On its breastplate, a single insignia showed the tarnished words Sparky. His arm was missing, torn off its hinge by the looks of the tempered steel, but it was semi-repaired. The robot's face was slightly burned, metal charred and bent into submission giving it a sinister appearance. I picked up its head holding it gingerly in my arms as I turned it around staring into the sockets behind.
Sparky's wiring was clearly frayed and his backplate opened with cables prodding out. The cords streaked down his steel body to enter an open panel on the floor below. He had three bullet holes in his chest which were all ancient. The shots had penetrated right through him creating gaping holes in his structure where the table could be seen, injuries that had rendered him lifeless. Scorch marks plastered along his face and back tainted the steel black. I stepped forward and ran my hand along his steel arm feeling the frame for myself. The metal was strong, solid and hardly buckled under my weight.
Backing up into the musty hall I walked past a kitchen and found cabin four to be the last on the block, to my relief it was the one I had woken up in. I cranked open the door silently awaiting for it to depress. My pistol lay on the table however the bullets were taken out and littered the ground. Bending over I picked them up to have them shift around, glistening in my open palm.
My wallet and the weathered hat were beside it. Placing what I had on the nightstand I took the nearest flight of stairs, opening the door to stand on the curved top of the craft. The handrails were bent and tarnished at the edge, the sky red and cloudy, and a soldier stood staring off into the beyond, his hair flapping in the cool wind.
“Whose sparky?” I asked.
I gazed at the clouds as we spoke seeing the sun pierce through their wafting composure.
“So I was right to lock my door?” he muttered.
I backed away at this remark, staring down at the floor in retaliation.
“Sorry I got a bit lost” I muttered.
He paused for a moment smirking at my remark.
“Didn't I tell you your cabin was number 4” He laughed.
“I couldn't help myself” I replied.
Ellis raised himself and cast a glance into the woodland below.
"That Robot was my only friend in this world” Ellis muttered.
“Did he drop with you?” I inquired.
“I found him in the wasteland salvaging when I first dropped, he saved my life recognizing me as a General. I keep him here for repairs hoping someone I encounter will possess the proper knowledge.”
“Is it possible we can save him?” I asked.
He stood silent and for a moment only the wind spoke.
“I'm not sure, I tried, but I could never identify his core problems, I was not a good mechanic and never will be” He muttered.
Ellis fiddled with a pair of binoculars as he spoke, attempting to adjust the length.
"His main power coupling is damaged. He needs a few news parts here in there but overall I think it's possible.” I replied.
“How long did you look at him?” Ellis turned around surprised.
“About a minute” I muttered candidly/
“Tell me? Where is Hawerss” Ellis inquired.
“Desert planet, low life, A System 300 light-years away from Numar.. where did that come from” I cried out.
I was puzzled, my mind buzzing with confusion, a spurt of knowledge flooding into my thoughts. Ellis walked towards me, dragging the robotic leg as he moved.
“Tell me about this” He muttered.
He whipped out a gun twirling it in his wrinkled fingers. Its end had been superfluously modified for a ray disruption. Solar-charged the grey weapon was an electric stunner that could be set to kill.
“M class security pistol developed to aid Galactica police and continued for riot police only, chargeable, developed by Ironware weaponry yet discontinued due to its ability to easily overheat and explode with modifications”
“Tell me your mother's name?” Ellis asked.
For a moment in time silence consumed us both. I stood there a statue in the wind waiting for a thought that would never come.
“I… I can't remember” I muttered.
Every ounce of me tried, grasping at scraps for any possibility of memory. I reached out into the depths of my mind, yet the more I searched the less I found.
“Tell me about your childhood home?” He asked, this time intrigue flashing in his eyes.
“I can't… I don't know” I breathed.
“Your first memory” He stated.
“I was in a street chasing someone, I shot at him, it was dark, there was a light, it was so bright it hurt to even think. I told you this remember”
I fell back, raising a hand to my brain, sensing the layers of pain which blanketed within.
“Fascinating I suspected as much earlier…come with me” he laughed.
Ellis walked over to the door and we entered the ship, travelling down its windy stairs to reach cabin number two. Pushing back the steel doors with immense strength I walked forward and approached the carcass. Closing my eyes I stood, a moment of silence a screwdriver in my hand, breathing slowly I began to work, trying not to think, not to envision my body but simply remember, my hands guiding my brain, unconscious of my actions.
I went into a dance of mechanics, every wire has changed the blood of a robotic being, fuse replaced, and every fan replaced, my hands were more delicate than that of a surgeon yet far more controlled for hours I stood a slave to a dead machine my thoughts a flurry I raced to replace part after part.
“Wire cutters,” I asked
“Here” He thrust it into my palm.
He placed them into my open palm as I grabbed the mesh of wires making up Sparky's stomach.
“Wrench”
“Here”
Snipping the silicon diverter I opened up the maintenance restart hatch.
“Jumpers?”
“Here”
Placing two jumper cables I connected them to the newly replaced power coupling.
“Ion Fuse”
He placed it in my hand, I placed the wires on either end and stuffed it quickly in the socket, the last thing I did was screw back the hardware panel and activate the jumper cables. The first time nothing happened and a thin wisp of smoke started to float through the air, Ellis reeled back in horror and was about to pull the plug when I turned to him and spoke.
“Wait” I hissed.
Cranking the power up to maximum I crossed my fingers and intently stared unflinchingly into the creature's metallic flesh.
Sparks flew everywhere the robot's victorian eyes flickered on, it screamed a horrible cry, static rushing through its metal mask.
“Help! General save yourself” It cried.
A cold metal arm grabbed my hand and squeezed until I felt a blunt pain. Reacting faster than my mind could comprehend I took a hold of its neck wires pinching them into paralyzation only allowing the robot's head to function.
“Sparky?” Ellis cried.
“Sir! Where are we? What is this creature currently placing its hands in my innards!” It cried.
I removed my left hand from its open chest cavity gulping an apology. I politely began to meticulously place the wires back, reattaching the mesh into the creature's mainframe.
“Sorry” I muttered.
“This is Taylor, John Taylor, our mechanic, he saved your life Sparky” he cried.
A smile danced upon Ellis's lips as he cried out in shock. He began to move into a flurry of motion scrambling across the room for a variety of parts and materials. He patted me on the back beaming with joy.
Then he hugged his robotic friend, tears of joy brimming in his eyes. I stepped forward handing the robot a thick jumpsuit and watched it stand eyes wide in amazement.
“Where am I?” It cried.
“My ship! My ship you’ve been dead for 2 years sparky two years!”
“What?” its robotic voice cried.
The old man hobbled forward and then pulled out a metal footlocker full of the robot’s belongings. He turned to me and beamed his face shimmering with excitement. Sparky, the newly awakened robot turned its head in an animatronic manner, yet you could see in its silicon eyes, that a fire was burning within.
The man and robot thanked me dearly and that night we set course for Archius, to sell what he had collected and mostly to get more supplies and parts for Sparky to rebuild himself. Although he had been revived he still needed finger joint replacements and a better power supply.
The two talked for hours, Ellis, a beacon of light, and happiness, while Sparky devoured every word of information he divulged. Sitting on the bridge of one of the seven rooms on the ship, Ellis sat beside an old friend, a cooked stew of mutated squirrel steaming in front.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
The wafting aurora was neither pleasant nor putrid, so I was happy to dig in. Sparky plugged himself in, taking in what he thought to be the first sustenance he had had in years, I ate like crazy, starving since the crash. Every morsel or tangible scrap seemed to be the best thing I have ever tasted regardless of its type. Eager to engulf the murky liquid I was soon enthralled by my stomach’s desire and tore into a large loaf of bread, stuffing it maliciously down my throat. The general spoke to both of us as we ate.
“We set course for Archius tonight, I will take first watch, you two rest, and Taylor tomorrow we will see what you really can do.”
“You mean I can do more?”
“Yes,” Sparky shouted.
When you dropped the Collective loaded you with information, it's the very best combat, engineering and space knowledge, some parts they skip however when you learn, it increases development in your brain, and combat skill enhances control, shock, fear, engineering helps you understand, mechanics boil down your body into different machinery helping you realize your existence. It is all useful for their task.
Normally the person who dropped last is the smartest, with the latest combat styles, latest information, and the latest product of years of research. Evidently, since people are dropping at a constant rate, it does not matter for there will always be someone better, if they survive, of course, there are always gaps in the knowledge never too large to handle but gaps nevertheless. You keep the teachings of your past life with you no matter what, somehow your mind melts, does not erase but simply pushes things further back, hiding your memories in the depths of time”
“Combat? You mean I am trained?”
“Far better than you'll ever know, but remember not all of the dropped are trained however most are and guards in Archius are put through further analysis, even loaded with programs to enhance skill using neuro treatment. Never underestimate your enemy's skill, since you suffered no damage I am however skeptical, most guards and mercenaries are not from the Orbiter but banished from the Collective or simply prisoners of war, war criminals or smugglers even some rival politicians are sent here for exile.”
“Politicians? They are a democracy?” I asked
“A crumbling one” Sparky replied.
“Put this on, back in the day I did some deeds for the people in that great city, they call me General there, the customs have tightened up recently and they won't stop anyone who rides with me if they're wearing one of those. In fact, they will be glad to see you”
“That jumpsuit will put a target on his back” Sparky roared.
"John will be fine relax" The General replied.
He picked up a folded bundle of cloth and tossed it to me, the piece of clothing was slightly dusty, obviously scavenged from some far distant wreck. On the side, the Kestle Badge showed brightly, three stars and a clenched fist, the Kestle coat of arms.
"I have to attend to the ship, in a few minutes we may hit a junction" Ellis whispered.
He left, disappearing into the many shadows that danced around the dim electric lights. I stood staring at the cold metal floor, my heart racing. My brain still hurt when I looked into the past as if the thoughts and memories were trapped, trapped behind a wall of pain... agony which seemed to have been overlapping since the beginning of time.
Outside the ship's steel hull, snow and hail brushed past, frost forming on the windows. I walked down the hall, the robot sat in front staring at an endless array of screens, his eyes fluttering, processing the data. His entire body steel, his features shaped to comfort humanoids, even his voice echoing that of a soldier. Clutching the jumpsuit the General had given me I waited behind the robot studying its every move, my eyes fascinated by the creature I had revived.
"I would get some rest tonight, you have some training for the morning"
"Is he starting an army?" I piped up.
"Army?.. Generals will always be soldiers no matter where they are, who they are or whatever the circumstances. A soldier is always a soldier. But one thing I do know is that based on experience Ellis Tobago will never go back to his old ways.
“Old ways?” I looked at the robot and my expression puzzled me.
“Back when Ellis was young, ten years ago he was one of the first in a lost legion of Kestle explorers to breach the outer rim of our star systems and explore the cosmos.
The Castilian Empire was vain those days. We thought our army to be of great power, our alien neighbours possessing the same or little technology we held our warships proud, our soldiers elite and our tactics immeasurable. It was on that day that the blood of thousands was spilt, many of our finest died and a graveyard of ships was left to scour the endless expanse. It was on that day we saw how ignorant we really were. You see collective harvesting ships and many collective freighters had arrived at a forward post for Kestle.
At first, it was all long-drawn welcomes and diplomatic peace talks. We never knew the extent of their power, always blind to our own stupidity. The post was a mining settlement, with a considerable population, and a fine garrison onboard. For some time, peace ensued. Trade routes and policies were drawn, it seemed as if a great union would happen between our two peoples. We will never know who struck first or why but three days later, the vessel Initium fired upon a Collective fighter.
From the scurry of signals that left the sector, we could hear all-out war had unravelled and soon a distress signal was uttered in a dying breath from the outpost. We attempted to resolve the issue diplomatically but no response came from their ships besides the might of blazing hellfire. What we found that day was nothing but rot and ruin, the ground ran with the blood and thirty of some of our best ships had been obliterated, gone without a trace. Flagships reduced to ash in seconds at their unyielding might.
80,000 people lived in that colony, and only a thousand survived. When we found them, sifted through the burning rubble from whence our cities lay not a single one was left unscarred. News spread fast and soon a war broke out. We were outnumbered, outgunned and out-skilled. Our fleet was soon crippled. Our vanity lacerated, Our people were scared of an unknown fate. It was then that we found out about the Collective’s antic and aspirations of harvesting creatures and submitting them to their own mind-melting tests. Their ideals of committing atrocities under the benevolent name of science.
We had to act fast before we were forced into a defensive stance and eventually our very existence eradicated. We were being hunted, destroyed by a foe so superior it was like mud facing off against a tsunami of war. Plans were drawn fast and a group of elite soldiers assembled. 162,000 of our most highly trained diligent and loyal troops. Among them was General Ellis Tobago. They used information from a trove of Collective defectors and spies to discover their one weakness and did a suicide mission into a Collective capital research facility,
The Orbiter. 5,000 ships left that day, and twenty-two returned. I don't know what they took or what they did, what kind of horrors they bore witness to in those hollow grounds, no one does but the next day the Collective called for a truce and soon an agreement for peace was made. However, the Ambassador for Kestle said that peace would only be reached if all Villa, the race of General Tobago be subject to Collective studies and they asked specifically for Ellis Tobago himself.
Tobago and many others made the ultimate sacrifice. He was put through unspeakable horrors, pushed to the brink of insanity and later banished to scour Maol's wasteland, on his homeworld his bravery was soon forgotten and his enemies welcomed him with open arms… he put that life behind him a long time ago. you should get some sleep, you have a long day ahead of you.”
I stepped back into the darkness of the dim light, the question revealed more secrets than it answered.
I walked to my cabin, my mind raw and grasping for thought. Slowly I made it to the door, cranked the gap open and laid down on the bed. The Tobago jittered and shook as it swept through the turbulence of the planet. My mind was in peril analyzing any thought that passed. I lay awake that day before dozing off in the small hours of the morning.
When I awoke a cool breeze had begun to seep in through the icy window. Permafrost had made the sun's rays barely pierce through casting a blue glow across the room. Getting dressed I opened the door and walked into the hall, the floor of the Tobago was almost covered in a thin brine of frost, pillars of steam rising from the vents, Sparky was at the ship's main controls, the general in front.
“John?” he asked.
“Yes sir?” I replied
The ship will reach Number one, Domino's farthest outpost in a number of hours. I need you to come to the deck with me, I need you to train.
I got dressed and was handed a steaming bowl of rice, the wafting smell blissful to my senses. I engulfed it slowly, taking grateful sips out of an orange mug. How good it was to finally eat, even the most basic of foods seemed like sheer delicacy in contrast to starvation. When I was finished I put away my plate and climbed the metal ladder rungs to arrive at the deck. I opened the steel hatch, squinting in the blinding light as I reached the frigid outside.
The land was a sun-drowned waste, a forest of strange and exotic flora as far as the eye could see, flooded with lost creatures and abandoned settlements. Ancient megalithic structures stood dormant while mystical leaves flew through the air.
The general stood at the front of the deck, beside him lay a wooden splintered crate. The box was overflowing with miscellaneous items, a handheld scanner, stun pistol and baton overflowing at the mouth of the arsenal.
“Sit down…” He gestured towards a spot on the deck
Sitting down I crossed my legs, my hair blowing in the wind.
“Your memory has been completely wiped by the collective. You see according to some of my charts an extensive part of your memory was removed and replaced, you were part of a C-52 program, a high memory enhanced download which deleted almost all of your prior knowledge to make space.”
“You're saying I will never know who I am?” I quavered.
“You already know who you are, a human named John Taylor… everyone you knew on Earth is dead, your presence on the planet has most likely been forgotten, simply a blip on the radar. But on the one hand that is good, to remove your memory is to remove what makes us who we are, but it also removes our limitations, our problems, all that holds us back from success.”
“What must I do first? For training?” I asked.
“First I ask you to do one thing, sit… sift through your mind and gather all the knowledge you have. Knowledge is power, and power is the only thing that will keep you alive on this planet.
From what I've heard, only five hundred and thirty-four people have had the C-52 program downloaded, and Archius’s politicians say that they have intercepted transmissions saying Collective has stopped it. They perceived the ideal as too risky in the terms of prisoner and test subject escape. You have a large amount of knowledge inside you, do not let it control you, let you control it.
I sat and closed my eyes, clearing my thoughts. Nothing happened.
“Is something supposed to happen?”
“What do you think is going to happen? Just try to remember” it said laughing.
I sifted through my thoughts, my memory like a river. I began to wade, dipping my feet into the grains of sand, the more I trudged, the deeper I sifted the more I remembered. Soon I was in the midst of a torrential wave, surrounded by endless steam of information that buried me beneath its colossal feat. I struggled to stay afloat, flailing desperately for any form of escape. A few seconds later I opened my eyes. Sweat dripped from my brow and my knees buckled from exhaustion. My head stung with pain as a headache spread throughout.
"Relax, a person was never meant to know so much" Ellis noted.
He lifted me to my feet and I let the wind cool my face.
“Your skills may be unmatched yet your body is not ready,”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“You have been frozen for a long time, and most of the information you obtained is still engraving itself into your muscle memory, you are not fit enough to complete half of the fighting styles you know, not strong enough, simply not ready. We will start with a simple exercise.
He threw me a pistol, my memory told me it was a six-round energy revolver which uses preloaded batteries to burn attackers. A weapon designed to fire as fast as you could pull the trigger.
“The most common devices on the ground are like these, cheap battery-powered charge guns, electricity builds up in the front and is released from the barrel in a charged bullet built into the battery. The bullet has a battery and gunpowder, which gives it a more electrifying attack. Burning most creatures' skin to a crisp smouldering pulp. Here put it on stun and shoot the floating target I set up.”
The target was a triangle shape, in the middle a single dot about a centimetre squared. The general picked up the pistol and fired four times each one about a millimetre away from the centre. Smoke billowed from the pistol's barrel as he twirled it in his hand.
I picked up the pistol, my mind racing, even with muscle memory kicking in it still felt clumsy in my hand. Aiming it at the target. I held my breath and fired the shot, my finger twitching on the trigger, the shot landing directly a few centimetres to the right of the middle leaving a small mark on the targeting robot’s battered screen.
He laid a hand on my shoulder and I fired once again, hitting the direct centre. His eyes glinted with a smirk as he smoothed over his beard.
“Your skill is fine, your execution needs work, your mind is trained but not your body. Some of the legionary robots are only vulnerable in certain areas, a command port less than an inch wide.”
He took three thick plastic-bound books and a bundle of papers.
“I bought the book at a shop in Archius and some Collective outposts. The others I found off the cold corpse of a Collective Medical and Research team. It's a good summary of the planet. Vital information. The first book seemed new, almost a history book. The other two were filled with a jumble of numbers and codes, more of a manual than literature for reading.”
Inside was information that I keenly devoured. The radius of the planet, the laws and regulations of Archius, and countless facts and statistics enlightened the ground from which I stood. I didn't have enough time to read it all though I simply flipped through the yellowed pages and handed it to the general when I was done.
One page did slip out of the leatherbound book, a diagram of a thin wired robot, The T-328 Assassin. Some scribblings had been scrawled across the image however it was barely legible. I scrunched up the paper and put it in my pocket saving it for a later read. For the next three hours, I studied the book. I read every segment of every last word, my mind a sponge soaking up the words in a testament of power. The planet Maol had deep history yet it still seemed like the information was censored, some pages ripped out, others extremely vague as if someone had tried to erase moments of the past.
At last, Sparky came up and the General went below. He had been plotting a training course as I read. Sparky threw a metal pipe at me. I luckily caught it just before it broke my shin.
“Hey!”
“Reflexes are good… let's work on them”