by Eden Blue
Lydia had heard of the grand cities the Krekken had built, but she had never seen one in person. The sight was breathtaking and Evan had to grab her a few times when they were turning corners. The awe kept her eyes wide open, not wanting to blink for fear she would miss something strange and beautiful.
Around Evan, the Doctor, and Lydia, crowds of aliens walked, lost in the haze of their own thoughts and errands. Evan lead the way with the Doctor and Lydia close. The Cyborg often looked down from the tall buildings to stare at Dumon soldiers. Humanoid crab-like aliens, a subspecies of the Krekken, stood at corners or walked along in groups of three, their armored exo-skeletons shifting as they marched along. They were ten feet tall with armored arms and pincer claws at their sides. Along the sides of their T shaped forms, a small set of armored arms held plasma rifles of Krekken design. They were crude looking as if barnacles made the surface of the rifle, but the rectangular barrel showed it was capable of firing large plasma bolts.
Lydia couldn’t help but gaze upon them as they lumbered by on thick armored legs. Their heads were small and triangular with the tip pointing out. Small blue eyes shined against their blue-green carapace armored bodies. Thick metal collars surrounded their thin necks as they moved, hunched slightly and giving off the appearance of no neck.
Evan leaned closer to Lydia as a trio of Dumon lumbered by, “The collars recycle water through their gills, replacing the oxygen in under a second. I know it may seem like a weakness if you destroy the collar, but Dumon can survive for hours without one. They have an endo and exo skeleton and their bodies are capable of taking several plasma bolts before cracking or melting. You never want to get into close combat with these guys. They may look bulky, but they are strong, fast, and agile.”
Lydia barely nodded as they walked along the wide street. Transport cars pulled up to block corners, taking and letting off passengers. Evan kept his eyes peeled as he saw several Terrans step off with red collars and symbols of two blades in the form of an X over their hearts. The Engineer looked down at his drab clothing made up of a shoulder and chest cloak, simple black pants and boots. His hand reached up and pulled at the strap of his E-pack while they moved on.
“Don’t make eye contact,” Evan said in a harsh whisper.
Lydia looked from the passing Dumon to the four Crimson Blades walking along. She turned her gaze downward as they walked by. The three continued as they turned corners and walked down streets. The further north they walked, the less bodies they saw. Soon the streets grew smaller and dirtier. Vile liquids bubbled along gutters and a few Terrans lay slouched against the buildings, their eyes lost in a stupor.
“Are those players or NPC AI’s?” Lydia asked as she stared.
“They could be either. The game fills in the blanks, but sometimes even in the game, a player can fall upon hard times,” Doctor Vickers said with a touch of sadness in his eyes.
“If you run out of credits or die too many times, you can be stranded on a planet with no way off. You can’t start again and must try to level up or stay where you are,” Evan said as he moved to a Terran in ripped clothes.
Bending down, he pulled out a credit chip. Transferring a few hundred credits to it, the engineer tapped the disheveled human and handed him the chip. The Terran looked up, his eyes lost for a moment before they widened at the credit chip before him. A shaky hand reached up as Evan placed it in his dirty palm.
“How can I…” The man began.
Evan shook his head, “Use it to get somewhere and start over. I wish you the best.”
Lydia smiled as Evan stood up, turned and continued walking. The doctor clasped a large hand on the Engineer’s shoulder as they walked, grinning like a fool. Evan shrugged it off, not smiling. He knew deep down anyone could be in that situation and he hoped what little relief he could provide would make their gaming experience that much better.
When they were out of ear shot of anyone on the street, Lydia moved to Evan’s side, “Is this place safe?”
“I doubt it and that is good for us. The Dumon can spend a lot of energy fighting and tend to avoid places with too many Terrans. They think we’re too violent,” Evan said in a low voice.
Lydia was going to ask a question when they turned a corner. The Cyborg’s senses dialed to eleven as she drank in the bar entrance. A neon sign hung with a unicorn head on its side, an X where its eye should be. A glowing tongue lay out and right above it the words “The Dead Unicorn” blinked over and over again. Rainbow blood dripped from its severed head as light danced around it. Metal shutters were down over the large windows and Lydia could make out the dozens of blast marks dotting the outside of the establishment.
“This place seems fun,” Doctor Vickers said with a cheery grin.
Evan gritted his teeth for a moment before turning to his companions, “We can’t start any trouble here. Let’s be as diplomatic as we can, get the information and get out.”
Lydia nodded grimly.
Doctor Vickers kept his smile, “I would love to get out of here in one piece, but our contact may have other plans. I patched her up once during a border conflict in Lyress space. She is a touch crazy. Most ex-Soldiers usually are.”
Evan simply turned away and looked to the entrance of the Dead Unicorn, “How crazy?”
Vickers folded his beefy arms, “She is an ex-Soldier turned entertainer because, as she once put it to some of our guild members, ‘Killing became too easy.’”
Evan raised an eyebrow, “I knew the name sounded familiar but I wasn’t sure. Ryan used to talk about her all the time when he would go to the PVP sectors.”
Lydia eyed them, completely lost.
Evan could see the questioning gaze, “Jamie Spiral was part of the Player Vs Player teams. Some systems are under constant conflict and players can go to work out their frustrations or their thirst for battle. Jamie Spiral was a conflict leader. No one could touch her as she was that good. I always wondered why she gave it up.”
Vickers nodded, “I can’t answer that, but she does have a crazy temper. I wouldn’t doubt some of the blast marks are from her.”
“Will she recognize you?” Evan asked.
Vickers closed his eyes and shook his head, “I doubt it. She had a faraway look in her eyes when I patched her up, like the light wasn’t always on.”
“We should still keep it civil,” Evan said in a low tone.
The doctor looked to the Engineer with a knowing grin, “We can try.”
Evan began walking toward the entrance, Lydia and the Doctor following. The door slid into the wall when they stood before it. Smoke and mist spilled out as the three players stepped in and the door closed behind them.
Evan stood, taking it all in. The place was packed with bodies. Most of the patrons were Terran, but there were a few Dumon and Lyress scattered about. It was dark and smoky with glowing neon running along the corners of the room shifting into reds, blues, and yellows. A stage stood against one wall with a runway nearly splitting the room in two. A woman with long purple hair, long limbs, and an outfit that barely covered her, sang a melodic tune as patrons watched with watery eyes. The song was haunting, like the singer was pulling her very soul out and laying it before each body in tribute. A Dumon’s triangular head dipped, streams of tears raining down from bright blue eyes. The few Lyress in the room stood watching with blank expressions while their skin turned a glowing purple with swirls of red. Several groups of humans held hands as if to connect to such an amazing moment, changing their lives forever.
Lydia gazed upon the singer, her own eyes watering as the haunting song took hold of her still human heart. Power surges ran along some of her cybernetic parts, barely able to contain the swirling emotions. Doctor Vickers’s smile faded as he looked to the singer, lost to its beauty.
Evan could barely hold back the urges pushing him to weep. Turning his attention from the stage, he pulled up a 2D screen and began using his engineering skills. With several scans, he could tell her voice wa
sn’t normal. She was using a vibration module, most likely implanted in her throat, to strike certain chords a normal person could never achieve. Evan activated a compartment in his E-pack and pulled out a small earpiece. Running a program, he placed the piece in his ear. Buffers took the edge off the song and he felt normal again. The Engineer never knew implant tech could be used in such a way and filed it away for further research.
A few minutes passed before the entertainer finished her song and bowed. The crowd went wild with cheers and shouts. Flowers made of light were thrown onto the stage, passing through the singer and glowing at her feet. She smiled, her beautiful smile lighting up the place before she turned and walked to the back of the stage, her nearly exposed bottom swaying from side to side until she disappeared through the curtain.
Lydia wiped at her eye, “Was that Jamie Spiral?”
The Doctor nodded with shadows under his eyes.
“Oh my god, I want to meet her!” Lydia nearly shouted, tears running down her cheeks.
Evan looked to Lydia, “She is using an implant to manipulate sound.”
Lydia looked to Evan with tears in her eyes, “I don’t care! That was beautiful!”
The Engineer smiled, “The effect should wear off soon. Next time, set up a simple sound buffer and you should be immune to the effects.”
“I never want to be immune!” Lydia said as tears flowed and dripped off the sides of her cheeks.
“Me neither!” said a Lyress with a blank expression and colors swirling along her exposed skin.
Evan tried to keep it together and not laugh. Looking to a table off to the side, he quickly beckoned his companions as he stepped towards it. The Doctor and Cyborg followed, Lydia wiping away tears until they stopped. The three of them sat down and waited as Lydia slowly collected herself.
A curtain close to the stage opened up. Evan looked up and saw the smiling face of Jamie Spiral and a curling finger. The Engineer was soon back to his feet and walking toward her, Vickers and Lydia up and following. Once through the curtain, it quickly fell away as the entire bar filled with awe inspired chatter.
Jamie led the way down a small hallway. Evan kept his eyes up, trying to not look at her swaying hips, their gravity tugging at his very optic nerves. The entertainer stepped to an open door and pointed in. Evan stepped in first, followed by Lydia and Vickers. Jamie stepped in last, closing the door behind her.
The room was lavish, filled with puffy pinks and purples. Cushioned couches lined the walls and a vanity mirror stood over a desk. Paintings of famous entertainers covered the walls and the sound of a violin filled the room.
“The violin will mask us from any prying sensors or drones,” Jamie said with a smile. “Anyone care for a drink?”
“I’ll take one,” Doctor Vickers smiled.
Jamie nodded, “Good. The bar is over there. Make me a drink while you’re there.”
Vickers walked over without skipping a beat, “What will you have?”
“A dirty martini, extra dirty,” Jamie flashed a bright smile before turning to Evan.
“You are as handsome as your brother,” Jamie said slyly.
Evan’s face grew hot.
Jamie looked to Lydia, “You must be Lydia. I can see the family resemblance.”
Lydia stared at her, awestruck.
Vickers made two drinks in a blur before coming around and stepping back as Jamie motioned them to sit down. The Doctor handed a martini to the singer and stepped over to the big comfy couch as Evan and Lydia sat down. Jamie sat down on a pink chair, facing the three of them, a long leg slipping over another and raising the martini glass to her lips. After a long sip, she let it down on the nearby desk and looked to the three sitting in her dressing room.
“I know time is short and we have a lot to discuss so I will be brief. Ryan was here as recently as a few hours ago. He wanted to make sure I gave you his directives personally so there would be no confusion.”
“Directives?” Evan said as his mind snapped to attention.
Jamie nodded and continued, “He knew you would come and left a trail he knew you would follow. Venna asked around and some of the ex-guild members working for me sent her the appropriate contact information and codes. But this is only the start.”
Jamie uncrossed her legs and leaned forward, elbows on her knees like a commander in a huddle. The change was sudden and Evan could see that some of the ex-Soldier mannerisms were still there. Evan knew that you can change your class anytime you wished, but the old skills will never go away. They stay with you for the length of the game character, no matter what profession you choose.
Jamie continued, “A hundred miles east of Rekkus Spire is an installation. Ryan wants you to break in and steal a Titan Tempest crystal.”
Eyes widened a hair as the three players stared at the beautiful performer.
Jamie let a sly smirk appear, “The installation is over something that resembles an old temple from some forgotten time. Some of my regulars work there and talk about it when they spend private time with me. It is a joint operation between the Terran and Krekken Empires. A few months ago, they found in the temple three dormant titans. One is still being harvested but the other two are in suspended animation.”
“What categories?” Vickers asked.
“All three are category 4’s,” Jamie said with dark eyes.
Lydia gave Evan a nervous glance. The engineer tried to keep his own nervous stomach from twisting. He saw the vids when it came to epic battles with Cat 4’s, but he had never faced one.
Jamie noticed the nervous looks and gave a comforting smile, “Ryan doesn’t want you to fight them. He needs you to break in and steal one of the Tempest crystals. One of my recent private clients was drunk enough to part with a code. He was also nice enough to tell me that the code is new, but will only last 24 hours before it is changed again. You have 22 hours left before it resets. The code is only for the vault. You’ll have to find a way in and procure the crystal.”
“What type of installation are we talking about?” Evan asked.
Jamie gave him a serious gaze, “Military and scientific.”
“Any reason why this is a joint effort?” Evan asked as he shifted in his seat.
“They have scientists working together to find weaknesses to the titans. It is rare to find one in suspended animation, let alone three. They have already harvested four crystals and in the coming weeks, they will harvest the remaining eight from the two titans. They’re splitting up the crystals between the empires and exchanging scientific data. Most normally would be okay with this, but there is something deeper below the surface.”
All ears were pointed at the ex-Soldier as she brushed a long strand of purple hair from her cheek.
“Ryan and a number of others may have discovered where the titans are coming from. He wants to be sure and he needs you to go in, steal a crystal and bring it back so it can be confirmed.”
Evan gave the performer a crazy gaze, “Me? Us? Why? Ryan is a much higher level and has powerful friends. They could invade the installation and take all the crystals themselves. I’m just an Engineer.”
Jamie gave him a sweet smile, “Ryan told me you would say that. He wanted me to tell you that you are an Engineer, but also an Engineer he can trust. Too many people have betrayed what the Azure guild stood for and he wants to make it right again.”
Evan’s fingers curled into fists, “By killing the guild? He could have just left and started over. He didn’t need to slaughter our family.”
Jamie’s smile faded, “Ryan didn’t tell me why he did it, but he did say if you retrieve a crystal, he will tell you everything.”
Doctor Vickers looked to Evan as anger boiled into his brow, “I can understand why you’re upset, but to tell you the truth, I’m glad the guild was disbanded.”
Evan turned to the Doctor, shock painting his eyes.
The Doctor continued, “The guild had become too big and lost track of what it stood for. Azure
members used to protect and help anyone in need. It was an inviting guild for those without a home. We used to go help and protect those who couldn’t protect themselves. The galaxy is a big place and too many players were getting trampled on by stronger guilds. The Azure guild proved that we could be there and work together.”
Vickers’s eyes lowered as he continued, “I tried to stay out of the politics. Less time was spent on helping others and instead, improving the guilds bottom line. It became about the all-powerful credit. The guild was running some black operations, sending members as mercenaries for the right amount of credits. I was on an operation or two and was told to keep quiet or I would be banned. I had a lot of credits invested in the guild so I kept my mouth shut. Didn’t matter though, I lost everything when Ryan staged his coup.”
Lydia looked to Evan, “You know Ryan had to have a good reason for doing what he did.”
Evan unclenched his hands and flexed his fingers, his brow softening, “I know he must have a good reason. I just thought he would have included me…us in it.”
Vickers smiled, “He is…in a weird way. I mean, he’s asking us to break into a military installation and steal a Tempest Crystal, can’t get any more involved than that.”
Jamie’s hand fell to her bare thigh. A small indent appeared along her immaculate skin and slid to the side. Fingers slipped into the square hole and pulled out a code chip. The hole closed as she lifted the chip and handed it to Evan.
“This coded chip will send out a signal burst to Ryan, but it will only activate if it is touching a full Tempest Crystal. Once you have the crystal safe, place the chip on it and Ryan will come to you.”
Evan’s fingers curled around the chip. Slipping his hand to his E-pack, a compartment opened up and the engineer placed it inside. Jamie gave him a comforting smile and stood up. All three players stood up and faced the long-limbed performer.