“Aliens!”
“Aliens?”
“Sometimes, boy wonder, I don’t know what to do with you.”
Ari blinked open his eyes at the sound of Singh’s gruff voice. Then the first two must be Abesh and Nameer respectively.
“So, then the two sisters talking about Ashoka and Sheetal as if they were special.” Abesh continued.
“Yeah, I have heard that Ashoka always gets special treatment because of his mother. He killed a guy you know. With a crystal glass. On camera. And he didn’t even get into trouble for it.” Nameer responded.
“No, this seemed like there was something more about them. Something to do with light.” Abesh tried to explain.
“Like… Light?”
“Yeah navy, light. The thing we see everything with.”
Singh cleared his throat “Can we go back to the fact that you left the commander alone.”
“This again?” Abesh asked with heat in his voice.
“Yes. You had one job. Protect the boss. And you left him alone.”
“It is okay Singh.” Ari yawned and sat up. His back popped. It felt good. Everything felt good.
“Commander?” Singh called and ran into the room. He looked Ari in his eyes and asked “Are you okay, sir?”
“Yes Singh. I am… good.” Ari replied with a smile.
Singh let out a breath and tension slowly released from his body.
Ari got to his feet and looked at his friend “What is it, Singh? What’s with that reaction?”
Singh replied softly “You have been unconscious for thirty-six hours my friend. I thought I had lost you.”
“Thirty six hours?”
“Truthfully, a little more than that.” Singh turned and called out “Nameer, water.”
Nameer ran into the room with a bottle of water. At the door Abesh looked in, made sure everything was okay, and stepped back.
Singh continued “Commander, you should sit down. Drink. Eat. Make sure you are okay before doing anything else.”
Ari took the bottle of water and drained it. Then with his dismissed Nameer.
“Singh, what’s up with Abesh?”
Singh exhaled “I kind of lost it on him. He came back with you unconscious looking like death and I almost stabbed him. Thankfully your girlfriend was there. She stopped me dead with the butt of her shotgun. That girl is something else.”
Ari closed his eyes and tried to picture the event. It wasn’t hard. Abesh trying to explain what had happened. Singh shouting and snarling. And Pretty, looking stern putting an end to the fight in an instant. He knew how powerful these Continuum people were and still he had tried to strike his their general.
Thinking back that wasn’t the only mistake he had made. Fighting those zombies alone, running into a battlefield unarmed, and creating a rift between Joshi and himself were just a few more. The shard, his neuro shard had made him paranoid and violent.
“Commander?” Singh asked.
“How bad is it?”
Singh caught his meaning and didn’t make any excuses.
“Bad. The boy wonder can fight. He almost burnt me, and I did slash open his bicep.”
Singh was always a hot head. But he couldn’t chew him out. He was at fault too. He had shooed Abesh off to be with Pretty and the boy already had looked uncomfortable in the general’s vehicle. Still.
“Singh you can’t always talk with your fist, man.”
“I know. Look…” Singh took in a breath and continued “I know why I am here. It’s because of you. I am getting this second chance on life because of you. Gods, I rose up the ranks because I tied my career to yours. Remember the first day we met?”
“The war games?”
“Yeah. I was representing the north, and you were on the west side. Remember what I said?”
“Something about doing something with my sister?”
Singh chuckled “Yeah, and I expected you to react and charge your forces at me. But you didn’t. You kicked us all the way from the frontlines to our base and then you kicked my butt.”
“I remember.” Ari nodded.
“Why did I think that would work?”
“Because you were young and dumb.”
“No, because I would have reacted like a charging bull. I am a charging bull, Ari. The only reason I rose up to squadron commander was you. And there is not a day I don’t thank the day I met you. So, seeing you like that…” Singh looked away and tried to control himself.
Ari sighed “Gods, why did you have to make it weird?”
Singh cleared his throat “Well it was your girl who made it weird first. She put us all down. In seconds. Now we can’t look her in the eyes.”
“About that…”
Singh raised his hand “Don’t. I don’t want to know. You like feisty women. And they scare my socks off.”
Ari rolled his eyes “You are married to one.”
“Yeah, but that is my parent’s fault. Arranged marriage and all that.”
Ari cracked his neck “I will go talk to the boy. Let me sort out my mess.”
“No. I will talk to him. You go talk to Pretty. She has been visiting you every few hours and waiting for you to wake up.”
Ari began to move. Singh stopped him.
“Perhaps a bath first commander?”
“A bath?”
“Yeah, Joshi did something and now we have showers.” Singh took a step back.
Ari looked at his friend. He was clean. His clothes looked wash and beard shampooed.
Forty-five minutes later Ari walked out of the fire temple. His leather footwear silent stepping on the red and gold carpet. He did not know how, but Joshi hadn’t just made showers. He had also somehow created red and yellow drapes for the temple, made furniture and cushions appear and stocked up the large kitchen in the back. Now the temple looked inviting and ready to be lived in.
Ari wanted to ask how Joshi had done that and maybe mend some fences but once again he was sitting cross legged on the open palm of the statue of the yaksha Agni in a large ball of fire.
“Someone cleaned up.” Pretty’s cute voice made Ari look up.
Ari couldn’t help but smile at the young woman “Hello Pretty.”
“Would you like to walk with me, commander?”
“Yes. I would like that.”
Pretty started walking and looked at Ari. She noted his relaxed expression. His easy walk and the confidence he held himself with.
“So, the nanite solution to the khara neuro shard worked?” Pretty asked.
Ari chewed on the question for a moment and then asked “Pretty, I have been considering an answer to that question ever since I woke up but, how would I know if Navi’s treatment worked or not.”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Pretty grinned “Well, usually, you would be looking everywhere for enemies right now. Also, you would be tearing your hair off with worry wondering if you did the right thing or not.”
Ari frowned “I am not that bad.”
Pretty smiled “Maybe you are not. But you have been stressed ever since we met. Now though, you look more relaxed. How about the new shards? Are they working alright?”
The question wasn’t without merit. Navi had not been pleased to note that Ari’s quicksilver shard was near to the middle of his spine. Apparently, the best way to use one’s shards was when you used them in combination. And he would have preferred it if it was at the top of his spine connected to his brain and the neuro shard.
Ari opened his heads up display.
Commander Ari
Human
Ascended Class - 0
Shards – Neuro, Technology, Quicksilver, Energy, and Metal.
Legionnaire Nanite Colony - 1
Ari nodded “They seem to be working alright.”
“What about the nanites?”
Ari remembered the tube with the pinkish liquid he had been shown. He had expected it to be black like in the movies. When he had asked about it. Navi had looked at him blankly and asked that if he expected to be injected with iron shavings rather than programmed bio matter. And then he had proceeded to inject him in his skull.
The thought of that made Ari wince. He didn’t even want to think about the pain or the throbbing pressure that had disoriented him. He hadn’t even been able to walk after that procedure. Now though, he felt stable. Like he had never before.
But that was an illusion too. Navi had told him that he would feel steadier but that was until he lost his temper. Then he would use the new conviction that his nanites gave him to fight until he couldn’t anymore. Basically, the neuro shard wasn’t gone. It was somewhat under his control.
“It says I have one colony built.” Ari finally answered after a thoughtful pause.
Pretty frowned “Just one. Didn’t he say you will need four to wear that armour?”
“Yes. And don’t ask me how I know but I somehow know the first colony is the easiest to build. The second and third colonies are going to be harder. And the fourth, that is going to be tremendously hard.”
“It’s your body. You know best.” Pretty hesitated and then asked “Can I see your pillar?”
“Pillar?”
“The pillar that your shards make inside your body. Just take a snap and send it to me.”
Ari did as Pretty asked and then looked at the silhouette of his body. Unlike before, the dots of light, lighting up portions of his body from inside, there was a line forming. It was still not complete. The four shards on top formed the tip while the metal shard in the bottom stood alone.
Pretty pursed her lips as she looked at the pillar “It doesn’t have a base. Here take this.”
Ari took a small glass bottle which was the size of a hotel shampoo bottle. His hud identified the shard inside.
Shard – Strength.
Class – 0
He looked from the shard to the girl “Pretty, I already am neck deep in debt. I can’t afford this.”
Pretty smiled “I am not selling it to you. It is a gift. For trusting me enough to show me your pillar.”
Ari blinked. He did not know that it was a faux pau to ask or show someone your pillar. But even so, he couldn’t take…
Clank. Clank, Clank.
The sound of clasps opening drew his eyes to Pretty. Her armour rippled and then unfurled with a hiss of cold air. Ari took is a breath when the petal’s drew down revealing flawless skin barely covered by a bikini top and bottoms that showed more than they hid.
Ari looked around and saw that they were in an abandoned house. He had been so focussed on his shards and other things that he hadn’t even realised when pretty had guided him indoors.
“Pretty?”
“Shh…” Pretty stepped out of the gently waving petals and closed the distance.
The youthful woman pressed herself into him and wrapped her arms around Ari. She leaned up and kissed Ari on his Adam’s apple making him gulp.
Ari closed his eyes at the touch of her lips and after a moment’s hesitation leaned in and kissed Pretty’s neck
Pretty gasped as Ari trailed kisses down her neck and to her cleavage.
Pretty reached down and started undoing Ari’s belt.
“Pretty aren’t we going to fast?” Ari asked in a husky needy voice.
“What? No. I want to see your other pillar.
Ari looked at Pretty for a second and then clarified and in a soft voice asked “I mean, if the prettiest girl I have ever known wants to see my pillar who am I to say no?”
Pretty blinked “Was that pun? I don’t like puns.”
“Oh. I am sorry.”
“Good. But do you want to talk right now or undo my top?”
Ari looked at her bikini top and growled. He undid the knot and with a lusty look in his eyes he leaned down. Inch by inch he licked, kissed and breathed onto her skin.
Pretty moaned loudly. She leaned back and lifted herself on to a table. She reached down and took Ari’s dark green t shirt off. Ari grabbed her knees and parted them. He pulled her closer while fondling her. Pretty reached down and grabbed his head. Ari licked her ribs eliciting a gasp and sight from her before coming up.
Pretty kissed him lustily and growled “Take me. Or I will take you!”
Ari looked at her and grinned. He was about to reach for her when he heard a shuffling sound from the door. He turned and looked back to see a surprised look on Jay 7’s face.
“Oh my! Well, that’s not what I expected.” Jay 7’s deep voice came in from the door.
Pretty yelped and ran to her armour. It closed faster than it had opened. With a clank of finality her helmet covered her furiously blushing face.
Ari cursed and began fixing his dishevelled appearance.
“Is everything good in there now? Is your weapon holstered commander?” Jay 7 asked with laughter in his voice.
Ari took in a breath to calm himself and in an annoyed voice replied “Yes.”
Jay 7 peeped in and looked from Ari to Pretty.
“Ah, sorry youngling. If I knew… Well, I won’t tell anyone.”
Pretty lowered her helmeted head in embarrassment and greeted him with a barely audible “Mentor.”
Jay 7 waved the whole situation away “I was looking for you and heard you came this side. I… I came to ask you a few questions.”
“Questions mentor?”
Ari looked at the old man. His large frame and the cold look in his eyes were intimidating before. Now his neuro shard buzzed highlighting dangers like the hidden blades in his armour. The ammo strapped to the belt section for a hidden firearm. The sliding section on the top of his shoulders that hid a launcher. This man was more dangerous than he appeared, and he appeared very dangerous.
“Yes, I have questions for you.”
Ari stepped forwards trying to hide Pretty’s bikini top behind him and asked “What do you want to know?”
Jay’s lips twitched “How much do your people want to create a base of operations here?”
“Excuse me?”
Jay 7 held up a hand “Wait. Before we begin, that dirty Zulu, I hear he is in the temple. Tell him to stay in there for his own good.”
Ari bristled but controlled himself and then saw Jay 7 look at the small piece of cloth behind him.
“Sorry.” Pretty whispered and turned her head away.
Jay 7 chuckled “It’s not your fault youngling fault. We grow up with each other. We have seen each other in different forms. From young to old. You on the other hand he is…”
“Different.” Ari nodded.
“Exotic.” Jay 7 corrected.
Ari raised an eyebrow and looked at Pretty. She shrugged.
“Well, coming back to my questions, we are operating from here. This place was once known as fire city. It was not the biggest city in the trials but now it’s a broken down shell. Still, it is compatible with our purpose right now. But if we must defend it, we will have to put in serious resources in the place.” Jay 7 let out a mournful sigh and added “As it stands, I am not inclined to do that.”
“Why, sir?” Ari asked.
“Resources son. I don’t have enough people in the old guard to fight. We are powerful but we aren’t many.” Jay 7 with a fatherly look.
“I see. So, what do you want from me?”
“Soldiers. I need you to go and get me some soldiers from your world to help us hold this city.”
Ari could feel Pretty trying hard not to look at him. He ignored her for the moment and responded “My team and I will help you if the fight comes sir, but we are not authorised to make promises like the ones you asking for. Our services can be offered to you only by our superiors.”
“That’s… disappointing.”
Jay 7 tapped his chin with one metal covered finger “Well, that was the deal. Very well, maybe the zulu from your world will be more receptive to my offer. But who knows, maybe I will just kill him if he doesn’t accept it. After all, you can’t trust a man from that empire.”
Ari stiffened and Jay caught on.
“You don’t like when I call him zulu do you?”
“No sir. He is South African sir and racism in our world is frowned upon.”
The Mentor snorted “Spoken like a man who comes from a peaceful world. You have not learned to other, people have you?”
Ari brushed off Jay’s words and asked “Sir, am I correct in assuming that you have a way for us to go back home?”
“Yes. But I am not inclined to open the way if I don’t see any return from the action.”
Ari nodded “I see. And I don’t think I can recommend sending anyone here even if it helps us repair the damage to our bodies. This place is useless otherwise.”
“Useless?” Jay 7 laughed “Commander. Son. Yes, the desert might be, but you have seen other cities, haven’t you? Didn’t you see the wonders there. Waterfall coming out of the sky, rare minerals and metal selling on the sidewalk. Races with inventions up for grabs.”
Ari hadn’t seen all that. He was too busy trying to wrestle with his shard and trying to keep his hands off Pretty. Ignoring all that he nodded.
“Yes sir. General Athena took me to one. Still the danger.”
“About that. This is a favour coin.” The mentor held it up and continued “It bestows lights favour upon you. With it you can conjure up a building, create a barracks, build defences or do whatever you want. I will give it to if…”
A pop up momentarily distracted Ari. Ari read the text.
Quest Recieved.
Reinforce The Continuum.
Bring back two hundred soldiers from Earth to the Trails and lead them in battle against the Rakshasa Empire.
Volunteer Rewards
One shard for every soldier that volunteers.
Core Team Reward
5 Continuum Assault Rifles
5 Krecks
1 Lights Favour.
Failure Penalty.
System enforced death penalty for all four members of your team.
Quest Duration
2 week in Trials or 5 Earth hours
Accept
Yes / No?
The Mentor smiled and finished his statement “If you accept the quest, you will get this coin and the other things listed in the quest.”
Ari shook his head “Sir, respectfully. I still don’t see the benefit of bringing my people here.”
As soon as Ari finished, he saw Jay 7’s indifferent gaze turn to a hostile one. His hands clenched and unclenched in his armour. His gauntlets soundlessly repeated that action. Ari felt a bout of danger emanating from the man. Somewhere deep in his soul he knew that this though weaker was like what General Athena had done. Even so Ari knew the man was a hair’s breadth away from violence. He could picture those hands on his neck and hurried on.
“Mentor, sir. I think I told you in one of our previous conversations that my world is ruled by politicians and diplomats. And not by militaristic forces like yours. They won’t see any benefit of coming here until they see a future for our operations.”
Pretty’s helmet split open with a hiss and a whirr of the petals. She looked at Jay “Mentor, may I?”
Jay looked at Pretty for a moment and took a silent step back.
Pretty took the silence as her cue and continued “I think I understand their world. They are not like us mentor. They don’t fight for honour or survival like us. They fight for resources.”
“That is not exactly true but our politicians and cooperations would be encouraged if there was a monetary gain to be had here.”
“See?” Pretty smiled.
“It’s not like that but it is true. We know that it is wrong but sometimes it needs to be done to protect our nation’s interests.”
“Fascinating.” Jay muttered while rubbing his chin.
Pretty faced Ari “So, tell me what does your world like. Gold, platinum, gemstones, technology, irradiated metals…?”
Ari homed into Pretty’s words. That was a lifeline she had just thrown him. Now, the only thing he had to do was pick something that would get his men killed in the transportation.
“Technology. Yes, we like technology. Not that we don’t appreciate gold or silver. But I think my people would like some of your tech.”
“Got it. How about we send you back with something non offensive like mem titanium?”
“Mem what?” Ari asked
“No way.” Jay shook his head “They haven’t earned that yet.”
Pretty gave the mentor an annoyed look which looked incredibly cute to Ari.
“Then how about we give them mem steel?”
“Mem steel?” Jay 7 grimaced “Who wants mem steel?”
“Exactly mentor, we have tons of the stuff just lying around. Taking up space. Let’s give it to the greedy ones in the commander’s world and get the best of them here.”
Jay 7 considered her words “Hmm… That is smart girl. Okay but only one control block and just two blocks.”
“Two bars and a controlled block. I am sure that will make things go faster in your world? And then you can come back and…”
Ari turned to Jay 7 and asked “Is this steel that impressive that it will change my superiors minds?”
“Oh, not anymore. But half a century ago wars were fought for the stuff in my world. And a archipelago who made the control blocks was nuked out of existence for playing both sides.”
“So, it’s like oil?”
“No, oil just burns. Mem steel makes everything, over and over again.” Jay corrected Ari.
Ari scratched his cheek “Is it something like processors?”
Jay 7 focussed on Ari “Processors? Yes. So, you are not back water apes after all.”
“Mem steel has multiple microscopic processors, but you can’t find them with naked eyes.” Pretty explained
“Okay. I will do it.” Ari muttered.
Jay waved his hand again.
Quest Recieved.
Reinforce The Continuum.
Bring back two hundred soldiers from Earth to the Trails and lead them in battle against the Rakshasa Empire with the core team you have brought to the trial.
Volunteer Rewards
One shard for every soldier that volunteers.
Core Team Reward
5 Continuum Assault Rifles
5 Krecks
1 Favour of Light.
Other Rewards.
1 Control block and 2 blocks of mem steels
Failure Penalty.
System enforced death penalty for all four members of your team.
Quest Duration
4 weeks in Trials or 10 Earth hours
Accept
Yes / No?
Ari hesitantly looked up and with a pained look asked “One last thing.”
“What is it now?” Jay 7 said barely hiding his annoyance.
Ari looked at the quest and asked “Sir, what’s with the time duration? It says one week or five hours.”
Jay frowned and looked at Ari “Didn’t anyone tell you son? Time here moves faster than in your world. We are at the edge of universe not in a settled space. One hour in your world is equal to thirty hours here.”
“Thirty three point six actually, mentor.” Pretty gently corrected the old man.
Jay 7 snapped his finger “Yes, that.”
“So, we have been gone from our world for something like two weeks that means only hours have passed?”
Pretty turned to Ari “Yes. Didn’t the priest tell you?”
Ari shook his head “Sir, I can’t accept this quest sir. Not the way it is. I will need some time to convince the higher ups to let my men come back with me. I will also need to collect them, transport them, and I am stuck in a barren place much like this desert in my world.”
Jay who was about to blow up stopped and thought about the problem “Okay, I will give you ten hours. Ten hours to bring in two hundred soldiers.”
Ari shook his head again “Again sir, that is not possible. We entered from a deserted region. There is nothing around us. Just getting people to the base…”
“Enough bargaining commander. Take the quest now.” Jay 7 said threateningly.
Ari exhaled and hit the accept button.
Jay 7 nodded and looked at Pretty “Girl, go tell your General about this. I don’t want her to find wandering earthlings and shoot them accidentally.”
Pretty nodded and began to move out. Ari began to follow her but was stopped by Jay 7.
“Oh no, boy. You stay. You want her? You can have her after you bring me back my combatants.”
Pretty jolted and stopped with her back turned.
Ari couldn’t believe his ears and looked at the Mentor in shock. This man wasn’t happy with the system implied death threat, and now as a carrot he was ready to pimp out his own people? He buried his disgust deep below a mask of professionalism. It didn’t work.
“Don’t look at me like that young man. I need to ensure victory in the upcoming battle. Tell you what, if you bring me three hundred soldiers I will giver her to you and two more just like her.”
Ari had already accepted the mission
Ari cleared his throat “About that mentor, what role do you see my soldiers fulfilling?”
Jay 7 smiled sharply “Isn’t it obvious? They’ll be canon fodder.”
Ari’s neuro shards flashed in his mind and for a second he thought about lashing out. At the last moment remembered how easily General Athena had handled him. And she had been gentle, the Mentor on the other hand was a prideful man. Ari knew he wouldn’t hold back.
Ari restrained himself and took a step back. He gave Jay 7 a cold look and nodded.
“I will.” Ari said emphatically and gave the retreating Pretty a meaningful look “We have unfinished business here.”
Jay 7 snorted out a laugh and said “Good.”