by C. W Tickner
The higher pitched voiced flowed through the translators as the Aylen spoke.
‘My name is Alik,’ The banker said. He gestured to the chamfered, sand coloured stone archway and a tunnel leading inside the pyramid. ‘Please follow me to your meeting.’
‘What do you know?’ Vax asked as he and Veel trailed side by side behind Alik. The hover platform followed between the heads of the two.
‘Only that the meeting has been arranged by Director Grakka,’ Alik said. ‘Of course it has already been paid in full. The invoice is in the name of Harvest Ten as a business meeting, that is all I can tell you.’
He led them through a length of clear tunnel that extended over a factory floor like a bridge. High sided conveyors shuffled hundreds of charges under the gaze of inspecting bankers. Depending on the light they emitted they were separated into different conveyors before falling into vats as big as houses. They were piled high, like a square box of perfectly round pebbles, shimmering in hues of red green and yellow.
Mechs patrolled the perimeter with battle scarred Aylen inside, gazing at the workers with a stern look on their faces.
‘Fascinating,’ Kane said. ‘They must use a great deal to power the lights on top of these pyramids.’
‘It is how they show their wealth,’ Veel said, ‘and is a mark of social status.’
‘A waste,’ Damen muttered.
‘It’s their culture,’ Kane said. ‘Not that you would be top of the class for that subject.’
‘Not the time,’ Harl said as Damen twisted in his seat. He had a feeling that if they suddenly erupted in violence, even friendly; it would cause problems.
As they crossed the bridge and the factory floor ended they reached a brightly lit corridor lined with doors on either side. Each giant door had a symbol carved into the metal.
‘They’re numbered,’ Tess said.
‘Why’s that important?’ Uman asked.
‘It’s not,’ Damen said. ‘This place is weird enough anyway.’
‘They are not numbered in sequence,’ Tess said. ‘Some are repeated.’
‘They are the security levels of each room,’ Vax said, his voice booming even when trying to whisper beside the platform.
‘None are higher than ten,’ Tess said. ‘Is that the most?’
‘One is the highest,’ Vax said.
Alik turned his head slightly as if listening. ‘You will be in a section one room,’ he said, given the current conflict between your nations.’
‘What does that mean?’ Harl asked as Alik stopped at one door and pressed his four fingered hand into a circular depression on the side.
The door clicked and swung inwards, revealing what looked like an interrogation room. A desk sat in the middle, hemmed in by three marble chairs, two on the closest side and a single seat on the other. The Sandy coloured walls were made from massive blocks fitted together like bricks with the mortar between carved out and the chamfered edges exposed to give the room an angled feel. The table was lit with a single spotlight and as they stepped in the room the coldness hit Harl, as if comfort was the last thing considered when it was furnished.
‘There is a button underneath either side of the table,’ Alik said from the doorway. ‘If you or the other party feel threatened you may press it and the appropriate security measures will be activated.’ The door slammed shut behind them and a series of locks clicked into place.
Chapter 18
Looks like I’m stuck on a ship with ten thousand sleepers and I am unable to join them. The solitude has taught me to start being completely self sufficient. Tomorrow I will find a place on board to truly make my own.
A pair of Aylen stood like silent giants in diagonal corners of the room. Their mech suits shone a brilliant silver as they watched Alik pull chairs out for Veel and Vax.
On the opposite side of the room was another entrance, a mirror image of the one they had come in by. Alik explained the situation and glanced at the door as if expecting it to open.
The door opposite swung open and an extremely fat Aylen lumbered through, just managing to slip inside without having to turn sideways.
‘Grakka,’ Kane muttered.
A second Aylen entered and proffered an earpiece to Grakka, who snatched it and stuffed it into an ear. He grinned a saw toothed smile at the waiting party as the other Aylen slid Grakka’s chair back before the director slumped in to it and let out a sigh of relief.
He was dressed in a smooth, sleek fitting top that wrapped tight around his bulk then pinned to his side. It shimmered even in the bright light of the room. Streaks of red, yellow and purple weaved tendrils like waves across the black background and intertwined like coiling vines before unravelling in a burst of white. It was like he was wearing a flexible computer screen. The hypnotic pattern seemed familiar and Harl realised it was an exact mimic of the tendrils within the Aylen charge spheres that they used for currency. Did the clothing harbour the same power? Before he could wonder any more, Grakka’s slow, deep voice boomed over the table and Harl felt a pang of irrational fear as the director spoke.
‘I have come here with a proposition,’ he said putting both hands on the table and leaning forwards. The sharpened teeth were like a colossal saw blade and the stench of Grakka’s foetid breath was like a plague that washed over the platform.
Grakka grinned as he leant in and stared hard at the platform.
‘I see you brought the little ones with you,’ he said, his dark yellow eyes roving over the humans and Harl realised they were secondary in the conversation.
When the black pupils honed in on Harl he felt the pang of fear as the grin widened revealing more sharpened teeth deeper inside the mouth.
‘What do you propose, Grakka?’ Veel said. Her soft voice eased the tension inside Harl and he saw the others all relax a little in their seats.
‘What can you offer after sending troops to our island to destroy what is ours?’ Vax said.
‘Do you not remember harbouring criminals?’ Grakka snorted. ‘I declared war on your pitiful, creature-loving island when you decided to let thieves into your territory.’ His gaze snapped to the platform. The yellow pupils contracted as his vision focused. ‘You knew the problems it would cause and yet did nothing to apologise in almost a year.’
‘So you admit to sending humans to attack us?’
Grakka shrugged and leant back. ‘My offer is this,’ he said. ‘Give me the secrets to your reactor and in return I will declare this war over and peace can be resumed.’ He smiled. ‘There is no need for any more Compassionates to suffer. We can all have the energy we need for our species to flourish.’
‘Our species will flourish but our world will die,’ Veel said.
‘We’re not afraid of violence, Grakka,’ Vax said, ‘When we let the world know about the reactor it will be the first step to stop the creation of your death strips. You have sucked this planet dry.’
Malice leaked into Grakka’s voice. ‘You will be afraid,’ he said. ‘I will offer this to you all.’ He looked at the platform lowering his brow as if to include the humans in the words. ‘Give up the reactor and we will never need to speak again. We are, of course, willing to give the Compassionate faction substantial compensation for your donation to our cause.’
He unclipped the side of his jacket and slid a hand inside pulling out a stubby black cylindrical tube. Aylen writing was scrawled in red around the rim. With a tug, Grakka popped the lid off.
He placed it down on the table and a low growl sounded beside Harl. It was coming from Veel. One of the guards stirred as she frowned at Grakka, who plunged a hand inside and drew out a small, crooked beige stick clasped delicately between his fingertips. He looked casually at the skin coloured twig then opened his cavernous mouth and tossed it in. A tiny crunch could be heard and Grakka smiled as Veel stood up.
Harl didn’t understand why she so angry. Was it taboo to eat in front of another Aylen?
‘I have not finished,’ Grakka
said, swallowing the morsel. ‘Your island needs our power, yes?’ I have not considered pulling the plug on your little animal haven.’
‘Liar,’ Sky muttered and Veel sat again.
‘But,’ Grakka said, ‘I need to find a way to resolve this and that is the only option you leave me. How long would you last without the cables that run under the coastal wall?’
He thrust a hand into the pot on the table and he slowly withdrew the lifeless body of a man, coated in powder. Harl realised that the stick before had been a human leg and that Grakka was eating the flavoured remains of people.
A hacking choke sounded beside him as Tess threw up on the floor next to her chair and Grakka crunched down on the body.
‘Bastard,’ Damen said. He stood up in outrage when Grakka clawed out a heap of bodies in one hand, tilted his head back, and like a child, dropped the bodies into his gaping maw, chewing them like a tasty treat.
‘Is this allowed?’ Sky asked.
‘Shamefully so,’ Vax said.
Considering what Kane had told Harl about the potential energy stored inside humans he guessed that, like a rare cut of beef, it was considered a wealthy Aylen’s treat.
‘Give me the reactor,’ Grakka said ‘and I can buy out the factories that make such...’ he paused, pinching out a tumble of legs and arms and letting them cascade back into the pot.‘Delicacies.’
Harl slammed his hand down on a button on the panels in front of him, unable to comprehend the demand this Aylen was making. His microphone crackled to life.
‘You want us to hand over the one thing that can destroy you,’ Harl said. ‘That sounds like the talk of the defeated to me.’
Grakka’s face contorted for a moment and Harl watched the domineering will behind the face raise a calm mask once again.
‘Your days are coming to an end,’ Harl said. ‘Your attempt to destroy the reactor was a cowardly last ditch effort to stop something before it stopped you.’
Grakka’s face twitched at the words.
‘But you’ve already failed.’ Harl went on. ‘We’ll fix the damage you’ve done and watch you lose the elections.’
Grakka leant forward suddenly and the guards in the corners took a step forward ready to react.
‘Harl Eriksson,’ Grakka said, his word oozed with loathing and hatred. ‘I knew you might be the one to hold power over the rest of the humans.’ He looked up at Veel and Vax. ‘Even some of us Aylen. And I have an offer for you alone.’
‘There’s nothing I need or want from you Grakka.’ Harl said. ‘We have your kind in humanity and they all rot eventually you are nothing but rotting scum.’
‘You won’t hear my generous offer then?’
‘I think we’ve heard enough demands from you today,’ Harl said ready to end the meeting as the others nodded.
Grakka shrugged, looking away innocently. ‘Your parents will be disappointed then.’
Chapter 19
I have found the perfect space. A huge core cylinder with balconies overlooking dozens of open floors. It’s the largest space I’ve found so far. Now to bring enough supplies here for a what might be a few years.
The room seemed to close in on Harl. He gripped the arms of his chair to try and hold on to some kind of sense of reality as he stared at Grakka. Could his parents really be alive?
‘W-what do you mean?’ he stammered, rising from his seat.
‘Is that not what you desire?’ Grakka asked.
How had he known? Did he have the same power as Veel?
‘It’s a trick,’ Damen said. ‘Don’t listen.’
‘I assure you it is not,’ Grakka said.
‘Explain then,’ Harl said, feeling his heart quicken. He breathed deep to try and calm himself but the knot in his stomach refused to untangle.
‘When the owner of the shop you grew up in was found dead,’ Grakka said, ‘Harvest Ten took an interest and purchased the store. The shop kept strict accounts and these were passed over to the company. I could easily have the documents sent to my office.’ A smile crept over his face as he leant across the table. ‘Just give me the reactor and I will bring them to your little ship on your little island.’
It had been a long time since Harl had longed to see his parents again and only the suddenness of Grakka’s admission made him doubt the plausibility.
‘It was nearly twenty years ago,’ Harl said. ‘I don’t believe you have records going back that far.’
Grakka laughed, a stomach rumbling bass of sound. ‘Twenty years is not long for us, little one.’
Could it be true? A flash overwhelmed Harl and, as he blinked to stop it, a vision of the island embedded itself in his mind. It was a dead rock stranded in a drained ocean, the surrounding seabed harvested for the organics deep in its sandy bed.
‘They wouldn’t want me to trade the life of this planet for their future,’ he said. ‘You use people's greed to further your own, Grakka. It’s all you know.’
Veel slipped her hand under the table as Harl went on, uncaring of the monster that sat in front of them. ‘We can build a dozen more reactors in a dozen different places until we’re the ones profiting from every Aylen faction as they build their own reactors and put you out of business.’
Grakka growled in his throat.
‘You have lost, Grakka,’ Vax said, standing as if the meeting was over. Grakka back handed the pot of human snacks across the room and launched his huge bulk over the table, teeth bared in a feral snarl and drew his fist back to strike.
Veel’s hand jerked under the table. An instant later, a wall of metal slammed down from the ceiling. It was shaped to fit around the table and it hammered down dividing the two parties even as Grakka continued to pound his fists against the other side.
‘That was close,’ Sky said, once the muted banging stopped.
The rest of them stayed silent and stared at Harl to see how he’d digested the fact his parents could still be alive. The door behind them swung open and Alik entered, looking as apologetic as an Aylen could.
‘It seems your meeting was disagreeable,’ he said.
Harl wondered if the banker had been listening and realised that the guards could relay the entire conversation even if Alik hadn’t been eavesdropping.
‘But,’ Alik said, ‘perhaps the next meeting will be more… beneficial.’
‘Next meeting?’ Vax asked.
‘It is not for you I’m afraid,’ Alik said. ‘Although no doubt you will find out from the humans when they return.’
‘For us?’ Kane asked.
Alik nodded and clasped his hands together. ‘If you will follow me.’ He looked back at Vax and Veel, then spoke to the guard in the corner. ‘Trovos, will you escort Vax and Veel to their transport. I fear Grakka will be looking to gain vengeance if the chance arises.’
Trovos nodded and led Vax and Veel away.
Alik waited as Kane glided the hover platform across to the door then he led them out to the left, deeper into the maze of numbered doors.
‘Who wants to meet us, Alik?’ Tess asked.
‘One of the chargers,’ Alik said.
Tess’ eyes shot wide and Kane’s head jerked up in shock from the control panel in front of him.
‘Who are the chargers?’ Harl asked, seeing the sudden change that had come over them.
Tess looked at him as if he was asking what water was. ‘The equivalent of the Compassionate heads,’ she said.
‘But much more secretive,’ Kane put in.
‘You are right,’ Alik said, ‘It is a privilege to meet one of the chargers.’
‘What do they want?’ Damen asked.
‘I’m not at liberty to know,’ Alik said. ‘Sorry I cannot be of more help.’
He stopped at a door and punched his clenched fist five times into the steel.
A moment later the door opened, giving them a glimpse of the most luxurious Aylen room Harl had ever seen.
Unlike the last room, there was no sandy bricks lining t
he walls. Instead they were panelled with sheets of dark wood. The panels were carved into exquisite filigree patterns and studded with charges, whose colourful tendrils inside cast a calming mystical light into the room. There was no guards or obvious barriers waiting to drop. Instead in the centre was a sweeping desk that curved around an ancient Aylen who lounged in a padded chair behind it.
The same protruding eyes as Alik’s peered at them but the skin was blotted with a hundred more blemishes. The yellow eyes locked onto them as Kane took them closer, giving Harl a close up view of the pale craggy face. A long drooping jowl swayed beneath his chin like an old man’s beard. Its tip dangled onto a top crafted from the same filigree as Alik but instead of silver it was a bright and beautiful gold.
‘Please,’ the old voice croaked. ‘Come closer.’
Kane edged them halfway across the table and the Aylen sat forward to get a better view.
‘I would offer you a seat but it may be a little to big.’ He chuckled to himself at the joke and beckoned them even closer until they hovered fifty paces from his sunken nostrils.
‘My name is Barchook the charger,’ he said and leaned in so close the warm foetid breath coiled around them with each breezy exhale.
‘Why have you chosen to meet us Barchook?’ Harl asked when none of them spoke.
‘To warn you,’ Barchook said simply.
‘About what?’ Harl asked.
The old Aylen coughed, pushing a gust of warm air over them. ‘Grakka has built his own reactor,’ he said.
‘Impossible,’ Kane said, clearly indignant at the suggestion.
A low growl rumbled in Barchook’s throat. ‘I did not invite you here to lie,’ he said.
‘I’m sorry...’ Kane mumbled, ‘I just didn’t think it possible. May I ask how you came across this information? Is it reliable?’
Barchook growled again. ‘My sources are reliable.’