Chapter 5
3 months after Dramkick was shown the Tonyx Preserver he was still consumed with discovering its secrets. He had 170 of his finest scientists examining every molecule the helmets. They had to find a way to create more firstly, and fill them with brilliant minds lastly and most importantly. Dramkick was housing the 170 scientists in a château on the far end of the Bior Waveless Sea (it was a place he often went for solitude and where no one lived within 150 miles.) The château's large dining hall had been converted into a makeshift lab. The long dining table was littered with parts, tools, and helmets in all stages of production.
"What do you think he'll say when mine works?" Dr. Edmo Ugen asked snidely as he held a red helmet in his hands.
Dr. Edmo Ugen is a slight 5 foot 9 and 130 pounds, with graying black shortly cut hair that is combed straight back. He has a gently curving nose and deep set eyes that lack any hint of humor. He is clean shaven with high cheekbones and a prominent chin. He also has a barrel chest and a short torso, with long arms and legs. His hands are large with long thick fingers. And his feet are extremely wide (they bulged out the sides of his shoes.) He is wearing a silver framed set of glasses and a gold necklace with the inscription, "I'll always love her," written in diamonds. He also has on a grey cardigan sweater and a white collared shirt (fitted perfectly for him). His black leather paten shoes have a Jackull sewn into them.
The Jackull is an animal similar to a hyena with black and red fur and a long mouth with huge snarling teeth. It has 6 legs with huge feet that have thick claws. Along its spine is a river of yellow fur that stands straight up. The Jackull has white eyes and a blank stare like a newborn baby. The Jackull has the ability to run at blinding speed and are notorious for being vicious to anyone who comes near.
"He won't say anything cause it won't work," Dr. Atse Ullin growled as she worked on her mask and then said, "Then he'll see mine and realize that I'm on the right path."
Edmo laughed and thought to himself how beautiful Dr. Atse was (and how fond he was of her).
Dr. Atse Ullin is 5 foot 4 and weighs 180 pounds. Her flowing brown hair is straight and shoulder length-with bangs that are cut to different lengths on each side of her face. She has a nose like a bird's beak that is gently sloping from top to bottom. Her face is heavily wrinkled by age and by smoking, but her smile and laugh are very youthful. Her body is thin and she has a womanly figure. She has very small hands and feet, with the fingers on her hands noticeably shorter than the palm of her hands. She is wearing a loose fitting black dress that stops just above her knees with a black clasp that has the words, "I knew it was him," written on it in pink crystals. She also has on black lace leggings and black leather 2 inch heels. Around her neck a simple blue Pearl necklace-given to her by her sister as a joke.
"Path no, ravine yes and you'll both be falling helplessly towards it before mine doesn't work properly," Edmo said jokingly as he nudged Atse's shoulder and smiled.
"Oh really, a coy boy like yourself making predictions. Here's a prediction, I see Dramkick tossing you and your ego into the fiery sun if your precious helmet doesn't work," Atse looked at him with streaming, reddened eyes (and she wished she could give him a good slap).
"If that be the case I just wish Dramkick would be kind enough to let me take a friend along. And you know just who I'd pick, go ahead and see if you can guess," Edmo said jokingly as he put the rear plate of his helmet together.
"Oh, Lover, you get me so hot and bothered with your considerate gestures. But when Dramkick throws you in, and its coming for sure, I think I'll do nothing. A whole days worth of nothing I'll have planned. But thanks for thinking of me, Lover," Atse said sarcastically as she gave Edmo a long wink.
"Boy, you are some kind of woman," Edmo fought back laughter as he spoke and continued assembling his helmet. "The kind of woman I like to see dangling from a rope somewhere. I mean that, you turn my wheels and you set my heart ablaze. Atse, I've fallen head over heels in love with the idea of your early demise. I've never felt feelings so strong for woman. It's you, Atse, it's you who brought this out in me," Edmo said sarcastically as he threw Atse a seductive gaze.
"I feel the same way about you too, Edmo, I mean that," Atse curled her wrists and pouted her lips at Edmo. "When I think of the times we'll never share and all the memories of air. It's hard to control my glee and I know that men like you do come along every day. So it gives me hope for us and nothing but, Lover," Atse said sarcastically with a smile that told Edmo it was never gonna happen. "Can't you feel it, there it is, its us."
Edmo smiled and said sarcastically, "I do feel it, I really do. This time with you has made me long for a briefer life and a long afterlife for a diamond in the ruff like yourself, Atse beautiful."
Just then the air shifted and Dramkick walked into the far end of the makeshift lab. This caused everyone to stop talking and focus on their work. They all knew too well the stories of Dramkick and the vicious deaths that had and could happen. Atse threw a cold stare at Edmo and whispered, "Make sure he hears about your work of art and how great it works, Lover."
Edmo shot a fierce stare back at Atse and started working diligently on his helmet. Dramkick climbed up onto the table, then jumped up and grabbed onto the chandelier. He looked at the scientists and shouted, "Who's wasting my time! Who's going through the motions! I will find you and you will be rid of appendages!"
Dramkick was convinced if he put a shock through all the scientists they would focus all their energies appropriately. He knew they were tired and it gave him great joy to see them squirm. He also knew people loved to think he was a bully and a baboon (he approved of both.) He felt this gave him a decided advantage in keeping his people under his thumb. As he scowled at the scientists one by one, he fought desperately not to break into laughter as he swayed back and forth on the chandelier. He locked eyes with the head scientist Dr. Pone Witterkez-a renowned genius in the scientific community-and squinted at him.
Dr. Pone Witterkez is all of 6 foot one and four 50 pound bags of potatoes. He has an enormous head on top of narrow shoulders. His hair is mint colored green, curly, and gets gradually longer towards the top. He has a goofy toothy smile that doesn't look quite at home. His eyes are half covered by his brown eyelids and look like he is always in the middle of a thought. His right hand has 2 thumbs and 3 index fingers, while his left hand is completely normal. His feet are abnormally wide and turn inward then outward as he walks. It's the type of walk that draws in the eye whether you want it to or not. He is wearing a black surgical mask around his neck with the Eye of Bim seal on the front of it.
The Eye of Bim is a secret order of doctors who have made several attempts at wiping out the population of Membra. They've used super flu's and blood diseases that create death and destruction everywhere. They also have sabotaged several hospitals during the periods after natural disasters. They did this by cutting off power, supplies, and contaminating antibiotics. The Eye of Bim's hope is that they and their families will inherit Membra and create a new society.
Pone also has on a black lab coat with 10 pockets that have: notepads, tools, chocolate cookies, Praem tubes and various other things that he might need in them. He has on white dress pants and a pair of rubber soled dress shoes that have no laces.
"Things are going swimmingly, Quadromolan. We are making real progress I assure you," Pone said nervously as he fidgeted with his hands.
Dramkick jumped down off the table and slammed his feet. This caused the scientists to gasp and breathe a little heavier. Then Dramkick danced over to pone and asked, "Pone, my patience is a small candle that was lit a month ago. Where do you think it is now?"
"I apologize for the delay, Quadromolan, but there have been breakthroughs," Pone said anxiously as he motioned with his hand for Dramkick to follow him.
The 2 men walked 10 feet to the end of the table and stopped at a place where 3 helmets were laid out beside one another. Pone grabbed the red one and handed it to Dramkick and said hopefully, "This one is almost perfect!"
"Hmm, we will see," Dramkick replied as he put on the helmet and released just a slight laugh and then said, "This is very good, this is farther than I thought you were. I can feel this Sanfe and his strengths. I'm capable of using his intelligence. What is missing is his secrets and that is something we must strive for. I want the whole the man's secrets, and men are always their secrets you know."
"Of course, Quadromolan, we will bridge that gap and I suspect soon," Pone fought to hold it together, but he felt Dramkick's agitation. He simply nodded and grinned at the other scientists.
"Soon is a term I have grown to dislike, but I will forgive it in the light of your strides toward completion," Dramkick spoke in a regal tone that he only used to dismiss people. Dramkick took the red helmet off and laid it back down on the table in a meticulous fashion.
"I'm already there," Edmo said loudly as he lifted his helmet high in the air and waved to Dramkick.
Dramkick walked briskly over to Edmo and asked snidely, "If your helmet doesn't work which arm of yours will I take with me?"
"It will work," Edmo answered calmly as he handed Dramkick the red helmet.
Atse looked at Edmo terrified and thought to herself what a fool he was. Dramkick looked at Edmo and felt giddy at the prospect of tearing his arm from its socket, but admired his courage and resolve at the same time. Dramkick put on the blue helmet and said coldly, "This is absolutely devious, a horrific mindset. This person tells an endless array of lies and lives his whole life on the edge of deception. He hee hee YES…yes indeed you have unlocked the mind of a monster. All the layers of the man are at my disposal, how titillating."
"Edmo, I thought we were sharing our breakthroughs as a group. What have you been-" Pone started to ask angrily as he scowled at Edmo.
"Please do not speak to him, Pone," Dramkick said irritably and spread the fingers on his right hand like it was a weapon. "This man is a genius and he has done what had eluded you, with grandeur and style. Edmo, I'm making you my most trusted and revered scientist and giving you total control of mass production of these helmets. Which we will call Kranduccis," Dramkick spoke matter-of-factly as he wrapped his hand around Edmo's shoulder and chest. Dramkick leaned in and said boisterously, "I want the galaxies' logic, Edmo, and without their permission we will take it!"
Edmo beamed and said quickly, "You will have it, Quadromolan, and more."
"Please, Edmo, let us be friends. You'll excuse me for a moment," Dramkick said sharply as he started walking towards Pone and continued, "Pone, your lack of vision INFURIATES ME!"
Dramkick suddenly kicked Pone in the shin and this sent the lower half of his leg flying over the heads of the other scientists. Pone fell to the floor and screamed out in pain as blood gushed from the top half of his leg onto the floor. Dramkick and Edmo walked out of the makeshift lab and onto Dramkick's shuttle. Edmo was excited by his new opportunity, but also slightly scared given his employer. Dramkick's thoughts were racing as his plans were finally coming to fruition. He was filled with the greedy thoughts of power and more power.