Chapter 18: Revisiting the Red Planet
Jaden went into her cabin room and darted for her katana, which she left in a corner. Instead of sheathing it like she intended, she had a good stare at the sword, still shiny and pristine-looking despite the number of times it cut flesh and bones. She recalled the moment she received the katana for the first time. It was formerly the sword of her deceased half-siren mother, Glacier Highland.
“This sword is much older than it looks Jaden. I trust you can keep the sword in one piece, at least until you get to cut something with it.”
“Of course mom. I’ll look after it. I promise.”
“Alright, I trust you. I love you Jaden.”
“I love you too mom.”
She just passed her combat training before she gained her mother’s sword and she held on to that memory fondly. Sadness began to surge through her body as she remembered her mother’s fate and tears began to well in her glowing eyes, immediately wetting her blindfold. She began to think that her sanity would erode over time if she ever stepped into Qurrentine. However, remembering her vow to end Dark Viper’s tyranny, she reassured herself.
“A service to my family, myself and all who suffered under Dark Viper and Iblisan’s rule.”
She sheathed her katana and removed her blindfold, squeezing it hard to remove her tears off it. She did not want her crewmembers to wonder why she was crying. She wore it back and made her way to the briefing room, where everyone was waiting for her.
The automatic door slid open and Jaden gazed at the briefing room. Every crewmember were scattered around the room, including Reed, who was standing close to the hologram control installed on the briefing table.
“Ah, the boss woman is here. Now, perhaps we can begin our briefing?”
Jade nodded and moved to Reed’s side. To aid Jaden in her briefing, Reed clicked on several buttons on the hologram control, causing the briefing table to generate a holographic image of Qurrentine. Jaden watched with awe, surprised to see him knowledgeable of the hologram control but she assumed that he probably have operated such a thing before. Despite its translucent image, the hologram very much resembled the actual planet.
“Alright, we’re here in Qurrentine, currently the most hostile planet we visited. This urban planet, though separate from Dissidia, was a property of the Salvagers, at least until the Grand Betrayal led by Dark Viper. Now, it is crawling with Iblisan’s cultists, thugs, gangs and the likes. On a friendlier note, nearly all the civilians there are anti-Iblisan and hiding amongst them are remnants of the Salvager Military. That’s who we’re looking for.”
“Um, Jaden, before we continue, I’m very curious of one thing.”
“What is it Jaina?”
“Why is the planet’s sky red? Aren’t skies supposed to be blue?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. Vader, any explanation?”
“This unit hasn’t collected any information on the planet’s new atmospheric status and my latest data is unreliable due to the extended period of time since my last visit to this planet. However, I have a theory. The twenty years of battle between the cultists and Salvager remnants may have left the planet’s atmosphere filled with dirt, debris and many other unknown materials, effectively changing the planet’s sky color and dirtying it severely. Beware when breathing in the planet as the surrounding dirt may interfere with respiratory functions.”
“Oh? I’ve been in that planet for a while and I’m still breathing. Hell, Jaden lived in that planet for 20 years and she’s still alive and pretty. Any other theories Vader?”
“Reed, not now.”
“Alright Jaden. Please continue.”
“Now, Qurrentine has been occupied by cultists ever since the fall of the Salvagers at the end of the Grand Betrayal. It is only recently that they have began seeking me and Reed out actively. We need to prepare ourselves for combat and respond to emergencies promptly. Since our manpower isn’t too small, Reed and I agreed that we split the crew into two groups: the shore party and ship party.”
“Oh I’m pretty new to those two terms. Mind explaining Jaden?”
“Really? Gavin, haven’t you ever served in a ship before?”
“Not me. We tropical Mannihilator requires no ship. Have you?”
“No but I’ve heard enough stories from my mother to assume what those two term means. The shore party will proceed into Qurrentine to complete their objective before returning back to the Crimson Spinner. The ship party will remain here to maintain and guard the ship in case the cultists, or a random hijacker, found it. The ship party will also support the shore party with backup, emergency evacuation or watching the map for possible hostile movement.”
“What map?”
Reed clicked on a few buttons on the hologram control, causing the holographic image of Qurrentine to be dismissed and in its place, a holographic map of the area surrounding the Crimson Spinner appeared. He then explained about the map.
“I stumbled across this while messing with the hologram controls. As if that’s not good enough, I also stumbled across a box full of trackers. One of them just so happens to be active, and low on battery. After playing with it, I realize that the tracker works in conjunction with this map. See, the Crimson Spinner will track down the location of any active trackers that’s connected to the ship. It will then update the information to the hologram control, hence allowing us to see the tracker’s location and its surroundings in the form of a visual, three-dimensional map. Pretty nifty stuff...thought a bit old.”
“Yes. Thanks for the explanation Reed.”
“Anything for you Jaden.”
“Now, the shore party will hold on to one of the trackers and the ship party will observe the map for movement. The ship party should see if there are any strange activities around the shore party, such as armed cultists taking position or an ambush forming ahead. We’ll use the radio earpieces within the storeroom, which I hope are still working.”
“They’re functional. I checked.”
“Ok. Good job Jaina. Now, if it is not obvious enough, the shore party needs to be combat ready and the ship party need to be familiar with how to fly the ship and how the hologram control works. Now, let us split ourselves into the two parties.”
“Well, so far, we know that Reed and Vader can fly the ship.”
“Wait! Gavin I can fly the ship too!”
“What? Jaina, are you sure?”
“Mistress Sierra had me fix ships far more advanced that the Crimson Spinner. I learned how to fly them by watching the pilot handling the cockpit controls, almost by reflex.”
“Alright. So, we consider Jaina an option for the ship party. As for shore party, I think we all can fight.”
“Ok then. So, any volunteers for shore party?”
“Why don’t you pick Jaden? You are our almighty leader.”
Jaden sighed and replied, “Alright alright, as long as you quit calling me that. I’ll lead the shore party. Reed, you have some experience in this planet. You’ll be assigned to the shore party. Gavin, I haven’t seen you in combat yet so you’ll be in the shore party too. Jaina and Vader, you two will be the ship party. Jaina will manage the ship and provide support while Vader will focus on guarding the ship. Any objections?”
Jaden waited for someone to object her decision, but only silence followed. Jaden nodded and said, “Alright. We all got our assignments. Shore party, prepare to move out.”
* * *
Jaina, proving her knowledge with the ship, lowered the Crimson Spinner’s loading ramp, allowing the shore party to depart. The trio was armed, weapons sheathed and holstered, though not subtle as their weapons can clearly be seen. Regardless, considering the number of armed humans around, it may not mean much if people see their weapons.
Reed took in a deep breath before letting out a big sigh. He then commented, “Ah, the beautiful stench of Triple D.”
“Triple D?” Gavin asked.
“Death, decay and desperate living.”
“Wouldn’t that make it Triple D with an L?”
“Triple D sounds cooler Gavin.”
“Right…”
“I probably could’ve added in an N for noisy but, this place’s pretty quiet now isn’t it?”
“In my whole life here, Qurrentine’s normally noisy but I guess Viper’s appearance struck enough fear to silence everyone.”
Jaden reached out for her earpiece and held on to a button, attempting to converse with the ship party. She wished to test the radio before heading out.
“Jaden to Crimson Spinner. Do you copy?”
After a brief moment of static, she heard Jaina’s voice, “Crimson Spinner to shore party.”
“Alright. We’re moving out so standby for orders.”
“Roger that Jaden. Crimson Spinner out.”
Releasing the button, Jaden turned to Reed and Gavin and told them, “Alright, let’s get this over with. Keep a low profile; we don’t want an army of cultists coming at us.” She turned to the alley leading to the main streets of Qurrentine and went through it, tailed by Reed and Gavin.
Once the party exited the alley, they were welcomed with the sights of Qurrentine’s decaying streets. The blood red sky, the malfunctioning street lamps and the unlit buildings surrounding the area kept the area dark. It made them realize that the Crimson Spinner’s headlights and pinpoint lights were the ones illuminating their landing zone. Regardless, the darkness was not enough to blind their vision; it is still possible to see, albeit with minimal difficulty.
Jaden, though briefly distracted by traumatizing memories of her time in Qurrentine, gestured to Reed and Gavin to follow her. She moved through the streets, walking past civilians and cultist patrols. Corpses littered the street they were in. “These are fresh.” Gavin commented as he observed one of them. “Seems like a gunfight happened here. Bullet wounds are all over.”
“It seems to me that when a Fallen Angel has taken over the throne, people began to think that this is the best time to start shooting each other. Heh, idiots. If we all unite against that bastard, we would’ve been free from that guy’s rule by now.”
“Funny, that’s by far the wisest thing you ever said Reed.”
“Oh? Do you mean that as a compliment or an insult Jaden?”
“Take it as you wish.”
“Ok. Compliment then.”
“Well, gunfight could mean a few things: A gang war, cultists attacking civilians, or Salvager remnants fighting back against gangs or the cultists.” Gavin suggested.
“I say gang war. These fools are wearing clothes which I would never associate with a Salvager remnant or a cultist.”
“How could you even know that Reed?”
“Gavin, I’ve stayed here longer than you have. Of course I know. Hell, I bet Jaden knew that these bastards aren’t cultists or Salvager remnants.”
“Reed’s right. These guys are wearing matching sets of street clothing. Cultists usually wear a black leather uniform while the Salvager remnants I knew still held on to their Military uniforms.”
“Salvager remnants you say?”
Jaden gasped, turned to the voice and jumped into a fighting stance, coming from a nearby dark alley. Inside, she saw a wrinkled, aged man, dressed in a dark green hooded jacket and blue jeans. The hood covered his hair but not his facial features. The man was hunched and held both his hands behind his back. Jaden retracted from her stance when she realized that the man is unarmed and probably harmless.
“I mean you no harm lads. So, you seek the Salvager remnants hiding within the city, yes?”
“Yes we are old geezer.” Reed replied.
The man remained silent for a while. He stared at Jaden, observing her from top to bottom with his focused eyes. Something about her seemed to be intriguing him and Jaden could not help but feel uncomfortable at the way he was looking at her.
“Ah. You’re Jaden Highland. A pleasure to meet you miss.”
Reed and Gavin’s’ brow rose, surprised to see a random stranger recognizing Jaden’s identity.
“How’d you know my name?” Jaden asked.
“Your recent emergence caused uproar amongst the Cult of Iblisan. Every cultists running about, talking about a crazed female Energy Bladesman cutting squad after squad apart and departing in a ship with two companions in tow. They described your appearance well enough, though considering how you’re still standing here; it seems that they haven’t recognized you yet. As if that’s not bad enough, they began talking about your appearances in Mannihilate. Iblisan’s pissed girl. He now placed a bounty on you. Keep your blindfold on; those idiots only remembered your glowing eyes.”
Jaden’s shock intensified as she listens, unaware that her actions may have gained the notice, and animosity, of Iblisan Alkaidus himself. She was especially surprised to see that even someone as low as that old man heard about her actions in Qurrentine and Mannihilate.
“A bounty you say? What’s the reward?”
“Personal training from Dark Viper. Seems like a small reward to many, but if you know of his daughter, Elysia Starnova, you will know that it is worth risking your life for. And you…you’re another bounty aren’t you. Reed Robinson.”
“Yup. That’s me, following in the footsteps of another bounty…or the other way around.”
“Heh, ticking Iblisan off and now helping another bounty. I bet the Cult of Iblisan are all tired of you son.”
“Um, excuse me? May we know who you are?”
“Oh, pardon my manners ma’am. I am Fabian Walrus. Unlike you folks, I’m just a simple citizen of Qurrentine trying to survive in these harsh times. My life predates even before the Grand Betrayal.”
“If that’s so, you must be aware that there are remnants of the Salvager Military hiding within Qurrentine.”
“Yes, indeed there are. I’m willing to help you out. Life’s been hell ever since the Cult’s occupation. I would gladly help in kicking them out. Please, follow me into my makeshift home. It kept me hidden from the cultists for years.”
Fabian turned and walked into the alley, with Jaden and party following him. Seconds later, he led them into a small opening, similar to the Crimson Spinner’s landing zone but much smaller. Makeshift tents, built from salvaged poles and cloth, were all around. Majority of the equipment there were from salvaged resources and due to the location, no electronics were seen. A flat cardboard was laid on the ground and seemed to be Fabian’s bed.
Fabian sat on the dry ground, close to a fire burning on a large stack of paper. He welcomed the party to sit with him before he began talking to them.
“Alright. You three wish to find the Salvager remnants, yes? I know some of them and met them on occasion. They have been keeping a very low profile, so low that you may have been standing next to one and not realize that he or she was once a noble warrior. It won’t stay that way forever though and since you’re actively seeking them out, I’m guessing you’re forming a rebellion.”
“Yes. We call ourselves the Liberator Alliance. We managed to gain support from the Mannihilator military. My friend here is one of them.”
“Yes. I am Gavin Nightfall.”
“Nightfall? Aren’t you supposed to be the Lord of the tropical Mannihilators?”
“I was. You’re pretty well-informed, aren’t you?”
“Looks and status can be deceiving.”
“Do those corpses outside have anything to do with the Salvager remnants?”
“Indeed Jaden. That group of thugs disturbed a pair of gangsters, only to realize that they were Salvager remnants. They were shot down very quickly.”
“Gangsters?”
“Yes. Like I said, they were keeping a very low profile. They dared to dress up as your everyday gangsters just to keep the cultists away.”
“Do you know where I can find these remnants?”
Fabian nodded and replied, “The remnants are all holed up in an abandoned factory far to the south of here. Look out for a huge sign that says, ‘Fat Man’s Factory’. They’re in there. They will keep in character no matter what you say to them so; try to ask for a meeting with their leader. Considering your reputation, they may allow you to enter.”
“Alright. Thanks for the help.” Jaden said before standing. “Well, we need to go now. The sooner we get their help, the better.”
“Of course. Luck speed your way Ms. Highland.”
Jaden bowed and began to the exit Fabian’s home with Reed and Gavin. Before she entered the alley however, she halted in her tracks to have one last look at Fabian’s living condition. She looked at how everything in his home were nothing but salvaged material and how his apparel were inappropriate considering how hot the temperature was. Fabian has helped her so, she wanted to see if she can help him improve his living condition. “We have a lot of supplies in the Crimson Spinner. I could give away some.” she told herself.
“Reed, Gavin, wait for me outside. I want to speak with Fabian.”
The duo nodded and left while Jaden approached the withered old man, who was struggling trying to stand up.
“Fabian, your living condition is pretty horrible. Do you need some help? I can give away supplies to let you live better.”
“You’re kind Jaden but I’d rather not. Living like this keeps the cultists away and trust me, my previous home before the cultist occupation was abandoned for a reason.”
“Are you sure? You’re barely able to stand?” Jaden asked with concern and sadness surging through her body. Fabian nodded and replied, “I’ll be fine.”
Though Jaden was reluctant to leave the aged man behind, she acknowledged his wishes and thanked him one last time before leaving. Fabian stopped her however, holding on to her arm to halt her in her tracks.
“Jaden. One last advice.”
“Yes?”
“That man…Reed Robinson. Do not trust him. He’s a murderer.”
“What?” Jaden asked. She almost skipped a beat hearing his words. She found it hard to imagine that playful, childish man to be a murderer. “Fabian, what do you mean? I’ve been traveling with Reed for a while now. He’s been nothing but a playful idiot.”
“And yet, his shooting skills are nearly unmatched. Have you ever wondered how he was able to fend against large squads of cultists alone while you two were in the docks? How is it that he survived battle after battle and talked like as if those were a walk in a park? He’s a killer, that’s why. Iblisan wanted his head and for a reason. He’s a danger to you and your rebellion.”
Jaden became nearly speechless. She thought about Fabian’s words and began to think that he could be right. After all, Reed had been holding back in telling her about what he did which infuriated Iblisan and the things he did before he met up with her. Still, her times with him, along with his seeming concern for her safety, sent doubts into her mind.
“Sorry Fabian but, Reed’s my friend. I don’t see how he could be a danger to me.”
“Very well. Just, don’t put too much trust into him. That’s all I can say to you.”
Fabian released her arm and turned to his makeshift bed before lying down to take a nap. Jaden simply watched him, unsure on how to react to this news. She could not help but believe his every word, considering how he has been trying to help her in her mission. However, Reed’s treatment of her conflicts with his words and she began to debate over how seriously she should take his words. Regardless, she still had an objective to complete.
She turned to the alley and jogged to Reed and Gavin, who were waiting outside. She radioed back to Jaina, asking her where south is since they lack a compass. Once in the right direction, Jaden gestured to the duo to follow her and they proceeded with their mission.
“Reed…I don’t even know what to say. Are you my friend…or have you been lying all this time?”
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