Post by Tyr on Nov 16, 2014 2:18:03 GMT
The soot covered him from head to toe. The mines were filthy and the sweat pouring off of his face only made things worse. The machines were bulky and dirty and even mining gold seemed to be a hassle at times. Aaron wiped over his face, only smearing the black dust further across his eyes. It didn't matter. He didn't even have real eyes and the feeling of his arms brushing the lenses was almost nil. He sighed, looking down, gazing upon himself for a brief moment in reflection; fake eyes, and bionic arms with no signs of humanity about them. Shrugging it off he continued his work drilling the mine of its precious metal.
"Get on with it goddamnit!" He heard as it echoed through the shaft. As he turned and looked into the darkness he saw the supervisor in charge of the mining operation. His eyes glowed a faint brown almost as if an infrared light had started up within his corneas and the darkness seemed to subside. In the dark was his light.
"I'm working as quickly as I can, these machines- They-"
"Quit your f***ing belly-aching! Get to it! We've got quotas to meet and if I get chewed out again so help YOU GOD!"
He was cut off yet had done nothing. He simply turned around and began to work his drill again. The clinking and clanking of the gears hurt his ears and the sparks from the tip of the drill upon the rocks hurt his eyes.. but he had a job to do and he was going to do it. He HAD to do it. The supervisor made his way down into the depths of the shaft and disappeared after that yet the echo of his voice rang out as he insulted and belittled another one of the miners. Aaron simply shook his head and kept on with it.
The further he drilled into the side of the mine the more ore bits fell to the ground until at last he'd found a vein. It was vast and seemed to continue on for a long while. "Jackpot!" He thought, positioning the drill, "That fucker won't have ANY reason to jump on my back now. This will help meet our quota for sure." His thoughts raced, yet, just as he'd begun there was a loud crack and a boom. His drill had seized and the gears began to overheat and stop one after the other. It was a monstrous behemoth and he did not have the ability to fix it.. only use it.
He turned, making his way down the shaft, looking for the mechanics responsible for that particular mine.
The three miners that were gathered around the small transport bike were not really looking at the bike. The transport bikes, or Tri-Kes as they were known were four wheel mining carts, the size of the old 4WDs, with a massive engine with them. The tracks that extended through the mines were hundreds upon hundreds of twisting, turning kilometres of track. These Tri-Kes could move gear and materials almost at the speed of light. 100km of track took less than a minute to cover with a Tri-Ke. They weren’t safe for people though. There were safer cars for that.
This particular Tri-Kes engine had suddenly seized up, throwing rocks and gems all over the place. While some of the works relocated the cargo to the adjoining Tri-Ke, the others had called for Amelia, who was in charge of this particular tunnel. She had been on her meager ten minute break in a fourteen hour shift at the time and resented not being allowed the final four minutes of her break. She had thrown her tea in the face of the man who had requested her help and then insisted that he make her another one as he had spilled her tea. He nodded and hurried off. It was always best to stay on the good side of the mechanics that worked the mines, because that meant your gear got serviced promptly, which meant you got back onto the job faster and met quotas. Which stopped supervisors beating your ass, or taking your pay.
The three miners that were gathered around this Tri-Ke were happily watching the rather curvaceous backside that was dangling at almost eye level, as Amelia hung face down within the engine bay, under the bonnet of the large beast. Aside from being something pleasant to look at, as few of the mechanics were attractive females, it provided a humourous distraction as it jiggled and wobbled within her khaki work pants as she yanked and pulled and spoke to them.
“Some idiot dropped a gem into the engine,” she said in a metallic voice. “How the hell do you drop something the size of a strawberry and not notice?!” she growled as she began to pull at the gem with her hands. “Dammit,” she growled. “Hand me a wrench.” She was handed the wrench after a moment or two longer. Moments later, the offending jewel had been wrenched out. Amelia slid out from beneath the bonnet and landed on the ground, readjusting her shirt, which had slid up slightly, causing her to get dirt and grease on her undershirt.
As Amelia’s gaze travelled over the large gem, her eyes adjusted, zooming in and checking for blemishes and scratches. She had managed to extract it with only minimal scratching. “No scratches a good polishing won’t get out,” she said brightly, handing it back to the oldest man in the group.
“Thanks Amelia,” he said. “We’ll be more careful next time.”
“As well you should. You know how pissy they get if you damage their jewels.” She looked up as the young man hurried over with another cup of tea for her, his face and neck still glistening with moisture and tea leaves. “Thank you James,” she said with a smile and she turned away and began heading back up the shaft to see which other machines needed her touch today. She had mended ‘The Beast’ earlier today, the seventy-five foot high drilling and boring machine that lived in the mines and dug deeper and longer.
Amelia hummed happily to herself and sipped her tea, waving hello to the miners who were looking in her direction as she wandered past. The youngest mechanic in the mines, and arguably the most attractive, as attractive young mechanics were in short supply in the mines, Amelia was well liked by everyone. Partially because she made the form fitting khaki pants, knee high brown boots, brown belt, white undershirt and black, long sleeved work overshirt look damn good on her, when the others seemed to look like the homeless. Partially because she was bloody good at what she did, partially because she was young and pretty, bur mostly because she brought a bit of sunshine and humour to an otherwise humourless and dull job. People in her tunnels would be hard pressed to forget the prank she had pulled in honor of Christmas one year, when she had tweaked the drilling mechanisms to sound like tinkling bells that played Christmas carols instead of made that nasty drilling noise. Or the time she managed to corral one of the Supervisors in a pit due to an ‘accidental’ machine malfunction, so that two of the men, whose wives were in labour, could make it to the hospital in time to witness the birth of their first children. It was things like that which endeared Amelia to people.
That and the fact that she was an orphan.
She rounded the corner of the mine and ran smack into someone, which of course caused her to shriek in pain as her hot tea spilled down her neck and chest, soaking into her shirt. Amelia leaned forward quickly, pulling the overshirt off her in a hurry and holding her undershirt off her skin until it stopped burning.
“Do you have to come tearing around corners that fast?” she growled as she righted herself, looking at the man who had run into her. “Now you’re going to have go and make me a new cup – “ she paused. “I know you, don’t I?” she said. “I never forget a face. Names on the other hand, well, I forget those all the time. But I know you…”
Aaron had turned his gaze for a brief moment and just as soon as he did he felt himself collide with someone. He grunted and stumbled back a bit and as he turned to see who he had hit his eyes adjusted to the darkness and he became aware. He became speechless for a moment, looking over the form of this young mechanic who he was almost certain he had seen around the town before. His face showed surprise yet for a good moment no sound was uttered from his lips. As she lifted her shirt off an almost stupid look covered his face and his mouth dropped slightly.
“Do you have to come tearing around corners that fast?”
“Now you’re going to have go and make me a new cup – “
“I never forget a face. Names on the other hand, well, I forget those all the time. But I know you…”
Her words took a few moments to process but Aaron finally managed a nod and forced smile to try and alleviate the situation a bit after their collision. "I'm Aaron. Aaron King. I am sure you know me from town but we were in school together.. I think you got out uuh, a year? Before I did. I forgot your name too though, I apologize. Uuh, almost want to say Annabelle?"
"I uuh- I.. I'm sorry, I didn't.. I was-" He studdered, the words unwillingly to comply. "I was looking for the mechanic, I turned and.. I." He stopped, sighing and shaking his head as he rubbed his temples.
"My drill, it's a big one.. it's seized up. I hit a vein and," He paused a moment as he gestured an explosion with his hands, the metallic pieces clinking slightly as he did so, "It just blew. Can you help me out? It's only right up here." He stopped again, his voice fading, "And I'm sorry for your shirt. I'll see if I can find you a new one after shift."
Aaron took his own shirt off then. Both arms and shoulders were modded and the metallic look to them glinted in the tiny bits of light that emanated from his eyes. His movements gave off mechanical noises and it almost seemed he himself were a machine. Extending his hand, he offered his own shirt; it was dirty, but it was dry. He forced another smile, his white teeth showing through his soot covered face. If she were to see.
Afterwards he motioned behind him. Down the dark shaft a ways the enormous drill sat motionless. The smoke and steam pouring from it filled the mine shaft and breathing became harder and the temperature hotter. As the sweat poured down his face Aaron wiped it away, smearing the dirt and soot back over its entirety. On the ground lay bits of ore and rock and the tip of the drill looked dull and useless. It seemed as though it had been in use for ages without cooling down.
"I don't know the first f***ing thing about these drills mechanically. So. Can you help me out?"
“Well, you found the mechanic. And you owe her a cup of tea.” Amelia smiled. “Ah yeah, Aaron King. The Terminator,” she said with a smile. “That’s what we used to call you. Because of your arms.” She tapped his bicep with a fingernail. “You know, like the old movies.” She gave him a smile again and took the offered shirt. “Thanks.” She quickly pulled her own shirts off, turning her back to allow some modesty as she switched out of the soiled shirts and into his soiled work shirt. It was about four sizes too large, though her breasts kind of compensated for his broad shoulders. She rolled up the sleeves a fair amount and tucked the bottom of the shirt into her pants.
“Close with Annabelle,” she said. “But Annabelle was that girl with the bionic chest, so her boobs stuck out to like, here,” she said, gesturing somewhere almost a foot and a half away from her. “Something about her lungs being bionic and a poison sifter or something. I think she works here too. But she has red hair, so I get the confusion. I’m Amelia Lane. But you’re right, I did leave a year before you.” She began to head down the shaft where she could see the drill smoking.
“What the hell did you do to your drill?” she ask, surprised. “How long have you been working on it for? Has it even been cooled? Lubricated? Have the parts been changed? Did you pump out the valve where - ” she stopped, looking at the look on his face. Incomprehension, and not just that blank stare that the modded eyes sometimes got. He seriously just had no clue what she was talking about.
“Sorry, but your supervisor should have been way more on top of this.” Amelia approached the drill, waving away the steam and smoke. She allowed her eyes to zoom in on the various parts she knew held heat and friction. A few had burnt down and had no lubricant. “You’re in luck,” she said. “It looks to be a minor lubricant problem. Lucky thing. If that whole mechanism needed replacing, you’d be out of action for the rest of the day. Which would be lucky for you in some ways, because then you could just chill and relax and watch me work.” She flashed him a winning smile and pulled out a small hand held device and hit it a few times. After a moment, a Tri-Ke appeared and ejected a tool box at her feet. A scarlet “A” was painted on it in a glossy paint.
Nail polish.
“How long have you been working down here now Aaron?” she asked. “It can’t be more than two years or so.” School in the outlying cities finished when you were about 15. Earlier if you learned all the skills necessary to start your occupation. You learnt most of what you needed to know on the job.
"A cup of tea. I've never even drank the stuff.."
As she tapped his arms his smile faded. He looked down, focusing upon them for a moment. The Terminator. It echoed in his mind for a moment before he focused on something else. The bends of her fingers, her fingernails, their shape. He didn't remember a time when he could do that with his own self. These mechanical atrocities were forced upon him and he never had any chance to fight it at all. "I wish I could have.." He thought, looking back up at her.
As she turned to change his face flushed, though, she wasn't able to see. His face became white hot and the sweat almost seemed cooling, if it hadn't been for it spilling down his face. She unnerved him and he was surprised she had even recognized his name, or his face. His eyes ran the length of her body and as soon as she turned he looked up quickly in an almost startled way and coughed.
He laughed after she spoke then, nodding in agreement, "Yeah, I remember those now.. err, her, now." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Amelia Lane. That was my FIRST guess. I was just.. yeah." He laughed once more, turning to follow her down into the shaft. He looked over her observing his drill, and he could see the change in her expression how serious the damage was. It wasn't going to be well for him. He had already been chewed out by the supervisor for missing a quota before and he was dreading every second.
As she began asking questions his face remained blank and he merely shook his head. "Listen. I work the drill and manually work the mine. I don't know.. cooling, parts, or whatever. Okay? I'm sorry I just don't. Know what I learned in school? That these-" He tapped his own hands then, shaking his head, "Are for working a mine. I didn't get any special treatment. I've been working these mines for a few years now." He was truthful. He hadn't learned a thing. His job was to be a miner and die in the mines for the good of the Government. His life was meaningless. He was nothing. Sometimes, he even felt as such.
She continued working and Aaron continued watching, as she had said. A much better break than he'd had before. "You think you can fix it though? I'm almost sure the tip is dull.. but.. you're the mech so.."
"And uuh.. for the last part of the last question.. since you've last seen me I've been down here. I mine. I have to. My family needs me. It's uuh. Hard times."
He thought back. His father had been recruited by the Government, but that had been many months ago. He was the only man in the house. The only one there to provide for his mother and two younger sisters. Times were hard, yet he persevered. Not for his own sake, but so his mother and siblings could lead a semi-decent life in the fucked up world that was their own. He thought back further and his mother and two sisters were affected by a certain gene that did not allow modifications to be present. He remembered the Government hospital and how they kept his sisters from death and the stories his mother told of her own experiences.
Yet he was here and here he was to stay.
Amelia nodded. “I know. Unfortunately what they teach you in school is barely enough to keep you afloat. I almost cut my hand off twelve times before they finally assigned me to someone who could teach me how to operate the equipment to fix your equipment. I even spent a week and a half in the hospital learning how to walk again when I didn’t know how to control the mods in my legs. I jumped into a wall.” She shrugged as she unscrewed two or three components of the huge drill bit part way. She tweaked a few screws and then smacked it, and the entire drill bit lay open before them both, every bolt, every joint, every bearing visible.
She grabbed his hand and pulled him close and then pointed out a few things. “See those slivers of silvery blue stuff? That’s dried up lubricant. You need to apply it to these bits every few months. It’s something your supervisor should be doing, but I’m seeing more and more of the drills do this. So I’m putting in a formal complaint today. Not that it will really do much good.” She sighed as she dabbed lubricant throughout the bearings and deftly replacing others.
“I remember when your father was recruited. I thought that was pretty cool. At first. But I saw your sisters and your mum in the markets a few times. At first they were ok with it all and then as the months wore on, they seemed to get more and more down.” She closed up the drill. “It must be tough on you, not having him around, having to do all the work and everything. I feel for you. I mean, my folks died years ago, but at least I only have to look after me. You’ve got a family.”
Amelia looked at him. “I’m sorry, a pretty much stranger is probably the worst person to be bringing this up.” She hit a few switches on the drill and it began to run. She winced. “Noisy mother fucker. Here,” she connected her small hand held device to some wires which she pulled out of a pouch at he belt. “This’ll cut the noise down. So you at least won’t go deaf before your time.” She hit the upload button and the programming worked its magic on the drill. It quieted significantly in moments. “Normally they garnish your wages for that, but consider that a freebie. For old times sake.” She smiled and squeezed his arm, a comforting, friendly gesture.
“Now, my tea…”
He nodded. She was so true. Apart from the teachers teaching him nothing, he had never even been around or inside the mines. He didn't know how they operated or what he was really even supposed to do. It took him around a year to fall into the swing of things and then he perfected what he had learned. He formed his own technique and made the job his own. He was good and was granted the job of running the drills. It was the highest of the lowest as it comes to mining and he was in-fact proud of it, despite not having a choice in the matter. Many of the tunnels in the mine were drilled through by him and the other drillers. He took a sense of pride in that.
He laughed, "Into a wall? I've seen people with the modified legs jump so high they frighten themselves and topple over but I've never seen that. Must've been a SIGHT." He smiled. A genuine smile.
He continued watching as she laid his machine out, every nut and bolt spread across the dirt. She was good at what she did and she could back it up with her skills and personality. She was fiery and Aaron always felt cool. She was like an opposite that attracted. In his own mind. As she tugged him aside by the arm to look over the drill he nodded, yet his mind focused on the warmth of her fingers. One thing the Government did well, was the sensors in his arms which allowed him to feel and realize how hard he was grabbing or pulling something.
When she started speaking once again he snapped out of his trance. "I understand. I should've realized something of the sort when the drill started to smoke and spew steam everywhere. I wasn't thinking.. I have a lot on my mind. I also apologize for getting you here to do this. If I knew more I would have cleared it up myself."
He thought about his father again. It had just been months since he'd been recruited but it felt as though an entire lifetime had passed. They used to get communications and hologram recordings but now, nothing. It was as though he had fallen off of the face of the Earth and there was no way of knowing exactly what happened. His father was an intelligent, just, simply brilliant man and the Government had use for his skills. At first it was a happy occasion but now. Look where they ended up. His thoughts ate at him for a moment before she said “Now, my tea…”.
"Oh yes.. well, uuh. Since the drill's fixed and the super's down there terrorizing someone else.. what say you we blow the mines for a bit and I will get you your damned tea." He spoke jokingly before he smiled again, moving his arm just out of her touch.
Gideon: Amelia smiled and got one more pat of his arm in before he moved out of reach. There was an extreme sadness somewhere inside him. She could see that, and she didn't need her modded eyes to do so. She smiled and made a sweeping gesture with her hand. "Lead the way Mr. King," she said with a smile.
Tyr: He turned, head down almost tracing his footsteps as they planted in the dirt. He didn't have bionic legs but at that very moment his entire body felt so heavy. He had a beautiful young lady at his side and still he couldn't shake his thoughts. It was as though a movie kept playing over and over in his head and he was powerless to stop it.
They weren't very far from the entrance so he took it upon himself to elect them to walk. As he approached the entrance to the mine he stopped for a moment and his eyes made mechanical noises as they adjusted to the light. "I'm sorry," He said softly, lifting his arm up to shield the lenses that were his eyes, "The light gets me every time. It's been about thirteen hours since I've been out." He looked to his side and the sight of Amelia almost made the pain in his eyes subside.
"Now, do you know where to go to get tea? I've never even drank any. Seriously." And he smiled.
Gideon: She looked at him with a smile. "It's all good. My eyes have trouble adjusting sometimes after I've been studying something minute and then need to go back to normal focus." Amelia gestured vaguely down the path. "I actually live about four minutes walk from here, if you can manage it?"
Tyr: He nodded and then gestured in much the same way as she'd done before. "Lead the way, Amelia." He chuckled lightly and continued on with her at his side. "Now tea.. like.. what IS it? Is it good? I've read books with characters inside drinking it but.. NEVER had it."
His eyes finally adjusted to the light and he rubbed them. They made an eerie metallic noise as he did so and when he realized, he stopped, head dropping to the ground again.
"So, where is it you live?"
Gideon: Amelia laughed. "I can't believe you've never drunk tea before... It's delicious, and its so simple. You just add the tea leaves to boiling water and you can put honey in it, if you ever manage to have some, or milk. But I like it without milk. Essentially it's like dried grass and leaves and stuff." She wrinkled her nose. "That sounds gross when you think about it that way."
She gestured about 1km down the road. "See that little wooden cabin down there?" You could just see the roof of it off to the side of the road. "That's me."
Tyr: His eyes made more mechanical noises, adjusting to light and shadow. He focused upon the cabin, and they almost seemed to light up. "It's magnificent. Did you build it or..? I know sometimes the Government gives..." He stopped abruptly, waving a hand. "I'm sorry. Uuh.. so this is you?" He spoke softly as they came upon the cabin.
He looked over the cabin. It was spectacular. It was even more than he and his own family had. At that moment more sadness set in but was off-set by the fact that she was there. Something about her.
"I hope I'm not intruding. I would love to try some tea though."
Gideon: Amelia shook her head. "Dad said that his great-grandfather built it. He used to be the overseer of the mines, and he hated travelling to work from the otherside of the city each day. So he built a cabin up here. It's kinda noisy, but you get used to it."
They stepped up the front steps of the cabin and the door opened to reveal three very small rooms. One served as a kitchen and eating area, the other a meagre bathroom and then her bedroom, which really wasn't much more than a pile up of blankets and some old pillows. Everything was neat and clean though. The place was tidy, if sparse. As she had said, with just her to look after, it was easier than some of the others had it.
"You're not intruding at all. Did you know you're the first visitor I've had here?"
Tyr: Aaron looked around, the place just seemed magnificent to him. How one person could have so much. It baffled him. Why hadn't he done this? Why couldn't he? His thoughts were interrupted by her first words inside. "The first person in here.." He thought, his eyes scanning her over for a moment.
As he listened to her explain the concept of tea he nodded, smiling. "I like honey.. can we put a bit extra in mine? I mean.. if you don't mind. I just want to say that this place is amazing. Your great, grandfather, he did a good job." And he nodded, ending it then and there.
He took a few steps to the inside and closed the door. The look on his face if she were to see would show nothing but amazement. His eyes would show excitement and sadness, all at the same. His thoughts swirled 'round and 'round, even still. He was constantly thinking. Maybe there was a mod for that, too.
Gideon: "Technically he was my great-great-grandfather. I think. It's not as big or newish as some of the compounds near town, but it's home. I'm glad you like it." She said this last bit quite shyly, much unlike her previous jovial tone. She drew out one of the wooden chairs and gestured for Aaron to sit.
She quickly busied herself at the ancient stove that was in desperate need of replacing and soon enough there was flame. A pot of water was added and again, within minutes, it began to bubble. Amelia opened the cupboard to get out her cups and tea, and hopefully a biscuit or two for Aaron and herself to nibble at. She bit her lip when she saw that she was down to her last three teabags and three biscuits.
It was a small price to pay for company. She quickly busied herself and grabbed a plate, putting the biscuits out, and then getting two mugs, but only putting one teabag out. She poured the boiling water into both cups and jiggled the tea bag for a full minute before she pulled it out and popped it into her own cup. The tea bag was almost used up but she was able to get some decent colour out of it.
A generous dollop of honey from a small jar went into Aaron's cup and she brought over the two cups and the plate of biscuits, all expertly balanced.
"Here you go, one tea with accompanying biscuits and a nice big dollop of honey." She smiled and sat next to him in the other chair. It creaked loudly. "Broken chair," she said smiling. "Now drink it and tell me what you think."
Tyr: "I appreciate it, I really do." As he spoke, looking over the remnants of what was probably the last of her meals. "A lot.." He didn't know what else to say. Again she had made him speechless. He split his piece of bread and laid the other half upon the table. "I am not so hungry. More excited for the tea.." And as he slid the half a piece across the table he smiled as she handed him the tea.
The aroma was magnificent. Sweet with a twang. He lifted the cup to his lips and his face lit up. "I uuh.. I.. I like it. Thank you. Much oblidged." As he continued to down the cup in a couple large gulps, regardless of the heat. "I love it, I've.." He stopped once more, hearing himself. He wiped his mouth and smiled genuinely once again.
"You.. I need to ask, ...you have any family? I'm sorry if that's intrusive but.. I'd like to know. I mean. I don't know but.." His eyes dropped, down into his cup. The last droplets of tea still laying about in the center of the glass.
He never intruded. Never. He was a modest, calm, and quiet man. But he had to ask. He had to know more.
Gideon: Amelia smiled and coloured just a little bit as he pushed some of the food back across to her. Everyone knew how scarce treats were in these parts. Sometimes food itself was scarce if the Government didn't do drops on time. The Market, their little black market food exchange, had been having a hard time of it lately. The lands weren't the greatest this Fall, and growing food was hard. Besides, the Government could burn it all if they found it. Or worse, dock your wages for years. Some had even been thrown in prison, never to be heard from again.
She took the food and nibbled at it, conscious to leave enough for herself for a snack when she finished work in about 5 hours time. "I'm really glad you like the tea," she said with a smile. "It's so much better for you than that bitter brown stuff that the old people drink. Corfee, or something, I think it's called. You have to add so much honey to it, and milk, just to make it taste half decent."
Amelia's face dropped at mention of her family. She didn't often talk about them. What harm could it do though? She started, with a big sigh. "Well, my oldest sister, Elizabeth, was "recruited" by the Government," she said frowning. By the way she made those little air quotes, and the way she said 'recruited' one could tell she was less than impressed and disillusioned by it all. "Something about her being an amazing artist and wanting her to create great works of art to begin replacing what man lost. She was great. She could see something once and replicate it, nearly exactly right. You couldn't tell from a quick look that it was wrong." She scratched her nose. "My older brother was taken too. Five years ago now, when he was 19. I don't know why. He just didn't come home from work one day and then we started getting the telegrams. He said they said they wanted his brain and his strength to train soldiers. He was good with weaponry kinda stuff. Probably always programmed to be a soldier."
In their cities, those programmed to be soldiers usually ended up in the 'Police' or 'Enforcement' force. They barely had to do anything, as very little crime happened in the cities. They were usually quickly taken by the Government once they turned 18.
"My parents both died about a month after his last communication, four years ago. After his last communication. He sounded panicked and upset. He was saying the same things he always said, about how great it was, and how much fun it was, and how his life was better and he missed us. But he sounded so strange. My parents tried to make contact after that, but were unsuccessful. Dad found Mum dead out the back there, hanging from a tree. He kinda went insane after her death and cut down the tree. Unfortunately, in true clumsy Lane fashion, one part of the tree toppled over and crushed him to death while I was at school. I found him lying there when I got home. He looked... happy." She smiled sadly and shrugged.
"Sorry to bring down the mood buddy, but you asked!"
Tyr: He reached an arm out, placing it upon her shoulder. His own eyes, if you could call them that, expressed sadness and longingness. "I'm sorry, I didn't.." He stopped short once more, not knowing what to ay or do.
"My pops was recruited a few months ago, you know. I thought it was good but.." He stopped again, a bead of tears slidding down his cheeks. "I don't know anymore.. I've been in the mines, I... I.." And the tears continued rolling. He was an average than larger man, but his tears streamed like a river.
"I don't know.. I don't." And he took a long drag from the tea Amelia had provided him. It comforted him.
Gideon: Amelia froze, watching the rather large man attempt to comfort her then start crying. She was a pragmatic individual, and didn't really know how to deal with grief, except by cracking jokes, but something told her she probably shouldn't do that right at this point. Instead, she patted his shoulder, kind of awkwardly for a moment, before standing up and bringing over the pan with still hot water in it and topping up his up. "That'll warm it up a bit," she said with a smile, replacing the pan on the stove and then sitting down.
"The Government tells us that they take us for the greater good. Sometimes I wonder for whose greater good. Doesn't seem to be ours." She squeezed his shoulder once more and then let her hand drop down his arm and back to her own lap. "Come on, we better get back to the work. I've got about five hours to go. How about you?"
Tyr: Aaron smiled, wiping those petty tears off. He knew he had a job and he would do it. Yet, something nagged at his own heart then. As his eyes adjusted to the light then, he focused on her. "I.. have to ask. How did you lose your..." And he stopped, wiping his face once more. "Everything?"
He knew that he was too a stranger but he felt as though he knew this woman. He knew what she had gone through, her pains.. and even her strifes.
"I know.. I do, I just-.." And he stopped himself, much as he'd done before. "The mines are waiting for us.." And he nodded afterwards.
He had never felt as such or looked at the world as such. This young woman had changed him. He had to help his family. He had to fight and find his father. He knew it. Yet.. he could not do it alone. He was scared. He was not about to face it. As such, not in-front of Amelia.
Gideon: "I may have lost my family," she said with a small smile, as she stood. "But I at least didn't lose my sense of humour." She winked at him and collected their dishes. "Do you want some tea and honey to take home with you? After your shift?" She smiled shyly. "You can always stop by for a cup anytime you want. But I would be happy to give you some to take home to your family. I've even got some leaves drying at the moment that are really good to help you sleep."
[Tyr: He just shook his head and adamantly replied, "No. Keep it, I really do appreciate it though. I've uh..." He shook his head, sipping from the cup once more. "It's sweet."
After a moment his brain began to mentally kick his ass once more. He had bailed on his shift and left a drill unattended. It was the last thing he needed. Until he heard the screams.
"Aaron! Aa-" As they were cut off, an almost metallic sounding scream. Yet. They were his mother and sisters. He didn't hesitate.. and as he stood the cup of tea spilled the rest of its contents all over the table and chairs.
"I'm sorry about the chairs, but, I've got to--" And another scream. In urgency he lept up and took off.
Gideon: Amelia smiled and nodded. "That's fine - " she stopped when she heard the screaming and looked up as she recognised his name within the screams. She followed Aaron out the door and stayed hot on his heels as he ran.
Tyr: As he exited he heard the lowly growls of a Government official, "You have exhibited traits that do not allow for the modifications of humans. You are useless and thusly will be discarded of!"
The words echoed in Aaron's ears. Never before had he heard such declarations and never before had he seen such things go on in public. His entire world turned upside down just then.
"Stop it, STOP!" He cried out loudly before an unknown object collided with his skull. He went unconscious and the world in its entirety became black.
Gideon: "Aaron?" her voice intruded into his thoughts in a murmur. Then a sharp smack to the face. "Aaron, wake up!" she growled into his ear.
Tyr: Aaron woke up, the sweat pouring down his face. He had only slight recollections of the events that had transpired. He was scared. He didn't know what to do. Even laying upon the blankets, he was powerless. His body had quit and the tears just ran. He couldn't stop them.
"Where am I?!" He cried out, fidgeting a moment before becoming lifeless and still. "What happened? Where ARE they?"
His arms moved yet they felt like lead. Everything was hard. Everything.
"Please, where? WHERE?!"
Gideon: Amelia wiped his face and chest down with a cold, damn cloth. She was still wearing his shirt, so he was still shirtless. "The Government took them," she said simply. "Something about them not being abled to be modded and so they had to be..." she trailed off. "They took them away. They didn't kill them. An official hit you with the butt of his gun, so you'll probably have a headache." She helped him sit up, slowly. "Do you feel sick? Can you see me ok?"
Tyr: Aaron's eyes made the same mechancal noises as they'd done before and began adjusting to the light. He awoke to Amelia's face. It had almost seemed his pain had completely subsided. He had never seen such a woman before in his lifetime,
"They-.. they.." He groaned, the wound upon his head throbbing and aching. "They took them. But where? Where?" He asked simply and quietly, still regaining his bearings.
As he sat up he looked back over her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag you into anything if I did. I wasn't thinking." And he laid a hand upon his head, rubbing it. The blood still leaked out from the edges of his palm yet surprisingly he felt.. okay.
"I have to find them. I've got to get.." And he cringed once more, dropping his arms to his side. "I got hit pretty hard.."
Gideon: "I'll say you did," she said, straightening and heading back into her kitchen. He could hear her bustling around in there, but couldn't see what she was doing. "The Government seemed about ready to take you too, for interfering, but your sister kicked up a massive fuss. She bit the guy who was trying to take her really hard on the hand. She made him bleed. Then she ran and jumped onto the Government guy who hit you. He turned around, but she bit him too and was screeching and screeching." Amelia sighed, thinking of the look on his sisters face when she had crouched next to Aaron's unconscious body. That pleading look that said, 'Help us. Help him.'
"Her distraction allowed me to drag you to safety. I hid us in the shrubs until they had taken off. They really wanted to find you too. They beat the bushes pretty hard." She emerged from the kitchen with a small bowl full of a liquid thats stench stung the nostrils. "I've gotta stitch up the wound in your head," she said. "I've never done it before, but it can't be much different to fixing a machine." She tapped her temple. "And I've got the eyes for it."
Tyr: Aaron clinched his teeth. The stitching made for a painful game and one which he was not acustomed to. The blood ran thick through the laces until his wound had ceased its bleeding. "I.. I.." He studdered. In his mind all he saw was his mother and sibings. In his mind he was in hell.
"Please let me go, I have to... I have to.." In and out he went. His conscious reality melding into the unconscious world in which he lived at the moment. "I just..." He was gone. His mind and body all given up.
When he awoke, he startled himself. "MOM!: He cried, looking around. Yet, there was nothing. Until Amelia arrived. "I.. I.."
He studdered. His eyes locked upon her and he fell silent.
Gideon: Amelia looked concerned as Aaron woke up. "You've been in and out of it. It's after 2am now." She looked tired in the light of the small lamp. Her red hair was in a messy bun and she still wore her work clothes. "I convince the supervisor to give you tomorrow off and still pay you. The other guys agreed to put in an extra hour each to cover you."
She smoothed his hair back down. "You were talking in your sleep. Nightmares I think. You said Mum a lot and something about going and getting them."
She smiled sadly. "You know you can't, right?"
Tyr: His facial expression remained. At the very moment he seemed unreadable. He had no recollection of the night or day before but he knew in his mind what he wished to do. To even say he couldn't.. He sighed, shaking his head.
"Amelia, I HAVE to. I am going to. I.." He paused a long pause and his eyes welled up for a moment. Sniffing and brushing the lenses clean once more he gave a slight shake of his head.
"I am, and I will.I understand you've got it good here but.. they're my family Amelia. I HAVE to save them."
Gideon: Amelia's face hardened. "Don't you dare tell me I have it good here Aaron. At least you have a family! It's bloody hard being a woman in this fucked up city working in male industry. There's a whole lot of unpleasant shit I have to deal with every damn week that'd make you cringe, just so I have enough work to make sure I can eat and pay the Government's taxes." She stood up quickly and wandered away from him, her face unreadable.
"I'm sorry about your family Aaron, but they're gone. If you try to follow them, you'll be gone too. If the creatures in the Wilds don't get you, or you don't die in the weather, the Government will kill you for daring to step outside your zone."
Tyr: Aaron shot up almost not even dazed. His eyes focused on her and he knew she could hear the mechanical movements within them.
"You don't say that. Never tell me that. I'm going. I'M GOING." And he slammed a mechanical fist upon the floor, blistering and splintering the wood. No tears fell from his eyes or made their way down his cheeks. His anger was consuming him. He looked down and pulled a fist from the heart of her wooden floor.
"I'm sorry.. I.." He stuttered. God, why did he always do this. "I didn't mean it."
"If you aren't going I still am. I owe it to them. I am sorry. Completely. About your own family but you have to realize I can't just leave my own. They are ALL I have."
Clenching his fists the metallic noise rang out through the air. He didn't care. Not now.
"Please..."
Gideon: Amelia arched an eyebrow as she watched his fist plough through the floor of her humble abode. Anger was beginning to take over, even when he apologised for her family being gone.
"You won't last ten minutes outside this city Aaron. Be realistic. Would your mother want you to throw your life away? You don't even have a plan. You don't have transportation and you sure as shit don't have money."
Tyr: Aaron kept a fist clenched and he did nothing but shook his own head.
"You don't know me. I can do this and I will. Help me or not.. I don't care anymore.." Not a single tear beaded down from his eyes and it almost seemed as though he would clench and distort his own hands. The sound of metal on metal seemed to echo.
The look on his face was distorted, angry, and scared all at the same time. He knew what she was saying was right but he didn't care. They were his. His responsibility. His to look after. There wasn't a word she could utter that would keep him from going.
"I'm sorry," He said, his voice fading, "I have to do this. I don't care about my life. I care for theirs."
Gideon: Amelia frowned. "You want me to come? Why?"
Tyr: Her words almost seemed to sting. His cheeks flushed and he turned his head moment. "I need you- your help.." He spoke softly, the words almost seeming to halt within his throat.
As he turned back he looked over her almost pleadingly. "We're both modded in more than one way and we can help eachother. I don't KNOW if I can do this alone."
"We can find or TAKE what we need. And.." He trailed off, sighing and shaking his head. He felt defeated.
"I just need help."
Gideon: "I don't think either of us can make it out there she said." She sat down heavily on the chair. "You'll kill us both Aaron," she said with a sigh. Then she chuckled. "Not like I have much to live for though..." Amelia turned her eyes skyward and yelled, "If you think we can do this, give me a sign... A hint... Anything!"
The chair suddenly gave way and turned to splinters beneath her. She looked up at Aaron, perplexed.
Tyr: He merely shook his head and after he offered his metallic hands to her. "Come.. come up now." He hadn't meant for this or anything to happen. He hadn't meant for.. anything.
"Up on your feet. Just know.." He turned once more, sighing, "Jus know I am going. I will be gone. I'm going off. I'm strong and I KNOW I can do it. Amelia.."
He shook his head again, a loss of words apparent. He unclenched his fist and still, yet, heard the scrape of metal upon metal. He hated it. He hated himself. If the one last thing he ever did.. it would be saving his family.
"I have to do this Amelia. I just.." He trailed on once more, his face dropping to the floor and examining every crack he'd made with his own fists. He felt terrible about it - yet adamant about his previous words.
"I need you, Amelia. I can't get far.. alone.."
"I'll protect you. I promise."
Gideon: Amelia gripped his hands, if for no other reason than to stop him grinding the metal together, because it was seriously beginning to hurt her ears.
"I'll come with you," she said. "On one condition."
Tyr: As she rose up back upon her feet he gave her a look over and nodded. "What may that be?" He said in a low tone. He regained his own footing then and lifted his head up, eying her in the face now.
It almost seemed as if he had changed in those seconds. A purpose now came over him and he was indeed intent upon it.
"And.. you're alright?"
Gideon: "I'm fine. Two conditions... Actually...." She said. "Condition one: you actually listen to me. I'm not just a pretty face. And condition two... Please check my ass for splinters."
Tyr: His face distorted for a moment and then Aaron laughed heartily. How in the world did he ever even find this woman. I suppose, in his thoughts, the drill was to be thanked.
"Listen to you how? And.. on top of that.. You know there isn't ONE splinter there." And he laughed once more, his eyes trailing down to the lower parts of this beautiful redhead's body. "No splinters..."
His face turned back up and regained the seriousness it had before. He never let on, if he didn't already, the pain in his soul. He nodded once more.
"I'll do what I can."
Gideon: Amelia turned and allowed him a good look at her rear. "You better be sure." She turned and faced him again. "When is the safest to leave? Night? Day?"
Tyr: He sighed. "Neither. W eleave during the day and the wilds will be.. somewhat better, I suppose. We leave at night and we COULD bypass some Government security but the wilds at night are.." He trailed off.
He had often heard stories of the creatures that lurk within the wilds. He had heard stories about gruesome sights of 'mutants' and other monstrocities. There was no easy way to put anything. It was dangerous.
Gideon: Amelia sighed and sat on the bedroll and then flopped backwards, her arms flung above her head. "Rock and hard place." She closed her eyes. "We need a plan dude."
Tyr: His expression changed into one of frustration then. "Listen, I DON'T have a f***ing plan. I know what I've got to do and I am going to do it. I said I've got your back. I mean.." He sighed once again and rubbed his temples.
"I'm going to get my f***ing family back. I'm going to see them safe. And yes.. A rock and a hard place. I understand it. We have to stick together. I HAVE to get my family back. I don't expec--" He stopped, looking her over after the words were spoken.
"I'm on edge. I'm ready. For anything. To do anything."
The look in his eyes was almost blank. A nothingness that he controlled. And didn't. He was bent on his task and it was going to happen.
Gideon: "I'm not saying we don't go tiger, I'm saying we need a plan of attack. At the very least, let's figure out what supplies to take. We'll raid my place and then raid yours and then see what time it is."
Tyr: He nodded. She was right. At the time he couldn't see but now.. she was right.
"Alright, let's get it done. We don't need much. Mainly food. We will have to travel light you know. Other than that.."
His eyes scanned the floor again.
"It's all up to you, Amelia."
Tyr: "I don't need much. I am in it for my family."
Gideon: "You'll still need water. Food. Sleeping stuff." She brightened and sat up, staring up at him from the floor. "Do you have weapons?"
Tyr: He looked up at her bright eyes. They were bright. Gorgeous.
With a smug movement of his hands he gripped ahold of his arms. "You see these? Lethal. Let me say. But.."
He chuckled. "I've got some nice black market brand stuff at my place. Let's go."
Gideon: Amelia smiled. "The Terminator." She stood. "Ok. Let's go."
Amelia whirled around her cabin grabbing a variety of things and loading them into backpacks. "Done. Let's go."
Tyr: Aaron nodded, exiting through her front door. "I'm on the other side of town.. Uuh.." He stopped speaking and just continued on down the road. Her pack was light he could tell but he couldn't tell exactly what was in it.
"Probably grabbed that tea huh?" He smirked as he ran by her side.
"My home isn't uuh.. like yours.." He spoke in an almost cautious fashion. "I don't have nor need much. It shouldn't take long."
Gideon: Amelia nodded. "I took mostly everything." She shrugged. "I don't care what your place looks like. You seem to think my cabin is a palace. It's nothing like the officials houses here." She gestured to the doorway. "Lead on McDuff."
Tyr: They ran for a good while until they came upon the edge of town. Against a giant oak there was a moderately sized shanty set up. There was no door and the windows were basic holes in the wood they'd cut out.
He never turned to look back at her and instead just flung himself into his home and began to pack up his things. He grabbed what little food he had and some water. Yet.. on the walls hung many sharpened blades.
The kicker was when he opened up his trunk and produced a large rifle. One of which distorted and expelled matter, making it highly lethal. It was in pristine condition and didn't seem to have much use gone from it.
"I've got what I need. Take what you want."
Gideon: Amelia looked as though she was in heaven. "I love your walls..." She ran her hands over the blades, entranced. Then she brightened. "We need to go to the mines. I have an idea." She grabbed a few blades off the wall and stashed them away.
Tyr: As she was grabbing the blades from his wall Aaron smiled and shook his head for a moment. She seemed more at home then than even he. With his pack on he motioned for the shack's door.
"Alright then. We'll go to the mines but.. why?" He inquired as they continued out.
He looked around, scanning the area of Enforcers as they exited.
Gideon: "You'll have to lead the way," she murmured. "I can't see in the dark. But I want to go to the mines. I want my tools and some... other things," she muttered vaguely. "You'll see."
Tyr: Aaron nodded and took point. There were scarce amounts of people out. It wasn't necessarily the best thing to do; being outside during the evening but they did what was.
The mechanisms within his eyes were working constantly and they were a noisy bit. He continued scanning the area as they ran. Ran right back up to the mines. He paused a moment and sighed.
"Wish I would never have to come back to this, you know.." He offered in his same subtle way before continuing on in.
"Now what else are you getting? You seem to have some sort of plan for this place.."
Gideon: Amelia winced every time his eyes adjusted. "Kinda wish your eyes were quieter buddy!" she said, nervously glancing around at every change in the light. "Though I have to admit, mine do the same thing when I need to zoom." She made them pause at the entrance to the mines. She inhaled sharply and forced her eyes to zoom in as far as they were able. She was able to detect a faint glow from the back of the mine. Workers were still down there. Or had been very naughty and left the lanterns lit.
"If I was to ask you to wait here and hide... Would you?"
Tyr: Hide? She was asking him to hide. He had no clue what she had up her sleeves but it must've been important. Reluctantly he sighed and gave her a nod, staying close to the mine's entrance.
"Amelia. Be careful." He uttered as she began her trek down into the mine.
Gideon: She smiled with false bravado. "It'll be a piece of cake," she said. "Here..." she rifled through her pack and then brought out a black lump of plastic, about the size of a large mans hand and handed it to Aaron, tweaking a few knobs, before something shrieked horribly and she quickly muffled it amongst the folds of her clothes. "Here. You remember these? Ancient technology. We played with them in school. Radios. It was how our ancestors used to communicate before mobile phones." She showed him the lighter grey button. "Push that button and you'll be able to speak to me, but you won't have to do anything to hear me. Okay?"
Tyr: He was in awe. Where in the world did she acquire these? He had seen ancient technology before but it didn't work. He had found scraps of an old boombox once, but, as he'd thought, it was unoperational.
He looked up at her as she'd left and nodded. "I understand."
He was baffled at the technology. How did she get it to work? Did she fix it? He didn't know. He merely nodded, keeping the walkie in his pocket as she disappeared into the darkness.
Gideon: Her voice crackled through the speaker. "Don't contact me. No matter what you hear."
Amelia crept forward further and further down into the mines, her soft soled shoes making almost no sound on the rocky ground. They had both changed before they had begun their adventure, thankfully. She couldn't continue wearing his shirt, though it had given her kind of a buzz to wear a boys shirt. She had changed into her 'sneaking boots' as her brother had called them. They were sturdy but supple knee high black boots with a rubber sole. They made no sound, yet were almost impenetrable. Lets hear it for synthesized fabrics. Tucked into these were a pair of thermal dark grey leggings which would keep her cool, warm and/or dry when required. She wore a long sleeved black shirt of a similar fabric, with a black hooded jumper over the top which allowed her brilliant red hair to remain hidden. She had some gloves sticking out of an empty tool belt which clung snuggly to her hips.
She knew exactly where she was going, so her movements, though steady and light, had great purpose.
Amelia cursed and hid behind a pile of rubble as she heard voices. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed that they didn't hear her.
"Was a shame wasn't it?" said one voice, whom she recognised as Martin, one of the Supervisors.
"Yeah, I always liked Mrs. King and her boys. Ah well. Thems the breaks ey?" The other voice, she wasn't sure of.
"Yeah. Aaron is a good, hard worker. Will be glad to have him back tomorrow, I think the Mech said. He copped a pretty hard hit to the head."
"Serves him right. Interfering with the Government."
"Come now, he was just trying to protect his family..." their conversation faded into silence. It was quiet for almost two whole minutes before Amelia dared to move again, guided by the dull glow of the lanterns deep down in the tunnell.
She fortunately didn't run into anyone else on her way down, which was miraculous, as she could hear digging and drilling going on, which amazed her. No mechanic was ever asked to work the night shift. She didn't even realise there was a night shift, to be honest. Not this late anyway. The latest any miner worked, she had though, was midnight. 7am until Midnight was the longest shift. It was well past midnight. Closer to 0400 now.
When she had reached the tunnel she was looking for, she sighed happily and sent up a quick prayer and snuck in. It was a small antechamber where a lot of spare gear and long dead machinery was stored. Amelia had been called when the workers had found something in one of the tunnels and she had requested it was moved here, to the junk room, where she tried to bring long dead machines back to life. No one knew she had achieved success with this particular machine.
It was similar to a Tri-Ke, but it had the four wheels and looked like it was made of blocks. You had to step up to get into the cabin of the vehicle. It was small, compact, but thoroughly safe, she had noted. It had been fitted with a primitive roll bar made of some crappy metal, which she had been able to reinforce. The engine had been the hardest. It was ancient technology, relying on a fuel source that no longer existed. It had taken her almost two years to get the internal workings right.
She hit a button on her radio. "Don't reply Aaron, but get ready. I'm about to come - " she froze when she heard voices close by. "Shit," she muttered, quickly sliding down in the seat and tucking herself out of sight. She could hear a few new voices.
"... dunno why we have to work so late."
"f***ing Government lackeys. Pushing us to work longer hours for shittier pay."
"Thems the breaks hey?"
"No, thems shouldn't be the f***ing breaks. This shit aint right man."
"I agree. It's not kosher to have the Government cronies here breathing down our necks while we work."
Amelia froze. The Government cronies... Had the ones who had taken away Aaron's family not left? She hit the button on the radio and whispered into it. Aaron would have just heard her. "Aaron," she said. "Don't say anything, but you need to listen to this..."
"Who the hell do they think they are?"
There was a round of assent from the other workers. "I've never worked this late in me life. What the bloody hell do they think is down here?"
"Something that'll solve all the worlds problems no doubt."
"I didn't see anything down here capable of removing those idiots from the planet." Chuckles.
"How long have they been here now?"
"About a week. They've been 'recruiting' people as well. Even taking those who couldn't be modded."
"Yeah, I saw that they took that young miners family today. Poor kid. Copped it hard to the back of the head for his trouble."
"Poor kid." They murmured in agreement.
"Do they still kill the 'brain-dead' ones, as the Government call them?"
"I dunno. Rumour has it they're taken to the Government as slaves."
"I heard test subjects."
"From who?"
"A friend."
"Oh yeah right Baulkins."
"Is true."
"Yeah, and a mate of yours is related to the Queen of France."
The good natured ribbing continued and nothing more was said that was of any real interest to Amelia or Aaron.
Once the men had left, Amelia gave it a few moments before she keyed the radio. "Aaron, you there?" she murmured. "Just whisper back. I'll be able to hear you."
Tyr: Aaron had been listening in since the walkie came up. He had heard everything and his mind began to race. Had they seen him? Had they seen his family? hat did they know?
He didn't know where Amelia was at or what she was doing. All Aaron's thoughts were about her safety. As the walkie started up again he nodded, taking it eagerly into his hands.
"I'm here, I'm here. You okay? Where are you? I heard what those miners said.. I--" He cut the walkie off, awaiting a reply. He had so much to ask. Yet, he didn't want to know the answers.
He wanted to know about test subjects. Why the Government took his family. Why they were taking 'norms' (un-moddeds) at all. Nothing made sense anymore. The only thing that made sense to him was finding his family.. and keeping Amelia safe. If he could.
"Where are you?" He whispered, keeping a cool tone through the walkie, "There's miners coming. I don't want to be seen. You're okay?"
He took a few steps to his side and drooped down next to a short-cut tunnel. The miners passed by yet were silent. They were tired from working and the looks on their faces told him all they were thinking of was home.
He clicked the button once more, sighing, "Amelia.. Amelia.."
He could hear the miners speak as they passed then.
"Poor guy. He probably won't ever see them again."
"I'm glad they're not my family. I don't know what I would do."
And a simple nod. Writing off life and the fact that they were all human.
Gideon:There was no answer from the walkie talkie, but there was an answer from deep inside the mine. People yelling and cursing. Their cries echoed off the walls of the tunnels. The source of the commotion became apparent. It was a strange, ancient vehicle, zooming along with just a slight noise, a touch louder than a cats purr. And of course, it was Amelia, piloting some strange contraption.
She halted near where she last saw Aaron. "Get in!" she yelled. "Hurry!"
Tyr: Aaron's mouth dropped and he was stunned at first. Yet without another moment's hesitation he nodded and jumped into the vehicle. He had seen such things in the mine before, but, not like this.
"What the f*** is this thing?!" He yelled, even though he hadn't meant to. "And what the f*** is going on? What happened?"
He picked his hand up, grabbing hold of the roll-bar and balancing himself out.
"They're chasing.. well.." He looked back, "Trying.."
Gideon: "It's a modified vehicle. It was one of the originals that we modeled the miner transports off. Just smaller. More ancient technology." She looked over her shoulder and saw a few vehicles about 100 feet behind them. "I'm guessing we'll just leave the city now then?" she smirked.
Tyr: "Let's do. Please." He said still clutching onto the roll-bar in the contraption.
He was scared yet wouldn't admit it. She drove like a crazed Chinaman. His grip was so tight on the bar that indentions began to form and the bar, more or less, became like a glove to his bionics.
"Where are we going? What--" He was confused and his faced showed it. "Where are we out to Amelia?"
Gideon: "Well I was hoping to get this thing out unnoticed but then there were people in the mines. They shouldn't be there. We need to haul ass outta here now before the Enforcers are called."
Tyr: He nodded, he knew. The Enforcers were the last ones you wanted to f*** with. Their mods were state of the art and some, who survived, had more than two. It was unheard of. But then again.. they were the Enforcers for a reason.
He didn't say anything but he was scared. His eyes perhaps, would tell a story but he was silent.
Gideon: Amelia sped through the streets in almost silence. There was almost no one on the streets and those that did see them only looked once. People kept to themselves here, as best they could.
They were met with only one set of Enforcers, who thankfully weren't on the ball enough to mount an effective defence or to gather themselves to stop the two.
Once they pushed past the city dwellings, after another few kilometres, they hit the outskirts and the wall. Amelia stopped about 300m from the wall. "You sure you wanna do this?"
Tyr: He nodded. Aaron wasn't a punk nor was he scared. He had a purpose. He knew what it was. He had to save his family. He had to save his mother. His sisters...
"I want to. I have to Amelia. You've got to help me."
Gideon: She nodded. "Alright. Hold on." Smells floored it at the wire and mesh fence and they burst through, leaving a hole behind them.
Tyr: As they burst through the fence Aaron put his arms up to shield his face. He was shocked and amazed. "This thing's got some f***ing power!" He turned back and gripped onto the Tri-Ke.
"How long until we reach the wilds you think?!" He yelled so she could hear him past the wind.
Gideon: "I don't know," she yelled back. "I can't see shit out here and I don't want to turn the lights on just yet, not until we know if we're being followed or not. Can you see anyone behind us?"
Tyr: He turned back scanning the darkness. In the distance a faint dot before he spotted it. Enforcers. They were closing in, steadily but surely. "There's two of them! One is in a Government vehicle and the other is.." Beside the vehicle an Enforcer was keeping up. Super speed. Modded legs.
"Running! He's f***ing running!"
Gideon: Amelia growled. "Shit. I was afraid of that." She thought hard. Her eyes scanned the impenetrable darkness around them and saw nothing. She growled in frustration. "I don't know what to do," she said. "I can't see anything out here. I don't know how far away we are from anything." She looked down at the panel in front of her and saw the various switches. "f*** it," she muttered, and turned on the lights. The light bounced off everything around them, trees, boulders, scurrying animals and shot off into the distance to illuminate a copse of trees about 100 metres away. "We're aiming for that!" she yelled pointing to it. "I'm going to drive us in there and then we bail. The jeep will run until it hits something. We get the f*** up a tree and hide and hope and pray they can't see in the dark."
Tyr: Aaron turned and with a single hand he gripped the rifle. Aiming it back he fired and an explosive shot was expelled from the barrel. It whistled as it traveled through the air. He missed. It exploded as it hit the ground scattering rocks and debris as the dirt was propelled into the air.
"Shit, alright. Maybe we can ambush them.. or… I don't know. Maybe hiding's better."
He strapped the rifle to his back once again and gripped onto the Tri-Ke.
Gideon: "What the hell are you doing?!" she yelled. "You can't seriously be thinking about killing or hurting anyone!" she whacked him on the leg with her hand before pushing the accelerator to the floor and aiming for the copse of trees. "It's one thing for me to steal a vehicle I built, but it's another thing to kill people!" she growled and flicked off her seatbelt and began fastening her straps around her with one hand, while trying to steer with the other. "Grab everything you need. We probably won't get the vehicle back."
Tyr: His face dropped and he growled into her ear, "What do you think they'll do to US Amelia!" He packed up his things and hopped off of the Tri-Ke. Why was she acting like this? If two dead Enforcers meant safety then he would do what was necessary. His anger definitely was not in check anyway. He was volatile.
"Come on, let's find a place to hide. Trees everywhere. Pick one.."
Gideon: She looked around as they entered the copse of trees. It was thick and with the headlights of the vehicle on she could see the canopy was woven with branches and thick foliage. They would be able to hide quite well. "Are you ready to jump?" she asked. She knew her legs would be able to propel them out of the jeep and up into the canopy of trees. "Once you've grabbed everything, grab me and I'm going to jump. I have no idea what'll happen, I've never jumped with anyone as heavy as you before and then we're going to have to climb."
Tyr: "Climbing part will be easy. Just.. give it your best. We've got to get up there."
With his things packed up he nodded and wrapped his arms around her, clinging to her. He looked up at the tree. It was monstrous and the leaves upon it were thick and would provide good cover.
Aaron knew the Enforcers were closing in. It would only take them a few minutes and they'd be right on top of them. He took one last lingering look around the darkness before nodding upwards.
"Let's do this."
Gideon: She nodded and gave him a squeeze. "Sorry in advance about any scratches. Or broken limbs." She gripped him tightly and jumped. Adrenalin and her modification combined gave her the highest, most powerful jump she had ever experienced. Amelia and Aaron hit the branches above them with such speed and power that the largest branch, the size of Amelia's thigh, caught Amelia on her right shoulder and splintered right in two. Amelia screamed loud enough which caused the Enforcers behind them to start yelling. Shortly after, they heard the crash of the vehicle into a tree. Amelia and Aaron, reaching the pinnacle of their jump, began to fall. Amelia threw her arms out to catch herself, but found she could not lift her right arm. "Aaron," she barely whispered, looking for him as she fell.
She managed to grip onto one branch with her left hand, but knew she wouldn't be able to haul herself up, or hold on, weighted down with the packs as she was.
Tyr: As they jumped Amelia's arm crashed fully into a limb, shattering it completely. On their descent Aaron looked up and gripped onto a fairly thick branch and clenched his hardest onto it careful not to shatter it too. Leaning down he grabbed her by her good arm, lifting her one-handed up higher into the tree so she could continue climbing.
He sighed, growled almost, "C'mon, you can do this. Make it up and we're cool. Just be quiet. I know it hurts.. is it broken?" The limb's shards fell to the ground and made a lot of noise, on the way down knocking against other smaller branches. "f***.." He murmured.
Gideon: With Aaron's help she was able to pull herself up and out of sight of the Enforcers, who were only moments from entering the copse of trees themselves. She grimaced and shook her head. "Dislocated I think..." She looked at her shoulder and could see thick splinters embedded in her shoulder, one which was about the size of her pinky finger. That was going to f***ing hurt. They heard the Enforcers enter the copse below them, the Government vehicle loud and rumbled, a harsh contrast to the silence around them.
Amelia steeled herself and was silence as she heard them speaking below them.
"Can you see it?!"
"Yeah up ahead, it's crashed into a tree."
"Are they in there?"
"I don't think so. They may have been thrown out with the impact."
"Ok. We'll search the area around here and then bail. The Wild's will kill them anyway."
As if on cue, an eerie, inhuman howl echoed across the night.
"Let's not take too long, shall we?"
Tyr: Aaron stayed put, both feet ontop of a thick branch. He could hear their words and as they approached the wreckage he could see them in the darkness of the night. He lifted his chin to look up. He prayed they would leave, or thought they were ejected and just couldn't find their supposedly lifeless bodies out in the mass of grass, vines, and trees.
He nodded after she spoke but said nothing in reply. It would be severely painful but he could fix the dislocation in her shoulder.
"The Wilds will kill them anyway..." He had heard one of them speak. His thoughts raced and after finally regaining his composure somewhat he began to think back on the stories he was told of the creatures that lurked within. Mutants, devilish creatures, even Government experiments gone wrong. The only thing that kept them out of the cities were the walls.
He watched. They examined the wreck for a good moment before taking off. He could hear their vehicle start up and go as well ass the patter and mechanical grindings of modified legs sprinting off with it. Then he heard the growl.
Gideon: Amelia exhaled a breath she didn't know she had been holding, and let her head thunk back heavily against the tree trunk. "f***, that was close."
Tyr: He nodded in agreement. "Should we wait it out til morning? The Wilds are dangerous. You would be able to see to defend yourself as well. If you think you can sit in this damn tree for long."
Aaron slunked backwards and against the barky trunk of the tree letting his legs dangle. The Wilds were always dangerous but at least during the day they would have a better shot against them.
"We've just -got- to get there. Every minute wasted is another minute my family and the families of the others could die... or worse..."
Gideon: Amelia looked around as they heard another howl. "No offense Aaron, but if the Government haven't killed them already, they'll be safe, wherever they are, a lot safer than we would be if we tried to continue tonight. If you want, we can go and check if the cart is still operational, but I'm not sure if it will be. I might be able to fix it if it's stuffed, but I don't know how far it would get us. What if it broke down on the way?"
Tyr:He shook his head and slammed a fist downward into the tree, splintering a few pieces of it. "No, you're right. We'll ditch that thing. Take on the Wilds on foot. But in the morning."
Another shrieking howl and a hiss. He looked around, seeing if anything could be seen. "I hate this place." He growled. Another hiss, then. This time it sounded as though it was getting closer.
He reached back and gripped hold of his rifle before placing it into his lap.
Gideon: Amelia nodded and stilled at the noise. The hissing eventually stopped, as if the Wilds had made the choice to leave them unmolested tonight. "I'm glad you see reason," she murmured. She looked over at her shoulder and began to extract the splinters gingerly. The largest splinter almost forced a cry from her lips but she stifled it. "Can you open the greenish-khaki kinda bag?" she asked Aaron quietly. "It's got my medi-pack in it."
Tyr: Aaron looked over and grabbed her pack. It had some weight to it and seemed to be packed up pretty tightly. He leaned over and passed it to her with a single arm, maintaining his balance upon the tree limb.
"Here you go. You have everything you need? Anything else?"
He looked around and let out a sigh of relief as the creatures left them be. The night was eerie and the Wilds let out moans, groans, growls, and all. There were brushes in the night and Aaron just put the sounds out of his mind.
Gideon: She arched an eyebrow. "I have one good arm at the moment Aaron. I kinda need your help to open the damn pack."
Tyr: He retracted his arm back and nodded, opening the pack. "What do you need out of it then?" He looked her over. He hated seeing her hurt. No rhyme or reason yet it pained him to see her in pain. "There's a lot of shit in here.."
He leaned back again, propping himself up against the tree as he dug through the pack.
Gideon: "Antiseptic and gauze please."
Tyr: Aaron nodded to her request and he reached in, scrounging up the items she had asked for. One by one he passed them over to her cautiously. Careful to not drop them out of the tree.
"Anything else? Or is that it?"
Gideon: She shook her head. "Nope, that'll do for now. But I might need your help in putting my shoulder back in. I don't think I'm strong enough to do it on my own." She began gingerly dabbing at the splinter wounds in her shoulder, carefully analysing to see if any needed stitches. Even the largest one seemed to be not overly deep and troublesome, as long as she sealed it properly. She used a bit of gauze and medical tape to create a patch to keep the wound closed. Amelia passed the items back over to Aaron and then exhaled heavily. "Have you ever done a shoulder before?"
Tyr: He took the items and stuffed them back into her pack. Rising slowly and steadily he hopped over to the other branch and knelt down in-front of her. He nodded once more to her words, "I have. I've done my younger sister's before. She got hurt playing with one of her little friends near the wall. It's going to be painful.."
He reached forward, gently placing his hands upon and around to the back of her shoulder. "Alright here we go."
The pressure increased on her shoulder, "1.. 2.." And before he got to three he quickly popped the shoulder back into its socket. The sound it made was almost gruesome. He had to go on two so she wouldn't tense up. "Done."
Gideon: Amelia let out a scream, stifled by Aaron's chest. A few tears poured down her cheeks at the pain. She had never dislocated a shoulder before, but had set other peoples. It was not pleasant to be on this side. She slumped back against the tree, breathing heavily and sighed. "Thank you," she murmured. "But I hate you."
Tyr: He caught her as she slumped over into his chest. "Shhh.." He whispered into her ear. As she fell back against the tree he let out a thin half-smile at her words. "You're welcome. And I can see that.." Before he let out a soft chuckle.
Leaning forward, he placed a single arm to prop himself up on the tree behind her, and pressed his lips to her cheek. "I apologize." He turned, hopping back over to the other branch and leant back against the trunk as well.
"Let's not break anything else, now."
Gideon: Amelia had her eyes closed, but felt the kiss as if it burned into her flesh. She harboured no illusions that he might be romantically inclined towards her; they had only just met. But the small gesture of affection was nice and it was comforting. She hadn't felt affection, or comfort, for many years. She gave a small smile and felt her body grow heavy, adrenaline clearly leaving her. "I'll try..." she mumbled, as she trailed off to sleep.
Tyr: Aaron kept awake for most of the night, always alert and ready for whatever could possibly happen. His rifle sat across his lap and he let his arm lay over it. The night air was somewhat cool, and the breeze seemed to sting his cheeks. His arms felt almost like ice-blocks, but, he enjoyed it. Through the entire messed up situation he was glad to be there with her. They were turning out to be quite the team so far.
As the morning sun began to rise up above the horizon he yawned and rubbed his eyes. Throughout the course of the night he passed out and fell asleep. He looked over, eying Amelia. "Psst, hey.."
"Hey, wake up."
Gideon: Amelia woke with a jolt and sat up quickly and then winced. She growled to herself. "Dammit, that hurt." She looked confused, and then pulled her shirt off her shoulder and saw the wounds and bruising. "Ouch," she mumbled, memories of the previous night flooding back to her. "What time is it?"
Tyr: He chuckled as she jolted forward, "Sorry. Sorry.." He turned and looked up into the sky. "I have no idea. Sun's up though." He leaned backwards and pressed himself forward. Looking down the tree he could see the wreckage and he sighed. "We've got to get moving. I'll help you down and you use your legs to plant yourself."
The tree was enormous and it was a hefty drop but they would have to make it down.
"We'll go that direction," He said, pointing, "I think it'll be easier. I think.."
Gideon: "I can drop down without any bother," she said. "The mods will bear the brunt of the drop. I don't know if I can carry you down with me though. I mean, if my shoulder was 100% maybe, but I'm not sure." She looked in the direction he was pointing her allowed her eyes to zoom. "Good idea. The foliage looks lighter in that general direction, so there might be a path in. That may be a vehicle path too..." she glanced hopefully at the unseen wreckage of the car. "Should we check the vehicle?"
Tyr: "I can make it, I think.. I don't want to hurt you anymore. I think we've got this though. My arms will let me down easy. We can do it." He gripped onto her pack and slung it over his shoulder along with his rifle. "Let's do it." He spun himself around and gripped tightly onto the tree. He started down it, slamming his fingers directly into the bark and making his own finger-holds.
He continued down, sliding slightly and stripping the bark from the tree. Slowly but steadily he made his way down until he dropped. It was a fairly lengthy fall but he managed to hit the ground and roll sideways. Regaining composure he stood back up and looked up at her.
"Your turn!" He called.
Gideon: Amelia watched him climb down the tree, plunging his hands into it. She thought that was pretty cool. She watched as he dropped to the ground and rolled. She smiled, relieved, when he stood uninjured after the fall. Amelia wriggled her way to the edge of the branch she was sitting on and prayed that the pack she wore on her bag didn't snag and then let herself drop.
She landed solidly on the ground, the mechanics in her legs whirring and creaking as she slammed into the ground. She wobbled slightly, but remained on her feet... which had embedded themselves into the ground by a couple of inches. She pulled herself out of the ground and looked towards the vehicle. The lights were still on; she could see their faint glow against the dark bark of the tree trunk. "Do we give it a go, or leave it?"
Tyr: He watched her as she fell and he was tempted to reach out and help her stabilize after she hit, but when he saw that she was fine he sighed, relieved. Looking over the Tri-Ke he could see it was still operational. The lights and all were going, save for a few busted up spots.
"If you think it's good to go then let's do it. I would rather be mobile than walk through the Wilds. I had just figured it was trashed."
Gideon: Amelia smiled. "I build things properly. The exoskeleton is sturdy as, but I'm not vehicular engineer. I'm just a mechanic." They made their way over to the vehicle and she approached the front of the car, the drivers side door hanging open. She froze. "Shit," she whispered to herself. She backed away from the vehicle slowly and returned to Aaron. "Come with me slowly and quietly. Bring nothing but the rifle." She stripped him of the packs and laid them down on the ground.
The creature that lay curled up across the front bench seat of the car was distinctly reptilian, grotesque and about the size of a wolf. Definitely a dangerous creature, especially if that mouth revealed sharpened teeth. Amelia looked at Aaron, her expression grim. The creature was asleep, but no doubt if they moved in a manner that disturbed it, it would probably attack.
"What do we do?" she asked.
Tyr: He held his rifle at the ready, ready to shoot if the creature did actually wake up. He backed off a bit to whisper into her ear, "Listen - I've got an idea. One of us can.. distract it. When there's a clear shot we'll waste it. Yeah?" Aaron looked her over, his own expression distorted.
He didn't want to get anyone hurt, or be hurt, but he couldn't let this thing live. Aaron didn't know if the creature's strength was above average, all he knew was that it was unnatural... and had TEETH.
Gideon: Amelia nodded. "Ok," she said. She moved off to one side and found a stick long enough to poke the creature with, while keeping her well clear of the car. "Are you ready?"
"Get on with it goddamnit!" He heard as it echoed through the shaft. As he turned and looked into the darkness he saw the supervisor in charge of the mining operation. His eyes glowed a faint brown almost as if an infrared light had started up within his corneas and the darkness seemed to subside. In the dark was his light.
"I'm working as quickly as I can, these machines- They-"
"Quit your f***ing belly-aching! Get to it! We've got quotas to meet and if I get chewed out again so help YOU GOD!"
He was cut off yet had done nothing. He simply turned around and began to work his drill again. The clinking and clanking of the gears hurt his ears and the sparks from the tip of the drill upon the rocks hurt his eyes.. but he had a job to do and he was going to do it. He HAD to do it. The supervisor made his way down into the depths of the shaft and disappeared after that yet the echo of his voice rang out as he insulted and belittled another one of the miners. Aaron simply shook his head and kept on with it.
The further he drilled into the side of the mine the more ore bits fell to the ground until at last he'd found a vein. It was vast and seemed to continue on for a long while. "Jackpot!" He thought, positioning the drill, "That fucker won't have ANY reason to jump on my back now. This will help meet our quota for sure." His thoughts raced, yet, just as he'd begun there was a loud crack and a boom. His drill had seized and the gears began to overheat and stop one after the other. It was a monstrous behemoth and he did not have the ability to fix it.. only use it.
He turned, making his way down the shaft, looking for the mechanics responsible for that particular mine.
The three miners that were gathered around the small transport bike were not really looking at the bike. The transport bikes, or Tri-Kes as they were known were four wheel mining carts, the size of the old 4WDs, with a massive engine with them. The tracks that extended through the mines were hundreds upon hundreds of twisting, turning kilometres of track. These Tri-Kes could move gear and materials almost at the speed of light. 100km of track took less than a minute to cover with a Tri-Ke. They weren’t safe for people though. There were safer cars for that.
This particular Tri-Kes engine had suddenly seized up, throwing rocks and gems all over the place. While some of the works relocated the cargo to the adjoining Tri-Ke, the others had called for Amelia, who was in charge of this particular tunnel. She had been on her meager ten minute break in a fourteen hour shift at the time and resented not being allowed the final four minutes of her break. She had thrown her tea in the face of the man who had requested her help and then insisted that he make her another one as he had spilled her tea. He nodded and hurried off. It was always best to stay on the good side of the mechanics that worked the mines, because that meant your gear got serviced promptly, which meant you got back onto the job faster and met quotas. Which stopped supervisors beating your ass, or taking your pay.
The three miners that were gathered around this Tri-Ke were happily watching the rather curvaceous backside that was dangling at almost eye level, as Amelia hung face down within the engine bay, under the bonnet of the large beast. Aside from being something pleasant to look at, as few of the mechanics were attractive females, it provided a humourous distraction as it jiggled and wobbled within her khaki work pants as she yanked and pulled and spoke to them.
“Some idiot dropped a gem into the engine,” she said in a metallic voice. “How the hell do you drop something the size of a strawberry and not notice?!” she growled as she began to pull at the gem with her hands. “Dammit,” she growled. “Hand me a wrench.” She was handed the wrench after a moment or two longer. Moments later, the offending jewel had been wrenched out. Amelia slid out from beneath the bonnet and landed on the ground, readjusting her shirt, which had slid up slightly, causing her to get dirt and grease on her undershirt.
As Amelia’s gaze travelled over the large gem, her eyes adjusted, zooming in and checking for blemishes and scratches. She had managed to extract it with only minimal scratching. “No scratches a good polishing won’t get out,” she said brightly, handing it back to the oldest man in the group.
“Thanks Amelia,” he said. “We’ll be more careful next time.”
“As well you should. You know how pissy they get if you damage their jewels.” She looked up as the young man hurried over with another cup of tea for her, his face and neck still glistening with moisture and tea leaves. “Thank you James,” she said with a smile and she turned away and began heading back up the shaft to see which other machines needed her touch today. She had mended ‘The Beast’ earlier today, the seventy-five foot high drilling and boring machine that lived in the mines and dug deeper and longer.
Amelia hummed happily to herself and sipped her tea, waving hello to the miners who were looking in her direction as she wandered past. The youngest mechanic in the mines, and arguably the most attractive, as attractive young mechanics were in short supply in the mines, Amelia was well liked by everyone. Partially because she made the form fitting khaki pants, knee high brown boots, brown belt, white undershirt and black, long sleeved work overshirt look damn good on her, when the others seemed to look like the homeless. Partially because she was bloody good at what she did, partially because she was young and pretty, bur mostly because she brought a bit of sunshine and humour to an otherwise humourless and dull job. People in her tunnels would be hard pressed to forget the prank she had pulled in honor of Christmas one year, when she had tweaked the drilling mechanisms to sound like tinkling bells that played Christmas carols instead of made that nasty drilling noise. Or the time she managed to corral one of the Supervisors in a pit due to an ‘accidental’ machine malfunction, so that two of the men, whose wives were in labour, could make it to the hospital in time to witness the birth of their first children. It was things like that which endeared Amelia to people.
That and the fact that she was an orphan.
She rounded the corner of the mine and ran smack into someone, which of course caused her to shriek in pain as her hot tea spilled down her neck and chest, soaking into her shirt. Amelia leaned forward quickly, pulling the overshirt off her in a hurry and holding her undershirt off her skin until it stopped burning.
“Do you have to come tearing around corners that fast?” she growled as she righted herself, looking at the man who had run into her. “Now you’re going to have go and make me a new cup – “ she paused. “I know you, don’t I?” she said. “I never forget a face. Names on the other hand, well, I forget those all the time. But I know you…”
Aaron had turned his gaze for a brief moment and just as soon as he did he felt himself collide with someone. He grunted and stumbled back a bit and as he turned to see who he had hit his eyes adjusted to the darkness and he became aware. He became speechless for a moment, looking over the form of this young mechanic who he was almost certain he had seen around the town before. His face showed surprise yet for a good moment no sound was uttered from his lips. As she lifted her shirt off an almost stupid look covered his face and his mouth dropped slightly.
“Do you have to come tearing around corners that fast?”
“Now you’re going to have go and make me a new cup – “
“I never forget a face. Names on the other hand, well, I forget those all the time. But I know you…”
Her words took a few moments to process but Aaron finally managed a nod and forced smile to try and alleviate the situation a bit after their collision. "I'm Aaron. Aaron King. I am sure you know me from town but we were in school together.. I think you got out uuh, a year? Before I did. I forgot your name too though, I apologize. Uuh, almost want to say Annabelle?"
"I uuh- I.. I'm sorry, I didn't.. I was-" He studdered, the words unwillingly to comply. "I was looking for the mechanic, I turned and.. I." He stopped, sighing and shaking his head as he rubbed his temples.
"My drill, it's a big one.. it's seized up. I hit a vein and," He paused a moment as he gestured an explosion with his hands, the metallic pieces clinking slightly as he did so, "It just blew. Can you help me out? It's only right up here." He stopped again, his voice fading, "And I'm sorry for your shirt. I'll see if I can find you a new one after shift."
Aaron took his own shirt off then. Both arms and shoulders were modded and the metallic look to them glinted in the tiny bits of light that emanated from his eyes. His movements gave off mechanical noises and it almost seemed he himself were a machine. Extending his hand, he offered his own shirt; it was dirty, but it was dry. He forced another smile, his white teeth showing through his soot covered face. If she were to see.
Afterwards he motioned behind him. Down the dark shaft a ways the enormous drill sat motionless. The smoke and steam pouring from it filled the mine shaft and breathing became harder and the temperature hotter. As the sweat poured down his face Aaron wiped it away, smearing the dirt and soot back over its entirety. On the ground lay bits of ore and rock and the tip of the drill looked dull and useless. It seemed as though it had been in use for ages without cooling down.
"I don't know the first f***ing thing about these drills mechanically. So. Can you help me out?"
“Well, you found the mechanic. And you owe her a cup of tea.” Amelia smiled. “Ah yeah, Aaron King. The Terminator,” she said with a smile. “That’s what we used to call you. Because of your arms.” She tapped his bicep with a fingernail. “You know, like the old movies.” She gave him a smile again and took the offered shirt. “Thanks.” She quickly pulled her own shirts off, turning her back to allow some modesty as she switched out of the soiled shirts and into his soiled work shirt. It was about four sizes too large, though her breasts kind of compensated for his broad shoulders. She rolled up the sleeves a fair amount and tucked the bottom of the shirt into her pants.
“Close with Annabelle,” she said. “But Annabelle was that girl with the bionic chest, so her boobs stuck out to like, here,” she said, gesturing somewhere almost a foot and a half away from her. “Something about her lungs being bionic and a poison sifter or something. I think she works here too. But she has red hair, so I get the confusion. I’m Amelia Lane. But you’re right, I did leave a year before you.” She began to head down the shaft where she could see the drill smoking.
“What the hell did you do to your drill?” she ask, surprised. “How long have you been working on it for? Has it even been cooled? Lubricated? Have the parts been changed? Did you pump out the valve where - ” she stopped, looking at the look on his face. Incomprehension, and not just that blank stare that the modded eyes sometimes got. He seriously just had no clue what she was talking about.
“Sorry, but your supervisor should have been way more on top of this.” Amelia approached the drill, waving away the steam and smoke. She allowed her eyes to zoom in on the various parts she knew held heat and friction. A few had burnt down and had no lubricant. “You’re in luck,” she said. “It looks to be a minor lubricant problem. Lucky thing. If that whole mechanism needed replacing, you’d be out of action for the rest of the day. Which would be lucky for you in some ways, because then you could just chill and relax and watch me work.” She flashed him a winning smile and pulled out a small hand held device and hit it a few times. After a moment, a Tri-Ke appeared and ejected a tool box at her feet. A scarlet “A” was painted on it in a glossy paint.
Nail polish.
“How long have you been working down here now Aaron?” she asked. “It can’t be more than two years or so.” School in the outlying cities finished when you were about 15. Earlier if you learned all the skills necessary to start your occupation. You learnt most of what you needed to know on the job.
"A cup of tea. I've never even drank the stuff.."
As she tapped his arms his smile faded. He looked down, focusing upon them for a moment. The Terminator. It echoed in his mind for a moment before he focused on something else. The bends of her fingers, her fingernails, their shape. He didn't remember a time when he could do that with his own self. These mechanical atrocities were forced upon him and he never had any chance to fight it at all. "I wish I could have.." He thought, looking back up at her.
As she turned to change his face flushed, though, she wasn't able to see. His face became white hot and the sweat almost seemed cooling, if it hadn't been for it spilling down his face. She unnerved him and he was surprised she had even recognized his name, or his face. His eyes ran the length of her body and as soon as she turned he looked up quickly in an almost startled way and coughed.
He laughed after she spoke then, nodding in agreement, "Yeah, I remember those now.. err, her, now." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Amelia Lane. That was my FIRST guess. I was just.. yeah." He laughed once more, turning to follow her down into the shaft. He looked over her observing his drill, and he could see the change in her expression how serious the damage was. It wasn't going to be well for him. He had already been chewed out by the supervisor for missing a quota before and he was dreading every second.
As she began asking questions his face remained blank and he merely shook his head. "Listen. I work the drill and manually work the mine. I don't know.. cooling, parts, or whatever. Okay? I'm sorry I just don't. Know what I learned in school? That these-" He tapped his own hands then, shaking his head, "Are for working a mine. I didn't get any special treatment. I've been working these mines for a few years now." He was truthful. He hadn't learned a thing. His job was to be a miner and die in the mines for the good of the Government. His life was meaningless. He was nothing. Sometimes, he even felt as such.
She continued working and Aaron continued watching, as she had said. A much better break than he'd had before. "You think you can fix it though? I'm almost sure the tip is dull.. but.. you're the mech so.."
"And uuh.. for the last part of the last question.. since you've last seen me I've been down here. I mine. I have to. My family needs me. It's uuh. Hard times."
He thought back. His father had been recruited by the Government, but that had been many months ago. He was the only man in the house. The only one there to provide for his mother and two younger sisters. Times were hard, yet he persevered. Not for his own sake, but so his mother and siblings could lead a semi-decent life in the fucked up world that was their own. He thought back further and his mother and two sisters were affected by a certain gene that did not allow modifications to be present. He remembered the Government hospital and how they kept his sisters from death and the stories his mother told of her own experiences.
Yet he was here and here he was to stay.
Amelia nodded. “I know. Unfortunately what they teach you in school is barely enough to keep you afloat. I almost cut my hand off twelve times before they finally assigned me to someone who could teach me how to operate the equipment to fix your equipment. I even spent a week and a half in the hospital learning how to walk again when I didn’t know how to control the mods in my legs. I jumped into a wall.” She shrugged as she unscrewed two or three components of the huge drill bit part way. She tweaked a few screws and then smacked it, and the entire drill bit lay open before them both, every bolt, every joint, every bearing visible.
She grabbed his hand and pulled him close and then pointed out a few things. “See those slivers of silvery blue stuff? That’s dried up lubricant. You need to apply it to these bits every few months. It’s something your supervisor should be doing, but I’m seeing more and more of the drills do this. So I’m putting in a formal complaint today. Not that it will really do much good.” She sighed as she dabbed lubricant throughout the bearings and deftly replacing others.
“I remember when your father was recruited. I thought that was pretty cool. At first. But I saw your sisters and your mum in the markets a few times. At first they were ok with it all and then as the months wore on, they seemed to get more and more down.” She closed up the drill. “It must be tough on you, not having him around, having to do all the work and everything. I feel for you. I mean, my folks died years ago, but at least I only have to look after me. You’ve got a family.”
Amelia looked at him. “I’m sorry, a pretty much stranger is probably the worst person to be bringing this up.” She hit a few switches on the drill and it began to run. She winced. “Noisy mother fucker. Here,” she connected her small hand held device to some wires which she pulled out of a pouch at he belt. “This’ll cut the noise down. So you at least won’t go deaf before your time.” She hit the upload button and the programming worked its magic on the drill. It quieted significantly in moments. “Normally they garnish your wages for that, but consider that a freebie. For old times sake.” She smiled and squeezed his arm, a comforting, friendly gesture.
“Now, my tea…”
He nodded. She was so true. Apart from the teachers teaching him nothing, he had never even been around or inside the mines. He didn't know how they operated or what he was really even supposed to do. It took him around a year to fall into the swing of things and then he perfected what he had learned. He formed his own technique and made the job his own. He was good and was granted the job of running the drills. It was the highest of the lowest as it comes to mining and he was in-fact proud of it, despite not having a choice in the matter. Many of the tunnels in the mine were drilled through by him and the other drillers. He took a sense of pride in that.
He laughed, "Into a wall? I've seen people with the modified legs jump so high they frighten themselves and topple over but I've never seen that. Must've been a SIGHT." He smiled. A genuine smile.
He continued watching as she laid his machine out, every nut and bolt spread across the dirt. She was good at what she did and she could back it up with her skills and personality. She was fiery and Aaron always felt cool. She was like an opposite that attracted. In his own mind. As she tugged him aside by the arm to look over the drill he nodded, yet his mind focused on the warmth of her fingers. One thing the Government did well, was the sensors in his arms which allowed him to feel and realize how hard he was grabbing or pulling something.
When she started speaking once again he snapped out of his trance. "I understand. I should've realized something of the sort when the drill started to smoke and spew steam everywhere. I wasn't thinking.. I have a lot on my mind. I also apologize for getting you here to do this. If I knew more I would have cleared it up myself."
He thought about his father again. It had just been months since he'd been recruited but it felt as though an entire lifetime had passed. They used to get communications and hologram recordings but now, nothing. It was as though he had fallen off of the face of the Earth and there was no way of knowing exactly what happened. His father was an intelligent, just, simply brilliant man and the Government had use for his skills. At first it was a happy occasion but now. Look where they ended up. His thoughts ate at him for a moment before she said “Now, my tea…”.
"Oh yes.. well, uuh. Since the drill's fixed and the super's down there terrorizing someone else.. what say you we blow the mines for a bit and I will get you your damned tea." He spoke jokingly before he smiled again, moving his arm just out of her touch.
Gideon: Amelia smiled and got one more pat of his arm in before he moved out of reach. There was an extreme sadness somewhere inside him. She could see that, and she didn't need her modded eyes to do so. She smiled and made a sweeping gesture with her hand. "Lead the way Mr. King," she said with a smile.
Tyr: He turned, head down almost tracing his footsteps as they planted in the dirt. He didn't have bionic legs but at that very moment his entire body felt so heavy. He had a beautiful young lady at his side and still he couldn't shake his thoughts. It was as though a movie kept playing over and over in his head and he was powerless to stop it.
They weren't very far from the entrance so he took it upon himself to elect them to walk. As he approached the entrance to the mine he stopped for a moment and his eyes made mechanical noises as they adjusted to the light. "I'm sorry," He said softly, lifting his arm up to shield the lenses that were his eyes, "The light gets me every time. It's been about thirteen hours since I've been out." He looked to his side and the sight of Amelia almost made the pain in his eyes subside.
"Now, do you know where to go to get tea? I've never even drank any. Seriously." And he smiled.
Gideon: She looked at him with a smile. "It's all good. My eyes have trouble adjusting sometimes after I've been studying something minute and then need to go back to normal focus." Amelia gestured vaguely down the path. "I actually live about four minutes walk from here, if you can manage it?"
Tyr: He nodded and then gestured in much the same way as she'd done before. "Lead the way, Amelia." He chuckled lightly and continued on with her at his side. "Now tea.. like.. what IS it? Is it good? I've read books with characters inside drinking it but.. NEVER had it."
His eyes finally adjusted to the light and he rubbed them. They made an eerie metallic noise as he did so and when he realized, he stopped, head dropping to the ground again.
"So, where is it you live?"
Gideon: Amelia laughed. "I can't believe you've never drunk tea before... It's delicious, and its so simple. You just add the tea leaves to boiling water and you can put honey in it, if you ever manage to have some, or milk. But I like it without milk. Essentially it's like dried grass and leaves and stuff." She wrinkled her nose. "That sounds gross when you think about it that way."
She gestured about 1km down the road. "See that little wooden cabin down there?" You could just see the roof of it off to the side of the road. "That's me."
Tyr: His eyes made more mechanical noises, adjusting to light and shadow. He focused upon the cabin, and they almost seemed to light up. "It's magnificent. Did you build it or..? I know sometimes the Government gives..." He stopped abruptly, waving a hand. "I'm sorry. Uuh.. so this is you?" He spoke softly as they came upon the cabin.
He looked over the cabin. It was spectacular. It was even more than he and his own family had. At that moment more sadness set in but was off-set by the fact that she was there. Something about her.
"I hope I'm not intruding. I would love to try some tea though."
Gideon: Amelia shook her head. "Dad said that his great-grandfather built it. He used to be the overseer of the mines, and he hated travelling to work from the otherside of the city each day. So he built a cabin up here. It's kinda noisy, but you get used to it."
They stepped up the front steps of the cabin and the door opened to reveal three very small rooms. One served as a kitchen and eating area, the other a meagre bathroom and then her bedroom, which really wasn't much more than a pile up of blankets and some old pillows. Everything was neat and clean though. The place was tidy, if sparse. As she had said, with just her to look after, it was easier than some of the others had it.
"You're not intruding at all. Did you know you're the first visitor I've had here?"
Tyr: Aaron looked around, the place just seemed magnificent to him. How one person could have so much. It baffled him. Why hadn't he done this? Why couldn't he? His thoughts were interrupted by her first words inside. "The first person in here.." He thought, his eyes scanning her over for a moment.
As he listened to her explain the concept of tea he nodded, smiling. "I like honey.. can we put a bit extra in mine? I mean.. if you don't mind. I just want to say that this place is amazing. Your great, grandfather, he did a good job." And he nodded, ending it then and there.
He took a few steps to the inside and closed the door. The look on his face if she were to see would show nothing but amazement. His eyes would show excitement and sadness, all at the same. His thoughts swirled 'round and 'round, even still. He was constantly thinking. Maybe there was a mod for that, too.
Gideon: "Technically he was my great-great-grandfather. I think. It's not as big or newish as some of the compounds near town, but it's home. I'm glad you like it." She said this last bit quite shyly, much unlike her previous jovial tone. She drew out one of the wooden chairs and gestured for Aaron to sit.
She quickly busied herself at the ancient stove that was in desperate need of replacing and soon enough there was flame. A pot of water was added and again, within minutes, it began to bubble. Amelia opened the cupboard to get out her cups and tea, and hopefully a biscuit or two for Aaron and herself to nibble at. She bit her lip when she saw that she was down to her last three teabags and three biscuits.
It was a small price to pay for company. She quickly busied herself and grabbed a plate, putting the biscuits out, and then getting two mugs, but only putting one teabag out. She poured the boiling water into both cups and jiggled the tea bag for a full minute before she pulled it out and popped it into her own cup. The tea bag was almost used up but she was able to get some decent colour out of it.
A generous dollop of honey from a small jar went into Aaron's cup and she brought over the two cups and the plate of biscuits, all expertly balanced.
"Here you go, one tea with accompanying biscuits and a nice big dollop of honey." She smiled and sat next to him in the other chair. It creaked loudly. "Broken chair," she said smiling. "Now drink it and tell me what you think."
Tyr: "I appreciate it, I really do." As he spoke, looking over the remnants of what was probably the last of her meals. "A lot.." He didn't know what else to say. Again she had made him speechless. He split his piece of bread and laid the other half upon the table. "I am not so hungry. More excited for the tea.." And as he slid the half a piece across the table he smiled as she handed him the tea.
The aroma was magnificent. Sweet with a twang. He lifted the cup to his lips and his face lit up. "I uuh.. I.. I like it. Thank you. Much oblidged." As he continued to down the cup in a couple large gulps, regardless of the heat. "I love it, I've.." He stopped once more, hearing himself. He wiped his mouth and smiled genuinely once again.
"You.. I need to ask, ...you have any family? I'm sorry if that's intrusive but.. I'd like to know. I mean. I don't know but.." His eyes dropped, down into his cup. The last droplets of tea still laying about in the center of the glass.
He never intruded. Never. He was a modest, calm, and quiet man. But he had to ask. He had to know more.
Gideon: Amelia smiled and coloured just a little bit as he pushed some of the food back across to her. Everyone knew how scarce treats were in these parts. Sometimes food itself was scarce if the Government didn't do drops on time. The Market, their little black market food exchange, had been having a hard time of it lately. The lands weren't the greatest this Fall, and growing food was hard. Besides, the Government could burn it all if they found it. Or worse, dock your wages for years. Some had even been thrown in prison, never to be heard from again.
She took the food and nibbled at it, conscious to leave enough for herself for a snack when she finished work in about 5 hours time. "I'm really glad you like the tea," she said with a smile. "It's so much better for you than that bitter brown stuff that the old people drink. Corfee, or something, I think it's called. You have to add so much honey to it, and milk, just to make it taste half decent."
Amelia's face dropped at mention of her family. She didn't often talk about them. What harm could it do though? She started, with a big sigh. "Well, my oldest sister, Elizabeth, was "recruited" by the Government," she said frowning. By the way she made those little air quotes, and the way she said 'recruited' one could tell she was less than impressed and disillusioned by it all. "Something about her being an amazing artist and wanting her to create great works of art to begin replacing what man lost. She was great. She could see something once and replicate it, nearly exactly right. You couldn't tell from a quick look that it was wrong." She scratched her nose. "My older brother was taken too. Five years ago now, when he was 19. I don't know why. He just didn't come home from work one day and then we started getting the telegrams. He said they said they wanted his brain and his strength to train soldiers. He was good with weaponry kinda stuff. Probably always programmed to be a soldier."
In their cities, those programmed to be soldiers usually ended up in the 'Police' or 'Enforcement' force. They barely had to do anything, as very little crime happened in the cities. They were usually quickly taken by the Government once they turned 18.
"My parents both died about a month after his last communication, four years ago. After his last communication. He sounded panicked and upset. He was saying the same things he always said, about how great it was, and how much fun it was, and how his life was better and he missed us. But he sounded so strange. My parents tried to make contact after that, but were unsuccessful. Dad found Mum dead out the back there, hanging from a tree. He kinda went insane after her death and cut down the tree. Unfortunately, in true clumsy Lane fashion, one part of the tree toppled over and crushed him to death while I was at school. I found him lying there when I got home. He looked... happy." She smiled sadly and shrugged.
"Sorry to bring down the mood buddy, but you asked!"
Tyr: He reached an arm out, placing it upon her shoulder. His own eyes, if you could call them that, expressed sadness and longingness. "I'm sorry, I didn't.." He stopped short once more, not knowing what to ay or do.
"My pops was recruited a few months ago, you know. I thought it was good but.." He stopped again, a bead of tears slidding down his cheeks. "I don't know anymore.. I've been in the mines, I... I.." And the tears continued rolling. He was an average than larger man, but his tears streamed like a river.
"I don't know.. I don't." And he took a long drag from the tea Amelia had provided him. It comforted him.
Gideon: Amelia froze, watching the rather large man attempt to comfort her then start crying. She was a pragmatic individual, and didn't really know how to deal with grief, except by cracking jokes, but something told her she probably shouldn't do that right at this point. Instead, she patted his shoulder, kind of awkwardly for a moment, before standing up and bringing over the pan with still hot water in it and topping up his up. "That'll warm it up a bit," she said with a smile, replacing the pan on the stove and then sitting down.
"The Government tells us that they take us for the greater good. Sometimes I wonder for whose greater good. Doesn't seem to be ours." She squeezed his shoulder once more and then let her hand drop down his arm and back to her own lap. "Come on, we better get back to the work. I've got about five hours to go. How about you?"
Tyr: Aaron smiled, wiping those petty tears off. He knew he had a job and he would do it. Yet, something nagged at his own heart then. As his eyes adjusted to the light then, he focused on her. "I.. have to ask. How did you lose your..." And he stopped, wiping his face once more. "Everything?"
He knew that he was too a stranger but he felt as though he knew this woman. He knew what she had gone through, her pains.. and even her strifes.
"I know.. I do, I just-.." And he stopped himself, much as he'd done before. "The mines are waiting for us.." And he nodded afterwards.
He had never felt as such or looked at the world as such. This young woman had changed him. He had to help his family. He had to fight and find his father. He knew it. Yet.. he could not do it alone. He was scared. He was not about to face it. As such, not in-front of Amelia.
Gideon: "I may have lost my family," she said with a small smile, as she stood. "But I at least didn't lose my sense of humour." She winked at him and collected their dishes. "Do you want some tea and honey to take home with you? After your shift?" She smiled shyly. "You can always stop by for a cup anytime you want. But I would be happy to give you some to take home to your family. I've even got some leaves drying at the moment that are really good to help you sleep."
[Tyr: He just shook his head and adamantly replied, "No. Keep it, I really do appreciate it though. I've uh..." He shook his head, sipping from the cup once more. "It's sweet."
After a moment his brain began to mentally kick his ass once more. He had bailed on his shift and left a drill unattended. It was the last thing he needed. Until he heard the screams.
"Aaron! Aa-" As they were cut off, an almost metallic sounding scream. Yet. They were his mother and sisters. He didn't hesitate.. and as he stood the cup of tea spilled the rest of its contents all over the table and chairs.
"I'm sorry about the chairs, but, I've got to--" And another scream. In urgency he lept up and took off.
Gideon: Amelia smiled and nodded. "That's fine - " she stopped when she heard the screaming and looked up as she recognised his name within the screams. She followed Aaron out the door and stayed hot on his heels as he ran.
Tyr: As he exited he heard the lowly growls of a Government official, "You have exhibited traits that do not allow for the modifications of humans. You are useless and thusly will be discarded of!"
The words echoed in Aaron's ears. Never before had he heard such declarations and never before had he seen such things go on in public. His entire world turned upside down just then.
"Stop it, STOP!" He cried out loudly before an unknown object collided with his skull. He went unconscious and the world in its entirety became black.
Gideon: "Aaron?" her voice intruded into his thoughts in a murmur. Then a sharp smack to the face. "Aaron, wake up!" she growled into his ear.
Tyr: Aaron woke up, the sweat pouring down his face. He had only slight recollections of the events that had transpired. He was scared. He didn't know what to do. Even laying upon the blankets, he was powerless. His body had quit and the tears just ran. He couldn't stop them.
"Where am I?!" He cried out, fidgeting a moment before becoming lifeless and still. "What happened? Where ARE they?"
His arms moved yet they felt like lead. Everything was hard. Everything.
"Please, where? WHERE?!"
Gideon: Amelia wiped his face and chest down with a cold, damn cloth. She was still wearing his shirt, so he was still shirtless. "The Government took them," she said simply. "Something about them not being abled to be modded and so they had to be..." she trailed off. "They took them away. They didn't kill them. An official hit you with the butt of his gun, so you'll probably have a headache." She helped him sit up, slowly. "Do you feel sick? Can you see me ok?"
Tyr: Aaron's eyes made the same mechancal noises as they'd done before and began adjusting to the light. He awoke to Amelia's face. It had almost seemed his pain had completely subsided. He had never seen such a woman before in his lifetime,
"They-.. they.." He groaned, the wound upon his head throbbing and aching. "They took them. But where? Where?" He asked simply and quietly, still regaining his bearings.
As he sat up he looked back over her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag you into anything if I did. I wasn't thinking." And he laid a hand upon his head, rubbing it. The blood still leaked out from the edges of his palm yet surprisingly he felt.. okay.
"I have to find them. I've got to get.." And he cringed once more, dropping his arms to his side. "I got hit pretty hard.."
Gideon: "I'll say you did," she said, straightening and heading back into her kitchen. He could hear her bustling around in there, but couldn't see what she was doing. "The Government seemed about ready to take you too, for interfering, but your sister kicked up a massive fuss. She bit the guy who was trying to take her really hard on the hand. She made him bleed. Then she ran and jumped onto the Government guy who hit you. He turned around, but she bit him too and was screeching and screeching." Amelia sighed, thinking of the look on his sisters face when she had crouched next to Aaron's unconscious body. That pleading look that said, 'Help us. Help him.'
"Her distraction allowed me to drag you to safety. I hid us in the shrubs until they had taken off. They really wanted to find you too. They beat the bushes pretty hard." She emerged from the kitchen with a small bowl full of a liquid thats stench stung the nostrils. "I've gotta stitch up the wound in your head," she said. "I've never done it before, but it can't be much different to fixing a machine." She tapped her temple. "And I've got the eyes for it."
Tyr: Aaron clinched his teeth. The stitching made for a painful game and one which he was not acustomed to. The blood ran thick through the laces until his wound had ceased its bleeding. "I.. I.." He studdered. In his mind all he saw was his mother and sibings. In his mind he was in hell.
"Please let me go, I have to... I have to.." In and out he went. His conscious reality melding into the unconscious world in which he lived at the moment. "I just..." He was gone. His mind and body all given up.
When he awoke, he startled himself. "MOM!: He cried, looking around. Yet, there was nothing. Until Amelia arrived. "I.. I.."
He studdered. His eyes locked upon her and he fell silent.
Gideon: Amelia looked concerned as Aaron woke up. "You've been in and out of it. It's after 2am now." She looked tired in the light of the small lamp. Her red hair was in a messy bun and she still wore her work clothes. "I convince the supervisor to give you tomorrow off and still pay you. The other guys agreed to put in an extra hour each to cover you."
She smoothed his hair back down. "You were talking in your sleep. Nightmares I think. You said Mum a lot and something about going and getting them."
She smiled sadly. "You know you can't, right?"
Tyr: His facial expression remained. At the very moment he seemed unreadable. He had no recollection of the night or day before but he knew in his mind what he wished to do. To even say he couldn't.. He sighed, shaking his head.
"Amelia, I HAVE to. I am going to. I.." He paused a long pause and his eyes welled up for a moment. Sniffing and brushing the lenses clean once more he gave a slight shake of his head.
"I am, and I will.I understand you've got it good here but.. they're my family Amelia. I HAVE to save them."
Gideon: Amelia's face hardened. "Don't you dare tell me I have it good here Aaron. At least you have a family! It's bloody hard being a woman in this fucked up city working in male industry. There's a whole lot of unpleasant shit I have to deal with every damn week that'd make you cringe, just so I have enough work to make sure I can eat and pay the Government's taxes." She stood up quickly and wandered away from him, her face unreadable.
"I'm sorry about your family Aaron, but they're gone. If you try to follow them, you'll be gone too. If the creatures in the Wilds don't get you, or you don't die in the weather, the Government will kill you for daring to step outside your zone."
Tyr: Aaron shot up almost not even dazed. His eyes focused on her and he knew she could hear the mechanical movements within them.
"You don't say that. Never tell me that. I'm going. I'M GOING." And he slammed a mechanical fist upon the floor, blistering and splintering the wood. No tears fell from his eyes or made their way down his cheeks. His anger was consuming him. He looked down and pulled a fist from the heart of her wooden floor.
"I'm sorry.. I.." He stuttered. God, why did he always do this. "I didn't mean it."
"If you aren't going I still am. I owe it to them. I am sorry. Completely. About your own family but you have to realize I can't just leave my own. They are ALL I have."
Clenching his fists the metallic noise rang out through the air. He didn't care. Not now.
"Please..."
Gideon: Amelia arched an eyebrow as she watched his fist plough through the floor of her humble abode. Anger was beginning to take over, even when he apologised for her family being gone.
"You won't last ten minutes outside this city Aaron. Be realistic. Would your mother want you to throw your life away? You don't even have a plan. You don't have transportation and you sure as shit don't have money."
Tyr: Aaron kept a fist clenched and he did nothing but shook his own head.
"You don't know me. I can do this and I will. Help me or not.. I don't care anymore.." Not a single tear beaded down from his eyes and it almost seemed as though he would clench and distort his own hands. The sound of metal on metal seemed to echo.
The look on his face was distorted, angry, and scared all at the same time. He knew what she was saying was right but he didn't care. They were his. His responsibility. His to look after. There wasn't a word she could utter that would keep him from going.
"I'm sorry," He said, his voice fading, "I have to do this. I don't care about my life. I care for theirs."
Gideon: Amelia frowned. "You want me to come? Why?"
Tyr: Her words almost seemed to sting. His cheeks flushed and he turned his head moment. "I need you- your help.." He spoke softly, the words almost seeming to halt within his throat.
As he turned back he looked over her almost pleadingly. "We're both modded in more than one way and we can help eachother. I don't KNOW if I can do this alone."
"We can find or TAKE what we need. And.." He trailed off, sighing and shaking his head. He felt defeated.
"I just need help."
Gideon: "I don't think either of us can make it out there she said." She sat down heavily on the chair. "You'll kill us both Aaron," she said with a sigh. Then she chuckled. "Not like I have much to live for though..." Amelia turned her eyes skyward and yelled, "If you think we can do this, give me a sign... A hint... Anything!"
The chair suddenly gave way and turned to splinters beneath her. She looked up at Aaron, perplexed.
Tyr: He merely shook his head and after he offered his metallic hands to her. "Come.. come up now." He hadn't meant for this or anything to happen. He hadn't meant for.. anything.
"Up on your feet. Just know.." He turned once more, sighing, "Jus know I am going. I will be gone. I'm going off. I'm strong and I KNOW I can do it. Amelia.."
He shook his head again, a loss of words apparent. He unclenched his fist and still, yet, heard the scrape of metal upon metal. He hated it. He hated himself. If the one last thing he ever did.. it would be saving his family.
"I have to do this Amelia. I just.." He trailed on once more, his face dropping to the floor and examining every crack he'd made with his own fists. He felt terrible about it - yet adamant about his previous words.
"I need you, Amelia. I can't get far.. alone.."
"I'll protect you. I promise."
Gideon: Amelia gripped his hands, if for no other reason than to stop him grinding the metal together, because it was seriously beginning to hurt her ears.
"I'll come with you," she said. "On one condition."
Tyr: As she rose up back upon her feet he gave her a look over and nodded. "What may that be?" He said in a low tone. He regained his own footing then and lifted his head up, eying her in the face now.
It almost seemed as if he had changed in those seconds. A purpose now came over him and he was indeed intent upon it.
"And.. you're alright?"
Gideon: "I'm fine. Two conditions... Actually...." She said. "Condition one: you actually listen to me. I'm not just a pretty face. And condition two... Please check my ass for splinters."
Tyr: His face distorted for a moment and then Aaron laughed heartily. How in the world did he ever even find this woman. I suppose, in his thoughts, the drill was to be thanked.
"Listen to you how? And.. on top of that.. You know there isn't ONE splinter there." And he laughed once more, his eyes trailing down to the lower parts of this beautiful redhead's body. "No splinters..."
His face turned back up and regained the seriousness it had before. He never let on, if he didn't already, the pain in his soul. He nodded once more.
"I'll do what I can."
Gideon: Amelia turned and allowed him a good look at her rear. "You better be sure." She turned and faced him again. "When is the safest to leave? Night? Day?"
Tyr: He sighed. "Neither. W eleave during the day and the wilds will be.. somewhat better, I suppose. We leave at night and we COULD bypass some Government security but the wilds at night are.." He trailed off.
He had often heard stories of the creatures that lurk within the wilds. He had heard stories about gruesome sights of 'mutants' and other monstrocities. There was no easy way to put anything. It was dangerous.
Gideon: Amelia sighed and sat on the bedroll and then flopped backwards, her arms flung above her head. "Rock and hard place." She closed her eyes. "We need a plan dude."
Tyr: His expression changed into one of frustration then. "Listen, I DON'T have a f***ing plan. I know what I've got to do and I am going to do it. I said I've got your back. I mean.." He sighed once again and rubbed his temples.
"I'm going to get my f***ing family back. I'm going to see them safe. And yes.. A rock and a hard place. I understand it. We have to stick together. I HAVE to get my family back. I don't expec--" He stopped, looking her over after the words were spoken.
"I'm on edge. I'm ready. For anything. To do anything."
The look in his eyes was almost blank. A nothingness that he controlled. And didn't. He was bent on his task and it was going to happen.
Gideon: "I'm not saying we don't go tiger, I'm saying we need a plan of attack. At the very least, let's figure out what supplies to take. We'll raid my place and then raid yours and then see what time it is."
Tyr: He nodded. She was right. At the time he couldn't see but now.. she was right.
"Alright, let's get it done. We don't need much. Mainly food. We will have to travel light you know. Other than that.."
His eyes scanned the floor again.
"It's all up to you, Amelia."
Tyr: "I don't need much. I am in it for my family."
Gideon: "You'll still need water. Food. Sleeping stuff." She brightened and sat up, staring up at him from the floor. "Do you have weapons?"
Tyr: He looked up at her bright eyes. They were bright. Gorgeous.
With a smug movement of his hands he gripped ahold of his arms. "You see these? Lethal. Let me say. But.."
He chuckled. "I've got some nice black market brand stuff at my place. Let's go."
Gideon: Amelia smiled. "The Terminator." She stood. "Ok. Let's go."
Amelia whirled around her cabin grabbing a variety of things and loading them into backpacks. "Done. Let's go."
Tyr: Aaron nodded, exiting through her front door. "I'm on the other side of town.. Uuh.." He stopped speaking and just continued on down the road. Her pack was light he could tell but he couldn't tell exactly what was in it.
"Probably grabbed that tea huh?" He smirked as he ran by her side.
"My home isn't uuh.. like yours.." He spoke in an almost cautious fashion. "I don't have nor need much. It shouldn't take long."
Gideon: Amelia nodded. "I took mostly everything." She shrugged. "I don't care what your place looks like. You seem to think my cabin is a palace. It's nothing like the officials houses here." She gestured to the doorway. "Lead on McDuff."
Tyr: They ran for a good while until they came upon the edge of town. Against a giant oak there was a moderately sized shanty set up. There was no door and the windows were basic holes in the wood they'd cut out.
He never turned to look back at her and instead just flung himself into his home and began to pack up his things. He grabbed what little food he had and some water. Yet.. on the walls hung many sharpened blades.
The kicker was when he opened up his trunk and produced a large rifle. One of which distorted and expelled matter, making it highly lethal. It was in pristine condition and didn't seem to have much use gone from it.
"I've got what I need. Take what you want."
Gideon: Amelia looked as though she was in heaven. "I love your walls..." She ran her hands over the blades, entranced. Then she brightened. "We need to go to the mines. I have an idea." She grabbed a few blades off the wall and stashed them away.
Tyr: As she was grabbing the blades from his wall Aaron smiled and shook his head for a moment. She seemed more at home then than even he. With his pack on he motioned for the shack's door.
"Alright then. We'll go to the mines but.. why?" He inquired as they continued out.
He looked around, scanning the area of Enforcers as they exited.
Gideon: "You'll have to lead the way," she murmured. "I can't see in the dark. But I want to go to the mines. I want my tools and some... other things," she muttered vaguely. "You'll see."
Tyr: Aaron nodded and took point. There were scarce amounts of people out. It wasn't necessarily the best thing to do; being outside during the evening but they did what was.
The mechanisms within his eyes were working constantly and they were a noisy bit. He continued scanning the area as they ran. Ran right back up to the mines. He paused a moment and sighed.
"Wish I would never have to come back to this, you know.." He offered in his same subtle way before continuing on in.
"Now what else are you getting? You seem to have some sort of plan for this place.."
Gideon: Amelia winced every time his eyes adjusted. "Kinda wish your eyes were quieter buddy!" she said, nervously glancing around at every change in the light. "Though I have to admit, mine do the same thing when I need to zoom." She made them pause at the entrance to the mines. She inhaled sharply and forced her eyes to zoom in as far as they were able. She was able to detect a faint glow from the back of the mine. Workers were still down there. Or had been very naughty and left the lanterns lit.
"If I was to ask you to wait here and hide... Would you?"
Tyr: Hide? She was asking him to hide. He had no clue what she had up her sleeves but it must've been important. Reluctantly he sighed and gave her a nod, staying close to the mine's entrance.
"Amelia. Be careful." He uttered as she began her trek down into the mine.
Gideon: She smiled with false bravado. "It'll be a piece of cake," she said. "Here..." she rifled through her pack and then brought out a black lump of plastic, about the size of a large mans hand and handed it to Aaron, tweaking a few knobs, before something shrieked horribly and she quickly muffled it amongst the folds of her clothes. "Here. You remember these? Ancient technology. We played with them in school. Radios. It was how our ancestors used to communicate before mobile phones." She showed him the lighter grey button. "Push that button and you'll be able to speak to me, but you won't have to do anything to hear me. Okay?"
Tyr: He was in awe. Where in the world did she acquire these? He had seen ancient technology before but it didn't work. He had found scraps of an old boombox once, but, as he'd thought, it was unoperational.
He looked up at her as she'd left and nodded. "I understand."
He was baffled at the technology. How did she get it to work? Did she fix it? He didn't know. He merely nodded, keeping the walkie in his pocket as she disappeared into the darkness.
Gideon: Her voice crackled through the speaker. "Don't contact me. No matter what you hear."
Amelia crept forward further and further down into the mines, her soft soled shoes making almost no sound on the rocky ground. They had both changed before they had begun their adventure, thankfully. She couldn't continue wearing his shirt, though it had given her kind of a buzz to wear a boys shirt. She had changed into her 'sneaking boots' as her brother had called them. They were sturdy but supple knee high black boots with a rubber sole. They made no sound, yet were almost impenetrable. Lets hear it for synthesized fabrics. Tucked into these were a pair of thermal dark grey leggings which would keep her cool, warm and/or dry when required. She wore a long sleeved black shirt of a similar fabric, with a black hooded jumper over the top which allowed her brilliant red hair to remain hidden. She had some gloves sticking out of an empty tool belt which clung snuggly to her hips.
She knew exactly where she was going, so her movements, though steady and light, had great purpose.
Amelia cursed and hid behind a pile of rubble as she heard voices. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed that they didn't hear her.
"Was a shame wasn't it?" said one voice, whom she recognised as Martin, one of the Supervisors.
"Yeah, I always liked Mrs. King and her boys. Ah well. Thems the breaks ey?" The other voice, she wasn't sure of.
"Yeah. Aaron is a good, hard worker. Will be glad to have him back tomorrow, I think the Mech said. He copped a pretty hard hit to the head."
"Serves him right. Interfering with the Government."
"Come now, he was just trying to protect his family..." their conversation faded into silence. It was quiet for almost two whole minutes before Amelia dared to move again, guided by the dull glow of the lanterns deep down in the tunnell.
She fortunately didn't run into anyone else on her way down, which was miraculous, as she could hear digging and drilling going on, which amazed her. No mechanic was ever asked to work the night shift. She didn't even realise there was a night shift, to be honest. Not this late anyway. The latest any miner worked, she had though, was midnight. 7am until Midnight was the longest shift. It was well past midnight. Closer to 0400 now.
When she had reached the tunnel she was looking for, she sighed happily and sent up a quick prayer and snuck in. It was a small antechamber where a lot of spare gear and long dead machinery was stored. Amelia had been called when the workers had found something in one of the tunnels and she had requested it was moved here, to the junk room, where she tried to bring long dead machines back to life. No one knew she had achieved success with this particular machine.
It was similar to a Tri-Ke, but it had the four wheels and looked like it was made of blocks. You had to step up to get into the cabin of the vehicle. It was small, compact, but thoroughly safe, she had noted. It had been fitted with a primitive roll bar made of some crappy metal, which she had been able to reinforce. The engine had been the hardest. It was ancient technology, relying on a fuel source that no longer existed. It had taken her almost two years to get the internal workings right.
She hit a button on her radio. "Don't reply Aaron, but get ready. I'm about to come - " she froze when she heard voices close by. "Shit," she muttered, quickly sliding down in the seat and tucking herself out of sight. She could hear a few new voices.
"... dunno why we have to work so late."
"f***ing Government lackeys. Pushing us to work longer hours for shittier pay."
"Thems the breaks hey?"
"No, thems shouldn't be the f***ing breaks. This shit aint right man."
"I agree. It's not kosher to have the Government cronies here breathing down our necks while we work."
Amelia froze. The Government cronies... Had the ones who had taken away Aaron's family not left? She hit the button on the radio and whispered into it. Aaron would have just heard her. "Aaron," she said. "Don't say anything, but you need to listen to this..."
"Who the hell do they think they are?"
There was a round of assent from the other workers. "I've never worked this late in me life. What the bloody hell do they think is down here?"
"Something that'll solve all the worlds problems no doubt."
"I didn't see anything down here capable of removing those idiots from the planet." Chuckles.
"How long have they been here now?"
"About a week. They've been 'recruiting' people as well. Even taking those who couldn't be modded."
"Yeah, I saw that they took that young miners family today. Poor kid. Copped it hard to the back of the head for his trouble."
"Poor kid." They murmured in agreement.
"Do they still kill the 'brain-dead' ones, as the Government call them?"
"I dunno. Rumour has it they're taken to the Government as slaves."
"I heard test subjects."
"From who?"
"A friend."
"Oh yeah right Baulkins."
"Is true."
"Yeah, and a mate of yours is related to the Queen of France."
The good natured ribbing continued and nothing more was said that was of any real interest to Amelia or Aaron.
Once the men had left, Amelia gave it a few moments before she keyed the radio. "Aaron, you there?" she murmured. "Just whisper back. I'll be able to hear you."
Tyr: Aaron had been listening in since the walkie came up. He had heard everything and his mind began to race. Had they seen him? Had they seen his family? hat did they know?
He didn't know where Amelia was at or what she was doing. All Aaron's thoughts were about her safety. As the walkie started up again he nodded, taking it eagerly into his hands.
"I'm here, I'm here. You okay? Where are you? I heard what those miners said.. I--" He cut the walkie off, awaiting a reply. He had so much to ask. Yet, he didn't want to know the answers.
He wanted to know about test subjects. Why the Government took his family. Why they were taking 'norms' (un-moddeds) at all. Nothing made sense anymore. The only thing that made sense to him was finding his family.. and keeping Amelia safe. If he could.
"Where are you?" He whispered, keeping a cool tone through the walkie, "There's miners coming. I don't want to be seen. You're okay?"
He took a few steps to his side and drooped down next to a short-cut tunnel. The miners passed by yet were silent. They were tired from working and the looks on their faces told him all they were thinking of was home.
He clicked the button once more, sighing, "Amelia.. Amelia.."
He could hear the miners speak as they passed then.
"Poor guy. He probably won't ever see them again."
"I'm glad they're not my family. I don't know what I would do."
And a simple nod. Writing off life and the fact that they were all human.
Gideon:There was no answer from the walkie talkie, but there was an answer from deep inside the mine. People yelling and cursing. Their cries echoed off the walls of the tunnels. The source of the commotion became apparent. It was a strange, ancient vehicle, zooming along with just a slight noise, a touch louder than a cats purr. And of course, it was Amelia, piloting some strange contraption.
She halted near where she last saw Aaron. "Get in!" she yelled. "Hurry!"
Tyr: Aaron's mouth dropped and he was stunned at first. Yet without another moment's hesitation he nodded and jumped into the vehicle. He had seen such things in the mine before, but, not like this.
"What the f*** is this thing?!" He yelled, even though he hadn't meant to. "And what the f*** is going on? What happened?"
He picked his hand up, grabbing hold of the roll-bar and balancing himself out.
"They're chasing.. well.." He looked back, "Trying.."
Gideon: "It's a modified vehicle. It was one of the originals that we modeled the miner transports off. Just smaller. More ancient technology." She looked over her shoulder and saw a few vehicles about 100 feet behind them. "I'm guessing we'll just leave the city now then?" she smirked.
Tyr: "Let's do. Please." He said still clutching onto the roll-bar in the contraption.
He was scared yet wouldn't admit it. She drove like a crazed Chinaman. His grip was so tight on the bar that indentions began to form and the bar, more or less, became like a glove to his bionics.
"Where are we going? What--" He was confused and his faced showed it. "Where are we out to Amelia?"
Gideon: "Well I was hoping to get this thing out unnoticed but then there were people in the mines. They shouldn't be there. We need to haul ass outta here now before the Enforcers are called."
Tyr: He nodded, he knew. The Enforcers were the last ones you wanted to f*** with. Their mods were state of the art and some, who survived, had more than two. It was unheard of. But then again.. they were the Enforcers for a reason.
He didn't say anything but he was scared. His eyes perhaps, would tell a story but he was silent.
Gideon: Amelia sped through the streets in almost silence. There was almost no one on the streets and those that did see them only looked once. People kept to themselves here, as best they could.
They were met with only one set of Enforcers, who thankfully weren't on the ball enough to mount an effective defence or to gather themselves to stop the two.
Once they pushed past the city dwellings, after another few kilometres, they hit the outskirts and the wall. Amelia stopped about 300m from the wall. "You sure you wanna do this?"
Tyr: He nodded. Aaron wasn't a punk nor was he scared. He had a purpose. He knew what it was. He had to save his family. He had to save his mother. His sisters...
"I want to. I have to Amelia. You've got to help me."
Gideon: She nodded. "Alright. Hold on." Smells floored it at the wire and mesh fence and they burst through, leaving a hole behind them.
Tyr: As they burst through the fence Aaron put his arms up to shield his face. He was shocked and amazed. "This thing's got some f***ing power!" He turned back and gripped onto the Tri-Ke.
"How long until we reach the wilds you think?!" He yelled so she could hear him past the wind.
Gideon: "I don't know," she yelled back. "I can't see shit out here and I don't want to turn the lights on just yet, not until we know if we're being followed or not. Can you see anyone behind us?"
Tyr: He turned back scanning the darkness. In the distance a faint dot before he spotted it. Enforcers. They were closing in, steadily but surely. "There's two of them! One is in a Government vehicle and the other is.." Beside the vehicle an Enforcer was keeping up. Super speed. Modded legs.
"Running! He's f***ing running!"
Gideon: Amelia growled. "Shit. I was afraid of that." She thought hard. Her eyes scanned the impenetrable darkness around them and saw nothing. She growled in frustration. "I don't know what to do," she said. "I can't see anything out here. I don't know how far away we are from anything." She looked down at the panel in front of her and saw the various switches. "f*** it," she muttered, and turned on the lights. The light bounced off everything around them, trees, boulders, scurrying animals and shot off into the distance to illuminate a copse of trees about 100 metres away. "We're aiming for that!" she yelled pointing to it. "I'm going to drive us in there and then we bail. The jeep will run until it hits something. We get the f*** up a tree and hide and hope and pray they can't see in the dark."
Tyr: Aaron turned and with a single hand he gripped the rifle. Aiming it back he fired and an explosive shot was expelled from the barrel. It whistled as it traveled through the air. He missed. It exploded as it hit the ground scattering rocks and debris as the dirt was propelled into the air.
"Shit, alright. Maybe we can ambush them.. or… I don't know. Maybe hiding's better."
He strapped the rifle to his back once again and gripped onto the Tri-Ke.
Gideon: "What the hell are you doing?!" she yelled. "You can't seriously be thinking about killing or hurting anyone!" she whacked him on the leg with her hand before pushing the accelerator to the floor and aiming for the copse of trees. "It's one thing for me to steal a vehicle I built, but it's another thing to kill people!" she growled and flicked off her seatbelt and began fastening her straps around her with one hand, while trying to steer with the other. "Grab everything you need. We probably won't get the vehicle back."
Tyr: His face dropped and he growled into her ear, "What do you think they'll do to US Amelia!" He packed up his things and hopped off of the Tri-Ke. Why was she acting like this? If two dead Enforcers meant safety then he would do what was necessary. His anger definitely was not in check anyway. He was volatile.
"Come on, let's find a place to hide. Trees everywhere. Pick one.."
Gideon: She looked around as they entered the copse of trees. It was thick and with the headlights of the vehicle on she could see the canopy was woven with branches and thick foliage. They would be able to hide quite well. "Are you ready to jump?" she asked. She knew her legs would be able to propel them out of the jeep and up into the canopy of trees. "Once you've grabbed everything, grab me and I'm going to jump. I have no idea what'll happen, I've never jumped with anyone as heavy as you before and then we're going to have to climb."
Tyr: "Climbing part will be easy. Just.. give it your best. We've got to get up there."
With his things packed up he nodded and wrapped his arms around her, clinging to her. He looked up at the tree. It was monstrous and the leaves upon it were thick and would provide good cover.
Aaron knew the Enforcers were closing in. It would only take them a few minutes and they'd be right on top of them. He took one last lingering look around the darkness before nodding upwards.
"Let's do this."
Gideon: She nodded and gave him a squeeze. "Sorry in advance about any scratches. Or broken limbs." She gripped him tightly and jumped. Adrenalin and her modification combined gave her the highest, most powerful jump she had ever experienced. Amelia and Aaron hit the branches above them with such speed and power that the largest branch, the size of Amelia's thigh, caught Amelia on her right shoulder and splintered right in two. Amelia screamed loud enough which caused the Enforcers behind them to start yelling. Shortly after, they heard the crash of the vehicle into a tree. Amelia and Aaron, reaching the pinnacle of their jump, began to fall. Amelia threw her arms out to catch herself, but found she could not lift her right arm. "Aaron," she barely whispered, looking for him as she fell.
She managed to grip onto one branch with her left hand, but knew she wouldn't be able to haul herself up, or hold on, weighted down with the packs as she was.
Tyr: As they jumped Amelia's arm crashed fully into a limb, shattering it completely. On their descent Aaron looked up and gripped onto a fairly thick branch and clenched his hardest onto it careful not to shatter it too. Leaning down he grabbed her by her good arm, lifting her one-handed up higher into the tree so she could continue climbing.
He sighed, growled almost, "C'mon, you can do this. Make it up and we're cool. Just be quiet. I know it hurts.. is it broken?" The limb's shards fell to the ground and made a lot of noise, on the way down knocking against other smaller branches. "f***.." He murmured.
Gideon: With Aaron's help she was able to pull herself up and out of sight of the Enforcers, who were only moments from entering the copse of trees themselves. She grimaced and shook her head. "Dislocated I think..." She looked at her shoulder and could see thick splinters embedded in her shoulder, one which was about the size of her pinky finger. That was going to f***ing hurt. They heard the Enforcers enter the copse below them, the Government vehicle loud and rumbled, a harsh contrast to the silence around them.
Amelia steeled herself and was silence as she heard them speaking below them.
"Can you see it?!"
"Yeah up ahead, it's crashed into a tree."
"Are they in there?"
"I don't think so. They may have been thrown out with the impact."
"Ok. We'll search the area around here and then bail. The Wild's will kill them anyway."
As if on cue, an eerie, inhuman howl echoed across the night.
"Let's not take too long, shall we?"
Tyr: Aaron stayed put, both feet ontop of a thick branch. He could hear their words and as they approached the wreckage he could see them in the darkness of the night. He lifted his chin to look up. He prayed they would leave, or thought they were ejected and just couldn't find their supposedly lifeless bodies out in the mass of grass, vines, and trees.
He nodded after she spoke but said nothing in reply. It would be severely painful but he could fix the dislocation in her shoulder.
"The Wilds will kill them anyway..." He had heard one of them speak. His thoughts raced and after finally regaining his composure somewhat he began to think back on the stories he was told of the creatures that lurked within. Mutants, devilish creatures, even Government experiments gone wrong. The only thing that kept them out of the cities were the walls.
He watched. They examined the wreck for a good moment before taking off. He could hear their vehicle start up and go as well ass the patter and mechanical grindings of modified legs sprinting off with it. Then he heard the growl.
Gideon: Amelia exhaled a breath she didn't know she had been holding, and let her head thunk back heavily against the tree trunk. "f***, that was close."
Tyr: He nodded in agreement. "Should we wait it out til morning? The Wilds are dangerous. You would be able to see to defend yourself as well. If you think you can sit in this damn tree for long."
Aaron slunked backwards and against the barky trunk of the tree letting his legs dangle. The Wilds were always dangerous but at least during the day they would have a better shot against them.
"We've just -got- to get there. Every minute wasted is another minute my family and the families of the others could die... or worse..."
Gideon: Amelia looked around as they heard another howl. "No offense Aaron, but if the Government haven't killed them already, they'll be safe, wherever they are, a lot safer than we would be if we tried to continue tonight. If you want, we can go and check if the cart is still operational, but I'm not sure if it will be. I might be able to fix it if it's stuffed, but I don't know how far it would get us. What if it broke down on the way?"
Tyr:He shook his head and slammed a fist downward into the tree, splintering a few pieces of it. "No, you're right. We'll ditch that thing. Take on the Wilds on foot. But in the morning."
Another shrieking howl and a hiss. He looked around, seeing if anything could be seen. "I hate this place." He growled. Another hiss, then. This time it sounded as though it was getting closer.
He reached back and gripped hold of his rifle before placing it into his lap.
Gideon: Amelia nodded and stilled at the noise. The hissing eventually stopped, as if the Wilds had made the choice to leave them unmolested tonight. "I'm glad you see reason," she murmured. She looked over at her shoulder and began to extract the splinters gingerly. The largest splinter almost forced a cry from her lips but she stifled it. "Can you open the greenish-khaki kinda bag?" she asked Aaron quietly. "It's got my medi-pack in it."
Tyr: Aaron looked over and grabbed her pack. It had some weight to it and seemed to be packed up pretty tightly. He leaned over and passed it to her with a single arm, maintaining his balance upon the tree limb.
"Here you go. You have everything you need? Anything else?"
He looked around and let out a sigh of relief as the creatures left them be. The night was eerie and the Wilds let out moans, groans, growls, and all. There were brushes in the night and Aaron just put the sounds out of his mind.
Gideon: She arched an eyebrow. "I have one good arm at the moment Aaron. I kinda need your help to open the damn pack."
Tyr: He retracted his arm back and nodded, opening the pack. "What do you need out of it then?" He looked her over. He hated seeing her hurt. No rhyme or reason yet it pained him to see her in pain. "There's a lot of shit in here.."
He leaned back again, propping himself up against the tree as he dug through the pack.
Gideon: "Antiseptic and gauze please."
Tyr: Aaron nodded to her request and he reached in, scrounging up the items she had asked for. One by one he passed them over to her cautiously. Careful to not drop them out of the tree.
"Anything else? Or is that it?"
Gideon: She shook her head. "Nope, that'll do for now. But I might need your help in putting my shoulder back in. I don't think I'm strong enough to do it on my own." She began gingerly dabbing at the splinter wounds in her shoulder, carefully analysing to see if any needed stitches. Even the largest one seemed to be not overly deep and troublesome, as long as she sealed it properly. She used a bit of gauze and medical tape to create a patch to keep the wound closed. Amelia passed the items back over to Aaron and then exhaled heavily. "Have you ever done a shoulder before?"
Tyr: He took the items and stuffed them back into her pack. Rising slowly and steadily he hopped over to the other branch and knelt down in-front of her. He nodded once more to her words, "I have. I've done my younger sister's before. She got hurt playing with one of her little friends near the wall. It's going to be painful.."
He reached forward, gently placing his hands upon and around to the back of her shoulder. "Alright here we go."
The pressure increased on her shoulder, "1.. 2.." And before he got to three he quickly popped the shoulder back into its socket. The sound it made was almost gruesome. He had to go on two so she wouldn't tense up. "Done."
Gideon: Amelia let out a scream, stifled by Aaron's chest. A few tears poured down her cheeks at the pain. She had never dislocated a shoulder before, but had set other peoples. It was not pleasant to be on this side. She slumped back against the tree, breathing heavily and sighed. "Thank you," she murmured. "But I hate you."
Tyr: He caught her as she slumped over into his chest. "Shhh.." He whispered into her ear. As she fell back against the tree he let out a thin half-smile at her words. "You're welcome. And I can see that.." Before he let out a soft chuckle.
Leaning forward, he placed a single arm to prop himself up on the tree behind her, and pressed his lips to her cheek. "I apologize." He turned, hopping back over to the other branch and leant back against the trunk as well.
"Let's not break anything else, now."
Gideon: Amelia had her eyes closed, but felt the kiss as if it burned into her flesh. She harboured no illusions that he might be romantically inclined towards her; they had only just met. But the small gesture of affection was nice and it was comforting. She hadn't felt affection, or comfort, for many years. She gave a small smile and felt her body grow heavy, adrenaline clearly leaving her. "I'll try..." she mumbled, as she trailed off to sleep.
Tyr: Aaron kept awake for most of the night, always alert and ready for whatever could possibly happen. His rifle sat across his lap and he let his arm lay over it. The night air was somewhat cool, and the breeze seemed to sting his cheeks. His arms felt almost like ice-blocks, but, he enjoyed it. Through the entire messed up situation he was glad to be there with her. They were turning out to be quite the team so far.
As the morning sun began to rise up above the horizon he yawned and rubbed his eyes. Throughout the course of the night he passed out and fell asleep. He looked over, eying Amelia. "Psst, hey.."
"Hey, wake up."
Gideon: Amelia woke with a jolt and sat up quickly and then winced. She growled to herself. "Dammit, that hurt." She looked confused, and then pulled her shirt off her shoulder and saw the wounds and bruising. "Ouch," she mumbled, memories of the previous night flooding back to her. "What time is it?"
Tyr: He chuckled as she jolted forward, "Sorry. Sorry.." He turned and looked up into the sky. "I have no idea. Sun's up though." He leaned backwards and pressed himself forward. Looking down the tree he could see the wreckage and he sighed. "We've got to get moving. I'll help you down and you use your legs to plant yourself."
The tree was enormous and it was a hefty drop but they would have to make it down.
"We'll go that direction," He said, pointing, "I think it'll be easier. I think.."
Gideon: "I can drop down without any bother," she said. "The mods will bear the brunt of the drop. I don't know if I can carry you down with me though. I mean, if my shoulder was 100% maybe, but I'm not sure." She looked in the direction he was pointing her allowed her eyes to zoom. "Good idea. The foliage looks lighter in that general direction, so there might be a path in. That may be a vehicle path too..." she glanced hopefully at the unseen wreckage of the car. "Should we check the vehicle?"
Tyr: "I can make it, I think.. I don't want to hurt you anymore. I think we've got this though. My arms will let me down easy. We can do it." He gripped onto her pack and slung it over his shoulder along with his rifle. "Let's do it." He spun himself around and gripped tightly onto the tree. He started down it, slamming his fingers directly into the bark and making his own finger-holds.
He continued down, sliding slightly and stripping the bark from the tree. Slowly but steadily he made his way down until he dropped. It was a fairly lengthy fall but he managed to hit the ground and roll sideways. Regaining composure he stood back up and looked up at her.
"Your turn!" He called.
Gideon: Amelia watched him climb down the tree, plunging his hands into it. She thought that was pretty cool. She watched as he dropped to the ground and rolled. She smiled, relieved, when he stood uninjured after the fall. Amelia wriggled her way to the edge of the branch she was sitting on and prayed that the pack she wore on her bag didn't snag and then let herself drop.
She landed solidly on the ground, the mechanics in her legs whirring and creaking as she slammed into the ground. She wobbled slightly, but remained on her feet... which had embedded themselves into the ground by a couple of inches. She pulled herself out of the ground and looked towards the vehicle. The lights were still on; she could see their faint glow against the dark bark of the tree trunk. "Do we give it a go, or leave it?"
Tyr: He watched her as she fell and he was tempted to reach out and help her stabilize after she hit, but when he saw that she was fine he sighed, relieved. Looking over the Tri-Ke he could see it was still operational. The lights and all were going, save for a few busted up spots.
"If you think it's good to go then let's do it. I would rather be mobile than walk through the Wilds. I had just figured it was trashed."
Gideon: Amelia smiled. "I build things properly. The exoskeleton is sturdy as, but I'm not vehicular engineer. I'm just a mechanic." They made their way over to the vehicle and she approached the front of the car, the drivers side door hanging open. She froze. "Shit," she whispered to herself. She backed away from the vehicle slowly and returned to Aaron. "Come with me slowly and quietly. Bring nothing but the rifle." She stripped him of the packs and laid them down on the ground.
The creature that lay curled up across the front bench seat of the car was distinctly reptilian, grotesque and about the size of a wolf. Definitely a dangerous creature, especially if that mouth revealed sharpened teeth. Amelia looked at Aaron, her expression grim. The creature was asleep, but no doubt if they moved in a manner that disturbed it, it would probably attack.
"What do we do?" she asked.
Tyr: He held his rifle at the ready, ready to shoot if the creature did actually wake up. He backed off a bit to whisper into her ear, "Listen - I've got an idea. One of us can.. distract it. When there's a clear shot we'll waste it. Yeah?" Aaron looked her over, his own expression distorted.
He didn't want to get anyone hurt, or be hurt, but he couldn't let this thing live. Aaron didn't know if the creature's strength was above average, all he knew was that it was unnatural... and had TEETH.
Gideon: Amelia nodded. "Ok," she said. She moved off to one side and found a stick long enough to poke the creature with, while keeping her well clear of the car. "Are you ready?"