Kartega

The yellow gleam of the Circulum System ring cast a warm light over the jungle and Sid welcomed the change from Jericho’s bright white glow. While she knew the white sun provided the warmth that Neostar needed to survive, Sid was much more used to gentler shades of light. Having grown up hurtling through space in a dimly lit spaceship, her eyes took some time to adjust to Neostar’s dazzling views even with her googles on. Her muscles screamed for relief, exhausted and overly used from hours of walking through uneven terrain.

The trail she had been following was wild with hills, forcing her to pitter patter down oily, slick grass the color of night only to then have to climb a wall of rocks in her way. There was no rhyme or reason to how the jungle had taken shape. It reminded her of a puzzle Colton sent once of a three-dimensional reconstruction of the towers. What he’d failed to mention were the seven missing pieces in the game, pieces that made everything make sense and come together. Sid had spent days constructing globes and cubes, trying to force them together; except they never quite fit. No matter what she tried, she ended up with a mess of angles that didn’t look anything like the magnificent towers she had seen in her studies. The queen wouldn’t have stood for the catastrophic creation Sid had come up with. When she finally figured out that parts were missing, she called Colton, furious and crying over the lost time. He only laughed, telling her that she had learned a good lesson that day; life is full of hills and valleys, what matters is what you do to get across.

As she stepped over a log covered almost entirely in purple star flowers, she smiled remembering Colton’s words. They could not have rung truer to her current situation.

Sid’s head was starting to spin and her stomach growled from hunger. From a distance, her clunky steps and loud belly noises likely sounded similar to the rest of the jungle creatures and she welcomed the camouflage with a smile. If whatever she’d heard near the pod thought she belonged here, it probably wouldn’t try to eat her head.

Smacking her dry lips together, Sid dragged herself forward with a smile. In her last few hours of stumbling through the jungle, the only thing she encountered that even slightly resembled water had been the dew that collected on top of the large, purple leaves of Hickerberry that seemed to crowd the base of every tree in the jungle. She knew there must be water nearby for such a lush environment to flourish and could have sworn she heard the rush of water somewhere in the background of the jungle’s cacophony.

She carefully lowered herself down a rocky incline and sat at the base, her feet dangling off the edge and lightly brushing the cool flow of water in the river below.

“Well, I’ll be stardamned,” she announced, reaching her hand into the chilled river. “This thing goes on forever!”

The river stretched on for as far as Sid could make out. It looped and swerved in the distance, cutting the jungle in half. Over its surface, she could see vines the size of tree trunks growing from one side to the other, forming bridges and passageways that loomed atop the trickling of the water. The trees were denser here, stretching so high that she lost sight of where they ended. She traced their trunks, extending her gaze as far as it would take her, all the way up to the yellow glow of the ring.

It must have been right above her now because the rays from the energy the ring collected from the Domer chips glowed through the treetops, forming glistening pools of light in the river.

“Beautiful,” Sid whispered, lazily petting the Needling fern next to her. This was always one of her favorite plants though she’d never been able to sustain one into adulthood in her greenroom; the vitamins it required from the soil did not lend well to the artificial life she was able to provide. Regardless of her failed attempts, Sid would spend days tending to a young Needling, trying to coax it into existence. Something about the green shoots that grew sporadically out of its circular base made her think of a creature from Colton’s home planet. The porcupine or something silly like that. Why porcupine? She asked Colton once. His response was as useless as ever. Why not? Was all he offered and at that, she left the matter alone.

The ring shifted somewhere high above her, causing the rays of light to duck behind an overly thick tree trunk.

“Oh, for the love of!” she yelled, suddenly realizing that if the ring was over her head that meant it was halfway through its rotation. She had no idea how far away she was from the towers, knowing only the general direction towards which she should aim based on her view of them from the crash site. If Sid had to guess, she’d say she walked almost half the way there but there was no way of telling for certain. For all she knew, she’d gotten turned around somewhere and strayed even further off the mark. The last thing Sid wanted was to spend the night in the jungle alone. If the noises were scaring her now, they’d do a lot more damage when she couldn’t see a centimeter in front of her face.

She hopped off the rocky edge and splashed her boots into the river. The water was low, just grazing the top of her ankles, and the bottom felt soft, almost like sand but with a sticky base that gave it some form. It was a welcome change from what she’d been climbing over thus far. She jumped up and down, giggling each time the water splashed back and hit her legs. This was nothing like the shower on the Arcturus. Sid laughed hysterically, kicking her boots in every direction, twirling and screaming for joy.

“Grrrrrrrr,” a low, guttural sound emerged from the trees behind her, followed by a similar screeching, yodel to the one she heard earlier.

Sid’s face paled and she froze, each muscle tensing from trying not to quiver. Her eyes turned first, followed by her head moments later. A few very excruciating moments.

“There’s nothing there. There’s nothing there. There’s nothing there,” she recited as she stretched herself up to look over the edge of the riverbank.

And how mistaken she was.

She saw its claws first, digging into the rocky terrain just above her. Claws that protruded from massive, muscled paws that looked like they were made for crushing. Her gaze traveled up the creature’s legs; although logs would have been a better way to describe them. Its entire body was covered in grey skin that had the pearlescent texture of scales. Can this thing swim? She thought. Oh, who cares! You need to get out of here!

Sid ripped her attention away from the beast and started to run, turning only once to see it open its wide set jaw to growl. The beast’s teeth glistened with saliva; all two rows of them. She could see it dripping down the large patch of dreaded hair that hung from the lower half of its face. The only hair this thing had on all of its body.

“Right, who needs hair when you have ten tons of body muscle to keep you warm!” Sid yelled, still running.

The creature turned down its pointed ears and without hesitation, took off after her.

Sid’s legs propelled her forward like she was hooked to a rotator engine. Each turn of the river slowed her down but only by a fraction. She could hear the creature on her tail, steps as loud as the crash of her pod must have been. She didn’t get the best look at the stardamned thing before she ran but she would say it was twice her height and that’s not counting it standing on its hind legs. Which is exactly what it started doing when she turned around again; getting up as high as it could before growling and charging after her again. It was like it was trying to show her just how big it was. As far as Sid was concerned, that wasn’t necessary. She understood the size of the beast. She was doing everything she could to not empty her bladder in her suit because of that understanding.

“Leave me alone!” She yelled and tossed a rock behind her.

The creature swerved right, the rock missing it by a few centimeters. Its eyes narrowed and it huffed loudly, small puffs of smoke escaping its wrinkled nostrils. Great, now it’s mad.

Sid jumped out of the river, climbing onto the bank opposite the beast. She caught its gaze. Something wasn’t right here. The creature wasn’t running at full speed, it was almost galloping next to her. Like it was trying to slow itself down to match her pace.

At the next turn, Sid stomped her heels into the ground. Her body skidded to a stop and she balanced on the tips of her dirt covered boots to stay upright. She turned to the beast, her eyes widening as she watched it do the same. “No way!”

Sid took a few steps back. The beast followed. She hopped forward; the beast hopped after her. Well, attempted to hop. Its muscle-bound body barely left the ground but she got the message. She ran as fast as she could and came to an abrupt stop. The beast took off, grinding down the ground until it skidded to the same mark across the river; its wrinkled half-tail shaking wildly. “Starspit! You’re playing!” She yelped and took a light step toward the edge of the river.

One leg at a time, Sid lowered herself into the water. She was almost waist deep when the beast leapt past the edge and plummeted into the cold wet next to her.

Sid wiped beads of river water off her goggles. She was soaked.

Letting out a heart pounding laugh she stepped toward the beast, but it shrank away from her, startled by the sound.

“No, don’t be scared!” She yelped, “I won’t hurt you.”

Sid raised her hand gently and inched it closer to the creature’s nose. She closed her eyes, standing as still as she could manage with her palm outstretched in front of her. Squinting, she opened one lid to a sliver. “Come on,” she whispered. “Come on.”

Before she could reach her hand further, the beast lowered its weighted head and pressed its grey, wrinkled nose into her palm. Ew, she thought, feeling the wet of its nose slobber on her fingers. Sid moved in closer, this time the beast stayed firm, pressing into her hand agreeably. As she moved her palm up the ridges of its malformed nose line, Sid patted what she could only assume was a forehead. It was hard to tell with all the lumps in the way.

The beast wiggled under her touch excitedly.

“You’re just a big softy, aren’t you? With your stupid teeth and scary growls. You’re nothing but a giant pet!” She yelped, petting the beast furiously.

The beast’s tail wagged enthusiastically. “You wouldn’t know which way leads to the towers, would you?”

Silence.

“You know,” she said again, pointing her hands above her head to mimic the shape of the buildings. “The towers!”

The beast hopped back excitedly and shoved its nose as straight as it could get it in the direction opposite the flow of the water.

“It’s that way? Really? Wow, I’m really turned around here.” She sighed, “I’ll never make it before Starset.”

Sid slumped over her legs. She was stuck in the jungle. Over night; with no food, no water and no shelter. She wanted Colton. She wanted her ship and she wanted home. Sid straightened up and looked at the beast’s questioning stare, its head tilted sideways as if trying to understand her sorrow. At least she had a friend.

She was about to climb out of the water when two large paws outstretched in front of her. Her lips parted as she watched the creature lower its head and look up at her.

“What do you want now?” She asked.

The beast stomped its paws further into the riverbank and lowered its head so low it was almost close enough to take a sip. It wiggled its tail, then the rest of its body, watching her the entire time.

“Wait, you’re not serious? You want me to get up there?”

Sid pointed to the beast’s back and it shook its head dramatically. “Climb on you? Really?”

There was a mix of emotions rolling in her. This was by far the most dangerous thing she could ever do and if Colton was here, well, she’d never hear the end of it. Although if Colton was here, he’d likely have killed the creature already and she would never have gotten the chance to meet this spectacular animal.

“What in the stars does Colton know anyway?” She exclaimed and walked around the side of the beasts hunched body.

Sid raised one arm up, patting its back to test it. It was definitely sturdy enough to carry her. Her and possibly even her escape pod with a few weights added for good measure. The animal next to her was the largest thing she’d ever seen! She wrapped a fist around one of the dreads of fur on the beasts chin and hoisted herself up. Well, this is weird.

“So, what do we do no–”

Before she could finish asking the question, the beast shot up and Sid tightened her grip on its fur to keep from toppling over. It took a step forward, splashing waterfalls of river from its paws. It was testing her, making sure she held on. “Clever little thing,” Sid mused and leaned in.

Her new friend wasn’t exactly the best smelling thing she’d been close to lately but it still beat having to walk the rest of the way.

“To the towers!” Sid yelled and tried to keep yesterday’s dinner in her stomach as the beast galloped forward.

* * *

The ride was faster than Sid expected and after a few close calls, she had actually gotten the hang of moving with the beast’s jerky strides. She leaned into the fast turns and lowered her body tight against its muscled back when it ran faster. All things considering, aside from the sour smell that came off the animal, this might have been an even smoother ride than the escape pod.

They had long passed the river’s outstretched bank, making most of their journey through the dense jungle instead. Sid couldn’t see much as they zoomed past the trees but once in a while, when the beast slowed to catch its breath, she had a chance to admire the beauty around her. Wild and untouched, like the bottomless pit of her own heart.

After an hour of riding, the trees began to part, letting the setting light of Jericho glisten over the horizon. She could see the outline of the ring in the distance, its Starset pass coming to an end. The beast halted, digging its taloned paws into the ground.

It was then that Sid saw it.

Not too far off from where they had stopped, the overpowering glitter of the tower panes sprouted before her. They were so much taller than she had imagined. It was as though they were mocking her simply by existing. Light reflected off every perfectly sculpted angle, making the towers look like a kaleidoscope of colors. Kaleidoscope — another word Sid never understood.

“Look at that! Isn’t it something?”

She patted the beast’s side, urging it to move but it refused to budge. Sid tapped it lightly with the side of her boot but the beast only shook its head and continued to stand still. “You don’t want to go in, do you?”

The beast shook its head again and slowly lowered to the ground. Its gaze downward in a melancholy refusal.

“It’s alright,” Sid smiled. “Don’t feel bad. I can go alone.”

She climbed off its back and started to walk toward the light, turning back to face her new friend.

“Thank you. Really, thank you!” She said and waved before running to the larger than life steel and glass bridge that stretched out before her.

* * *

Crouching at the edge of the bridge, Sid was careful to stay out of sight. She could see a few Starblades patrolling along the sides of the bridge with a larger group closer to the entrance arch. She studied them carefully, taking in the glory of their perfectly tailored blue suits that formed seamlessly to every taut muscle. The material reflected in the light. Chromium, she thought, remembering that the suits the Starblades wore were more than just a fashion statement. Each piece was designed to offer the best chances in battle and each piece was constructed from a breathable metal that offered not only support, but an impenetrable shield of protection. Colton had once told her that on his home planet, his own people often participated in hand to hand combat and suits — much like the ones on the Starblades before her — prevented injury in immeasurable ways. The nanite-infused fabric acted not only as a safeguard but a lifesaving device, able to repair tissue damage if a Starblade was hurt in battle. Sid could never understand that part; if the two species of Neostar were at peace, why would Colton’s people need that much protection?

The Starblades seemed lost in conversation, chattering about their day and laughing heartily at jokes Sid could only imagine were aimed at the Domers. Each held their blade upright, ready for attack. The spear-like blades were over a meter in length fashioned in the same light-blue shade as the Starblades uniforms. The tips of the blades beamed a pulsing blue glow, continuously recharging their power.

Sid had studied the weapons for nights on end, learning everything she could about their mechanics. The spears drew their power from the ring, circulating across the shaft and sending electrical currents into the tips. On impact, the electricity collided with the victim, causing either paralysis or death, depending on the thrust and weight behind it. They were simple weapons that when used correctly, could take down an opponent in the blink of an eye. Sid had no doubt that if any of the Starblades spotted her lurking under the bridge, she’d be dust before she could curse the stars.

There has to be another way in!

Her attention shifted to the arch beyond the bridge. She could maybe climb in? The thought had barely made an imprint before she shook it off. Even if Sid could scale the web-like dome structure, she’d have to drop five stories down to make it into Tower City. And who knew what she’d be falling into, or if she could even survive the drop. Looking up at the entrance arch, that seemed like a very big if.

“Pod coming in!” She heard one of the Starblades yell out and turned to follow his gaze.

Just beyond the rail under which she was hiding, an oval shaped pod whooshed past her and came to a stop just meters away. Sid was so busy admiring the Starblades, she completely forgot about the worker trains.

Yes! Sid shouted in her head. She simply needed to wait for the workers to pile out of the train and be led into Tower City. If she could blend in with them, she’d get past the Starblades and into the city without a hitch.

She held her breath and waited. A few moments passed and Sid was almost blue in the face when the pod’s doors slid open and a mass of workers piled out. She counted fifty-seven, just enough to hide her in plain sight.

They rushed the pods doors, emptying out onto the bridge and staining it the color of rust and grime. The worker’s faces, covered in debris and oil, made them look like they had not bathed in weeks. Sid studied their mannerisms and the casual way in which they interacted with one another. A man slapped the back of a boy next to him and her eyes jerked to the scar on the back of the kid’s neck, still fresh from the chip injected in there. Her fingers grazed the back of her own, un-chipped neck and she smiled. Sid was glad she had at least one thing that made her different from her own kind. She was un-chipped and though she knew that having gotten to hold on to her magic was not something a Domer was allowed to do, it made her just that much closer to Colton’s people than her own. It seemed odd to her that the only things that made the two races different was the shape of their eyes and magic. She’d give both up in a heartbeat if it meant she could be nothing like the group before her now. As the last of the Domers stepped off the pod’s platform, the doors slid shut and the transport pod shot up into the air, leaving behind a windblown mass of workers in filthy clothes. A stark comparison to the group guarding the bridge. The workers attire was nothing like the pristine suits of the Starblades, tunics made of patches and random scraps of fabric — that Sid was certain were just more patches — wrapped around their bodies and tied off at the waist with long belts. While her suit did not look exactly like their ripped cropped pants and belted hoods, all the dirt she had gathered on it from her trip so far should help disguise her in the crowd.

Sid stayed down until half of the workers were off the pod then made a run for it.

The Starblades were so busy ushering in the crowd that no one was paying any attention to her hiding spot beneath the bridge. She might actually have a chance at this!

Her hands were shaking and her goggles started to fog but she ran nonetheless. She swerved past a group of workers who turned to grimace at her. One of them raised a threatening fist and Sid turned, shooting up her hands apologetically. She rushed through the crowd, trying to push her way into the belly of the hoard. To stay as hidden as possible.

Muck! This is going to work!

The smile had no time to reach her lips when Sid turned, crashing face first into a Starblade. Her feet twisted beneath her and before she could stop herself, she pummeled the man to the ground.

Sid’s face met his chest plate first. Her hands followed soon after. She squinted her eyes, opening them one by one to face the Starblade, her body splayed directly on top of his. She started to hoist herself up to apologize when he spoke, his voice rough from having the breath knocked out of him.

“Well, this can’t be good,” the Starblade noted.

Sid followed his eyes to the floor. Her face contorting into a look of horror as she took in the bent, and very broken, light-blue spear laying next to them.

So much for blending in…