Carpathia IV: Episode 246 - Testing the Rules
Bridge, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
The Shadowdancer bridge wasn't quite as exciting as the planet, but it wasn't dull either, particularly for Aire, still again in another conversation with Admiral Zhang. Both agreed that bridge communications would be more efficient rather than the ready room. It saved Aire the time having to explain everything afterwards and he could get real-time feedback. If anything classified came up, then it could wait until ready room time.
With the Furious Spectre still four days out, Aire shared information with them about what they can expect from the gravitational eddies. While doing so, Admiral Zhang's console beeped and she stopped mid-sentence.
Admiral Zhang: Ah, he's here. I forgot to mention that, since all we've heard about Aionaptara was from other dragons, I thought a different perspective might be in order. I'll bring him in.
Admiral Zhang glanced away again, tapping on her console. A moment later, she shifted to the left side of the screen and a familiar face appeared on the right half.
Jaze: Captain Valro. It's good to see you again.
Aire: Jaze! This is a surprise. I'd like to introduce you to my Chief of Security, Trex Fisk.
Trex: Pleased to meet you. You're rather famous up here, you know.
Jaze: The pleasure is mine. What can I do for all of you?
Admiral Zhang: Jaze, it looks like we're going to meet Aionaptara very soon. We've read the material and heard from the dragons about him, but we would like a different perspective, since you saw him in person, in a way.
Jaze's ears flattened and he did a quick shiver, as though someone dipped his tail in ice water.
Jaze: Oh, right. That one. I only saw him when Ryuu shared the memory of his great grandmother with me, but it sure felt real. Still, I don't know what I can say that hasn't already been said.
Trex: Oh, but it would be useful to hear from you! You see, we have a team on the ground right now. Dragons... I don't want to say they're used to infamous demigods, but they're certainly not inexperienced with them. I think a personal impression from someone like you would be helpful!
With a little tug at his ear, Jaze paused as he mulled, looking to the others like he was trying to figure out how to put it into words.
Jaze: Of the demigods I saw in that vision, besides Wishmaster, I'd say he was the scariest, but that might be because he attacked us... well, Ryuu's great grandma, directly. He landed right in front of us, opened his mouth, and there was nothing but dead silence.
Aire: That doesn't sound too bad, but I'm sure you're about to say it's a lot worse than it sounds.
Jaze: You got that right. There aren't words to describe it. I never knew what true silence was until I experienced that. I really thought I might go insane in just one minute, something that Wishmaster tried to do to me over a period of years. He might have been doing something else at the same time. From what I've heard, that's not even a fraction of what he's capable of.
Trex: It does sound scarier when you put it like that.
Jaze: There is no amount of preparation that can help you when going up against something like Aionaptara or Wishmaster for the first time. Wishmaster's style was to wear me down over time. Aionaptara made me feel like a helpless little bug in an instant. What's your goal in this meeting?
Admiral Zhang: We believe he's seeking help to kill Lazmaedia.
Jaze pursed his lips together and nodded slowly.
Jaze: Convincing him that you will help must be your secondary goal. Your first is to get out of that meeting alive. Forget everything else. No plan you make will last even a second once you meet him.
Trex: In other words, keep it simple.
Jaze: That would be best, yes. I wish I could offer you more advice, but that's all I got.
Aire: No apologies necessary, Jaze. You've been very helpful.
Jaze: Call me if you need anything else.
With a wave, Jaze disappeared from the screen and Admiral Zhang's brooding face took over the space he departed.
Admiral Zhang: That will save some strategizing time, I guess. I think the only thing we need to discuss is how best not to offend him.
Aire: Perhaps we should bring a box of chocolates.
The Road, Aionaptara's Planet
After Teek pulled the ATV out of the shuttle, the rest set to loading it up with supplies. Before that, however, they had to relieve it of all weaponry so as not to offend Aionaptara. After that, food, medicine, scanners all had to be transferred, as much as they could fit inside plus themselves. Though they could have pulled off this changeover in less than ten minutes, they took nearly a half hour, as they were not in a rush. Once complete, the team took their seats with Teek at the controls.
Teek: Everyone ready?
Joust, sitting shotgun, turned and peered behind him. All crew seated, doors closed, and belts on.
Joust: We're all set. Teek, take us in slowly.
Teek lifted his foot off the brake pedal and let the ATV coast forward at idle speed. Perhaps a bit too slow, he thought. With a little goose of the gas pedal, the ATV hit 10 kph, trundling along the road, gravel and dirt crunching beneath the wheels as they went. They passed through the shield with no resistance, but it did produce a momentary light show. Once they were through, he could increase speed.
Ahead, a set of stairs drew near. It was clear enough that Aionaptara intended for any visitors to walk the path rather than drive it. Regardless, it was an easy obstacle for the ATV. Teek raised the ride height and slowed, so as not to jostle the passengers uncomfortably. More stairs loomed in the distance, but the ATV performed perfectly thus far.
Phobos: Do you think we might want to test if the ATV can fly now that we're through the shield?
Ramei: That feels like tempting fate to me.
Shep: If we just hover for a minute, it might not be so risky. We should know what our capabilities are in case we need to use them.
Joust: What do you think, Ryuu?
Ryuu: Aionaptara must know we passed through the shield. I don't know what he knows beyond that. Shep is right, though. We should know our capabilities and hovering for a few seconds should be okay.
Joust: Let's try it. Teek, stop the car and get ready for hover.
Teek pushed the brake on a flat spot of the road and lowered the ride height.
Teek: Ready.
Joust: Ten seconds ought to be enough. You may begin.
Teek: Initiating hover.
A few button presses and switch flips later, the hover engines started to power up. The next step was for the ATV to lift slightly off the ground and the wheels to fold horizontally underneath.
Teek: Hover engaged succes...
Then, the flight engines abruptly powered down and the ATV dropped hard onto the road. It was only about a 20cm drop, but enough to jolt all the passengers. A few seconds of silence pervaded as all assessed their newly compressed spines.
Ramei: Well, that was just brilliant. Just what did we think was going to happen here?
Joust: Shush, Ramei.
Phobos: There must be some sort of dampening field, but it sure is tuned very specifically.
Joust: We'll just have to continue in land configuration.
A grunt from Teek's direction and Joust squeezed his eyes shut tight for a second.
Teek: Erm...
Joust: No, no. Don't tell me. Let me guess. We're flat on the ground and can't get the wheels up?
Teek: We'll need to physically pick up the ATV and manually move the wheels back into rolling position.
Perhaps involuntarily, but nevertheless unsurprising, that all eyes in the ATV turned toward Tamati, sitting in his back with his glorious muscles.
Tamati: I'm not Mr. Hyde, you know. Everyone has to help and we can only do one corner at a time.
Baal: Let's do it, then.
All six of the gullwing doors flung open at once and the team poured out.
Tamati: We should start with the heaviest end. Easiest to do that now.
The team gathered around the back left side, with Tamati in the middle and Joust, the weakest, standing aside ready to pull the wheel when the time came. After a chorus of 3, 2, 1, go, each heaved and the ATV raised off the ground. Tamati, while indeed the strongest, wasn't too far ahead of two others. It was easy to underestimate Baal and Ryuu from their appearance. With one corner off the ground, Joust slipped in and pulled the wheel back to vertical. Together, they did the other back wheel and then the same to the two in the front.
Teek: That'll do. I can set the locks from the dashboard now.
Teek jumped into the driver's seat while Joust had one last thing to say to the team.
Joust: Okay, we do things Aionaptara's way. No more testing the rules.
Baal: Don't have to tell me twice.
The team piled back into the car and they carried on their way once again.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
Falke2009
