Testing: A Little Sci-Fi Adventure (chapter 7)

Chapter Seven
Me, Myself, and the Person Next to Me

BEYOND THREE, Fanue Centrino Docking Bay,

As the train doors slid open with the hums of engines in the distance, three thugs with knives jumped in front of the passengers who were exiting. They thought it was their lucky day for there were only two. The leader with a bright red Mohawk and a large silver chain around his neck waved his weapon at their faces, signaling with his hand for them to hand over their money.
The male passenger was standing there irritated, his expression bearing witness to such pathetic attempts to scare him. As the leader opened his mouth to explain his motives, he felt pain go through his appendages. He and his comrades clasped at the stumps of what was once their arms and fell to the floor, in too much agony to scream, but merely opening and closing their mouths over and over again as saliva drooled onto the grime. The blood flowed and made streams and rivers along the dirty, dusty, railway floor.
The man sheathed his sword, dripping with fresh blood, and walked over the writhing bodies of the fallen. His female companion jumped across them and tried to keep pace with the man. She looked back with pity but continued to follow her aide. It was not long before the authorities would go looking for them. Already the forsaken sounds of sirens were wailing in the blizzard.

BEYOND THREE, Fanue Centrino Great Plaza,

Isaac stopped suddenly as if something had rooted him to the spot. He felt nostalgic, as if he were back in Rin.
“Isaac? Are you okay?” Naomi called out from way in front. She was already carrying three bags of shopping and was standing in front of a shoe store.
“I’m fine.” Isaac replied. He shook off the feeling and adjusted the plastic bag straps on his shoulders. He too was carrying a load of Naomi’s shopping. He hastened his pace to catch up with the rest.
“Just because we made it big doesn’t mean that you can spend it all in one go!” Hiryu reasoned from under a pile of cases, crates, bags, and boxes.
“It’s not just for me! You guys are probably going to eat that entire supply of food within a week!”
“Food is cheap! Your designer shoes, bags, clothes (which you never wear), shivas, grenades, knives, swords, pistols,…”
Naomi just continued browsing. Layenne was also peering into the stained windows and decorated displays. She was red in the face, either from the cold or the pretty baubles and trinkets. By the time Isaac managed to catch up with them, Hiryu had already collapsed under the bulk of the bought items.
Isaac piled the things he was carrying onto that mound. A groan came out from deep within the mass.
“I’m going to look around! I’ll see you back on the ship!” He said while running off in the opposite direction. Hiryu jumped out from the stack and raced after him, avoiding the apparatuses that flew from behind. The bystanders turned their heads at the unusual party of sorts.
Isaac and Hiryu had been running for quite some time before they stopped for a breather.
“Don’t worry…***… she can’t catch up with us now…***…” Hiryu muttered.
“I hope…***…by the way…***… where are we?” Isaac responded.
Hiryu stood up straight and surveyed the area for a long time.
“I have no idea.” He replied confidently. Isaac shook his head and walked around the place. They were in the slums of the city, the sinners’ heaven. Tenement blocks and condemned buildings towered above and all around. Flickering neon signs and badly done graffiti were the signs of civilization. The blizzard made it hard for them to make an accurate path back so they walked into a nearby shop for some shelter and information.
The chime of the cracked doorbell ringed faintly as they pushed open the thin rusting metal door. They were inside an arms shop, with great weapons of all kinds placed neatly behind the chain link frame of a counter. The bulleting board was perforated and was brownish. Posters to rock concerts and new movies that were on the walls were torn, unreadable, or breaking apart. On the floor were things that you wouldn’t want to step on and the air was heavy with a kind of narcotic.
At the far end of the counter were some barstools, old and ragged. A thin line of smoke coming out from behind them showed life. Hiryu and Isaac made their way through the filth and sat on the seats, checking first to see if there were any unspeakables on them. The propertier of the arms *** bar was blissfully unaware of their presence. He was watching grainy scans of his holocartografer. Hiryu cleared his throat. The bartender grunted and turned around. He was wearing a sweaty singlet and had the look of boredom.
“Whaddaya want?” He grunted again.
“Gimme a Tequila Q2 and a energized drink for my friend.”
“No te-qui-la and bloody no e-nergiezd drink for yur friend. Now get!” He turned his back to them and continued toying with the screen.
Isaac started to get off his seat but Hiryu sat him down again. They waited there is the musty dark for a few minutes. The owner wiped a beady sweat of his forehead and turned around once more.
“Whaaat? Don’t’cha geddit? Git lost! We ain’t got no fancy smancy drinks ‘ere! Git before I call the… ahhh… I’m sure we ‘ave a few more drinks in the closet.” Hiryu threw some of the silvirin which he was holding onto the bar counter. The fat man literally dropped off his chair before plodding off into the basement.
Isaac was scanning all the available guns and swords on display. They were all nicely polished and stood out of the dirt, mud, spit and haze. When he looked over the counter, numerous magazines, books and paraphernalia dedicated to the art of weapons lay scattered besides cases of ammunition and hand grenades. On the workbench was a newly modified thingamajig, filled with wires, mess and bits and pieces of this and that. They distinct thud of the bartender’s footsteps exclaimed his re-entry. He was carrying in his hand, two frosted mugs, thankfully clean, and two bottles of drink.
He gave a short glance at Isaac and said out loud.
“That there my boy, is the greatest ‘eapon ever made yet. It’s so great dat it ain’t even got a name yet. I could just sell it to you for… erm… two thousand credits.” He was pouring out the drinks. The fizz made multicolored bubbles in the air.
“That’s nice but, what does it do?” Isaac enquired.
“Yer askin’ me?Hell if I know what it does. All I know is, stand clear away when you set it off, if yer know what I mean. Heh heh.” He chuckled.
“Then how do I use it?”
“Easy. Yer buyin’ it or not?”
“If you’ll tell me how it works.”
“Pay first. Instructions later.”
“Very well.” Isaac took out the money and placed it onto the tabletop. The man plodded over and counted it with a glint in his eye. When he was satisfied, he brought the contraption to Isaac and after refitting a couple of wires and transistors, he beamed.
“Yer see tis’ button ‘ere? Tis’ is the thing yer don wanna press unless yer askin for trouble. Dat’s all yer need to know.”
Isaac sighed and hoped that this wasn’t a mistake. It was not like him to buy junk from unknown sources. Hiryu was enjoying his drink and studying the graffiti. They stayed in the bar the rest of the night, waiting for the blizzard to die down. Isaac was sleeping on the counter when shook his shoulder.
Had come and the snow had piled. It was going to be hard to get out of the slums. Together they exited the building to walk straight into a pile of snow. It was really going to be hard to escape from the place. They brushed themselves off and began the march of faith. They had hardly noticed to figures huddled together, watching them closely.

BEYOND THREE, Fanue Centrino Commercial Docking Bay 3

“Hiryu! Isaac! Where have you two been?”
“Let me explain, you see we were running for so long and then be-“
“No, not that! Haven’t you guys heard the news?”
“What news?” Isaac questioned
“Here, see for yourself.”
Isaac took the newspaper into his hands and scanned the headline.
GREAT BILLION DOLLAR CREDIT STOLEN, MILITARY ESCORT DECIMATED.
25% REWARD OFFERED FOR THE CAPTURE OF THE TWO SUSPECTS.

It went on but the rest was just bland details of the crime. Isaac folded the paper and laid it onto the coffee table. Hiryu yawned, for he did not sleep, rather counting his losses. Layenne was playing with some new trinkets beside Isaac.
Naomi was getting aggravated and was getting ready to massacre the two idiots that lay before her when there was a loud knock on the ship hull.
“Hello? May I speak to the captain?”
“For what reason?” Hiryu shouted out, not bothering to get off the couch.
“It’s important.” The muffled voice was agitated.
“Fine, fine.” Hiryu got off the draped furniture to shuffle towards the main door. Isaac followed him, curious to meet the strangers. Hiryu unhinged the clamps and disabled the magnetic field.
Out on their doorstep stood two people, wearing thin, shaggy coats. One was much smaller than the other, but from the looks of it, they were freezing. Isaac nudged Hiryu in the ribs.
“Why don’t you come in?” Hiryu invited hesitantly.
“Thank you.” Said the smaller one while the other merely walked in; his tough military boots crusted with white snow. The latter following a while later.
Naomi was sitting on the couch when the bizarre pair walked in. The bigger fellow sat down onto the stairs and took a long deep breath. His companion remained standing.
“Before I explain why I am here, I would like to ask for your total and complete secrecy. Our lives depend on you and if you choose to refuse, we will leave you in animosity of the situation. Do we have your word?” He announced.
Isaac walked into the meeting with two hot cups of coffee, authentic, and handed them to the duo. They accepted them gladly and took deep whiffs of the pleasant aroma. It was quite a while before they continued.
“Well?”
“Let’s hear what you’ve got to say.” Naomi answered, not giving an opportunity to Hiryu who usually rejected everything. Isaac could hear grumbling within the room.
“Have you heard the news?”
“The money? Yes.”
“I have information on where those robbers are hiding.”
“What do you want us to do?”
“We want you to help us to escape from this place.”
“Why?”
“People would kill us for having knowledge. We are already being pursued.”
“How can we trust you?”
“You just have to.”
Naomi was string at the cloaked man. Only his stubby chin could be seen. He wore thick padded gloves and had a sling bag over his shoulders. Layenne tugged at Isaac’s collar. Isaac turned to face her and saw her gesturing towards the window. He got off the desk he was sitting on and proceeded towards the cold plexiglass. He wiped away the dew that had formed and glanced outside.
Sitting on a nearby building was a tall, handsome man. He had glasses on and was dressed completely in white. He was blond and had deep blue eyes that seemed to pierce into your heart. In a way, this startling fellow seemed perfect, perfect in every way, but that was what made Isaac suspicious. The man was smiling at him and waved cheerfully before floating down to the snow covered pavement. He walked slowly towards the door.
Isaac went outside to meet this new character. At close rage he saw that the man was very pale but had a stance of strength. The person bowed and Isaac returned the courtesy.
“A very good morning to you. I’m wondering if you have, by any chance, come across two people, dressed in unfit coats?”
“I don’t think so? Perhaps you are mistaken?”
“Now, now, it’s not good to lie. Kindly hand them over. I certainly hope to avoid any violence.”
“If you could at least give me your name, I would consider.”
“Ahh… they simply call me, Weiss. No first name, no last. Please to meet you. And how do I address my young guard?”
“You can call me Isaac.”
“Very well. If possible, would you pass the people over now?”
“No. I don’t think so.”
“You’re only making trouble for yourself.” Weiss sighed and took out a saber from inside his silk coat. “Please allow me to refrain from hurting you. I don’t like to harm others.”
Isaac stood his ground and armed his weapon. Layenne got out of the way and ran to the side.
“I’m very sorry about this but I must do what I have been ordered to.” Said Weiss, a tone of sadness in his clear gentle voice.
He held the saber in the sky and out a thickly bound book in his other hand. On it was a huge cross with a man hanging from it and the words Et Bible underneath the picture. He opened the book and read a few phrases from it. The words were alien to Isaac but they were ended with the words “Dissendum mortalis!”
A streak of lighting struck the sword and made a massive cross in the wintry sky. In but one second, all that energy combined into a spear and plunged into Isaac. The spear had not penetrated him but formed a ball of pure, concentrated electricity around him. When the sphere was complete, the sparks flew at Isaac form within the ball and tore at him. He was not cut, or even scratched, but the fires burned into his flesh and tore at his veins. Electricity surged through Isaac, making him gasp. The energy binded his movements as the chains of electricity lashed at his body. Slowly, Isaac sank to the snow, too weak to move. The sphere disappeared and Weiss had sheathed his sword.
Hiryu ran out into the battle when he heard Isaac’s cries. He saw the strange man standing before the body of his friend. Hiryu grabbed at his sword and charged at the man in white. The man did not counter but somehow, Hiryu was met with an opposing force. Invisible blows from all sides closed in on Hiryu. Hiryu was pinned to the spot, the constant attacks destroying his chances. The man just walked forward and looked at the smoking body of Isaac.
“I think I have made my point here. I want the two fugitives. I will get them. Do you understand?” He said, rather bored.
“No… I won’t…” Isaac’s mind was jumbled but he wasn’t about to give in.
“Sigh… perhaps you need a little persuasion.” Weiss took out his saber once again and pointed it at Layenne who was going to Isaac’s aid. A flash of light and she fell to the floor. Her body floated in the air and drifted towards Weiss’s outstretched hands.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care not to harm her. Just bring me the two felons and she’ll be back in no time. I’ll be waiting for you at the abbey on the western edge. Take your time.” He smiled and walked away, cradling Layenne like a baby.
At that point, the mysterious forces that were bringing down Hiryu stopped. He too dropped from exhaustion. Naomi came running out; she had watched the whole endeavor from the inside. Their ‘guests’ looked grim and pale. She flung one of her shivas at the strange visitor. As usual, he repelled the attack with the mysterious force without even turning around.