by Mars Dorian
“Any lock-ons, Aida?”
“No one is targeting you.”
"Let’s see how long that lasts."
RX brought down the APEX and landed near the tanks and LRVs. Hundreds of soldiers gathered around him in a half circle with their combat rifles raised. Klaven and his female assistant walked through the crowd and told everyone to stay at ease. When the soldiers lowered their rifles, RX opened the cockpit hatch and pushed Norma’s body out. Dragged her toward Klaven’s boots and made her face sink into the muddy grass.
Flop.
Klaven sighed.
“How did she die?”
“I put a bullet into her nose bridge.”
“Then what did you need your APEX for?”
“Norma sent her mindless zombies after me. I needed my craft to break away from the onslaught, but now it’s over. Norma lost control over the colony the second my bullet entered her corrupt brain.”
The uniformed woman next to Klaven picked up Norma and checked her mud-sprinkled face.
“It’s really her.”
“Of course,” RX said, “I delivered what I promised. I suggest you take your troops and return to your colony. We’re settled.”
Klaven wrestled with his face. He was clearly not used to getting barked at.
"What about the discovery?"
"It's some sort of artifact that spat spores into the air. The alien bacteria then infested the brains of the citizens and turned them into drones, more or less. Somehow, Norma found a way to use it to her own advantage. But it's over now—I have destroyed the artifact."
"You did?" Klaven said, not looking pleased in the slightest.
"The citizens of Evergreen are free thanks to me."
Klaven nodded, but looked as if he longed for a different answer.
Didn't matter.
RX was not going to succumb to the old man’s power play.
It was time to play the game by his rules.
“Our deal was Norma. You wanted to kill her, I did the job for you and brought her here. We’re done.”
Klaven finally remembered how to use his voice.
“And what about you?”
“I’m going back to the colony and help the citizens rebuild it. And then we plan the next step.”
Klaven moved his head. RX couldn’t tell whether the man was nodding or shaking.
“We can aid your repairs. I can sent over APCs with constructors. Let's combine our forces."
RX smiled.
Nice try, old man, but that shtick won’t work twice.
“I think it’s best to return to your colony and take your troops with you. The last weeks have been nothing but misery for the citizens of Evergreen. They need time to recover. Having your soldiers around would only spark more tension. Let’s cool it off for a while.”
Klaven grumbled.
“I’ve got a lot of injured men. I think it would be fair to have them attend your medstations and receive some of your food. It would also be a gesture of peace—I’d love to sit together with the Evergreens and plan our mutual future.”
More blah blah to hide the commander's true intention. Norma was right about one thing—Klaven craved the control over the alien. RX knew how to shift the argument around.
“Maybe sometime in the next weeks, but not today. The Evergreens don’t look like they want to speak with you anytime soon.”
“Says who?”
“Their new leader.”
RX wanted to high-five his inner self. Klaven had no choice but to let him go. The woman next to him looked like she wanted to intervene. Aida adjusted the cannons of the APEX and proved she could easily unleash a deadly volley in the blink of a nano-enhanced eye. The woman stepped back and turned silent like the rest of the crowd. RX smiled.
“I’m glad we have an understanding.”
He turned around to the APEX but stopped half-way.
“And get some sleep, Klaven. You look exhausted.”
And with that, RX climbed back into his cockpit and ignited his APEX. Klaven, the woman and all the soldiers stood around like puppets, waiting to get delivered. Aida linked into RX’s ear channel.
“Commander Klaven sounded as if he expected a different outcome.”
“Klaven can suck my cock. He can be pleased that I saved his battalion from slaughter. Especially after his blatant lies.”
He paused and addressed his display.
Klaven and the soldiers stared at his armor.
RX watched them with waning interest.
“I’m tired of this place, let’s go.”
“Roger that.”
RX airborne’d the APEX and looked through the ground of his transparent armor. Klaven still frozen to the spot with the grimace of someone that ate fetus for breakfast.
RX smirked.
You keep frowning, old man, I’m not taking orders from you anymore.
RX entered flight-mode and returned to his new home. The clouds cleared around him and allowed the sun to send her brightest rays. It was destiny smiling back at him.
Finally.
RX left the flight control on auto-pilot and chilled in horizontal position. The last weeks had been a non-stop mix of tension and terror.
Enjoyable, up to a point.
But now he looked forward to relax for a day or three and ponder the next step of his destiny on this planet. RX rubbed his neck, hummed a melody and watched the clouds blurring by his APEX.
Too bad his favorite AI ruined the relaxing moment.
“You've got a call,” Aida said, “from another APEX.”
“Very funny.”
“I’m serious. The ID is Z69-8382. Do you want to accept?”
A shock blasted through RX’s body.
Another APEX?
Around here?
That was impossible.”
“Wait, what’s the ID again?”
“Z69-8382,” Aida said.
“Heya slacker.”
The caller’s face appeared on the upper-right corner of the display. The napalm hair glowed in the hyper definition, but not as much as the sharp smile that flashed the screen.
Nah, it couldn’t be.
Not now, not here.
“Can you hear me?”
A voice RX hoped to never hear again, neither in this life cycle nor the next. He gulped down a load of spit that tasted like corrugated iron.
“I can hear you fine, Arrow.”
50
Arrow’s trademark fox strands shone. Her emerald-green eyes and smile wanted to split the screen. And yet, there was something different about her. Her suit carried an overhauled design. The face chiseled in a new way.
New style, but old Arrow.
“What’s the matter, RX. Did the sun burn your last brain cells?”
“It’s just...it’s been a while.”
“Oh, you did really miss me?”
She landed her APEX on the central plaza and climbed out of her cockpit. Her new astrogear reflected the sunlight and looked as if it was crafted for a new Stryker commercial.
Stellar times ten.
Arrow pranced halfway across the intersection and stopped a few meters in front of RX’s APEX. Shifted her weight to the right side and pulled up a fake, sulky-looking face.
“What, are you too shy to step out?”
RX caught himself and opened the cockpit hatch. Arrow jump-hugged him and pressed tight.
Too tight for RX.
“Good to see you alive, boy. We all thought we lost you during your last mission. Looks like you’re not the mangina I always thought you were.”
“It’s been quite a ride ever since.”
The sentence couldn’t sound any more detached if he tried. But he was still perplexed by Arrow’s appearance. It just didn’t fit. And now she tiptoed around him and gazed at the organic houses of the Evergreen colony.
Did she know what was going on here?
It was difficult reading her intentions.
She was a skilled
actor.
Through and through.
“So this is quite the holiday resort, eh?”
“Are you alone?”
“Huh?”
Her eyes rolled back to his direction. Attention rose to 100%. RX could see the energy waking in her iris.
“Have you come alone?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you here?”
“Dummy, I’m here for you. I’m your search & rescue team.”
RX licked his teeth. The statement sounded strange, especially from her mouth.
“I hate to say it, but you’re more important to Stryker than I thought. The sergeant personally sent me to come look for you. Jeez, I must have circumvented half the planet. Just for you."
Her smile shone bright.
“I can’t believe I’m actually happy seeing you again.”
Me neither, RX thought. And he still didn’t believe it. Arrow stepped back and scanned him from boot to hair.
“Look at you, all tanned up and chillaxed. Did you soak up the sun all day?”
“I was actually trying to connect with the carrier, but my AI said the interference of the planet blocked the signal.”
Arrow looked at him with zero interest. As usual when he spoke. Bloom approached the two. A hundred other citizens stood in line a few meters behind and looked at them like tourists from a space zoo.
“Rex, I’m glad you finally found one of your peers. I assume she’s a co-pilot from your fleet?”
Arrow spoke for RX, as always. Some things never changed.
“Rex? That’s your name down here?”
“It’s the first thing that came up.”
Too late.
Arrow cracked up with rebound laughter.
"Wow, talking about delusions, but hey, anyhoos, yeah, we both go wayyy back.”
She hugged his shoulder and moved closer. RX shrugged.
“I guess we do.”
RX released a pathetic laughter. Arrow patted his chest armor and grinned.
“I taught RX a lot of APEX flight maneuvers and showed him how to finetune the beam use. Poor boy probably forgot everything, but hey, at least he got the spirit.”
Within five minutes of meeting, and she already derided him.
It was the same shtick as in space.
Arrow dynamics.
RX shut his mouth and assessed the situation.
He needed to find out what she knew.
Needed to find out what she wanted.
From him.
And everyone he knew.
“Bloom, can I talk with my peer in private? We have lots of things to catch up to. We leave the APEXs here under your watch.”
Her frosted lips opened.
“I understand. I hope you can bring your comrade to our dinner event later on. I’m sure our compeers are dying to get to know her.”
Arrow winked at RX.
“Oh, like a party?”
“We assemble every evening in the commons and dine together. It’s sort of a big deal in this community.”
“Interesting, why not? It’s been a long flight, I tell you that.”
She turned around and started walking. RX excused himself.
“We won’t take long.”
Bloom waved them goodbye.
“Oh, take all the time you need.”
Delivered like a true ice queen. Seriously, Bloom smiled with the warmth of an Alterrian glacier. RX couldn’t blame her—Arrow arrived at the worst possible time.
Was that a coincidence?
RX increased his walking pace and led Arrow away from the crowds. She looked at the organically-shaped houses and ‘oohed’.
“What an interesting technology. It looks pretty primitive at first, but the structures actually breathe, eh? Some kind of smart housing.”
RX wanted to cut the chit-chat and shot straight for the core.
“How did you find this place?”
“Mmm, my AI picked up your APEX activity. Looks like you were busy playing war, but I’m sure you’re gonna tell me everything.”
“This colony was in a war with another one. I acted as the mediator and sealed the conflict. Both parties are at peace now.”
“And you’re their savior.”
“That’s a bit of a stretch. I just wanted to avoid a massacre.”
Arrow grinned. The smile almost broke her cheeks.
“Rex, the savior to the rescue. But then again, you always wanted to be the hero.”
“What about Stryker?”
“Well, we’re in full demand. The USC is keeping us busy with work. Most of our units are engaged in active duty.”
RX listened with care.
“Is D12 okay?”
“Oh, the boy’s fine. He shoots up the ranks like a jetpack on steroids. Some folks believe he’s going to be a corporate commander within the next five years.”
“For real?”
She flicked a smug glance at him.
“He’s got skills. More than you, that’s for sure.”
RX closed his eyes. He’d better get used to her biting remarks, as she was warming up with them.
“Hey, I’m just stating the facts. No need to cry on me now.”
They passed through another section. Thank tech most citizens stayed inside. RX wanted to avoid as much interaction as possible. Some of the Evergreens acted like sleepwalkers who awoke from a century-old dream.
Arrow averted her eyes from the few bewildered citizens pointing at her.
“So, what about you, RX? What the hex did you do beside ditching duty?”
“I was trying to connect with the fleet, Arrow. Every single day, I waited for my AI to give me a signal from Stryker, but it was hopeless. And with no coordinates from the carrier, I couldn’t just fly into space. I thought you all gave up on me.”
Arrow nodded but seemed to care little about his dilemma.
“What kind of colony is this? It isn’t registered in the database.”
RX hesitated with his answer. He didn’t want to tell her too much. Not before he knew her true purpose.
“It’s an independent colony of pacifists.”
“Pacifists? Those still exist?”
“They love nature and family life. They don’t understand property or currency and there’s no chain of command. Everything’s free.”
Arrow hissed.
“Sounds like a paradise for parasites.”
“It’s different from our life at Stryker, that’s for sure.”
“Don’t tell me you prefer this over our incredible fleet command?”
“It’s just different, Arrow.”
They marched out the city and entered the woods that led to the lake in the north-west. He wanted to take her away from the destruction in the north-eastern section and avoid any conversation about the recent conflict. Thank nature the sun exposed her brightest side today. She sparkled in the water and colored the lake azure-blue. RX pointed at the horizon that flowed into the green water.
“That’s where a lot of the citizens like to hang out. You see these boats? They’re all robotized and catch the fish.”
Arrow watched the lake and moaned.
“Boring. Is that where they sent all the seniles to die?”
“The entire colony is like a holiday resort.”
Arrow locked eye contact with him.
“What about their military? I didn’t detect any weapon systems, soldiers or armed vehicles.”
“I told you, they’re pacifist.”
“Come on, RX. You don’t believe that bullshit, do you? It’s a human colony set inside a sector brimming with dangers. Only suicidal braindeads would avoid defense.”
“I mean it. Evergreens detest violence and the military. Most haven’t even heard of us, it’s like they’re living in another dimension.”
“Interesting. Tell me more.”
RX rubbed his chin.
"There's really not much to it. Evergreens want to live in harmony with nature. They enjoy si
mple things."
Arrow nodded, but her eyes moved left and right, looking for something more captivating. RX's chance to turn this conversation around.
“Why did they send you of all the pilots?"
“Like I said, Stryker was looking for you.”
“So they sent the best pilot to get me?”
Arrow narrowed her eyes.
“I asked for it. My last missions looked all the same, I needed some variety.”
Nonsense, RX thought.
In war times, even star pilots couldn’t be picky. They had to abide by central command, and Stryker’s higher-ups would never send one of their elites away from the battle zones. But RX needed more time to address that matter. He watched Arrow walk toward the refinery. She touched the organic surface and squealed.
“Weird, it’s like our narnites but on a bacterial basis.”
“Yep, the entire colony is built on that technology. It regenerates itself. The Evergreens in exosuits can grow it back even faster.”
Arrow craned her neck.
“Who built it?”
“The colony’s ancestors.”
RX repeated Norma's version of the colony's secret past. It was better to keep the truth hidden from Arrow.
“They don’t look like they’re tech-savvy. In fact, they look a bit green behind their ears. Pun intended.”
“Never judge colonists by their color. Just because they’re different from us doesn’t mean they’re less capable. They just have different priorities.”
“Look how defensive you get,” she said.
“I’m not, I’m just stating the facts.”
“Don’t whine, I wasn’t attacking you.”
RX suppressed his desire to grind his teeth. Anger boiled up from within, ready to blast through his throat and explode out of his mouth. Arrow still pushed his buttons, and it still pissed him off.
She left him standing and pranced back to the artificial beach. Inspected the water and covered her face from the everglowing sun.
“I have to admit, it is quite nice. Being stuck in enclosed quarters gets to you, and I’m not just talking about the space radiation.”
She turned back to him.
“You really have no clue what happened in space while you lived down here, do you?”
RX shook his head and thought of his previous life at Stryker.