Tech Planet (Project NightStorm Book 2) Read online

  "I wasn't worried though considering the distance we've just walked maybe I should have been," Galdan said, he wiped a hand across his head revealing his hair was still dripping wet with sweat. "The armour is quite light, made from the same material as starship hulls, and I believe it has at least two different types of technology, chemical and electrical. So I figured at least one of them would work."

  Arri reached out and pulled the silver packet from the fire. It was cool to touch, "I used to know how this worked, how the outside is cool but the inside is warm. The answers would appear in the overlay to any question. Now I feel like a helpless child who knows nothing."

  "I can access the overlay if you need it, while the connection to the net is patchy any sight I've already visited is available to me," Galdan said.

  "Thank you but there's no need, I've been coming to terms with my current situation, it's just taking time to adjust." He peeled back the sides of the packet revealing the food within. It had a wonderful smell. "Try to get some rest if you can, I'll take first watch."

  9

  Returning to The Outrider

  March arrived driving the transport, if possible it was even dirtier than before.

  "Anybody need a ride?" she asked.

  As he climbed into the tank on wheels, Arri took a look back at the dungeon, his first experience had left him bruised and drained, not to mention used up a significant amount of ammo.

  At some point in the evening, while waiting just inside the dungeon door, the lightning storm had hit. Small scorch marks peppered the metal surface for as far as the eye could see. The air still felt laden with electrical current. Arri was pleased to leave this place, the inviting interior of the transport greeted him like an old friend.

  The journey back to the town of Law was uneventful, March had mastered the transports driving systems. Navigation was by way of a compass, a small red line pointed in the direction of the town. Tyre marks hinted at the path to be followed, there were no formal markers for the road, or signs just the occasional clumps of green vegetation.

  "We left Echo's friend with the gunsmith, turns out she also doubled as a bit of a doctor," March said.

  "Did he say what happened?"

  "Think he's still in shock."

  March held the door to the weapon shop open, its hand beaten metal sign had been turned over to reveal the word closed. Topper was sat shaking, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Echo had one arm carefully placed on top of the blanket.

  Arri pulled the door too, a stiff wind had picked up outside moving the heavy air around at alarming pace, it rattled the rooftops of the small town.

  "How is he?" Arri asked.

  "Physically OK, but mentally he's suffering," Jane's voice came from out back, behind the customer service counter.

  "Do you mind if I take a look at him."

  "Are you a doctor?"

  "No," Arri replied, "but I have some experience dealing with peoples minds."

  "Feel free."

  Arri took a seat opposite Topper, he was older than he first appeared, his skin was very pale, his eyes very wide. He had his hands clasped in front of him resting on his knees, they trembled constantly.

  "Can you tell me what happened?" Arri asked keeping his tone as level as possible. There was no response.

  "He's not said a word since he arrived," Echo said, she snuggled her head on to his shoulder, a single tear rolled down his face.

  "We need to get him back to the station for a scan," Jane said, "I just don't have the equipment here."

  Arri didn't hear Jane's words, he was staring intently into Topper's eyes waiting for the tunnel to form and for his consciousness to be transferred. He didn't have to travel too far back to find the memory he needed, just to the moment Topper guided his team past the dungeon's door.

  He recognised the two tall thin figures wearing advanced combat armour. Aster had taken the bait and followed them across the galaxy. Topper's memory became stronger pulling him along as the timeline played out.

  "So this is the place?" Aster asked.

  "As requested," Topper replied, Arri sat looking out just behind his eyes.

  To his left a group of Nivgarians unloaded equipment, they seemed to have no trouble getting their technology to work despite the dampening field.

  "Lead the way."

  For the most part, Topper was too far out of range to be able to hear any of the conversations that Aster had until they reached the chamber.

  "Marcus never knew what he had found," Aster said, her words hushed barely audible, Topper turned his head slightly.

  "How did he find it?" The slender man next to her asked, Arri recognised him as Lucian, something else nagged at Arri's mind even as the conversation continued.

  "I don't know the full history, he was special forces for a time. It turns out the Nivgarian's were holding out on us, they knew about the five dead worlds all along. Helped set up the station here."

  "Maybe they send them here for training?"

  "That would be my guess, when he joined the NovaSec he underwent a scan and series of tests. His implants raised some red flags and they were sent to the professor for investigation. That's how we first became aware."

  "Why do you trust that old fool?"

  "His goal is aligned with mine and he is resourceful," Aster replied, "W-"

  Topper's memory changed instantly from listening to the conversation to waking up, cold and wet in the transport. His memories from that point warped and twisted, one second slow like they were frozen in time, the next lightning fast blurring as they passed.

  Arri pulled away closing his eyes as they had become dry during the memory acquisition. The eyes must be kept open to retain the connection. He rubbed them gently placing his fingers on top of his eyelids.

  "His mind is a mess, the memories are running at different times, which is why he's struggling to respond. I've not seen anything like this before," Arri said.

  "What do you mean different times?" Echo asked.

  "Some memories play out as normal, others run slow or really fast. He's not coping with that."

  The wind outside picked up, causing a loose shutter to come free then pound on the side of the building as the air swirled around it. Behind the counter a plate-sized circular radar display started to blink with a dot, moving from the outer ring towards the centre.

  "Storm approaching and it's a big one," Jane said, "We need to wait for it to pass before we take Topper to the tether."

  "You call the link between the station and here the tether?" March said.

  "Aye, it had a few names over the years but that one stuck."

  Arri listened to the wind, it rattled the buildings, there was something about a storm he found relaxing. When he was younger he liked to ride the bus in the rain, looking out the windows as the lights passed by distorted by the water on the glass.

  "So what's been found on this world?" Arri asked.

  "Well there are a lot of different black boxes," Jane said.

  "Boxes of all colours," Echo said.

  "We don't know for sure, they are sent back to the station where they are taken apart and reverse engineered," Jane said.

  "I know one of those guys," Echo said, "I am not sure she lives in this reality, could never get a straight answer out of her."

  "The corporations pay well for what we find, so there must be some value to it."

  "Ever find anything that can be used without taking it apart?" Arri asked.

  "Personally no, but there are rumors, weapons, time travel, even tech for seeing ghosts," Jane said.

  Tidal lay unmoving on the bed, hooked up to several long thin tubes, one pumped synthetic blood through his system, another provided oxygen, while a third kept his hydration levels up.

  "I didn't know how much blood you could lose and survive, and I didn't know how much of the ship that much blood would cover," Johns said.

  "The first time I had to perform surgery, my stomach performed kart whe
els. Took a lot of will power not to be sick," the Doc said. He had sealed the wound in Tidal's chest using the latest in medical mending gel. The vitals from all the virtual reports looked good, Tidal's heart rate and blood pressure were returning to normal.

  "Its hard to imagine doing what you do, one mistake is life and death," Johns said, " to me coding, creating a program there was never any risk."

  "No risk?"

  "No one's life on the line, the program would work or it didn't. If I made a mistake the consequences were small and would only hurt me."

  "Sounds too simple," the Doc said.

  "Apps, programs, control everything turns out one mistake can impact thousands of people cost billions of credits. Still looking at the blood I think I made the right choice in careers."

  "Well as a doctor I get a lot of help, so many apps nowadays just plug in the symptoms and the treatment is presented to you. Get it correct nine times out of ten."

  "Will he make it?" Johns asked.

  "He should unless something goes very wrong. I will keep him under for a few hours give the medicine a chance to work its magic. You could do me one favour though, pick up some clothes from his locker, I had to cut away his top and the rest were covered in blood."

  Arri stood at the base of the second tether the circular blue light lit the tube structure. On the way down he had experienced a falling sensation, he wondered what he would feel going in the other direction.

  "Please step on to the platform sir," the yellow and blue dressed technician said.

  He walked forward closed his eyes and waited. He knew he was moving as he felt the rush of cooler air on his exposed face. The blue light highlighted above and below but this time the only sensation of movement was the air flow around him.

  "Aster took the bait and followed us to the tech planet. The damage to the ship, unfortunately, meant she beat us here. The device Marcus took seems more valuable than just a strength enhancer, what have you got me into old friend," Arri's internal voice spoke inside his mind. Images of Marcus formed and transformed, he remembered conversations about games, the time they competed for a multiplayer together, the time they ate together, so much food, lots of wonderful food.

  The blue light the only constant in the darkness, traveling with him as he ascended back towards the station.

  Looking up he could see the white glow of the exit coming closer, he wasn't sure how much time had passed as each second seemed to last an hour.

  To transport Topper through the tether they had strapped him to an upright stretcher. Echo had wrapped her arms around him to hold him still as they ascended to the station.

  Stepping off the platform he waved at March she sent him a small nod of her head back, looking around he could see no sign of Echo or her friend.

  "Topper?" Arri asked.

  "There was a medical team waiting for them, Jane had sent a message ahead," March replied.

  "We need to get back to the ship. I need to work out how my gun beat the damping field."

  "You're thinking some tech inside, activated on touch?" March asked.

  "Something like that."

  They grabbed a taxi back to the Outrider, the small jet black vehicle with orange writing was functional rather than luxurious, a small meter ticked away credits as the distance from the tether to the dock was traveled.

  The airlock door opened slowly giving Arri a feeling of unease, normally it was fast to open when docked with a space station.

  "Be ready," Arri said, resting his hand on the top of his gun. The inside of the Outrider was lit with the emergency lighting.

  March drew her guns, pulling both free from there leg holsters, she pointed one towards the bridge the other down the corridor towards the top level living quarters.

  "Jenkins?" Arri said hoping the ship would route his voice over the communications.

  "Captain, good to hear your voice. The Outrider is currently experiencing several system failures and I have the sad duty to report engineer Tidal has been injured and is currently in the medical bay."

  March relaxed lowing her guns so they pointed at the floor. Arri removed his hand from the handle of his gun, his fingers felt strange he had been gripping it too tight. A simple crack of the knuckles seemed to ease the pressure.

  "OK," Arri turned to March, "Go see what you can do on the bridge."

  "Sir," March said.

  He took the steps down to the lower level two at a time, he entered medical at pace coming to a dead stop when he saw the prone body of Tidal. The doctor sat to one side of the room in his hands a red glowing stick, his eyes were distant as he monitored all the vital information the ship's systems provided. Medical had one of the best emergency power systems on the whole ship, losing people due to a power failure was not something a good doctor would tolerate.

  "How is he?" Arri asked.

  "He sustained a traumatic injury to the chest, part of the engine fell on him. He lost a lot of blood after damaging a major artery. We got to him in time thanks to Johns."

  "Thank you, how long will he be out for?"

  "Around five more hours, we just need time for the wound to heal a little."

  "I'm going to take a look at the core, keep me posted if there's any change."

  It was hard to avoid the blood, there seemed to be so much of it, the emergency lighting made it look like dark black pools with each joined by a splattering trail.

  Arri ducked his head into engineering, Jenkins had his jacket folded neatly on a bench, undershirt sleeves rolled up, with his hands buried deep inside the core.

  "Can I help at all?"

  "Ah captain, if you could just stand back, we should have power returning." From deep within the engine a low hum started. Moments later the lighting returned to normal. The extent of Tidal's blood loss instantly became apparent.

  "It's a miracle he survived," Arri said.

  "Yes, a delay of a few seconds and he would have bled out. I hope he recovers soon we need him to put the engine back together," Jenkins said, holding dark grease-stained hands far out from his body.

  "How long can the core hold out producing power?" Arri asked, unable to take his eyes off the bright red pool.

  "Almost indefinitely, if needed we can hook up to the station and draw from there, but assuming we don't get into combat we should be OK," Jenkins said, "now if you will excuse me it's been a trying few hours and I need to get cleaned up."

  "Ships time?" Arri asked.

  "Two AM time to get some rest, sir."

  With lighting back to normal Arri knocked softly on the door, if Ray was awake he would hear the sound, if asleep would probably not, at least that's how it worked in Arri's mind. Rays room wasn't far from engineering.

  "Captain, how was the planet's surface? Was it as good as the novels? I started to re-read the old tech world part one," Ray said, his eyes were slightly wider than normal and the top of his shirt was soaked with sweat, his hair also looked a bit wet.

  "There are lightning storms so fierce you wouldn't want to be outside even in a transport. The air is thick and hard to breathe," Arri said.

  "I once did a fluid dive off the gold coast, we went so deep it was amazing, the sea creatures," Ray said.

  "You seem more talkative than you've been in a while, how are you feeling?"

  "It took a while to come to terms with Niko's death. I kept going over and over what happened in my mind, could I have done something different. It was driving me a little crazy. I think the fact they took his body really got to me."

  "They said they would return it. When we get back I will make sure they have."

  "Thank you," Ray said simply

  "It's been a long day of travel, I am going to take a break for a bit but just wanted to see how you were doing."

  "Don't worry about me, I'm made of granite."

  Arri stepped back, with a small hand movement waved goodbye to Ray and headed back to his own cabin. The bed looked inviting, a wave of tiredness swept over his body.
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  Removing his clothing revealed the true extent of the bruises suffered in the confrontation with the Nivgarian zombie drones. To test the extent of the damage he pushed against the bruise on his arm just below his elbow.

  Pain shot out in both directions, up to his shoulder, then down to his fingertips. Two little white pain pills would take the edge off and allow him to sleep. As soon as his head touched the soft silken cover of the pillow his eyelids became heavy, Arri welcomed the embrace of sleep.

  10

  Pre-party Nerves

  He felt the warm embrace of her body pressed up against his. Could feel the heat transfer from her skin, was delighted by its softness. Then as if snatched away the feeling was gone just a few haunting words.

  "Hold on, I am here for you," drifted to his ear.

  Arri became aware of his surroundings as the dream faded, the natural light of his alarm lamp bringing him slowly round like the rising of the sun. He closed his eyes and tried to fall back into the dream to bring it back into his consciousness, but alas it was gone like a whisper on the wind.

  Looking into the mirror his reflection looked old, scraggly, he needed a shave. Breakfast consisted of a small ration pack pulled from his bedside table. The ration packs only required water to create an incredibly healthy meal. There were many different flavours to choose from, long ago he had settled for eggs on toast with a hint of bacon. He ate in bed, on the far wall projected a virtual show turned 2D.

  His morning routine continued with a series of stretches and body strengthening exercises. He rubbed a medical cream on to his bruises to promote increased healing, he regretted not applying it the night before.

  Walking on to the bridge Arri began his working day clean shaven, well fed and refreshed from a good nights sleep. Jenkins as always stood in the centre of the bridge data screens flowing around him providing updates on the ship.

  "Morning," Arri said.

  "For you sir," Jenkins placed a hand over his mouth to cover a yawn.