“What’s so special about this armor?” he asked. He sounded like he was inside a tin can.
“The armor of a Maigar is much more than a protective shell. It can generate defensive force shields, and with a little practice, you’ll be able to use the holographic system installed in the armor,” Kivi explained.
He flicked his wrist. A force shield surrounded him. Flicking it again, the shield disappeared.
“I’m actually a little jealous you get to wear such armor,” she said.
He took the helmet off. “Is there a reason why you don’t Kivi? If any Kalaidian was to wear this armor, it should be you.”
“Traditionally, only men may wear the sacred armor of Kali,” she explained.
“Tradition is overrated. Look at me. I’m not Kalaidian, and yet I’m allowed to wear what you call sacred armor.”
“So, tradition isn’t important to you?” Kivi asked
He nodded. “Tradition tells us where we came from, but by no means should it constrain us. For example, this armor and rakna I’m using. According to your people’s writings, these things are sacred artifacts. But to me, they’re tools, nothing more.”
Kivi laughed. “I’ve waited a long time to finally meet someone who understands.”
* * *
Four months passed before Valis began instructing him on battle tactics, large scale operations, and command training.
“You’re almost as good a tactician as I am,” Valis said as they played a game similar to chess.
“I always was good at strategy games, but I’m not sure about actual combat situations Valis,” Brian said. He knew he was about to lose.
“You’ll do fine.” Valis cornered his Queen. “It’s never taken me this long to beat an opponent.”
* * *
As the final month of training began, Brian sat in the HDC with the familiar back drop of an empty Kalaidian city. He heard someone approaching from behind. Turning, he saw Seles. She looked the same as the first time he met her, but he noticed she was wearing a golden bracelet and silver anklet, showing her rank was lieutenant. She smiled.
“It’s been awhile,” he said.
Seles walked up to him. “It feels like I haven’t seen you in an eternity Brian. I’m happy the captain assigned me as your teacher in Novaguard scale combat.”
“I am too,” he said. “I couldn’t help but notice your new accessories. You must have gotten a promotion while I was in here.”
Seles nodded. “Shortly after your training started the captain promoted me to lieutenant. I’m now in charge of the Novaguards.”
“That’s great.” He stared at her. “I’m missed you.”
They embraced. “I missed you to,” she said.
* * *
Brian sat crossed legged in the HDC and meditated like he learned from Kivi. His body had tightened up quite a bit, being much more toned and muscular. He was surrounded by hills and pine trees. He gazed at the constellations of Earth with the lights of the cities off in the distance. He heard footsteps coming from behind. Turning, he saw Kivi walking towards him with a pair of rakna blades.
“I’ve never seen this terrain before Brian, where is this place?” she asked.
“This is my home. There’s nothing like a cool summer night and clear sky for stargazing,” he said as he stood.
“It’s beautiful.” Kivi stood for a moment and stared into the sky.
“I don’t think you came here to admire the view Kivi. I take it you want to test me again?” he asked.
“Yes, I wanted to see if you worked on what I asked you to,” she said.
She handed him a rakna blade and stepped back. She watched his stance closely and saw he was waiting for her to make the first move. She obliged and came in with a light thrust. He deflected her attack and knocked her blade back. She changed angle and slashed upward. He blocked and pushed her back with a series of powerful slashes. She could barely hold onto her blade when he sidestepped and knocked her sword away. He put his sword at under her chin.
“I think I’ve won this match,” he said, smiling.
Kivi grinned. As fast as she could, she grabbed his arm and squeezed, disarming him. As she started initiating a hold, he twisted around to prevent her. When she attempted to hit his weak spot, he locked her legs using his own.
Straining to breathe, Kivi gave up. “You win. Please don’t do what you tried a while back.”
Brian released her. “You kicked me in the balls last time I did that. I wouldn’t think rubbing behind the ears got so personal.”
Both sat down, breathing hard.
“Your training has paid off,” she said.
He looked up at the stars in the sky. “My life is now devoted to the service of this ship. I can only glimpse Earth through illusions now. My friends, my family, I’ll never see them again.”
She put a hand on his shoulder. “The Avoni is your new home.”
The two sat transfixed on the stars above as the campfire crackled and burned.
Chapter 17 – Three Months of Music
Brian came to the door to the main auditorium. He heard the sound of music coming from inside. He stood silently and enjoyed the sound of a girl singing a hymn he’d never heard of. He quietly opened the door and saw an auditorium and stage. Mira danced and sang her song. She didn’t seem to notice him walk in and continued her song for a few more minutes. She danced in a sparkling white dress and white gloves. He couldn’t see any instruments, she was alone. She reached the crescendo as the song ended. She posed as if a crowd was there with her eyes closed. He walked to the stage and clapped.
“You’re early. I wasn’t expecting to see you for a few more hours,” Mira said as she stepped off the stage and greeted him.
“That was beautiful,” he said. “I’d like to hear it again some time.”
Mira smiled. “The song was the Hymn to Gaelic Kein, the last Rakna Maigar of Kalaidia. He was a great man who devoted his life to songs and stories, someone you’ll learn a lot about during your musical training.”
He nodded. “I hope to learn a lot from you Mira. I’ve never danced before, let alone sing in front of people. So let’s get started.”
She showed him the way to area behind the stage. There, in a small room, he saw a set of exoskeleton armor. It was colored emerald green, with the motif of a dragon. It sported a cape of a darker shade of green. Next to it was a pair of rakna blades. He touched the armor and marveled at its perfection.
“Is this for me?”
She stood next to him. “This armor is more than just protection during battle, it contains the holographic display system for you to use. These rakna blades are programmed to simulate musical instruments, set by verbal command. We haven’t heard the music of a Maigar for a hundred and fifty years. I pray you can live up to the task.”
“How do you make the background music?” he asked. “I didn’t get the impression you were using a recorded song.”
Mira held up her hands. “These gloves contain all the needed commands to use the system. Using the HD system takes a lot of practice, but once you get the used to it, you’ll be able to do the same with your rakna blades.”
He held the blades and stepped back. He slashed a sword and heard the sound of an acoustic guitar strum. He stared at the sword, perplexed on how it worked.
“Wow.”
She placed her hand on his arm. “Why don’t you try it on?”
He looked down at Mira, nodding. “Sure.”
It took Brian a few minutes to figure out how to put the armor on. He moved around and found the suit was as flexible as his own skin and light as feather. He saw a pair of scabbards at the waist and placed the rakna blades in the. He looked in the mirror.
“You look dashing,” she said.
He chuckled, “Yeah right.”
“How about we do your first practice?”
“I’d love to Mira,” he answered. They went out onto the stage. He looked to Mira, confused on what to do
.
“Trying using your rakna blades,” she instructed. “You need to get used to the sound coming out of them.”
Brian complied and drew the two swords. He took a battle stance and began swinging the blades about, making the sound of someone playing a guitar badly. He tried making sense of the notes and promptly fell flat on his face. Mira started laughing. He shook his head and noticed someone else laughing as well. Seles walked out of the shadows, laughing with Mira. Brian lied on the floor on his back.
“That didn’t work very well,” he said as he stood up and sheathed his swords.
Seles smirked at him. “You’re going to need a lot of work.”
“Learning how to fight is a lot easier than this,” he said.
Mira took his hand. “I’m not worried. Dancing and fighting are similar skills. What I’m worried about is your singing ability.”
“I think that’s going to take some practice,” he said.
* * *
Two months passed as Brian worked on his singing, dance movements, and blade dancing. The movements came quickly enough; the singing remained a problem. He stood on the stage and tried reciting the Hymn to Kali, the most important song to complete the ceremony. He started strong, but couldn’t quite get the lyrics right at the middle of the song. He growled in frustration.
“Mira, are you sure I can’t do something else instead of this?” he asked as he returned to his starting spot on the stage.
Mira paced around him. “No, according to tradition, a Rakna Maigar must recite the Hymn to Kali.”
“Kalaidian Maigars, I’m human.”
She stopped, thinking before saying anything. “That’s true. I’ve shown you many Kalaidian styles of music, but I haven’t asked you about Terran music at all.”
He sheathed his rakna blades. “Terran music differs greatly on where one is raised on my world. Though, I do have my preferences.”
“What would they be?” she asked.
He tapped the swords on his belt. “I’ve been experimenting with these and found I can get the sound of an electric guitar instead of acoustic. The music I like the most is called Rock, a loud, fast style of music, quite different from what your people are used to.”
“Could you show me what this music sounds like?” she asked.
He drew his swords and took a special pose. “I’ve been practicing this song on my own for a while now.”
“What song is this?”
“Stairway to Heaven, by Led Zeppelin,” he answered.
He began the song with slow arching slashes to simulate the guitar chords of the song. As he sang the words came out with ease. Mira stood transfixed, frozen by the alien music. As the middle of the song drew near, she found it harder to follow his movements. As the song reached the crescendo, his swords were like streaks of flashing light. The flashing light died down near the end of the song. He took his final pose before sheathing his swords.
“How was that?” he asked.
His voice was perfect and blade movement far superior to what she thought possible. “I think we have a replacement for the Hymn to Kali.” She walked up next to him. “You’re in perfect tune with that song. It was louder and faster than I’m used to, but I couldn’t deny the poetry of the song.”
Brian was about to say something when the main door opened. Valis came in alone. “How’s he holding up?” she asked.
“He’s been a great student,” Mira said. Brian was lost in thought. “He should be ready by the end of the month.”
Valis looked at Brian. “Brian, I wanted to discuss with the tradition of the Rose toss after your performance is done.”
He laughed. “I was waiting for you to say something Valis. Whoever ends up as the Lady of the Rose will get what they want.”
Chapter 18 – Technical Difficulties
Daes stood in the cargo bay and scanned the Malcovin drop ship. The storage in the room was minimal, with a few metal boxes shoved to the far end of the room. Behind her was an array of consoles and monitors, currently manned by her subordinates. She walked the perimeter of the drop ship to double checking her readings. Brian entered the cargo bay, wearing his exoskeleton armor and rakna blades. He searched for Daes, who had gone to the back door of the drop ship.
“You must be Daes,” he said, saluting.
“That’s me,” she said. “We’ve met once before.”
He scratched his head. “I don’t remember.”
“That’s because you were unconscious.” She smiled. “How do you like the armor I designed for you?”
“I love it,” he answered.
“I glad,” she said as she opened the back door of the drop ship. “I worked forever adjusting it. Decoding the secrets of the Maigar’s armor and weapons took me five months.” She walked inside. Brian followed with his armor clanking against the metal floor inside. She turned and waved a data crystal at him. “I’ve also taken a look at this.”
“What do you want to do with it?” he asked as they headed for the engine room.
“Valis passed me some of the notes you made,” she said. She turned to a console and deactivating the drop ship’s systems. She switched a light on and shined it around. “I’ll do it.”
“Is making such a craft even possible?” he asked. Daes began pulling apart the main computer systems.
“One can create anything if they have the money,” she said, smiling. “The mobile suit will be tailored for your style,” she pointed at his armor, “It’ll look a lot like this. My question is what name you have in mind for it.”
“Mjolnir,” he answered.
“Interesting name,” she said. “What does that translate to?”
“Mjolnir was the hammer of Thor, a god of thunder once worshiped on my world,” he explained. He watched as she began piling up components. “Do you want help Daes?”
“Sure, start collecting the parts I’m removing and put them in the hallway for now.” She gritted her teeth as she yanked out a massive chunk of hardware. Brian took the parts and placed them where she told him to. “What do you plan to do with the Mjolnir when it’s finished?” she asked.
“I don’t understand much of the technical aspects, but the mobile suit is the next generation craft, right?”
“Yes,” she answered, “Even Kalaidian engineers have been trying to craft something like the Talon. I’m surprised you were able to recover such data from a field commander.”
“He gave it to me.” He grabbed another pile of parts and put them outside.
She turned to look at him in the dark. “You didn’t answer my question.”
He laughed. “I didn’t, did I?” He knelt down next to her, helping pull out an obstinate piece of the computer. “I want to protect this ship.”
“I do to,” she said. “That’s why I’m going to build it. This ship is my home, and everyone onboard is my family.”
“I hope it’s not too much trouble.”
“It isn’t Brian. I’ve waited a long time to work on such a project.” She pulled at something and found it wasn’t giving. He took a corner and helped her yank the part out. Both sat back, breathing hard. She smiled. “Thank you.”
* * *
Brian and Daes continued taking the drop ship apart. After the main computer was dismantled, the pair found themselves doing the same in the engineering room. She slid under a console and began passing parts to him. Every few minutes he’d take the pile and put it in the hallway.
“What was it like on the Grey ship? I mean, when you woke up?” she asked.
“I remember being afraid. It was cold, damp, and smelled like a sewer. But something was different this time. I was more aware of what was going on around me. It seemed like the Greys did a better job of making sure I wasn’t coherent,” he answered.
“How long have the abductions been occurring?” she asked as she placed a drill down and unscrewed a panel. She passed it to him.
He placed it on the pile. “I remember when I was three years old I s
aw a Grey look into my bedroom window. I remember the fear. I was very young, but I knew that was no human looking in my window. It was something else, a creature I couldn’t recognize.”
“Now I think I understand why,” Daes said. She slid out from under the console and sat up to take a break.
“What is it you understand?” he asked.
Her eyes seemed to pierce him. “It answers the question of why you killed the Greys so mercilessly when you broke free. If they’ve been experimenting on you for that long the emotional scars would run deep.”
“I know, it was like something inside me allowed me to break free at last,” he said. He handed a bottle of water to her. She unscrewed the top and took a big gulp. She sighed in relief before placing the bottle on the floor next to her.
“Was it rage?” she asked.
“Yes.” He felt her unnerving stare, but felt something behind it. “I lost all control, all reason. I barely remember anything, just flashes of the violence I committed.” He stopped, searching for what to say next. “I wasn’t like that on Earth. I never killed a person before, and I never thought I could. It was even worse with the Malcovin. I felt a strange sense of joy killing them, as if a part of me was reveling in the carnage.”
“By observation, I have seen both sides you speak of Brian,” she said. “Most of the time, you’re peaceful, thoughtful, harmless. But when your life is on the line, something takes over. The Confederation says we should fear Terrans because inside of each one resides a warrior.”
Heaven Saga 1: The Lost Hero Page 9
