Chapter III – The Star Forged Knight
Tavian glanced from the black cat to Mu and back again.
Mu nodded. “We should follow him.”
“Sure, why not?” muttered Tavian.
Apollo darted across the street and turned. “You will be pursued. I suggest we move quickly.”
“Right,” said Mu, who appeared to be taking this latest development entirely in her stride. Though in her suddenly business-like and focused demeanour Tavian thought he detected a distinct effort to push away certain other emotions. Glancing at her side he saw her hand was still trembling.
Mu and Tavian followed Apollo quickly, moving between shadows. The backstreets of this district of the city were a fugitive’s best friend, deeply lit and seldom graced by the authorities’ presence. That said, it wasn’t the authorities that they were now chiefly concerned about. Tavian hadn’t spared another glance at the scene of their confrontation, but he knew it was grim. His hands hadn’t been so clean as Mu’s, but the thought of killing still didn’t sit easily with his conscience, no matter who it was.
Did I even kill one of them? he thought to himself. He didn’t think he had. Each of the three that died had fallen to Mu’s remarkably sharp sword.
As Tavian was thinking, he was moving. Apollo guided them in quick bursts, moving rapidly ahead, stopping for them to catch up, then moving again. Tavian had spent plenty of time in these streets over the past year or so, but now even he wasn’t entirely sure where they were.
Mu seemed to be having the same thoughts. “We are heading to the spaceport, right?” she asked Apollo.
“We are heading to a spaceport, yes,” he said. “I believe this is the safest route.”
Tavian and Mu exchanged a brief glance and continued following their feline guide through the narrow and shadow-swathed streets of the slumbering city. They didn’t run, but still moved swiftly. Occasionally they would encounter other people, but seldom did they attract much attention. Most of the others were patrons on their way to or from the district’s many underground clubs and bars.
At length their unusual party of three emerged from the shadowy warren onto a wide road. All of the vehicles on the road appeared to be uncrewed transports, a steady stream of them turning into a gate on the far side of the road. Nestled in amongst large warehouses and factories, a sign read: No. 3 Shangxia Tianyigang Orbital Freight Handling Facility.
“Are we freight now, then?” asked Tavian.
“There are STOCs there that will transport us to the Ring. If I’m not mistaken the tickets Miss Mukushen has are for a STOC from this very facility,” said Apollo.
Mu took out her tablet and glanced at the tickets Bright Eyes had provided her. She nodded. “It does say they’re for here.”
“Freight it is,” said Tavian.
A short way away an underpass led to the far side of the road. There they took the personnel entrance and emerged into the vast facility beyond. The main part of the facility was a colossal warehouse with shipping crates stacked to precipitous heights. Row upon row of these crates extended out into the distance, creating a disorienting and borderline surreal effect. Hovering robots moved along the aisles between the crates, at times selecting or off-loading one. The robots showed no signs of heeding their arrival.
“It’s got a cosy vibe,” said Tavian, to no one in particular.
“This way,” said Apollo.
Now they were off the streets, they moved more slowly, walking along the seemingly endless aisle between the shipping crates. There was little sound about, except for the whir of the freight-handling robots and the occasional clanks, bangs, and groans as they loaded and unloaded crates. Tavian’s eyes scanned the dimly lit aisles as they passed one after the other, searching for any sign of a threat, but he saw nothing. From time to time, he looked back over his shoulder, constantly beset by the sensation that something was pursuing them. Yet for all he expected to see another group of gangsters heading their way, he saw nothing at each turn. He allowed himself a moment to hope they might actually escape the planet without further incident.
Mu, however, wasn’t on the same wavelength this time. “We’re about to run into trouble,” she announced, her gaze darting about as Tavian’s had been. She too appeared to see nothing.
“You sure?” asked Tavian, though even as he asked, he did notice one thing: all of a sudden there were no freight handling robots anywhere near them.
“I am,” said Mu, “I’m never wrong about this sort of thing.”
“She’s right,” agreed Apollo, his ears standing up and moving about.
In a moment Mu’s sword was drawn. “They’re coming,” she said.
“Where?” asked Tavian, looking around again and still seeing nothing.
Mu paused a moment, seemingly trying to work out the answer. Then her eyes went wide. “DUCK!”
Apollo was gone like a streak of black lightning. Tavian didn’t need a second hint and threw himself to the ground, as Mu did the same. He felt a burst of heat and then saw a rocket streaking away from them, having come from behind.
A blinding flash and a roar of noise.
“Stay down,” shouted Mu. “Follow me.” Crawling on her knees and elbows, still clutching her sword, she made her way out of the aisle they had been walking in. Once out of the line of sight of their pursuers she rose to her feet. Tavian followed a moment later.
“Where too?” asked Tavian.
Mu looked unsure, but spoke anyway, “This way.” She headed along the side aisle and when they came to the next junction took a left, followed by a right shortly afterwards, zig-zagging away from their previous location. In the distance they could now hear voices. And the voices were joined by a whirring noise.
“They’ve got drones,” announced Tavian, breathlessly. “How’d some gangster in a nightclub find a rocket launcher and drones that quickly?”
“It’s not the gangsters,” said Mu, without looking back at Tavian, as they ran.
“Then--?” began Tavian.
“It’s the authorities… I think… I think it’s the governor’s household guards,” said Mu.
Tavian’s brain froze a moment as it simultaneously dealt with the immediate priority of their escape and the information he’d just received. Before he could fully comprehend it, all Mu skidded to a halt, flinging out her arm to block him.
“More coming this way,” she said. “It’s—These are the gangsters.”
“Wait, what!?” exclaimed Tavian. “They’re both here?”
“I think they’re cooperating,” said Mu.
“I’d ask if you were sure… but I feel like you always are, aren’t you?” said Tavian.
“You’re learning,” said Mu. “Can you climb?”
“Can I--?” began Tavian, but Mu was already leading by example. She had kicked off her shoes and was attempting to scale the front of a shipping crate. With a leap Tavian leapt up and managed to wrap his fingers around a ridge atop another crate, heaving the rest of his body up with a great strain on his core muscles. “I think they’ll still see us,” he said to Mu, who was awkwardly crouched on the narrow lip of crate that was exposed, her head bowed to avoid hitting the crate above. Tavian found he needed to remove the instrument case off his back in order to fit between the overhanging crate and the one they were on.
“Not quick enough,” she said, and he saw her sword was once again in hand.
“We gonna ambush them?” he asked.
“Yes. Now shut up until my mark,” said Mu.
“Yes, ma’am,” said Tavian.
The whir of a drone was drawing closer. He looked over at Mu and she held up one finger to steady him. He nodded and didn’t speak, barely remembering to breathe.
The whirring got louder.
Then a black, dragonfly like machine rounded the corner, its angry red sensors scanning the scene. It seemed to sense something and move closer.
“You, wait,” whispered Mu.
The dragonfly drone heard her and rotated in place in the air. But even with its machine reflexes it wasn’t quick enough to match Mu’s preternatural reaction time. She launched herself from the top of the crate, grabbing the drone with one hand and dragging it to the ground. With her other hand she drove her sword through its core, causing an eruption of sparks. She quickly yanked her sword free just as a voice yelled out, “They’re here!”
No sooner had the voice shouted than in a fluid movement Mu thrust around the corner of the lowest shipping crate, catching someone just outside Tavian’s field of view. She leapt backwards away from the corner and Tavian heard hurried footsteps. Mu slipped back behind the minimal cover of the crate on which Tavian was perched, just as two armed thugs in suits stepped around the corner. This time they were armed with automatic rifles rather than swords.
“Tavian, now!” yelled Mu.
Kicking off a metal support behind him he launched himself from the top of the crate. With less elegance than he might have liked, he barrelled into the lead thug and sent both of them tumbling backwards. There was a loud sequence of bangs as one of the men inadvertently discharged his weapon. Tavian stumbled to his feet first and gave the man immediately in front of him a hard kick to the ribs. He quickly yanked the gun from the man’s hands and spun it around to point at the other thug. There was a split second where a bang rang out and Tavian wasn’t sure which of them had managed to fire first. Then he saw the blood seeping through the man’s shirt and realised he wasn’t feeling anything. Panting he stepped back, lowering the weapon to point at the first man.
“Don’t try anything stupid and I won’t have to kill you,” said Tavian. The man said nothing, but nodded. Mu had now walked up beside Tavian, slipping her previously abandoned shoes back on.
“Wanna take a gun?” asked Tavian, indicating the man he’d shot.
“Not my style,” said Mu. “Let’s keep going.”
“Do we have any strategy here?” asked Tavian.
“Not exactly,” said Mu. “But so far so good, right?”
“I’m not sure so good would be how I’d put it.”
“We’re alive.”
“For now,” said Tavian, “Okay, lead on.”
“Apollo’s up ahead,” said Mu.
“I was wondering where our feline friend had gotten to,” remarked Tavian as they stepped out into the perpendicular aisle. He noticed a woman’s body just around the corner as they stepped out. Mu appeared to be deliberately not looking that way. He cast a glance behind him, but the man he’d downed was as good as his word and wasn’t following. Distantly he could hear the whir of drones and the voices of many different people.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
We’ll never outrun the drones, thought Tavian. I wonder how many they have?
They rounded another corner. Tavian’s sense of direction was utterly shot – every one of these aisles looked identical to every other. He wasn’t even sure if they were currently in an aisle running parallel on perpendicular to the one they’d started in. It was an uncomfortable feeling, aggravated by the ever-present sounds of their pursuers. But in a strangely reassuring sight, he saw a black cat sitting serenely in the middle of this aisle.
“Hello, again,” he said.
“Hello, Mr Locke,” said Apollo. “This way if you’d please.”
Tavian once again found himself in the novel situation of following a talking black cat to escape those mercilessly hunting for him. He barely had time to wonder how Apollo knew his name.
“I don’t suppose you have a plan?” asked Tavian, unable to escape the absurdity of asking such a question of a cat, even as he did so.
“Reinforcements should be arriving shortly,” said Apollo.
“Reinforcements?” asked Tavian, looking Mu’s way. She just shrugged.
Before the conversation could continue any further, they rounded yet another corner and immediately saw one of the dragonfly drones.
“Targets sighted!” announced the drone.
Tavian didn’t waste a moment before levelling his new rifle at the machine and squeezing the trigger. The machine fell from the air, but he could already hear the sounds of many boots and voices closing on their location.
“Quickly!” hissed Apollo and they broke into a sprint.
Tavian wasn’t sure if he felt, heard, or saw it, but in the next moment he was aware of bullets passing close by his face. Mu was saying something, but Tavian’s mind didn’t quite comprehend it. Not that he needed to. He leapt into the nearest cross-aisle, even as sparks flew and bullets ricocheted off crates and steel beams. Tavian spun around and dropped into a firing position.
Mu walked up behind him. Footsteps were getting closer, but the bullets had stopped. She raised a hand and pointed. “Nudge the barrel just around the corner on my count and fire in this direction. Three… two… one… GO!”
Tavian did as he was told and let out a burst on full-auto.
“Now run,” said Mu.
He leapt to his feet and kept going. Whether his carefully directed shot had hit anything he didn’t see and Mu didn’t say, but they were once again moving at a sprint, Apollo up ahead.
“They’re closing in from that way too,” said Mu, pointing off to their right.
“Reinforcements will be here soon,” insisted Apollo, who moved so quickly that he had to repeatedly stop so as not to lose his human companions.
Tavian was feeling the burn from their extended sprint when they turned a corner and he saw an actual wall with a door up ahead. They charged through and emerged into a gaping hangar, open to the night air at one end, various STOCs lining the multiple decks of landing bays. Apollo turned right and they followed him up a metal staircase, loud clanks accompanying every step they took. They had barely reached the top when more shots rang out behind them and they ducked low to put a metal barrier between them. Even as they did so a titanic roar filled the hangar and everything began to tremble.
Bullets flew overhead as they ran as fast as they could whilst bent double. Tavian heard a loud explosion, audible even over the roar above, and dodged just in time as a shard of metal went flying by, the detritus of a rocket impact nearby.
The roar was getting louder.
Then the roof of the hangar tore asunder. A fiery rain descended and something moving much too fast to see streaked by, smashing into the ground floor of the hangar like a meteorite impact. Even hundreds of metres away, Tavian felt the shockwave flow through the air. Fiery scraps of metal, some giant shards, erupted out in every direction, causing a chain reaction of secondary collisions and explosions, all radiating out from the central impact crater.
Behind them the guns had ceased firing. Tavian peered through a newly opened hole in the barrier and saw where the thing had landed. Where there had once been a floor, there was now a pool of molten metal. Dripping with liquid fire, an almost demonic being arose from the infernal lake, difficult to fully comprehend through the shimmering heat haze. It looked like a knight’s armour, but forged in the heart of star. Steadily it rose into the air, its visor gleaming like a gateway to hell.
Mu and Tavian were silent, watching on in awe.
Apollo licked his paw, then looked at them with his lamp-like eyes. “I believe our cavalry has arrived.”
Then a booming machine-like voice filled the hangar, laden with menace. “All hostile forces, stand down immediately. Any who resist will be exterminated. You have ten seconds to lay down arms and depart.”
“What is that?” asked Tavian.
“The cavalry, like I said,” said Apollo, wriggling his whiskers, “We’ll handle proper introductions later. For now, follow me.”
They began preceding along the elevated walkway, avoiding multiple piles of flaming metal and the occasional freshly opened gap.
As they went, another voice filled the hangar. This one seemed to also originate from the star-forged knight, but had a distinctly different quality to it. Instead, it sounded like a young female. “Loved the entry, Big Guy, no notes there. I think maybe the warning might have been better with a slow, ominous countdown, like—” here the voice paused and there was a sound of a clearing throat. The voice resumed in a rather weak impression of the menacing voice they’d heard before, “Ten… nine… eight… y’know? Just adds tension.”
At this curious announcement, Apollo made a sound like an exasperated sigh. Before Tavian could formulate the question to ask what was going on, there was a loud noise and a rocket shot out from somewhere behind them. It wasn’t aimed at them this time. Instead, it slammed into the knight.
Moments later the young voice piqued up again, “Oooh, these numbers are goooood. That thing did absolutely nothing to you. Not a scratch. These poor bastards. That was a really stupid move. All yours, Big Guy.”
The metal knight rotated in the air to face the direction from which the rocket had been fired. Now it spoke in the original menacing voice. “You were warned. All remaining hostiles will be exterminated.”
“Yeah!” said the young voice, enthusiastically. “Exterminated! Scary.”
The knight held up both arms and almost blindingly bright lances of light shot out. They cut through giant metal beams like they simply weren’t there. There was the sound of voices yelling out, a few gunshots. Then nothing. The beams vanished, but eight spider-like rocket launchers extended from the knight’s back, like a spider’s legs. A deafening barrage erupted, and everything behind them turned to fire and smoke with the roar of concussive explosions and the scream of rupturing steel. An acrid burning smell filled the air and the air itself was becoming uncomfortably hot.
“Hahaha!” rang out the young voice. “So cool. You are the apocalypse on two legs. I am shaking – literally shaking – up here.”
There was a moment’s pause, then:
“Oh, shit! Just realised I had comms set to broadcast. Hi everyone! Don’t mind me. Just been running some tests up here. Carry on what you were doing.”
With that the younger voice went quiet.
The more intense voice spoke instead. “Captain Apollo, my scans indicate all pursuers have been neutralised. You are free to proceed to the launch vessel.”
Apollo arched his back and stretched out his front paws, then turned to face the other two, “I dare say our path should be clear now. Not far to go.”
Mu once again shrugged in reply to Tavian’s enquiring glance. They set off a short distance farther and reached a landing platform that still had an intact STOC on it. Apollo stopped, looking expectantly at Mu, who got the message. She pulled out her tablet, made some on screen motions then touched the tablet to the terminal at the entrance to the landing pad. There was an agreeable bing and the STOC came to life, its side door sliding open.
“3ST Surface-to-Orbit Craft D3875861Q7 ready for passenger transport,” announced a computer voice.
“So, we’re good to go then?” enquired Mu.
“I guess so,” said Tavian. “Though, I’m a little concerned that after all… this…” here he indicated the burning ruins behind them, “That we might have attracted some attention to our departure here.”
At that moment the knight landed on the walkway behind them.
“Ah, Kal, thank you for joining us,” said Apollo.
“Captain,” said the knight, with a nod. A moment later the helmet appeared to retract into itself and disappear down into the suit of armour’s neck, revealing a man’s face. He had short dark hair, speckled with greys and a similar beard clinging to his square jaw. Numerous scars blotted his face.
“Everybody, please meet Kallistos Nyx,” said Apollo. “He is my chief of security.”
“Er, hi,” said Tavian. “Quite the show back there.”
“Hello, sir,” said Mu, “Thank you for helping us out.”
“My pleasure. You can call me, Kal,” said the knight.
“Now, Mr Nyx, is Miss Reid still there?” asked Apollo.
“I’m here,” said the girl’s voice from before in a cheerful tone, “What d’you need, Cap?”
“Mr Locke here is concerned that our journey to the Ring will be followed by the authorities after the… commotion,” said Apollo.
“Nothing to worry about there. I’ve accessed the STOC’s flight guidance and transponder systems. It will take a course to the Ring that will mask its true port of departure and its transponder will feed false data to the air traffic control systems anyway. Unless the powers that be ground all surface-to-orbit traffic planet-wide, you should all be fine.”
“Thank you, Miss Reid. Where would we be without you?” asked Apollo.
“Probably on the surface for waaay longer,” replied Miss Reid.
“Don’t get too full of yourself, Nova,” muttered Kal.
“Hey, I just take pride in my work. What I pulled off today was pretty damn awesome. Of course, full credit to you to, Kal. You were the one actually there and blowing shit up, and no one can take that away from you.”
Kal seemed to scowl, but Tavian could tell he didn’t really mean it.
“Alright,” said Kal, “Let’s get on board before anyone else turns up here.”
Apollo wordlessly bounded over to the STOC and leapt on board. Kal indicated to Tavian and Mu that they should follow and they promptly did so. Kal seemed to scan their surroundings one more time before following them. The STOC’s door closed behind him.
“Now embarking for Orbital Ring Port Tianzhu 63S,” announced the computer.
Moments later they had lifted off and were bound for the Orbital Ring.
Goodbye, Shangxia, thought Tavian, It has been an adventure.
He caught Mu looking his way and gave her a slight wave. She rolled her eyes and turned away.
More adventures to come, I’d say.
The fires in No. 3 Shangxia Tianyigang Orbital Freight Handling Facility were still burning long after the STOC took off on its journey to the Ring and dawn’s first light spilled across the wreckage. Two solitary figures strolled into the ruins of the hangar, their long coats swirling about them.
One of the figures, a tall and thin man surveyed the scene. He had one normal eye and another that had been replaced by some sort of cybernetic implant. His black, double-breasted coat rose to a high mandarin collar. He was clean shaven and had short, neat hair. His black leather dress shoes were immaculately polished despite the dust and debris they were surrounded by.
His companion stepped up beside him. She was a woman, only slightly shorter with long, straight dark hair. One of her eyes had similarly been replaced with an implant. One side of her head was missing hair, being entirely covered in metallic instruments. She wore an identical outfit to the man, right down to the uncannily shiny leather shoes.
“Any survivors, Mr Wang?” she asked of the man.
“At least two, Ms Chu,” he replied.
They strode deeper into the hangar, picking their way among the obstacles without even looking where they were going. Mr Wang stopped again and looked about.
“One is to your right, Ms Chu. I will investigate the other.”
With that they split up. Ms Chu’s head was unmoving, but her artificial eye seemed to move about with a life of its own as she walked amongst the rubble. At length she reached a large steel beam, partially melted and re-solidified at one end. The beam was maybe thirty by fifty centimetres thick and over two metres long. Casually, she bent down and with one black-gloved hand lifted up the beam and cast it aside with an almighty clang.
She called out to her companion. “Mr Wang, I have a survivor here.”
“Acknowledged,” came the only reply. “I am still locating the other survivor.”
Gazing back at her from beneath the rubble was a filthy face, caked with dried blood and dust, hair partially singed away. “Water, please,” begged the woman.
Ms Chu gazed at her a moment before responding. “If we assess your condition to be non-terminal, we can provide hydration once you answer our questions.”
A fearful expression flitted across the filthy face. “Whatever you need.”
“Who do you work for?”
“Mr Wei… of… of the White Gang.”
“Who were you pursuing here?”
“Two gamblers who stole money from Mr Wei,” said the woman in the rubble. She descended into a meek coughing fit before she could continue. “They also killed Gang enforcers.”
“It seems they are quite dangerous,” remarked Ms Chu, “Do you know their names?”
“Tavian Locke… he was one. The other was a Madame Mu.”
“Madame Mu. Likely Princess Mukushen,” remarked Ms Chu.
“Princess…?”
Ms Chu ignored the other woman and removed one of her gloves. The hand underneath was partially cybernetic and partially biological. She placed two machine fingers to the temple of the woman in the rubble. Moments later she withdrew the fingers and replaced the glove.
She spoke while straightening up. “Your condition is terminal. Hydration will be of no effect.”
“Please…” begged the woman.
“This is not a priority at present,” said Ms Chu.
“Then just kill me.”
“My orders do not permit me to terminate any Aixingo citizen unless not doing so would jeopardise the mission,” replied Ms Chu and began walking away. The woman’s cries behind her descended into a muffled coughing fit.
Ms Chu made her way to Mr Wang’s side. He was standing over an injured man in uniform. “Mr Wang, I have interviewed one survivor. Her testimony indicates that Princess Mukushen was likely present during the key events here.”
Mr Wang turned to his partner. “This gentleman has confirmed that members of Governor Aixin Yucheng’s Household Guard and enforcers in the employ of the White Gang were both present. He states that his orders were to apprehend a Mr Tavian Locke. He says they were ordered to cooperate with the White Gang. The White Gang were in pursuit of both Mr Locke and a Madame Mu.”
“This corroborates the testimony I received,” said Ms Chu. “Did either of the fugitives cause this destruction?”
“Allegedly this was done by a third party – an individual wearing mechanised armour.”
“An accomplice,” remarked Ms Chu.
“Yes, that seems likely. It appears we were too late here to apprehend Princess Mukushen,” said Mr Wang.
Ms Chu nodded. “I believe we should visit the Governor. It may not be too late to lock down the Orbital Ring.”
“I agree, Ms Chu.”
With that they began to walk away. The man in uniform called after them. “Who are you?”
Mr Wang slowly walked back and knelt down beside the injured man. He extended his hand and a few moments later there was a bright electronic chirp. With a struggle the injured man pulled out his tablet. There a business card had appeared:
Special Agent Wang
Interstellar Fugitive Retrieval Section, Enforcement Division
Bureau of Resonance.