Fio

by Andy Marr

back in the rear compartment reading over what was to come next for off-loading and on-loading it was the usual of food and goods being transported, large wooden containers, extra auto-mobiles which never took up much space; they shrank like a spider does when it’s in danger and easily latched into one other. He had stayed the night in the city of Atombo which was exciting it had an amazingly vibrant night life.

  Tomorrow brought news of one of the rare military operations in which he would as usual be told nothing about but still have to be on call to go through the procedure of checking on and off the load. It was always impressive being amongst the might of the military. The carriage lights had gone dim and out the window the Iridium river in its gorge was flowing plentifully. A little while more and they will be coming up to the Nether Plains next where a lot of Lotaring birds could be sighted.

  It was 3am when Fio got back into the Maezone train station it lights dim. It was a long night and anything that was not under light didn’t exist except the hush humming of electricity. Walking through the streets the world showed signs of beginning to wake. Putting his key in the door he pushed it open walked on through dropped his things in the hall way near the kitchen, then threw himself into bed.

  Fio awoke to a cool breeze and the sounds of the outside world were mute giving it a larger presence than usual. A few birds chirping in the distance could be heard as he stepped out onto the balcony shovelling a bowl of cereal and there took some warmth in the sun. Setting off down the street people waved, one of the netted crops was being harvested by an old couple up ladders that formed an M shape. They had buckets and long sticks with nets at the end. Fio met up with his girlfriend; basking in each other’s warmth a little after agreeing to making time one evening.

  A little further down the road Fio got to Maezone Central he moved briskly through the doors and corridors the behind the scenes staff maze all the while moving aside for military personnel. Weaving his way through the offices and into the change rooms he pulled out his engineer card and tools. He noticed someone was in the shower "Is that you Thomas?"

  "Fio! Up for a supply in 20, transport in 60.” A keen statement rather than a question or order. “And a military envoy at 33:12 sharp.” A clap came from the shower. “Short notice as always."

  "But isn't that the beauty of surprises.”

  “Shotgun the crane.”

  “Sure-sure all yours go for it."

  Coming out into the main hangar, he never got sick of seeing trains appear from or disappear down the tunnels that steeped down below ground to shoot of out of the city. There was something that left him in awe about them.

  It was the usual off-loading and on-loading moving about and repositioning that went on during a supply trains docking. As he pressed on the horn to confirm this carriage was done he folded out of the mech climbing down back onto the platform running to the next one immediately shifting one of its latches. There was a constant military regimented clamour and murmur over the speaker as to what it was actually saying Fio wasn’t quite sure. He pulled up in his mech and going over the routine checklist Fio got a little lost and pulled on the next carriages disengage lever all the while standing there hand on his chin looking from checklist to carriage a little puzzled. A marine popped his head up “This one is undocumented.” He said unperturbed.

  “Oh thanks I thought it was a bit odd, no problem, it’s a standard qubolt, so I will just check the seals and latch it?” He paused for a response.

  “The seals are fine but if you could latch it for us that’d be great.”

  “Done.” With a nod he took two large side steps and pulled the latch and the stabiliser clunking them into place.

  “Let me give you a hand linking her up.” He said with some nervousness.

  Fio thought this was a little small for one of their military operations but knew better than to ask questions. Direct ones anyway.

  “Ah so no turrets then?”

  “Never heard of em.” the man replied with a wink as he helped Fio push from the other side.

  With a magnetic pull and a clunk the carriage was hooked up again it made Fio tingle every time.

  After about an hour of military shuffling they were ready. Moving down through the tunnels and out shifting in to the steady incline resting at a maximum speed of 200. Once coming to ground level Fio stuck his head out only to pull it back in again for the tears that had formed from the lashing of the wind.

  “What happened to your goggles Fio.” A hand was put on his shoulder with a chuckle.

  Fio wiped his eyes to see, looking twice with a squint. “Claudius. Hey! Hows it going?”

  “Good good always good.”

  "Oh well I won't bother asking next time."

  "What?"

  The driver spoke over the intercom. “Numouy on to Kryten.” And in a more serious tone “Coffee please?”

  “Good morning Steph. Where are we off to after Kryten?” Claudius asked over the intercom.

  “Oh I don’t know I don’t mind it. Something to drink Fio? I don’t think they even know where we are headed, that’s the point. You know I wish that darn supplier would stop mixing their beans its leaves a dry taste in the mouth.” Amy said looking into the can with a feigned frown. Any way did I tell you I have been looking for a new place? Is south east Maezone any good Fio?”

  “Yes it's wonderful. Oh hey if you move close you can come over and jam on my balcony.”

  “Oh I don’t know about that.” She said slightly embarrassed stirring the coffee mix.

  “What are you playing at the moment?

  “Soul.” Amy replied sticking her head from out the back now as she hurried to make the coffee run.

  “My lessons are coming along I guess my teachers pretty good. How’s the cat? Oh hold that I'll be back.” She said closing the carriage door.

  “Speaking of my cat I’ve put this cup on the table for her and she drinks out of it. It's on coffee table in my lounge room, if I‘m close she waits for me to fill it, it's really cute.” Fio explained to the others.

  “I have mice but there not very pet like though their just kind of there, inhabiting my kitchen..."

  33:10pm and the military entourage had grown bigger than Fio’s crew were used to. Robot hunters were numerous with military personnel busying about positioning themselves and their artillery along the train like stars in the milkyway. Fio didn’t have to go through the motions and was instead deployed to oversee things.

  One of the crates caught his interest it was about 1500 tonnes lighter than the usual heavy payload but was 6000 tonnes heavier than a food haul. He guessed a single object of some kind maybe a vehicle he called to the guard appointed to him “What’s in this one?” he pointed.

  “Classified.” He replied firmly but smiled and winked “Every home should have one.” Fio had moved on before he’d finished talking.

  It wasn’t long before everything just sort of solidified and all was in order and ready to move. The train disengaged and slid out down into the tunnels.

  The train now clear of the city slowly emerged bit by bit shooting out into the open speeding across the Gorudo Desert. Fio was on one of the artillery carriages which had a mounted canon on one end, a mound of sealed ammunition in the middle with another slightly higher mounted cannon on the other side. It was scattered with about a dozen armed guards arranged in no particular order. There was nowhere to move on Fios carriage, its space was very limited and he shuddered at the thought of them having to use the cannon. When he was admiring all this that’s when he saw it. A lump moving underneath the sand he turned back to hear someone say "just don’t get how does a…" as he jumped for cover.

  And then it hit the track pivoting from beneath, carriages shot out, some crumpled most scattered the rest derailed and crashed. All the while Fios adrenaline went hay wire as he clung on straining every muscle to do so. With parts of the train still tumbling drones had burst forth streaming out like bats and headed straight for the disturb
ance hitting Aberdeen with ferocious fire power the monster now reeled like a cyclone. The train wreck jutted one last time and at a sigh creaked to a dead stop. The drones ebbed back and forth with their engines churning into hyper-drive you could see a fuzz of blue electricity circuiting through the mass of them as they dodged Aberdeen's attacks. When hit most would disintegrate before even hitting the ground. This went on and on with Aberdeen lashing out more often than not successfully. The drones greatest weakness was when they followed him beneath the sand which he did several times before they caught on. The sheer number of drone deaths amounting to muffled implosions drumming beneath the earth.

  Fio meanwhile reaching with his left hand to a handle nearby lurched up it sounded as though he shouldn’t have things went crack all over his body but as he stretched everything worked he was sure of it. His mind was very insistent he was okay but his body was not. "Maybe walk slowly at first." He said to himself.

  He was still on the same carriage and it had ended up rammed against another so as to be on an incline. The carriage was shaking like a heartbeat from blasts of cannons nearby. Carriages were also being dragged by robot guards out into the desert away from the main carriage. Fio felt his ankle being pulled and was promptly thrown over a robots shoulder which pelted out of the main wreck of carriages.

  The robot stopped quite suddenly at a civilian carriage and placed