by Ted L C
“What’s the NanoLite limit for everyone else?”
“It is dependent on the core’s software. You currently have version nine point seven. The most current version, nine point nine, is only possessed by forty-four users in the four galaxies—”
“How many NanoLites does that support?”
“Infinite—”
A stream of air brushes the tip of Derek’s skull as another robotic arm appears. His wrist arcs backward, hurling a cluster of spikes toward the face of another robot.
He rests Alyssa’s body against the seating of a vehicle’s interior.
“Would you like me to see if I can contact the E.A.J. to retrieve Alyssa?”
“No,” shrapnel of rock propel at the boy. Some pieces wedge themselves into various parts of his body. Smoke appears where the mecha once stood.
A saucer hovers behind it, facing a weapon with the shape of a fork toward Derek.
“Tell me if that’s a rail weapon—”
“Fire!” a modulated voice says with a Japanese tongue.
A symphony of screams echoes throughout the desolate urban landscape.
A woman curling her arms over an object shrouded with a blanket, along with two children, appears.
A mechanical foot slams into the ground.
Derek manifests in front of the mech as he swings his left arm upward. The Revelator nudges against the robot’s sword.
“Children,” he bends his legs while descending. “Please t-take this body and flee to somewhere safe!”
The mother rests the blanketed object into a child’s hand and hooks both arms against Alyssa’s shoulders. While dragging the body toward a building, the sound of scraping metal echoes.
Energy shot.
The Revelator bursts into a silhouette of ashes. His forearm swivels as a beam of cobalt light erupts from his SAP.
Half of the robot’s arm collapses.
The lad appears on top of the mecha. As the Revelator sprouts from his hand, the boy’s fingers grip its stem and hurls downward. The blade’s teeth crunch into the mech’s back.
“Do your work, my babies,” the sword bursts into a puddle of Nanos. They skitter across the robots back.
* * *
Derek emerges behind the family of three.
“Where did you come from?” the woman’s back shoots upward. “Never mind. Follow me to our home!”
“Let’s hurry.
“Laura, call Reivscere—”
“How is the defense going?” Liam’s voice says within the helmet.
“Not good. Alyssa is unconscious. What should I do?”
“Take her to Western Seattle’s General Hospital. I will cover the medical expenditures. Give me a couple of minutes and I will send you a picture.”
“Hurry!”
* * *
Within the window, groups of multicolored spheres fly throughout the smoke-filled skies. Some fire expels beams of energy toward builds and others at each other. Continuous ribbons of light pierce through the wings of floating submarines.
A large blade tears through the walls scrapes the visor of Derek’s helmet, grazing the tip of his nose.
A cluster of spikes propels through the mecha’s face as he thrusts his wrist downwards.
His legs hurl him through the striped building. Derek hurls the SAP into the wall as the ground in his sight increases with size.
As feet touch the solar panels lining the road, the Revelator manifests.
“Above you!” the mother screams.
Chunks of concrete hail from the skies within his peripheral.
He vanishes and appears to the side of the mech.
The Revelator swings toward the being’s face.
The blade tears through the mecha’s lower chin. His palm rests against a red light flashing from the robot.
* * *
Derek surfaces on the first floor of the structure with a metallic sphere curled into his bosom.
Numerous heavy footsteps and jingles thump against the ceiling. The ball slides from his arm.
Hurling his wrist forward, a cluster of spikes eject through the flooring overhead.
A scream emanates from the units above.
He appears within the doorway of the mother’s complex to see her caressing a man wearing camouflage. Her fingers tugs a metallic triangle wedged into his chest.
“Oh no—” Derek says. “I am so sorry—I had a lot going on—I heard footsteps. I only assumed that it was danger. So I took out whatever the footsteps were sourced from. In case the robot came back again—”
“I only have my daughters, now,” the woman says. “Take them to safety and leave me to my husband.”
“They will need a mother. Let me take you to Seattle with my companion. You will be safe there,” Derek rests a palm against the woman’s shoulder. “I will make sure these monsters pay for what’s happening to your city.”
“P-please. Properly bury my husband when this is over.”
The mother and children mash their hands against Derek’s back. They burst into ashes.
* * *
“Mom!” one of the kids says with a Japanese tongue. A series of droplets fall from her reddened eye.
“What d-did you just do to us?” the woman’s yanks the back of the boy’s jacket.
“One second,” Derek makes his way toward the counter.
“Hi there,” a brunettes celadon gaze reflects off his helmet. “Hh-how can I help you today?”
“These are denizens effected by a current invasion in Tokyo, Japan. The woman over my shoulder is incapacitated. And I need the mother and her children checked for any infections.”
“Will you be staying with them—”
“No,” an image of several figures bound with ebony exoskeletons materializes within his thoughts. “Bill Liam at Reivscere corp—”
* * *
Derek appears ahead of the complex. A group of figures with U.S. and Japanese flags etched on their exoskeletons sprints through the streets.
“Yo!” he spreads his arms outward.
“Identify yourself!” They aim a myriad of rifles at the boy.
I can’t tell them I’m working for Reivscere. Don’t want to tell them about Alyssa.
“Derek O’Brien.” I raise my hands and face my palms toward the group. “I’m a HESTEK who noticed trouble going on. Thought I would help defend the city.”
“Who’s your employer?” a figure shifts their weapon close to Derek’s face.
“No one. I’m doing this job for free.”
“I’m going to scan for your I.D. chip, sir,” a man flashes a flat piece of metal attached to a stick and hovers it above the boy’s head.
“Interesting. Class-A disability. A boy who purchased point double-o 164. Reivs worth of marijuana in the last month from Blazin Folks. Took down three machines controlled by highly trained military operatives. Wait—”
An image of angel wings illustrates themselves inside of the lad’s mind.
“Reivscere—” the stick slides from the man’s hand as it flashes the barrel of his rifle upward.
A towering box of metal slams itself into the group of soldiers. Their bodies transform into a geyser of red juices.
His eyes follow the rise in temperature to a series of cylinders emitting explosions. They yank a massive robot’s legs into the skies.
His eyes ascend, they follow the structure toward a field of solar panels creating a giant skirt. They dash farther. Gray blobs consume the being’s body.
“The weak spot is generally the head. But since this is a reality, I’m assuming it’s different.
“Laura,” his feet take him toward the titan’s direction. “What is that thing?”
“It is a Titan Class Mobile Hive,” an image of a robot samurai materializes on his heads up display. “Owned only by the Vulcanian and Reivscere governments, their primary purposes serve as drone hives and inland supply dealers. However, their arms can be used for emergency landing strips for plan
es—”
“How is it powered?”
“The Mobile Hive’s body is lined with solar panel shingles. Its upper body is lined with propellers for wind power. The vents in between the panels serve as a means to convert Oxygen to H-two-one, where it is then used as a coolant in addition to hydroelectric power.”
“Which gov. owns this one?”
“The Vulcanian government.”
“Are there any weaknesses?”
“I am afraid not. Though disabling the rockets might make it immobile, it will be able to carry out its purposes as a mobile military base.”
“Does it have a control panel?”
“Yes; however, the control panel is located on the planet of Vulcanis. Even if you were to destroy remote controls, there are hundreds more spread throughout this being’s inner shell.”
“I have an idea—” Derek’s body combusts.
* * *
His eyelids collapse as the sands enveloping the arena vibrate in unison with his body.
The air transforms into a frigid breeze.
He envisions his hair mutating into a myriad of purple spikes shooting upwards.
A cobalt hue consumes his eyes.
* * *
Derek surfaces upon the robot’s leg. As his feet tap a panel, the surface below liquefies.
He vanishes.
He appears on a metal sheet dancing in the sky.
Ants scurry through the light fog lining the streets. His vision shifts upward as the tip of his boot slides across the panel.
He bursts into ashes.
Appearing on a flat surface. Shingles rain from the clouds.
A massive ball lined with solar panels appears from underneath Derek.
The traction on his boots gives out as his body collapses.
His armor hurls itself toward the collapsing waist of the titan—
* * *
Dark Path
“Mr. O’Brien!” the boy’s eyelids widen.
A collection of trees surrounded by gray clouds illustrate in his vision. “Wake up, Mr. O’Brien. Your micro and macronutrient levels are in the danger zones.”
“Ww-what?”
“You appeared in a desert, then returned to the robot, dismantled the waist from its body and passed out. Now your body is exhibiting—signs of malnutrition. Might I expel NuVape throughout your—helmet?”
“NuVape?”
“NuVape is a harmless fume in which I will distribute. It will absorb into your skin and through your orifices. With that said, it will provide your body approximately—6,500 calories—in addition to your daily recommended intakes of micro and macronutrients.
“I also have calorie pills available which provides the same benefits as NuVape.”
“You’ve been able to do this the whole time—”
“Vitals in peril state—distributing—”
A cloud of violet vapor circulates throughout the vents within Derek’s helmet.
The collapsing solar panels and ligaments of the distant titan liquefy. The juices scurry like water-jets with the atmosphere, forming massive spikes upon collision. They propel toward numerous areas spread across the city.
“What the hell—”
“You must be the young man decommissioning these lent robots,” Derek’s eye’s drag his face to a character garbed with an ashen suit. “I am most impressed you could dispose of a Titan with such ease. With such grace, too.”
“Are you Tsubasa?” Revelator manifests within the boy’s fingers.
“I am,” the man’s palm shifts to the boy. The NanoLites molding the Revelator liquify along with the rest of the lad’s armor.
The fluids ooze from the front of Derek, structuring itself into a chrome figure with the boy’s likeness.
“Strip technology from a man,” his mouth opens, yet darkness covers his teeth. His lips form a smile. “And you see a reflection of yourself as to whom you truly are. Now—Derek O’Brien—the HESTEK who has conquered Faxian and more. What do you see?”
“Uh,” his ivory-toned bag of bones appears in the reflection of the structure. Pupils shift to a watch encasing his wrist. He envisions a shell surrounding his figure.
“Fear? Perhaps, you do not feel safe without your shell? Or your prized sword?
“I bet, you’re daydreaming about your armor coming back—it won’t, though. I temporarily deactivated your core. Do you still wish to fight me, child? You broke the technology borrowed for my cause. Yet, I sensed confusion when you first laid eyes upon me.”
“Honestly, from what I’ve heard about you, I have to ice you. Feel like I can take ya on without my weapons.”
“Must you believe everything that you are told?” a stick with several floating shards of metal gravitating with a circular motion forms. It blossoms, spreading his clenched fingers. “This is the weapon Reivscere sent you for. Correct?”
“Correct—”
The man digs the base of the Sozo into the ground. Tsubasa curls both legs underneath his body.
“I am truly sorry, then. Behold, perfection!” His voice transitions to a roar. Overwhelming the roaring gales which propels through the skies. “1,000 arm Chenrezik, rise!”
A rainbow of droplets rain, fleeing the pallid atmosphere. Upon colliding with the gravel, they slither toward the Sozo.
Derek detonates.
As he appears, a colossal palm pivots, ramming his back.
The boy vanishes.
Appearing a field’s distance from Tsubasa, a 5-story tall humanoid manifests. Hundreds of massive metal arms dance with the air surrounding the being.
“Great Delight,” Tsubasa’s voice carries itself throughout the arena. “What is yours?”
Alyssa—
Derek materializes beside Tsubasa. The corner of a green face on the being beckons the boy’s gaze.
“Be yee free from unwholesome and negative actions?”
No—
A golden arm arcs toward the boy.
He evaporates.
A white metallic face appears. Several hands dash at him.
“Capitalization of meditative practices?”
No—
Derek disintegrates.
A red and green face mounted on top of each other manifests.
“Have you acquired the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment in addition to concentrating your mind and deep meditation—”
Maybe—
Balled fingers thrust themselves into the boy’s forearm. A crack emanates.
A white and green face aligned on top of one another forms. A frigid breeze fills the air.
“Does your mind contain perfect wisdom and great compassion to all living things.”
“Yes—” the boy fades.
The fists immobilize.
A white and red face; stacked on top of one another comes to sight.
“Do you wish to turn back? If not, have you obtained the ten powers of a Buddha?”
“Wha—” an army of hands transform into blurs as they bolt toward the boy. They brake upon reaching fingers length in front of his body.
Red and black facial features of the statue materialize within Derek’s mind.
A wall of ivory metallic fists shrouds the creature.
“Derek,” a palm rests against his shoulder. “The fact you answered ‘what’, to my last question is an indicator. An indicator the protagonist in your story of life has not evolved to his full potential. Has not realized what they’re truly capable of. I feel like you must start over.”
Derek’s eyelids collapse.
“Your home,” Tsubasa’s deepened voice flows through his ears.
* * *
The boy’s body yanks itself into a crusty brown puddle painted on a wooden floor.
“A stellar needle containing NerveEndar hovers above your neck,” warm breaths brush Derek’s nape. “I’m going to let you stand. No funny business, OK?
“Can I trust you, young man? Raise one finger for yes—two for no.”
His index finger releases from a fist.
“Wonderful,” an invisible hand grips Derek’s SAP. It heaves his back against the wall. “I don’t want to hurt you, O’Brien, Derek. Please—hear what I say before you further your assault. OK?”
“Don’t have much of a choice—”
“Liam of the Reivscere corporation is not the man you think he is. I heard what happened to the one whom you consider your sister, Rainy. I know she’s dead. I know that she was slain by one of Yama’s filthy demons. I also know her corpse wasn’t destroyed when Reivscere decimated the Yama Temple.
“I consider you as a son I’ve never had, Derek, as do I with Eri; therefore, I care about your happiness. Upon Eri’s battle with Achilles, she went in, retrieved the corpse of the woman, and bought it to where my good friend, Ajir Hamal, lives.
“However, due to Liam’s golden fist tightened over the communications network, I could not access her location. I do know of a man who can help you find Ajir, though.
“He is, per se—a hermit. He resides in Shelton, Washington state in the United States. He can also provide rather amusing theories about HESTEKS. My favorite is the one about using the Betas as apart of an experiment in a video game creating by aliens.
“Anywho, what you’re looking for is a black rectangular bumper sticker with the words, ‘Honk if You’re a HESTEK’. There is only one in the Cosmos.”
Tsubasa extends a palm toward him.
“Would you like to join my daughter and I in conquering Liam? I’ll give you some of my blood; afterward, that wrist will be back to normal. And who knows, possibly down the road you and my daughter can wed. You seem like the same age she is. Please, Mr. O’Brien—accept my offer. I do not wish to fight you.”
His gaze transfers to Derek’s. The boy’s pupils deflate.
“If you must defeat me for the risk of Liam not offing you, then I understand,” Tsubasa’s fingers lower themselves as the syringe dissolves into a fleet of transparent specs. “I do hope that you make the right choice, someday, my boy.
“I sense a great heart in you and feel a compelling presence pulsing from your skin. An aura so powerful, it feels like needles pressing into my skin.”
The invisible hand releases its grip on the SAP.
The device arcs itself sideways, ejaculating a cluster of spikes. As Tsubasa bends his body forward. The spikes pause.