War Wagon

by Al Shield

  ‘At once my lord!’ and he quickly belayed those orders to anyone who could still receive them.

  ‘Oh the things I plan to do to her pretty corpse while you watch Dar’Kannag...we will see if you are still in the mood to mock me some more at the end of it!’ he snapped.

  But if anyone in the room had not been absorbed by the display of rage displayed by Jorzan and managed to look up just at the right moment at the window of the Director’s office overlooking the proceedings, they mave have caught just the briefest of flickers. A blur of a shadow that indicated that the female in question Nex, was much closer to things than anyone could have anticipated.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Nex had mastered the art of absorbing as much visual information in the shortest time possible so she only needed a moment at the window to glean enough information to work with.

  Her beloved Dar’Kannag was chained and tethered in place and therefore could not be counted on to provide assistance in battle unless there was some way to free him first.

  The soldiers in their metal skeletons looked well armed but cumbersome, slow. They could easily be picked off if there weren’t so many of them surrounding the room.

  The fat man who spoke into a handheld box and bowed and scraped before the red being? That must be ‘The Nameless One’ that she had heard the one who cared for her speak of many times. She didn’t know what the word ‘asshole’ meant that she also heard alot but given the tone the creature used in describing this large man, the term probably wasn’t an endearing one.

  That left the red being in the robes - from the stories her beloved had shared, this could be none other than Jorzan the Magnificent. His features badly burnt, his prized crown melted and now a permanent part of him, she recalled from the tales and the tone of how Dar’Kannag spoke of his one and only meeting of him how truly dangerous he was. And now he was here on this strange world with them, seemingly in charge of the forces that had massacred many on the base.

  But the numbers were too great. Even with her familiar bone rifle which was now missing in action she couldn’t have lasted too long before retalitary fire took her down.

  She needed a plan, but she needed a weapon first. The guns dropped by the guards felt alien and unfamiliar to her - it would take some practice before she felt confident in using them fully, time she desperately didn’t have.

  She hunted around the office, past the body of the director who had been shot clearly through the head before she could fire her own weapon. She opened cupboards and drawers but they were full of paper and small hand held tools of some description - useless to her needs.

  But then she saw the video screen on the desk. Similar to the one in the remote army base where she had been injured, only this time there was no creatures head proudly on display, nothing yelling at her. Instead four squares showed various locations around the base. The first seemed to be a view looking down on the scene through the window with Dar’Kannag the focus point. The second was positioned outside and contained bodies who looked to have been cut down as they made their escape. The third and forth were of hallways. The third was partially obscured by what seemed to be smoke but she could just make out the sight of a large bearded body laying still on the floor.

  But it was in the forth that she found what she was looking for. The dark gods had seen fit to provide her with the perfect weapon. She just had to get to it before anyone else did.

  Omega had heard the heavily clank of metal on stone long before he saw what was creating the noise and wisely blended into the shadows as it rounded the corner. The beast machine! The half strange pale creature, half robot was somehow back to life and was moving, albeit slowly through the halls. One of it’s legs appeared to be injured and shot out a small series of sparks when cogs grinded to move the limb forward. It also seemed to be talking to itself as it travelled.

  ‘Priority. Find K’Dian.’

  ‘Priority. Find Nex.’

  ‘Priority. Find Dar’Kannag.’

  ‘Additional: Eliminate intruders.’

  ‘Additional: Eliminate ruling council.’

  ‘Priority. Find K’Dian.’ It repeated the words over and over.

  Omega debated whether he should emerge and try to take it down or at least incapacitate the half machine somehow. He knew he couldn’t stop it completely - it took a full barrage from a gunship to knock it out of action temporarily so he and his submachine gun couldn’t get close to that. But if he could somehow damage it’s other leg, it’d be far less of a threat crippled...

  A strike patrol made his mind up for him and he stayed in place as they sighted the construct and immediately took up positions.

  ‘I thought Team Romeo were collecting this thing?’ One of the three chirped through his speakers.

  ‘Something has obviously happened to them. Looks like it’s up to us now.’

  ‘I say we gun it down and drag it back in bits.’ The third added.

  ‘Our lord will have your head. And ours.’ The first one explained. ‘We can try and cripple it but it’s got to stay alive. Hold fire and let it get a little closer before trying to bring it down.’

  The soldiers held their spots, one dangerously close to Omega’s hiding position. He was tempted to try and take that one out himself but he instead waited in silence as the machine creature clanked further up the corridor.

  But if the construct had noticed them, it gave no indication, continually looking forward and repeating itself over and over.

  ‘Priority. Find K’Dian.’

  ‘Priority. Find Nex.’

  ‘Priority. Find Dar’Kannag.’

  ‘Additional: Eliminate intruders.’

  ‘Additional: Eliminate ruling council.’

  ‘On my mark, aim at the broken leg.’ One of the soldiers whispered into his comms to the others.

  ‘Priority. Find K’Dian.’

  ‘Priority. Find Nex.’

  ‘Priority. Find Dar’Kannag.’

  ‘Mark!’ He yelled as bullets from three separate positions screamed through the air.

  ‘Additional: Eliminate intruders.’

  As the bullets picked away at what little preserved flesh was situated around his broken leg Unit M raised his hand and pointed a finger directly at one of the soldiers. There was a small hiss and a small sharp tipped projectile sliced through the air and cleanly through the soldiers combat helmet, shutting his brain down instantly.

  ‘What the hell!’ the second one yelled before he too was felled by one of the finger projectiles, this time from Unit M’s middle finger. He had managed to get one arm up but the shell tore through all barriers through to the other side spraying a big bloom of blood as it exited.

  The third had quickly ducked behind a nearby crate and was preparing a grenade when Unit M raised his other hand with his palm extended.

  Only nothing happened.

  -Flame unit still in need of repair. Do not operate.

  -Burn him. Hear him scream!

  -Suggest switching back to finger blades.

  -Scanners show barrier too thick. Odds of penetration diminished.

  -Burn him!

  -Suggest removing barrier.

  -Agreed.

  Unit M raised his injured leg, still sparking and kicked hard against the crate which smacked it into the soldier crouched behind it, topping it over and pinning both the man and now the primed explosive underneath it. There was a frantic cry broadcast through the helmet speakers before it went off turning his hand still holding it, arm and half his chest as well as the crate on top of him into messy chunks.

  In the smoke of the blast Omega considered his options. If the weapons of the strike team couldn’t slow this thing down, his chances were pretty slim too. Not to mention having no idea what other armaments it may have hidden on it like the finger weapons.

  No it was best to stay in the shadows and wait til it passed before he emerged an-

  At that moment Unit M spun to face his direction.

/>   ‘Shit!’ He whispered to himself and gripped his gun tighter. The thing hadn’t raised it’s arms yet but it could at anytime.

  ‘Priority. Find K’Dian.’

  ‘Priority. Find Nex.’

  ‘Priority. Find Dar’Kannag.’

  ‘Priority two...completed.’

  It was then that Agent Omega felt the razor sharp edge of a wicked looking blade lightly pressed against his throat. Moving just his eyes down he could see that the hand that held it was bone white.

  How had the female creature managed to sneak up on him without making a single sound? His boosted hearing should have picked her movements up meters away yet it was like she had melted out of the wall behind him to creep up on him unannounced.

  ‘You watched our servant slaughter your men and you did nothing to help.’ She breathed quietly in his eye. ‘Does the sight of him fill you with fear preventing you from raising your weapon?’

  ‘They are not my men.’ He replied calmly, not taking his eyes off her hand. ‘They have been massacring the people who work here and I have been trying to stop that.’

  ‘How do I know if you are lying to me?’

  ‘You don’t. But I plan on killing every invader in this building and I will fight you if I have to.’ He said stoically. His hand was inching towards his own blade holstered on his belt but he stopped the movement when Unit M clomped over and stood directly in front of him. He had both hands partially raised, ready for action.

  ‘Brave words for someone with a blade at their throat.’

  ‘This is not the first time I have been in this type of situation.’ He said honestly, thinking back to a tense hostage situation where he had managed to talk himself out of trouble by choosing his words carefully. ‘But it also seems that we are on the same side here. Your servant here is welcome to destroy as many of these bastards as he can, I will not stop him.’

  ‘Yet you hide in the shadows, waiting to strike...’

  ‘I was defending myself. I still do not truly know what side you both stand on.’

  She mulled over that for a moment.

  ‘Unit M, scan him.’

  ‘Acknowledged.’ He made some buzzing noises as his eyes shifted colours to a dull green. In roughly one minute they went back to their usual black. ‘Scanned.’

  ‘Now scan one of the invaders, then compare.’

  He turned and repeated the process on one of the downed strike team members. While that happened Agent Omega kept calm. Even with the machine distracted there was no guarantee he could move faster than the female creature. Best to wait out the situation and see what came of it.

  ‘Scanning complete. Slight similarities exist in both creatures. Similar flesh, organs, augmentations. However this one is free of dark essence. Also this one lacks controlling augmentations.’

  ‘Controlling augmentations?’ she asked.

  ‘No control apparatus found. No override augmentions located. Creature is control free.’

  ‘Dare I ask what dark essence is?’ Agent Omega asked.

  ‘It is the stuff of our world. It helped built Unit M here and by the looks of it, also these invaders you fight against. But it’s not in you.’ She lowered the blade and stepped back slowly. He turned slowly to face her, with his hands halfway up and away from his belt. He had seen her in the medical room when they wheeled her in and she had looked fearsome then but directly in front on him she looked far more dangerous, like a hungry protective lioness that had learnt to walk smoothly on just two legs.

  ‘So...what happens now?’ he finally asked as they both sized each other up for a few moments.

  ‘I came here to retrieve my Unit M as I need him to help me fight for my beloved. But it seems the Dark Gods have provided with an additional boon. You too want redemption against these forces...’

  ‘Are you honestly suggesting we fight together?’ he gave her an incredulous look. A few days ago he wanted them all destroyed and now one of them was giving him an ultimatum. How did that expression his father was fond of go? War did make for some strange bedfellows..

  ‘Do you think you will do better if you fared alone? My servant while injured is still a destructive force and you seem to be lacking in numbers...’

  He crossed his arms.

  ‘And what happens when we kill them all? When the last invader dies and it’s just us left standing? Tell me what happens then.’ He had an idea what it might be but he wanted confirmation that this was indeed a suicide mission.

  Incredibly quick she spun the blade around her fingers in a blur and then suddenly caught the blade in her hand, offering him the hilt. She nodded as he took the offering, offering up one of your own weapons and having it accepted was a sign of respect where she hailed from.

  ‘There is a saying where I grew up and that is “We will fight that battle when we get there.”’

  ‘We have a similar saying here, but it’s all about bridges.’

  ‘How quaint.’ She smiled thinly. ‘Now time is limited and blades alone will not suffice where we are going. Would you know of somewhere where I could find something more suitable?’ He knew exactly what she was asking.

  ‘I have an idea. Follow me.’ and he raced down the corridor with the Nex easily keeping pace and the strange robot creature Unit M dragging it’s busted leg behind them. While she ran, Nex thought of K’Dian and prayed to any of the dark gods willing to listen that he was alive, safe and keeping well.

  K’DIAN HAD BEEN RELUCTANT to leave Red’s company as he felt there was still so much the worldly truck driver could have taught him but the creature had reached the end of his journey. The vehicle now was heading back the way they came but before it drove off, K’Dian shared one last roadside diner breakfast with Red. It was during his third coffee (what a wonderful drink it turned out to be too - giving him such a buzz with each sip) that K’Dian asked him if he ever had aspired to much more than transporting goods all over the country.

  ‘What, like walking on the moon or something?’

  What a strange notion that would be he thought. The two moons where K’Dian hailed from were just dusty rock balls and so far away. It held absolutely no appeal to be studied let alone contemplated to be walked on. Perhaps there was more to this solitary glowing rock in this world than met the eye?

  ‘Like becoming a king, ruling perhaps?’

  Red let out a huge belly laugh.

  ‘I’m going to miss riding with you I think. You’re a strange kid for sure but there’s no doubt you’ve been entertaining.’

  The truck driver explained that his ‘lot’ as he described his life was a simple one. He yearned for just a steady paycheck, the opportunity for adventures on the road and when he got home, a few cold crisp beers and the warmth of a good woman. Starting out he was happy with the warmth of any woman along the way but nowadays it was his wife of 14 years that greeted him with a smile and a hot meal upon his return. Unless he was a couple of days late of course in which case the smile disappeared and the meal was now stored in a container in the fridge, ready for the microwave. Rule he left for the people in charge and he had no aspirations of joining them and their out of touch ways. He worked hard but ultimately enjoyed what he did.

  A warm firm handshake and a wish of ‘good fortunes kid’ was Red’s farewell and after he returned to the truck to begin his return journey, K’Dian ordered more coffee and sat back into the booth to enjoy his new favorite past time - people watching.

  A place like this provided plenty of different variations of creatures to come and go, all sizes, shapes, ages and colours. It reminded him a bit of the drinking halls in the city of Groul Gela - constantly busy with a steady flow of warriors, merchants, thieves and slaves of all types coming and going. His father had warned him early on to stay clear of places like that, lest he become the target of the lesser elements in there and attacked on a whim, robbed or worse being left for dead. But as children do, he and his friends snuck away one night to visit the place and he found incredi
ble wonderment in there as much as it reeked of sweat, smoke and dirt.

  Here in the diner he watched the waitresses working about, greeting those who took tables and farewelling those who left after eating. There were the two cookers working over a flat bed of sizzling hot steel crafting the food. At the countertop there were three males dressed in similar material from head to toe, strange matching jackets and pants. They drank coffee and chatted away about the condition of the market currently. K’Dian enjoyed the spectacle of a market - the carnival like atmosphere, the strange and wondrous things for sale from all corners of the lands near and far, the jugglers and the food stalls. He would like to see this one the males were talking about.

  There was a tired grumpy female trying to take control of her children, an old bearded man reading some papers, a young pair talking excitedly about the plans for the rest of the day. And as he sat back and continued to observe, K’Dian felt happy. In his short time on this world he had learnt enough to blend in and become so attuned to his surroundings that nobody gave him a second glance (although a few people gave him odd looks initially on account on his dark glasses it seemed.) He thrived on studying and there was a whole world open to him now. To learn, to observe, to study and revel in and in time with enough learning, mould and shape to create his very own study utopia. There was such a mag-

  His skin suddenly went cold. His mouth went dry and his hearts fluttered as a sudden sense of something horribly wrong hit him. His hands started to shake and he quickly put down the cup of coffee before he spilled even more of the contents or worse dropped the cup.

  The rogue feeling that had taken hold was incredible strong and it came with a foreboding edge - a dire situation was unfolding, somewhere.

  ‘You okay hon? You don’t look so good..’ A passing waitress had seen the tremors in his hands and the coffee spilt and had wandered over with a tea towel to mop up.

  His shaking head turned to look at her and there was a sudden shock when he looked into her eyes and saw the change. They were now Nex’s eyes, his mothers eyes looking back at him quizzically.