Ari looked at the empty wrappers breaking down into dust. His eyes turned to the cooler of ice water and the empty glass bottles of the orange drinks. What made the plastic wrappers turn to dust and not the glass bottles was just another question that added to the mysteries of this strange place.
Somewhere in the distance he heard the sound of arguing. This time it was Abesh and Nameer. At least his old friend Singh wasn’t getting into the action. He was busy keeping an eye on the doctor, or was he supposed to call Joshi the priest?
Another question he needed an answer to.
Ari raised his head and looked at the man in the question. He was sitting in a lotus position in front of the statue, meditating with his eyes closed. He suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Ari with fire flecked irises.
“Commander?”
Ari nodded back “Hello doctor. Or should I call you the priest now?”
Joshi smiled “It’s up to you. I am still me. I am still the man who earned three of his PHDs. Still the man who guided my country through the nuclear crisis. Still the man who advised three Prime Ministers on the best way to conduct classified research and I am still the man who came to the trials with you.”
Ari grimaced “But you are different now.”
“No, my dear commander, I am more.”
Following Joshi’s answer there was a silence that neither of them filled, highlighting the growing argument in between the two junior officers.
Finally, Joshi asked “Why don’t you trust me?”
Ari turned from the sound of steps heading towards them to Joshi.
“Doctor, I don’t know what happened to you but you are different. You might not think so but we all can see it. It’s not just the way you look or what you can do. It’s the fact that you know things that we don’t. Things you won’t tell us. Things that might cost us our lives.”
Joshi acknowledged Ari’s words with a nod and responded in soft voice“I can not. Lord Agni has asked me not to interfere with you or the continuum until you have proven your worth.”
Ari frowned “So, doctor, where do your allegiances lie then? With us or with a statute with mystical powers?”
Joshi snorted “Statue? Is that what you think I am serving? Commander, I am serving Lord Agni to save our country and our world. You have no idea what is coming and the fact that I can’t…”
Singh entered the main room of the temple and cleared his throat roughly to announce his presence.
“Commander.” Singh nodded to Ari and in a gruff noise greeted Joshi “Doctor Joshi.”
Joshi looked at the veteran soldier for a moment “Address me as Priest Joshi from now on please, major.”
Singh looked at Joshi for a second and then turned to Ari with a raised eyebrow.
Ari noticed the stiff posture of his friend and asked “What is it, Singh?”
“Sir, I am about to smash our boys’ heads into walls if they don’t stop.”
Ari closed his eyes and exhaled “They are on edge Singh. Both haven’t seen fighting like we have. They haven’t been in war zones for days and had to stay vigilant like we have. I know they have trained to but it is only expected for them to lash out when they experience the real thing.”
Singh nodded “I know that. I can explain that to them if they stop shouting at each other. It also doesn’t help when they start flinging fire and water at each other.”
Ari nodded and got to his feet “Gather them will you Singh. And have them carry the box cooler. We are going to return the bottles to our friends outside.”
Singh looked at Ari for a moment and asked “So it’s that time?”
Ari sighed “Yeah.” The commander grimaced and added “I hate diplomacy.”
Singh picked up the plastic like cooler with a smile “Oh but I love watching you be diplomatic. It only makes you hit harder when you finally hit back.”
Ari began to walk out with Singh and stopped when Joshi began to speak.
“Colonel! Your neuro shard. At least let me help you with that.”
“Doctor Joshi, there are other things that make me doubt you.” Ari turned around to look at the priest “You no longer eat or drink. You don’t twitch. You don’t scratch yourself. And you forget to blink for hours at a time. Are you even human now Joshi?”
Joshi looked at Ari for a long moment and replied “I am commander. But not the kind I was.”
Ari shook his head “When you come clean to me. I will start considering your words. Till that time, I will keep you at an arm’s length much less trust you with my well being.” Ari announced and started walking away.
Ten minutes later a black eyed Nameer and a bruised up Abesh were carrying the ice cooler in between them. Both men averted their gazes from the glaring eyes of their commander but somehow still didn’t look at each other.
Ari turned his back on them and led their little group out of the temple complex. Just outside the door they were met by a familiar face.
“Pretty?” Ari asked.
The young girl graced Ari with a beaming smile “You remembered me?”
Ari cleared his throat “Yes, I did.”
Pretty grinned and then took their whole party in and stated “You guys look like a mess.”
Ari looked back at his men “They all looked ragged, and the battered clothes had blotches of dried up blood, dust and ash on them.”
“I guess we do.” Singh said with a sly smile and asked “So, what is smart girl like you doing in a rough place like this?”
Pretty chuckled at Singh “Oh General Athena heard what happened between you and Jay 7. She needed someone to watch your back. I volunteered.”
“You volunteered?” Ari asked
“Watch our backs?” Singh asked at the same time.
Both of the men looked at each other and at Pretty.
“Yes.” Pretty took a step closer to Ari and lowered her voice “Not everyone in the continuum is as friendly to outsiders. Some think saving you at the cost of our own was a mistake and others don’t like the fact that you have allied yourself to the yaksha that forsook us.”
Ari looked around and saw the guarded glances from helmeted faces they were getting.
He smiled and waved to put everyone at ease “Hello everyone. I am Commander Ari…” Ari stopped, corrected himself and started again “Colonel Arivarasan of NSG. I am a soldier like you. I thank you for your sacrifices.”
Ari felt the hostile gazes lose a touch of anger and continued “Now, if you don’t mind I need to return this cooler to Jay 7 and thank him for the drinks.”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
There was silence for a long moment where no one moved and then one of the soldiers, one of the long lanky ones, stepped in front. With a long warning look at Pretty he silently pointed past the square past the temple and began walking at front.
Ari smiled and Pretty began following the silent soldier.
“That girl seems nice.” Singh said as soon as he caught up with Ari.
Ari looked back at Pretty and saw her helmet hood up her blushing face “She is…hmm…”
Singh chuckled and then momentarily paused. He finally opened his mouth and hissed “Oh no they didn’t.”
Ari sniffed the air and sighed “Of course they did. Haven’t you done the same thing?”
Singh lips pressed against each other “I have but I don’t like when they use the same tactic against me.”
Ari shook his head and looked ahead at the sight of a line of automated rotisseries cooking meat. Beyond it was a fan blowing the smoke and the smell towards the temple.
Ari looked back and saw the two young officers licking their lips. He knew the feeling. He was starving too but he controlled his hunger and put on a nonchalant face. Singh on the other hand started growing madder with every sniff.
“Calm yourself my friend.”
Singh growled. “Oh, I am calm. I am calm. Calm as water.” His words sharply contrasting with his expression.
Ari watched spittle fly from Singh’s mouth and looked at his reddening face.
“Okay, Singh, stay with the boys. Make sure they don’t kill each other.” Ari turned his eyes to the two officers “And you both try to behave. Don’t make Singh gut you.”
The two men gave their commander a sheepish look and then turned their eyes downwards.
Ari rolled his eyes and followed the silent soldier to a building. They entered and he was patted down by the security. One of them tried to take his gauntlets. When Ari told the man that he couldn’t take them off, the man recoiled and gave others a questioning look.
None of them said anything but soon he was guided deeper into the building. This time with two guards watching him. Ari and the soldiers stopped in front of a large room with a table that projected a large map. On three sides of the map were three people in three different types of continuum armour.
They all looked pleased at the happenings on the map, but they still looked coldly at each other.
“Three days. That’s how long it took them to find the first scanner.” General Athena announced in triumphant voice.
“Barely adequate.” Athena A07 responded instantly.
“Is that so? Remind me how long has one of your scanners remained hidden sister?”
Although Athena 08 didn’t raise her voice there was steel in her tone that made the assault commander look up.
“That is not our job, General.” A07 responded in a tone that barely hid the contempt she felt and snarled “Our job is not to be jack of all trades. We augs are the hammer that breaks our enemies.”
“Well, you did a good job with that.” Athena 08 responded in a sarcastic tone.
“We would have done a better job if we had access to your armour and tech.” A07 spat out and continued “What kind of general doesn’t share the tech to keep her people alive?”
“The kind of general that keeps strategic alliances in mind.”
“Like your secret alliance with the Yaksha, Agni?”
Athena 08 looked up “So, it was you who started the rumour about me dealing with the Rakshasa.”
Athena A07 shrugged “I just said that you might be dealing with inhuman entities, and we needed to keep an eye on you. I didn’t know that Ruby F, Adi 101, and Par would start an investigation into you.” A07 smiled sharply and added “Sister.”
“Ladies.” Jay 07 rumbled.
“That crossed a line, sister.” Athena 08 said in a steely tone.
Jay 07 held up his hand just the way the original Jay Chandra would have, noting the effect his movement had on Athena 08 “Nevertheless, General. The fact remains that you have not shared your new tech with everyone. You have created a new faction. One with superior armour and weapons. And now you are poaching our members. We need to know why?”
Athena 08 turned her hard gaze to Jay 07 and without raising her voice stated “You don’t get to ask me questions 07. You might have mentored the young, but I was fighting enemies with Jay Chandra when you were learning to fire your first pistol.”
Jay 07 held up his hand and smiled. Just the way her father would have “Athena. General. Don’t do this. This would hurt all. Most of all you. You know that I have always held your opinions in high regard. Just tell us all why, why are you building a new faction? You are one of the leaders of the old guard. You can request troops, weapons, and resources from us.”
Athena 08 looked at Jay 07 for a long moment and then exhaled, relieving the tension in her shoulders. She closed her eyes for a moment. Processing how different 07 was from the original Jay Chandra. Her world’s warder, her father, the man who created her, and the man who taught her everything. He had stood tall. His presence inspired everyone, and his glare made everyone cower. Compared to those eyes Jay 7’s scheming gaze made him feel like mockery of Jay Chandra.
General Athena snorted “You want to know why I am creating a new faction? It’s to persevere against what is coming.”
Jay 7 looked at the map and nodded “Three hundred thousand enemies, that is a lot.”
“And this time you don’t have priest or the sacred ground of the temple as bait.”
Jay 7 stiffened and looked at Athena 08 sharply “That…”
“Was a success.” A07 defended the mentor.
“You dumb…” Athena 08 snorted “If I would have been there, I would have shot you, sister. You got a priest killed. Then you waited for the Raks to desecrate the temple. Which angered a yaksha. An elemental power of the universe. And you thought what? He wouldn’t notice?”
A07 stood up straight and glared daggers at Athena 08 “If I were you, I would be careful with my words general.”
Athena 8 eyes went from A07’s eyes to everything below her shoulders. That’s where her bionics began. And when A07 entered her battle mode, they would start to glow red releasing the heat that her bionics released. Athena 08’s hand drifted to her rifle as she prepared to fight A07 and Jay 7 if needed.
Jay 7 looked from one woman to the other and noting their ready stances. He started “Ladies…” and then his eyes landed on Ari standing to the side watching everything.
Jay 7 sighed and looked at Athena 8 “I am not going to use the new priest like that general. In fact, I plan to welcome the new humans as our partners.”
A07 looked at her sister’s confused expression and then picked out Ari’s face. She snorted “What? Did you think shouting out that piece of ancient history would warn the new humans? Well, you are wrong. We don’t want the Raks to take the temple this time. Last time we were spread out thin, so we made a strategic withdrawal and paid for it. This time we will fight them for every inch.”
“Last time you got Jay 16 killed. One of our best, who the yaksha blessed into his priesthood. You will do the same this time too.”
Jay 7 gritted his teeth “General, if you are not going to be constructive, I will ask you to leave.”
“You and your people.” A07 added.
Athena 08 looked at the two continuum clones for a long moment. In a moment when everyone felt something sharp and dangerous pricking their spines. Everyone stiffened as a power dug into their bones and scrapped against it. Slowly, all heads in the room turned to General and instinctively knew that the woman in front of her was contemplating violence.
“Fine!” Athena 8 spat out and the feeling of violence subsided but didn’t go away. The General looked at her two allies with venom and added “I will leave but I will have some of my people keep an eye on the temple and its residents.” Athena 08 turned and began walking out.
She stopped next to Ari, looked him up and down, and stated “You are weak. You need to get stronger, and soon.”
Ari watched the General that had sent a shiver down his spine walk off and slowly the feeling of imminent death subsided.
He looked from her to the table where A07 was looking at Jay 7 with wide eyes “Is she mid class one now?”
Jay 7 shook his head “No, she is higher. Closer to class two. She was hiding her true strength.”
A07 took in a sharp breath “How did we not know this?”
“She is not an aug.” Jay 7 hung his head and replied.
“It’s okay, we can work around this seven. Your plan will still work. You need to lead us to victory.”
Jay 7 stood there for a moment and then looked at A07 “Heena, don’t fight her.”
A07 blinked “What do you mean?”
“I mean don’t antagonise her, don’t push her and for gods sake don't fight her.”
A07 shook her head “Seven, snap out of it. So what, she showed some of her strength. We don’t have individual strength but we are many. I am many.”
“It won’t be enough.”
A07 sniffed “Even so, she would dare to strike me down. I am the aug queen. My death would cause the death of every aug in the continuum.”
Jay 7 nodded “That’s the problem Heena. I don’t think she cares anymore.”
A07 looked at Jay 7 and chuckled. She walked to Jay 7 and gave the man a tender hug. It was a strange sight. An old man interlacing his arms behind a four spindly bony armed woman and the strange cyborg returning the affection. It looked both oddly romantic and horrific at the same time.
Ari felt voyeuristic and turned away from the personal moment and looked outside. The building had far fewer guards now. Behind him A07 continued.
“You don’t know Athena 8 the way I do. She cares. She cares too much. And the continuum runs deep in her soul.”
Ari didn’t understand the byplay but he didn’t need to, to figure out that not everything was well in the continuum.
“Just promise me that you will not start a fight with Athena 8.” Jay 7 pressured A07
“Fine.”
Ari heard clicking sounds and turned around to see A07’s four arms click and turn into two. She smiled at Jay 7 and pushed her man affectionately.
“Now, go talk to the young soldier from another world. See if they are any good while I monitor our newest problem’s departure.”
Jay 7 turned to look at Ari and a coy smile broke out in his face “Ah the commander. Tell me. Are you hungry?”
Ari gave the man a guarded smile “Yes. We all are.”
Jay 7 walked to Ari and with an arm on his shoulder guided the commander out of the large room “It’s the shards. They consume a lot of energy.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Didn’t that priest tell you?”
Ari shrugged “He has been busy.”
“I see.” Jay 7 stopped in front of a table. Three strange looking robots rolled in from somewhere and began piling plates and platters of food in front of the two men.
Ari looked at the older man “Why are you feeding me? Shouldn’t you try to starve us to make sure we comply with whatever your demands are?”
Jay 7 looked at Ari and shook his head “No. I am not looking for subservience, commander. I am looking for partners and friends.”
Jay 7 sat down on a large chair and motioned Ari to sit next to him. Ari picked up a piece of bread in front of him. It was warm, light and fluffy. It was the best piece of bread he had ever seen in his life.
“Partners and friends, commander, do not use underhanded tactics to gain an advantage.” Jay 7 dipped his bread into a lemony sauce and bit into it.
Ari followed suit and barely contained himself from wolfing the whole piece down. After chewing for a moment Ari asked “What are you looking for partners for, mentor?”
Jay 7 grinned “There is war coming. I need people to fight that war. Your shards seem to lead you here so I think that would make you a natural partner to us.”
Again Ari did not understand everything but he slowly started piecing things together while he chewed. His shard had brought him to this ghost city. If he was to believe Jay 7, the other shards would land them here too. The problem was that even if he said no others would come to look for them and Jay 7 would give them the same deal. And sooner or later one of them would agree. That raised the question why hadn’t Jay 7 asked Mbungwa?
Ari put down a skewer of chicken and asked “What about Mbungwa? Have you offered him your partnership?”
Jay 7 chocked on bite and then coughed “Mbungwa? That zulu?”
Jay 7 looked at Ari for a moment and then chuckled “Right, you don’t know our history. No commander I haven’t offered Mbungwa anything. There is too much bad blood between the continuum and people of his colour. In fact, if General Athena hadn’t taken a liking to that zulu someone would have put a knife in his brain.”
Ari bit into his food and nodded “I see.”
“That does not mean we can’t offer him some deal. We can’t use those dark skinned demons as canon fodder if nothing else.”
Ari took a moment to think but was stopped in his tracks by Jay 7 “I don’t need an answer to that question right now. I need something else.”
“What would be that?”
“An inch of your living flesh.”
Ari looked at Jay 7 in confusion.
“It could be yours or one of your men.” Jay 7 elaborated.
“Why?” Ari finally asked
“We need to create a portal here. It will help us portal our people and goods here from our bases. Simple logistics that would make this city more secure against the oncoming Rak wave. But it can only be done with those who have been blessed by the Yaksha Agni. Or we can create by using a piece of flesh given to us by one blessed by him.”
Ari leaned back and looked at the man in front of him. He was up to something. What, he did not know.
“In return, we will ensure that you remain safe, fed, hydrated, and clean.” Jay 7 dropped the last line nonchalantly at the end.
Ari exhaled through his nose. Partnership and friends? This man was a peace of work. But right now, he had them in his grasp and Ari couldn’t do anything about it.
“Don’t you want to go home commander?” Jay 7 grinned showing all of his teeth.
The mentor flicked a switch on his wrist. An image popped on the top of the table. An image of Sheetal Serai and a boy that looked like Ash. They were both enclosed in a transparent blue gel and unconscious.
“Don’t you want to take both of them home?” Jay 7 asked in an empathetic tone “That’s what soldiers do right? Protect the civilians and guide them out of warzones. With the portal you would be able to do that.”
Ari squinted at the larger man “But you want them, don’t you?”
“I can live with just having one. You can take the other back home.” Jay 7 said graciously.
Ari closed his eyes and sighed “We need the food.”
Jay 7 smiled “That was tough wasn’t it, Ari. Let me assure you it was also a smart decision. I will have supplies sent to the temple and a medic to collect the sample.”
Jay 7 got up from the table and Ari followed suit. Jay 7 patted the commander on the shoulder “I will see you when I need to start the next stage of our mission. Stay safe until then.”
Ari looked at the distasteful man. His neuro shard sparked up and urged him to launch himself at the cyborg. Instead, he nodded and decided to play a dangerous game with the devil.