6
Return
After some time watching Luke struggle with his load, AJ decided to have mercy on him.
“Why are you carrying all that junk?”
“I might need it, the door to the offices is broken. Who knows how many obstacles we might need this stuff to get through.”
“No I figured that much out, I’m asking why you’re carrying it all, even if you can’t leave any of it behind for even a moment, you weird ass hoarder, you should just push it along on a cart right?”
“What do you mean? What cart?”
AJ pointed to a door like any other in the corridor they were traversing, “Carts, they are everywhere. A long time ago people used cars to get around and drag their crap along with them. Down here they used carts... now that I think about it, it would have been inconvenient for the carts with those stairs seperating sectors too… strange…”
Luke checked the indicated door, sure enough there were several carts like luggage carts you might find at a hotel or airport. With immeasurable gratitude Luke unloaded everything onto the cart and rolled his shoulders.
“Thanks for that, how’d you know that was a cart closet? There’s no sign.”
AJ tapped his head “I have a connection to this place, my permissions are pretty lacking but I have all the maps and can remotely access doors and other systems.”
“Like my PDA?”
AJ nodded his whole body. Luke figured it must be difficult being so expressive without a face or a neck, but AJ managed it.
“Yea it’s the same, except you have Maintenance permissions, those are missing a couple small things, but you have way more access than me with that.”
“So what are all these other doors?” Luke asked, he could check the PDA but it seemed more friendly to talk with the lonely little robot, and his hands were full pushing the cart along.
“Mostly apartments, the residential sector is divided up into a few sections. In the middle you have a small post for medical and security, they both have their own sectors, medical even has two, but having at least some personnel near where all these people are is pretty important. Moving out you have a food court situation, lots of different places to eat, we will be passing through there soon. Next is a few different convenience stores, like security and medical, shopping has its own sector but going to a whole other sector just for a gallon of milk is a pain. Then the housing starts, its laid out like a big spider’s web and each corridor outward is like its own neighborhood, the quality of housing varies from corridor to corridor pretty greatly. Then on the outside edges you have another ring of convenience stores and a few restaurants. That’s about it, if you want to leave here then the north side has the emergency exit, the east is connected to the Hydroponics, south is the tram station, and west is the Offices and Administration sector.”
“This place is all very… divided, its pretty inconvenient to have to walk so much just to get from one sector to another.”
“Well most people had those goofy stand up scooter things, and really the tram took you wherever you needed to go, so it was usually just walk to the tram, then walk to your destination from there. Buuuut yeah if you were unfortunate enough to live on the north side but worked on the south side of saaay the Security sector,. You better have a good scooter thing, or even a bicycle.”
They continued chatting as they traveled. Once the shock of seeing a living person had wore off AJ calmed down some and told Luke about some of his time alone. AJ had raided every movie, music, video game, and book stash he could find in the entire Residential sector. He had centuries of entertainment consumed over and over. It went a long way to explaining his over the top personality and his references, most of which went over Luke's head.
They made their way into and through the food court. It looked very much like a mall or airport food court, all the standard fast food options, all long shut down. Toward the center there was a giant cafeteria where AJ explained they served more bulk type balanced meals for those who didn’t want to kill themselves with fast food but also didn’t want to travel to the grocery in the Shopping sector.
Then they passed the center which was a station for security and medical just as described. It was a very square construction with signage declaring the emergency services and how to contact them via the PDAs everyone had. This was apparently where AJ had made their home as there was a small mountain of various forms of entertainment. Luke also noticed the bank of CCTVs that AJ had used to watch Luke from afar when he entered the sector. Most of the TVs were displaying different scenes from movies but a few cycled through the cameras in the entryways.
Luke spotted and snagged a Taser gun from one desk. It would only be helpful for the one shot but it definitely was easier to use than a spear, plus he wouldn’t be stabbing someone if he used it, non-lethal forms of protection were high on Luke’s list. They marched on AJ singing marching songs from different war movies as they went.
Finally they made it to the Office sector door. AJ waved one of his hands and it opened right up. The action was so anticlimactic that Luke felt disappointed. All that effort to haul the tools across the tram tracks and through multiple sectors, all made pointless by the wave of a hand.
On the other side of the door Luke saw the remains of their old camp. Someone had clearly ransacked the place, nothing worth taking was left behind. Luke pushed the cart over to the side and took his spear and Taser with him. After helping AJ across the platform they made their way toward the Council Hall. If Jasla had made it back before him then they should be rallying the Council for a trip back across the ice to the Maintenance sector. Hopefully he wasn’t so late that they already left.
Jasla was furious. For some reason Tomal had fed the Council a heap of lies about her and they had eaten it up. None of the hunters would listen to her. At least they hadn’t decided to execute her, not yet anyway. Without her they had an even number of Councilors and the vote had come to a tie. She had offered to break the tie for them but again, no one listened. Without a decision she was being held prisoner for the time being.
The imprisonment couldn’t last long or they would end up executing her by starvation. No one was able or willing to feed her when they were already running well past their ability to sustain themselves. As night approached she had a visitor.
“Good evening Jasla" Tomal taunted her with a smirk
“What do you want Tomal, you shouldn’t need my help to come up with more filth to spew. Has anyone checked to see if you are actually walking on your hands? So much shit comes from your mouth I wouldn’t be surprised if it was actually an ass.”
“Such harsh words for your savior Jasla”
“The fuck are you on about?”
Tomal's smirk vanished like smoke in the wind, “Tell me Jasla, why did you choose the outsider? He’s not even a hunter"
“Choose? What? What do you mean choose the outsider?”
“Don’t play dumb Jasla, a dozen people saw him offer his spear and you gave yours in return. I just don’t understand why"
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Jasla turned red, “It’s not like that, he… he didn’t know”
Tomal’s face twisted with rage “So what? You knew, and you took the spear, we’ve been hunting together since before we could lift a spear and still you chose an outsider"
Jasla gaped, “That’s what this is about? You're jealous of Luke?”
“HAH jealous… maybe so, but where is he now? You haven’t eaten in far too long, you must have killed him to survive out there. So much for the Oath.”
“It’s not like that, he's on his way here, we really did find food out there.”
“You’re still going on about that? There’s no food Jasla, we are all going to starve and suffer until we give up. We will give up and start eating each other until there are only a few left and we can start again. That is how this ends Jasla. Just join me, I will take care of you and we can lead the Tribe back to its strength after it crumbles”
“You’re wrong Tomal, I’ve seen it…”
Tomal Interrupted, “Seen what?! You saw memories of days long gone on your magic box. Its not real Jasla, those people are dead, everything is dead. That fucking box has poisoned your mind.”
Tomal drew the laptop from behind him and shook it at her, “Its poison Jasla! Evil poison, you have to forget it before it kills you!”
Jasla lunged at him but she was too far. As soon as she moved Tomal threw it against the wall where is shattered into pieces.
“NO!” Jasla wailed
That was her treasure, all her life she had watched the videos on it trying to learn and understand what the woman was saying. Finally she was starting to understand, she had been right the whole time, the keys to their salvation were in that laptop, but now it was destroyed.
“YOU FUCK!”
Tomal reeled back in surprise as the guards grabbed Jasla and held her back.
“I'll kill you, you lying, thieving, shit. I'll kill you!
Tomal straightened and caught his breath before responding, “It’s clear there is no reasoning with you Jasla. The magic box and the outsider have ruined you.”
With a shake of his head Tomal left the room. Jasla quickly ran out of foul things to scream at him and just resorted to screaming.
As they made their way through familiar corridors AJ continued his endless stream of chatter.
“So why is your hand all wrapped up?”
Luke held up the bundled up hand in question, “I hurt it, it doesn’t really hurt much anymore but it hasn’t been long enough for it to be anywhere close to healing. Not feeling pain is a bad sign so I’m too afraid to look.”
“How’d you hurt it?”
“It froze when we were running across the surface.”
“We?” AJ cocked his body to one side as he so loved to do
“We… didn’t I mention Jasla before? I’m sure I did"
“mmm nope, I would remember, I don’t forget anything… at least I don’t think I do… I may have forgotten some things, but I forget what, so it doesn’t matter.”
Luke shook his head in exasperation, “Jasla and I had to run across the surface during a blizzard, that’s how we stumbled on the hatch to the Maintenance sector.”
“So… where is Jasla now?”
“They went back across the surface, they should be here in the Offices. That’s why I’m in such a hurry.”
“Aha yeah… I don’t get it"
Luke would try to explain the situation but AJ didn’t seem interested in him instead humming a tune while zipping back and forth checking out everything he could find like an excitable puppy. They were beginning to enter Tribe territory, most of the furniture having been repurposed for one thing or another, though they couldn’t see any people just yet.
“Hey AJ, it might be best if you hang back a bit. These people are… jumpy, they might panic if they see you suddenly pop out around a corner or something.”
AJ's eyes shone, literally, it must have been an intentional effect like most of the robot’s strange mannerisms.
“Got it, stealth mode activated!”
The robot then proceeded to tip toe from one upturned desk to another peeking over the tops and around corners each time. The whole thing made more noise than just normally rolling along on his track based feet would have but AJ seemed to be having far too much fun for Luke to spoil it.
They began to see scavengers in the corners and peeking out from behind doors, which made Luke much more comfortable. He knew they would as soon eat him as greet him, but just seeing them and knowing things were relatively normal had a calming effect.
The fragile sense of calm shattered when he heard screaming down the corridor. Luke recognized Jasla's voice and it chilled him. Jasla was screaming as if they had just had their arms cut off.
Luke took off running toward the screaming. Even running flat out he wasn't the first to arrive. Several people were huddled around the door where the anguished howling continued.
“She just lost her mind, I don’t know what’s wrong with her. I’m telling you we need to put her down before she tries something drastic"
Luke recognized the group as the Councilors and approached.
Luke raised his voice over the chatter, “Hey, what the hell is going on? Why is Jasla screaming like that?”
“You, how did you get back here, you should have died out there" said the loud one who always seemed to do the talking but never had anything useful to say
“Stuff happened, answer my question, what is wrong with Jasla?”
“We don’t answer to you outsider, once we execute the traitor we can deal with you next. Guards, take the outsider to another room and lock him up until we can deal with him.”
Another councilor spoke up, “Tomal you told us Jasla killed and ate the outsider, now he’s here. Its time you stopped ordering people around and demanding executions. We must have a meeting to discuss this, someone is lying.”
As the guards moved to restrain Luke he shouted, “Hey, who the hell are you, is this a council or a dictatorship? Why is Jasla locked up, we found you food, you should be gathering your people to come get it.”
At this the guards stopped and looked to the Councilors and back to Luke.
One of the quieter councilors asked, iIs that true? Tomal did you know about this?”
The loud Councilor, apparently Tomal, looked panicked, “Of course it’s all lies they were in it together, the traitor and the outsider, they just want to sabotage and steal from the tribe"
Luke cut in with a raised hand, “Hey, this is how you do it right? Tomal, I demand an honor duel. You are so full of shit I think I need to poke a few holes and let some out.”
Tomal went red, “Outsider, you can’t demand an honor duel, you don’t even know what you’re saying”
The quiet councilor interjected, “Actually Tomal, the out… Luke, has already been challenged to an honor duel and slew his opponent, that makes him one of the Tribe. Not to mention he offered his spear to Jasla who accepted.”
Luke didn't understand why any of that mattered but it seemed like he would get to fight Tomal. Luke had to try hard not to grin, there wouldn’t be a fight as long as things went to plan.
Tomal somehow went even redder, “Fine! An honor duel then outsider.”
He snatched a spear from one of the guards and held it at the ready.
Luke was suddenly nervous, “Uhhh, one second, what are the rules here, is it only spears or can I use other weapons?”
Tomal spit at his feet, “See? The outsider doesn’t know anything.”
“Anything goes, its one on one no outside interference and to the death. The victor takes all of the loser's status and possessions.” The helpful councilor offered
Luke nodded and dropped his spear.
“Surrendering? Too late now, I won’t make it quick.” Tomal jeered
“Nope, not surrendering, let’s do this.”
Tomal charged. Luke pulled the Taser and aimed it at Tomal's chest then waited. He only had one shot and was using his left hand so was not going to chance missing. As Tomal got within a dozen feet, Luke fired. The Taser let out a crack and started clicking with the telltale sound of crippling levels of electricity coursing through a body.
Tomal went rigid and collapsed the ground. A look of shock took over each of the spectator's faces. The confusion only increased when AJ started cheering like a cheerleader.
“Hey, hey, Outta the way. Move, move, Luke’s in the goove. Down, Down, Tomal is down. But what do you expect from a clown?”
Luke set the spent Taser down and picked the spear back up. At some point he had lost any mercy or remorse he may have felt for killing someone like Tomal. He had only seen and heard some of what the foul creature had said, but that was plenty. Without any hesitation, Luke walked over to the helpless Tomal and drove the spear through his neck.
Skill advanced: Spear combat
Spear combat: Level 2
It took a few moments for the situation to sink in.
Luke broke the awkward silence , “Jasla, they… ah.. she is in here right? I’m going to let her out.”
Luke was surprised to find out Jasla was a woman, it was had to tell with the people in the Tribe being so different from humans from his original time. There were some implications that knowledge brought but Luke didn't have time to consider them.
A few of the Councilors nodded and that was enough for Luke. He ran in to the room to find Jasla cradling a pile of broken plastic and metal.
“Jasla?” Luke tried
“He broke it. He smashed it on the wall Luke" Jasla choked out as she held up the scrap
Luke sighed with relief, the way she had been screaming he thought she had been hurt.
“Can I see it? Before… I came here, I used to work on computers.”
Jasla showed him the destroyed laptop. Tomal had done a decent job of smashing it, but it was the personal laptop of the lead researcher for the whole base. The hard drive was very likely salvageable.
“I can’t make any promises, but see this part here?” he showed her the hard drive
“This part is the memory for the laptop, it holds all the information, the rest just reads the memory and shows it to us, I should be able to put this in another computer and that will bring it back.”
Jasla's eyes widened, “You can fix it?”
Luke smiled, “Probably yeah.”
Jasla hugged him tightly.