by AJ Vega
******
Elysium, the capital of Mars, stood as the hub of the Martian economy. The small city was a dense metropolis of buildings and interconnecting crosswalks. Hovercars darted across the cityscape carrying both tourists and businesspersons alike.
An atmospheric dome, the largest ever built, encased the city, protecting its inhabitants from the harsh elements outside. Above the dome, landing platform structures provided the docking facilities for trade transports. The platforms provided free docking facilities to any trade ships: a benefit that attracted many businesses and helped turn Elysium into the commercial hub of Mars.
The entire city comprised various levels that continued invisibly underground. Each level used an intricate web of crosswalks that lead to the varying building complexes. The lower levels just above ground were all corporation owned. The middle levels mainly consisted of shops catering to the tourists, while the higher levels were government buildings owned by the Martian Confederacy.
Despite the importance of the city, most tourists only remembered Elysium as simply the place you passed along the way to New Las Vegas. A public, underground tunnel system led all inhabitants into New Las Vegas, located several miles beneath the city and extending well beyond the area that encompassed the atmospheric dome above.
From one of the many crosswalks in Elysium, Reece stood overlooking the city with arms resting on the rail in front of him. A multitude of lights glittered across the many structures in his view. He looked down below, into the descending levels, and saw the constant motion of the city inhabitants. The crosswalks teemed with people, which from this distance looked like ants scurrying across a branch.
He elevated his gaze to the crisscrossing traffic of hovercars and public shuttles slashing across the cityscape. Allowing his gaze to follow one shuttle, Reece watched as it landed at one of the lower landing platforms. Out of the shuttle, the passengers walked out and into the building entrance. Each of them was wearing business attire; undoubtedly, they were corporate employees of some sort. They would come here every day and night, being shuttled like cattle to their destination. The corporations would take them in, make them do their errands and then send them on home to partake in their brief moments of freedom.
Like the rest of his crew, Reece despised the idea of working for the corporations; he felt nauseated at the very idea of having to devote one’s life to do the bidding of a small group of fat cats who would not flinch at the notion of tossing you out the door like trash. He would never work for such a group.
Hopefully… he thought with a frown.
Ever since Reece and his pilots joined Julius’ pirate organization, he’d felt uneasy. The group did not even have a name; even Stromond’s group had a name, albeit a silly one: “The Stronghold.” However, this new group had nothing… no name… and no real history that Reece knew of. It was as if they had never existed until he and the others had joined them; or perhaps they were good enough to avoid having a history—he would accept the latter.
Reece heard someone behind him. He turned to see Tash, Cronin, Taffy, Mac, and Eddie, the whole squadron, just standing there.
“Any luck?” Reece said.
“Maybe,” Tash said. “We think we recognized one of them at The Maximus.”
“All right,” Reece said, pushing himself off the railing. “Let’s go.”
The six pilots walked to the other end of the crosswalk, where they waited for the transit elevator to arrive. The elevator would descend into New Las Vegas. A small crowd stood waiting ahead of them.
A holographic image appeared above the elevator doors in front of the crowd. The image, along with an audio commentary, depicted how they carved New Las Vegas from the Martian earth. A topographical map appeared, showing the barren landscape of the past before any construction; nothing was there, not even the grand city of Elysium. The hologram then showed the landing of the first transports and the unloading of machinery and men, who began tunneling into the ground. The hologram time-lapsed forward years at a time, showing the landscape morphing into the beginnings of what became the transit point to the first underground base at Mars. Many years later, as other parts of Mars began to grow, the underground base became New Las Vegas, and the land above the base became Elysium.
Reece turned away from the hologram impatiently. He soon heard the hum of the elevator approaching. The doors opened and the crowd began to pile in, Reece and his pilots among them. Inside, the elevator’s walls were made of transparent metal, giving the passengers a scenic route down into the underground city. Reece watched the crosswalks and shuttles of Elysium fade away above them as the elevator passed through the underground shaft.
Reece felt them move through darkness for a good minute before coming to an unexpected halt. He heard a mechanical sound outside, but the doors remained closed. After a moment, the elevator began to move again, appearing to descend further down.
“That’s normal,” Reece heard a passenger say. “The elevator had to move to a new shaft.”
The elevator dropped from the darkness of the underground shaft into the brightness of a huge chamber teeming with colorful lights. Reece had to squint for a second to take in the splendor of what was New Las Vegas.
Tightly packed buildings rose from the ground. Each structure boasting its own glamorous lighting, along with holographic images advertising the entertainment within: from gambling and lodging to more erotic services. A hologram of a starlit night sky painted the ceiling rock above, an illusion hiding the underbelly of Elysium.
The elevator approached what looked like the end of the shaft. Instead of slowing, the elevator shot out of the shaft and entered free fall. Some of the passengers gasped. It appeared as if they would crash into the ground. However, an invisible force seemed to grab the elevator and slow it down— stopping in midair.
One of the passengers chuckled.
“They always get first-time visitors with that,” Reece heard him say. “The elevator has anti-gravity motors.”
The elevator carried them above numerous buildings, pausing by each to allow the passengers an opportunity to digest the advertisements they displayed— each trying to woo customers with the services available at each establishment.
After many passes, the elevator tour ended with it setting down near a major walkway at ground level. The doors opened and they exited into a pleasant temperature and breathable air. The other passengers went their separate ways, leaving the six pilots on their own, standing on the walkway together.
Reece looked around at the multitude of buildings and people, trying to digest it all. He turned to his pilots, catching Tash’s smirk.
“Never been here, eh?” Tash said.
Reece shook his head. “No. I mean, I’ve been to the one on Earth, but not this.”
“This one’s twice the size of Earth’s, and twice the fun,” Tash said.
“Only if you’ve the money, lad,” Mac said.
“Right,” Reece said. “Let’s get to The Maximus before our ‘brother’ decides to leave or blows all his money.”
The group followed Tash, who led them through the crowded walkways and crosswalks to The Maximus, one of the largest and perhaps most bizarre-looking casinos around, from what Reece could tell.
Styled after the ancient Roman architecture of Earth, the entryway of The Maximus featured great stone pillars and Greek statues adorning both sides. An ornate stone archway greeted the visitors at the entrance. A hologram covered the center of the archway, hiding the other side behind an illusory starfield. As people exited The Maximus, they appeared to be stepping out of the black curtain of stars.
Tash led the group through the illusion and onto the other side. Inside, Reece saw that The Maximus looked even more outrageous. The walls were made of polished, white stone, with intricately crafted pillars reaching up into the ceiling. The floors were a glistening white marble that reflected the lighting around them.
Farther ahead,
Reece could see the Coliseum. In the arena, mock battles took place between holographic gladiators. On top of it all, holograms of Roman soldiers walked among the guests, brandishing authentic-looking weapons and armor.
Along the walls, Reece saw the only visible sign of modern technology: evenly spaced terminals with controls to give spectators the ability to zoom in and around the battles in the arena from any perspective. From here, they could pick their champion, make their bets, and watch the blood sport action.
Reece could see a mob of gamblers betting on one of the battles. He slowed down to look at the holographic relay of the battle. The gladiators’ chests bore the logos of the UEP and Confed. They slashed and lunged with their blades, sending droplets of blood and sweat onto the sand under their feet. The sound of steel against steel reverberated against the backdrop of the audience’s cheering for the illusory blood sport.
One of the gladiators tackled the other, pushing him against the arena wall, close to a group of seated onlookers. Taking advantage of his position, he bashed his shield against the other’s weapon, flinging it to the ground, then raised his sword and slashed diagonally across his foe’s belly—slicing through the UEP logo. An exaggerated eruption of blood and entrails shot out of the foe and covered the Confed gladiator.
The victor then gripped his sword with both hands and slashed across his opponent’s neck, decapitating his foe. As the crowd cheered, the gladiator knelt down to pick up the imaginary head and flung it toward the seats. Before landing onto the crowd, it exploded in midair—leaving the logo of the Martian Confederacy hovering in the air. A dealer walked into the casino proper and then delivered credits to the winning gamblers.
Reece turned away from the matches, leading the pilots across the marble floor. They followed the round passage to the other side of the casino. Eventually, they reached an opening that led out into the arena seating. Reece estimated about twenty thousand seats, with most of them filled. Tash tapped Reece on the shoulder and pointed to an area where a lone patron sat.
The pilots sat themselves around their target, Reece sitting the closest to him. The man briefly glanced at the pilots and then gave a derisive snort.
“Hello, recruits,” he said.
Reece looked at Tash, but he just shrugged in return.
“How do you know who we are?” Reece asked.
“I know a lot of things,” the pirate said. “I know that you’re probably looking for one of us because you’ve pissed all your money away.”
“You have us at a bit of a disadvantage,” Reece said. “Since you know who we are, what’s your name?”
“Recker,” he said. “Just call me Recker. I’m an engineer, and I work under Murdock. And besides you guys, I’m the only one who hasn’t left yet.”
“Left?” Reece said. “Already? Where’d they go?”
Recker snorted again.
“You don’t know shit about this boat do you?” Recker said. “The crew always pisses away their credits. Bad bets, lady action, drinking… it’s pretty inevitable really. They’re cooped up on a ship for months, earning credits they can’t spend— and the minute they put down at a pleasure port, what do you think happens?”
“They go broke,” Tash said.
“Yeah, just like you guys,” Recker said. “I think the Captain and his queen probably do it on purpose—keeps the crew from deserting altogether—gott’a have money to live after all. Really quite brilliant of them. Gott’a admire that.”
Recker turned from watching the games to look at them.
“So, are you just like the rest of the crew now?” he said. “Broke as shit?”
“Err, yeah…” Reece said.
“Don’t worry,” Recker said. “You’re in good company. I’m just not part of it.”
Recker touched his forehead.
“You see, I’m smart,” Recker said. “And I’m on a lucky streak. I’ll leave this cave with more credits than what I came in with. And I’ll be using them to buy what I want from the crew later.”
Reece cleared his throat.
“Well, brother,” Reece said, “maybe you can help us and share a little of your good fortune? We’ll pay you back once we get our first payday…”
“Well, maybe you don’t have to worry about paying me back in credits.”
“Oh,” Reece said with a small smile. “That’s mighty nice of you, brother. We really appreciate that.”
Recker snorted and turned back to look at the games.
“Enough with the ‘brother’ shit,” he said. “You haven’t earned it. And I’m not giving you anything for free; there is a price. Always a price.”
“Fine, then. Let’s cut the bullshit. What do you want?” Reece said.
Recker turned away from the fighting below just as a gladiator went down; he looked deliberately at each of the pilots.
“I can pay you 500 credits a piece,” Recker said. “But you have to do a job for me. It’s a job I’m supposed to do for one of the bosses. It will be risky, but I think you rookies can handle it. Interested?”
“Rookies?” Tash growled.
Reece put his hand up to silence Tash.
“Fine,” Reece said. “What’s the job?”
