Gyaros Book One: The Mice Eat Iron (YA 17+ Sci Fi Adventure)

by Rohan Healy

  “This is amazing,” she whispered.

  Upon hearing Lucy’s voice, the others entered the workshop, smiling excitedly.

  “Look guys, it works, it really works!” Lucy said happily as she sat up straight.

  “Lookin' good Lucy,” said Maxen as everyone made their way towards Lucy for a closer look.

  “Feel alright after the operation?” asked Adam.

  “Yep, fine, just a little tired. Thank you so much Mr. Powell!” Lucy threw both of her arms around Adam and squeezed him tightly.

  “You be careful now, it’s gonna take a while to heal,” said Adam.

  “How about we get you off that hard table and go sit in the living room?” Miriam suggested with her usual comforting expression.

  “Yeah,” added Maxen, “we don't want Adam to have to make you a new butt too,” they all laughed and returned once again to the comfort of the living room to end the hard day with some cold, refreshing drinks.

  “Hey, can I try some of that?” Lucy asked as Miles opened a beer.

  “Well I don't know,” Miles said with a concerned tone, “I think you're a little young for that.” He realized how ridiculous he sounded, given the circumstances, but he still felt strange about giving alcohol to a “child”, human or not.

  “Aww, come on, you drink it all the time, just one?” Lucy pleaded. Miles thought about it, beer wasn't exactly the biggest danger Lucy had faced in the past week and someone who had been through what she had deserved a drink.

  “Alright, just a little bit though,” Miles said sternly and he poured his beer into a clean glass that was sitting on the coffee table until it was half full.

  “Awesome! Thanks Papa!” Lucy took the glass in her hand and brought it to her mouth, her face scrunched up as she tasted the bitter liquid but she swallowed hard, determined to consume the beverage like the grownups.

  “So what happens when you give booze to a robot anyway?” Maxen joked.

  “I guess we'll find out,” Adam replied with a chuckle.

  The beer seemed to make Lucy rather tired and they decided to get to bed early again that night, Lucy's training was to begin the next day so she needed a proper rest. Miles and Lucy fell asleep instantly on the two sofas, exhausted by the excitement of the day.

  The next week went by peacefully with Lucy spending a couple of hours a day learning to shoot with Maxen, she was a fast learner and within just a few days she could hit targets - mostly trees and rocks - fairly consistently. She spent much of the rest of her time playing on the old skateboard, Adam had helped her build a small wooden ramp which she would ride up, turn 180 degrees on her back wheels and roll back down. She picked up a few scrapes and bruises but they were nothing to someone who had recently had their arm chopped off. The arm itself was healing rapidly and although Miles worried about her roughhousing Adam assured him that everything was just fine after the operation, and that he’d never seen such a speedy recovery. Miles and Maxen spent most of their time helping out around the house and occasionally discussing their plans regarding New Fortune in private.

  Then the day finally came when it was time to leave the comfort and security of Adam's house and set out on the road to New Fortune once more. They had planned to leave in the very early hours of the morning while Lucy was fast asleep.

  “Miles?” Maxen whispered, making his way down the stairs and into the living room as quietly as possible. He was fully dressed, wearing a long brown trench coat with the right sleeve torn off to prevent any material from jamming his robotic arm and was carrying a large sack filled with belongings in his left hand. Adam and Miriam had provided them with a generous amount of food, water and fuel for their journey as well as a few tools and spare machine parts that might come in handy later on. Miles slowly lifted his covers and climbed off the sofa opposite Lucy, keeping his eyes on her at all times. He had left his t-shirt and jeans on when he went to bed the night before to speed up their exit in the early morning, Maxen made his way towards the front door as Miles finished putting on his boots. He hunched over Lucy and kissed her gently on the forehead. Looking down at her gentle sleeping face reminded him of everything they’d been through and why it was so important that he leave her with the Powells where she could live and be happy, away from the death and the violence. Miles began to well up with tears, ‘Lucy you have no idea what you did for me that day in at the landing zone. You saved me from becoming a murderer of innocents. Now I’m returning the favour.’ Miles mouthed the words “Goodbye Lucy” and stood up, rubbing the tears from his cheeks. Miles and Maxen both took one last look at Lucy before carefully and quietly unlocking the many bolts and chains on the heavy steel door and sneaking out into the night.

  They made their way through the thick forest and towards the road where the blue pickup was parked, neither of them spoke a word during the ten minute walk, afraid that Lucy might still hear them. The only sound was the dirt road crunching beneath their boots and the distant croaking of the big green frogs that inhabited the pond behind the house. Eventually the bush opened up and the rusty blue truck came into view beside the road, Maxen had already loaded his motor cycle onto the back the previous evening in preparation. Miles took his place behind the wheel and Maxen entered the passenger side. Looking back at the dark trail that lead up to Adam's house, Miles thought about Lucy, he knew it was the best solution but it was still extremely hard to leave her behind like that. Miles pulled a map from his pocket and unfolded it over the dashboard.

  “There it is, Titans arena. Looks like we have to take this exit here if we want to get on the road to the arena,” Miles pointed at the locations that Adam had marked on his map which represented the arena and the turn off. The two of them studied the map for a few minutes to be sure they knew where they were going. Thankfully the arena was basically on the way to New Fortune, but it did require a small detour, and they had to be sure they didn’t miss the exit. Satisfied that they knew where they were going Miles folded up the map, popped it into the glove box, turned the key and started the truck. Miles looked longingly toward the Powell’s house.

  “You did what you had to do, Miles,” Maxen said supportively regarding Lucy, putting his hand on Miles' shoulder.

  “I know Maxen, this is how it has to be.” Miles let out a deep sigh as the wheels of the truck began to turn once again.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Chapter 23

  The blue pickup rattled noisily along the dirt road as Miles drove north toward Titans Arena. Maxen sat relaxedly in the passenger’s seat, his robotic arm hanging out the window on his right making wavy motions with his silvery hand against the wind. Every time Miles drove over a dip or a bump they could hear Maxen’s bike bouncing a little in the bed of the truck. The foliage thinned as the pair sped away from Adam and Miriam’s home amongst the forest. The thick green jungle was replaced by undulating hills covered with tall grass that was mostly green but with some yellow patches. It was incredibly pretty watching the endless fields and rolling steppe sway gracefully in response to the cool breeze. It reminded Miles of when two people hold a large sheet and raise it up and down causing waves and ripples to cascade across the fabric. It was certainly a welcome change from driving through the desolate red deserts where Miles had spent the first few weeks of his time on Gyaros. ‘Who would have thought that there’d be beautiful, peaceful scenes like this here?!’ Adam had told Miles and Maxen that it only took a few hours to drive to the arena so they expected they’d arrive by mid-afternoon. The plan was to get in and get out as quickly as possible. Maxen had agreed to do the fighting and split the cash reward, in return Miles would help Maxen find a way back to Carthage. Fights were held just about all day and they were always looking for fresh fodder for the champions to destroy. Desperate people came from all over Gyaros to bet on the fights and even more desperate people came to actually engage in combat. In times when volunteers were thin on the ground, raid parties were sent out to “recruit” new fighters. It was an absol
ute slaughterhouse, hence its colloquial nick name, “The Meat Grinder”. Maxen was confident though, and so he should have been. In the Yellow Districts of Elissa he’d been the muscle for The Machine’s home world activities, taking part in various robberies, brawls and assassinations. He came out on top against the giant rat like creature that attacked them on their first day on Gyaros, he obliterated countless thrashwings, including their queen, and who knows what trials he faced and overcame during the period when Miles and he were separated! Miles and Maxen figured he could go a few rounds, get the cash, get the hell out of there before sundown and be in New Fortune before dawn the next day. It’s true that they were broke, they hadn’t a Talon between them besides the few coins the Powells could spare to aid them on their journey. But they didn’t need a lot, just enough to make a start in New Fortune.

  The road became busier the closer they got to Titans Arena and indeed to New Fortune. Now rusted old trucks, cars and vans passed by quite regularly. Miles felt more comforted knowing that there were others travelling to and fro. He no longer felt like the only man on the moon as he so often did during his drives from The Dustbowl and Humber Dam. From time to time spontaneous conversation broke out between the two men on everything from favourite childhood memories to their funniest moments on Gyaros and even the political structure of New Fortune and its ruling syndicates. But right now they were silent, lost in their personal reflections. ‘She’s really going to hate me. She’d be awake by now. Damn it, I’m sorry Lucy but I had to do it’. Miles scratched his nose roughly trying to get the image of a distraught Lucy out of his mind. During the drive he’d been going over the series of events in his head again and again. Lucy would wake up and see that Miles was not lying on the sofa opposite her as he had been each morning for over a week. She would search the house for Miles and would find only Adam and Miriam. The elderly couple would explain to her that Miles and Maxen were on a dangerous mission and that they only wanted what was best for her. Lucy would begin to cry and sob uncontrollably for her ’papa’. It was at this point that Miles would grip the steering wheel hard and just focus on the road. He fulfilled his promise to Lucy, to see that she was safe and he would never forget the profound effect she had on him over the past two weeks. He owed that girl more than what he had to give her in return but the best he could do was to leave her with kind and decent guardians and not endanger her further as he continued his journey to reach Carthage.

  ‘I’m going to miss that girl,’ a subtle melancholic smile spread across Miles’ face as he reminisced about their time together. Eventually she would forgive him and forget his betrayal, Miles hoped so anyway, it was the only way he could justify lying to her about always being there for her. He felt a deep, dark, sick, prickly feeling right in his solar plexus anytime the image of her crying face jumped into his consciousness. But that too would fade with time. Miles projected ahead a number of years in an attempt to shift his attention from the present. He imagined himself sitting on his front lawn in Elissa, next to him sat a handsome, strong featured Chet who must have been nineteen or twenty years old. Hellen could be seen crouching down by her flower garden with a wide brimmed straw hat keeping the hot sun off her face and neck. Miles then imagined Lucy, all grown up and fending for herself as a well-balanced independent young lady. Under the guidance and care of the Powells she would blossom into a healthy woman, ready to take on life on Gyaros as best she could, and even perhaps move to Humber Dam and meet a nice young man or woman there. Despite being only comforting fantasies - considering Miles certainly would not simply slot back into his normal life on Carthage if he managed to get back, and also, being a robot, it was highly unlikely that Lucy would ever grow physically at all – these visions made Miles feel much better. He’d lived long enough to know that one never can tell what is just around the corner, and that the pain of today will one day be replaced again by joy and contentment.

  Maxen’s thoughts were of his daughter Jenny. She was sixteen years of age and doing her best to scrape by in the Yellow Districts. Jenny was a resourceful girl and strong too, it was her who gave Maxen the will to go on after the death of his wife and it was her who kept him eating right and sleeping well. Even in her early teens Maxen wondered if it wasn’t he who needed her more, instead of the other way round. But she was kind too, she didn’t begrudge her father his weaknesses and limitations, she loved him as he loved her, and it broke Maxen’s heart to think of her all alone, fending for herself half a million kilometres away on Carthage. Maxen’s spirits soared when he saw Miles alive again, not only because of what they’d been through together, but because it represented hope. Hope that he would one day hold his precious daughter in his arms once again.

  No doubt Titans Arena would be a bloodbath, after all that is exactly the purpose of such a place, the patrons demand gore and gratuitous violence and the combatants gleefully satiate their ravenous hunger. But it was a necessary step on the way to New Fortune and one that, for Miles and Maxen who so longed for home, was undoubtedly justified. Sure they could try and find safer work back in Humber Dam but neither Miles nor Maxen wished to spend one day on Gyaros longer than they had to, and they would make more in a single day at the arena than they could in a month in Humber Dam.

  The road became dusty again as the vast elliptical arena came into view.

  “I heard it used to be a sports and athletics stadium,” said Maxen, “just before the war broke out they were staring to work on the sporting infrastructure, you know leagues and competitions and all that.”

  “I guess it didn’t take long to become the home of blood sports after the fall of Talos huh,” Miles added.

  As they drove closer they could see the stadium in more detail. Large red vertical banners hung down from the rounded roof top and flapped intimidatingly against the structure’s walls thanks to the wind that was beginning to pick up. This part of Gyaros looked more like The Dustbowl with red sand and harsh rocky features, presumably there was a less than perfectly functioning Wilhelm station in the vicinity. Miles and Maxen began to hear the distant roar of huge crowds and the booming and indecipherable voice of an announcer. The area around the arena was bustling with activity. As they drove nearer they could see the hundreds of people frequenting the various food and drink vendors, some of them stopping to enjoy the games of chance and skill that were also set up. It had the atmosphere of a carnival though the patrons looked most unwelcoming.

  As Miles slowed the truck to find a parking space he got a better view of the people and the stadium. Fights were breaking out all over the place and violence was rife. ‘If this is what it’s like outside, what the hell are the actual contests like!?’

  “Damn man, this is some ugly crowd. There’s the booth for sign ups, try and park close to it so we can avoid the people as much as possible, I wanna save my strength for the fights.”

  Miles turned and headed toward the applications booth, which had a lengthy queue, parking as near to it as he could. Maxen hopped out of the truck closing the door behind him with a loud clunk. He made his way to the back of the line where he waited patiently for twenty minutes or so under the blistering sun. Miles sat in the car and sipped away at the fresh water Adam had supplied them with, all the while trying not to make eye contact with any of the locals. Finally Maxen’s time had come. Miles could see him talking to the man in the booth and although he couldn’t make out what they were saying from where he was seated, he knew something was wrong. Maxen jogged back to the truck with an irritated and disappointed look on his face, slid back into the truck and slammed the door.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Miles.

  “Fuckin’ asshole said they’re only takin’ teams of three this week, no individual entries, wouldn’t let me sign up to fight,” Maxen fumed, his arms crossed tightly in front of his heaving chest. “Well this stinks man, you got a plan B?” he looked over to Miles who thought for a moment, scratching his beardy chin.

  “Well look there’s two of us,
maybe we can find someone else and just let you do the heavy lifting, you know? It means we’ll have to split the winnings but it’s better than nothing, which is what we’ve got right now.”

  “Yeah that’s true, and I could probably deal with three of these freaks on my own,” agreed Maxen. He stopped for a moment to think before continuing,

  “I’ll grab my bike and scout around for someone to make up the numbers, it’ll be faster and safer that way. You keep an eye on things here, I’ll try and be quick, get this shit over with.”

  Miles nodded in agreement and Maxen exited the truck, this time making his way to the back of the pickup. Miles sipped away at the water in his canteen and took a look in the rear view mirror to see how Maxen was getting on. Miles frowned when he saw Maxen talking to someone at the back of the truck, his dark face much paler than usual and looking genuinely shocked. Miles had never seen him look so stunned and his heart began to race. ‘What the hell is going on back there?!’ Miles placed his hand on his pistol which was tucked into the front of his trousers, leaned out of his window and shouted back,

  “hey, everything alright back there?”

  Maxen looked up to Miles.

  “Uhhh, I think you’d better take a look at this Miles.”

  Hopping out of the truck Miles rushed to the back to see what what was up. He looked under the tarp which Maxen held aloft and he felt his heart stop in his chest for a moment. Miles felt shivers travel up his spine and he choked slightly on his own saliva. Sitting there next to the beat up old motorcycle was the miserable figure of an extremely distraught Lucy, her eyes red and swollen from sobbing, her arms folded indignantly in front of her chest and her mouth pulled down at the sides creating the very opposite of a smile.

  “L-Lucy, I-I don’t…”