SoS B1 C3 X1: Go!
The city didn't have much to say by night. It’s lights implied rolling hills and interesting architecture, but it was hard to tell anything for sure. The rain spatter on the windows of the vehicle did not help. Their guide cleared his throat. Everyone faced him.
The whole Federation Envoy was present, but only one or two of the others had made an appearance; the Somnancy IreHearts, the Hedon Sauthe, a Venuan and a Gearheart from the Syndicate and a Ral-Mi and a Nasyk from the Pact.
Everyone was shoulder to shoulder.
"The town was called Grit'm. It was a Sazashi settlement. Last time we spoke with them they were holed up in the highest point in town. We have to assume that's where most of the energy cells are."
The shuttle slowed to a stop. Someone let them out. They were in a garage with 6 large, heavy-duty grav-cycles. Each looked like it could comfortably fit two.
"We're on Saumai's edge, now. Through that garage door is the wastes, and the road to Grit'm. The way is dangerous and dark. You'll be able to see the ghosts by night, but not the projections. Each bike has an energy burst that you can use once every fifteen minutes, it will get rid of most ghosts, but probably won’t phase much else. Any questions?"
Immuena looked around to her comrades to see if they had any questions. The only questions she had were: why the lack of factions' representatives, and who her comrades wanted to ally with on this mission.
Allarah counted the bikes and everyone around her. There was just enough for everyone if they partnered up. She was pretty sure that the other factions would want to stay with each other, so there went three bikes, the Pact, the Syndicate, and the Somnolent. Tskahn may want to partner with Immuena, and Donald with Ulysses, or so she assumed because she heard they had history. That just left her and hedon. She smiled at the Sauthe, in an attempt to be inviting.
"Seems like there's only just enough bikes if we ride two to a bike, and I was thinking since we're both kind of the odd men out… Want to ride together? " She scratched her head in a nervous fashion. "Um... Only if you want to of course." Clearing her throat, she began fiddling with her hands, clearly not practiced in these things.
"Come let's partner up Immuena." Tskahn walked up from behind Immuena patting her shoulder.
She put her hand to her mouth and chuckled. "As long as I get to drive."
"Guess that leaves us, old chap" Donald announced, walking over to Ulysses and clapping a hand on his back. "Might as well get to it then, eh?"
Allarah smiled again at the Sauthe. "See, odd men out. What do you say?"
The Sauthe stared at Allarah as the others took to their bikes. It was a long road from her heels to her head, but it was a drive his eyes made, appraising in multiple senses.
“Allarah.” he said, extending his hand. “I’ll drive. Nothing funny or you’ll walk.”
They took off into the night.
The everlasting storm lowered ambient light to nothing, and so once the city was behind them all that existed was the points of light coming from the headlights of their bikes. Even going moderately slow they had to dodge the trees and rocks that seemed to leap up before them.
The paths became narrow and harder to navigate as stones wrapped in ivy jutted up from the landscape more and more. The Somnancy fell out of sight first, as they took their own path, then the Pact not far behind
In front of Immuena, Laemon and Allarah started to veer down a rather dangerous looking path, and the Syndicate was veering off towards a simpler one.
The path Laemon had taken grew gradually more overgrown and dense. The Sauthe was skidding the grav-bike under overhangs and into narrow passes. Every now and then lighting would flicker in the storm, casting their daunting path into sight.
"I'm not questioning your judgment, I mean, I'm sure you know what you're doing, but are you sure this is safe?" Allarah watched the road as it became more and more treacherous. She kept her face passive, but there was a light tone that betrayed her nerves.
"For me," Laemon assured, shrugging. "Hopefully not so much the others, means I... we can move untouched and in peace." Allarah studied the back of his head.
"You don't work with others often, do you?" Having realized what she had just asked, she cleared her throat. "Sorry, never mind. I have an unhealthy habit of prying. Comes from my line of work I guess." She began watching the road.
"I don't," he responded, keeping his eyes trained ahead. His hands moved with fluid grace, easing them between trees and rocks at speeds approaching 70. "If I do, and they die, it's on me. I don't like that." He shrugged. "Don't apologize for blunt. Blunt's good. What's your line of work?"
"Oh, I'm a Scholar who primarily focuses on Anthropology. I’ve studied many ancient civilizations and tried to piece together their culture from what I found on digs." A note of excitement entered her voice and a smile stretched across her face. She loved her work. He nodded, turned wide around a boulder.
"That sounds like nice, honest work," he said. "I like to drive, myself. I've driven scholars around before. They're usually absent minded. Funny, you'd think they'd be more present."
"Only when they get someone killed." She muttered, almost as if she was speaking more to herself than him. "I must say though, you're pretty good at what you do."
"Thank you," he said. "This is usually the bit where people are the safest, for the record, though I can't say I'm fond of grav-bikes on turns like these."
"In this weather you would probably just hydroplane on wheels at this speed. But I don't have much experience driving, so I don't really know I guess." He nodded.
"You are correct. If I had a bike I'd be going slower. I wouldn't be so worried about a gust of wind blowing me off course, though, and sometimes the grav can get a little spasmodic over uneven ground like this. Branch ahead, might want to duck." She did just that by resting her head on his back.
"I didn't know there was that much to it. Is there anything else you're good at? There must be. You seem very capable." She considered what she was saying coupled with how she was positioned. "Not trying anything funny. Just making conversation... I'd rather not walk." She eclipsed him with the motion, but he didn't seem to mind. He shrugged.
"I'm from Hedon. What you see as flirting is just average conversation to us. I wouldnt've even thought it unless you mentioned it. Not that I'd mind, I s'pose." He grunted. "I run, a lot. Pretty much everything I do is about getting paid to get from point A to point B." She couldn't help but chuckle.
"Sorry, sorry. I'm not sure with Hedon. Your group is the first I've encountered." She sighed. "I'm not very good at running. I'm better with computers and meta than with anything else to be honest... Can I ask a favor? Of course you can always say no." He shrugged.
"I reserve the right, so no harm in asking. What's the favor?"
"If you get back to the bike before me, wait at least two minutes before leaving. Like I've said before, I'd rather not walk, and I'm sure you'd rather not wait for me when we get there." She shrugged. "But it's up to you in the end." Laemon shook his head. In his ever-gruff tone, he responded.
"Two minutes... twenty minutes, I'll outpace you either way unless we stick together. Tell you what. Help me hide the bike. If you can keep up with me, then great. If not, I'll steal the Somnancy's bike, and you can take mine. They can afford to walk back. Assholes." Allarah laughed heartily.
"I have no problem with that." She took a moment to breathe. She wasn't sure why she found the idea so humorous, but overall his solution was rather appealing. "Thank you." She knew she had been right about Hedon. At the very least they were decent people, overlooking the abandonment of the Somnolent envoy of course.
"Say nothing of it. I was considering doing it anyway. Now I'm just helping out if I do." He said dryly. A glance would show him actually managing a smirk.
"Of course." The smile was implied in her tone. She turned her attention away from Laemon at that moment to scan for the ghosts previously mentioned.
Laemon and Allarah turned down one path and Immuena and Tskhan followed. Donald and Ulysses took the other path, and were suddenly alone.
It seemed as though the stones and shrubs were jumping out at Don. He twisted this way and that, narrowly dodging between the stones. Mid-skid, the tail-end of his bike crunched loudly against them. With a loud report one of the grav-plates blasted off the side, sending Donald and Ulysses careening through another path.
It seemed as though the stones and shrubs were jumping out at Don. He twisted this way and that, narrowly dodging between the stones. Mid-skid, the tail-end of his bike crunched loudly against them. With a loud report one of the grav-plates blasted off the side, sending Donald and Ulysses careening through another path.
Ulysses kept his eyes for safe passages, movements in the old dead wastelands, or any safe places where they could hold up and get a better view of the land.
Don wrangled the bike, blasting the thrusters in the opposing direction to counterbalance the spin. Ulysses held on, barely, and quick reactions prevented him from having his head sheared off by a rock. The sound of their thrusters opening up rattled through the air, audible even to Allarah and, close behind her, Immuena and Tskhan. The flare of light threw everything into stark illumination.
Gold dots of light caught Ulysses' attention as he scanned around. In an instant he knew what it was: The eye-shine of something very large lurking up atop the pillars of stone they were now weaving through.
Correction. Somethings.
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