Flesh and Alloy: A dystopian novel

by Nathan Lunn

  Douglass nodded, expositing to the others, “Previously, Wei used the actual weapons themselves, but, inevitably that led to a lot of wasted ammunition and even more questions. Gunshots are par for the course at Fugurah Station, but they're not usually found embedded in the shipping containers. The day that hardlight technology was released, Wei was quick to make the change over.” Another tap and the pseudo-soldiers resumed their animated stalking, stuck in their places this time, waving the muzzles of their weapons in wide arcs and failing to see the invisible enemies in front of them.

  “You shall each line up at the crack and take your shots, utilising each weapon's differing abilities. If you are happy with your choice, you can choose to purchase it.” Wei strutted down the line, making small adjustments to each person’s stance as he did so. Reaching Julie (third in the queue), he deftly plucked the pistol hologram from her injured arm and walked back to the front of the queue, disregarding her bewildered complaining. Slotting in ahead of Danny (who was at the front), he drew the pistol to his eyeline. Bracing it against his left arm, he primed the printing process and paused. “Follow by example.” He threw the comment over his shoulder, then squinted and fired.

  A bright translucent bullet tracked across the space between his gun and a soldier, speeding into its forehead with enough power to break through to the other side. It dropped instantly, hitting the floor and dissolving the same as the weapons had, disappearing pixels spreading out from the clean hole in its face until it was entirely gone. A beep from the weapon confirmed the next ammunition had been printed into place. Blowing on the end of the pistol, Wei slotted it into a hip holster and spread his arms. He spoke to his audience.

  “Now, you do the same. Have some fun, all guns have unlimited rounds. I’m looking to you, Achilles boy.” Kye (far at the back) made eye contact and clocked his weapon in response. Satisfied, Wei reformed the soldier he had shot with a tap, and waved Danny on. “Go ahead, rocket is preloaded,” he spoke, pushing Douglass back with his arm.

  Danny, eager to try out his weapon, stepped to the line and pulled it up to his head. His goggles (incompatible with the sight that was already attached to the RP 9X) appeared to be getting in the way of his aim. Frustrated from a few futile attempts, he turned back to Wei, an exasperated grimace peeking out under the goggles eyepiece. Wei, growing equally frustrated, walked over to Danny, berating him as he arrived. “Incompetent choices. Use your brain next time you make a decision, huh? Just because they look good doesn’t mean it is the best weapon for you to use.” He grabbed the RP 9X from his hands and threw it to the floor.

  A yell died in Danny’s throat as it dissolved, transitioning into a whine as he complained to Wei. “What am I meant to use now?”

  Wei pushed the filled hip holster into his open palm, using his other hand to flick a switch on the goggles. Danny blinked and lurched from the new colours erupting in his vision.

  “Do not use radiowave function. This is best for your purposes, normal vision.” Slapping Danny on the back, he added, “AI aiming is also on, in case you need the extra help. Turn it off with this switch here.” He grabbed Danny’s hand and indicated the button he needed to press. He pressed it instantly.

  “I’ll be fine, thanks.” Ripping his hand away, he pulled the holster around his waist and clicked it shut. Smirking his ugly grin, Wei shrugged and moved back. A clear shot rang out through the square, and a soldier fell, dissolving upwards from his left thigh as a beep sounded from the pistol. Danny fired again, and another started to collapse, the hole stemming from his torso.

  Wei clapped, exclaiming, “Very good! I am impressed. Now, how about for moving targets?” A tap at his display was all it took, and soon the soldiers were reformed and sprinting from side to side, armour shaking at their heavy steps. Danny was determined to show off and forged forward, beginning his fire to the holograms. Each shot echoed off the containers behind, both in sound and physicality, as they missed the running figures entirely. Growling, he avoided the group's eyes as he reached up and flicked the AI on. Snorts from behind his back enraged him. Training his own sight on the soldiers still, he shouted, “Shut up, alright? It ain’t easy work!” Firing once more – his aim guided by the AI in his goggles – his shots hit, taking out two of the holograms and missing a third. Content with his performance, he stepped aside and walked to stand next to Douglass.

  Wei, also content, brought Eddie forward to the crack, uttering, “A more sensible decision, clearly.”

  Smugly, Eddie pulled his hologram Type 400 to his shoulder, cocking the safety off with his spare hand. “You will obviously require less accuracy. Yes, I shall generate more enemies for you to face.” Two extra panels on each treadmill popped out, and after a moment of static, jade soldiers appeared above them. All enemies slowed to a standing pace, returning to their uselessly wary states. Eddie was ready and about to fire, when a notification popped up on his commlink, distracting him from his task at hand. He dropped the Type 400 to his side, using his other fingers to tap at his temple, opening the block of text to read. Wei moved quickly, slapping the back of his head with his knuckles, causing him to stumble forward, fall to his knees and fire off a rogue stream of bullets. Admonishing his mistake, Wei complained, “Idiot. Pay attention to the task at hand! You know how these hardlight rounds feel? No?” Wei held out a hand under the guise of helping Eddie up, but instead wrenched the weapon from his hands, turning it on him and firing two rounds directly into his stomach. Eddie doubled over on the dusty concrete, crumbling into a foetal position as the rounds dissolved into the folds of his skin. Angry red blotches were visible for a moment – highlighted by the rapidly-fading green light – before they fell into darkness under the shadow of his hands. He groaned, spewing expletives as he crawled away from the crack. Wei laughed, and waved Julie on to his place, talking as he did so. “This is the danger of never being off. You can get hurt very easily – like this weak one did. So, ignore all notifications when you are with me. Or maybe, whenever you are shooting, for safety?” He spun round, looking to everyone’s reactions. Eddie, pain in his expression and his abdomen, was chatting to Danny, both brothers casting uncomfortable looks to Wei. “Oh, don’t look so wounded!" he declared. "You can have your chance again once your tummy is better."

  Julie pulled her weapon up, prepared to shoot the untouched holograms before Wei could speak. In her haste, the safety was left on, and instead of a booming power she heard a pathetic click. Wei tutted, lecturing Julie as he flicked the safety off, “The Stockholm needs to be treated well. It is a weapon of great power, so watch out for the kickback.” He moved her arm up, bracing its butt against her good shoulder. “This will do for now.” As soon as he moved back, she took her opening, firing at the soldier closest to her. He flew back, shattering into three separate parts as the bullet's destructive power took effect. Residual hardlight from the spread caught the sides of two holograms further back, who both spun to the floor and disappeared. A whoop resounded from Julie, as she pushed against the recoil, standing firmly in her place. Wei nodded and sent her over to Eddie (who was now sitting up – rubbing at his belly) with his Type 400 in her spare hand. She helped him off the floor, and he took the weapon with a quick word of thanks.

  Hobbling over to the crack, he gave a sour look to Wei, before lining up and waiting for the soldiers to reform in their places. Once they had, he shot off a quick burst of bullets, dropping four different figures. Even when Wei increased the speed, Eddie was able to take out another three enemies. Dropping the weapon to the floor, purposefully paying Wei no attention, he walked back to Douglass’ side.

  “Short, but sweeter. Achilles Boy. It is your turn, come up here. Best till last? Is that the saying? Prove me right then.” Kye, both hands supporting the heavy weapon, fired on the droves of identical soldiers, twin barrels of his rifle relentlessly rotating. A steady stream of light was spat from the muzzle, cutting through the men and slamming into the patchwork of coloured containers behind th
em. With the stuttering cracks to accompany his slaughter, he made short work of the exercise, emptying the square of any trace of green in under a minute.

  Malicious joy sneaking in his shouts, Wei exclaimed, “Ah wonderful! Clayton really make the most amazing merchandise. Certainly the best available on the market right now, wouldn’t you say?” Kye started to walk to join the others, but was stopped short by Wei’s voice. “Stay at the crack, Achilles Boy! We aren’t finished with you yet.” He tapped, and the soldiers returned to their places for the final time.

  **

  “You haven’t forgotten about your training so quickly, have you?” Kye stood his ground, folding fast as Wei questioned him. “Your work is not yet complete. Would you not like to learn?”

  “I would,” Kye replied, unfreezing and moving towards the crack once more.

  Wei interrupted him again. “No, no. Over here, come with me. You, stand here.” He pulled Kye over to the middle of the treadmills and walked back to the crack. “And I will stand here.” The rest of the crew remained standing, all having dropped their hardlight weapons to the floor; the cargo bay was significantly darkened, the only light now coming from the soldiers waiting patiently on their treadmills. Danny reached up and flicked his goggles once more to initiate night vision, happy he had not yet disposed of them.

  Wei continued. “AchillesCorp has been responsible for the production of many incredible weapons and armaments, giving us only the highest level of aid to the brave soldiers who fight in the frontlines of the War. Powerful firearms like the Clayton Automatic Rifle you hold in your hands. Tools manufactured, imperative to our survival, like those Amaterasu Goggles your friend is so dutifully wearing. And deadly weapons, previously unseen in all these years of glorious warfare, like your arm here.”

  Kye lifted his arm and twisted it, looking it over both sides. Posed to ask a question, he opened his mouth. Julie got there first, irritation leaking into her tone. “Glorious years of warfare?”

  Wei turned to her, a bemused confusion on his face. He spoke, calm, as though to a child who didn’t understand. “I am sorry, did something in my speech stir you? Are these not the best years of our lives?” Wei’s thin chest began to swell with strong patriotism. “Even for a lousy draft dodger, you must appeal to the sense of pride you have for your great army?”

  Tired of his condescending tone, Julie replied to Wei, determined to be the one to put him in his place. “The army has never been great. And neither has the war. These weapons they manufacture aren’t incredible in the slightest – they’re terrible, hateful things. You, of all people should know this. Place your faith in the State we have, not in the states we are trying to obtain! I mean come on! You’re post-Asian, aren’t you meant to hate the war?”

  Wei fired back with an equal brutality, cutting her off in her stride. “I love the war. The war gave me my profit, gave me my livelihood. It gave me this job, and provided me with a stable income. You know where I was before now? You know where the WestMeri State Government placed me?” Julie shook her head, taking a cautious step back from his radiating energy. He gestured to his temple once more, hands shaking with rage. “They saw it fit that I would be placed in a disconnective camp, due to my debilitating condition. Couldn’t pay the fines they imposed and was kicked out in a week. Of course, as soon as I joined the army, there was no issue with supplying the money themselves – I’ve been here since, seen no change.” The room had gone silent once more. “So, of course, I love it here.”

  “Does this lifestyle really make it worth it? The lives you’ve traded for this?” Julie whispered, guarding herself. Wei, his energy ebbing, just turned from her and back to Kye, speaking dejectedly as he did so. “It’s the only life I’ve known.” Julie stormed out of the cargo bay, heading back towards the direction of the doorway. Kye called out to her, but his shouts fell on deaf ears; Douglass, worried she would cause trouble on her own, sent Eddie to follow her.

  “Leave her!” Wei shouted as he pushed Kye back to the centre of the treadmills. “Some people just can’t handle the truth.” He tapped on his pad and the soldiers arose from their slumber, training their weapons around onto Kye. “We train now. You can all talk later, this is my time you’re taking up.”

  Looking to Douglas for validation, Kye saw a nod; he loosened himself up and started paying attention to Wei, keeping his sight trained on the multiple enemies nearby. They were sitting idly, muzzle of their weapons aimed directly towards Kye’s chest, bouncing on the balls of their hardlight generated feet.

  “So, what am I meant to be doing? I still don’t fully understand how this arm works–” Silent save for the mechanical plates moving, the soldiers burst into action once more. Trails of bullets from those closest to him arced over the empty space and thudded into Kye’s torso, dissipating as they did so. Winded he dropped to the ground – as soon as it had started it had finished – the soldiers lay still once more. Danny and Douglass watched on in complete silence, as Kye stood once more, rubbing his new wounds with his cybernetic arm.

  “Stop thinking.” Wei said, chastising Kye for his useless attempts. “You have to let the arm move for you, see it as a limb of unlimited possibility, not a burden attached to your body. Once more.”

  Kye, having a bit more time to prepare, was able to use his enhanced reflexes to move his arm in the way of more than half of the bullets, palm out flat and evaporating the strength of the impacts. The few that managed to slip his grasp slammed all over his body. Most were inconsequential, but he was dropped to the ground once more by a shot that hit his kneecap, crying out in pain as Wei shook his head, disappointed.

  “I need advice! What the fuck am I supposed to do?” A tap on the pad, and another volley of shots sped through the dark. Still only able to catch a few, he felt the full force of three more bullets, this time striking him in the stomach and the temple. After a brief flash out of his Commlink, he was quick to recover, anger flooding his system and pulling him up. His howls were almost drowned out by the noise created by his calamity, finally using his emotions to the better as he lashed out properly. Soldiers to his left and right fell to the ground, split in two at their waists, darkening the room as they vanished. Kye’s arm – stretched out far from his body – whipped around the empty cargo hold, almost imperceptible to the stunned on-lookers as a result of its velocity. They flinched as Kye finished dispatching the holograms around him, and turned to Wei, who was standing calmly with the pad down by his side.

  “Seems as though you needed no words from me. Stage one is complete now.”

  Kye’s arm returned back to his side and normal form; his face was shrouded in shadow, but they could feel his anger pushing out in waves.

  “You can destroy, but can you defend?” Wei asked, loudly over the clunking of metal plates moving around. Kye turned on the balls of his feet, as the reformed treadmills activated. He paused, taken by surprise; Kye had expected more enemies to fight, and instead was greeted by a tall green wall surrounding his space. He spoke.

  “I was defending. I caught those bullets.”

  Wei, a blurred vision through the wall from Kye’s side, activated the pad in response. The wall started to change – a row of spikes shot into the interior, missing Kye as he ducked underneath. One caught his already bruised arm, slicing through the skin and bringing back a streak of bright red blood. He winced, breathing air through his closed teeth and rubbing at his wound. Wei laughed, drawing another yell from Kye, “You fucker! Hardlight is not meant for real damage.” Wei only shrugged, and sent another wave in Kye’s direction, aiming to his torso this time. Kye, now more worried for his health than before, threw his arm out, spreading it wide in a desperate attempt to shield from the oncoming danger – successfully, he was able to reshape it into a crude dome in time for the attack to hit. Cracks resounded in his peripherals, as the hardlight spikes made contact with the cybernetic enhancement. Shards of light dropped to the floor around him, whilst his arm returned to its previo
us state and the jagged crystals winked out under his feet. Wei spat, appearing visibly disappointed with Kye’s victory, and threw the pad to the floor. The cargohold was plunged into darkness for the final time, as the wall dropped and the treadmills shut down.

  Danny leaned forward, holding the Amaterasu Goggles to his face to prevent them from falling off and disappearing. He had enjoyed watching Kye’s torture, smirking at his pained expressions delivered to his sight in full monochromatic green clarity, but now the lights were off, and he was the only one who could properly see. Douglass was stood to his left, taut and rigid with stress; the corroded metal containers that formed their arena closed Danny’s vision to what was happening in front of him. He saw the pad smash on the floor, and saw Wei stride forward with clear purpose – Kye was preoccupied with spinning around aimlessly, blissfully unaware of the final threat that was forging its way towards him. A hand behind Wei’s back brought out a green weapon of his own, though Danny noted that it seemed duller than usual. He laughed aloud, preparing himself for more of Kye’s discomfort, and clapped his hands together – as he removed his hold on the Goggles they dropped to the floor, extinguishing the last light source in the cargohold. Blinking through the darkness, confused that he was having to, Danny suddenly realised. Muttering to himself a quick curse, he called out to Kye.