"This is preposterous even by your standards Major!" Governor White rebuked.
"Indeed." added Director Sienna Di Poppo of the UNSOOSA "What your saying is borderline genocide."
After reports of Major Holyfield's unethical orders of annihilating all the Slaegian Border Forts across Tyr Rian surfaced thanks to the timely notification of several SEAL's Team members and Colonel Polonsky, a discreet emergency gathering of Military and Civilian Officials was called in late that night. Governor White, Director Di Poppo, Major Holyfield, Colonel Polonsky and other important officials were gathered in the Governor's Hall Conference Room. Unlike the upbeat air of Colonial Fervor that recently was emitted by arrival of the 2nd Wave Colonists, which is slowly being died down due to the UFE's overextension of their governmental capabilities, was instead replaced with an aura of dreary uncertainty as news of the Slaegian's Unprovoked attack on a unit of UFE soldiers buzzed around the officials.
A significant count of the officials, from Military Officers from the 2nd Wave who have worked with the Major closely for over a decade, to Civilian Officials who still had fresh memories of their disastrous Planetfall sided with the extremist's Hardline methods of Major Holyfield. It wasn't something out of character that the Major would consider given his history of being a cold, calculating and ruthless to any enemies of humanity's progress to the stars whether it is from hostile fauna in far off worlds to the internal attacks of rebellious insurgents who dare test the unity of the UFE's spirit. It is said that Holyfield himself is responsible for the extinction of so many violent carnivores and the total eradication of several terrorist groups. And the man would gladly redo all his bloodied crusade of protecting humanity all over again if he could. He is without a doubt have no shame in his duty to his race.
But now the Major stands in a pseudo trial among his new peers. It was his first time being assigned outside to a brand-new group official and their reception to his 'Methods' were hostile compared to the cold nods of his previous superiors who were more Human-centric when it comes to the progress of Mankind's colonial efforts.
"Have you gone soft after meeting Extra Terrestrials Governor? Against your own race?" Holyfield put his foot down.
"I am not Major, and I will never do that to the UFE. These… 'Aliens' are as human as us… with a few exceptions but still!" He shot back.
"Why say they are like us? When they dabble in m-ma 'Magic' like children holding a knife? These people are dangerous for the well being of this colonies safety, no existence! You know we are Outnumbered 1 to… God knows how many of these kinds of Mages are out there. The cities that the UAV's are scanning now is growing in count by the minute. It's us vs the entire world for all we know." Holyfield shot out his point.
"According to Iris, Mages are quite rare in Gliesia. From her estimates about one in every twelve people in Ysanigrad shows various capabilities of siphoning Magic from the Unbinilium crystals." Polonsky argued.
"That is still a worrying number, if you also take into the account that the Mages can conjure pretty much whatever they can come up with their minds. You saw that 'Fire Golem' that attacked you, Iris and her abilities to 'Enchant' magic to our grenade launchers, and don't get me started on Magic Emissions being capable to jam our radios. Plus, that information is only applying to the Mages of the Slaegian Empire. Who knows what kind of other unknown's this Magic can be wielded by. I remembered that Iris, during that introductory seminar, she described these Elves from a continent West of Ysanigrad called Alfel Nora where the locals are more potent and sensitive to Magic. What happens if they turn their powers against us?"
"Your saying like the Elves are a bunch of Power Hungry Warmongers who would gladly zap us to death with lightning bolts. According to the reports, the Elves usually keep to themselves and are rather accommodating albeit a little bit arrogant."
"I never said they are 'Power Hungry Warmongers' Polonsky, I am saying that they are potentially a bigger threat than the Slaegian's who have just attacked us for no reason!" Holyfield raised his voice.
The bystanders in the meeting all murmured to each other over the two High Ranking Military Official's statements.
"Silence!" Governor White yelled deafening the entire room. "Holyfield! Polonsky!" He turned to two. "You both make good points on the dangers and sureness of Benham-3. But right now, you are both getting yourselves off track from why we are here today. We cannot let go of the fact that this 'Slaegian Empire' had their men try to attack our soldiers but we cannot afford to ruin our already established diplomatic efforts with one of the Slaegian's own vassal states. It must be a Misunderstanding. I doubt its deliberate." Jeremy scolded.
The room once again filled with murmurs for a fleeting moment after the Governor's
"And if you are wrong?" Holyfield question back.
"How about this. Some middle ground for both of you two? So, look here, I both agree to what your points are but what both of your points have in common is that we are all new to this world. We are the aliens here this time and they are the natives. It's only smart that right now we should focus more on consolidating our foothold in Gliesia. My proposal would be to reduce the number of sorties within 50 Kilometer radius from New Albany. Then reassign them into patrol groups. I don't want any more expeditions until we got this figured out."
Silence entered the two Commanding Officers and then they bowed down to the Governor's superior authority over them.
"So how will you investigate this incident?" Holyfield asked.
"There's already a man on the case… Inspector Reid." The governor softly smiled confidently.
-----------------------(The next day, by the outskirts of New Albany)---------------------
The sudden urbanization of the once empty plains and hills of Southern Tyr Rian from outside the Verden Valley Forest surprised Aliathra. When she first arrived in the Principality last month, the only sounds her sensitive leaf shaped elven ears can hear were the soft brushing of trees, the light crackling of water from the Valley's numerous creeks and the casual timing of numerous animal noises. These sounds were replaced by the vehement bubbling of large metal beasts that shifted the land to the ways it sees fit, turning the land from an uninhabited plot of land into abruptly cropped up white spires with glittering glass that reflected the Gliesian Sunlight like a Light House's beacon.
It reminds me of home… No! Focus! This must be a Demon Trick. They know I am homesick! I won't let them have me.
The Elf Woman reminded herself of her perilous mission. She was given special permission from these Humanoid new comers to enter in their home of 'New Albany'. They promised her a steady supply of food and to allow her to indulge in her curiosities of the strange paintings that Obediah and Vincent described as a 'Photograph'. All of which are just diversions for her, she knows that this is the once in a lifetime opportunity to explore the inner workings of these otherworldly people. She will have to play it safe however. She is going to be waist deep into enemy territory and failure could be disastrous for the forces of her world's order.
"Greetings. State your business here." A UFE soldier stopped her.
Just as she was about to pass by the first set of houses made by the otherworlders, Aliathra was stopped by a trio of olive garbed men. It was some sort of security checkpoint.
"All Non-UFE civillians must be processed through before entering New Albany." Another UFE soldier added.
They carried black iron sticks in similar construction to the wands that she saw Obediah and Vincent wielded to fend off the Seadevils. Their jade colored camouflage can easily blend into the forest woods of any temperate climates and the weave of their clothes were as thick as a cow who was fattened up for slaughter. Their heads, as the Elf emphasizes were of weary tension as if they were alerted to something dangerous. She almost wanted to ask what's with their faces but she caught her tongue beforehand, asking to many direct questions would make her stand out from the myriad visitors who were being processed by the checkpoint guards.
"I am here to meet a farmer." She quietly answered.
"Name?" the soldier asked.
"Obediah…ehm Root. I wish to buy his crops."
"Okay please stand still." He told her.
Her colleague, of a physically imposing height slowly approached her with a strangely shaped black knife that look crudely made that it looked no more than a prop for a play or a child's toy. It had text painted yellow that says 'Super Detector' written on the knife's 'blade'. The elf felt tense seeing the weapon being casually held around without any care, respect or discipline unlike her kind who treat their weapons as if an extension of their bodies.
With a twitch of his finger, the knife began to emit a soft but sharp sound before the man slowly reached out his arms. Aliathra reflexively stepped back to avoid the blade but the soldiers held her hand, albeit instead of hostility, the firm grip of the hand was of comforting warmth, or maybe its perhaps that the one gripping her hand was another woman of humanoid shape.
"Relax, it's just a Scanner miss." The soldier lady reassured her.
Not wanting to be set back, the Elf Princess relaxed herself. The guard carrying the Scanner 'knife' promptly began his probe. Just the feeling of the Scanner's electromagnetic field emissions made the Elf's skin crawl, raising the tiny hairs on her ivory skin up as she shuddered. Then the scanner reached into the back of her waist wear she keeps an emergency dagger for her own self defense.
"AHH!!!" She screamed as the 'Knife' beeped upon the contact of her Starmetal Bladed Dagger. The magically crafted blade made by Ethuilen's finest Blacksmiths screeched upon the disturbances of the Scanner 'Knife' s magnetic field. The shock of the sensation that reflected from her Dagge collapsed her on the hard-rocky asphalt road of the Otherworlders' settlement.
"Woah!" Female soldier said backing off. "Are you okay miss?"
"Hang on! Wait I think…" her larger colleague coldly stepped in front of her and reached into the back of her waist. "Knife." The man said before quietly placing the Elven Dagger on a gray tray.
"That's mine." Aliathra objected.
"You will get it back. No weapons are allowed from this point on. Here take this, present this paper to us and you will get your… nice looking knife back." The soldier said.
"And Root Family Homestead is 4th left then follow the road all the way. You can't miss'em." The woman said.
The guards moved aside from the Elf clearing her way to New Albany.
"Oh, if you happen to be a Mage of sorts. Don't even try it." The towering guard with the 'Scanning Knife' warned. "Welcome to New Albany, the first Colony of the United Federation of Earth."
Being disarmed has already caused the Elf to go uneasy from the danger she is now in. Not only is she in enemy territory. She is also completely defenseless and if the guard's words are to go by, any kind of Magical Conjuration will only get her fished out by the numerical superior Otherworlders. From this point on, she will have to Scout out the entire Colony without too much risking.
Remembering the directions to Obediah's house, Aliathra began to take her first steps into 'Metal Demon' territory. Previously before her, she had casted several Anti-Demon Wards that will dispel and push back any Demonic Influences that try to get a hairbreadth's away from her but curiously to her confusion, they haven't gone off.
'Are the Demons' holding back?'
As she walked in New Albany's streets, the Romanesque structures she passed by were nothing that she has seen, heard nor read about ever before. They were built like finely carved out trees with sleek curvatures elegantly constructed by only of somone as skilled as one of Ethuilen's finest carpenters. Yet instead of Trees, Aliathra noticed that they were made instead of a mixture of steel and stone, materials that are extremely difficult to carve such incisions, and every building she sees are of similar designs with notable deviances for individual distinction between each structure such as giant signs that were posted next to the houses front doors that magically lit up in a variety of strange shapes and colors such as green, orange and purple. Another thing she noticed is that all of New Albany's houses were covered with glass windowsills. Glass, based on her knowledge was a luxury item, due to the painstaking production process the Glassblowers have to do. Only afforded to the highest-ranking nobles and they were more of a novelty decoration, a status symbol. But the Otherworlder's who look uncannily similar to the Humans of Ysanigrad, everyone of them had glass windows on their respective buildings. Her only explanation she can think off was that these Otherworlder's or 'United Federation of Earth' were Master Mages who can control Glass, Metal and Stone to allow the to construct such a sophisticated settlement in such a short period of time.
Already, they heavily out class us. By the gods, I pray that I can get out of this place alive and untainted by the Ruinous Ones.
Whilst once again deep within her own thoughts, the Elf almost failed to recognize that she was already right in front of her Destination. The Root Family Homestead. It wasn't that hard for her to figure out that this is where Obediah lives by the fact that upon the winding road that led to a simple two-story house that had a windmill in similar theme to the rest of the New Albany settlement, there was literally a sign that arched over the path saying 'Root Family Homestead'. Slightly emboldened by her good progress so far, she walked inside the property.
To her awe, the structures that surrounded the Homestead were built via a tremendous amount of Glass which is worthy enough to honor a grand cathedral to the Elven Gods with its shimmering elegance. In these houses of Glass, Aliathra noticed that they contained not people, but Plants, Crops, that were lined up neatly and being generously sprayed sprinkles of water that some how magically rained within the Glass Houses despite being a sunny afternoon outside.
As she got closer to the house, Aliathra saw two familiar figures chatting with one another.
"And here's the last of the food the Mess Hall requested." Obediah said handing over a box to Vincente Diaz.
"Thanks Obed." Diaz nodded as he turned around only to be greeted by a beautiful feminine face of ethereal beauty that not even the most top-line super models back in the Core Worlds can ever hope to achieve, naturally or otherwise.
"Oh Aliathra! It's good to see you. I honestly thought you won't be here." Obediah greeted a warm smile.
"Greetings again Bearded One. I remembered your offer and I have come to your farm for some food. I have Ducats." She replied.
"Well I got plenty of food, some familiar with these Gliesians and some not. Let me just get it." Obediah said.
He turned back to his house, disappearing inside the building for a brief moment before reemerging with a wooden crate filled with a bounty of foodstuff. From what Aliathra can decipher from the mysterious box, she saw what she can best described in the following: Two varieties of Red Orbs, a Yellow Rod with multitudes of Husk like dimples that covered the Rod and a bundle of tiny green fruits that curved into the shape of a crescent moon. Seeing such a delectable bounty before her made her almost forgot her mission. And that Moon-shaped fruit looked so tempting.
"You sure about tasting that first?" Obediah questioned.
"It's shaped like the moon." Aliathra said.
"That's a Chili. Makes your tongue go on fire." Diaz said.
"Are you serious?" she snapped
"Yes and No, the last time someone tasted a Chili she refused to eat anything else for a day." Obediah informed her.
"Oh the look on Iris' face. I should have taken a photo of that."
"Anyway, Elf Girl, instead of those how about this." Obediah removed the Chili's from Aliathra's hand and replaced it with one of the Yellow Rods with dimples.
"This is corn. Its like your Wheat Grains but more resilient. Plus, it can be eaten immediately without the need of a Mill." He said.
Grasping the Ear of Corn, Aliathra had never seen such a crop in her entire long life. The cob was about the same length and size as her slim womanly biceps. She was so astonished that she had now idea how she can consume it. Obediah, seemingly knowing what her thoughts were, demonstrated to her by gesturing his hand adjacent to each other and grasping the air like holding onto a handlebar before reaching into the airless gap that represent the corn with his mouth and began to gnaw like a rat.
Taking his cue, Aliathra followed him and did what she was told. When her teeth and mouth contacted the Corn's flesh. It was rather disappointing in terms of taste for the Elf, it tasted like a cold Wheat Gruel a commoner would eat every meal sweetened with a small hint of honey to give an illusion of flavor. Additionally, the Kernels of the Corn which that came of the cob with her gnawing teeth had a elastic mushy texture into it.
"It's bland." Aliathra said.
"Maybe this could help." Obediah gave her a stick of butter and a butter knife to help spread the dairy produce around the Cob.
Grabbing the knife and plastering the golden colored saturated piece of fat on the light-yellow flesh of the Corn, Aliathra made her second bite into the cereal grain. Her tongue sensed to her surprise this time that the butter had hints of saltiness beneath its golden cream. It complemented well with the mellow sweet taste that was naturally embedded into it. She couldn't help but softly smile at her meal.
"Much better?" Obediah said?
"Yes indeed Bearded one." Aliathra said.
"Hey Daddy! Is that Uncle Vinny?" Obediah's daughter April bursted outside, surprising everyone.
"Hey little April. You doing well?" Diaz asked her.
"Misses Ker-bapple said that I am doing good in school." April smiled before turning to Aliathra.
"Daddy, who is that?" she asked her father.
"Oh just a New Client of mine tasting some of Mommy's plants." Obediah answered her.
"She looks like a princess. Like from my Fairy Tales." She said.
Aliathra's heart sank deep from April's armor piercing declaration. She painstakingly made her royal lineage a secret among only the most trusted individuals in Ysanigrad when she left her homeland. Her Parents, alongside her brother and older sister were mostly in the spotlight in parties and social gatherings organized by the Nobility. Although she was similarly dressed and groomed compared to her family. In Elf Society, most if not all the attention would be directed to the Elder Child being Lunafreya who is being groomed to take over the crown when her mother is gone. She doesn't blame them, but she still detests her social isolation. She wasn't tired of her only companions being her handmaidens and palace staff, she was simply bored of her encaged life as an Elven Maiden of the Ethuilen Entente. Yet to be called out right now by none other than a child only made her instincts scream to 'Run'.
"You do sure look beautiful. Tell me, are all Elves as pretty as you?" Obediah said.
"Well by Human standards we are, as the bards would sing 'beautiful beyond any belief'. But by my people's standards, I am average looking." She lied, faking a sense of humility. She couldn't risk standing out even more right now and she has to keep the attention a way.
Could these people recognize me?
"Well I'll take your word for it miss." Obediah said.
The Princess and the Redneck promptly negotiated a fair price for three pounds worth of Obediah's Corn. She exchanged a dozen Ducat coins that Obediah can use for his own use or exchange them for the UFE's Credits in a Specially Made 'Foreign Exchange Bank' in downtown New Albany.
That was close!
"So Aliathra, you still interested on getting that Photograph that your curious about?" Diaz asked her.
"Photograph?" Aliathra turned around in bafflement.
"You know, like a Painting that can be made instantly? You said you wanted to get one. Besides, the local Photographer is being bitching… I mean wanting to document so many stuffs here in Benha- I mean Gliesia." Diaz stuttered.
"Ben- what?" Aliathra asked befuddled by the alien terminologies.
"Yeah long story. So how about this. I can give you a tour of Downtown New Albany while I drop this box at the Army Mess Hall. Then you can get that Photograph if you still want it?" He proposed.
Absorbing the man's words, Aliathra could only convey even more confusion. How is this 'Demon' offering her a chance to fundamentally do her entire infiltration mission with at no risk of a cost like she was being pampered by some princely suitor in one of the Ethuilen Elite's prestigious parties.
Tours, Food Tasting and Fantastic Sights? Are they even Demon's at all?
For the first time in her entire races history. A High Elf began to feel… how the words of the Humans would say 'Confusion' for there is no word in the Elven Vocabulary that would best describe her uncertainty. Her people, even before their split were very sure of their supremacy amongst the younger races. They had the greatest collection of every knowledge imaginable in the Great Library back in her homeland. Could all of what she has known for her entire life be wrong?
No Focus! The world is counting on you Aliathra. The Humans need to know everything about this place of incongruous structures.
She stopped herself yet again. The Elf continued to hear her own instinctual conscience behind her head urging her to continue when she was in doubt or unsure of what to do next. Perhaps it's the stress of her first assignment which was additionally been weighed more by the fact her homeland can't assist her due to heightened tensions at the borders of the Black Tree Pact plus she was assigned to the task of being sent to help the Humans fight Demons. Although she is equipped with the spells in knowledge to fight such creatures, she has yet to obtain any real knowledge on fighting Demons.
She regained her womanly posture in front of Diaz again to not risk tipping him off of her distress and turned around with a fake smile that she would practice to comfort the eyes of all the nobles of Ethuilen. She is going to double down on her risky venture and by all of the Elven Gods, she will succeed.
"I would gladly take a tour of New Albany with you. Thank you for the kind of gesture." She politely said.
"Hmm… maybe April is right on you being a Princess and all. My Lady, shall we go?" He sarcastically bowed while carrying the box.
The Elf couldn't help but chuckle at the 'Demon's' attempt on humor. Even if this one knows or not she really is the youngest daughter of the Elven Royal Family, she could sense that his comedic gesture was surprisingly for a 'Demon', genuine.
The two walked out of Obediah's Farmstead with their purchases and left with them the waving farewells of the owner and his daughter as they departed for Downtown New Albany.
-----------------------------------(Meanwhile back in Haringpoint)--------------------------------
The Emperor of Slaegia couldn't believe the courier would tell him such heavy bearing news. An entire Garrison of Legionnaires, some of the best soldiers who pledge themselves upon the Arm Doctrine of Rapidly Deployed defenses was completely obliterated by the Steel Demons. He had barely prevented his Generals on calling a full invasion of Tyr Rian but he couldn't risk causing a panic amongst the citizenry less the damage from their riots would cause even more damage than the apocalyptic charge of a Demon incursion. Grandmaster Owynne had advised him on the matter that he needs to buy him and his mages more time to figure out what's their next move. From what he has heard, an agent, an Elven Woman from his Fair-Weather friend the Ethuilen Entente Elves is performing subterfuge actions throughout the area where the reports say the Demons are. He couldn't believe that the Otherworlder's were just several miles south of the fortress city of Tyr Rian. Yet surprisingly, he didn't her much panic coming from merchants who have came from the Vassal State. In common, they said that 'Metal People' have been quietly sitting idly in the Principality for several weeks now. He didn't know if Prince Clovich, a man who has his fair share of fighting off foreign invaders from the East are even fighting these Demons.
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"Do you think the Prince and his city can hold long? I will need time to gather most of the Legions and prepare our best Exorcists. We will need to throw everything we got if the news about the destruction of the Western Garrisons are of merit." Emperor Uldin cracked his fist.
"It survived the Great Orc Khan's Hordes, Necromancer Attacks, the Civil War and Gods know how many Earthquakes. I am sure he can hold for more than a month at best." One of his advisors said.
"Yet these Demons are practically right at his doorsteps and they seemed to be as powerful as the legends told. He needs help. Right at the double." His advisor said.
"You are right." Uldin stood up from his throne. "Fetch me the Royal Scribe and my Imperial Seal. I need to make a letter immediately." Uldin ordered.
Everyone in his throne room bowed briefly before hurriedly running around to fulfill his Imperial Majesty's orders.
Uldin crashed himself back into the cushioned comfort of his brilliant throne and placed his finger on his head. His suspicion of the state of Tyr Rian and its Puppet King irked him. Why would Prince Clovich not send out any distressing calls for help from him? He had just hoped that at best the 'Demons' had only been very efficient at cutting off communications between Tyr Rian and the outside world, at worst… he doesn't even want to think about it less his aging body crashes through so much burdening stress.
------------------------------------(Back at New Albany) --------------------------------
It is now 6pm or around Sunset at New Albany and the night lights flickered to life, transforming the Steel Constructed Town into a luminous star in the middle of the slowly darkening Tyr Rian country side. It is also said or more of complained by the Tyr Rian City dwellers who live nearby that they can see New Albany's lights from the Citadel. From afar, it did indeed look like the UFE Colony is glowing brightly in white but upon a closer look, thanks to the new Energy Reactor from the Second Wave Colonists, electricity flowed through out the settlement, allowing the inhabitants from the simple pre-fab homes lights to the flashier neon advertising signs that attract the denizens of New Albany to their establishments like moths. Next to the Civillian Enclave was the Military Base, the UFE's Main foothold in Gliesia. The soldiers with their black metal staffs that they called 'Firearms' secured the area alongside small sized iron birds and boars that moved obediently to the whims of their emerald masters that which are known as 'Unmanned Drones'.
Aliathra espied from the iron fence that separated her from a large field that had the same asphalt road that she would see Horseless Iron Carriages roll themselves around in.
'But why would there be another road that is separated from the rest?'
Her answer came in when from the distance, a dark shadowy figure in the shape like the Great Eagles from her homeland. It descended upon the isolated road from the horizon of the setting sun. The Elf couldn't get a clear bearing on the giant bird due to the fleeting glimmer of the last few minutes of sunlight as it descended.
"That's one of our planes." Diaz said. He was earlier delivering the dinner ingredients for the Mess Hall and told the Elf to stay outside of the Military Base whilst he finalized the delivery.
Aliathra would have if she were anywhere else would try to infiltrate the Base but she couldn't find any kind of discernable weakness that she can penetrate the perimeter. Every inch of the Otherworlder's Barracks was equally guarded by soldiers who would stare at her with tension. She could do nothing but keep her distance from the Men in Green to avoid breaking her cover.
"A Plane?" She asked.
"Like a very big bird." Diaz widened his arms and followed the flapping motions of a flying animal. "Only it can't flap though…"
"How can it fly without moving its wings?" Aliathra asked again.
Diaz paused for a moment, dumbfounded on how to explain to the Elf in order to match her primitive understanding of science and technology.
"It breathes a lot of air so it can blow it out… really, really hard." Diaz awkwardly answered.
"Like a balloon?" she giggled at the look of his inelegant stature.
Unlike the manners of the Elven Nobility that she grew bored of due to Elves practice in cunningness whether its through the honeyed words of a flattering courtier to the political machinations of diplomats. She could never understand why her sister and brother enjoy such activities. Maybe because she was born the youngest and thus not expected much to be used as a playing token in the grand bored game that is called Elven Politics.
"Yeah, something like that." Diaz smiled again, letting his amateurish moment have its moment. "So, you want to head to downtown? We can go to the Photo Studio now if your still up to it. I can even show you the Governor's Palace where Jeremy White takes office. It's quite a site." Diaz said.
Hearing about Diaz's carefree disclosure of such an important sounding building made Aliathra instantly jump to his arms, in a fabricated act of ingratiation in similar vein to a wide eyed broad being overly infatuated by a domineering paramour.
"I would love… to go… there." Her voiced suddenly dropped coldly as she tugged Diaz's arms and torso. She wanted to show Diaz that she was deeply interested by his dashing cachet. But the moment her skin touches his body, she felt something… uncanny within him.
o the life giving magics of this world, she sensed an unnatural presence within Diaz. Discreetly, Aliathra used a miniscule expenditure of her magic to Detect the Life of her Host.
To her horror, she found that Diaz's body is nearly completely made out of not the tender and delicate wrappings of living flesh, but a mixture of alien metals and undiscernible materials in a ghastly parody of a living creature. Her mouth unconsciously was left agape by the abrupt realization of this 'Human' is secretly made of metal in the inside of its paper-thin husk.
"You seem shocked." Diaz said. Forwarding himself at the Elven Maiden.
Aliathra reacted with a fearful step back, not daring to move another muscle further less the 'Demon' snatches her up and has his way with her.
"Your… body… its…" she stuttered.
"Augmented? Is that what your trying to say? It's pretty neat what Aparo Industries did to me." Diaz boasted, ignorant that Aliathra is not surprised but utterly petrified of him.
"Aweg-men-ted?" she questioned the foreign term. "Are you some sort of… monster I never heard of?"
"Monster? No! I am as human as everyone in this town. So yeah, I have some metal inside me so what? I am young and alive as ever." Diaz reassured her.
"Is everyone like you? Flesh from the outside but metal inside?"
"No, not everyone can afford or are brave enough to get Augmentations. I have this because… of my previous job." Diaz stopped himself to not give away his illicit background.
"What was your job?" Aliathra pressed again in curiosity.
"Well uhm yeah… my job is…" Diaz scratched his head as he collected within himself enough of the correct words to expel. "I am a 'Item Fetcher'." Diaz heaved his crude explanation.
"You collect things? Like some of those 'Fetch' Quests back in the Adventurer's Guild?"
"Yeah, mostly very valuable stuff from very hard to reach places. Like Money, Jewelry, Rare 'Consumables', Databanks…"
"Databanks?" she interrupted.
"Something like Tomes that contains words inside it… you set it up on a special machine to be able to read it…"
"Like a Memory Crystal?"
"Maybe, if that's what you call it. It's a very high risk yet lots of pay. I miss Marlboro." Diaz mumbled.
"Marlboro?"
"My Old Muscle Car. Think a Horse, in fact… I have a photo of him right here."
Vince reached into his hands and grabbed his Smartphone, the very same one Aliathra saw him take a 'photograph' of her. He twiddled his thumbs to the Gallery Folder of his device and scrolled down his wide collection of digital pictures he has taken throughout a span of a few years. When he was captured on that unfortunate police raid, his phone was confiscated. But after his conscription and a mandatory Mobile Data hack and wipe later, Diaz got his phone back clean off all his old underground contacts or at least for now if he can be resourceful enough to reconnect the dots again.
"Here it is, my Marlboro." Diaz turned his phone to Aliathra.
She grabbed the rectangular device and held it firmly with her lithe fingers. She was initially amazed by the surface texture of the smartphone being of polished glass that is as smooth as a silk dress. As for Diaz's 'Marlboro' picture, his Horse had a Metal Frame painted like a tangerine dress for a summer festival with an intricately designed image of a mighty stallion in a speedy gallop. Marlboro's 'eyes' were completely white yet the potential of great luminous light made Aliathra suspect that there is more to those eyes than what she can see from the virtual image. Another distinct feature of Marlboro was its wheels. Unlike a normal steed, this 'Horse' ran on circular wheels for its movement. Lastly, the entire photo was garnished by none other than a smiling Vincente Diaz, arms spread out touching Marlboro's hood while wearing a dazzling Biker Jacket decorated by glittering roses in the cloth.
"I am actually very impressed." Aliathra complemented. Something an Elf rarely would say to a Non-Elf.
"Yeah I chose the car parts and paint myself…"
"I meant the jacket." She stopped him.
"Oh, yeah that was Limited Edition. Glad I got the last one before it went out. Damnit, I know miss my nice jacket now also." He sadly sulked.
"Don't feel too bad. I am sure once you finish your Conscription you can get those nice things back." She comforted him by caressing his arm. Her velvety skin collided with the contrasting touch of Diaz's rugged metal arm. She has begun to slowly understand these Otherworlder's yet she still has her fears of them.
She has remembered from her first time seeing what the Otherworlder's can do, their superhuman abilities to move in such inhuman speeds, their tenacity against hopeless odds and lethal proficiency with their strange black staffs that they call 'Guns'. When it comes to her recent tour or more like a cleverly arranged stakeout in plain sight of the UFE, Aliathra learned that their monstrous machines that made fools of the terrain from mighty flying machines to great wheeled plows that terraformed the earth with the strength of gods. If the Human Races, or any other race such as her fellow elves fought against these aliens, it would be like a single man trying to stop a landslide. They could all just squish every last one of them like ants. The very thought of all of that happening made her heart drop.
"Will you be making more of these places like New Albany?" Aliathra asked him, no longer caring for subtlety.
"Initially yes. But after the discovery of Native Primitives, I.E. people like you. The Big Wigs have temporarily halted any plans of expansion. From what I heard, they are cooperating with Prince Clovich to have his people and the entire Tyr Rian Principality land integrated into our Way of Life." He answered.
"What is your 'way of life'?"
"Who are you? My Social Studies Teacher?" He chuckled but his joke fell to a confuse Aliathra. "Sorry, you remind me of someone when you asked that. Values-wise, we wish to turn the People of Tyr Rian into Lawful, God-Fearing and Freedom Loving people just like us. As for material stuff, some engineers are working on completely covering the dirt roads of Tyr Rian into full fledge asphalt to allow Vehicles, our 'Horses' to move freely around them. Which additionally, will be eventually used by the locals so that they can move stuff around faster when compared to those old looking Wooden Carriages."
"What's wrong with Wooden Carriages?"
"We stopped using them about less than three hundred years ago. In a way, you are all like us back then." Diaz said.
"We were 'just like you'?" Aliathra asked. Her head was now aching from the multitude of insights and new questions that stormed her head.
"We used to live, farm, trade like you. We used to sleep under thatched roofs of crudely made wood that can be burnt down easily. We used to fear for our lives but thanks to the power of Guns we have the ability to fight back. For food, we were once bound to the mercilessness of Nature who kill our crops and make us suffer through hunger but now we have exponentially more food than any human can count on." Diaz said.
"And these… are… all true…" Aliathra faltered in her speech. Her head began to feel so light weighted.
"Yes. But its only scratching the surface of what we are all capable off. We got Ships that can cross through Stars, Video Projection as accurate as seeing someone right in front of you, Weapons that can kill entire cities in one move and the Pizza… to die for… You still want to go to the Photo Studio? You don't look too good miss…" He noticed the distress expression from Aliathra's face.
Her ivory skin glowed pink in high blood pressure and sweat reflected from its surface. Inside her Elven brain however, her mind, body and soul were being torn apart by so much eldritch knowledge being rapidly shoved down her. It caused her footing to lose balance and her breath to shut down as the Elven Princess turned spy collapsed to the asphalt floor to a horrified Vincent.
-------------------------------------(An Unknown time later) ----------------------------------
Aliathra opened her eyes slowly to be welcomed in a bright flashing light. She could feel her body was lying down on a mildly soft surface that molded to her shape and bodily movement. The sounds that the Elf hear were of the sound of voices of people in a state of impassioned pain. She quickly shut her eyes closed for the elf now refuses to believe the impossible…
'Am I Dead?'
Did the Demon's killed her? Did some malevolent influence creeped into her heart when Vincent told her about all of those spine-chilling accounts that caused her body to touch down in some twisted form of Demonic Corruption? Is her soul damned forever to whatever plane of existence that these Otherworlder's come from? What will they do to her?
The Elf Princess sobbed of the fact that she had just died alone, in foreign soil and not at the comforting grips of her loved ones or people. She began to fall into despair over the realization that she is now down in what her people would call 'Udún-Ambar' or 'the Hell-World' where those captured by the Demon's are taken and enslaved to. And to make it all worse, Elves, especially those who can harness magic are prized for their Affinity to it.
'Goddess save me!'
Her eyes, still wide shut, Aliathra shook violently from her spot as stress began to overflow inside her like wolves cutting apart their prey.
"NNNNOOOO!!!!!" She screamed as she thrashed her memory foam bed.
Vincent, after seeing Aliathra fall down out cold, had barged int with her to the New Albany Military Hospital's Emergency department.
This is also the new post of Doctor Hana Lee Haneul where she was assigned to the lofty but very strenuous job of being the Chief of the Emergency Department of N.A.M.H, coordinating the distribution of medical supplies and implementation of emergency procedures to stabilize the critically injured. She was at first surprised the position was given to her, but the Hospital Director told her that it was her way of comforting the pain of the dying, ailing and afflicted in their time of need is what got her in the position to begin with. According to her, she was like the reincarnation of Florence Nigthingale returned in the flesh of a Kimchi-smelling Korean Woman with double eye lids and a joyfully childlike smile that can warm the heart of even the coldest of individuals… even from Major Holyfield.
Doctor Lee Haneul jumped at the panicking elf and tried to restrain her, but Aliathra stubbornly resisted.
"Get away from me Demon!" she shrieked.
"Calm down!" Dr. Hana pleaded.
Diaz and another one of the doctors in the Emergency Department assisted her by pinning down their weight on Aliathra, careful to not actually harm her.
"Was she like this when you took her in?" Hana asked Vincent.
"No, she just fainted after I chatted somethings to her…" Diaz answered.
"What kind of things?" Hana pressed
"I just told her about our technology a bit… and how awesome it is…" Diaz stiffly said.
"Are you an idiot Diaz? Telling the natives about our advanced technology? This poor woman probably fainted because she was horrified by what you said at best. And at worst? What if this woman was a spy or something?" Hana scolded.
"I thought that if I impress her with some non-sensitive but juicy facts about the UFE she would be more receptive to us. I mean remember the hearts and minds campaign?" Diaz said.
"Can you just leave that to the professionals?" Hana spat at him before turning her head to their patient.
The Medical Scanners attached to Aliathra's bed spiked in activity due to her frantic motions. From what Dr. Lee Haneul can interpret, the patient, although not sporting any kind of physical injury or ailment has had a surge in stress activity. Her Heart Rate and Blood Pressure were through the roofs and the monitors beeped rapidly to show it.
"NO! Please don't eat me!" the elf cried, tears leaked from her closed eyes. "Naneth, Mother Goddess save me!" she desperately began to pray in her native tongue.
"I think she thinks she's dead or something." Diaz said.
"Hang on! Let her go!" Hana yelled.
"What?"
"Just let her go!" she yelled again.
Vince and the other Emergency Room attendant took their hands off of the Elf, leaving the distressed woman in the hands of Dr. Lee Haneul.
The woman, after the invasive grasps of the men retreated from the touch of her body, shuddered fearfully but ultimately less vigorously than earlier but she could still feel a pair of hands holding her body.
Now free to work her charms, Hana changed tactics. Instead of holding the girl firmly on her soft memory foam bed, she loosened her grip. This consequently decreased the number of violent shakings the Elf woman had but her heart rate was still beating at an unhealthy rate.
"It's okay little one… I won't hurt you…" Hana soothingly cooed to the Elf.
"Neneth? Is that you my Goddess?" Aliathra asked embracing the doctor tightly while still sobbing from her imagined trauma.
"No, I am not, but don't worry you are safe her with me." she softly whispered.
"Wh-who are you?" Aliathra asked.
"I am Doctor… I mean… uhm… Cleric Hana Lee Haneul. But you can call me Hana. You're in the New Albany Military Hospital. We are like a… Hospice, only bigger." Hana answered.
"What happened to me?"
"You fainted in front of Vincent and he took you to the hospital. Your actually fine, you just had a bad day from putting on too much stress." Hana said.
"I am not… dead or anything?"
"Still in the land of the living right now Miss." Diaz said.
Aliathra opened her eyes to be then greeted by the same bright light from the moment she woke up. After adjusting her vision, she soon saw the familiar face of Vincent and the beautifully alluring babyface of Dr. Lee Haneul. The state of distress she had dissipated from her as she examined her surroundings to see she is indeed still in the material living plane.
"How… long was I out?"
"It's around midnight at the moment here so I say… about six hours. I am supposed to let you go after you wake up at next morning." Hana said.
"So, do I have to pay for your services?" Aliathra asked.
"Oh no, I will do this one for you for free." Hana smiled.
"That's very generous of you." The gratefully thanked her caretaker. "Diaz… Vincent, I am sorry if we didn't go to that Photo Studio you said you wanted to go to." She apologized.
"Oh no hard feelings miss. We can always have next time if your still at it. Although, I did want to still at least give you a lasting impression of New Albany to you so I bought you a slice of something special."
Diaz reached in from his bag and pulled out a paper bag which he reached into again to obtain a plastic carton with a slice of pastry inside it.
"It's called Oreo Cheesecake. Got it from the Hospital Café. I don't know what you Elves like to eat so I just went with my gut and got you this. I hope you like it." Diaz said.
Giving her a Spork and the Carton, Aliathra, not wanting to be rude to him, promptly ate the dessert before her. She was impressed by the subtle sweetness of her snack thanks to the Oreo Cookie powder and sweet milk Cheese of the cake. She left a contagious smile that infected both Vincent and Hana who followed her.
"Well it looks like your going to like staying here for now. I hope you don't mind the moaning from everyone who are next to you. They got injure pretty bad today." Hana said.
"What happened Doc? Those guys are Sentries judging from their uniforms." Diaz asked.
"From what I was told, a bunch of Black Cloaked men shot out some sort of Machine Crossbow whilst they were manning the Checkpoints, Unprovoked!" Hana answered.
"God Almighty! That's terrible! But why?"
"Well so far, we don't even know why but judging from one of the natives who witnessed the incident they say that they are part of some secret society of sorts called 'the Crows'.
The Crows? That's Mita's Group within the Grey Order…
She recalled that Mita's special talents involved around the various fields of subterfuge ranging from Sabotage, Espionage, Assassinations and Information Warfare. She was, by the accounts of all Espionage Theorists and Scholars to be a pioneer in innovating new ways to spy at all those who would throw the right amount of coin to her. If Mita's Agents are behind these attacks these then she would most likely be kicking the hornet's nest rather than any significant damage to the Otherworlders if her discoveries are to believe.
"You bothered about something?" Diaz asked her noticing the unconscious change in her expression.
"Oh no, I am just shocked that people would attack you." She denied.
"You sure? I though banditry is common here." Diaz rebutted.
"Normally, Bandits target those who can't fight back."
"The savages! Where I come from, the Bandits take risks! Well I hope you stay safe when you get out tomorrow Aly."
"Aly?"
"I just shortened your name a bit. Just to make myself easier to call your name. I mean, A-Lee-Ya-Fra? I hate stressing my words. You don't mind, do you?"
She was humored by that name. It sounded so playful, it reminded her off her innocent childhood before she was sent to Ranger School where it was shattered to be molded back to a grown Martialed Lady of War.
"I don't mind. I find being called 'Aly' amusing." She blushed.
"Well, I got to go now… Aly. I have some stuff to do around the base tomorrow. I hope Doctor Hana treats you the best cause she's the best. I'll see you both soon alrighty then?" Diaz stood up and began to walk to the exit.
"Oh, Diaz can you remind your friend Mudwin something for me?" Hana interjected.
"Shoot."
"I promised him that I will give him an Autopsy report by tomorrow morning."
"Why would he need an Autopsy report? He's a Mechanical Engineer?" Diaz's eyes widened in confused curiosity.
"You didn't hear? Kayin and Iris are going to make a book. A Guide Book." Hana said.
"Guide of what?"
"What else but the Planet of Gliesia? He and Iris are going to gather as much knowledge about this 'Fantasy World' we are in. Geography, Places, Cultures, Peoples, Sciences and etcetera. I'm in charge of the more, Physiological Sections of the book. Which also reminds me… Aliathra. Since you are an 'Elf' would you like to help contribute to the collection of our knowledge?" Hana asked.
"What do you mean by Contribute." She asked.
"Well, if you have the time tomorrow, I can perform a Medical Checkup on you. Nothing invasive, just me probing some tools around you and asking some questions. And before you ask, don't worry, you won't feel anything. I guarantee it. If it makes you feel better. I can even pay you in some Ducats and free food from our farms." Hana proposed.
Aliathra thought down deeply from the Doctor's Words. She is essentially giving the 'Demons' knowledge rather than her obtaining it from them. But she reasoned is that if she can obtain the finished copy of that Guide Book the Otherworlder's are working on, it might prove essential into how the Aliens perceived the people of Gliesia. Additionally, if she goes on with this Deal, she could gain more of the Otherworlder's trust whilst maintaining her cover as a spy. This would be the most logical of actions she would undertake for the sake of her world.
"Agreed. I will help you and your people learn more about us." She gracefully accepted.
"That's great to hear. Next Morning after you eat some breakfast, I'll do that Check Up of yours."
"Well, good to hear more of you nerds being nerdy. But now this boy needs some 'R 'n R' for tom-" Diaz tried to roguishly say his goodbye by exiting to his right only for the Emergency Wing's doors to slam right into his face.
"This is a Hold up!" a crazed masked man in a green checkered polo screamed. His eyes were pink with cravings poked from his mask's eyeholes as he raised his hands to reveal that he was armed with a pistol.
"This is a Military Hospital! Big Mistake!" one of the guards pulled out his pistol and began to aim at the intruder.
But the robber was expecting, resistance, he turned around and opened full-auto fire at the guard revealing that his weapon is an Automatic Machine Pistol. The guard, caught by surprise and only armed with a revolver ducked down for cover. The thunderous noise of the Automatic Pistol caused the doctors and patients to scream and hide for cover to avoid the malicious man.
Now that the area was at full alert, the wild-eyed man had to think fast if he was to get what he is risking a robbery at the Military Hospital for. Following is primal instincts, the robber turned his gaze to one of the Hospital Beds where Aliathra, shivering in fear and covering her leaf shaped ears laid on.
"Get over here!" the man grabbed the Elf woman by her long Blonde Hair.
"Ahh!" she gave a cry.
"Let her go!" Doctor Hana demanded but she was quickly silenced by the perpetrator's gun click as the man aimed his weapon at her.
"Make one more step and I get to see what your skull looks line from the inside." He threatened.
The Doctor was never a confrontational person. She stepped back in fear whilst the Elf whimpered in fright.
Aliathra's mental alarms went into overdrive when she felt the cold steel barrel of the gun aimed next to her elven ears. She sensed the brewing death that resonated within the weapon with piercing echoes of her untimely doom. Strangely enough, she couldn't sense any kind of magic in the device as all she could point out was that it was completely mechanical in nature with no arcane enchantments whatsoever.
Whilst the criminal's back was turned. Vincent managed to stand up from the unexpected blow. To his horror the intruder's M-09 Machine Pistol was placed right next to the head of the beautiful Elven Princess.
"What do you want?" Diaz asked.
The man turned to him, holding Aliathra firmly with his thick left arm whilst aiming his gun with his right.
"I want all of your Fentanyl Powder… Now!" the man demanded.
"Oh great, those people again… even in the colonies these guys are always looking for easy targets." Diaz moped.
It was obvious from the man's pink craving eyes that he was a degenerate drug addict trying his luck or perhaps since he is robbing a Military Hospital, is extremely desperate for his next fix. He knows this since his career as a Criminal in the Cyberpunk streets of Kesserheim's Industry Cities. When you ignore the glamorous neon lights and holographic displays, there's a growing underbelly of societies scum from drug addicts, Freelance Gunners, smalltime gangs and the exploitive Mega Corps that cover their 'pristine' public image with Mafia-like activities ranging from extortion, kidnapping, corporate espionage and sabotage. Diaz doesn't know that he should be glad that he was out of the seedy districts of that planet or homesick. He loved the change of scenery of lush green pastures and unspoilt nature but he still misses his self-made material wealth he has accumulated as a Thief for the Aparo Mega-Corporation.
"Let the Elf go friend." Diaz calmly tried to negotiate.
"You think I give a shit about this Knife-Eared bitch here?" he responded with agitation.
"Hey! I don't want the woman to be harmed in any way here." Diaz further pressed.
"Yeah, let woman go." The security guard emerged from his cover, aiming his pistol at the hostage taker.
"I will let her go if I get all them Bar-bitch-yuaites from this fucking place. Hand them over or little miss knife her gets pumped with lead." He threatened.
If there's anything he knows about the desperate drug addicts. Is that they will never follow through their end of the bargain. They were so far down off of their own depravity that they only care for themselves and won't give any two shits for anyone else. Diaz has to act fast, the man held the life of a Native Primitive and if word got out that she died in their hands, any hope of peaceful relations with the natives can go down the drain.
"How about this, take me instead of her…" Diaz stepped forward to the gasp of everyone in the room.
"Why?" the criminal asked.
"I am one of the Assistant Chief Engineers of… New Albany's Water Pipeline." He lied with a made-up position that sounded important.
A brief silence followed, whilst the man absorbed his words.
"Get over here!" he demanded.
"Roll Twenty for Charisma Check… oh yeah…" Diaz smirked.
He calmly approaches the man and in one quick split-second swipe of his hands, pushed away Aliathra to the ground in front of him. With his barbaric grappling the perpatrator hooked in Vincent at gun point. Little did the man know, that this is what Diaz exactly wanted him to do.
"Now where the fuck is my Drugs… If I don't get my drug by the count of ten I'll blow this Spic's head off… One… Two…" the man counted down.
Whilst the hospital staff scrambled to fulfill his demands in time to save him. Diaz relaxed his cybernetic limbs, discreetly loosen his hostage taker's grapple hold from him to create space and took a deep breath for he only has one shot to make it right.
"Before you finish that countdown. I am a Filipino, not a Mexican you shot-up piece of shit!" Vincent snapped.
With a quick activation of his Rapid Movement Booster, Diaz quickly elbowed the man's pistol arm away to give take away the hazard from Diaz. But Vincent was of a smaller stature compared to the man's superior height of around 6'3 to Diaz's 5'10. He dashed away from the man giving the Security guards an opening to take him down.
But as he dashed away, he noticed that Aliathra, still frozen in fear, stand right in the middle of the crossfire. And both sides were now beginning to pull their gun's triggers.
"Duck!" Diaz yelled to the Elf as he tackled her to the ground.
Their combined weight crashed to the ground mere moments when the Military Hospital's Security opened fire at the Crazed Addict. A hail of gunfire was exchanged before all became silenced. From the moment she was tackled, Aliathra closed her eyes shut and silently prayed to Naneth again for protection. She had always prayed to the Mother Goddess of the Elves for throughout her entire life for guidance and protection. She was heavily devoted to worshipping her and even helped out carry out charitable healing services in her name with her Restoration Magics Proficiency.
She didn't dare open her eyes until she heard faint crackling sound of electricity Diaz, not wanting to her burden the Elf Girl any further, who is already having quite a first day already in New Albany, promptly pushed his body away Aliathra and went on his knees in pain beside her.
To Aliathra's horror, Diaz had several bullet entry wounds from his back. He bled like an open tap of blood of both artificial and natural varieties with a mixture of exposed severed wires that disgorged loose electrical currents. The strange mechanical 'Demon' had just shielded her over a dozen bullets from the M-09 Machine Pistol.
"You…O-o-okay…" Diaz softly asked her.
"I am… fine…" Aliathra said in relief. "You saved me…" she thanked her.
"Good… I need… a… me--- shit…" Diaz collapsed to the ground, his blood tainted the white floor in a mixture of his natural crimson and azure Cyber-Blood that fuels his Augmentations.
In her thoughts, Aliathra couldn't believe that this Otherworlder's would willingly lay his life for her. Demons were supposed to be selfish, greedy and sadistic beings made of corrupted magic. But this Vincent person, or what ever he is exactly took a dozen bullets that would have landed on her if he didn't stand in the way.
She wanted to thank him by healing him, she crawled up the bleeding Otherworlder and tried to discreetly summon up her Restoration magic to stop the bleeding but to her surprise, the man's flesh refused to close as her Magic couldn't make the man's flesh cooperate. She feels so helpless right now as the she could see the man's life slowly fade away. All that Aliathra could do, despite her prodigious magics was redraw the blood back into the artificial blood vessels which she
"Leave it to me!" Dr. Hana yelled as she and her team grabbed the moribund Vincent away.
She could only watch as Vincent was carried over away from her but not before he let out a soft reassuring smile to the elf before he was beyond her sight.
----------------------------------(the Next Morning)------------------------------
Doctor Hana walked out of Diaz's room heavily sweating but ultimately pleased. The rest of Stryder Group just recently heard the news of Diaz's shooting and rushed to N.A.M.H concernedly.
"Is the bloke going to be okay?" Crocker asked Hana.
"I never even expect Diaz to even do something like that." Samantha commented on Vincent's unselfish act of protecting a native.
"Yes, he is stable for now. Ran a Diagnostics and found out that several of his Vital Organs were damaged when he took those shots. Thankfully most of his entire body is just Augs so they can be easily replaced." Hana answered.
Aliathra, who was quietly sitting down on the Hospital grounds took a peek at the room that the Doctor got out of. She saw Diaz laying on his reclining hospital bed chest naked but instead of seeing his bare skin, to her revulsion, Diaz's body was opened up to reveal his entire body system. From what the Elf can remember from her biology lessons, Elves and Humans are physiologically similar in almost every aspect. To her discernment however, Vincent's Heart, Lungs, Liver were made of an unnatural wax like material of light blue. They all acted similar to what should a living person's body should function, heart beating and lungs breathing yet everything about it was uncanny to her. Diaz insisted that he is human but the unnatural materials inside the man were contrary to what he said.
Her Otherworldly savior noticed her gaze and with a gentle smile he waved at her.
"Did I scare you?" He told her.
"Your… body… its…"
"Shh… I know this is your first time seeing me like this. Hell, you're probably the first to see something like this for your people and all. Don't worry, Doc says I just need to get some parts of me replaced and I am good to go." Diaz reassured her.
"Why is your body like that?" Aliathra questioned his Augmentations.
"Well, my Job before I got Conscripted required… a lot of physical activity to say the least. The Heart, Lungs, Legs and Arms had to get replaced with more… resilient versions." Diaz answered her.
"You had parts of your body REPLACED?!?" she flashed.
"I know this is a lot to take into but that is besides the point right now. You came were concerned of me? I noticed those spikes of Unbinilium near me. You're a mage aren't you Elf?" Diaz asked.
"Yes… I am a… Restoration Mage and Illusionist." Aliathra answered.
"I noticed that when you help Obediah with his leg. That you have his thanks for. Consider what I did for you a returned favor." Diaz chuckled.
"Vince!" Obediah yelled followed by the rest of Stryder group.
"Hey guys… I am sorry to let you see me like this…" he apologized.
"No worries for this one Private. I just want to let you know that despite your injury. You're still going to be assigned a new assignment as soon as you get out." Samantha informed her.
"Well what is it?"
"Remember that thing with Governor White promised to Prince Clovich about healing his Sister from that… Brittle Bone Disease thing? Well we are going to escort the Princess and some trusted Escorts of hers to getting her legs back." Lieutenant Rose explained.
"Where?"
"Kesserheim. There's a Hospital that agreed to… discreetly cure the Princess of her problems." Kayin said.
"Cool, but why be discreet about it?" Diaz said.
"Well, the Governor and the UNOOSA Director believe that Princess Aria isn't ready for the storm of press that she is going to bombarded with yet. Might scare her or worse. Oh yeah and Iris is coming too." Kayin said.
"Snow White too? Why that?"
"Well, I am going to meet a Publisher of my new book detailing the stuff we find here in Gliesia. The Publisher insist he meets Iris. And yeah I told them about it with an NDA on top." Kayin enthusiastically said.
"Heard about it from Doctor Hana. Can't wait to read it when it comes out…"
"It's a Digital Publisher not a Traditional one though." Kayin said.
"Oh, well still good."
"Hey everyone, please leave the room right now. The Augmentation Mechanic is here to perform the Replacement Surgery." Hana interrupted everyone. "Oh, and Miss Aliathra. We can do that Interview right now."
Everyone left the room whilst an indistinct mechanic walked inside with his tool box and new bubble wrapped Augmentations. The stranger closed the door and click the lock leaving him alone with Diaz. The Ex-thief, based on his Underground experience was alarmed by the unnecessary locking of the door. Normally, it was a mind game tactic for people to give an atmosphere of being entrapped inside an enclosed space whilst his interrogator would either ask armor piercing questions, torture him or both.
"Who are you?" Diaz asked.
"Relax, I am with Don Aparo." The mechanic said.
Don Aparo, it was the name of his old Boss. The CEO and secretly the head of one of Kesserheim's largest Organized Criminal Rings. He was one of Domenico's best soldiers before his untimely arrest from that botched weapons deal. He was honestly surprised on how his old boss manage to track him down despite the classified intel that detailed his exile.
"So, what does the Don require of me? You know I am probably light years away from the nearest safehouse and I got conscripted so sorry, I can't desert them unless he got something crazy planned." Diaz told the mechanic.
"Who says you have to desert." The mechanic said as he passed him a sealed envelope with Don Aparo's Family Seal, that he only uses for personal uses when it comes to affairs outside of his corporate empire. "You can read it while I work on your Augs. It ain't your old ones but you got to read the letter. Your gonna love what he got to say." The mechanic says as he got to work, picking up his tool and replacement Augs.
Opening the letter, Diaz promptly and quietly read the contents of the letter. To his astonished contentment or at least judging how he wrote the letter and Vincent's memories of the Old Don's voice. He was very saddened to hear of his arrest and shipment away from Aparo's reach. But according to the letter, thanks to several contacts of greased Government informants, he was able to not only track down Vincent Diaz but also learn the existence of Unbinillium.
Domenico learned from his informants that the colony of New Albany is looking for investors to help speed up the development of the fledging company. It was an open secret on all the prospective investors that Benham-3 housed sentient but primitive life that were the stuff of fairytales, Young Adult Fantasy Novels and RPG games. But Don Aparo was still partially reluctant to throw his hat in the ring unless he gets to see a live sample of an Unbinilium crystal or for the old man thanks to his slowly ageing body would rather call, Mana Crystals. If he is convinced that Unbinillium crystals are a worthy investment, he will provide several pieces of Heavy Industry for the Colony to use, Scientific Staff and Equipment to help Dr. Mahelona's research and a few hundred Private Military Contractor's to 'augment the security forces'. Most intriguing of the offers over the rest was that he is also planning to expand one of the Don's Criminal enterprises to New Albany which is the manufacturing of 'Ghost' guns.
"Details on how you can contact our Master back at Kesserheim are in the letter, Contacts and All. Are you onboard?" the mechanic asked as he unwrapped Diaz's new Augmented Heart.
"Well, if the Master is really going to step in and help this new place then he asked in the best time possible. Hostile Natives, Magic, Unbinillium and Undead! Could have pick a better time, but… under one condition." Diaz negotiated.
"You know our Master is not a man who likes to go to the table 'Dare-Runner'." the Aparo Mechanic said shrewdly.
"I just want my old gear, car and bank account back. I mean, I am pretty much stuck here now so I might as well complete my moving in here. Once my conscription is over, I am free to buy property for myself. And I can still tag along with whatever Don Aparo wants me to nick soon after. I mean, this place is the holy grail of Thievery, just imagine what kind of crazy Fantasy Loot I can steal. I am talking about Enchanted Swords, Gold, Dragon Eggs and Hot Sorceress Babes ala Warcraft. You feelin' me?" Diaz explained.
"Well, that I believe the Master might consider. Now, I need to sleep right now. I am going to start replacing your heart now and I need you to be still." The mechanic smiled as he grabbed Diaz's new heart.
Hopefully, that standard run of the mill civilian Augmentation will be a temporary discomfort if the promise of getting his old Augmentations goes his way. He can already taste his old powerful self all over again. And the people of Gliesia, whether its new Heist Targets or Crusading Armies bent on taking down the 'Demon Invasion' they will have no idea the power of Aparo Industries Bleeding Edge in Biological-Technologies.
Diaz closed his eyes, and began to dream about his old glory days as the man unplugged the artificial arteries away of his old damaged heart.