in her words was gone.
``Hey, don't sweat it. That's what friend are for.´´
He replied nonchalantly while returning the embrace. She felt so tiny in his arms; her head barely reaching his shoulder.
···
``Great to see you're feeling better now.´´ - Said Cole in a merry manner as he handed Mizelle a battered, army-green canteen filled to the brim with cold water.
The RV's fridge was working like a charm, and Mizelle had just discovered how water is much better cold than warm.
``If you run out, just hop by again. As long as my generator keeps running and Tetlekar keep synthesizing it, we'll not run out of cold water.´´ - Added Cole as he proudly pointed to the aforementioned generator, which continued to hum and click.
``Y-Yes, see you at supper, Cole.´´ - Replied Mizelle as she ran away happily. It was so nice to see her energetic again.
``Mm... haah... Now let's see what Tetlekar did with the Un-whoa.´´ - He breathed in an out loudly before speaking, but the moment he turned around, there was a familiar figure now standing on his doorstep.
``W-When did you get there?´´ - Asked Cole.
``Concealing my presence in this noisy and cluttered place is but child's play to me. I arrived shortly after you took Mizelle inside.´´
The way Haudrica spoke was a strange one, or more precisely, it was strange for her. Her voice's usual anger and bitterness, while not entirely absent, were considerably toned down. Instead, she spoke in a flat and serious manner that gave a strong no-nonsense air.
``If you're looking for Mizelle, she left already.´´ - Stated Cole in that dismissive manner he often addressed Haudrica with.
``.......´´ - But she did not reply; she merely stood there, meeting Cole's gaze.
``..............´´ - And he exactly the same in response. Both of them remained like that for what could had either been just an instant or a long while.
``... If you are done trying to count the number of folds in my irises, I would like to resume what I was doing.´´ - Finally, he spoke.
``Just what are you trying to do?´´ - She asked as soon as Cole broke the staring contest.
``I wanna get some work on the Unit done.´´ - Replied Cole nonchalantly.
``You know well what I'm asking you about, you two-legged maggot. And if you don't tell me what are you trying to accomplish I'll kill you where you stand!´´ - And just like that, Haudrica voice was back to her normal hateful tone.
``Do I really need to have an ulterior motive for my every interaction with Mizelle?´´ - Retorted Cole, now in a much more serious manner.
``Why wouldn't you?´´ - Replied Haudrica, slightly toning down her anger to much of Cole's surprise.
``Maybe because I don't need it. Why should I need it? Did Mizelle need one as well for talking with m-?´´
Right before he finished his sentence, Haudrica literally vanished from her place and reappeared right in front of Cole. This small time window was what gave him the awareness to realize that he shouldn't remain where he stood.
*Whoosh!*
Haudrica's blade passed so close to him he could hear it whistling; slashing so close to him that it managed to cut away some of his bangs as he fell back to dodge it. She probably meant to do it like that, or else Cole would most certainly not had been able to dodge it.
``You are just the same kind of savage scum as Eustace was... So don't you ever dare to judge Mizelle in any way again. ´´ - Unlike her previous threats, these words sounded genuinely menacing; enough to make Cole truly afraid for a moment. But fear was quickly overpowered by what could best be described as courage-inducing anger as a certain memory crossed his mind; one he had once struggled to bury in his mind.
``Hahah....´´ - He laughed spontaneously at the train of thoughts coursing his mind.
``You know what, you were right. I did have an ulterior motive´´ - Added Cole as he got up; his stare never moving from the battle-ready Haudrica that stood in front of him.
Haudrica did not reply, or even move. She was clearly waiting for Cole's answer in the same way a detective expected a criminal's confession.
``I wanted to know why you treat everyone as a goddamn piece of shit!´´ - He shouted. His reply taking Haudrica by surprise.
She tried to say something, but Cole didn't gave her the chance.
``And you know what, now that I know, it really pisses me off.´´ - Added Cole as he sported an angry grin.
``I don't mind being hated for my errors, or even for what I am. But what I really can't stand is to be compared to someone else and judged because of them.´´
There was so much hatred and pain in those words; enough to make even Haudrica's own anger waver. She had opened an old wound.
``What are you trying to say?´´ - She asked scornfully.
``My name... is Cole Dedrick.´´ - And Cole replied, shaking with fury.
``I am not this Eustace guy, nor I am the same or similar to him; I am myself, with all the good and bad that might encompass.´´
``So I will not serve as a scapegoat for some coward to vent her frustrated anger towards someone else!´´
By his second sentence, he had already started to shout.
``If you still hate him so much, then go take it out on him! Drag out his corpse, grind his bones, burn him to ashes, put these ashes in a kettle and fucking pee all over them until they dissolve!!´´ - And his shouts continued to get louder.
``Just quit putting the blame on me, because I didn't-´´
It was then when he realized that Haudrica's pose and expression had radically changed.
She was no longer standing in a combat pose, or even looking at him anymore. She was looking down; blades holstered and fists clenched, and while her hair didn't let him see the look in her eyes, he could clearly see her mouth, and her teeth, gnashing together so hard one could almost hear them grinding.
She looked deeply hurt, which made Cole realize all he had just spurted out on her in his anger.
But he had no chance to say anything.
*Twack!*
Moving with her usual lightning speed, Haudrica slapped him with the back of her hand, and since it was covered in hard exoskeleton, it felt like getting hit by a hammer, it knocked him down and hurt probably just as much.
``You... know nothing... about me.... NOTHING!!´´ - Cried out Haudrica.
``How dare you call me a coward!? Do you think I choose to be like this? To have this shackles put on my mind that make me powerless when I need my strength the most? To be enslaved to the whims of anyone who'll simply toss me away like a piece of garbage when I'm no longer needed!?´´
Now she looked just as hurt as him, yet Cole couldn't make any sense of what she was saying.
But before, Cole had the chance to retort, she darted away, vanishing from his sight in an instant. And while it was only for a brief moment, he managed to see the tears that filled her eyes.
``..............´´
An absolute silence seemed to suddenly envelop everything as Cole sat in the ground, folding his legs until he could place his folded arms on his knees, and lower his head into them.
``Haaah.... I'm such an hypocritical asshole.... ´´ - He muttered after a sigh. Feeling the guilt crush him like a trash compactor.
Retaining self-control had never been a problem for Cole, but he knew just as well that whenever his control slipped off him, it would always lead to troubling times. And now he had lost it in the worst possible moment.
<End of Chapter 7>
Chapter 8
Spoiler: show
Part 1
Peacefully uneventful days.
With no major incident or similar event to disturb his peace, Cole's second week on the Phylactery had been mostly marked by his own advances on the understanding of his Unit... and the worrying fact that his growing beard was starting to make him look like someone out of a Mad Max movie.
‘‘Now, try to grab that can.’‘ Said Cole as he input some lines of command on his laptop.
*Hohum!*
The Unit replied with its usual humming sound, moving towards the rusty tin can Cole had marked using its sensor array, which showed something akin to an infrared picture on the laptop's screen. They moved using some kind of magnetic lifter that repelled the metal of the floor just enough to hover up a bit, so on the dirty ground of the NVSC9, it sometimes got stuck on pieces of metal or dirt piles.
*Crackle*
It grabbed the can, crushing it in the process. Not the result Cole wanted.
‘‘Guess I'll have to reduce the pressure applied to the arms.’‘ He mused as he changed one of the many numeric values on his screen.
The software Tetlekar had created to allow him control the Unit was primitive at best; having an interface akin to that of an old Windows 2.1 and requiring more keyboard commands than mouse ones. Still, for something he had cooked up in a couple of days using a technology he had never seen before showed just how superior Tetlekar's mental processes were to those of a normal human, let alone a normal computer.
‘‘Let's try again.’‘ He said, replacing the crushed can with a new one, placing it a couple of steps away from the Unit. ‘‘Now, try to grab that can.’‘ Again, he reentered the same command.
*Hooohum*
And the Unit responded. Maybe it had been his imagination, but it kinda sounded like its hums was starting to sound annoyed at the constant repetition. This was its 27th can after all.
*Creak*
It grabbed it. Using a bit more of force than necessary, but at least it wasn't crushed entirely. He was making progress.
‘‘Cole, good morning.’‘ And suddenly, there was that salutation.
‘‘Oh, hey there Mizelle. What's up?’‘ Replied Cole as he turned around to greet his visitor.
After the day of the generator, she had been coming to see him every once in a while. Sometimes helping him, sometimes just watching him work, and some other times asking him about his home world.
She had become quite open with him; showing that level of confidence he had only seen her show to Haudrica or Tetlekar. It really felt nice to have someone close with an interest on what he did, as well as an almost unquenchable desire to learn new things.
‘‘Nothing new, really. Just helping Tetlekar with the lunch and all. What about you?’‘ She still looked a bit fidgety. Perhaps that was just how she was. ‘‘Still working on this little guy; I already taught it how to walk, so now I'm trying to teach it how to grab things without breaking them.’‘ Cole pointed to the Unit as he spoke.
It remained there, hovering in the air, motionless. And Mizelle still looked a bit afraid of it.
‘‘I see. It must be hard.’‘ Mizelle looked at the laptop's screen as she spoke, clearly baffled by the amount of data on it.
‘‘Hard but doable. It's just a matter of trial and error.’‘ Added Cole confidently. ‘‘Also... how's Haudrica? Haven't seen her at all lately; she just comes, takes her food and goes away. And yesterday she didn't even come.’‘ Guilt permeated his words as Cole asked that.
He had never told Mizelle of the fight he had with Haudrica after she left, and how he felt he had hurt her. She had been distancing herself from the rest of the group lately, and Cole's mind gnawed on him because of that. Had it been because of what he said? Because he hurt her?
‘‘She's okay, she just looks a bit uneasy lately. It might have something to do with her body.’‘ Replied Mizelle nonchalantly.
She didn't seem to have told Mizelle anything about it, else she wouldn't still be acting this way with him. But still, it worried him.
‘‘Her body?’‘ That answer wasn't what he was expecting.
‘‘Y-Yeah, I don't know why, but once in a while, she locks herself up in her place and doesn't come out, not even to eat. This can last a few days.’‘ And she replied, in a manner as confused as Cole's own.
‘‘Alright, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, then.’‘ Cole decided he didn't want this topic to last too long, so he decided to change it.
‘‘Say, wanna see something amazing?’‘ He said as he typed down a few commands, causing a big black and white schematic to suddenly show on his laptop's screen.
Large rooms interconnected by winding corridors, with rooms of many sizes coming from their sides like branches on a tree. It was pretty complex and well-defined, but yet, some of the corridors seemed to move up a floor at certain places, but these 'stairs' led to an empty place of the map.
‘‘What is that?’‘ Asked Mizelle.
‘‘It's a map of the Phylactery, or at least the areas that were within this Unit's memory array. I get the feeling there's much more beyond here.’‘ Commented Cole as he pointed to the 'stairs to nowhere'.
‘‘See these big places? These are the Non-Volatile Salvage Collectors; all twelve of them. This one here is the NVSC9.’‘ He pointed at each of them before focusing on the one that had a blinking red mark.
‘‘What about the Organic Collectors?’‘ She asked as he moved closer, her fluffy ears perking up like those of a hare.
‘‘They are these tall but much smaller ones, and there's plenty of them; there are twenty-five just in the part of this blueprint we can see. And since the one with the Regenerator is numbered ''73'', I dare say there are many more; that could explain from where all those Aberrations come from.’‘ Explained Cole in a worrisome manner as he pinpointed some of them. Mizelle nodded in acknowledgement.
‘‘The problem is, many of these corridors are blocked. See these thin lines? Those are emergency shutters. According to Tetlekar, most of them are locked until a Unit passes by.’‘ His way of saying that showed a great deal of disappointment.
‘‘So... could he open them?’‘ She asked after a short thought, pointing at the Unit.
‘‘Theoretically, yes. But it ain't so simple...’‘ Replied Cole as he changed to another window.
There were thousands and thousands of lines of unintelligible characters on it, which shifted between brief time intervals, like a letter soup being stirred.
‘‘This is this Unit's inner security encryption. Which is another way to say a big lock on its secret stuff.’‘ He explained. ‘‘Thing is, that while Tetlekar said that he could do it, he just doesn't have what it takes to do it within our lifetimes. First he'd need to even understand this language; he said it doesn't fit within any of his linguistic patterns. And secondly, he'd need some kind of decryption key to deal with the security of the code itself, else it will take decades to-.’‘
*WEEEOOOOOOOON!! WEEEOOOOOOOOON!!*
A blaring siren cut Cole's speech short.
‘‘W-What the hell is that!?’‘ Shouted Cole as he jumped from his seat, wrench in hand. It sounded quite a bit like one of those old WWII-era Air Raid Alarms, which gave the impression that something bad was upon them.
‘‘I-It's a 'Jump'.’‘ Cried out Mizelle, also in a bit of a fright.
She didn't give Cole the chance to ask what was going on, she just dashed away, and he followed after her.
~~~
‘‘Cole, Mizelle! Make haste, we are very short on time.’‘ Tetlekar called them out as soon as he saw their approach.
‘‘Can you tell me what's going on?’‘ Asked Cole as he looked around.
‘‘No time for that now. Cole, go to the entrance; Zalura and Desri are securing the door, go help them.’‘ Said Tetlekar. ‘‘And Mizelle... go get Haudrica out of hiding. If she's on her own, she could get hurt by whatever critter shows up here or worse, phased away.’‘ His manner of speaking was unusually agitated. Cole and Mizelle merely nodded and rushed out.
‘‘Ya 'ere lad! Good timin'. Grab som' more o'those an' get pushin'.’‘
It took Cole a moment to realize what they were doing as he arrived at the entrance. There was one massive metal plate over the exit shutter, held in its place by Zalura, and Desri was trying to hold it into place with what looked like the busted-up cabin of a freighter truck.
‘‘Would you mind explaining me just what's going on? What's this whole ''Jump'' thing?’‘ Asked Cole as he started pushing along with Desri.
‘‘Tha' Phylactery's a movin'; op'ning up a Tetherhole to som'where else. But like most things on this hunka junk o'a ship, its Inner Tethers are busted; so, we can end up warp'd to a locked room som'where in 'ere, to a nest o'berrations or plain ol' void o'space.’‘ Explained Desri as they pushed the wreck into place. ‘‘And da same goes for 'em Ab'rations; they could end up right in 'ere next to ya 'n me.’‘ He added as he motioned Zalura to come down.
‘‘A'ight, we're done 'ere. Back to Tetlekar. Hurry!’‘ Said Desri as he darted ahead. The loud blare of the alarms was getting steadily faster.
And yet again, everyone ran away, with Cole tailing them as fast as he could. His mind still working its way to wrap around what Desri had explained.
But as they made their way back to Tetlekar, they found a quite different situation than what they had just left.
‘‘But we can't just abandon her! She could get lost forever with the Jump.’‘ Cried out Mizelle in tears and exasperation.
‘‘And so can any of us if we leave now. This is not a matter of do or don't.’‘ Retorted Tetlekar in what seemed like his usual calm demeanor, but the slightly louder tone of his voice indicated a certain level of exasperation.
‘‘Oi, wazza matter? Somethin' wrong?’‘ Desri ran towards Mizelle as he spoke.
‘‘It's..... it's Haudrica..... she .... she's gone....’‘ She said, between sobs.
Cole felt a cold sweat running through his back.
‘‘Was it because of me?’‘ This phrase quickly found its way to his mind.
*WIIIIIIIIIEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONN!*
But Cole's inner voice was soon eclipsed by this long alarm note.
‘‘There is no time for that now! Everyone, hold onto me!’‘ Shouted Tetlekar as he extended his arms. Extended in more than one sense.
Like a pair of telescopic antennas, his wrists outstretched in a manner that reminded Cole of Inspector Gadget. Once they were far stretched, his fingers did something quite similar, as the plating covering them unfolded out into many oddly shaped spirals.
*Tlshhtrtsh*
As everyone cuddled at his sides, the alarms died down, and a crackling sound became audible, followed by a smell like that of ozone.
‘‘Close your eyes!’‘ Tetlekar screamed.
*Bleeeeouuu-TWOOON!!!*
Like a thousand high-power flashlights being turned on at the same time, Cole felt a strong light pierce his eyes, even through his closed eyelids, accompanied by that sensation of low weight one feels when going down in an elevator from a high floor.
Then, it ended. As abruptly as a blackout.
‘‘Eww-beh!!’‘ He resisted the urge to throw up as a sensation of nausea crashed against his body.
‘‘Tethers stabilized. Check immediate areas for hostiles.’‘ Cole could hear Tetlekar speaking as he regained his senses.
His whole body felt like he had just taken an hour-long ride on a roller coaster.
‘‘COle, yOU aLriGhT?’‘ Zalura's concerned face was the first thing he saw as he recovered. For some reason, he was lying on the floor.
‘‘I'm OK, I just feel like I just came out of a bad hangover. What did just happen? And where's everyone?’‘ Replied Cole as he looked around, and noticed everyone else was missing. Which was strange as he had just heard Tetlekar.
‘‘COle faiNteD aFtER JumP. DEsri aNd aRE TEtLeKar aRE sCOutIng tHE ARea. MiZeLLe iS loOkiNg FoR HaUdRIcA. ZALura jUsT fiNiSHeD cLeANinG heRe.’‘ She pointed to a couple of dead Aberrations that laid not far from her, bleeding on the ground.
He got up with Zalura's help and stood there for a moment, trying to regain his bearings. So much had just happened in such a short time his mind was still overwhelmed.
‘‘... What about Haudrica? Any clues of her whereabouts?’‘ Asked Cole with a rather heavy heart.
But Zalura shook her head, ‘‘NoT A tRaCE. MiZeLLe fEArS THe wORst.’‘ she added.
‘‘BUt, ThIS is nOT fIrST tiME HaUdRIcA VaNIshEs. HaPpenED bEFoRe, aND ALwaYs rEtURneD, uNHarMed.’‘ Zalura's manner of speaking showed a strange mixture of confidence and mild annoyance.
Cole said nothing back, he just sighs deeply as he heads back to his place.
~~~
Cole walked in quiet solitude, although he wasn't by any measure at peace; with his mind drifting back to his argument with Haudrica almost at every step.
‘‘You... know nothing... about me.... NOTHING!!’‘ His memories echoed.
‘‘And she was right on that.’‘ He uttered those words slowly. ‘‘Perhaps it's better if I don't get involved this time. I don't wanna end up-’‘ But his train of thought was suddenly interrupted ‘‘Mizelle? What are you doing there?’‘
She was standing there with a battered clipboard in hand, focused at the map of the Phylactery that Cole had left open in his laptop's screen.
‘‘Ah-Cole, I was, uhm.....’‘ She jumped at Cole calling her out, while pointlessly trying to hide the clipboard.
There's a crudely drawn copy of the map scrawled over what looks like a faded inventory chart on the clipboard. But realizing that Cole saw it, Mizelle took a deep breath and takes an unusually serious expression.
‘‘.... There's a place I must find without delay.’‘ And the serious manner of the speech in which she replied was clearly modeled after Tetlekar's own. ‘‘I think Haudrica could be, no-she will be in there. I know it. So I must find it.’‘ She added, brimming with determination.
‘‘Alright.’‘ Cole's answer was rather non-committal, for which Mizelle hadn't prepared for.
‘‘Y-You will not try to stop me?’‘ Now she was back to her nervous and fidgety self.
‘‘For what I have seen of you these past days, you're pretty smart and just as capable, so I really don't see any need to babysit you; you should be able to do whatever you want, as long as you're careful.’‘ Cole replied.
Cole was doing his best to say all that with his most confident smile, but deep inside, he was just trying to keep himself from getting involved with Haudrica again.
‘‘So, what is this place you're looking for?’‘ He asked, turning his attention towards Mizelle's scrawled map.
‘‘After Haudrica and I escaped from the Qauranites but before came here, we spent a long time wandering around the Phylactery; resting wherever we could and hunting Aberrations to eat. It was hard, but it was better than before.’‘ Narrated Mizelle, ’‘And even though we almost never went back to places we had been before, there was this one place we always went back to, specially when we were feeling bad.... I want to find that place; I know that Haudrica is there.’‘ she added, again with a strong determination.
‘‘Hm, I see. So, what was the place like? Did it have any peculiar shape?’‘ Asked Cole while looking at the map in his laptop.
‘‘Yes, it was in a small corridor between two large ones. There was one big room, and three smaller ones filled with strange machines. The big one had a shape like this.’‘ Explained Mizelle as she drew an L shape in the air.
‘‘That's a decent start. Let's see if anything matches here.’‘ He moved around the map as he replied, both he and Mizelle trying to spot anything similar in the countless corridors.
~~~
Hours came and went by as Cole and Mizelle continued to scrutinize the map. A few likely matches had been spotted; and while they fit Mizelle's memories in terms of shape, many were quickly discarded due to how close they were to any of the Collectors, or to any other well-known area.
In the end, the list boiled down to three possible places, luckily not too far from each others. But the part that worried Cole was that Mizelle was driven to go there... alone.
‘‘I have to do it.’‘ she said, ’‘I-It really scares me to go out there like that, but Haudrica did it for me many times before and... and... I want to prove to everyone that I can do it.’‘ her words carrying a strange mixture of fear and courage.
‘‘......’‘ Cole didn't reply; he merely put on a hollow, uneasy smile as his mind was at war with itself on what to reply.
He cared about her, and he didn't want to see her in danger or worse. But, on the other hand, he was fearful that his meddling would lead to yet another unsavory event that could end up not only worsening his already tense relationship with Haudrica, but also crippling the one he had with Mizelle.
‘‘.... Alright.’‘ he said after a short pondering, ’‘But promise me one thing; that if your search proves too dangerous for you to do it alone, you'll come back and ask for help.’‘ added Cole in a mildly admonishing manner.
‘‘I promise, but you must also promise that you will not come looking for me.’‘ Replied Mizelle, again mimicking Tetlekar's manner of speaking.
‘‘I understand, and yes, I promise I will wait until you come back, hopefully with Haudrica.’‘ Cole replied.
At that time, Cole thought that he could just promise her that, thinking that Tetlekar would most certainly not let her go out alone, and would accompany her instead. However, it would later be clear that Mizelle had also been aware of such.
By the time everyone was up the next morning, she had already left on her own. And this would give Cole no small amount of worry.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
The smell of hot solder, a good idea taken from paper into realization without major hassle and perhaps even a finished functional prototype. Under most circumstances, any of those things by themselves would had been enough to have him in a very good mood.
But somehow, it didn't, and like a skilled chef realizing he hadn't added salt to an otherwise flawless gourmet dish he had just finished preparing, he knew exactly what was wrong, and wondered if it was already too late to fix it.
With Haudrica gone and Mizelle gone as well to look for her, guilt and worry hung upon him like a pair of swords of Damocles pointed at his neck.
‘‘Haaahh..... Enough with that.’‘ He said, softly slapping his own cheeks as if to wake himself up.
His mind needed to clear of distracting thoughts, as he was just about to begin the most dangerous part of this current project.
An early bout of curiosity regarding that Access Key he had found long ago led him to the discovery that the key itself was no mere switch or keycard, but a small, contained power source that constantly generated a very specific set of voltages into its contacts.
This, combined with a chat he had with Tetlekar regarding what he did to the door panels of the Cryovaults back then to keep them from being closed again, where he employed a sort of maintenance override command he had once discovered, Cole thought that he could somehow create a device of his own to gain total control of any such doors, perhaps like that avoiding situations like the one they had to deal with in the Organic Collector, with a simple set of adjustable voltage generators.
However, in order to make that work, he would have to disassemble his Access Key, and repurpose it as a different device (which he had already christened as the ''Lock Hacker''), but that was easier said than done.
‘‘Considering this was meant as a security tool, it'll probably take more than just prying some lid out or removing some screw....’‘ Thought Cole as he took the Access Key from a nearby table and began studying it for weaknesses.
It was roughly the size of a small remote controller, and with one flat end that sported seven flat metal pins. On its center it had a small and rather sticky indentation with tiny bits of something similar to paper clinging to its corner. Perhaps, there had been some kind of owner's name or key tag of sorts there at some point, but the years it spent on the decaying hand of its former owner did away with it.
‘‘Haaaaaaah.....’‘ A deep breath for concentration. Cracking knuckles to relax shaky hands. And shaking away worrisome thoughts.
*Crack!*
Pushing a thin flathead screwdriver between the side seams and applying substantial force to the torque, the back of the handle cracked audibly. Tiny bits of some ancient glue falling from the cracks.
‘‘Damn, that wasn't as good as I had hoped.’‘ It wasn't by any measure a gentle opening, but it got the job done. The insides of the Access Key finally laid bare on his hands.
Its contents were also vaguely anticlimactic; Cole had expected some kind of bizarre circuitry, like the one inside Tetlekar's leg, but what he had in his hand more closely resembled a piece of tech from the late 70s.
A black circuit board, a tiny round chip with no visible pins, a thumb-sized box with two ends descending into the circuit and a few flat wires, which seemed to be part of the circuit board itself, exiting from one side into the contact pins outside.
Nonetheless, such ease of design also made it quite easy for him to realize what was going on within such device, and once it was clear the thumb-sized box was a power source and that the chip merely regulated the voltage being sent to the contact pins, it wasn't hard to jury-rig it to his own device.
‘‘Aaaand, done!’‘ Announced Cole to nobody in particular after a well-spent roll of duct tape.
The really hard part, however, was just about to begin.
~~~
‘‘A nearby door, you say?’‘ Tetlekar replied while lifting an eyebrow as he filled everybody's bowls with the day's lunch.
Even though Desri and Zalura were eating as usual, there was an almost palpable tension in the air.
Just where had Haudrica vanished to? Was she caught in the Jump? Why did Mizelle leave? To look for her? Will she ever come back? Will any of them ever come back?
Those were the questions nobody asked, but they were written all over their faces, and probably Cole's own as well.
‘‘Yes, just like those on the Organic Collector and the Cryovaults. I need a locked door with an access panel so I can test out this little gadget. Which one would be the nearest?’‘ Cole was brimming with enthusiasm, although Tetlekar wasn't impressed by the Lock Hacker.
A few dials and some calculator screens, part of a multimeter, and an old cellphone turned into a keypad. All of it bolted onto side of a dented metal briefcase like those that criminal types use to move stacks of cash and drugs in movies. And from a hole in one of its corners, a cord led to the repurposed Access Key.
‘‘As a matter of fact, there is one of such doors here, within the NVSC9.’‘ Said Tetlekar after a short ponder.
‘‘I am not sure if it will suffice for what you have in mind, but I will show you nonetheless.’‘ He added as he took the now-empty pot out of the fire.
‘‘Cool! Where is it?’‘ Asked Cole, rubbing his hands.
‘‘Right over there, behind that pile next to my chambers.’‘ Tetlekar pointed to the right as he spoke.
That was highly anticlimactic.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
‘‘So, how long as this been here?’‘ Said Cole as he put the Lock Hacker down and began inspecting the door.
While the panel was intact and functional, the door itself was covered in the marks of previous and failed attempts to force it.
‘‘How 'bout since forever? Place's been a myst'ry since we first settl'd in 'ere. And I swear I've seen it open once or twice, but when I look'd at it, it was lock'd 'gain. Tetlekar has n'ver gotten it open.’‘ Replied Desri with a gruff.
While there was no danger in opening the door itself, there was no telling of what could lie behind it, so Desri and Zalura had gone along with Cole.
‘‘......’‘
However, Zalura had gotten strangely nervous since Tetlekar had first made mention of it. Still, she had said nothing, so Cole assumed it was just his rather troubled mind, making him see things that weren't there.
‘‘Alright then.’‘ He took the Access Key and inserted it into the slot.
A handful of lights sparked up in the Lock Hacker's control panel, while the screen of the door's panel turned red.
‘‘Everything within parameters.’‘ Muttered Cole as he fiddled with some of the dials.
‘‘Hope whatev'r yer doin' works better than it did back at the o'ganic collector.’‘ Commented Desri in mild amusement.
‘‘An Access Key works in a very unique way; it's both a key and a power source. Each of the pins at its ends carries a distinctive voltage value that react with the door's system somehow.’‘ Said Cole.
‘‘If the values are incorrect, nothing happens, at least as far as I know. But if it's correct, the key makes the door draw a small amount of power from its source, which kickstarts the door's opening or closing, kind of like a car's starter engine.’‘ He fiddled with the controls, which made the calculator screens react in different ways.
‘‘I dunno what's a car, or what its startin' engine does, but I kinda get what yer sayin'. Ya say these doors have no power o' their own?’‘ Asked Tetlekar as he brought his hand to his chin.
‘‘Indeed, that's why you can't just force them open, and that's also why Units can open and close them at-Oh! I think I got it.’‘ Cole's phrase changed abruptly as a few red lights became green.
A few more adjustments to the controls and the lights were all green. Desri and Zalura peered over his shoulder at the controls.
‘‘Gotcha!’‘ He shouted boastfully.
*Din! Bwoo. Din! Bwoo. Din! Bwoo.*
The door opened and closed, nonstop, and in rapid succession.
‘‘.... Why it doesn't stay op'n?’‘ Asked Desri as he approached to Cole.
‘‘Hm, I guess it's still not perfect. I'll have to add an automated circuit breaker of sorts to prevent this.’‘ Replied Cole as he turned the Lock Hacker off, stopping the door.
‘‘Still, it opened, so that's a passing sco-’‘ As he spoke, he took his Zap-Light out of his pocket and pointed at the now open doorway.
*Shlkclakl*
Something slimy had just slithered away when the light had touched it, and realizing that made Cole halt his phrase.
‘‘There's something in there!’‘ He said, focusing on the interior of the room.
The room inside seemed empty, save for yet another door on a nearby wall.
However, what drew Cole's attention wasn't the door or the room itself, but the fact the whole floor was peppered with some kind of 'white flakes'; like the torn pieces of many shopping bags.
‘‘COle, yoU sHOuLd NoT gO In tHeRE.’‘ All of a sudden, Zalura spoke.
‘‘Uhm, why? Do you sense something dangerous in there?’‘ Asked Cole as he turned back.
‘‘JuSt No GO In, CANnoT sEE wHaT iNSIde.’‘ Zalura's speech got worse all of a sudden.
‘‘I can't see what's inside either. That's why I'm looking-HOLY SHIT!’‘
Cole totally misunderstood what Zalura meant, but before she could clarify, he had seen it.
Hanging from the roof in a rather creepy fashion, there was a translucent, body-like structure, formed of something that looked like some wrinkly plastic bag. It had a very peculiar shape; like a human but slimmer, and it was holding from the ceiling with a pair of very familiar scythes.
‘‘H-Haudrica!?’‘ He shouted in terror.
Just like before, ''bad thoughts'' had begun overpowering Cole's mind. Did the jump do this to her? Was she dead? What would become of Mizelle now? Would she even come back now?
‘‘Oi, kiddo, snap outta it!’‘ It was Desri who brought Cole back to his senses.
‘‘That's not Haudrica, that's just an ol' skin. Look ov'r dat corner.’‘ He pointed with his paw as he spoke, a rather amused smile adorning his muzzle.
‘‘It looks like som'one got herself into a hassle, or like, more like outta one, heheh.’‘ Added Desri with a soft chuckle.
There was a uncannily white lump, white enough to rival corrective fluid, leaning against that corner of the wall. And while Cole was trying to make out any features from that distance, a familiar pair of greenish-red eyes stared furiously back at him.
‘‘Yooouuuuu bbaaaaasssstaaaaarrddssss.......’‘ She dragged her words, as if her mouth was moving slower.
She was lying in the ground, in a quasi-fetal position, and apparently naked.
‘‘HaUdRIcA, ZALura iS soRrY. DiD nOT BeLiEVe COle coULd OpEn tHe doOr.’‘ Zalura surged forwards towards the crumpled Haudrica, apologising profusely.
‘‘Wait, what? You knew she had been here all this time!?’‘ Cole was more shocked by this sudden revelation than by Haudrica's strange appearance.
Zalura lets out a big sigh before speaking.
‘‘ZALura foUNd oF tHIs LoNg aGO, BuT PrOmiSed HaUdRIcA TO noT tELL aNyOne.’‘ She said in an unusually stern manner.
‘‘I understand that, and I would had done exactly the same, but you could had at least told Mize-Ugh!’‘ The moment Cole was about to mention that name, Zalura pushed him out; a fast palm to the stomach had robbed him of breath.
This was the first time he had felt her true strength, and it was indeed overwhelming. It had almost reminded him of a time he had been hit by a car.
‘‘PLeASe saY No MOrE, aND leAvE. I wiLL TAke CaRE oF HaUdRIcA.’‘ She said as she stood in the door frame, blocking it.
‘‘A'right Cole, ya heard the girl. Let's leave 'em to their alone time and friendly ecdysis.’‘
Following Zalura's suit, Desri motioned Cole to follow him away from there.
‘‘Ecdysis?’‘ Thought Cole as he picked up the Lock Hacker.
At first, he thought it was just him mishearing Desri's accent, but then something clicked in his mind; an old, almost forgotten memory of his highschool days, of dozing off in the biology class as the teacher explained something about the nature of insects.
‘‘She's.... changing skin?’‘ The realization hit him almost as hard as Zalura's blow.
‘‘Yeah, kinda, more like sheddin' her exoskellie'. I'd love to make fun o' how that's kinda primitive, but I.... sorta change my coat now and then, so Imma not gonna mock that one thing.’‘ Desri said that with a bit of embarrassment, but he was still quite amused to see Haudrica like that.
‘‘Still, it's kinda funny to see 'er like that, at her weak'st. She's nothing but a pale grub as she's now.’‘ He added.
‘‘What do you mean?’‘ That had triggered Cole's curiosity.
‘‘Ya've seen her crazy regenin' powers; ya could stomp her flat, and she would just pull 'erself t'gether. But she can't do that now as she is; if dat Unit o' yours ripped her limbs off now, they wouldn't grow back an'more.’‘
It was unnerving how much evil glee was in Desri's comment. He hated her that much?
‘‘......’‘ But that was the least of Cole's worries.
‘‘... If she finds out Mizelle's gone looking for her, she'll go to find her as well, even in that state of hers!’‘ Said Cole with a fright.
‘‘Good! Maybe she'll lose a limb or two, or maybe an Unit will rip 'er tongue out. I'd pref'r the later, t'be honest.’‘ Added Desri with the same evil grin he had worn for a while now. And it was starting to get on Cole's nerves.
‘‘Could you please drop that for a moment? Do you realize that she means a lot not just to Mizelle, but also to Zalura? Do you think they would be happy if she was gone?’‘ Said Cole as he stopped in his tracks. Desri's grin fell from him like an unclasped cloak.
‘‘... Neither o' them have any idea o' what an Irisonian is capable of.’‘ Desri's voice was almost a whisper, a hostile whisper.
‘‘They're like machines, pup. They don't think, they don't feel, they don't care. They just do as they're order'd and never b'ther to ask why; slashin' away at all and any who crosses their path. I have more hopes in ya makin' that Unit o' yours serve me food than have Haudrica be an'thing other than a loose cog of a long since defective m'chine.’‘ Desri's every word practically oozed hatred.
‘‘Heh, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then.’‘ Replied Cole as he turned back, flashing a hollow smile.
‘‘Besides, I am doing this for Mizelle, not for her. So, try to see it that way.’‘ Added Cole as he resumed his walking.
‘‘Suit y'self, pup. I won't stop ya in what yer gonna do; I have no qualms with Mizelle. So I'll just look the other way.’‘ Desri took his own phrase literally and turned around, walking in the other direction.
~~~
A small courier bag loaded with the last of his aberration jerky, and one lone bottle of water. As well as early draft of Mizelle's map. That, along with his Zap-Light and flare gun, were all he was carrying. Even his wrench had been left behind.
It was the dead of the night, or at least, what would had been the dead of the night if the lights of the NVSC9 weren't permanently on. But everyone was already asleep.
‘‘Now, to open this damn thing.’‘
*Shrooom*
The exit shutter opened easily, and while Cole was prepared to find either Tetlekar or Zalura standing on the other side, he hadn't expected to find her there.
‘‘Haudrica!?’‘ He said in shock.
She had gotten a lot of her emerald-green color back in her body, but her hair was still purely white, and maybe there were even more white parts now hidden under her clothes.
‘‘If you don't want to get hurt badly, you will shut up and leave me, now.’‘ She said with her usual scowl.
However, it was clear that she wasn't her usual, as she would had bared her scythes at him as threat.
‘‘I am not going back.’‘ Replied Cole as he closed the shutter behind him, and defiantly walked past her.
‘‘I'll be blunt, if you want, we can work together on this. Or, we can just go different ways once we reach the end of this tunnel. The choice is yours, and I am fine either way.’‘ He added, turning around.
‘‘.... Do you think I am going to accept that just because I am a bit slower and softer now?’‘ She asked with a mocking smirk.
‘‘No, I don't.’‘ His answer was sudden enough to slightly startle her. ‘‘You are how you are, and nothing I do is gonna change that; only you can change yourself.’‘ He added.
‘‘But Mizelle wouldn't want you to get hurt; she wouldn't want either of us to get hurt. That's why, I think it's better if we stick together for this; don't do it for me, do it for her.’‘ And with those final words, he extended his hand to her.
‘‘Hmph! Just keep walking.’‘
Haudrica didn't take his hand, but she made no attempts to separate herself from him; she just walked at a brisk pace, which Cole had no difficulty in keeping with.
However, even if she had agreed to this rather uneasy deal, their situation wasn't very good; with Haudrica weakened and vulnerable, and him not precisely any stronger than before, there was no telling what they could encounter on their way, or even if Mizelle would be at the end of it.
<End of Chapter 8>
Peacefully uneventful days.
With no major incident or similar event to disturb his peace, Cole's second week on the Phylactery had been mostly marked by his own advances on the understanding of his Unit... and the worrying fact that his growing beard was starting to make him look like someone out of a Mad Max movie.
‘‘Now, try to grab that can.’‘ Said Cole as he input some lines of command on his laptop.
*Hohum!*
The Unit replied with its usual humming sound, moving towards the rusty tin can Cole had marked using its sensor array, which showed something akin to an infrared picture on the laptop's screen. They moved using some kind of magnetic lifter that repelled the metal of the floor just enough to hover up a bit, so on the dirty ground of the NVSC9, it sometimes got stuck on pieces of metal or dirt piles.
*Crackle*
It grabbed the can, crushing it in the process. Not the result Cole wanted.
‘‘Guess I'll have to reduce the pressure applied to the arms.’‘ He mused as he changed one of the many numeric values on his screen.
The software Tetlekar had created to allow him control the Unit was primitive at best; having an interface akin to that of an old Windows 2.1 and requiring more keyboard commands than mouse ones. Still, for something he had cooked up in a couple of days using a technology he had never seen before showed just how superior Tetlekar's mental processes were to those of a normal human, let alone a normal computer.
‘‘Let's try again.’‘ He said, replacing the crushed can with a new one, placing it a couple of steps away from the Unit. ‘‘Now, try to grab that can.’‘ Again, he reentered the same command.
*Hooohum*
And the Unit responded. Maybe it had been his imagination, but it kinda sounded like its hums was starting to sound annoyed at the constant repetition. This was its 27th can after all.
*Creak*
It grabbed it. Using a bit more of force than necessary, but at least it wasn't crushed entirely. He was making progress.
‘‘Cole, good morning.’‘ And suddenly, there was that salutation.
‘‘Oh, hey there Mizelle. What's up?’‘ Replied Cole as he turned around to greet his visitor.
After the day of the generator, she had been coming to see him every once in a while. Sometimes helping him, sometimes just watching him work, and some other times asking him about his home world.
She had become quite open with him; showing that level of confidence he had only seen her show to Haudrica or Tetlekar. It really felt nice to have someone close with an interest on what he did, as well as an almost unquenchable desire to learn new things.
‘‘Nothing new, really. Just helping Tetlekar with the lunch and all. What about you?’‘ She still looked a bit fidgety. Perhaps that was just how she was. ‘‘Still working on this little guy; I already taught it how to walk, so now I'm trying to teach it how to grab things without breaking them.’‘ Cole pointed to the Unit as he spoke.
It remained there, hovering in the air, motionless. And Mizelle still looked a bit afraid of it.
‘‘I see. It must be hard.’‘ Mizelle looked at the laptop's screen as she spoke, clearly baffled by the amount of data on it.
‘‘Hard but doable. It's just a matter of trial and error.’‘ Added Cole confidently. ‘‘Also... how's Haudrica? Haven't seen her at all lately; she just comes, takes her food and goes away. And yesterday she didn't even come.’‘ Guilt permeated his words as Cole asked that.
He had never told Mizelle of the fight he had with Haudrica after she left, and how he felt he had hurt her. She had been distancing herself from the rest of the group lately, and Cole's mind gnawed on him because of that. Had it been because of what he said? Because he hurt her?
‘‘She's okay, she just looks a bit uneasy lately. It might have something to do with her body.’‘ Replied Mizelle nonchalantly.
She didn't seem to have told Mizelle anything about it, else she wouldn't still be acting this way with him. But still, it worried him.
‘‘Her body?’‘ That answer wasn't what he was expecting.
‘‘Y-Yeah, I don't know why, but once in a while, she locks herself up in her place and doesn't come out, not even to eat. This can last a few days.’‘ And she replied, in a manner as confused as Cole's own.
‘‘Alright, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, then.’‘ Cole decided he didn't want this topic to last too long, so he decided to change it.
‘‘Say, wanna see something amazing?’‘ He said as he typed down a few commands, causing a big black and white schematic to suddenly show on his laptop's screen.
Large rooms interconnected by winding corridors, with rooms of many sizes coming from their sides like branches on a tree. It was pretty complex and well-defined, but yet, some of the corridors seemed to move up a floor at certain places, but these 'stairs' led to an empty place of the map.
‘‘What is that?’‘ Asked Mizelle.
‘‘It's a map of the Phylactery, or at least the areas that were within this Unit's memory array. I get the feeling there's much more beyond here.’‘ Commented Cole as he pointed to the 'stairs to nowhere'.
‘‘See these big places? These are the Non-Volatile Salvage Collectors; all twelve of them. This one here is the NVSC9.’‘ He pointed at each of them before focusing on the one that had a blinking red mark.
‘‘What about the Organic Collectors?’‘ She asked as he moved closer, her fluffy ears perking up like those of a hare.
‘‘They are these tall but much smaller ones, and there's plenty of them; there are twenty-five just in the part of this blueprint we can see. And since the one with the Regenerator is numbered ''73'', I dare say there are many more; that could explain from where all those Aberrations come from.’‘ Explained Cole in a worrisome manner as he pinpointed some of them. Mizelle nodded in acknowledgement.
‘‘The problem is, many of these corridors are blocked. See these thin lines? Those are emergency shutters. According to Tetlekar, most of them are locked until a Unit passes by.’‘ His way of saying that showed a great deal of disappointment.
‘‘So... could he open them?’‘ She asked after a short thought, pointing at the Unit.
‘‘Theoretically, yes. But it ain't so simple...’‘ Replied Cole as he changed to another window.
There were thousands and thousands of lines of unintelligible characters on it, which shifted between brief time intervals, like a letter soup being stirred.
‘‘This is this Unit's inner security encryption. Which is another way to say a big lock on its secret stuff.’‘ He explained. ‘‘Thing is, that while Tetlekar said that he could do it, he just doesn't have what it takes to do it within our lifetimes. First he'd need to even understand this language; he said it doesn't fit within any of his linguistic patterns. And secondly, he'd need some kind of decryption key to deal with the security of the code itself, else it will take decades to-.’‘
*WEEEOOOOOOOON!! WEEEOOOOOOOOON!!*
A blaring siren cut Cole's speech short.
‘‘W-What the hell is that!?’‘ Shouted Cole as he jumped from his seat, wrench in hand. It sounded quite a bit like one of those old WWII-era Air Raid Alarms, which gave the impression that something bad was upon them.
‘‘I-It's a 'Jump'.’‘ Cried out Mizelle, also in a bit of a fright.
She didn't give Cole the chance to ask what was going on, she just dashed away, and he followed after her.
~~~
‘‘Cole, Mizelle! Make haste, we are very short on time.’‘ Tetlekar called them out as soon as he saw their approach.
‘‘Can you tell me what's going on?’‘ Asked Cole as he looked around.
‘‘No time for that now. Cole, go to the entrance; Zalura and Desri are securing the door, go help them.’‘ Said Tetlekar. ‘‘And Mizelle... go get Haudrica out of hiding. If she's on her own, she could get hurt by whatever critter shows up here or worse, phased away.’‘ His manner of speaking was unusually agitated. Cole and Mizelle merely nodded and rushed out.
‘‘Ya 'ere lad! Good timin'. Grab som' more o'those an' get pushin'.’‘
It took Cole a moment to realize what they were doing as he arrived at the entrance. There was one massive metal plate over the exit shutter, held in its place by Zalura, and Desri was trying to hold it into place with what looked like the busted-up cabin of a freighter truck.
‘‘Would you mind explaining me just what's going on? What's this whole ''Jump'' thing?’‘ Asked Cole as he started pushing along with Desri.
‘‘Tha' Phylactery's a movin'; op'ning up a Tetherhole to som'where else. But like most things on this hunka junk o'a ship, its Inner Tethers are busted; so, we can end up warp'd to a locked room som'where in 'ere, to a nest o'berrations or plain ol' void o'space.’‘ Explained Desri as they pushed the wreck into place. ‘‘And da same goes for 'em Ab'rations; they could end up right in 'ere next to ya 'n me.’‘ He added as he motioned Zalura to come down.
‘‘A'ight, we're done 'ere. Back to Tetlekar. Hurry!’‘ Said Desri as he darted ahead. The loud blare of the alarms was getting steadily faster.
And yet again, everyone ran away, with Cole tailing them as fast as he could. His mind still working its way to wrap around what Desri had explained.
But as they made their way back to Tetlekar, they found a quite different situation than what they had just left.
‘‘But we can't just abandon her! She could get lost forever with the Jump.’‘ Cried out Mizelle in tears and exasperation.
‘‘And so can any of us if we leave now. This is not a matter of do or don't.’‘ Retorted Tetlekar in what seemed like his usual calm demeanor, but the slightly louder tone of his voice indicated a certain level of exasperation.
‘‘Oi, wazza matter? Somethin' wrong?’‘ Desri ran towards Mizelle as he spoke.
‘‘It's..... it's Haudrica..... she .... she's gone....’‘ She said, between sobs.
Cole felt a cold sweat running through his back.
‘‘Was it because of me?’‘ This phrase quickly found its way to his mind.
*WIIIIIIIIIEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONN!*
But Cole's inner voice was soon eclipsed by this long alarm note.
‘‘There is no time for that now! Everyone, hold onto me!’‘ Shouted Tetlekar as he extended his arms. Extended in more than one sense.
Like a pair of telescopic antennas, his wrists outstretched in a manner that reminded Cole of Inspector Gadget. Once they were far stretched, his fingers did something quite similar, as the plating covering them unfolded out into many oddly shaped spirals.
*Tlshhtrtsh*
As everyone cuddled at his sides, the alarms died down, and a crackling sound became audible, followed by a smell like that of ozone.
‘‘Close your eyes!’‘ Tetlekar screamed.
*Bleeeeouuu-TWOOON!!!*
Like a thousand high-power flashlights being turned on at the same time, Cole felt a strong light pierce his eyes, even through his closed eyelids, accompanied by that sensation of low weight one feels when going down in an elevator from a high floor.
Then, it ended. As abruptly as a blackout.
‘‘Eww-beh!!’‘ He resisted the urge to throw up as a sensation of nausea crashed against his body.
‘‘Tethers stabilized. Check immediate areas for hostiles.’‘ Cole could hear Tetlekar speaking as he regained his senses.
His whole body felt like he had just taken an hour-long ride on a roller coaster.
‘‘COle, yOU aLriGhT?’‘ Zalura's concerned face was the first thing he saw as he recovered. For some reason, he was lying on the floor.
‘‘I'm OK, I just feel like I just came out of a bad hangover. What did just happen? And where's everyone?’‘ Replied Cole as he looked around, and noticed everyone else was missing. Which was strange as he had just heard Tetlekar.
‘‘COle faiNteD aFtER JumP. DEsri aNd aRE TEtLeKar aRE sCOutIng tHE ARea. MiZeLLe iS loOkiNg FoR HaUdRIcA. ZALura jUsT fiNiSHeD cLeANinG heRe.’‘ She pointed to a couple of dead Aberrations that laid not far from her, bleeding on the ground.
He got up with Zalura's help and stood there for a moment, trying to regain his bearings. So much had just happened in such a short time his mind was still overwhelmed.
‘‘... What about Haudrica? Any clues of her whereabouts?’‘ Asked Cole with a rather heavy heart.
But Zalura shook her head, ‘‘NoT A tRaCE. MiZeLLe fEArS THe wORst.’‘ she added.
‘‘BUt, ThIS is nOT fIrST tiME HaUdRIcA VaNIshEs. HaPpenED bEFoRe, aND ALwaYs rEtURneD, uNHarMed.’‘ Zalura's manner of speaking showed a strange mixture of confidence and mild annoyance.
Cole said nothing back, he just sighs deeply as he heads back to his place.
~~~
Cole walked in quiet solitude, although he wasn't by any measure at peace; with his mind drifting back to his argument with Haudrica almost at every step.
‘‘You... know nothing... about me.... NOTHING!!’‘ His memories echoed.
‘‘And she was right on that.’‘ He uttered those words slowly. ‘‘Perhaps it's better if I don't get involved this time. I don't wanna end up-’‘ But his train of thought was suddenly interrupted ‘‘Mizelle? What are you doing there?’‘
She was standing there with a battered clipboard in hand, focused at the map of the Phylactery that Cole had left open in his laptop's screen.
‘‘Ah-Cole, I was, uhm.....’‘ She jumped at Cole calling her out, while pointlessly trying to hide the clipboard.
There's a crudely drawn copy of the map scrawled over what looks like a faded inventory chart on the clipboard. But realizing that Cole saw it, Mizelle took a deep breath and takes an unusually serious expression.
‘‘.... There's a place I must find without delay.’‘ And the serious manner of the speech in which she replied was clearly modeled after Tetlekar's own. ‘‘I think Haudrica could be, no-she will be in there. I know it. So I must find it.’‘ She added, brimming with determination.
‘‘Alright.’‘ Cole's answer was rather non-committal, for which Mizelle hadn't prepared for.
‘‘Y-You will not try to stop me?’‘ Now she was back to her nervous and fidgety self.
‘‘For what I have seen of you these past days, you're pretty smart and just as capable, so I really don't see any need to babysit you; you should be able to do whatever you want, as long as you're careful.’‘ Cole replied.
Cole was doing his best to say all that with his most confident smile, but deep inside, he was just trying to keep himself from getting involved with Haudrica again.
‘‘So, what is this place you're looking for?’‘ He asked, turning his attention towards Mizelle's scrawled map.
‘‘After Haudrica and I escaped from the Qauranites but before came here, we spent a long time wandering around the Phylactery; resting wherever we could and hunting Aberrations to eat. It was hard, but it was better than before.’‘ Narrated Mizelle, ’‘And even though we almost never went back to places we had been before, there was this one place we always went back to, specially when we were feeling bad.... I want to find that place; I know that Haudrica is there.’‘ she added, again with a strong determination.
‘‘Hm, I see. So, what was the place like? Did it have any peculiar shape?’‘ Asked Cole while looking at the map in his laptop.
‘‘Yes, it was in a small corridor between two large ones. There was one big room, and three smaller ones filled with strange machines. The big one had a shape like this.’‘ Explained Mizelle as she drew an L shape in the air.
‘‘That's a decent start. Let's see if anything matches here.’‘ He moved around the map as he replied, both he and Mizelle trying to spot anything similar in the countless corridors.
~~~
Hours came and went by as Cole and Mizelle continued to scrutinize the map. A few likely matches had been spotted; and while they fit Mizelle's memories in terms of shape, many were quickly discarded due to how close they were to any of the Collectors, or to any other well-known area.
In the end, the list boiled down to three possible places, luckily not too far from each others. But the part that worried Cole was that Mizelle was driven to go there... alone.
‘‘I have to do it.’‘ she said, ’‘I-It really scares me to go out there like that, but Haudrica did it for me many times before and... and... I want to prove to everyone that I can do it.’‘ her words carrying a strange mixture of fear and courage.
‘‘......’‘ Cole didn't reply; he merely put on a hollow, uneasy smile as his mind was at war with itself on what to reply.
He cared about her, and he didn't want to see her in danger or worse. But, on the other hand, he was fearful that his meddling would lead to yet another unsavory event that could end up not only worsening his already tense relationship with Haudrica, but also crippling the one he had with Mizelle.
‘‘.... Alright.’‘ he said after a short pondering, ’‘But promise me one thing; that if your search proves too dangerous for you to do it alone, you'll come back and ask for help.’‘ added Cole in a mildly admonishing manner.
‘‘I promise, but you must also promise that you will not come looking for me.’‘ Replied Mizelle, again mimicking Tetlekar's manner of speaking.
‘‘I understand, and yes, I promise I will wait until you come back, hopefully with Haudrica.’‘ Cole replied.
At that time, Cole thought that he could just promise her that, thinking that Tetlekar would most certainly not let her go out alone, and would accompany her instead. However, it would later be clear that Mizelle had also been aware of such.
By the time everyone was up the next morning, she had already left on her own. And this would give Cole no small amount of worry.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
The smell of hot solder, a good idea taken from paper into realization without major hassle and perhaps even a finished functional prototype. Under most circumstances, any of those things by themselves would had been enough to have him in a very good mood.
But somehow, it didn't, and like a skilled chef realizing he hadn't added salt to an otherwise flawless gourmet dish he had just finished preparing, he knew exactly what was wrong, and wondered if it was already too late to fix it.
With Haudrica gone and Mizelle gone as well to look for her, guilt and worry hung upon him like a pair of swords of Damocles pointed at his neck.
‘‘Haaahh..... Enough with that.’‘ He said, softly slapping his own cheeks as if to wake himself up.
His mind needed to clear of distracting thoughts, as he was just about to begin the most dangerous part of this current project.
An early bout of curiosity regarding that Access Key he had found long ago led him to the discovery that the key itself was no mere switch or keycard, but a small, contained power source that constantly generated a very specific set of voltages into its contacts.
This, combined with a chat he had with Tetlekar regarding what he did to the door panels of the Cryovaults back then to keep them from being closed again, where he employed a sort of maintenance override command he had once discovered, Cole thought that he could somehow create a device of his own to gain total control of any such doors, perhaps like that avoiding situations like the one they had to deal with in the Organic Collector, with a simple set of adjustable voltage generators.
However, in order to make that work, he would have to disassemble his Access Key, and repurpose it as a different device (which he had already christened as the ''Lock Hacker''), but that was easier said than done.
‘‘Considering this was meant as a security tool, it'll probably take more than just prying some lid out or removing some screw....’‘ Thought Cole as he took the Access Key from a nearby table and began studying it for weaknesses.
It was roughly the size of a small remote controller, and with one flat end that sported seven flat metal pins. On its center it had a small and rather sticky indentation with tiny bits of something similar to paper clinging to its corner. Perhaps, there had been some kind of owner's name or key tag of sorts there at some point, but the years it spent on the decaying hand of its former owner did away with it.
‘‘Haaaaaaah.....’‘ A deep breath for concentration. Cracking knuckles to relax shaky hands. And shaking away worrisome thoughts.
*Crack!*
Pushing a thin flathead screwdriver between the side seams and applying substantial force to the torque, the back of the handle cracked audibly. Tiny bits of some ancient glue falling from the cracks.
‘‘Damn, that wasn't as good as I had hoped.’‘ It wasn't by any measure a gentle opening, but it got the job done. The insides of the Access Key finally laid bare on his hands.
Its contents were also vaguely anticlimactic; Cole had expected some kind of bizarre circuitry, like the one inside Tetlekar's leg, but what he had in his hand more closely resembled a piece of tech from the late 70s.
A black circuit board, a tiny round chip with no visible pins, a thumb-sized box with two ends descending into the circuit and a few flat wires, which seemed to be part of the circuit board itself, exiting from one side into the contact pins outside.
Nonetheless, such ease of design also made it quite easy for him to realize what was going on within such device, and once it was clear the thumb-sized box was a power source and that the chip merely regulated the voltage being sent to the contact pins, it wasn't hard to jury-rig it to his own device.
‘‘Aaaand, done!’‘ Announced Cole to nobody in particular after a well-spent roll of duct tape.
The really hard part, however, was just about to begin.
~~~
‘‘A nearby door, you say?’‘ Tetlekar replied while lifting an eyebrow as he filled everybody's bowls with the day's lunch.
Even though Desri and Zalura were eating as usual, there was an almost palpable tension in the air.
Just where had Haudrica vanished to? Was she caught in the Jump? Why did Mizelle leave? To look for her? Will she ever come back? Will any of them ever come back?
Those were the questions nobody asked, but they were written all over their faces, and probably Cole's own as well.
‘‘Yes, just like those on the Organic Collector and the Cryovaults. I need a locked door with an access panel so I can test out this little gadget. Which one would be the nearest?’‘ Cole was brimming with enthusiasm, although Tetlekar wasn't impressed by the Lock Hacker.
A few dials and some calculator screens, part of a multimeter, and an old cellphone turned into a keypad. All of it bolted onto side of a dented metal briefcase like those that criminal types use to move stacks of cash and drugs in movies. And from a hole in one of its corners, a cord led to the repurposed Access Key.
‘‘As a matter of fact, there is one of such doors here, within the NVSC9.’‘ Said Tetlekar after a short ponder.
‘‘I am not sure if it will suffice for what you have in mind, but I will show you nonetheless.’‘ He added as he took the now-empty pot out of the fire.
‘‘Cool! Where is it?’‘ Asked Cole, rubbing his hands.
‘‘Right over there, behind that pile next to my chambers.’‘ Tetlekar pointed to the right as he spoke.
That was highly anticlimactic.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
‘‘So, how long as this been here?’‘ Said Cole as he put the Lock Hacker down and began inspecting the door.
While the panel was intact and functional, the door itself was covered in the marks of previous and failed attempts to force it.
‘‘How 'bout since forever? Place's been a myst'ry since we first settl'd in 'ere. And I swear I've seen it open once or twice, but when I look'd at it, it was lock'd 'gain. Tetlekar has n'ver gotten it open.’‘ Replied Desri with a gruff.
While there was no danger in opening the door itself, there was no telling of what could lie behind it, so Desri and Zalura had gone along with Cole.
‘‘......’‘
However, Zalura had gotten strangely nervous since Tetlekar had first made mention of it. Still, she had said nothing, so Cole assumed it was just his rather troubled mind, making him see things that weren't there.
‘‘Alright then.’‘ He took the Access Key and inserted it into the slot.
A handful of lights sparked up in the Lock Hacker's control panel, while the screen of the door's panel turned red.
‘‘Everything within parameters.’‘ Muttered Cole as he fiddled with some of the dials.
‘‘Hope whatev'r yer doin' works better than it did back at the o'ganic collector.’‘ Commented Desri in mild amusement.
‘‘An Access Key works in a very unique way; it's both a key and a power source. Each of the pins at its ends carries a distinctive voltage value that react with the door's system somehow.’‘ Said Cole.
‘‘If the values are incorrect, nothing happens, at least as far as I know. But if it's correct, the key makes the door draw a small amount of power from its source, which kickstarts the door's opening or closing, kind of like a car's starter engine.’‘ He fiddled with the controls, which made the calculator screens react in different ways.
‘‘I dunno what's a car, or what its startin' engine does, but I kinda get what yer sayin'. Ya say these doors have no power o' their own?’‘ Asked Tetlekar as he brought his hand to his chin.
‘‘Indeed, that's why you can't just force them open, and that's also why Units can open and close them at-Oh! I think I got it.’‘ Cole's phrase changed abruptly as a few red lights became green.
A few more adjustments to the controls and the lights were all green. Desri and Zalura peered over his shoulder at the controls.
‘‘Gotcha!’‘ He shouted boastfully.
*Din! Bwoo. Din! Bwoo. Din! Bwoo.*
The door opened and closed, nonstop, and in rapid succession.
‘‘.... Why it doesn't stay op'n?’‘ Asked Desri as he approached to Cole.
‘‘Hm, I guess it's still not perfect. I'll have to add an automated circuit breaker of sorts to prevent this.’‘ Replied Cole as he turned the Lock Hacker off, stopping the door.
‘‘Still, it opened, so that's a passing sco-’‘ As he spoke, he took his Zap-Light out of his pocket and pointed at the now open doorway.
*Shlkclakl*
Something slimy had just slithered away when the light had touched it, and realizing that made Cole halt his phrase.
‘‘There's something in there!’‘ He said, focusing on the interior of the room.
The room inside seemed empty, save for yet another door on a nearby wall.
However, what drew Cole's attention wasn't the door or the room itself, but the fact the whole floor was peppered with some kind of 'white flakes'; like the torn pieces of many shopping bags.
‘‘COle, yoU sHOuLd NoT gO In tHeRE.’‘ All of a sudden, Zalura spoke.
‘‘Uhm, why? Do you sense something dangerous in there?’‘ Asked Cole as he turned back.
‘‘JuSt No GO In, CANnoT sEE wHaT iNSIde.’‘ Zalura's speech got worse all of a sudden.
‘‘I can't see what's inside either. That's why I'm looking-HOLY SHIT!’‘
Cole totally misunderstood what Zalura meant, but before she could clarify, he had seen it.
Hanging from the roof in a rather creepy fashion, there was a translucent, body-like structure, formed of something that looked like some wrinkly plastic bag. It had a very peculiar shape; like a human but slimmer, and it was holding from the ceiling with a pair of very familiar scythes.
‘‘H-Haudrica!?’‘ He shouted in terror.
Just like before, ''bad thoughts'' had begun overpowering Cole's mind. Did the jump do this to her? Was she dead? What would become of Mizelle now? Would she even come back now?
‘‘Oi, kiddo, snap outta it!’‘ It was Desri who brought Cole back to his senses.
‘‘That's not Haudrica, that's just an ol' skin. Look ov'r dat corner.’‘ He pointed with his paw as he spoke, a rather amused smile adorning his muzzle.
‘‘It looks like som'one got herself into a hassle, or like, more like outta one, heheh.’‘ Added Desri with a soft chuckle.
There was a uncannily white lump, white enough to rival corrective fluid, leaning against that corner of the wall. And while Cole was trying to make out any features from that distance, a familiar pair of greenish-red eyes stared furiously back at him.
‘‘Yooouuuuu bbaaaaasssstaaaaarrddssss.......’‘ She dragged her words, as if her mouth was moving slower.
She was lying in the ground, in a quasi-fetal position, and apparently naked.
‘‘HaUdRIcA, ZALura iS soRrY. DiD nOT BeLiEVe COle coULd OpEn tHe doOr.’‘ Zalura surged forwards towards the crumpled Haudrica, apologising profusely.
‘‘Wait, what? You knew she had been here all this time!?’‘ Cole was more shocked by this sudden revelation than by Haudrica's strange appearance.
Zalura lets out a big sigh before speaking.
‘‘ZALura foUNd oF tHIs LoNg aGO, BuT PrOmiSed HaUdRIcA TO noT tELL aNyOne.’‘ She said in an unusually stern manner.
‘‘I understand that, and I would had done exactly the same, but you could had at least told Mize-Ugh!’‘ The moment Cole was about to mention that name, Zalura pushed him out; a fast palm to the stomach had robbed him of breath.
This was the first time he had felt her true strength, and it was indeed overwhelming. It had almost reminded him of a time he had been hit by a car.
‘‘PLeASe saY No MOrE, aND leAvE. I wiLL TAke CaRE oF HaUdRIcA.’‘ She said as she stood in the door frame, blocking it.
‘‘A'right Cole, ya heard the girl. Let's leave 'em to their alone time and friendly ecdysis.’‘
Following Zalura's suit, Desri motioned Cole to follow him away from there.
‘‘Ecdysis?’‘ Thought Cole as he picked up the Lock Hacker.
At first, he thought it was just him mishearing Desri's accent, but then something clicked in his mind; an old, almost forgotten memory of his highschool days, of dozing off in the biology class as the teacher explained something about the nature of insects.
‘‘She's.... changing skin?’‘ The realization hit him almost as hard as Zalura's blow.
‘‘Yeah, kinda, more like sheddin' her exoskellie'. I'd love to make fun o' how that's kinda primitive, but I.... sorta change my coat now and then, so Imma not gonna mock that one thing.’‘ Desri said that with a bit of embarrassment, but he was still quite amused to see Haudrica like that.
‘‘Still, it's kinda funny to see 'er like that, at her weak'st. She's nothing but a pale grub as she's now.’‘ He added.
‘‘What do you mean?’‘ That had triggered Cole's curiosity.
‘‘Ya've seen her crazy regenin' powers; ya could stomp her flat, and she would just pull 'erself t'gether. But she can't do that now as she is; if dat Unit o' yours ripped her limbs off now, they wouldn't grow back an'more.’‘
It was unnerving how much evil glee was in Desri's comment. He hated her that much?
‘‘......’‘ But that was the least of Cole's worries.
‘‘... If she finds out Mizelle's gone looking for her, she'll go to find her as well, even in that state of hers!’‘ Said Cole with a fright.
‘‘Good! Maybe she'll lose a limb or two, or maybe an Unit will rip 'er tongue out. I'd pref'r the later, t'be honest.’‘ Added Desri with the same evil grin he had worn for a while now. And it was starting to get on Cole's nerves.
‘‘Could you please drop that for a moment? Do you realize that she means a lot not just to Mizelle, but also to Zalura? Do you think they would be happy if she was gone?’‘ Said Cole as he stopped in his tracks. Desri's grin fell from him like an unclasped cloak.
‘‘... Neither o' them have any idea o' what an Irisonian is capable of.’‘ Desri's voice was almost a whisper, a hostile whisper.
‘‘They're like machines, pup. They don't think, they don't feel, they don't care. They just do as they're order'd and never b'ther to ask why; slashin' away at all and any who crosses their path. I have more hopes in ya makin' that Unit o' yours serve me food than have Haudrica be an'thing other than a loose cog of a long since defective m'chine.’‘ Desri's every word practically oozed hatred.
‘‘Heh, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then.’‘ Replied Cole as he turned back, flashing a hollow smile.
‘‘Besides, I am doing this for Mizelle, not for her. So, try to see it that way.’‘ Added Cole as he resumed his walking.
‘‘Suit y'self, pup. I won't stop ya in what yer gonna do; I have no qualms with Mizelle. So I'll just look the other way.’‘ Desri took his own phrase literally and turned around, walking in the other direction.
~~~
A small courier bag loaded with the last of his aberration jerky, and one lone bottle of water. As well as early draft of Mizelle's map. That, along with his Zap-Light and flare gun, were all he was carrying. Even his wrench had been left behind.
It was the dead of the night, or at least, what would had been the dead of the night if the lights of the NVSC9 weren't permanently on. But everyone was already asleep.
‘‘Now, to open this damn thing.’‘
*Shrooom*
The exit shutter opened easily, and while Cole was prepared to find either Tetlekar or Zalura standing on the other side, he hadn't expected to find her there.
‘‘Haudrica!?’‘ He said in shock.
She had gotten a lot of her emerald-green color back in her body, but her hair was still purely white, and maybe there were even more white parts now hidden under her clothes.
‘‘If you don't want to get hurt badly, you will shut up and leave me, now.’‘ She said with her usual scowl.
However, it was clear that she wasn't her usual, as she would had bared her scythes at him as threat.
‘‘I am not going back.’‘ Replied Cole as he closed the shutter behind him, and defiantly walked past her.
‘‘I'll be blunt, if you want, we can work together on this. Or, we can just go different ways once we reach the end of this tunnel. The choice is yours, and I am fine either way.’‘ He added, turning around.
‘‘.... Do you think I am going to accept that just because I am a bit slower and softer now?’‘ She asked with a mocking smirk.
‘‘No, I don't.’‘ His answer was sudden enough to slightly startle her. ‘‘You are how you are, and nothing I do is gonna change that; only you can change yourself.’‘ He added.
‘‘But Mizelle wouldn't want you to get hurt; she wouldn't want either of us to get hurt. That's why, I think it's better if we stick together for this; don't do it for me, do it for her.’‘ And with those final words, he extended his hand to her.
‘‘Hmph! Just keep walking.’‘
Haudrica didn't take his hand, but she made no attempts to separate herself from him; she just walked at a brisk pace, which Cole had no difficulty in keeping with.
However, even if she had agreed to this rather uneasy deal, their situation wasn't very good; with Haudrica weakened and vulnerable, and him not precisely any stronger than before, there was no telling what they could encounter on their way, or even if Mizelle would be at the end of it.
<End of Chapter 8>
Chapter 9
Spoiler: show
Part 1
A palpable sense of tension.
Like positive and negative wires, every time Cole got within five steps of Haudrica, she would hasten her pace and put some distance between them again. And if he tried to get even closer, she would lash out, like a spark in a short-circuit.
However, with every step taken away from the known tunnels and into the uncharted areas, the proverbial discharge began losing power, as both of them became increasingly worried about their lives with every dry Aberration carcass and bloody claw mark on the walls they walked past.
''Say....'' Cole started, ''You sure we are on the correct path, right?'' he asked nervously as his grip on the Zap-Light tightened, his other hand instinctively reaching for a wrench that wasn't there whenever some shadow moved.
Cole hadn't brought his wrench with him because he thought it would be a much shorter walk, and now he was wondering if he had misinterpreted Mizelle's map, as this was taking longer than expected, and the tunnels increasingly hostile.
''If this scares you too much, the way back is right there. Besides, who was the brave maggot that boasted he could go on alone?'' Replied Haudrica as she looked back, a mocking and unsettlingly wide grin on her face. A sadist, as usual.
''Well, I was just asking since you are on the vanguard; if you get attacked, I can run back fine. But what if YOU get attacked instead? Where will you run to?'' As nervous as he was, her scares just didn't work on him; in his current status, the dark tunnels were much scarier than her usual chaffs.
Haudrica let out a low growl and a loud sigh, and looked like she was just preparing what to say next when the corridor took a right turn, which she took without even looking. Big mistake.
*Ghraaagh!*
Leaping from the shadow in classical predator fashion, an unseen Aberration ambushed her, and if it hadn't for her quick reflexes which made her crouch down, Haudrica would be a head shorter.
''Distract it!'' She cried as Cole turned on his Zap-Light's taser.
The Aberration in question was quite nightmarish. Roughly the size of a small car and sporting six musclebound legs. Its skin was of a pulsating dark red color along with a spiraling pattern that seemed to swirl as it moved. However, it was its head which was the top grade nightmare fuel; it could only be described as a bouquet of fanged appendages which seemed to provide it with full range of vision, as it was following both Cole and Haudrica's movements at the same time.
''HEEEEEEEY! C'mere you fucking Necromorph ripoff!'' Cried Cole, taking a few steps back as he scanned his surroundings.
The walls were bare of anything save light fixtures and stains, and such had been the case for most of the way there. And while the corridor ahead seemed to widen into a handful of entries, it was clear they wouldn't be able to outrun that thing.
And just like the Unit that day at the cryovaults, this Aberration quickly realized that Haudrica was the bigger threat. A grim déjà vu for Cole.
''Look at me you spawn of the Dunwich Horror! You're not gonna like how she tastes; she's too spicy for Yog-Sothoth.'' He shouted, internally wondering if his sense of humor was adrenaline-powered.
As he did that, he also pushed the trigger of the Zap-Light, which made a small electric arc jump from one of the taser's contacts to the other.
*Fhhrrrgh*
It was that which drew the Aberration's attention, as it turned all its 'eyestalks' towards Cole and started to lurch slowly towards him.
Whatever that thing was, it was remarkably slow despite having six legs; it most likely relied on one-hit kills, like that one it had tried to pull on Haudrica, to hunt.
''That's it! 'C'mere!'' Shrieked Cole as he stepped back, cold sweat all over his body.
It looked like it was about to jump again. However, it had made the mistake of ignoring Haudrica, and paid for it.
*Sklatchr!*
She hadn't even drawn out her scythes, she had simply grabbed two of its crab-like eyes and chewed them away with her mandibles.
*Ghwuuuaaaggh!!*
The Aberration let out a deafening wail as greenish-red fluid began to ooze from its wounds.
Using its torn appendages Haudrica was trying to overpower it in a manner reminiscent of a bull rider, and the Aberration wasn't exactly docile.
''Do something, dammit!'' She cried as it tried to buck her off.
Unarmed and unsure, it took Cole a few seconds to think of what to do, and all he could think of was the flare gun. But just where was he going to shot it?
''W-Where do I aim at!?'' Cried Cole as he loaded a flare into the gun.
''The mouth! The mooooouuuth!'' Haudrica was quite a skilled wrangler, but her resistance was starting to wear thin.
The Aberration was making circles like a dog chasing its own tail and Cole wasn't exactly a trained firearms user; aiming at the mouth wasn't by any measure easy.
''Hah!''
*Pzaaa!*
The flare bounced off the floor and right into the area the appendages came out from, which made the Aberration swallow it, mayhaps by reflex.
*Phbuuuh, phu, phu!*
And like a smoker with a bad case of coughs, it began coughing up puffs like crazy.
''Move it!'' Shouted Cole at Haudrica as he ran past the Aberration, and for once, she followed without complaint.
However, as they turned right on the corridor, it was clear luck wasn't on their side.
*GHWUUUAAAGGH!!*
It was much bigger; perhaps roughly about the side of a minivan, angrier and with friends. Or more precisely, cubs, like the one they had just fought.
Coming out of the door at the end of the corridor a larger version of the Aberration they had just fought showed up, along with two more cubs, it had most likely answered to the pained wails of their sibling.
''You gotta be fucking with me.'' Muttered Cole as he realized they had been caught in a pincer attack.
''Over there!''
Not even waiting for an answer, Haudrica grabbed Cole by the neck of his jumpsuit and practically flung him into an open door nearby before following suit.
''Hnk!'' She kicked the door's inner access panel, which made the door close itself, almost catching Cole's feet.
Curiously enough, the door had a small window at the top, which Haudrica immediately used to keep watch of what was happening outside; readying herself to fight what could be her last battle.
However, the Aberration didn't even come close to their door, it just walked, picked up its wounded cub with its mass of appendages, and walked away in the company of the other two. Not precisely the behavior Cole had expected.
''Haaaaah....'' Letting out a sigh of relief, Haudrica collapsed onto the door; the last bits of adrenaline that had kept her standing had gone.
''We were lucky.'' She said, ''Had that Shaaj'pur been alone, or a male, we would be food now.'' Her mandible hung out as she spoke, perhaps also a sign of how much this had tired her.
''Guess even Aberrations have loved ones.'' Replied Cole with a strange sense of irony. ''And also, thanks.'' He added, to which Haudrica responded by slightly widening her right eye; if she had eyebrows, she would most likely be raising one.
''What for?'' She asked, curtly and confused.
''Well, considering how you see me, you could had thrown me at that thing and then run here by yourself. But you didn't do it, so thanks... I guess?'' Cole realized how awkward was what he was saying.
''Hmph!'' She scowled, ''You know nothing about me.'' Again, there was that catchphrase, which did nothing to ease Cole's sense of guilt.
''I know, I know. I'm well aware I failed. I'm not gonna play dumb...'' Replied Cole with a sigh.
But yet again, Haudrica looked at him puzzled.
''... What are you babbling about?'' Now she was even more confused.
''The chance you gave me, remember? Back after we came back from the Organic Collector, I asked you for a chance to prove that I wasn't the kind of person you thought.'' Said Cole in reminiscence, ''But I failed.'' And those three words were almost a dagger at him.
''I lost my temper the other day, and lashed out some shit I shouldn't have; I vented out my own demons at you, and that just wasn't fair so-'' Looking away, Cole voiced this apology.
''Tch, hahahh.'' Out of the blue, Haudrica laughed. That by itself had been terrifying enough to freeze Cole's words in his throat.
''You truly are a fool.'' She said, smirking as she met his gaze. ''However, that is just how you are. And the same goes for me.'' She stood as she spoke, now looking away.
''I am who I am, and I am the way I was made.'' That was one cryptic phrase. ''And acting nice because you are 'being tested' will yield no change in that, as neither will any niceties you may employ. I don't give anyone special treatment based on how they treat me back. The problem isn't you or them; it's me.''
For the first time ever, she was speaking to him in the same manner she used to speak to Mizelle or Zalura. It was truly strange.
However, there was one thing off with her claims.
''Then, why do you treat Mizelle differently?'' That was the big question. ''If it indeed as you say, why is it that you treat Mizelle in such a starkly different way that how you treat everyone else?'' Asked Cole as he, too, got up from the ground.
Haudrica didn't reply at first, she just took a deep breath and adjusted her uniform.
''This is not the time nor the place for such banter. Now get moving.'' Turning away to avoid his gaze, Haudrica returned to her usual hostile tone, leaving Cole in an utter state of confusion. Just what had been all that?
~~~
A small ladder leading into a vent and a hole in the ceiling later, Cole and Haudrica were once again in the corridor. The familiarity with which Haudrica had located the ladder and the hole leading out showed quite a level of experience, which made Cole wonder just how many times had Haudrica been there.
''Is it gone?'' Asked Cole as he ducked his head out of the hole before jumping down, warily looking at the nearby corridors once he was in the ground.
And also by that time, Haudrica was already walking towards one of the corridors, offering no reply.
''Sheesh.... Back to default mode, I guess.'' Muttered Cole with a hanging of the shoulders as the trudged after her.
Their walk continued in an uneventful albeit twisty way; more than once, a way was found blocked by a shutter or close by to a hostile critter. And with Haudrica weakened and Cole's arsenal now down to just one flare, fighting was a last resource.
However, there was one thing Cole couldn't help but notice, and that was the change in the scenery as they distanced themselves from the known areas.
The black and featureless metal corridors had given way to some slightly more utilitarian ones; all sorts of hatches and service panels; along with a shattered screen or two and more than a handful of signs and signals, all written in some incomprehensible symbols. Also, while there were still more than a few old bloodstains and claw marks on the walls and bits of bone and skin in the floor, they were far fewer in number than in previous areas.
Some of those service panels and hatches were open, with loose contents spilling forth on enough regular basis that Cole soon found himself picking up a few of them.
''Hm, I wonder why there are so many of these. Were they some kind of box, or cartridge for something?'' Muttered Cole as he picked up what looked like a couple of flat round cans with some kind of opening at one end.
He would often find that Haudrica hadn't waited for him to pick things up and kept moving forwards.
''.....''
However, this time was different.
She had stopped at the corner, looking around the wall carefully enough that it made Cole wonder if there was an Aberration around it.
''What's the matter?'' Asked Cole in a soft voice as he came close.
''We are almost there, this is the 'Corpse Junction'; the place I first encountered a Unit on.'' Replied Haudrica, she was talkative all of a sudden.
''Is there one now?'' Cole was ready to leg it if she had replied yes.
''Not right now, just keep moving or you'll end like these guys.'' She said as he darted ahead.
And just as Cole was about to voice his inquiry regarding who were 'these guys', he saw 'them'.
The junction ahead was shaped like an inverted 'T', with a curve on its left end being where they had just stopped. But in the connecting hall in the middle, were the remnants of what must have been an intense firefight.
What looked like a handful of shattered metal furniture and half a dozen metal crates had been hastily repurposed as impromptu cover, one on each side of the corridor, facing each others. And given the charred marks on the walls and the fact only the left one had corpses, it was clear they weren't allies, and one side won.
''Just what the fuck happened here?'' Cole had stopped to look at the trio of corpses, still behind their decayed barricade.
Their garments may have one day been blue, but between the rusting of their metallic components as well as the decay of their owners' flesh, the color had all but turned into a murky, rotten black.
One was slumped against the wall, with an old bloodstain descending from it. Of the other two, one was hiding behind the barricade, while another was looking over it, the latter was missing his head and part of his right shoulder. Torn bits of clothing around the wound showed it was most likely blown away.
Curiously enough however, the two dead bodies in the barricade itself had the remains of a tail of some sort emerging from their tailbones and still covered in a dry, scaly skin that crumbles into dust with the slightest touch. The one slumping against the wall, however, looks increasingly human, although the shape of his skull is somewhat different.
''If you don't want to end like them, better get moving.'' Said Haudrica without even looking back or stopping.
''Alright, alright! Just, please, give me a moment.'' Cole is unable to tear himself from the scene; his curiosity holds him like a leashed dog to a post.
''... I am going to count up to five to start walking again.'' Muttered Haudrica, stopping in her tracks and looking at Cole over her shoulder.
''One'' She began. And Cole rushed his inspection.
Whomever they had been fighting, it wasn't shy about robbing the dead; the pouches on their belts and clothes are all cut open and empty. They probably didn't take their clothes because those were torn and bloody.
''Two'' She continued.
On the other barricade, however, all that was present was a couple small bloodstains and two more of those flat cans Cole had found in the corridor. Were they supplies? Ammo? Did the other side have no corpses because those on it won and were able to carry their dead and wounded away?
''Three'' The counting was halfway.
There was really nothing in there that could provide any clues to what had happened there; it was like finding one lone jigsaw piece and trying to figure what the full picture was from just looking at it.
''Four'' Cole was growing desperate.
But suddenly, he saw it; a tiny glint of metal hidden under a crust of dry blood behind the back of the corpse by the wall.
''Bingo!'' Shouted Cole as he reached for it, which made the skeleton lean to the side, partially collapsing over the barricade.
It was a very tiny box; roughly the size of a Zippo lighter and with a similar shape. Scraping away the dry blood with his thumb, a translucent glass filled with all sorts of intricate forms of a silvery metal in the shape of tiny interconnecting lines. Two of the box's sides were encased in metal, polished to a mirror shine.
He didn't knew what it was, but it was better than walking from such scene empty-handed, and it was enough to stop Haudrica's countdown.
''Good, get moving then.'' She replied as she started to walk. Cole had to run a bit to keep up with her.
However, even though Haudrica had all the patience of an embittered drill sergeant, she had gotten much more 'talkative', and her insults have dwindled just a bit. This was enough to give Cole some semblance of progress.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
''This is it.'' She suddenly muttered, stopping at a broken door. Equal proportions of happiness and anxiety coating her expression.
After the 'Corpse Junction', they had still walked for what felt like another hour, and just as Cole had started to wonder if it was time to turn back, Haudrica found her destination.
However, rather than rushing in like Cole had expected, she just stood there by the door, seemingly pondering.
''Hey-'' Said Cole as he put his hand on her shoulder, ''She'll be there.'' he added. Haudrica's concerns were practically written all over her face.
''I did not ask for your opinion.'' She replied, brushing his hand off and reaching for some kind of valve in the right side of the door.
The door didn't quite open, more like it stopped working, allowing Haudrica to lift it and make her way under it.
However, as Cole tried to follow her, Haudrica moved back, quickly pointing one of her all-too-familiar blades at his neck.
''I will go in alone. You wait here.'' She said with her usual bitterness.
''I understand.'' Cole replied, ''Besides, I did promise Mizelle I wouldn't come looking for her, so it's fair.'' a tinge of guilt in his words.
That wasn't the answer Haudrica was expecting, so she looked a bit puzzled for a moment. This allowed Cole to notice that, unlike the almost metallic gleam her blade had on previous times she had done this to him, now it looked dull and faded; like the difference between the paint of a brand new car and that of one left abandoned under the sun for half a decade.
''Good.'' She added. And having reached that agreement, she reached for the door's valve once more, raising it to go under it.
''I wonder if I did the right thing...'' Thought Cole as he gazed at the door, now in solitude.
*TWAP!*
And suddenly, that noise came from the other side. It sounded like a blow, so he thought maybe Haudrica had tripped on something.
''Gyaaaargh!!'' But the scream that followed it made him realize otherwise.
''Oh shit.'' He thought, as he reached for that valve, but it wouldn't budge. It took him a few seconds to realize that he had been moving it the wrong way.
''Haudrica, what's goin-''
*TWAP!*
He didn't even have the time to react, let alone look around, when he felt a strong blow in his stomach. Taking his breath out of him.
''Well, now this is a surprise.'' A mocking line, spoken in clear English.
That was all he could hear before he blacked out from the pain.
~~~
His body felt like it was flying, or more precisely, hanging, and certain parts of it refused to move.
''Ugha... what the hell...?'' Muttered Cole as he tried to move, only to find out he couldn't.
But as his eyes opened, his first sight was this unfamiliar man, looking at him amusedly.
''Rise and shine, my fellow kinsman.'' He said without losing his smirk.
He looked like he was in his mid thirties, although given how worn he looked, he could be even younger. The hiking pants and work boots he was clad in looked completely at odds with the formal waistcoat he wore over a long-sleeved denim work shirt, as well as the leather longcoat he had on top of all the above. Like a bum who dressed himself with whatever clothes he could find in the dumpster behind a thrift store.
And the interested way he looked at Cole was akin to that of a child looking at a new toy.
''Who... are you?'' Cole had yet to recover his full breath, so his words were slow.
''Man, it's been so long; I had almost forgotten the feeling of how it was to have a conversation with another human being. I almost teared up!'' The man said all of this in an overly dramatic fashion while turning around towards an empty space; as if he was speaking to some unseen person.
''Anyhow, sorry about that; solitude makes one soliloquy a bit too much.'' He added as he extended his right hand to the tied up Cole. ''The name's Eustace, Eustace Stanford. Buuuuut that name's a bit too long, so just call me 'Taz' like all my friends do-uh...'' he stopped to get a bit close and read Cole's name tag on his overall ''Cole, is it? Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'd shake your hand, but you seem a bit.... tied up at the moment, hehe.'' The smile he put on tried to look friendly, but something in his eyes told Cole otherwise.
It was then when Cole saw Haudrica; tied just like him, hanging from a pipe in the roof on the other side of the room and with some kind of half mask that blocked her mouth. Yet none of this stopped her from thrashing around; trying her best to free herself.
''You...'' That was all Cole managed to say, as his expression turned grim.
''Ah! I know that face. You probably already heard about me from this angry lil' weevil here, yes? The same lie she told everyone? That I betrayed her? That she killed me? ME! And you believed her? Hah!''
*Slap!*
With those words, he slapped Haudrica with the back of his hand. The blow was so hard it made her head rebound against the wall that was behind her.
''You shouldn't put any more trust her than in any of the Aberrations that roam these tunnels, y'know. She ain't right in the head.'' Added Eustace with an amused smile as he gripped Haudrica's face by the cheeks.
''Heh, you ain't exactly portraying yourself as a paragon of sanity and good behavior either, y'know?'' Said Cole as he tried to mimic Eustace's way of speaking.
''Hah! Good behavior? You must be new here, friend. 'Cuz it looks like you haven't gotten your 'game face' on yet.'' Eustace grabbed Cole's head by the chin as he said this.
''Up here, in this big metal cage, there are only two types of people: those with you, and everyone else. So it's either eat or be eaten... sometimes in a frighteningly literal sense. So choosing your friends properly is a life-or-death choice.''
''For instance-'' He turned Cole's head towards Haudrica. ''That Weevil there, she made good use of me once. I'm pretty good at making maps, and overall keeping good track of my surroundings, and she made good use of that skill to keep herself and her friend alive, until she found some new friends with better skills and I was of no more use, so she tried to dispose of me. The same goes for her now.''
''Now, the only reason I haven't done to her head what an army boot does to a cockroach, is because the fluffy Kitten will most likely be back here soon, and I need a good bargaining chip, y'see. Fluffy might look sweet and childish, but she's more capable than you can even imagine; however, just like a character from a children's cartoon, she'd give it all for her friends, specially this one.'' He flicked Haudrica's forehead playfully as he said that last sentence. Had Haudrica been capable of such, she would had bitten his hand off.
''But guess what, just as she made some new friends, I did the same. So now I'm just gonna have Fluffy trade the Weevil's life for her own, so I can trade hers to my own Shroom friends. They may be disgusting, but they honor their word, especially if profit's involved. After all, the ones you now call 'friends' would probably do the same with you if it was of some use to them; specially the Bitter Mutt and the Fancy Tinman.''
Eustace was trying to sound friendly, but the patronizing manner in which he was speaking was akin to that of someone teaching a kid how to play a game just so they could beat the kid in it.
''You're crazy, man. Or more precisely, paranoid. You're telling me everyone is just waiting for the right time to stick a dagger in my back?'' Cole replied in mild amusement.
Eustace sighed before speaking, ''And you friend, are as naïve as a newborn. I dunno how much mankind may have changed in the few years I've been out of touch, but you don't seem very street-savvy, do you? Here lemme show you.'' he said in disappointment as he turned Cole around, ''Hm, looks like he's gotten better at hiding them.... oh, wait, nevermind; here it is.''
*Shrap*
The sound of ripping cloth followed his words, but he turned back around before he could say something.
''What do you see in here?'' Said Eustace as he held one of the jumpsuit's belt loops. It looked mostly normal, except for some tiny rivet-like thing it had in the center that shone with a dim, almost invisible light.
''....'' Cole remained silent; he was well aware that had never been part of his jumpsuit.
''This, my dear friend, is one of Buttler-Bot Nine Thousand's tracking bits. He once put one of those on me as well, to follow me around, until I found it way too odd for 'help' to show up whenever I wanted to be alone and got rid of it. It happened to you already, hasn't it? Either him or Big Red showing up in a place you were going by yourself for no reason?'' Eustace asked this while lifting an eyebrow.
Cole gulped unconsciously as he remembered how Zalura had suddenly showed up in his expedition to the NVSC5.
''Bullseye, eh?'' He couldn't hide his reaction from Eustace. ''I wouldn't be surprised if he was already halfway here with Four Arms in tow.''
*Paff. Bzzt!*
With those last words, he dropped the belt loop and stomped on it with all his might, a fizzing sound was heard following a short electric crackle.
''Not if I can help it anyway, but I'm sure he can still track its last location, so I'll keep this brief.'' He straightened his clothes as he finished his sentence.
''Help me catch Fluffy Ears and bring her back to the Shrooms. I can put in a good word for you with them; they'll keep us safe, fed, happy and even give us a few cool toys to play with until we can find a way to break out of this cage and go somewhere better.''
For the first time, Eustace's face looked genuine.
''T-They have a way to get back to Earth!?'' Cole's interest was piqued.
''Back to Earth? Dude, you crazy!? Why would you want to go back to that stinkhole? We have all fukken space before your eyes; shit straight out of a videogame but for realsies. Why would you want to go back to a life of slog, tedium and cubicles? Did you take the Blue Pill instead?'' His words were a mixture of shock and bewilderment.
''I... I...'' Cole was absentminded.
A war of thoughts raged within his head; one hand, he could see the logic behind Eustace's arguments, but on the other, he refused to agree with someone who had just displayed such selfish behavior, because it was clear he wasn't saying all this stuff out of some altruistic desire to help him.
''I... hate...'' Muttered Cole before he took a deep breath. He could see the smile forming on Eustace's face as well as the blend of terror and hatred washing over Haudrica.
''I hate when people tells me how I should live my life!!'' Cole roared.
*WHAM!!*
Eustace was so distracted with his speech that he hadn't realized Cole had slipped his legs out of their bindings. And one of Cole's boots found its way towards Eustace's crotch.
''Grgh.... you little....'' Muttered Eustace, out of breath, crouching as he held his man-bits.
''Do you think I am so naïve as to fall for that one!? You probably told Haudrica and Mizelle something like that once as well! How do I know one day I won't be the 'bargaining chip' to be traded away in shackles!?'' Shouted Cole as hard as he could, as if he was trying toexpel from his mind how he had doubted his friends. But the suspicion had been already instilled in him, and it wouldn't go away so easily.
''Heh, you're really not good at this.'' Eustace snarked as he got up.
*Whamk!*
A punch straight to Cole's cheek, strong enough to almost make him lose consciousness.
''I gave you a once-in-a-lifetime chance to live a life like no other, and you threw it away for a fistful of liars and hypocrites in a dirt-caked junk heap? Something wrong with your head, friend.'' He added as he grabbed Cole by the neck of his jumpsuit, slowly strangling him.
''I... really... like... junk.... y'know.'' Even short of breath, Cole couldn't help but snark. Eustace sighed.
''Sure you do, Dell Conagher. Truly, there's something off with your noggin-'' Eustace pulled a short revolver from one of his coat's pockets and put it to Cole's temple, ''So I'll just do you a favor and remove it for you. Maybe, if you ever respawn, you'll come to realize you picked the wrong team. Bye bye.''
*Click*
He pulled the trigger, or at least, he tried to, the hammer was frozen in the air, as if something was blocking it.
''What the-!?'' Eustace even tried to pull his hand away, but it was frozen in midair, to much of his confusion, ''You!'' until he saw something outside Cole's field of vision.
''Go AWAY!!'' From behind him came this roar, and Eustace's body was flung away like a rag doll. It was a familiar voice.
''Mizelle!'' Cried Cole as he turned around, his bindings falling apart, clearly her doing.
They had all been so distracted they hadn't seen her show up. Her face bore an expression of anger as well as one of fear.
''He-ey! But if it isn't my favorite Kitten! Ready to go back to your masters?''
Getting up from the ground like nothing had happened, Eustace looked for the gun, only to find it at Cole's feet.
''You backbiting maggot! I'll tear your worthless spine out your body.'' Haudrica's bindings, too, had fallen from her, and she had wasted no time to put her mouth to use. The same applied to her scythes, which apparently were already solid enough to use; she charged at Eustace almost immediately.
''Heh, not bad.'' But he dodged her effortlessly.
''Rhaaah!'' Cole tried to follow suit as he grabbed a piece of metal from the ground and charged at him, only to be kicked back. Eustace was abnormally fast; there was something else at play with him.
''Leave my friends ALONE.'' Mizelle wasted no time either as she floated some pieces of metallic furniture and threw them Eustace's way, but once again, he moved out of the way.
No matter how they attacked, Eustace would either block them or get out of the way. Even Haudrica had failed to as much as scratch him. Was she still not at her full power? Or was there something else at work?
''Gee, this is really fun, but-'' Said Eustace as he stopped after putting some distance between him and everyone, ''One on one's a duel, two on one's a brawl, but three's a bit too much. So I guess I'll call this a day.'' he pulled some kind of cylinder out of one of his pockets, it took Cole a moment to realize what it was but it was also then when Eustace pulled its pin out, ''Smell ya later, fellas! Take good care of Fluffy, Isaac Clarke, and you too Evil Weevil. Bye!'' he tossed it as he said that.
''Watch out!'' Cole moved to cover Haudrica and Mizelle, but it was too late.
*Shblaam!*
A blinding flash of light enveloped all as Cole pushed them down, and by the time their vision recovered, Eustace was gone.
''A flashbang. Where did he even get that here, anyway?'' Thought Cole as he blinked, realizing he was on top of both Mizelle and Haudrica.
''You monster!'' Shouted Haudrica as she pushed Cole aside, but for once, that insult wasn't directed at him. ''Come back here! I'm still not done with you!'' she cried, her angry voice turning weak, ''Why!?... Why do you keep coming back to torment me!?.... Aaaaaaaahhhh!!'' it was a wail of pain what Haudrica let out as she collapsed, sobbing in desperation.
''Cole, a-are you alright?'' Said Mizelle as she helped him to get up.
''Why..... why.... why....'' Haudrica continued sobbing; hugging her chest as tears poured from the corners of her open eyes. This whole thing had hit her the hardest.
''I'm a bit bruised, but I think she needs your help more than me.'' He replied as he got up.
She just gave him a nod in reply before walking towards Haudrica, who was still crumpled in the floor.
''Haudrica....'' Mizelle approached her, but she didn't come too close.
''Why... why... why is he back.... I killed him... I know I did.... I'm... not a liar....'' She muttered between sobs.
''No one is saying you are.'' With those words, Mizelle brought her close, Haudrica's face resting on her chest. She looked almost motherly.
''This is all my fault; I shouldn't have gone out by myself. I'm sure everyone will be angry when we get back.'' Mizelle's voice was so soothing it was almost a whisper.
''No it's not! I shouldn't have gone into hiding or lied to your about my condition; had I told you everything, you wouldn't have suffered like you did... I'm sorry...'' Replied Haudrica, her voice regaining some strength.
''There's no point in looking for a culprit; what matters is that we're all here, and we are alive. Taking blame will not change any of that.'' Said Cole as he finally made his entrance.
''Shut up, you piece of shit.'' Bellowed Haudrica, ''You can't fool me; I saw your expression when that bastard made you an offer, you were almost drooling. You are just the same shit as him; the very same.'' Her tears didn't stop, even as she lashed at Cole.
''That's true. I admit I wavered, I would be a hypocrite if I said otherwise. But in the end, I didn't do it, even though I could had earned something from it. Doesn't that tell you something? How can you still think I am the same as that bastard!?'' Each of Cole's words was heavy with guilt, although by the end, also with anger; anger at himself.
Strangely enough, she said nothing back. Even though she usually would had done so. She merely evaded his gaze.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
''Are you sure this will hold up?'' Asked Cole as he tightened the valves on the sides of the damaged door.
''Yes, those things are some sort of override; the door may still be opened from inside if the outer ones are tightened, but not from the outside if the inner ones are tightened. Why else do you think we chose this place from the start?''
Having regained her calm and slightly toned down her usual anger, Haudrica was trying to secure that room so they could rest before departing; between the Aberrations from before and the fight with Eustace, they were tired to the point of collapse, and there was no telling what else they could encounter on their way back. Resting was the most sensible option.
''Alright, then. You know this better than me. Still, I can't help but wonder, just what was this place?'' added Cole as he tightened the last valve.
The main type of furniture scattered around were chairs and small desks, beyond that, it was just a big empty room with remarkably intact light fixtures.
''Beyond a good hiding place? Don't really care, and I'd rather you not start poking around.'' That was the expected answer.
''Gee, have you no curiosity? Don't you ever wonder how your surroundings work? Or have you never wanted to put your finger on something you never had before to see what would happen?'' Said Cole, half jokingly.
''Hmph!'' Haudrica snorted, ''If I did that, I'd have no fingers left. Now shut up; I'm tired of speaking.'' apparently, she DID have a sense of humor of sorts.
''I'm sure they would grow back anyway.'' Thought Cole as he held in his laughter.
None of them had brought even some kind of bedding to this adventure, so sleeping on the cold, hard floor was all they had.
''Uwaaa... guess there's nothing else to do but lie down and hope we can shut our eyelids hard enough to sleep with all this light.'' Mumbled Cole as he sprawled himself in the floor following a loud yawn.
''Ah!'' Mizelle's ears perked up with this exclamation, ''A-Actually, I can help with that last part.''
As if she had suddenly remembered something, Mizelle began to search around the scattered trash of the room.
''Do you really think that's still around here? I'm sure that bastard took it away just to mess with us.'' Added Haudrica without raising from the floor; either she didn't care or she was just too tired. Most likely a bit of both.
''Maybe, but I found more than one that day and-oh! Found one.'' Said Mizelle as she fished out piece of metal from the heap of trash. A tiny Zippo-sized box of glass and metal.
''It's the same...'' Cole's mind immediately clicked, ''Look-'' he pulled it out of his pocket, ''And you said they fit into some machine here?"
''Yes, that one by the corner.'' With a nod, Mizelle pointed to a structure of metal that emerged from the wall by the back of the room.
Whatever that device was, most of its workings seemed to be concealed within the wall itself, with only an outlying shape and a panel of sorts. And while the panel itself contained a myriad of knobs and buttons with unintelligible characters written upon them, there was one rectangular slot with a clear image of the same trinket he was holding pointing towards it.
Cole didn't need to read it to be able to understand it.
''So, we just put it here and-'' Cole was already reaching for the machine when Haudrica let out a shout.
''Could you leave fiddling with that thing for a time when we at least have the energy to think about what we are doing, please!?'' Said Haudrica from her place in the floor. She was truly tired beyond measure, or else she would had never used the word 'please'.
''Ok, I guess.'' Replied Cole as he looked back at Mizelle, who gave a sympathetic nod, ''Just use the one you found.''
With those words, Mizelle put hers in the machine. Almost immediately, the entire room went dark, save for a faint shimmering of white in the wall opposed to the device in question.
''So, it's like a projector of sorts...'' Thought Cole as he laid on the floor himself, using his bag as a rather uncomfortable pillow.
Mizelle followed suit, and soon enough, both she and Haudrica were fast asleep. Not Cole however.
''...'' Even amidst that darkness, he gazed at the blackened metal ceiling, pondering in silence.
So much had happened since he-no, they, had left the NVSC9; he had seen a whole new area of the Phylactery, a new side of Haudrica, Mizelle's determination, and a new face that he still failed to comprehend.
'''Taz', huh? Not quite the Tasmanian one, but most certainly a devil.'' He thought, laughing silently as his own joke.
He tried to not think about it but, that tracking device on him; how long had it been there? What had it been used for? Did it only follow him around, or did it go as far as listening to what he spoke? It had always been very strange how Tetlekar always turned out to be right there when he least expected it, but had there been ulterior motives behind all that? Did others like Desri and Zalura also have one of those on them? Did they know about it? And more importantly, would he confront Tetlekar about it when he returned? What would Tetlekar reply? And how this whole revelation would change his life in the NVSC9?
The questions came at him like a tsunami, and he had answer for none of them.
All he could do was wait; wait and see what would happen when they made the journey back.
<End of Chapter 9>
A palpable sense of tension.
Like positive and negative wires, every time Cole got within five steps of Haudrica, she would hasten her pace and put some distance between them again. And if he tried to get even closer, she would lash out, like a spark in a short-circuit.
However, with every step taken away from the known tunnels and into the uncharted areas, the proverbial discharge began losing power, as both of them became increasingly worried about their lives with every dry Aberration carcass and bloody claw mark on the walls they walked past.
''Say....'' Cole started, ''You sure we are on the correct path, right?'' he asked nervously as his grip on the Zap-Light tightened, his other hand instinctively reaching for a wrench that wasn't there whenever some shadow moved.
Cole hadn't brought his wrench with him because he thought it would be a much shorter walk, and now he was wondering if he had misinterpreted Mizelle's map, as this was taking longer than expected, and the tunnels increasingly hostile.
''If this scares you too much, the way back is right there. Besides, who was the brave maggot that boasted he could go on alone?'' Replied Haudrica as she looked back, a mocking and unsettlingly wide grin on her face. A sadist, as usual.
''Well, I was just asking since you are on the vanguard; if you get attacked, I can run back fine. But what if YOU get attacked instead? Where will you run to?'' As nervous as he was, her scares just didn't work on him; in his current status, the dark tunnels were much scarier than her usual chaffs.
Haudrica let out a low growl and a loud sigh, and looked like she was just preparing what to say next when the corridor took a right turn, which she took without even looking. Big mistake.
*Ghraaagh!*
Leaping from the shadow in classical predator fashion, an unseen Aberration ambushed her, and if it hadn't for her quick reflexes which made her crouch down, Haudrica would be a head shorter.
''Distract it!'' She cried as Cole turned on his Zap-Light's taser.
The Aberration in question was quite nightmarish. Roughly the size of a small car and sporting six musclebound legs. Its skin was of a pulsating dark red color along with a spiraling pattern that seemed to swirl as it moved. However, it was its head which was the top grade nightmare fuel; it could only be described as a bouquet of fanged appendages which seemed to provide it with full range of vision, as it was following both Cole and Haudrica's movements at the same time.
''HEEEEEEEY! C'mere you fucking Necromorph ripoff!'' Cried Cole, taking a few steps back as he scanned his surroundings.
The walls were bare of anything save light fixtures and stains, and such had been the case for most of the way there. And while the corridor ahead seemed to widen into a handful of entries, it was clear they wouldn't be able to outrun that thing.
And just like the Unit that day at the cryovaults, this Aberration quickly realized that Haudrica was the bigger threat. A grim déjà vu for Cole.
''Look at me you spawn of the Dunwich Horror! You're not gonna like how she tastes; she's too spicy for Yog-Sothoth.'' He shouted, internally wondering if his sense of humor was adrenaline-powered.
As he did that, he also pushed the trigger of the Zap-Light, which made a small electric arc jump from one of the taser's contacts to the other.
*Fhhrrrgh*
It was that which drew the Aberration's attention, as it turned all its 'eyestalks' towards Cole and started to lurch slowly towards him.
Whatever that thing was, it was remarkably slow despite having six legs; it most likely relied on one-hit kills, like that one it had tried to pull on Haudrica, to hunt.
''That's it! 'C'mere!'' Shrieked Cole as he stepped back, cold sweat all over his body.
It looked like it was about to jump again. However, it had made the mistake of ignoring Haudrica, and paid for it.
*Sklatchr!*
She hadn't even drawn out her scythes, she had simply grabbed two of its crab-like eyes and chewed them away with her mandibles.
*Ghwuuuaaaggh!!*
The Aberration let out a deafening wail as greenish-red fluid began to ooze from its wounds.
Using its torn appendages Haudrica was trying to overpower it in a manner reminiscent of a bull rider, and the Aberration wasn't exactly docile.
''Do something, dammit!'' She cried as it tried to buck her off.
Unarmed and unsure, it took Cole a few seconds to think of what to do, and all he could think of was the flare gun. But just where was he going to shot it?
''W-Where do I aim at!?'' Cried Cole as he loaded a flare into the gun.
''The mouth! The mooooouuuth!'' Haudrica was quite a skilled wrangler, but her resistance was starting to wear thin.
The Aberration was making circles like a dog chasing its own tail and Cole wasn't exactly a trained firearms user; aiming at the mouth wasn't by any measure easy.
''Hah!''
*Pzaaa!*
The flare bounced off the floor and right into the area the appendages came out from, which made the Aberration swallow it, mayhaps by reflex.
*Phbuuuh, phu, phu!*
And like a smoker with a bad case of coughs, it began coughing up puffs like crazy.
''Move it!'' Shouted Cole at Haudrica as he ran past the Aberration, and for once, she followed without complaint.
However, as they turned right on the corridor, it was clear luck wasn't on their side.
*GHWUUUAAAGGH!!*
It was much bigger; perhaps roughly about the side of a minivan, angrier and with friends. Or more precisely, cubs, like the one they had just fought.
Coming out of the door at the end of the corridor a larger version of the Aberration they had just fought showed up, along with two more cubs, it had most likely answered to the pained wails of their sibling.
''You gotta be fucking with me.'' Muttered Cole as he realized they had been caught in a pincer attack.
''Over there!''
Not even waiting for an answer, Haudrica grabbed Cole by the neck of his jumpsuit and practically flung him into an open door nearby before following suit.
''Hnk!'' She kicked the door's inner access panel, which made the door close itself, almost catching Cole's feet.
Curiously enough, the door had a small window at the top, which Haudrica immediately used to keep watch of what was happening outside; readying herself to fight what could be her last battle.
However, the Aberration didn't even come close to their door, it just walked, picked up its wounded cub with its mass of appendages, and walked away in the company of the other two. Not precisely the behavior Cole had expected.
''Haaaaah....'' Letting out a sigh of relief, Haudrica collapsed onto the door; the last bits of adrenaline that had kept her standing had gone.
''We were lucky.'' She said, ''Had that Shaaj'pur been alone, or a male, we would be food now.'' Her mandible hung out as she spoke, perhaps also a sign of how much this had tired her.
''Guess even Aberrations have loved ones.'' Replied Cole with a strange sense of irony. ''And also, thanks.'' He added, to which Haudrica responded by slightly widening her right eye; if she had eyebrows, she would most likely be raising one.
''What for?'' She asked, curtly and confused.
''Well, considering how you see me, you could had thrown me at that thing and then run here by yourself. But you didn't do it, so thanks... I guess?'' Cole realized how awkward was what he was saying.
''Hmph!'' She scowled, ''You know nothing about me.'' Again, there was that catchphrase, which did nothing to ease Cole's sense of guilt.
''I know, I know. I'm well aware I failed. I'm not gonna play dumb...'' Replied Cole with a sigh.
But yet again, Haudrica looked at him puzzled.
''... What are you babbling about?'' Now she was even more confused.
''The chance you gave me, remember? Back after we came back from the Organic Collector, I asked you for a chance to prove that I wasn't the kind of person you thought.'' Said Cole in reminiscence, ''But I failed.'' And those three words were almost a dagger at him.
''I lost my temper the other day, and lashed out some shit I shouldn't have; I vented out my own demons at you, and that just wasn't fair so-'' Looking away, Cole voiced this apology.
''Tch, hahahh.'' Out of the blue, Haudrica laughed. That by itself had been terrifying enough to freeze Cole's words in his throat.
''You truly are a fool.'' She said, smirking as she met his gaze. ''However, that is just how you are. And the same goes for me.'' She stood as she spoke, now looking away.
''I am who I am, and I am the way I was made.'' That was one cryptic phrase. ''And acting nice because you are 'being tested' will yield no change in that, as neither will any niceties you may employ. I don't give anyone special treatment based on how they treat me back. The problem isn't you or them; it's me.''
For the first time ever, she was speaking to him in the same manner she used to speak to Mizelle or Zalura. It was truly strange.
However, there was one thing off with her claims.
''Then, why do you treat Mizelle differently?'' That was the big question. ''If it indeed as you say, why is it that you treat Mizelle in such a starkly different way that how you treat everyone else?'' Asked Cole as he, too, got up from the ground.
Haudrica didn't reply at first, she just took a deep breath and adjusted her uniform.
''This is not the time nor the place for such banter. Now get moving.'' Turning away to avoid his gaze, Haudrica returned to her usual hostile tone, leaving Cole in an utter state of confusion. Just what had been all that?
~~~
A small ladder leading into a vent and a hole in the ceiling later, Cole and Haudrica were once again in the corridor. The familiarity with which Haudrica had located the ladder and the hole leading out showed quite a level of experience, which made Cole wonder just how many times had Haudrica been there.
''Is it gone?'' Asked Cole as he ducked his head out of the hole before jumping down, warily looking at the nearby corridors once he was in the ground.
And also by that time, Haudrica was already walking towards one of the corridors, offering no reply.
''Sheesh.... Back to default mode, I guess.'' Muttered Cole with a hanging of the shoulders as the trudged after her.
Their walk continued in an uneventful albeit twisty way; more than once, a way was found blocked by a shutter or close by to a hostile critter. And with Haudrica weakened and Cole's arsenal now down to just one flare, fighting was a last resource.
However, there was one thing Cole couldn't help but notice, and that was the change in the scenery as they distanced themselves from the known areas.
The black and featureless metal corridors had given way to some slightly more utilitarian ones; all sorts of hatches and service panels; along with a shattered screen or two and more than a handful of signs and signals, all written in some incomprehensible symbols. Also, while there were still more than a few old bloodstains and claw marks on the walls and bits of bone and skin in the floor, they were far fewer in number than in previous areas.
Some of those service panels and hatches were open, with loose contents spilling forth on enough regular basis that Cole soon found himself picking up a few of them.
''Hm, I wonder why there are so many of these. Were they some kind of box, or cartridge for something?'' Muttered Cole as he picked up what looked like a couple of flat round cans with some kind of opening at one end.
He would often find that Haudrica hadn't waited for him to pick things up and kept moving forwards.
''.....''
However, this time was different.
She had stopped at the corner, looking around the wall carefully enough that it made Cole wonder if there was an Aberration around it.
''What's the matter?'' Asked Cole in a soft voice as he came close.
''We are almost there, this is the 'Corpse Junction'; the place I first encountered a Unit on.'' Replied Haudrica, she was talkative all of a sudden.
''Is there one now?'' Cole was ready to leg it if she had replied yes.
''Not right now, just keep moving or you'll end like these guys.'' She said as he darted ahead.
And just as Cole was about to voice his inquiry regarding who were 'these guys', he saw 'them'.
The junction ahead was shaped like an inverted 'T', with a curve on its left end being where they had just stopped. But in the connecting hall in the middle, were the remnants of what must have been an intense firefight.
What looked like a handful of shattered metal furniture and half a dozen metal crates had been hastily repurposed as impromptu cover, one on each side of the corridor, facing each others. And given the charred marks on the walls and the fact only the left one had corpses, it was clear they weren't allies, and one side won.
''Just what the fuck happened here?'' Cole had stopped to look at the trio of corpses, still behind their decayed barricade.
Their garments may have one day been blue, but between the rusting of their metallic components as well as the decay of their owners' flesh, the color had all but turned into a murky, rotten black.
One was slumped against the wall, with an old bloodstain descending from it. Of the other two, one was hiding behind the barricade, while another was looking over it, the latter was missing his head and part of his right shoulder. Torn bits of clothing around the wound showed it was most likely blown away.
Curiously enough however, the two dead bodies in the barricade itself had the remains of a tail of some sort emerging from their tailbones and still covered in a dry, scaly skin that crumbles into dust with the slightest touch. The one slumping against the wall, however, looks increasingly human, although the shape of his skull is somewhat different.
''If you don't want to end like them, better get moving.'' Said Haudrica without even looking back or stopping.
''Alright, alright! Just, please, give me a moment.'' Cole is unable to tear himself from the scene; his curiosity holds him like a leashed dog to a post.
''... I am going to count up to five to start walking again.'' Muttered Haudrica, stopping in her tracks and looking at Cole over her shoulder.
''One'' She began. And Cole rushed his inspection.
Whomever they had been fighting, it wasn't shy about robbing the dead; the pouches on their belts and clothes are all cut open and empty. They probably didn't take their clothes because those were torn and bloody.
''Two'' She continued.
On the other barricade, however, all that was present was a couple small bloodstains and two more of those flat cans Cole had found in the corridor. Were they supplies? Ammo? Did the other side have no corpses because those on it won and were able to carry their dead and wounded away?
''Three'' The counting was halfway.
There was really nothing in there that could provide any clues to what had happened there; it was like finding one lone jigsaw piece and trying to figure what the full picture was from just looking at it.
''Four'' Cole was growing desperate.
But suddenly, he saw it; a tiny glint of metal hidden under a crust of dry blood behind the back of the corpse by the wall.
''Bingo!'' Shouted Cole as he reached for it, which made the skeleton lean to the side, partially collapsing over the barricade.
It was a very tiny box; roughly the size of a Zippo lighter and with a similar shape. Scraping away the dry blood with his thumb, a translucent glass filled with all sorts of intricate forms of a silvery metal in the shape of tiny interconnecting lines. Two of the box's sides were encased in metal, polished to a mirror shine.
He didn't knew what it was, but it was better than walking from such scene empty-handed, and it was enough to stop Haudrica's countdown.
''Good, get moving then.'' She replied as she started to walk. Cole had to run a bit to keep up with her.
However, even though Haudrica had all the patience of an embittered drill sergeant, she had gotten much more 'talkative', and her insults have dwindled just a bit. This was enough to give Cole some semblance of progress.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2
''This is it.'' She suddenly muttered, stopping at a broken door. Equal proportions of happiness and anxiety coating her expression.
After the 'Corpse Junction', they had still walked for what felt like another hour, and just as Cole had started to wonder if it was time to turn back, Haudrica found her destination.
However, rather than rushing in like Cole had expected, she just stood there by the door, seemingly pondering.
''Hey-'' Said Cole as he put his hand on her shoulder, ''She'll be there.'' he added. Haudrica's concerns were practically written all over her face.
''I did not ask for your opinion.'' She replied, brushing his hand off and reaching for some kind of valve in the right side of the door.
The door didn't quite open, more like it stopped working, allowing Haudrica to lift it and make her way under it.
However, as Cole tried to follow her, Haudrica moved back, quickly pointing one of her all-too-familiar blades at his neck.
''I will go in alone. You wait here.'' She said with her usual bitterness.
''I understand.'' Cole replied, ''Besides, I did promise Mizelle I wouldn't come looking for her, so it's fair.'' a tinge of guilt in his words.
That wasn't the answer Haudrica was expecting, so she looked a bit puzzled for a moment. This allowed Cole to notice that, unlike the almost metallic gleam her blade had on previous times she had done this to him, now it looked dull and faded; like the difference between the paint of a brand new car and that of one left abandoned under the sun for half a decade.
''Good.'' She added. And having reached that agreement, she reached for the door's valve once more, raising it to go under it.
''I wonder if I did the right thing...'' Thought Cole as he gazed at the door, now in solitude.
*TWAP!*
And suddenly, that noise came from the other side. It sounded like a blow, so he thought maybe Haudrica had tripped on something.
''Gyaaaargh!!'' But the scream that followed it made him realize otherwise.
''Oh shit.'' He thought, as he reached for that valve, but it wouldn't budge. It took him a few seconds to realize that he had been moving it the wrong way.
''Haudrica, what's goin-''
*TWAP!*
He didn't even have the time to react, let alone look around, when he felt a strong blow in his stomach. Taking his breath out of him.
''Well, now this is a surprise.'' A mocking line, spoken in clear English.
That was all he could hear before he blacked out from the pain.
~~~
His body felt like it was flying, or more precisely, hanging, and certain parts of it refused to move.
''Ugha... what the hell...?'' Muttered Cole as he tried to move, only to find out he couldn't.
But as his eyes opened, his first sight was this unfamiliar man, looking at him amusedly.
''Rise and shine, my fellow kinsman.'' He said without losing his smirk.
He looked like he was in his mid thirties, although given how worn he looked, he could be even younger. The hiking pants and work boots he was clad in looked completely at odds with the formal waistcoat he wore over a long-sleeved denim work shirt, as well as the leather longcoat he had on top of all the above. Like a bum who dressed himself with whatever clothes he could find in the dumpster behind a thrift store.
And the interested way he looked at Cole was akin to that of a child looking at a new toy.
''Who... are you?'' Cole had yet to recover his full breath, so his words were slow.
''Man, it's been so long; I had almost forgotten the feeling of how it was to have a conversation with another human being. I almost teared up!'' The man said all of this in an overly dramatic fashion while turning around towards an empty space; as if he was speaking to some unseen person.
''Anyhow, sorry about that; solitude makes one soliloquy a bit too much.'' He added as he extended his right hand to the tied up Cole. ''The name's Eustace, Eustace Stanford. Buuuuut that name's a bit too long, so just call me 'Taz' like all my friends do-uh...'' he stopped to get a bit close and read Cole's name tag on his overall ''Cole, is it? Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'd shake your hand, but you seem a bit.... tied up at the moment, hehe.'' The smile he put on tried to look friendly, but something in his eyes told Cole otherwise.
It was then when Cole saw Haudrica; tied just like him, hanging from a pipe in the roof on the other side of the room and with some kind of half mask that blocked her mouth. Yet none of this stopped her from thrashing around; trying her best to free herself.
''You...'' That was all Cole managed to say, as his expression turned grim.
''Ah! I know that face. You probably already heard about me from this angry lil' weevil here, yes? The same lie she told everyone? That I betrayed her? That she killed me? ME! And you believed her? Hah!''
*Slap!*
With those words, he slapped Haudrica with the back of his hand. The blow was so hard it made her head rebound against the wall that was behind her.
''You shouldn't put any more trust her than in any of the Aberrations that roam these tunnels, y'know. She ain't right in the head.'' Added Eustace with an amused smile as he gripped Haudrica's face by the cheeks.
''Heh, you ain't exactly portraying yourself as a paragon of sanity and good behavior either, y'know?'' Said Cole as he tried to mimic Eustace's way of speaking.
''Hah! Good behavior? You must be new here, friend. 'Cuz it looks like you haven't gotten your 'game face' on yet.'' Eustace grabbed Cole's head by the chin as he said this.
''Up here, in this big metal cage, there are only two types of people: those with you, and everyone else. So it's either eat or be eaten... sometimes in a frighteningly literal sense. So choosing your friends properly is a life-or-death choice.''
''For instance-'' He turned Cole's head towards Haudrica. ''That Weevil there, she made good use of me once. I'm pretty good at making maps, and overall keeping good track of my surroundings, and she made good use of that skill to keep herself and her friend alive, until she found some new friends with better skills and I was of no more use, so she tried to dispose of me. The same goes for her now.''
''Now, the only reason I haven't done to her head what an army boot does to a cockroach, is because the fluffy Kitten will most likely be back here soon, and I need a good bargaining chip, y'see. Fluffy might look sweet and childish, but she's more capable than you can even imagine; however, just like a character from a children's cartoon, she'd give it all for her friends, specially this one.'' He flicked Haudrica's forehead playfully as he said that last sentence. Had Haudrica been capable of such, she would had bitten his hand off.
''But guess what, just as she made some new friends, I did the same. So now I'm just gonna have Fluffy trade the Weevil's life for her own, so I can trade hers to my own Shroom friends. They may be disgusting, but they honor their word, especially if profit's involved. After all, the ones you now call 'friends' would probably do the same with you if it was of some use to them; specially the Bitter Mutt and the Fancy Tinman.''
Eustace was trying to sound friendly, but the patronizing manner in which he was speaking was akin to that of someone teaching a kid how to play a game just so they could beat the kid in it.
''You're crazy, man. Or more precisely, paranoid. You're telling me everyone is just waiting for the right time to stick a dagger in my back?'' Cole replied in mild amusement.
Eustace sighed before speaking, ''And you friend, are as naïve as a newborn. I dunno how much mankind may have changed in the few years I've been out of touch, but you don't seem very street-savvy, do you? Here lemme show you.'' he said in disappointment as he turned Cole around, ''Hm, looks like he's gotten better at hiding them.... oh, wait, nevermind; here it is.''
*Shrap*
The sound of ripping cloth followed his words, but he turned back around before he could say something.
''What do you see in here?'' Said Eustace as he held one of the jumpsuit's belt loops. It looked mostly normal, except for some tiny rivet-like thing it had in the center that shone with a dim, almost invisible light.
''....'' Cole remained silent; he was well aware that had never been part of his jumpsuit.
''This, my dear friend, is one of Buttler-Bot Nine Thousand's tracking bits. He once put one of those on me as well, to follow me around, until I found it way too odd for 'help' to show up whenever I wanted to be alone and got rid of it. It happened to you already, hasn't it? Either him or Big Red showing up in a place you were going by yourself for no reason?'' Eustace asked this while lifting an eyebrow.
Cole gulped unconsciously as he remembered how Zalura had suddenly showed up in his expedition to the NVSC5.
''Bullseye, eh?'' He couldn't hide his reaction from Eustace. ''I wouldn't be surprised if he was already halfway here with Four Arms in tow.''
*Paff. Bzzt!*
With those last words, he dropped the belt loop and stomped on it with all his might, a fizzing sound was heard following a short electric crackle.
''Not if I can help it anyway, but I'm sure he can still track its last location, so I'll keep this brief.'' He straightened his clothes as he finished his sentence.
''Help me catch Fluffy Ears and bring her back to the Shrooms. I can put in a good word for you with them; they'll keep us safe, fed, happy and even give us a few cool toys to play with until we can find a way to break out of this cage and go somewhere better.''
For the first time, Eustace's face looked genuine.
''T-They have a way to get back to Earth!?'' Cole's interest was piqued.
''Back to Earth? Dude, you crazy!? Why would you want to go back to that stinkhole? We have all fukken space before your eyes; shit straight out of a videogame but for realsies. Why would you want to go back to a life of slog, tedium and cubicles? Did you take the Blue Pill instead?'' His words were a mixture of shock and bewilderment.
''I... I...'' Cole was absentminded.
A war of thoughts raged within his head; one hand, he could see the logic behind Eustace's arguments, but on the other, he refused to agree with someone who had just displayed such selfish behavior, because it was clear he wasn't saying all this stuff out of some altruistic desire to help him.
''I... hate...'' Muttered Cole before he took a deep breath. He could see the smile forming on Eustace's face as well as the blend of terror and hatred washing over Haudrica.
''I hate when people tells me how I should live my life!!'' Cole roared.
*WHAM!!*
Eustace was so distracted with his speech that he hadn't realized Cole had slipped his legs out of their bindings. And one of Cole's boots found its way towards Eustace's crotch.
''Grgh.... you little....'' Muttered Eustace, out of breath, crouching as he held his man-bits.
''Do you think I am so naïve as to fall for that one!? You probably told Haudrica and Mizelle something like that once as well! How do I know one day I won't be the 'bargaining chip' to be traded away in shackles!?'' Shouted Cole as hard as he could, as if he was trying toexpel from his mind how he had doubted his friends. But the suspicion had been already instilled in him, and it wouldn't go away so easily.
''Heh, you're really not good at this.'' Eustace snarked as he got up.
*Whamk!*
A punch straight to Cole's cheek, strong enough to almost make him lose consciousness.
''I gave you a once-in-a-lifetime chance to live a life like no other, and you threw it away for a fistful of liars and hypocrites in a dirt-caked junk heap? Something wrong with your head, friend.'' He added as he grabbed Cole by the neck of his jumpsuit, slowly strangling him.
''I... really... like... junk.... y'know.'' Even short of breath, Cole couldn't help but snark. Eustace sighed.
''Sure you do, Dell Conagher. Truly, there's something off with your noggin-'' Eustace pulled a short revolver from one of his coat's pockets and put it to Cole's temple, ''So I'll just do you a favor and remove it for you. Maybe, if you ever respawn, you'll come to realize you picked the wrong team. Bye bye.''
*Click*
He pulled the trigger, or at least, he tried to, the hammer was frozen in the air, as if something was blocking it.
''What the-!?'' Eustace even tried to pull his hand away, but it was frozen in midair, to much of his confusion, ''You!'' until he saw something outside Cole's field of vision.
''Go AWAY!!'' From behind him came this roar, and Eustace's body was flung away like a rag doll. It was a familiar voice.
''Mizelle!'' Cried Cole as he turned around, his bindings falling apart, clearly her doing.
They had all been so distracted they hadn't seen her show up. Her face bore an expression of anger as well as one of fear.
''He-ey! But if it isn't my favorite Kitten! Ready to go back to your masters?''
Getting up from the ground like nothing had happened, Eustace looked for the gun, only to find it at Cole's feet.
''You backbiting maggot! I'll tear your worthless spine out your body.'' Haudrica's bindings, too, had fallen from her, and she had wasted no time to put her mouth to use. The same applied to her scythes, which apparently were already solid enough to use; she charged at Eustace almost immediately.
''Heh, not bad.'' But he dodged her effortlessly.
''Rhaaah!'' Cole tried to follow suit as he grabbed a piece of metal from the ground and charged at him, only to be kicked back. Eustace was abnormally fast; there was something else at play with him.
''Leave my friends ALONE.'' Mizelle wasted no time either as she floated some pieces of metallic furniture and threw them Eustace's way, but once again, he moved out of the way.
No matter how they attacked, Eustace would either block them or get out of the way. Even Haudrica had failed to as much as scratch him. Was she still not at her full power? Or was there something else at work?
''Gee, this is really fun, but-'' Said Eustace as he stopped after putting some distance between him and everyone, ''One on one's a duel, two on one's a brawl, but three's a bit too much. So I guess I'll call this a day.'' he pulled some kind of cylinder out of one of his pockets, it took Cole a moment to realize what it was but it was also then when Eustace pulled its pin out, ''Smell ya later, fellas! Take good care of Fluffy, Isaac Clarke, and you too Evil Weevil. Bye!'' he tossed it as he said that.
''Watch out!'' Cole moved to cover Haudrica and Mizelle, but it was too late.
*Shblaam!*
A blinding flash of light enveloped all as Cole pushed them down, and by the time their vision recovered, Eustace was gone.
''A flashbang. Where did he even get that here, anyway?'' Thought Cole as he blinked, realizing he was on top of both Mizelle and Haudrica.
''You monster!'' Shouted Haudrica as she pushed Cole aside, but for once, that insult wasn't directed at him. ''Come back here! I'm still not done with you!'' she cried, her angry voice turning weak, ''Why!?... Why do you keep coming back to torment me!?.... Aaaaaaaahhhh!!'' it was a wail of pain what Haudrica let out as she collapsed, sobbing in desperation.
''Cole, a-are you alright?'' Said Mizelle as she helped him to get up.
''Why..... why.... why....'' Haudrica continued sobbing; hugging her chest as tears poured from the corners of her open eyes. This whole thing had hit her the hardest.
''I'm a bit bruised, but I think she needs your help more than me.'' He replied as he got up.
She just gave him a nod in reply before walking towards Haudrica, who was still crumpled in the floor.
''Haudrica....'' Mizelle approached her, but she didn't come too close.
''Why... why... why is he back.... I killed him... I know I did.... I'm... not a liar....'' She muttered between sobs.
''No one is saying you are.'' With those words, Mizelle brought her close, Haudrica's face resting on her chest. She looked almost motherly.
''This is all my fault; I shouldn't have gone out by myself. I'm sure everyone will be angry when we get back.'' Mizelle's voice was so soothing it was almost a whisper.
''No it's not! I shouldn't have gone into hiding or lied to your about my condition; had I told you everything, you wouldn't have suffered like you did... I'm sorry...'' Replied Haudrica, her voice regaining some strength.
''There's no point in looking for a culprit; what matters is that we're all here, and we are alive. Taking blame will not change any of that.'' Said Cole as he finally made his entrance.
''Shut up, you piece of shit.'' Bellowed Haudrica, ''You can't fool me; I saw your expression when that bastard made you an offer, you were almost drooling. You are just the same shit as him; the very same.'' Her tears didn't stop, even as she lashed at Cole.
''That's true. I admit I wavered, I would be a hypocrite if I said otherwise. But in the end, I didn't do it, even though I could had earned something from it. Doesn't that tell you something? How can you still think I am the same as that bastard!?'' Each of Cole's words was heavy with guilt, although by the end, also with anger; anger at himself.
Strangely enough, she said nothing back. Even though she usually would had done so. She merely evaded his gaze.
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Part 3
''Are you sure this will hold up?'' Asked Cole as he tightened the valves on the sides of the damaged door.
''Yes, those things are some sort of override; the door may still be opened from inside if the outer ones are tightened, but not from the outside if the inner ones are tightened. Why else do you think we chose this place from the start?''
Having regained her calm and slightly toned down her usual anger, Haudrica was trying to secure that room so they could rest before departing; between the Aberrations from before and the fight with Eustace, they were tired to the point of collapse, and there was no telling what else they could encounter on their way back. Resting was the most sensible option.
''Alright, then. You know this better than me. Still, I can't help but wonder, just what was this place?'' added Cole as he tightened the last valve.
The main type of furniture scattered around were chairs and small desks, beyond that, it was just a big empty room with remarkably intact light fixtures.
''Beyond a good hiding place? Don't really care, and I'd rather you not start poking around.'' That was the expected answer.
''Gee, have you no curiosity? Don't you ever wonder how your surroundings work? Or have you never wanted to put your finger on something you never had before to see what would happen?'' Said Cole, half jokingly.
''Hmph!'' Haudrica snorted, ''If I did that, I'd have no fingers left. Now shut up; I'm tired of speaking.'' apparently, she DID have a sense of humor of sorts.
''I'm sure they would grow back anyway.'' Thought Cole as he held in his laughter.
None of them had brought even some kind of bedding to this adventure, so sleeping on the cold, hard floor was all they had.
''Uwaaa... guess there's nothing else to do but lie down and hope we can shut our eyelids hard enough to sleep with all this light.'' Mumbled Cole as he sprawled himself in the floor following a loud yawn.
''Ah!'' Mizelle's ears perked up with this exclamation, ''A-Actually, I can help with that last part.''
As if she had suddenly remembered something, Mizelle began to search around the scattered trash of the room.
''Do you really think that's still around here? I'm sure that bastard took it away just to mess with us.'' Added Haudrica without raising from the floor; either she didn't care or she was just too tired. Most likely a bit of both.
''Maybe, but I found more than one that day and-oh! Found one.'' Said Mizelle as she fished out piece of metal from the heap of trash. A tiny Zippo-sized box of glass and metal.
''It's the same...'' Cole's mind immediately clicked, ''Look-'' he pulled it out of his pocket, ''And you said they fit into some machine here?"
''Yes, that one by the corner.'' With a nod, Mizelle pointed to a structure of metal that emerged from the wall by the back of the room.
Whatever that device was, most of its workings seemed to be concealed within the wall itself, with only an outlying shape and a panel of sorts. And while the panel itself contained a myriad of knobs and buttons with unintelligible characters written upon them, there was one rectangular slot with a clear image of the same trinket he was holding pointing towards it.
Cole didn't need to read it to be able to understand it.
''So, we just put it here and-'' Cole was already reaching for the machine when Haudrica let out a shout.
''Could you leave fiddling with that thing for a time when we at least have the energy to think about what we are doing, please!?'' Said Haudrica from her place in the floor. She was truly tired beyond measure, or else she would had never used the word 'please'.
''Ok, I guess.'' Replied Cole as he looked back at Mizelle, who gave a sympathetic nod, ''Just use the one you found.''
With those words, Mizelle put hers in the machine. Almost immediately, the entire room went dark, save for a faint shimmering of white in the wall opposed to the device in question.
''So, it's like a projector of sorts...'' Thought Cole as he laid on the floor himself, using his bag as a rather uncomfortable pillow.
Mizelle followed suit, and soon enough, both she and Haudrica were fast asleep. Not Cole however.
''...'' Even amidst that darkness, he gazed at the blackened metal ceiling, pondering in silence.
So much had happened since he-no, they, had left the NVSC9; he had seen a whole new area of the Phylactery, a new side of Haudrica, Mizelle's determination, and a new face that he still failed to comprehend.
'''Taz', huh? Not quite the Tasmanian one, but most certainly a devil.'' He thought, laughing silently as his own joke.
He tried to not think about it but, that tracking device on him; how long had it been there? What had it been used for? Did it only follow him around, or did it go as far as listening to what he spoke? It had always been very strange how Tetlekar always turned out to be right there when he least expected it, but had there been ulterior motives behind all that? Did others like Desri and Zalura also have one of those on them? Did they know about it? And more importantly, would he confront Tetlekar about it when he returned? What would Tetlekar reply? And how this whole revelation would change his life in the NVSC9?
The questions came at him like a tsunami, and he had answer for none of them.
All he could do was wait; wait and see what would happen when they made the journey back.
<End of Chapter 9>
(In Progress)
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