8 LEVEL EIGHTY-ONE
“What?” asked Bantam, taken aback by pure unadulterated shock.
“While the Orion Swift was jumping through wormholes to escape the attackers, Ms. Norman had received many private messages from the Head of the alien attack-” said Emilie.
“What was it?” interrupted Jedias impatiently.
“He offered her a deal,” Emilie continued. “That in return for disengaging the rescue of the other two human colonies and for complete surrender of all people aboard the Orion Swift, he would make her the ruler of all four-”
Instantly, noisy chatter arose among the large group of people who were standing there,
“Did he say two? Aura is uninhabited, right?”
“That scoundrel!”
“Complete surrender?”
“Ruler of what? They destroyed our homes in front of us!”
“SILENCE!” Jedias cried. Then looking at Emilie, he said, “Pray continue!”
Emilie composed herself and spoke, “Norman didn’t even hesitate in replying yes to his deal.”
Another round of loud cacophony started and all the shouting Jedias could do didn’t help this time.
Rutgers stepped in and commanded everyone else to go out except for the authorities. Troy stayed back defiantly, so did Kru and Holloway. Rutgers looked at the hardened expression on Troy’s face and let him say, without saying anything.
“Troy! I think you should get going,” said Hugo.
“I’m not leaving her and besides, we have every right to be here,” said Troy, blinking his eyes fast.
Bantam looked at Troy and sighed, “Alright! What do we do now?”
“Emilie, do you know anything else about the attackers?” asked Troy, not minding the Premier’s question.
“I’m afraid not!” replied Emilie. “The messages were in plain standard order English and had no indication as to who they were or anything about them.”
“That species is intelligent!” remarked Bantam.
“Must be the most advanced in the universe!” said Troy.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Hugo said, “How can you-”
“If they can manipulate dark matter, dark energy and produce exotic matter, they are the most advanced species in the universe! I’m not saying they are the only ones, I’m just saying they are!” said Troy.
“So?” asked Jedias, inviting proposals as what to do.
“You know the answer, sir,” replied Troy. “We take the ship!”
“It’s not as simple as you think!” said Jedias.
“Everything is complex,” said Troy remembering the tip that Max taught him, while cracking juvenile algorithms, “Until you break it.”
“So what are you suggesting?” asked Bantam, not able to believe he was asking an eighteen year old for strategies.
“We use the age-old strategy that works always,” replied Troy. “Distractions! I need to know where Norman is!”
“Let’s move to the Command centre,” said Kru. “I can project the ship’s blueprint up there!”
“Right! Let’s move!” said Troy, as he turned towards Emilie and asked, “You wanna come?”
Emilie nodded yes, Troy held her hands and helped her to get up. Everyone proceeded to the Command centre across the level.
The group moved to the Command centre where Kru immediately got to work, he projected the Orion Swift’s blueprint from the control panel as a reality render. The Orion Swift sprang up in front of their eyes, in its characteristic bluish gray color and design that resembled an elegantly designed fountain pen nib, with a huge ring surrounding the rear end of the ship that housed the powerful propellers.
“The Orion Swift has one hundred and sixty seven levels,” said Kru. “Norman’s office and quarters are on the eighty-first level.”
“Getting here to the eighty-first level should be no problem,” said Rutgers.
“Yes,” said Kru. “I can program the elevator to take us right there, but what are we gonna do from there, that is the question!”
“Show the eighty-first level,” said Troy.
Kru at once punched a few options and give an expanded detailed view of the level. The level looked quite simple in its design. The passage from the elevator opened into large opening which led into twelve passages from the small atrium.
“Tsokay!” said Troy, a little perplexed.
“This is where we should start worrying,” said Kru.
“Are there any parallel tunnels or anything?” asked Troy.
“None for human use, except there are coolant fluid ducts!” said Kru, checking the blueprint. “It should be just enough for a person to crawl through, but even if I stop and drain the coolant fluid running across this level, we are going to get around only about five minutes to make it to where Norman is!”
“Why?” asked Emilie.
“Because every level on the Orion Swift is powered by its own engine at the core of the level and these engines produce a lot of heat and lot of other stuff, which is basically absorbed by the coolant fluid, even stopping the engine, we’re going to get over two hours of gold-melting heat and other-”
explained Kru.
“Yeah, yeah, I get it!” Troy interrupted impatiently, “How many are they?”
“Seven, running parallel till every last room on the level.” said Kru.
“Alright, so that’s our way in!” said Troy.
“How do you think we should proceed?” asked Rutgers.
“I will lead a personal team of four to tackle Norman, while others make sure we don’t get disturbed,” said Troy.
“Tsokay!” said Rutgers. “It looks like a good plan!”
“Except that it isn’t complete!” argued Hugo. “I think I should lead the party!”
Troy got excited about Hugo joining the team and he didn’t mind the way Hugo spoke.
“We’ll be honored!” exclaimed Troy, with a happy grin.
“If Hugo is in, we’ve got the best chances of getting this done!” said Bantam, clapping his hands together.
“Tsokay!” said Rutgers, “How to proceed then?”
“We draw all of the security over here! You’ve got to engage them in a fight! We’ve got to give the impression all of the rebels are here, it’s very important!” insisted Troy.
“It’s important that they know we’re here too,” chipped in Kru.
“Cast our holograms now and then, just so they know, complete with human infrared and bio—
signatures lest the droids realize that it’s fake,” said Troy. “Meanwhile, we’ll make it to Norman’s office or quarters where ever she is on that level and take her captive.”
“Once she is captured,” said Jedias heavily. “We can expect the Senate to turn, unless there are other betrayers-”
“We know who to trust, sir,” said Troy with a mild smile, which brought a smile to Jedias’ face as well.
“Alright!” announced Hugo. “We begin in forty minutes!”
The next half an hour saw the Arkylum brimming with activity.
“Status report!” asked Bantam, looking at some of the Keplers.
“All of the one hundred and twenty seven Keplers are armed and ready for battle, sir and so are the Albeins!” said one tall Kepler man.
Troy’s mom was with Troy the whole time, after listening to her worries for the umpteenth time, Troy promptly called his new friends, unable to listen anymore.
“Mom, I get that you haven’t met my new mates!” said Troy. “This is Emilie, Kru and Holloway!”
Amanda looked a bit unsatisfied that she wasn’t able to tell Troy all of her worries and faked smiles as she turned to exchange pleasantries with the three, but soon she forgot what she was worrying all about upon seeing Emilie.
“Emilie, is it?” said Amanda, her eyes opening wide. “You look so beautiful! And this is no dress for a girl!” she said pertaining to the prison clothes.
“Don’t worry, mom, we’ll change soon!” assured Troy.
“Make sure you get her good clothes!” said Amanda, as she smiled and tuned to Kru.
“Hallo, ma’am!” said Kru and bowed.
Amanda blushed at what Kru did, “You do know how to treat a lady!”
Holloway snorted beside Kru. Amanda noticed it and smiled at Holloway, “Oh my! You make me wish I had your body, young lady! Which reminds me of a secret! Don’t eat those fish they serve here, they are full of fat rather than proteins!”
Holloway grinned and nodded, after which Amanda pulled Troy for a private conversation.
“You aren’t in love with any of those two girls right?”
“NO MOM!” Troy almost screamed. “Don’t be ridiculous!”
Amanda looked disappointed.
“What is it?” asked Troy, on seeing her expression.
“Oh! Nothing, dear!” said Amanda. “Just be careful out there! I still don’t feel alright about you risking your life, son.”
“I got to finish what I have started, mom,” said Troy.
Amanda looked surprised at what Troy had just said. For a moment, she seemed lost as she got reminded of another person who had said those same words a long time back.
Amanda smiled at her son. She felt proud of him, she kissed on his forehead and said, “Go! Do what you have to!”
Troy smiled and answered, “I’ll see you soon!”
Then he turned and joined his friends. Within five minutes, Troy and his gang had suited in nanobot suits and loaded with Bummers. Hugo joined them and all of them went to notify Jedias and Bantam.
“Sir, we’re ready!” announced Hugo.
Troy was grinning standing beside him. He felt proud of this moment, standing side by side with us hero. It was like his greatest dream come true and he hoped that after everything was over, he would get some free chatting time with Hugo.
“Good luck!” said Bantam and nodded his head, Hugo turned and resumed walking towards the
Arkylum doors.
“Can you get me Max back, Kru?” asked Troy, who was suddenly reminded of another thing he was fond of.
“I don’t know!” replied Kru. “Max was loaded onto the chip in the transmitter they took away from you, if they had destroyed it! I can’t get her back!”
“Unless they haven’t destroyed it!” said Troy sadly.
“Guys!” Hugo started speaking suddenly. “This is so cool, ain’t it?”
Troy found a relief in Hugo as a distraction and said, “YES SIR!”
Hugo flashed a big grin in return. Holloway was checking her accessories at tail end of the group, when Emilie got chatting with her.
“I never got to thank you for saving me!” said Emilie.
“Ah! Don’t bother sweetie!” said Holloway, grinning at her sweetly.
Emilie smiled back her gratitude. Soon, the party reached the elevators and Kru stopped them to make announcements.
“Here is your gear!” said Kru, taking stuff out of his waist pouch belt. “Here is a plasma cutter, use it to cut open the duct and the walls, be careful, it gets very hot. And once you finish cutting, it’s of utmost importance that we repair the damage, because you know the coolant duct-”
“Yeah!” said Hugo and flashed a big grin.
“Alright!” Kru continued, a bit irritated at Hugo’s flashy personality. “You use these to repair”, he said, taking out tiny flat white solid circular disks, that had lines all over it, “These are transmutators, Albein tech working at the quantum level, they will bind to whatever cracks or breaks they find, transform into whatever material that it’s made of and bind them. Clear?”
“How do you-” asked Emilie.
“You place the cut out piece over the original place, and place this anywhere connecting the two pieces. It should take about three seconds for it repair and make it as good as new! And here are your transmitters, we’ll keep in contact with these! Tap your transmitter to transmit a live message!”
Everyone nodded quickly in agreement but it seemed more like they did so that Kru would stop lecturing.
“Let’s move out,” said Hugo.
Kru immediately took out a box containing eye lenses and put them on in his eyes, “Give me a few seconds!”
Kru immediately got to work, he took out a mini keyboard and stabbed at it for a while, after which he projected a few options from his eye lens and punched at it furiously fast.
“I am done!” announced Kru. “I have pinpointed the location of the rebellion by sending a witty message, and made the Arkylum accessible once again by elevators, except for one!”
“Good!” said Hugo, patting Kru on the back.
Kru coughed on being hit and smirked in return and continued speaking, “Based on my calculations, we should enter the elevator in two minutes and forty five seconds!”
“Hey! Can’t you hold the elevators till we get to take Norman down?” asked Troy.
Kru cast a not-so-sure look at him.
“Theoretically, it’s impossible, as the Orion Swift is run by the best Albein AI, which will eventually find a way to override my code, so I can stall for only a few minutes at best.”
“Mmmm…” said Troy, hanging his head.
“How much time, do you think it’s going to take, Troy?” asked Holloway, after curbing her laughter and trying to appear serious, by asking this question.
“Time is of essence here, people!” Troy said, “The sooner we capture Norman, the better! I’ve got my mother inside there! I won’t be able to forgive myself, if I let something happen to her!”
Troy’s little talk had brought the spirits out in the team. Another minute elapsed quietly, when Kru punched another button on his mini keyboard.
“Ten seconds to go!” he announced.
The elevator opened in front of them. All of them went inside.
“Four, three, two, one, zero!” said Kru as the elevator door closed as he finished his countdown. “I love the way I calculate!”
Holloway snorted heavily in response, bringing a short blast of involuntary laughter from both Troy and Emilie.
“Alright! Alright!” said Kru, crossing his arms. Soon, they were about to reach level eighty-one.
“Alright guys! Weapons at the ready!” said Hugo taking out his two Bummers. Everybody drew their Bummers and got into position.
“Remember, we four take out hostiles while Kru cuts out the wall!” reminded Troy. The elevator doors opened onto a passage. It seemed very quiet and was empty.
“Tsokay!” said Kru. “Let’s move out! I’ve blocked all transmissions from security cams! So we’re invisible to security!”
“Everybody! Be alert,” said Hugo, getting out of the elevators.
Quickly, the party moved to the central circular atrium, from where they had to take one of the twelve passageways, which would lead them to Norman. The atrium was also devoid of anybody.
“Well, this is turning out to be too easy!” said Hugo.
“There are people in those passageways leading away from the atrium!” said Kru.
“Is Norman still here, Kru?” asked Holloway.
Kru tapped his keyboard and looked into the distance. He was viewing the data streaming directly onto his eye lens.
“Yes she is in her office, surrounded by thirty droids! No Albeins!” said Kru.
“Thirty!” exclaimed Hugo. “That’s quite a number!”
“Tsokay,” said Troy. “Change of plans! We will break into two teams! One team breaks inside the office and takes out the droids! The immediate action of the droids will be to escort Norman out! The other team will take down Norman, once she comes out!”
“Yes,” said Hugo immediately. “I’ll take Troy and Emilie with me and take out Norman once she comes out!”
“Tsokay,” agreed Holloway. “Let’s go!”
The party moved till they reached the passageway number seven, which lead to Norman’s office.
“Is anybody there in the passage?” asked Troy.
“No,” replied Kru, after checking his data.
“Alright,” said Holloway. “You guys keep moving! We’ll see you in ten!”
Troy nodded and proceeded along the path, with Hugo and Emile by his side. They stopped about a hundred meters before the entrance to Norman’s office, behind a slight curve and waited for Kru and Holloway.
“Two minutes out guys!” said Kru. “We are using propellers on our feet to get there!”
“Alright!” whispered back Troy impatiently.
Two minutes, Kru’s transmission broke through,
“Ten seconds to contact!”
“Baby!” called Holloway.
“Hush! Holly! They can hear us!” whispered Kru.
Emilie smiled, “It’s tsokay!” she said.
Kru turned pink with shyness and didn’t utter another word.
“Tsokay guys!” said Holloway. “We’re about to begin! We’ll alert you soon!”
“Tsokay,” said Troy with a grin.
“Focus kids!” said Hugo, who suddenly seemed to be all serious.
The trio waited for a full five minutes, before Holloway shouted in their ears, “They’re leaving, a troop of twelve! Take them out!”
“Alright guys!” said Troy. “In position!” and Troy and Emilie took flanking positions beside Hugo.
They could hear them. Troy aimed his Bummers straight ahead at maximum delivery voltage.
“Should we now?” asked Troy, as he heard the troop’s movement getting stronger
“Not yet!” uttered Hugo.
About thirty seconds later, he cried, “NOW!” and all three of them darted ahead. Troy was momentarily confused as to why Hugo had shouted, the only advantage they had being the element of surprise and Hugo had clearly spoilt it here. Nevertheless, Troy jumped around the corner to pump his Bummers, as he saw Hugo turning around and shooting at Emilie.
“No!” cried Troy, as he slipped and crashed onto the ground but before he get up, Hugo pointed his Bummers at him with a smirk and emptied the charge within. Troy was thrown against the wall and fell down to the floor.
“Are both out?” asked a high pitched, irritating voice. Troy had heard it before, it was of Norman’s.
Troy was still conscious but he decided to play dead just so he could learn more about the situation and for the perfect opportunity to strike back.
“Though we’re known for our meddling with genetics and making ourselves stronger and handsome, no Kepler can handle such a massive shock!” laughed Hugo, brushing his short brown hair.
Troy couldn’t believe what Hugo had done. He put all his strength into not crying.
“What about the girl?” asked Norman, in an irritated tone as if even she couldn’t handle his flashy personality.
“Ah! Don’t bother about that bitch!”
Troy’s blood literally boiled at that moment, Hugo had said that and he had almost moved his body in rage.
“What was that?” asked Norman, shooting her eyes towards the place where Troy lay.
“What?” asked Hugo in his flashy voice, turning around to see where she was looking.
“Nothing,” said Norman, after a couple of moments, after she kept looking at Troy. “Thank you for accepting my proposal at such short notice.”
“Well, no problem, ma’am, I-”
“There are two more kids in my office, finish them!” interrupted Norman.
“Oh! Don’t worry they are headed this way,” said Hugo, as he pointed in the direction behind Norman. “Though personally, if you don’t mind, I would like to spend a little time with that girl before-”
“YOU BASTARD!!!” cried Troy springing from the place where he lay, his eyes wet and hands armed with Bummers. Hugo acted with lightning fast reflexes, he went down on his knees and shot thrice from both his Bummers, before Troy could shoot at him. Meanwhile, other droids also started firing at Troy, throwing him back against the walls.
“You bastard!” Troy wept as he picked himself and blasted his Bummers to take out the remaining droids.
“Kill him!” hissed Norman, hiding behind the damaged hovering droids.
“You little twit!” shouted Hugo, replacing the Bummers with a tiny hand gun he drew from inside his jacket. Troy looked up, breathing hard and he noticed the weapon in Hugo’s hand.
“Why don’t you just die, boy?” said Hugo, his face contorted with frustration and rage.
Troy knew it was the end of the line. Hugo was carrying a plasma gun. A straight shot to the heart or the brain or any vital part, Troy knew it was the end.
“Suck on this!” said Hugo, as he shot Troy in his right thigh.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!” screamed Troy in pain.
“Enjoying ourselves now, are we?” said Hugo, talking like a maniac.
“KILL HIM ALREADY!” hissed Norman loudly.
“Alright! Alright!” said Hugo, as he pointed the gun towards Troy’s body.
Troy took a shallow breath, every breath pained like a thousand daggers stabbing his lungs all at once.
“Bye bye!” said Hugo and smirked, pressing the trigger releasing a couple of plasma bullets directed at Troy’s body, hitting his lungs and his abdomen.
Then all too suddenly, something hit Hugo’s hand blackening it and throwing backwards against the wall. Troy looked up at what it was. There were two bots that had just entered the scene.
“TROY!” cried Max, her voice coming out from those bots that Troy had had Max hack into, earlier.
“MAX!” said Troy, hugely relieved, that she was here.
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah! Don’t worry about me,” said Troy. “Take out Norman!”
“Tsokay,” said Max and jolted Norman, as she tried to escape, knocking her out, while Troy grabbed his sides and crawled towards where Hugo was thrown.
“You!” Troy howled, on getting close to him.
“YOU IDIOT!” Hugo spat back. “YOU SON OF A BIT-”
“YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” cried Troy, taking the plasma gun on the floor, where Hugo had dropped it and shot mercilessly, shot after shot, till he emptied twenty shots on Hugo.
“You!” wailed Troy. “You!”
“Troy, calm yourself!” said Max. “It’s tsokay!”
Out in the distance, Troy heard Kru and Holloway calling out his name, as they came running.
“Troy, are you alright?” asked Kru. “You are shot!”
“I’ll be alright! I’m not fatally shot.”
“But still-”
“Believe me, I know my body.”
Kru nodded though not completely alright with what Troy was telling.
“Handcuff Norman!” replied Troy, as he saw Holloway tend to Emilie.
“Is she alright?” asked Troy.
“Yes!” replied Holloway, “Just unconscious!”
“What happened to Hugo?” asked Kru, horrified looking at his body, riddled with blood stained holes.
“He turned,” Troy said staring at Hugo.
“Oh,” said Kru, as he squatted beside Hugo. “You seemed to have-”
“I couldn’t help it,” Troy said dryly, still staring at Hugo.
With quivering hands, Kru felt Hugo’s left wrist for a pulse. There was none.
Taking a big nervous gulp, “He’s dead!” Kru said loudly, as Troy kept looking coldly.
Holloway looked appalled as well, holding Emilie in her arms. Kru gave up after a couple of minutes,
“You killed him,” he announced.
Troy didn’t reply.
“Do what you have to,” he said. “Arrest me as well! I won’t resist! I promise you, but before that, make a ship-wide broadcast that Norman is captured.”
“I didn’t say anything about arresting you,” said Kru, looking into his eyes.
Troy sank on the floor, his face stained with tears and an insatiable anger eating at him away. Kru glanced at Holloway, who was as clueless as he was, then he took out his gadgets and began a ship-wide broadcast, “We have taken Norman captive! Surrender yourselves now that your reason to be scared is no more!”
“Send for help, will you baby?” said Holloway.
Kru nodded and sent a transmission with their location.
“Troy,” said Kru, after sending the transmission. “It’s tsokay! It’s over!”
“I know,” said Troy, grunting his teeth. “He was scum! And from the beginning, I had idolized him!”
Kru drew near Troy and said, “Sometimes, it’s all just for good, Troy.”
“What are you going to tell them?” asked Troy.
“The truth,” said Kru simply.
“But he was idolized by all the Keplers! If you tell the truth it’s going to be morally ripping every Kepler’s soul!”
“It’s better to rip a soul by telling the truth than let it rot in lies, Troy!” said Kru. “I will tap into the video record of the security cams in this place and provide that as evidence to the Albein Senate and the Kepler Premier, that way you won’t feel guilty and slowly kill yourself and also the truth gets out!”
“Tsokay,” said Troy weakly.
“Let me bring medical aid,” said Max and sent one of the bots out.
Soon enough, the bot returned with a white package with a symbol of a red bird carrying a twig, which Kru promptly opened. He took out a couple of bottles and poured a few drops over Troy’s burnt flesh, where the plasma entered and covered them with plasters.
“You should be fine,” said Kru, taking out a small sachet from the package. “Drink this! It makes you feel better!”
Troy obeyed him without a question and drank up.
“It amazes me,” said Kru, trying to lighten up the situation. “Max is here!”
Troy smiled weakly, his mind was still on Hugo but he knew that he wouldn’t be alive, hadn’t it been for Max.
“Troy had me hack into these two bots earlier before all your adventures! Once I knew there were going to store the transmitter away, I shifted to these bot’s memory! And I’m glad I did!” said Max.
“How did you find me, Max?” asked Troy.
“I don’t know,” replied Max.
“That’s weird, coming from an AI,” said Kru, who was hearing that for the first time from an AI.
“Max!” said Troy. “Tell us what happened exactly.”
“I was flying these bots near the dining hall, when they were suddenly teleported, here. I heard your screams and I rushed in,” said Max.
“That’s weird,” said Kru, “Totally weird.”
Troy was the most disturbed of all. For some strange reason, he felt like as he was being watched.
“Let’s drop it,” said Troy, out of the blue.
“What?” said Kru, surprised that Troy wasn’t being intrigued by Max’s tale.
“Let’s not focus on that now!” said Troy. “There are more important things to do.”
“Tsokay!” said Kru, though he wasn’t convinced at all.
“These meds work fast,” said Troy and got up, stretching his body.
“Your body regenerates like hell!” exclaimed Kru, wondering at how fast Troy had recovered from a possibly fatal injury.
“Emilie has opened her eyes, guys!” announced Holloway.
“Is everyone alright?” asked Emilie, with a hand to her head, as she opened her eyes.
“We completed our mission successfully!” said Holloway excitedly.
“What did I miss?” asked Emilie.
Troy, who had then moved closest to her, looked at her and smiled.
“You know where to look!” said Troy and looked into her eyes.