Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Aaramina ❯ Chapter Six ( Chapter 6 )

CHAPTER SIX

 

Several weeks had passed since the training began. Narxon's birthday came and went, to which Aara decided to throw a party that involved a bunch of cake and alcohol. (Narxon didn't touch the beer, but Aara and Betsy drank to the point they were singing old folk songs horribly off-key. They would laugh for very long time after the funny ones and then sob like they were at a funeral after the sad ones.)

 

The days after his birthday seemed to go by quickly. Somehow, Narxon was able to quickly be able to master the functions of his cyborg body. There were a few slip ups here and there, which included a misfired beam attack from Narxon whose protection was released to Level Ten hitting the desert floor and making a mile-wide crater. Aara affectionately named it “The Crater of Failure.” Betsy was surprised that Narxon was able to adapt so quickly to his new body, and even Narxon himself was surprised.

 

The kitten Narxon had used to train with became so attached to the group that they decided to keep it and give it a name. It was a she, so Narxon named it Nina, which was his mothers name.

 

So, when all was said and done, and when Narxon was deemed masterful enough to be able to switch protection levels himself, Aara decided to bring Narxon along on her travels to destroy the hidden Omega facilities.

 

“You know, Aara. When we first met, you said you were a....drifter-hunter, but you have a home to go to. What's up with that?” asked Narxon on the day they were going to leave.

 

“Hunter-drifter,” corrected Aara. “Big difference. But yes, I'll return to the silo when I feel like it, yet when I brought your carcass back to the silo, it was almost fifty years since I had last been there. I just basically go from place to place. I'll detect Omega signals, find the source, and destroy the lab, rinse and repeat. Plain and simple. Of course, concerning the monetary side to all this... I have plenty from the Omega facilities I've robbed over the years. Those places are typically loaded, so I'm practically a millionaire now.”

 

Narxon scratched his head and sighed. “The more I learn, the more I feel like an outlaw.”

 

“Hey, we're not technically outlaws, I've never been caught, have I? So, in the eyes of the public, we're not outlaws. And, besides, even if they did, miraculously, find out about us, they'd never be able to catch us. We're the outlaws that protect the world from the other outlaws. And if we so wanted to, we could use our power to take over the planet, then launch a campaign and claim systems one by one. The Sohacima Empire.”

 

Narxon's response was a stare that clearly said that he didn't know how to respond to that.

 

“But, I'm not entirely up to being empress,”Aara continued. “It's a lot of work. The masses should be thankful that I don't feel like conquering their asses.”

 

“Yeeaah, whatever,” said Narxon. “So, where are we flying to first?”

 

“Oh, we don't fly. Flying's convenient, yeah, but we're going on an old-fashioned road trip, dude. We're heading east. I'll be searching along the road for Omega signals, until we reach our destination: Capitol City.”

“We're going to the Capitol?!”

 

“Yup,” said Aara. “Of every place I have been, the Capitol is one place I have not been to. I logically thought that a place like that would be devoid of any Omega energy. But, I got to thinking recently, with the number of Omega labs on the rise, perhaps someone is working behind the scenes in the Capitol. So, we're going to go scout out the city. Who knows, maybe we'll find something there. Anyways, moving on... Betsy and I have a late birthday present for you.”

 

“A present?” Narxon asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Aye,” replied Aara. “Let's go to her lab, she has it there.”

 

When the two of them reached Betsy's lab, they saw Betsy standing next to a large black dog with dark blue eyes and dark blue lightning bolt symbols along it's back.

 

“Here ye are, laddie. This guy is yer support robot,” said Betsy, patting the dog on the back. “He will assist you in and out of battle, and can transform into a variety of objects from a hovercycle to a battlesuit designed especially for you. Take good care of him, y'hear?”

 

“Uh, sure,” said Narxon.

 

“Go on, introduce yerself,” Betsy said to the dog.

 

“Greetings. I am SIRIUS X583 Mark II. It is an honor to serve you, Master Narxon,” said the dog.

 

“Hi,” said Narxon uncertainly. “Um, I like it, but... what's the catch? A robot like this would cost me millions of dollars. And for that matter, this cyborg surgery. Are you expecting payment or something?”

 

“Who the hell do ye think Ah am, boy?!” snapped Betsy. “Unlike all thems other so-called “scientists” out there, Ah don't look for monetary profits for mah work. Bunch of greedy, senseless bastards, they are. They start out 'oooh, lookit, Ah can build a special engine' and then they sell their creation to a company who just copies the engine and sells it for an astronomical price. Ah'm an 900-year-old cyborg, laddie. Ah don't need money. Ah only give mah inventions to people whom I know will use mah stuff right. Ah don't sell them for mass production. Those “other” scientists can stick their money up their ass, for all Ah care. So, in conclusion, be thankful for what Ah've given ye, laddie. After all, yer one of us, now.”

 

“Right,” said Narxon.

 

“We should get going. The road calls us! You'll be needing Sirius there, Narxon. He can transform into a hovercycle for ya.”

 

Narxon blinked. “I just realized, I don't have a license.”

 

“Psh! Me neither,” said Aara. “Have I ever been pulled over? Nnnnnnope. So grow a pair and lets get going.”

 

Narxon rolled his eyes. “Oh, boy.”

 

“See ya, Betsy. Hold down the fort for us, and while you're at it, open the hatch for us, if you will” said Aara.

 

“Ye know it.”

 

“Come along, Sirius,” said Narxon, and the robot dog trotted alongside him. The three of them flew up through the open hatch and landed on the desert sand. The whole area was dotted with burn marks and glass where beam attacks had melted the sand during Narxon's training.

 

“I never really imagined becoming something like this. I just imagined myself being trapped working in that town for the rest of my life,” said Narxon.

 

“Life tends to throw you curve balls like that,” said Aara. At that point, Nina the cat suddenly popped out of Aara's coat pocket.

 

“We're taking Nina with us?!” Narxon exclaimed.

 

“Of course,” said Aara. “You can't expect Betsy to take care of her while we're gone, especially when she gets tied up in her work.”

 

“But-”

 

“Oh, she'll be fine, ya worrywart. She's a smart cat. Isn't that right, Nina?” The cat purred in response.

 

“Okay... Let's get going...” said Narxon uncertainly. “You said Sirius can transform into a hovercycle, right? Don't you have a vehicle?”

 

“Indeed,” said Aara as she took what seemed to be a small marble from her pocket. She dropped it on the ground and instantly, a large black hovercycle (a motorcycle that hovers) with red tones seemed to sprout from the marble. Narxon had to admit: It looked pretty badass. Sirius transformed into a hovercycle that looked similar to Aara's, except it had the blue tones.

 

“I almost forgot...” Aara said, and then she pulled a folded blue jacket from her inside pocket. “This is for you. Since you're a fully fledged member of the Sohacima Group and all. Plus, it's proofed against most laser blasts, so you don't end up with holes in your clothes if we somehow become target practice.”

 

“Uh, thanks,” said Narxon. He felt weird wearing it, since it was similar to Aara's, barring the different colors. He felt they seemed to stand out too much.

 

“If we keep going that way, we'll eventually hit a road, and from there, we head east on our journey to the Capitol,” said Aara, getting onto her hovercycle, and Narxon followed suit. “Now, onwards!”

 

The engines revved up and the two of them were speeding across the desert. Narxon almost fell off of his, since he wasn't used to the sudden change in speed.

 

END OF CHAPTER SIX

 

Note: Yeah, I know, another short chapter, but the next chapter will be much longer, I promise.