Mission: Future Fantastic

Chapter 6

“You know, even when you had dangerous folk wandering the sands of Mars I felt better about things back then, than seeing the planet littered with ghost towns and blast heaps,” Diamond muttered.

“I know what you mean,” I said. “I loved seeing the people all around, Mars in all of its wild, raw glory, the dangers of meeting new people and not knowing if they were friend or enemy.”

When we arrived at the place called Fire Works it was empty and no longer in business. Every gun, knife, weapon, every piece of product was gone! Genevieve’s and Rychik’s com devices began pinging.

“Yes, Tenar?” answered Genevieve.

“Wherrre arrre you all? We need to leave! The andrrroid says that it has picked up communications from the enemy. They arrre on theirrr way to Taipei!” Tenar was not panicked but there was an urgent tone in her voice. “Also anotherrr thing. A spy mech was found slipping about the porrrt, especially focused on ourrr ship.” A spy mech!

There was nothing else left in Taipei to buy or barter. We high-tailed it back to the port.

At the Wardruna we found a small group of people gathered with Tenar in the middle. She had a semi-automatic weapon slung over her thin shoulder. At her feet were pieces of what used to be a spy mech.

“When did you notice this mech flying around the ships?”

“The andrrroid caught it beforrre I did. It was relaying a signal to the enemy. I and a few otherrrs who caught sight of it shot it down beforrre it could fly away.”

“Too bad someone didn’t have a long-range stun gun. Then we could reap the information inside,” said a woman in the crowd.

“We might be able to salvage something. We’ll see,” said Genevieve her eyes shining with interest at the spy mech.

“This is a bad sign. Soon Taipei will fall like so many other outposts,” said another. As if to pierce the moment with the cruel point of truth, the crushing blare of an emergency alarm pierced the air and those who were slowly walking back to their ships began running. Rychik and the rest of us entered the ship and began quickly doing our pre-trip checks. I wondered why it seemed the mech had targeted the Wardruna. Or perhaps it was my perception? It could have been targeting many ships. Genevieve had gathered up the pieces of the spy mech and as she approached me and Diamond she looked elated.

“What is it?” asked Diamond.

“The damage to the spy mech isn’t as bad as I thought. I think I can fix it and maybe retrieve any information it's gathered. If not, I can have it sent back as a double spy! Wherever it came, it targeted non-loyalist ships. So I think it appropriate to put this mech back to work!” She winked at me.

“Excellent,” said Tenar, smiling.

“Well enough! Now let’s go!” barked Rychik. The Warhoon lifted off with hundreds of other ships and in nearly one accord like a massive flock of birds they made their way toward Ophir.