by Reiter
“Come with me,” he said as he walked down the corridor. Dungias remained for a moment, studying the hallway. None of the guards, who had increased their number by three, came forward to usher him forcefully.
“The archways here are very impressive,” Dungias said as he started to follow the attendant. In response to his remark, Dungias received the history of the estate from its foundation to its latest installment of battle plating. Dungias listened, though he was not very interested, especially since some of the facts were erroneous at best. He looked around, making it seem as if he had an interest in his surroundings; he even wiped one of the pieces of art checking for dust.
“Duke MarrZo,” the attendant said as they entered a small circular chamber. It was actually a balcony, but the starlight cover and atmospheric shielding were still in place. MarrZo Falo Warseth sat at what appeared to be First Meal. Like his guest, he was dressed in white, hand-woven fabrics, though the underside was personal body armour designed to look like natural skin. Dungias suppressed a smirk. He had memories from the Mal-Vin who had seen the first attempts at the body armour. In all that time, it seemed the only thing to have changed was the color of the material, not what the Mal-Vin thought was wrong with it: the way it laid on the skin. “I present Z’Gunok Tel Dungias.”
“Ah, there you are,” the Duke smiled, getting up from his seat. “And not a moment too soon. Come, sit, and have First Meal with me.”
“Thank you for the offer,” Dungias said, walking to the chair designated by Warseth’s hand. He walked to the back of it, making sure not to touch it, looked down and then stopped. Dungias put his eyes on the guards and then to Warseth. “I suppose after I am restrained the guards will take their leave.”
“Whatever are you talking about?” Warseth asked. “What sort of restraints could be put into a chair not even secured to the floor?!”
“The chair is a conduit and designed to feed an iro-form through my anklet. That iro-form would take hold of my nervous system and disavow everything outside of my life-systems and whatever I need to use to feel pain… and of course answer your questions.”
Warseth stopped in his walk back to his chair. His shoulders dropped as he sighed and shook his head. “We must really have your trainer in for a chat on some star-term. That must have been a very involved two orbi-term instruction you received.” Warseth looked at the guards and dismissed them. The Warrior he had to dismiss twice.
“So, you’re a Traveler now,” Warseth remarked as he took his seat. He lifted a small remote control device from beside his plate and pressed the button. Dungias’ body locked as pain shot through him. He dropped to his knees, unable to breathe or scream. “I’ve always considered them to be fixtures of a past best left forgotten. It has been ages since a Malgovi was a Traveler. We have… found better things to do with our time.
“Well, no longer a simple shay-spawn, but no less difficult to control when you are in the presence of your masters,” Warseth remarked as he discontinued the power feed. Dungias fell forward to his hands. “You know, you could have forged that impressive physique of yours working in the mines. At least then you would have had no delusions about who and what you are!” Dungias panted as he blinked his eyes, forcing them back into focus.
“The chair is actually a bio-form,” Warseth advised as he started to eat. “The particular spice coursing through that anklet, however, has no effect on it. It is therefore the perfect chair to use when someone wearing that particular accessory needs to be questioned.
“Having trouble seeing?” Warseth asked, re-engaging the power feed. Dungias grunted again as his body locked. “I can’t tell you what a relief it is to have something that hurts as much as this does that also keeps you from screaming. It is a burden lifted. Then again, you’re not breathing so I suppose that is just one of the faults my engineers will have to work out.” When the power feed was cut again, Dungias collapsed to the floor and it was a moment before his lungs could take in air.
“Now you are probably wondering why I am doing this to you,” Warseth commented as he lifted his glass from the table. “After all, I have yet to ask you any questions. Let’s just say I am establishing an understanding between us. With all of this already received and reviewed, you will of course realize what I am willing to do in order to get what I want.” Warseth generated the Force iro-form to take hold of Dungias’ body and lift it from the floor. “So consider this to be nothing more than a discussion aid. Do we have an–” the shaking of the room interrupted Warseth as he looked up and around without losing his focus on his floating guest. Alarms sounded in the corridor and the lights in the chamber began to flash.
“It would seem the parties responsible for the liberation of your mentor wish to repeat their success here and now,” Duke MarrZo said as he put down his glass and stood up from his chair. “Damned Schatten-Kraythe!” The door to the room opened and the same three guards who were initially guarding Dungias came running in. “Report!”
“My Lord,” one of the two Mal-Vin spoke as he continued taking looks back into the corridor. “We have been breached! They are already on the premises and inside the estate walls. We must get you to safety!”
“Are you suggesting I run from these would-be rebels?!” Warseth shot back, creating a field around the man who had spoken. Though the Force Energy format would not react or explode, it could perform all the functions a hand could. Warseth was using it to squeeze the soldier who was immediately without the ability to move or breathe. “You want me to run from my own house?!”
“That would have been the wiser option,” the Warrior replied as he leveled his weapon at Warseth and fired. The laser bolt flashed from the rifle and struck near Warseth’s chest. A protective field took the power of the attack, but Warseth’s body was not immune to the concussive force. He was lifted from the floor and tumbled over the First Meal table setting. The Mal-Vin he had been slowly crushing fell to the floor, nearly unconscious.
Dungias dropped to the floor but managed to land on his feet without falling.
The Warrior spun, lowering his head and raising his right foot. The timing of his movement caused the rushed rifle shot of the third estate guard to miss, and the kick struck, shattering the helmet the guard was wearing. The guard was thrown back to the wall by the impact and though he was still conscious, he was too dazed to participate any longer.
“We’ve got to get you out of here!” the Warrior said before a Force beam took hold of his head and neck.
“It seems both sides have underestimated one another,” Warseth concluded as he stood up on the far side of the table. He started to press his power when a form blurred across the room, took hold of the line of iro-form between the sender and the target, and used it to swing its body into a different direction, as the beam itself was canceled out. The blur came to a stop at Warseth’s chest as both of Dungias’ feet pounded the man into the wall. The initial contact met with the same protective field the Warrior’s shot had, but there was no protective shield when Warseth’s back slammed into the wall. Dungias landed in front of the man as Warseth started to slide to the floor. Recalling the event in the pub on Gavis Station and Guyn’s resolve for the wall, Dungias lifted his hands for a moment and thrust both fists forward into Warseth’s chest and sternum. Duke MarrZo could not slide down any further as his body had been wedged into the wall, but he could neither scream in the agony his body had endured nor could he breathe.
“Underestimated is the word, Duke,” Dungias said as he looked at the man. “… but you forgot a third side of this equation. Good luck in finding the off switch to my discussion aid.” Dungias picked up the remote control and entered the command for the anklet to unlock.
“And I thought I was rescuing you,” the Warrior said. “Still, we need to move quickly.”
“Do you have flight capability with that armour?” Dungias asked.
“Yes, but it would be too slow f–”
“Take flight and lead the way,” D
ungias commanded. “Go as fast as you can, engage no one unless you absolutely have to, and do not look back.” Dungias turned away from Duke MarrZo and started for the corridor. “Go!”
Short of trying to force himself on a Traveler who had just quickly dismissed a man of Falo status, Felrus did not see where he had any other option than to do as he had been told. His place within the Estate Guard had been compromised, and he was no longer a viable agent for the cause, though it was not intended for him to remain on the estate grounds for too long. Still, he had the matter of his first field mission to resolve. It was not yet a success. Slapping his rifle to his back, he leaned forward and engaged the antigravity field of the suit. It was not meant for flight so much as the means to take long drops or make very high jumps, but at full power he could sustain flight for at least as long as he needed. He started down the corridor and Dungias started running.
“The boy’s got a good speed to him,” Felrus thought as he looked back. “… but he won’t be able to keep this up for too long. This is just a bad idea!”
“You looked back,” Dungias said as he jumped up for the side of the wall. He used it to bound up to a rafter that was perpendicular to the direction of the corridor. When his feet touched against it, he engaged the Star-Stride and streaked out ahead of Felrus. “Faster, Warrior!”
“Then again, I may have to adjust my perspective,” Felrus concluded as he pressed his armour for more speed.
“Coming up on a hard right turn,” he advised Dungias.
“That is not all we are ‘coming up on’,” Dungias thought, hearing the footfalls of two bodies which were too heavy to be considered simple house staff. Instead of bounding straight from the approaching rafter, Dungias opted to jump for the wall to the left and from there he streaked down at an angle to the intersection just as one of the estate guards was peeking around the corner. Dungias landed on the man’s chest and forced him into the second man. They both fell as Dungias started running again to get the speed for another streaking bound.
Felrus came around the corner in a tight turn. He broke form so that his knee would strike the back of the head of the second man. He had fallen, but was quick to recover his weapon. He was taking aim on Dungias when he lost consciousness. The flying Warrior passed underneath the bounding Traveler and resumed his lead responsibilities.
“I have the Traveler,” he spoke into his PC. “We are headed for the Austra Landing Port!”
“Clever, Dungias thought. “To take our escape into the light of the rising star.”
“We have the estate in view, Felrus,” a female voice reported into Felrus’ earpiece, but Dungias could still hear it. It was synthesized and slightly garbled. “We will be at the landing port in forty-five tankus!”
“Throttle it up!” Felrus replied. “We’ll be there in twenty!”
“Fifteen if you can follow me,” Dungias said as he took a jump to the left side. He grabbed the hanging tapestry and pushed off from the wall, taking the fabric with him. He twisted and flipped so that the tapestry served as a buffer for his feet as he kicked through the energy barrier of the window on the right side of the hallway. Dungias flew outside the estate wall… the estate that hovered over the city of TehShagu! He dropped two stories before he made a one-handed catch of a flag pole. He swung around once and released his hold.
“Impossible!” Felrus thought as he pulled up from his dive, thinking he would have to catch Dungias… so that they could die together. With their combined mass and the speed they would be traveling, there was no way he could slow their descent from such a height.
Dungias’ feet landed on another pole and he bounded forward, passing over the following pole and catching the next, where he swung around twice and released. His body ascended and he flipped, landing on the roof of the next section of the estate, the more slender corridor that led to the landing port. He jumped from the roof, catching a vertical pole, and spun around it as he descended, releasing to send his body over the corridor and landing on the edge of the roof just over the door leading from the landing port into the estate. Dungias twisted as he dropped, grabbed the ledge just above the doorway, and swung his feet into the corridor, kicking another man in the chest. He then landed in the middle of five additional guards and ducked a well-swung rifle butt intended for his head. A hand thrust from Dungias found that man’s shoulder and rendered the right arm useless. That attacker was then grabbed and pulled to take a blow meant for Dungias.
“Secure the landing port!” Dungias yelled, thrusting the struck man into the guard who had struck his cohort. As they tumbled over each other, the Traveler bound for the two men who had already readied their weapons and were waiting for an opportunity to fire. With the others pushed out of the way, they did not hesitate to feed iro-forms into their rifles and shoot. Both shots struck Dungias’ chest and he glowed for a moment as he landed in front of the men. He lunged forward, placing a hand on either man’s chest, and returned to them the power he had absorbed. Dungias found that the power transfer fueled his body and made him subsequently stronger for the action. Both men went through the wall and screamed as they descended to the city below. Dungias used the last of the energy to augment his jump for the landing pad.
“Let us hope we have good timing,” Felrus said to as he looked down over the side of the landing port. Dungias did not stop after he landed. He ran to Felrus and took hold of the Warrior’s shoulder.
“Tell them to open the topside door!” Dungias commanded, driving both bodies over the side of the platform.
Felrus screamed as they fell, but the two Malgovi did not fall far, as a ship moved into their drop-path. They landed on the top of what appeared to be an armoured constable patrol ship. Felrus’ landing was unsteady and he would have fallen save for the fact that Dungias had not released his hold. The topside door opened as the look of the craft changed. The projected form faded and an unmarked freighter was in its place. Dungias could hear the engines powering up, and he knew the craft had been customized for speed. As soon as the two of them were safely inside, the engines engaged and the ship was away.
“Felrus, take our guest to the holding chamber,” the female voice sounded over the intercom. “I will be there as soon as I am sure we made good on our escape.”
“As you wish, Commander,” Felrus answered, ushering Dungias down the slender walkway.
“Have I exchanged one captor for another?” Dungias asked.
“The holding chamber will negate whatever trackers they may have placed in or on your body,” Felrus explained. “The sooner we get you there, the sooner we can be sure we’re not being tracked.
“As for being a captive,” Felrus said as he reached for the back compartment of his armour. He produced a small bag that had been vacuum-sealed. He handed it to Dungias. Looking at the pack briefly, Dungias broke the seal and the bag expanded to three times its volume. He looked inside and saw his body armour, arm-top computer, gloves and boots. “I managed to grab that while you were having your discussion with Duke MarrZo.”
“Thank you,” Dungias said as he started walking.
The holding chamber was nothing of what the young Malgovi Traveler expected to find. It was very comfortable, even warm. There were several chairs that were designed for maximum comfort, bordering on the definition of luxury. Dungias took the opportunity to change out of the clothing provided for him by the MarrZo estate and into his things, but he did so quickly. The moment he was dressed he approached the door and opened it. Felrus was standing guard.
“I need to speak with whoever is in charge and the need is immediate,” Dungias stated. Felrus communicated everything into his PC and it was not long before Dungias heard the activation of the speakers in the room. He left the door opened as he stepped back into the chamber.
“Forgive me, Traveler, but there are very urgent matters that I–”
“How many are there on this ship?” Dungias asked as he secured his arm-top computer. To his surprise, the unit had
not been tampered with and if it had, the one who did make entry was better at masking themselves than Dungias was at detecting them. Either way, it was surprising.
“Why do you ask?”
“Warrior?” Dungias asked of Felrus.
Chaysor Zel Felrus considered himself to be a simple man. His family was not shay-spawn, but the status name of Zel indicated that they were listed as adept in only two iro-forms. Felrus had not been able to change that marker with only Light and Heat as his forms. Still, he was a specimen of physical superiority, and combat came second nature to him. It was for this reason that he had decided not to join the Mal-Vin and applied to the Fighter Colleges. He was accepted before his third application. When he graduated with honors, he had his pick of posts. Longing to travel, he had taken up a commission in the Mal-Vin and had been granted Officer Status. It was there that his given perspectives had come face-to-face with reality. Standing side-by-side with what was supposed to have been the worst of his people, Felrus had come to adopt a different viewpoint after four shay-spawn soldiers saved him from a Grenbi attack; one of the four perished in the attempt, and in death she had said it had been a worthy effort.
“And before me stands a Traveler,” Felrus thought. “I’ve lived over twice as long as him, but I do not think I’ve lived nearly as so deeply. He carries himself like a Master and fights like an enraged Exemplar! He effectively restrained five Mal-Vin while giving me orders.
“And that leap from the platform!” Felrus recalled. “The ship came into sight only after we had started our descent. Perhaps it is time to change another perspective!
