Chariot 3: Conception
Chapter 49 – Crossed paths

“V-Nus, is she ready to fly?” The Commander asked.

“Fly? Chariot 3 will do much more than flying.” The Martian replied. His voice was full of pride. “I just need to conduct a few more tests to be safe.” He explained.

“There is not time. The four of you depart today.”

“To-today?” He stuttered. He knew the mission was imminent but not to that point.

“Your Captain has arrived. You will meet him soon.” V-Nus fought to digest the sudden change of plans, he had now received far more information than he had received during that last days since his return.

“My Captain?” For a second, he felt overwhelmed.

“I am certain you shall comprehend. You are a great pilot and engineer, and even after everything you went through, this mission still requires someone with experience leading a…mission.” The Commander sounded cold, although extremely sincere. “Although he was not my choice, Captain Shoffer did sound the most appropriate choice to me after all.”

“I understand.” V-Nus did not want to argue with him. It would have been a waste of time. His hand found his bracelet slowly moving it around his wrist as his mind flooded with second thoughts. His combat and leadership experience was far beyond the Commander would ever imagine – far beyond anyone else would ever imagine – but the Martian would rather save that story for another day. “Perhaps when I come back. Who knows?”

He felt as if he was on the top of the world as he stood on the very last block of a skillfully carved stone carefully placed on the top of the magnificent pyramid. His eyes reached the horizon and he was ready to continue…

Beep-beep-beep…

Flumen`s communicator rang, interrupting the mental reading he was so immersed on. He fell from his chair and rapidly stood up, disconnecting the two small ear pieces that provided him with the immersive sensation of images, smell, sound, emotions and touch fed directly into his brain.

…beep-beep-beep. The communicator continued until he finally answered it.

“Yes.” He tried to control his breathless voice, pretending to sound natural as he posed with his elbow over his desk, making a mess over the old paper books, and then stumbling over replicas of ancient objects from a handful of cultures among other old looking paraphernalia he had piled up on his desk.

“Professor Flumen?” The voice enquired. “Is that you, Professor Ni…”

“Please, you may call me Flumen.” He interrupted. Flumen hated the titles and formalities although always preferred to use his last name.

“This is Commander Sharur Khun with the Nibirian Space Agency.” The rushed voice in the other side introduced himself.

Flumen laughed “off course you are! Listen, I am extremely busy here and have no time for you school kids playing with me again”, ending his words with an annoyed tone.

“Flumen, I have no time for jokes. You are being summoned at the Nibirian Space Agency Headquarters…immediately!”

“Off course I am.” Flumen was still unconvinced.

“As I am sure you are aware, not attending an official government summoning may result in unpleasant consequences! We shall see you soon.” The call was cut immediately after the rushed words.

Flumen was stunned. He grabbed a funny looking device from one of the top shelves next to his bright window, placed it over his eyes and tried to glance something at the distance.

“Ahhh!”

He saw nothing but a pitch black image. He hit the binocular looking device with his left hand as he held it with his other hand. It then suddenly elongated, bounced from hand to hand and finally fell on the floor.

“This better be worth!” He quickly grabbed the device from the floor and tried looking through it again.

Many miles ahead, Flumen saw the Nibirian Space Agency headquarters standing well apart from the city and its skylines.

Everything seemed quiet as usual. Flumen looked to the calendar, featured with a strange mercury liquid flowing through it, on the wall and confirmed that the base had no scheduled launches on that period. “Uh…everything looks quiet as usual.” Flumen was close to reach his conclusion which rapidly changed when he saw a bunch of small crafts approaching the base. At the same time, a new spiral structure was suddenly being raised from the ground.

“I…I…I see, perhaps not so quiet.”

Flumen removed the device from his sight, cleaned his eyes, and then looked through it once again, this time with his naked eyes.

He then let the device go off his hand, “those kids better not be playing tricks on me again!” Mumbling those words, Flumen exited through the door before the device could even hit the floor, in pieces at this time.

Sharur Khun disconnected the call and turned back to Captain Shoffer.

“Is he coming?” Shoffer enquired.

“I am certain he will.”

“Can we trust him?” The Captain asked.

“You have no choice.” The Commander replied.

“Is he good?” Shoffer sounded incredulous.

“The best on what he does.” Sharur Khun replied.

“And what is it that exactly?” Shoffer was no yet convinced.

“He knows things.” The Commander replied.

“What things?” Shoffer could not let it go.

“Everything Captain. A bit of everything.” He replied, ending the conversation.

The sharpest sound of the most distinctive blades ever wielded on that planet shocking against each other was heard at the distance as the bravest warriors practiced to protect their people.

In the middle of the training field, moved the fastest and strongest warrior, dropping his opponents one after the other.

Cai Yiu Hun`s gisra rapidly alternated its shape from a dagger to a sword, a stick, and finally a spear according to the challenge proposed by his friendly opponents that were falling one after the other, until someone walked into the arena.

At that moment, they all stopped, lowered their weapons, and then their heads, respectfully dropping on their knees in a formal salutation.

The leader who was escorted by his guards entered with a fast and well spaced stride. His vestments, above anything else, were a clear indication of his royalty status.

“Son, stand up.”

Without saying a word, V-Nus immediately got up and looked right on the eyes of his father.

“Your time has come. You need to leave.” The proud father tried to hide the paternal concern, disguised in his tone.

“A battle, father?” Asked Cai Yiu.

“Not exactly. I am not sure how to explain it to you…but you have been summoned at…” He hesitated…“at the Nibirian Space Agency.”

The others whose eyes stared at their own feet, looked at each other at the corner of their eyes, equally surprised with the dimension of the honor.

After the most diverse missions, Cai Yiu Hun knew that something was different this time. He could feel it. He was about to go somewhere beyond anywhere he had ever been. And by looking onto the eyes of his father, he knew perhaps he would never come back.

Cai Yiu placed his gisra back into its holster as fast as it returned to its original stowing shape.

“Hurry! You depart immediately.” The father ordered as he placed his right hand over the left shoulder of his son.

Cai Yiu`s hand slowly did the same according to their tradition. He then nodded his head and left the arena running as fast as he could, lifting a thin cloud of dust behind him as he moved.

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