PSO2: Legend of Aki: REBIRTH

[stukasa]

CHAPTER 3.4 [3/21/15]

Spoiler!

[/b][/u]

COLONY SHIP 02, UR: DOWNTOWN DISTRICT

By all accounts it should’ve been an ordinary weekday afternoon for the owner of the discount item stall. Her modest establishment, located on the second floor of an outdoor shopping mall in Ur’s downtown district, was perfectly situated to cater to both civilian customers and trainees from the nearby ARKS Academy. A shipment received early that morning meant that her bins were freshly stocked with wares: various ‘mates, atomizers, and ‘ride boosters, all neatly arranged in rows for easy access. Yes, everything was as it should be, and she was more than ready to accept customers. So when the armored silver robot came flying over the edge of the railing and landed on the walkway adjacent to her shop, she was quite perturbed and perplexed.

It never even occurred to her to be afraid. That is, until the robot opened fire. The shopkeeper dove behind her cart, not that it offered much protection from a volley of photon bullets. Fortunately the robot wasn’t aiming in her direction; rather, it seemed to be focusing its attention on a group of four people—ARKS soldiers, from the look of them—racing in her direction. The excessively-tall Newearl in the lead barked out a warning and they all scattered for cover.

The robot didn’t stick around to engage the soldiers. It immediately pulled an about-face and, activating its leg-mounted thrusters, flew off in the direction of the industrial sector. The shopkeeper watched until it was little more than a spec in the distance. Moments later the four soldiers charged past her stall, evidently in pursuit of the fleeing robot. One of them, a white-haired CAST with purple armor, mouthed the word “sorry” as he passed by, and then they too were gone.

Cautiously, the shopkeeper stood up and surveyed the scene. Shell casings littered the walkway and bullet holes riddled the walls. All around her, shoppers and employees alike were shakily emerging from their improvised hiding spots. Scattered murmurs began wafting across the mall, the gist of which boiled down to three basic sentiments: “Are you alright?,” “What was that about?,” and “Let’s get out of here.”

The shopkeeper sighed. “Well, that’s not going to be good for business,” she remarked. So much for an ordinary weekday afternoon.

* * * * * * * * *

[/b][/u]

Akasha and her “team,” for lack of a better word, had been pursuing the renegade battle trainer robot for the better part of an hour. Since leaving the Training Academy grounds, the battlebot had led them from the residential district to the shopping district to the waterfront. At present they were headed towards the drab warehouses and factories of the industrial sector.

They took long, soaring leaps through the air, the pneumatic springs in their boots catapulting them from rooftop to rooftop as they gave chase. It was the only reason they’d managed to keep up with the battlebot so far, but after nearly an hour their stamina was waning—with the exception of Lieutenant Asimov, of course. As a CAST, his stamina was almost never in short supply.

The group had arranged itself into two pairs, more by circumstance than by design. Akasha and Asimov took the lead while Kira and Ivan trailed a dozen meters behind. The arrangement gave Asimov a chance to speak with Akasha alone, something he’d been meaning to do all day. Neither one of them broke stride during the conversation.

Spoiler!

“Akasha, we need to talk.”

“’Bout, what, Azzy?”

Asimov landed gracefully on the next rooftop. “I’ve been watching you.”

At the sight of her suspicious glare, he added, “That came out wrong. I meant, I’ve been watching you as an instructor. And you know what I see? I see wasted potential.”

“Hey—“

He put up a hand. “Let me finish. You’re talented, there’s no question about that. Extremely talented, I’d say. You do well in the exercises without really trying, but because of that you’ve become lazy. Unmotivated. Complacent. If you can perform at that level without even exerting yourself, just imagine what you could do if you put in some serious effort. If you really cared. Even now, the main reason you’re chasing the battlebot is just to have fun. Am I wrong?”

“Welllll… okay, you’re not completely wrong,” she admitted. They both vaulted over a metal pipe in their way.

“Why did you join the ARKS, Akasha? So you could live out your dream of being a foot soldier in this never-ending war against the Darkers? Shout out ‘yes sir,’ ‘no sir’ and carry out your orders, no questions asked? You could settle for that life, it’s an honorable one. But when I see you in action, I think you could do more. So much more.” He looked her straight in the eye. “Don’t settle, Akasha. Don’t ever settle for anything less than your best. You owe yourself that much, and you’ll thank yourself later for it.”

Akasha let out a sarcastic laugh. “Look at you, getting all serious over me. Really brings a tear to my eye.”

Asimov hopped over the lip of the next building. “Have I ever told you the story of Kolba the Savage?”

“Kolba the Savage? With a name like that he sounds like a real sweetheart. But no, I don’t think so. Why?”

[/b][/u]

“Kolba LaChapelle: he was a one-man army equipped with only a sniper rifle on his back and a photon knife strapped to his thigh. No Darker ever stood a chance against him. He could hit a moving target at a thousand meters with over ninety percent accuracy… and his blade skills weren’t too shabby, either. He may not have been one of the legendary guys, but to me he’ll always be the best Ranger the ARKS ever had.”

Akasha darted around a stairwell housing. “Okay, so he was good. So what?”

“I met the man—well, kid at that time—during his first deployment. We were part of the same company, shipped off to some uncharted sector of forest on Naberius. Our mission was simple: exploration and mapping. We weren’t expecting much resistance. Unfortunately, the Darkers had other plans. One night they overran our outpost and we were forced to evac in a hurry. When we reached the rendezvous point I realized Kolba wasn’t with us. I wanted to go back for him but the CO wouldn’t allow it—said I’d most likely get myself killed in the attempt, and he was probably right. Still, I hated leaving Kolba behind. He was just a seventeen year-old kid—keep in mind, this was almost twenty years ago—“

“Hold on,” Akasha interrupted. “You were in the ARKS twenty years ago, Azzy? I didn’t realize you were so ancient!”

“Hey, now. Don’t forget, most CASTs are battle-ready from day one. We don’t have that long, awkward maturation phase you fleshies do.”

“Whatever you say, old man.”

“Anyway, despite being listed as K.I.A., it turns out Kolba survived the attack on the outpost. He injured his leg and couldn’t get to the campship in time. And we left him down there.” Asimov shook his head with regret. “We left him alone in that forest for over two months. He was just a kid, fresh out of the Academy. Hadn’t scored a single kill against the Darkers. And his aim was terrible back then, I can vouch for that. We used to do target practice when we got bored—I don’t think he hit a single one.”

“So what hap—whoa, watch out!” Akasha had to strafe left to avoid a warning volley from the battlebot. It didn’t bother firing a second time, opting to resume its escape. The four soldiers resumed chasing it. “So what happened to Kolba? I’m guessing he survived.”

“He did more than survive, Akasha. Kolba took out over three hundred Darkers single-handedly.”

“The kid who couldn’t hit a stationary target took out three hundred Darkers by himself? You expect me to believe that?”

“It’s true. You know how he did it? Hard work and smart thinking. When every day is a battle for your very survival, you don’t have the luxury of being a bad shot. Kolba practiced like his life depended on it—because it did. And he got so good that picking off Dagans through the dense forest became second nature to him. He also learned to play it safe. He slept in trees at night and camouflaged himself during the day. Darkers are good at spotting heat signatures, you know, so he covered his whole body with mud to mask his presence and his scent. He set traps for them as well, using native creatures to lure the Darkers in and then catching them in nets, dropping them in pits, and crushing them with boulders. As for ammunition, he hoarded what little he could find at the outpost and spent the rest of his time scavenging spare bullets off his fallen comrades, the soldiers who died during the evacuation.”

“That’s rather morbid, don’t you think?”

“Kolba did what he had to do to survive. The man who came back from Naberius wasn’t the same boy who left, though. The experience undoubtedly changed him, but one thing was clear: no one could match his skill with a sniper rifle after that. Those first three hundred Darkers were little more than a warm-up for him; he went on to kill twenty times that number during his career, hence his nickname: Kolba the Savage.”

Akasha ducked under a billboard. “So… what was the point of this story, again?”

“It’s about living up to your potential, being the best you can be. That’s why I told you about Kolba. He wasn’t naturally talented. He got to be the best through hard work and force of will. You already have the talent, Akasha, you just need to put it to good use, and that requires work. Effort. Let me quote you one of my favorite sayings: ‘No great man ever starts out great’—well, except me, of course. I’ve been thoroughly awesome since the day I was activated, but that’s another story.”

Akasha frowned. “But Azzy, I don’t want to be a great man.”

Asimov looked Akasha up and down. “Let me amend that: no great woman—“

“I get it,” Akasha snapped, cutting him off.

“My point was that you’ve got your work cut out for you before you’re as awesome as I am. But fear not, you’ll get there… someday. And just for the record, Akasha, I think you’d make a pretty great man. You’ve certainly got the strength and the attitude for it. And maybe the bull-headed pride, too.”

“What?! Say that again, you little—“

Asimov threw back his head and laughed. “See? There you go, proving me right.”

Akasha fumed in silence, then let out a sigh. “Let’s say, hypothetically, that I did want to ‘live up to my potential.’ How would I even do that? Maybe I don’t even know what it is that I want to do.”

“I can’t give you all the answers. There are some things you have to figure out for yourself, but what I can give you is advice. During your career as a soldier, there will come times when you won’t know what to do… like now, for example. The thing is, decisions are usually simpler than people make them out to be. They all boil down to three steps: Take a chance, make a choice, and live with the consequences.” Asimov jumped from the top of a three-story factory to the balcony of a second-story apartment. Akasha was right behind him. “Oh, and there’s an unwritten fourth step: trust in yourself. You don’t have to take on everything alone, but trust yourself to do the right thing. That counts for a lot.”

Up ahead in the distance, the battlebot entered a construction site. Equipment and matériel littered the premises but there didn’t seem to be anyone around, nor any activity taking place—probably a good thing, Asimov reflected. Looming over it all like an archaic monolith was the skeleton of a half-finished office tower. The battlebot swiveled its boxy head in the soldiers’ direction to see if they were still following, then ducked through a door frame and disappeared into the unfinished tower. To Asimov and the others, that meant only one thing: after an hour of fleeing, the battlebot was finally ready to make a stand.

[/b][/u]

A dozen seconds later they reached the construction site themselves. Akasha, Kira, and Ivan pulled out their photon weapons and started forward, but Asimov remained standing near the perimeter.

Kira glanced over her shoulder. “Not coming with us, Azzy?”

“I think you’ve got this one covered. But just in case, I’ll be here if you need me. Now go get ‘im.”

* * * * * * * * *

Predictably, the battlebot was waiting for them when they reached the top floor. Akasha cut left while Ivan and Kira angled right. They hoped to flank the robot but it was too well-versed in tactics to be trapped so easily. It charged straight at Akasha wielding the equivalent of twin daggers, its furious assault immediately putting her on the defensive. Kira tried to line up a shot but couldn’t get a clear one through the forest of metal plating and exposed girders. Ivan, meanwhile, looped around behind the battlebot, attempting to catch it unaware. Once again the robot was a step ahead of them, fluidly transitioning from an attack on Akasha to blocking Ivan’s sword strike.

The battlebot shifted its attention back and forth, alternating between the two attackers. Its series of parries and dodges easily kept them both at bay. As Akasha swung her double saber toward its neck, the battlebot unleashed a sharp upward counterattack, neatly severing the Newearl’s weapon in half. Sparks of photon energy exploded out of the ruined double saber and Akasha gasped in pain as scorching sapphire pinpricks seared her flesh. She stumbled backwards and nearly fell over, dazed but not seriously hurt.

Rather than pressing its advantage, the battlebot spun around and continued trading blows with Ivan. Its humming blades nicked him in several places but he managed to avoid any debilitating hits. The man countered with a fierce left-right-left combo, forcing the robot to step back for the first time.

“Duck!” shouted Kira from behind him. Ivan knew better than to question her and immediately dropped to the floor. A steady stream of photon bullets from Kira’s machineguns pounded the battlebot’s face, seeking a weak spot. And then, finally, a single bullet managed to pierce one of the robot’s eye receptors. The lens shattered and the robot flailed wildly about, the vision on its left side suddenly gone.

If the three trainees thought they’d have an easier time dealing with a half-blind battlebot, however, they were sadly mistaken. If anything, the robot became more aggressive and desperate, and in turn, more dangerous. It lashed out at Ivan, knocking him to the ground with brute force, then sent Kira diving for cover with a volley from its gun arm.

What it didn’t see coming, quite literally, was Akasha’s sudden surprise attack. She ambushed the battlebot from the left, slamming into it full force with a flying jump kick. As the robot staggered to the right, Akasha followed up with five quick swipes using the severed halves of her double saber. If the blades had been fully functional her attack might have taken down the battlebot once and for all. Unfortunately, the same strike that cleaved her weapon in two had also drained it of photon energy. As a result, her efforts did little more than scratch the silver robot.

Undaunted, Akasha jumped back and raised the halves of her double saber in a defensive posture. She held one piece in each hand, wielding them like she would a pair of twin daggers. The battlebot raised its own blades in response and the two began circling each other, each waiting for an opportunity to strike. Akasha knew she was at a disadvantage. Without photon energy in her blades, the battlebot would slice through them like hot butter. She had to think of something fast or she was going to lose this battle in a rather gruesome way.

Like usual, the answer came to her almost instinctively. Akasha began channeling energy from her own body into the weapon, causing the blades to glow with a pale blue intensity. When the battlebot rushed at her moments later she was ready to defend herself. More than that, she was ready to fight back, this time with a means of inflicting real damage. She danced around the battlebot, parrying its thrusts as she maneuvered herself into its blind spot. When an opportunity presented itself, she darted forward and lashed out with three consecutive strikes.

At each point of impact—one in the shoulder, one in the side, one in the knee—the energy in her blades transmuted into a variant of Gibarta, leaving patches of solid ice covering parts of the battlebot. That ice, in turn, froze up its joints, allowing Akasha to land more hits, slowing down the robot even further. In no time at all the battle became completely one-sided. A few more hits and the robot was completely immobilized, nearly its entire body encased in ice.

[/b][/u]

With her final attack, Akasha stabbed deep into the chest wound she’d given the battlebot during their first battle. Her weapon punctured its energy core, rupturing the containment seal and triggering a reaction that had only one possible outcome.

“CORE INTEGRITY BREACHED, OVERLOAD IMMINENT,” it droned.

The explosion came five seconds later. The trainees ducked behind nearby girders for protection as the robot blossomed into a magnificent fireball, shards of burning metal whizzing past in all directions. The tower itself seemed to screech and groan in agony under the strain.

The floor buckled. Kira, the closest one to the edge, lost her footing and was thrown backwards—into the open air, the ground a dizzying fifteen stories below. She barely managed a cry for help before she disappeared from view.

Akasha didn’t hesitate. With little time to spare, she dropped her weapon and dove headfirst off the platform, angling towards her friend like a Newman bullet. Halfway down she caught up with—and grabbed—Kira in mid-fall, slipping one arm behind her shoulders and the other supporting her legs. A massive surge of wind energy from Akasha swelled outward beneath them. It slowed their descent until she was able to step lightly to the ground, still holding Kira in her arms.

“My own personal superhero,” Kira quipped after she caught her breath, then added, “Looks like it’s my turn to say thanks.”

“No problem,” Akasha replied, and grinned.

* * * * * * * * *

[/b][/u]

The three weary ARKS trainees and their combat instructor hobbled their way back towards the Academy, their job finally done. This time Kira was walking with Asimov in front while Akasha and Ivan brought up the rear.

After sneaking several sidelong glances at Akasha, Ivan finally worked up the nerve to speak his mind. “Hey. You’re Akasha, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I just wanted to say… I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? For what? You didn’t do anything wrong, as far as I remember.”

He looked down and scratched the back of his head. “There were… rumors about you. Bad rumors. I guess I… sort of believed them, even though I didn’t really know you. So I’m sorry for that.”

“Oh. Oh, I see…” She didn’t know what else to say. It was true, there had been a lot of rumors about her when she first enrolled at the Academy. She hadn’t exactly done much to dispel them and they spread like wildfire until no one even talked to her. No one, that is, until Kira.

Things changed after that. She returned every glare with a smile and every snide remark with a laugh or a joke. Most people still treated her as something of an oddity, but that was alright. She’d win them over eventually.

“Name’s Ivan, by the way.” He extended a hand in greeting. “You know, you’re not so scary up close. Scary tall, maybe, but you wear it well. And I gotta say, what you did today, both on the field and up on that tower… I never saw anything like that before. Actually, I uh… I thought you were pretty cool.”

“T-Thanks…,” she replied, shaking his hand. Although her copper-toned skin did a reasonable job of hiding it, Akasha was blushing fiercely.

* * * * * * * * *

ARKS TRAINING ACADEMY: HEADMASTER’S OFFICE

A bank of video screens lined the wall of the Headmaster’s office. She sat alone facing them, the hint of a smile tugging at her lips. Behind her, the double doors to her office burst open in dramatic fashion and a middle-aged, bearded man rushed in. The look on his face denoted concern and worry.

“I came as soon as I could. You said in your message that Akasha was involved in some sort of… incident. Is she alright?”

Arin Colton wasn’t Akasha’s guardian, exactly, but he’d certainly taken to looking after her since he found her at Aether Labs. A mentor and father figure by circumstance, if not by choice, the red-haired Caseal mused. “Don’t worry, Captain, she’s fine. Better than fine: she passed.”

Spoiler!

“Passed? Passed what?” Colton frowned, obviously confused.

“My test.” The Headmaster went on to explain about the renegade battlebot and Akasha’s role in stopping it.

“You called it a test,” he responded evenly. “You set this whole thing up?”

“I played a hunch.”

“A hunch? I didn’t know CASTs dealt in such wishy-washy logic.”

“A calculated risk, then. Akasha’s a promising recruit, but some soldiers only reach their full potential when they’ve been tested in battle. Real battle, not simulations. I wanted to see what she’d do, that’s why I organized this test.”

Colton raised an eyebrow. “A bit of a dangerous gamble, don’t you think? What if one of the trainees had gotten hurt? What if the battlebot started attacking civilians?”

“Injury is always a risk, every trainee knows that. But they were never in any serious danger. The battlebot had clear instructions not to kill or maim any of the trainees, and not to harm any civilians. It didn’t even have real bullets in its magazine. It was firing blanks the whole time.”

“Her instructor knew what was going on?”

“Lieutenant Asimov was aware of the situation, yes, though not all of the specifics. He was there to guide and protect the trainees every step of the way.”

“That eases my mind a bit, I guess. What about Akasha? Does she know it was just a test?”

The Caseal shook her head. “No, and if you don’t mind, I’d prefer it remain that way. Akasha probably feels like she accomplished something significant today… and in a way, she did. She proved to herself that she can come through when it matters, and I don’t want to diminish that, not even a little. She’s talented, but to be frank she needs a bit more discipline and focus. I have a feeling she’s going to need it, especially with her final exam coming up.”

“Think she’s got what it takes to pass?” asked Colton.

“Nothing is ever certain,” the Headmaster replied, “but I wouldn’t bet against her.”



CHAPTER 3: END

[Zorafim]

For the spoiler boxes, just keep in mind that people check on the thread even if they aren't caught up on it. How sad would it be if someone checked in on the thread, and a major surprise was ruined before they could navigate to the chapter they're on?

That being said, I like to keep track of the conversation even if I can't read the chapter yet, so anything that's not a spoiler, I don't bother enclosing. To the point where I'll sometimes have multiple spoiler boxes in the same post.

Spoiler!

I had fun with that VR scene too. It was a nice twist, and it made the scene more interesting than, say, holding it at a cafe. You struck a nice balance between action and dialogue too.

Oh. Today's saturday, isn't it? Ha, just when I thought I was catching up.

[CelestialBlade]

And once again I find myself having to get caught up on multiple chapters XD That's not a knock against your progress, that much is awesome to see; it's just been hard to find the time to really sit down and focus on your story. The writing and the music is such an immersive experience that I prefer a certain environment when reading. I basically had to catch up with the entirely of Chapter 3 today, so...

Spoiler!

First off, I really love Kira and Asimov Which...basically already has me bracing myself for when they die (especially Kira), but that's just what I've come to expect from your stories, haha.

Your writing has gotten *so good*. How did anyone think my battle scenes were well-written when compared against some of yours?? The fight with the battlebot, the VR combat, and the gripping Shankar scene were so masterfully described, well-worded and kept me absolutely engrossed the whole time. Very inspirational pieces of writing for me, as a fellow writer! It's amazing how much you've improved since your first story, which was already really well written.

I also like the dynamics of Akasha's and Shankar's developments. I like how Akasha is clearly forming a personality based on those she encounters, especially from Kira and Asimov, while Shankar has largely been on his own and is making decisions based on his own survival. While both Newmans, it's like Akasha is a malleable human while Shankar is a rigid CAST, aiming to accomplish a hard-coded goal at any cost. I like how we're getting to witness Akasha's growth much like we did Aki's, but with a much different character.

I'm also glad we got to see the first real tie-in to your first story, with Lee discussing his plans for Project Typhon. I also didn't miss the Ar Phantasy references Very interesting twist to see that Ur has known about Orpheus this whole time, and I'm sure we haven't seen the last of Hisako and her zombie-ship.

Also, I didn't have any issues with the music length this time. It's nothing that was really bad before, just sometimes it would end maybe 10 seconds before I was done with a section. But I know how hard that is to gauge, when reading speeds can differ even with the same reader.

I've...really gotta get working on my story D:

[Zorafim]

Ha, I know. I can only read her (her?) chapters on saturday, since that's the only time I have enough presence of mind to fully enjoy them. But then I get behind and become sad!

[yoshiblue]

Spoiler!

I find the business stall portion to be rather interesting. "So much for an ordinary weekday afternoon." almost makes it sound like the shopping district never has an ordinary day. Spin off fun time adventure featuring the item shop lady idea! Also, I like Asimov. Brings a smile to my face and already has me hooked on a story. Within a story.

[stukasa]

@Zorafim: Yes, and I know what you mean about the spoiler boxes. I also like following the conversations but I don't trust other people to always use the spoiler boxes responsibly, which is why I usually avoid the conversation entirely if I'm not caught up. You people are pretty good about it though, which is understandable because you're all authors yourselves and you know how important the spoiler boxes can be!

@CelestialBlade: Wow, that's quite a feat to catch up on a four-part chapter in one day! xD Thank you for the kind words about my writing, that means a lot. I tried to push myself with this story and I hope it shows. Ironically battles are one of the least enjoyable parts for me (to write), I always have more fun writing the introspective parts. I enjoyed reading your battle scenes quite a bit, I just wanted to add.

Spoiler!

That's an interesting and apt comparison with Akasha as the malleable human and Shankar as the rigid CAST. I hadn't thought of it quite that way before but it's definitely true to an extent. Shankar is very driven to find his purpose. He doesn't have anything else in his life so it's become something of an obsession for him. Akasha was lucky that she was saved by the ARKS--training to become a soldier and making friends gave her something that Shankar was lacking, I think.

Glad you enjoyed the Ar Phantasy references! As you know I was slightly bummed that I couldn't do another Cocona cameo but I wanted to reference the fact that our stories are taking place on the same ship now. Also glad you caught the other references to my first story. I was afraid it had been so long that people would've forgotten by now. Well, even if they did, I'm trying to explain things in a way that will refresh people's memories as they read it. I don't expect anyone to recall all the details of a story from a year ago...

@yoshiblue:

Spoiler!

Honestly I don't know how these ideas come to me, they just pop into my head somehow. I was thinking of how to start this one and the idea of the shop lady just came to me. Maybe it was all the times I visited the shopping area in the game, who knows.

P.S. I've been meaning to read more of your story but I've been pretty busy this week so far. I'm hopeful I'll have time to get to it tomorrow. Just wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten about you!

[Zorafim]

If I'm driven enough, I'm sure I could catch up on any story in a day. Each chapter takes ten minutes to read, fourteen hours in a free day... That's 84 chapters?
Your stuff is probably worth that effort. What limits me is presence of mind more than time.

And hey, you say you have trouble with fight scenes and an easy time with dialogue and character development? Maybe we should switch off! I'm having a difficult time with my current chapter just because I'm having a tough time thinking of how each of the characters are supposed to be feeling. But any actions just flow from me.
Shame I have all of two action scenes...

Spoiler!

I missed most of the references
I caught "Heart of Gaia", but I couldn't remember the others. I'm horrible with names.

[Sacrificial]

Spoiler!

Gotta love asimov. 'I cant leavy my students fight alone!' 'wait...I can good luck guys! You can do it!'
I like his character xD

Side note. Didn't notice,any references while reAding like the others D:

(Dont mind the typos, send from phone.)

[stukasa]

@Zorafim: What the, Zorafim actually used a smiley?! Who are you and what have you done with the real Zorafim! And heck, it takes me 1-2 weeks to write a single chapter. Writing 84 would take 2-3 years. xD And the parts I have an easier time writing are the ones like Shankar and Lee's scenes. There's more thinking, introspection, description. Less of the battle stuff, at least so far.

@Sacrificial:

Spoiler!

Asimov knew the battlebot wouldn't really harm them, that's why he let them go alone. It was all part of the Headmaster's test. In the previous chapter he saved Ivan because Ivan couldn't handle it by himself. But yeah, he can be a somewhat whimsical instructor.

The references we were referring to were in the second half of Chapter 3.2. Lee was scrolling through the list of "top secret data" and saw files for the Heart of Gaea and Luphan Ayatane, both of which are important to CelestialBlade's Ar Phantasy story. The Project Typhon stuff was mentioned in the epilogue of my first Legend of Aki story.

[stukasa]

CHAPTER 4.1 [3/28/15]

Spoiler!

[/b][/u]

- Two days before the final exam -

UR RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT: COLTON RESIDENCE

“Akasha! Welcome.” Captain Arin Colton smiled broadly at the Newearl standing on his doorstep. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Well, you did invite me,” Akasha replied, stooping slightly as she stepped through the front door.

Spoiler!

“Yes, I did. Actually, there’s something I wanted to give you. One moment.” He walked to the end of the hall and returned carrying a large metal case. Together, the two moved into the living room, where he set the case down on the coffee table. “With your final exam coming up, I thought you could use it.”

“Gee whiz, Dad, you shouldn’t have!” Akasha exclaimed with obvious comedic exaggeration.

Colton jabbed a threatening finger in her direction. “Hey, I’m not your father. Don’t even joke about that,” he warned, the smile never leaving his face.

Akasha chuckled. Taking a seat on the couch, she unhooked the two latches sealing the case and looked inside, then caught her breath. “Oh… oh, wow.”

There was no sarcasm in her statement. Lying neatly in the case were the two halves of a brand-new Lambda Hellfret. The double saber gleamed with polished brilliance, a testament to the craftsmanship that went into making it. Its blade, not yet charged with photon energy, still looked sharp enough to cut diamonds.

Spoiler!

“You’re just giving this to me? But you’ve done so much for me already! No, I… I can’t. It’s too much, I couldn’t possibly—“

“I insist. I want you to have it. And since I outrank you, Trainee, I can make that an order if I have to.”

She smiled. “Thank you, Captain. It’s beautiful.”

“It’s more than that. This weapon was custom made, one of a kind. It also has a very unique feature. Normally, with a double saber, the energy core won’t activate until after you’ve locked the two halves in place, but this model is special. With the press of a button you can switch it to ‘twin daggers mode’ so the halves can power up independently.” He pointed to the button in question. “I got the idea after you fought that battlebot a couple weeks ago.”

“Oh, you heard about that, huh?”

“Yes, from the Headmaster. She’s impressed with the way you handled yourself, and so am I. You’ve come a long way since I found you at Aether Labs seven months ago. It’s been a long road, but in two days you’ll take your final exam. If you pass you’ll be a full-fledged ARKS soldier like me, with all the responsibilities and privileges that entails… But no matter what happens, just know that I’m proud of you. I’ll see you when you get back.”

* * * * * * * * *

[/b][/u]

- One day before the final exam -

ARKS TRAINING ACADEMY: MAIN AUDITORIUM

“Hurry up, we’re gonna be late!”

“Relax, would ya? The Headmaster isn’t even here yet.”

Akasha and Kira strolled into the packed auditorium, trying—but failing—to appear casual about it. They were, after all, the last trainees to arrive. In front of them, four columns of a hundred recruits each stood waiting for the Headmaster of the Academy to make her entrance. It was an imposing sight.

They settled into one of the back rows of the fourth column, hoping to remain inconspicuous. It was only then that they noticed the man standing next to them wearing the smug, self-satisfied grin. A man, it so happened, they were already acquainted with. "Well, well, if it isn't the little spitfire from the other day!" Ivan turned to Akasha as Kira scowled. “Oh, hey, Akasha.”

Spoiler!

“Wait, you know this joker?” Kira demanded of Akasha.

“Not really, no. I only talked to him that day we fought the battlebot,” she replied, then added hesitantly, “aaaaand a couple times after that.”

Kira narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “Well, just be careful. I don’t like him.”

Ivan cleared his throat. “I can hear you, you know.”

“Good!” Kira retorted. “And by the way, I don’t appreciate being called names.”

“What, you mean ‘spitfire’? Look, I just call it like I see it.”

Kira nudged Akasha. “Hey, back me up here.”

“Welllll...”

“Kasha!”

“You are prone to outbursts,” the Newearl conceded with a shrug.

Ivan smirked at Kira. “See? Even your giant friend here agrees with me.”

“Hey!” exclaimed Akasha, not entirely sure if she’d been insulted.

“Come on. At least the ‘spitfire’ thing was open to debate, but are you really going to tell me you're not ridiculously tall?”

“Well, no, but—“

Her response was cut short when the side door to the auditorium opened. Thinking it was the Headmaster, the four columns of recruits instantly snapped to attention. An aging man in a plain gray uniform entered and leisurely strolled towards the podium at the center of the stage.

“Is that the Headmaster?” Akasha whispered.

Before Kira could reply, Ivan whispered back, “No, the Headmaster is a Caseal.”

The man in the gray uniform tapped the microphone attached to the podium twice, then spoke. His voice was amplified by the speakers set up around the room. “Testing, testing… Trainees, please direct your attention to the podium. The Headmaster will be entering shortly.”

The recruits somehow managed to stand up even straighter as the man ambled back in the direction he’d come from.

Akasha fidgeted, feeling anxious. “So what’s the Headmaster like? I’ve never met her.”

“Neither have I,” said Kira, “but I’ve heard rumors. They say she’s a war hero or something, that she survived the Fifth Fleet Massacre.”

“I heard she took down the N.I.L. terror group single-handedly,” mentioned Ivan.

“No one asked for your input,” Kira growled, glaring daggers at him.

Behind them, the main doors creaked open. A single pair of approaching footsteps echoed through the chamber. The contingent of trainees remained facing forward, collectively holding their breaths.

Only Akasha, who was a head taller than most of the other trainees, dared to look. The woman walking down the center aisle had fair skin, lustrous red hair, and dark, intelligent eyes. She wore a lightly-armored red and white tunic with black leggings and military-grade boots. The flowery coat draped over her shoulders billowed behind her like a cape as she moved. She looked fairly young, perhaps only a few years older than Akasha and her group. But looks can be deceiving. For CASTs, who don’t age physically, age is often difficult to determine.

As the Headmaster reached the front of the auditorium, the rest of the trainees finally got a good look at her. “She's a CAST?” Kira whispered to Akasha. “If it weren't for her ears, I wouldn't be able to tell!”

“Yes, I am a CAST,” said the Headmaster, responding directly to Kira. “And my hearing is quite good.”

Kira flushed red with embarrassment. “I-I'm sorry, ma'am.”

“Don't worry about it.” The Caseal smiled, never breaking stride. She ascended the steps to the stage and stood behind the podium.

“Good afternoon,” she began, addressing the entire assembled body. “For those who don’t know me, I am Colonel Aki Zero One, but you can call me Colonel Aki. First of all, I want to personally congratulate all of you on making it this far. You’re good recruits and it has been my honor looking after you.

Spoiler!

“I assume you all know why you’re here today. You’ve been training, practicing, and studying six months for it, after all. Tomorrow is the day you finally get to show off the results of those efforts. In preparation for that, today I will be outlining the content of your final exam.

“This exam will take the form of a field mission. You will be divided into four groups; each group will be sent to a different planet of interest: Naberius, Amduscia, Lillipa, and our newest discovery, the water planet Vopar.” As she spoke, a holographic representation of each planet materialized in the air over her head. “Each group will be subdivided into teams of twelve, with each team consisting of three four-person squads. This is a typical ARKS formation and we thought it suitable for your first field mission. Within each squad there will be three trainees, plus one instructor who will serve as your squad leader. You will follow their orders, as well as the orders from ARKS Control, at all times. Is that understood?”

When no one objected, Aki continued, “Good. Now then, I will read off your group and squad assignments…” First she called names for group Alpha, who were being sent to Naberius. Next she called names for group Beta, who were being sent to Amduscia. After that she called names for group Gamma, who were off to Lillipa. Finally she came to group Delta. Since Akasha and her friends hadn’t been called yet, that meant they were headed to Vopar. “...Gulf Squad: Akasha, Kira Vorholtz, and Ivan Malloch. Your instructor will be Lieutenant Asimov TR-7. Next, Banther Squad…”

“Looks like we’ll be seeing a little more of each other after all,” Ivan whispered as the Headmaster continued reading names.

Akasha rubbed her chin. “Hm, and Azzy’s our instructor. What do you suppose are the odds of that?”

“I’d be surprised if odds had anything to do with it, personally.”

Kira crossed her arms. “Yeah, well, just make sure you don’t slow us down,” she grumbled in his direction.

“Sure thing, Spitfire.”

“Don’t call me that!” Kira hissed.

Up at the podium, Aki had just finished issuing exam assignments. She gazed out at the sea of faces below her. Some were stoic, some were eager, but all of them looked ready. “Report to your assigned docking bays tomorrow morning at 0800 sharp. You will receive further instructions from your squad leader at that time. That’s all I have to say for now, except good luck and be sure to get a good night’s sleep. You’re going to need it.”

* * * * * * * * *

- 1500 hours local time, exam day -

PLANET VOPAR: UNNAMED ISLAND CHAIN, SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

Three campships circled over the landing zone in tight formation. As they approached their destination, the pilot of each craft made an announcement over the intercom. In the rear cabin, final orders were issued and gear checks were performed. A forced calm fell over those inside. They had been training six months for this moment. Ready or not, it was time to go.

Four streaks of luminous bluish-white from each ship, twelve in total, shot through the atmosphere like falling stars. They impacted the surface and dissolved, leaving twelve soldiers kneeling on the beach dressed in full combat gear. Their job done, the campships banked west and sped away. They would be returning to space until the completion of the exam.

On the surface, the soldiers stood up and prepared to move out. They’d only taken three steps when their radios crackled. “Squads Gulf, Banther, and Aginis, this is ARKS Control,” a woman’s voice informed them. “Welcome to Vopar. We will be monitoring your situation from orbit. Today’s forecast calls for clear skies and sunny weather. Hope you remembered your suntan lotion. Enjoy your day at the beach.”

“Copy that, Control,” Asimov responded. “Commencing mission now.”

Spoiler!

[/b][/u]

Vopar was a world steeped in natural beauty. A vast azure ocean dotted with island chains stretched out in all directions as far as the ARKS could see. Their feet sank lightly into the pristine alabaster sand as they walked. Overhead, sapphire skies adorned with wispy clouds hung just out of reach.

Kira used one hand to shield her eyes from the brilliant sun as she gazed out at the tropical paradise in front of her. "Oh, mannnn...," she groaned, "I knew I should’ve brought my swimsuit!"

“We're not here to play around, Kira,” Asimov chided her. “Not that I’d mind seeing you in it,” he added with a playful grin.

* * * * * * * * *

They hiked a quarter of a kilometer from the landing zone to an area of level, grassy land surrounded by a cluster of palm trees on one side and open ocean on the other. All three squads convened in a roughly circulation formation for a quick briefing. Asimov, as the highest-ranking instructor present, took charge of explaining the mission parameters.

“We’re going to be doing some good old-fashioned exploration and mapping, plain and simple. Aginis Squad, it’ll be your duty to map out the area and relay that information to ARKS Control. Banther Squad, you will be taking notes on any artificial structures we find. We know there’s a native population on Vopar and Command wants to learn more about them. Gulf Squad—that means you, Akasha, Kira, and Ivan—will be in charge of cataloguing the local flora and fauna. When visiting a planet, it helps to know what sort of wildlife you’re dealing with. Our eventual goal is to reach that spot over… there!” He pointed to a hazy speck on the horizon.

“What is it?” someone from another squad asked.

“Take a look,” replied Asimov, passing him a pair of binoculars.

The man raised the instrument to his eyes and peered through them. A broad, dome-shaped structure sat atop the ocean far in the distance. It was supported by a ring of curved pylons and capped by something resembling a crown. Inexplicably shooting up through the center of the structure was a massive pillar of water that stretched high into the sky, where it eventually tapered off. “Seems to be some kind of… huge building out there,” he said. “But I thought this planet was mostly unexplored. So where did it come from?”

“Built by the natives, we think. One of the many questions about this planet the ARKS hope to solve in the coming months. Our mission here is more of a cursory examination. We’ll leave the in-depth analysis to the eggheads back home.” After the chuckling died down, Asimov said, “Okay people, let’s move out!”

Spoiler!

* * * * * * * * *

The next three hours passed by quickly. The nine trainees and their three instructors hiked over an endless series of sandy beaches, flowery fields, and rocky outcroppings. Twice they had to wade through knee-deep water to cross from one island to the next. At least they assumed it was a different island. The water separating the various islets was often so shallow that the soldiers felt as though they were traversing one extremely long stretch of land.

Several times they passed the ruined remains of native architecture—part of a column, bits of a staircase, all carved from marble slabs. Some were adorned with symbols and markings, which Banther Squad recorded as part of their exam assignment. Occasionally they spotted herds of shell-covered crustaceans—Torbons—scuttling along the beach ahead, probably in search of food or shelter. Now and then they would glimpse a trio of pink fins slicing through the water just offshore. Incredibly, one time they even spotted the fins gliding through the sand, as if burrowing through the ground were no more difficult than swimming through the sea. Akasha and her squadmates took note of everything they could.

[/b][/u]

As they walked, Ivan sidled up next to Kira. “I think we got off on the wrong foot before. Things were said, names were called… Maybe I deserved some of it, maybe you did too. My point is, we’re all adults here—or so you claim. I’m sure we can get past any ‘differences of opinion’ we may have. And I just want you to know, when I get promoted I’ll be sure to treat you well. I’ll only make you shine my shoes twice a week. Three times, tops.”

Kira’s mouth hung open in disbelief. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. You think you’re getting promoted before me? I don’t think so! In fact, not only will I get promoted first, I’m going to smoke you in this exam.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, really.”

“Is that so? Care to put a little wager on that?”

“Fine. If you score higher I’ll… buy you lunch.”

“Lunch? That’s it? That’s the best you could come up with?” he scoffed.

Akasha, who’d been quietly listening in on their conversation, finally interjected. “Free lunch? I want in on this too! If Kira and I score higher, you have to buy us both lunch.”

“Well that hardly seems fair,” complained Ivan. “If you lose you have to pay for my meal, but if I lose I have to pay for both of you.”

“Okay, let’s even the odds. What else do you want?”

“Hmm. If I score higher, I want Spitfire here to… clean my boots.”

“That sounds easy enough,” said Kira.

“…With your tongue,” he added slyly.

“What?!”

“Maybe that’ll teach you to keep that loud mouth in check. Just be careful, I don’t want your acid tongue dissolving the leather. These boots are expensive, you know.”

“Why you…,” Kira fumed.

“You’re not too chicken to accept, are you? What happened to all that bravado from earlier? Or are you admitting you might not beat me?”

“Oh, we’ll beat you, alright. Kasha and I, we’re the unstoppable, unbeatable duo! Just you wait and see…”

* * * * * * * * *

Another hour passed. The shadows grew longer. The sun, which had been high in the sky when they arrived, was almost kissing the horizon. The ARKS were less than a kilometer from their destination now. The large structure seemed to glow faintly, though no power source was evident.

“You should buy some chewing gum,” Ivan remarked casually, without explanation.

Kira regarded him with confusion. “Chewing gum? What for?”

“It helps build up saliva. You’re going to need it when you’re licking my boots clean.”

“I told you, that’s not gonna happen!”

“You’ll probably have to give it a second coat, just to get it extra shiny,” he mused, completely ignoring her.

[/b][/u]

They’ve done nothing but argue all day, thought Akasha as she walked beside them. …So why do I feel left out? Eager to change the subject, she decided to ask something she’d been curious about for a while. “So, Ivan, what’s the deal with the talis around your neck? You’re a Hunter; that’s a Force weapon. I just thought it was a little odd—well, interesting, I mean.”

Ivan touched the card-like accessory. Though it was normally used for channeling photon energy, he’d attached a cord to it and strung the cord around his neck, wearing it like a necklace. “Oh, this? It’s, um, a good luck charm, that’s all. Nothing special.”

“Let me see it.” Akasha reached for the talis, intending to unhook it from the cord.

Ivan suddenly jerked away. “Don’t touch it!”

“S-Sorry,” she stammered, “I didn’t mean—“

“No, I’m sorry,” he said, regaining his composure. “I overreacted. It’s just… it’s personal, okay?”

“Yeah, no problem…”

They walked in awkward silence for the remainder of the journey. A few minutes later they reached their goal, the stone structure Asimov had pointed out earlier. All twelve soldiers stood around the base of it and looked up. It was several stories tall and probably ancient. On closer inspection, they saw that it wasn’t much of a dome after all. It was actually a multi-layered tower, each level narrower than the one below it. Water geysers poured from numerous spouts at regular intervals around the edge of the tower, giving the entire structure the appearance of an elaborate, larger-than-life fountain. Whatever this thing was supposed to be, it was certainly impressive to look at.

Asimov activated the radio in his ear piece. “ARKS Control, this is Gulf Squad leader. We are at the rendezvous point and ready for extraction.”

There was no reply, only static.

“I say again, we are ready for extraction. Please acknowledge.”

More static.

Asimov clicked off his radio. “I’m… sure it’s nothing,” he said to the others, not sounding entirely convinced. “We’ll just have to wait here until we hear from them. In the meantime, let’s take a look around the perimeter of this… building. Banther Squad, take as many notes as you can. This may be a good opportunity to earn some extra credit.”

* * * * * * * * *

As night fell, distant storm clouds were gathering on the horizon. No one realized what they meant yet, or what was about to happen.

That would soon change.



TO BE CONTINUED