PD-Universe Eternal Ch. 3

Chapter 3
Space Station Midspace


“So, you said there was no chance of failure? It seems that YOU have failed me, as well.”

“I’m sorry, sir. My calculations all pointed to the success. It was random chance that brought the intruders to the ship.”

“Have you discovered their identities from the ship’s cameras?”

“Yes. The Aquari is actually very famous in his line of work, and the Sunian, Tiejaz, I’ve discovered, is a prime example of what an assassin should be like. It’s too bad neither of them…support us.”

“Yes, whatever. Now that this plan has failed, we need another, something that won’t falter when we implement it. It seems that we have found a contact who would be willing to do our bidding."

"Ah, those assassins? Good choice, sir. I've heard nothing but great things of their skills."

"At least the one. Now go and work on whatever project you're on now."

"Yes sir! I'll work with diligence!"
********************

“What?! You’re the president of Food Inc.?!” Camis exclaimed.

“Yeah, yeah, but keep it quiet. I’m on vacation,” Aaron said.

“Pffft. Yeah, on a 3 year vacation,” Tiejaz mumbled. “You realize that you’ve been away from that place longer than you’ve actually worked there?”

“So…you’re actually THE ONE president of the second largest company in Universal Sector 4?!” Camis asked, still astonished. “It said on the news you’d died!”

“Oh, yeah…about 15 times and counting, so far,” Aaron replied, laughing. “After a while, I got to be so famous that I had to fake my death. You know, cut off an arm here and there, sacrifice a head. I’d make it look different every time: suicide, murder, accident, freak disappearance. It’s beginning to become a hobby. It’s kind of scary when you spend your nights thinking how you’re going to die tomorrow.”

Everyone had become very situated aboard the Aquari delivery ship. Camis had been broken free of the cage, and now sat in a very comfy chair on board, with a Kaffo in hand. Aaron had taken up the pilot’s chair, even though the ship was on auto-pilot, and had it turned around to face Camis behind him. Tiejaz had taken the co-pilot seat, it being the last available seat in the place.

They had left Goud tied up aboard his own ship, and had forced it to return to wherever it had come from. Though Tiejaz suggested following it to the Shadoh Empire HQ, Aaron said they were too busy and had to become a guild quickly.

“So…this guild you’re building…what do I have to do to join?” Camis asked.

“I’m not sure, exactly, but it’s a series of tests. I know that, at least,” Aaron explained. “They’re held on the Space Station.”

“Test of Knowledge, Skill, and Fear,” Tiejaz further elaborated. “Three quizzers give their tests. Pass all three, with at least three members, and you get to create your own guild, and take missions for cash and shiny weapons.”

“How long until we get there?” Camis asked.

“Oh…I’d say about now,” Aaron said, smiling.

Multiple screens flashed on the ship’s computers, each one telling the three that they were there, the Space Station was inhabitable, and that they would be docking at any moment.

Aaron stood up. “Ok, get ready. Our tests await!”
********************

Andy Ruper wasn’t in a very good mood.

As a Bobeune (a humanoid plant-based life form from a planet the size of a golf ball, only accessible through size rays), and a Bobeune prince no less, he would never have thought that he would be forced to become a delivery boy.

Oh well, he sighed, I don’t expect any special treatment. Bob changes rulers more often than they change ion-drive prices.

It wasn’t the recognition he hated, it was his client.

The man had come in, a tall Dromerian, demanding that they bring Andy to him immediately. Andy didn’t know this man particularly, but the guy demended that only he deliver this particular package, which was damp and smelled of mold.

As Andy was walking out, he found a small electronic device with the names of all the employees of the delivery company, with his name highlighted. That jerk! He had randomly chosen a person, and proceeded to make their life miserable.

So, Andy found himself delivering a strange moron’s package to Midspace. There wasn’t anything wrong with the last part, however. Andy thoroughly enjoyed the sights and activities on Midspace. There were so many things to do there.

You could join a Traveler’s Guild and accept missions across the galaxy. You could pick up news, brand new technology, or just a bite to eat at any one of the great restaurants that had set up shop there. You could meet other travelers and even challenge them to 1-on-1 fights in the various arenas there.

That was the life Andy wanted. Not as some average prince delivery boy, but as some famous traveler with a Class S license. He wanted to challenge someone to a battle with his patented weapon, the axe-saber, a sword with a small axe blade that covered the hand when you held it. It could be used as an actual axe as well, in terms of strength.

It was of his own brilliance that he designed a weapon of that caliber. He was good at that, making devices. His room on Bob and his ship that he was currently in were littered with small objects that he had toyed with and built. Even the ship he was flying was custom made, and was dubbed the “Golden Potato.” He was definitely an expert inventor.

Andy sighed as Midspace loomed closer and closer on his monitor. It loomed like the giant ball of metal floating in space that it was. Surrounding it were large curved tubes connected by smaller bits of metal that connected them to the ball. Those were used as generators for force-fields and storage places.

A small blip appeared on his ship’s radar.

“I wonder what they’re doing here,” Andy asked himself as he opened more menus and viewed the other ship. “If they’re starting a guild or in one, I’m going to join. I HAVE to do something to relieve me of this extreme boredom.”

With a few more button taps, he sped faster towards the looming space station ahead.
********************

On the space station, in a small room with a few beds, a mini-fridge, and a TV-like device with over 5,000 channels, Camis and Tiejaz waited for Aaron to return from the Guild Center. The entire room was metallic, with little color. The builders had put as little effort into decorating it as possible in order to save their decorative talent for people with more money.

The three had scattered their things across the room in an unbelievable amount of time, giving the room the appearance that they had been there for days. The fridge had already been half-emptied, and weapons and computer parts were strewn about the beds and desks.

Camis was sitting on the side of one of the room’s odd beds. They were shaped like a half-sphere, with the rounded part set on the floor and the flat part with a wide array of sheets depending on size and species. There were four of these beds in the room.

Camis kicked the bed impatiently.

Tiejaz glanced over at Camis from the TV, which he stood in front of.

“What’s up with you?” he asked.

“I don’t really know. I’m nervous, I guess,” Camis said, continuing to kick the bedside, “partly from anxiety for the tests, and partly because I may never get a chance to go home again.”

“We told you we’d let you visit anytime, but you’d have to pay for the transportation. Come on! Have a Kaffo! Things always seem better after a Kaffo!” Tiejaz said, trying to cheer Camis up.

There was a long pause.

“So…what exactly do the exams entail?” Camis inquired.

“Oh, it’s not much,” Tiejaz said. “First, they test the group’s physical battling skills, followed by some sort of test they change for every exam, and ending with a test they’ll announce later, when they feel like it,” Tiejaz said, beginning to ruffle through the nearby mini-fridge. “Seriously, Kaffo?”

“No thanks, I’ve already had five,” Camis declined.

Tiejaz stared blankly at Camis.

“More for me, then!” he laughed, grabbing five cans of the carbonated beverage.
********************

A few minutes later, Aaron walked back into the room, leading a person who was obviously shorter than Aaron’s 10’ stature, but still very tall and thin. Any knowledgeable traveler could tell by his green, chlorophyll-filled skin, bright-red hair, and very thin tail with a leaf at the end of it, that he was a Bobeune. He was also carrying a small package in his hands and a weird sword on his back.

“Hello, guys! This is apparently Andy Ruper, a Bobeune prince of the week and delivery boy who wants to join the guild we’re starting. Any objections?” Aaron asked.

“Nope,” Camis stated.

“Can’t think of any reason to have any,” Tiejaz said, pointedly.

Andy looked slightly shaken by the non-caring.

“You…you’re just going to let me in without knowing my background or loyalty to the group?” he asked, shocked.

“Listen, //4II, I’m an assassin, Aaron’s a good fighter, and this short guy is apparently pretty handy with swords. What, is there a problem?” Tiejaz asked skeptically.

“No, not really,” Andy said, regaining his composure.

“Good, then welcome to the team!” Aaron laughed, giving Andy a large slap on the back, and accidentally sending him flying to the opposite end of the room.

Andy hit the wall and slowly slid down it. He caught his breath for a few seconds, and then got back up shakily.

“Does he always do that to the new guy?” Andy asked, still slightly gasping for air.

Tiejaz and Camis looked at each other.

“No, not really,” they said in unison.

“So, did you get the exam passes?” Tiejaz asked Aaron.

Aaron fished in his pocket and pulled out several crumpled credits, an empty can of Kaffo, a ship license to some guy named Wally, and finally revealed three plastic cards. He handed them to the other three, who looked at them for a few seconds after they received them.

“So, these’ll get us into the exam wing?” Camis asked.

“They just get us into the Battle Test. They’ll give us the rest of the cards as we proceed,” Aaron explained. “So, are we ready to go?”

Tiejaz shrugged. Camis jumped up off of his bed and grabbed his backpack and sword. Andy reached back and grabbed the handle of his axe-saber.

Aaron walked over to his bags and picked them up.

“Then what are we waiting for?”
********************

The space station maps were built to be as difficult to read as possible. They only reason the group consulted a map at all was because the hallways themselves were just as confusing, if not more. Twice the group had gone down a hallway, through some airlock door, and somehow appeared three levels below where they had started. It didn’t help that the space station was round, as it implored them to get lost in circles as well.

An hour later, Aaron was dragging Camis by one arm, Tiejaz was floating and making a sport out of combusting hall-lights, and Andy was walking slumped against a wall.

“Didn’t the designers take into account that people might actually want to GET SOMEWHERE in this place?” Andy asked despairingly.

“I don’t find the set-up too obnoxious,” Aaron said.

“That’s only because you enjoy insane challenges like this,” Tiejaz replied wearily, blowing up another two lights.

“So, Andy, your father’s the current king of Bob?” Aaron asked, ignoring Tiejaz. “That has to be pretty awesome.”

Andy laughed. “Not so much. You know, Bobeune rulers are elected by throwing stones into a crowd of people every other weekend. It’s done by a computer for the randomization. Whorever the stones hit are the kings of the planet for the 2 weeks until the next election,” he explained.

“Who started that strange tradition?” Camis asked, still being dragged by Aaron.

“Apparently the planet’s creators thought it to be a cruel joke. According to their lab reports I found, they never thought their mini-planet would grow any intelligent life. Instead, we ended up inventing the size-ray, bio-guns, and many other inventions that improved space travel tenfold.”

“And so you’ve become a delivery boy for what reason?” Aaron asked.

“It’s none of your business,” Andy ended pointedly.

“Wait…how’d we get here?!” Camis asked, struggling free of Aaron’s grip.

Everybody stopped in front of a huge door. To the right side of it was a silver plaque that read ‘Battle Hall.’

Aaron slapped his forehead.

“What?” Tiejaz asked.

“Duh! These floors are psychic navigation oriented,” Aaron explained. “I’ve seen this type of thing before. The only way to get to where you want to go is by releasing your mind from any thought whatsoever.”

“So…,” Camis said with a skeptical face, “the only way you can navigate around floors 239-250 is by lounging while walking?”

“Yep! Ingenious plan, if I do say so myself,” Aaron smiled widely.

The doors suddenly began to slowly open into a large room. Everyone looked at each other in confusion, shrugged, and walked into a very dark room.

Once the four had all entered, lights flickered on. The room became even vaster in the light. They were on a thin platform only 6 feet wide which led to a large octagonal platform in the center of the room. The central platform had a line across it, and it hovered over an expanse that even the light didn’t reach the bottom of. None of the sides were closer than 20 feet from a wall.

And in the center of the octagonal platform stood a red-scaled muscular half-dragon holding a pole.

The half-dragon, amazingly, and to the shock of everyone, was the same height as Aaron. His tail was bare, no spikes, and he had a white stripe that went down from his lower jaw. He wore a turquoise-colored uniform with bronze-colored armor and long brown pants, with two thin but powerful wings sticking out from the back of his shirt, but folded. He stood straight with the pole on his right side and his other hand at his side. On every toe and finger was a sharp black claw, and two white horns curved across the back of his head.

“You must be the examinees for the guild,” the half-dragon said. His voice made him sound like he had plenty of experience of anything. “My name is Brazen, and I am the Battle Test examiner. Would you like an explanation of the test?”

“Whoa….this place is awesome!” Aaron said in awe, looking around.

“So, what’s up with the vastness? You really don’t expect someone this big to try out for a guild, do you?” Andy asked.

“Yes, we’d like an explanation,” Camis said, apart from the others.

Everybody turned to look at him. Camis stood there facing Brazen with a set look of determination on his face. Silence took over the large stadium for some time.

Aaron whispered to Tiejaz, “I kind of wonder what’s up with him. He’s been edgy since the rescue.”

“He said nervousness,” Tiejaz explained. “But it’s probably something more. Forget about it, he’s fine, I think.”

“Very well, I shall explain,” he announced. “This test will be one of skill. Any weapons, traps, and devices may be used, as well as any skill or technique. On my armor there are four touch-sensitive markers. All you must do is fight me 4-on-1 and have each person hit me with an attack force of 50, which then will instantly pass them. I will both defend and attack, so stay on your guard. To check the force of your blows, you can check these watches,” he threw each person a small computerized watch, “and determine your progress from there.

“If, by any means, you are to fall off the octagonal platform, you lose, as does your team,” he continued. “This also is true if any one person says that they give up. Your victory depends on your teammate in all parts of this test, all three parts. Are you ready?”

Camis pulled out his sword, eager to fight. Aaron slowly pulled out his katana and stood with his left foot in front, holding his weapon behind him in his right hand. Tiejaz pulled two identical plasma guns and put his hands to his side. Andy pulled out his axe-saber and stood still. Brazen still stood still.

“Good. Give me your best,” Brazen requested, “and go!!!”

Brazen moved almost too quickly to watch. With his wings spread, he charged Aaron first. With barely enough time to react, Aaron parried the oncoming staff hit, but was knocked off his feet from a blow from behind. Brazen had quickly taken his back quicker than Aaron could react to.
Camis charged forwards and tried slashing Brazen with his sword, but only got air. From behind, Brazen smacked the back of Camis’ head with the back of his hand, causing Camis to fly forwards a good 6 feet and collapse in a heap.

“Isn’t he the fast one?” Andy asked Tiejaz.

“Yeah, I guess. This guy is probably only faster, though, because of the wings,” Tiejaz replied.

“Aerodynamic?”

“Yeah.”

Tiejaz quickly strafed around the octagonal arena, raising his guns and shooting at Brazen. All the examiner did, however, was summon a few balls of flame to hit the blasts, which cancelled each other out.

Andy stood where he was and closed his eyes. He concentrated his hand into a fist and punched the platform with all his power, creating a small hole. Reaching into his pocket, Andy pulled out a tiny bag and poured its contents into the divot, and said some words in Bobeune. He then stood up and pointed towards Brazen.

Immediately, hundreds of vines burst from the small hole and wrapped themselves around Brazen’s arms and legs. Thorns extended from the vines, digging into the half-dragon’s scaly skin. He had been completely immobilized.

“How’s that for increased speed?!” Andy yelled triumphantly.

“You PWNed that dragon guy!” Tiejaz gasped. “You gotta teach me those M4D SK1LLZ!”

Aaron and Camis shakily stood back up.

“Those must be the techniques of a Bobeune. It’s a first for me. Impressive!” Brazen said, strangely not struggling against the constricting vines.

“Now’s our chance! Everybody attack at once!” Aaron shouted.

Andy, Tiejaz, and Aaron simultaneously rushed forward with their weapons ready. After a blow from Aaron’s katana, a strike from Andy’s Axe-Saber, and a shot from Tiejaz’s pistols, Brazen was freed from the vines and sent flying towards a wall. Just in time, he flipped in mid-air, unfolded his wings, and did a spin back on to the platform.

“Very good, very good. It seems that you are a good beginning team,” Brazen commented, “despite the fact that the Bobeune has only recently applied and never fought with you other three.

“However,” he continued, “the wolf did not land a hit, or even try to attack when he had the opportunity. Therefore, the testing is now only him against me.”

“What?!” Tiejaz screamed in surprise, turning to Camis.

“Why didn’t you attack!?” Andy yelled, doing the same.

Camis didn’t respond, but only looked at the ground.

“He wanted to face him one on one, didn’t you, Camis?” Aaron asked. “You saw he had the opportunity to easily break free of the vines. It took a while to figure it out, but I finally realized that you’re probably annoyed that you got captured by that drone, Goud. You want to prove to yourself that you can take on stronger opponents, right?”

Camis gave a slight laugh. “Yeah, something like that.”

“So you trust that he can pull this off? If he fails, then you all fail, and there won’t be any guild for your team,” Brazen explained. “Do you still wish to let him fight alone?”

“Yeah, I’d like to see what he can do,” Aaron said.

“Very well, Camis, get ready,” Brazen commanded, turning to the Lycanian.

“You’re the one that needs to be prepaired!” Camis said, laughing.

He rushed at the half-dragon at a very-fast speed and instantly tried to get him with his sword. Brazen easily jumped out of the way, but Camis swung upward, recovering from a feint. Brazen unfolded his wings and got a little more height from his jump, but gave Camis his opportunity.

To the three observers, Camis seemed to emit a light from his body, which traveled to his sword. Immediately, air began to twist and speed around it, picking up a little floating dust, showing that the wind was actually spinning around his arm.

With a flick of his arm, Camis seemed to launch round blades of wind from the tornado around his arm, which flew towards Brazen, who was still stuck in mid-air. Brazen was able to disperse a few with his pole, but two of the blades hit him in the sides, though only light enough to leave a small impact. Brazen landed, immediately falling to one knee.
He laughed, and Camis smiled.

“Yes! That must be an aura attack, the Air Blades! It’s a fairly complex but popular wind attack that examinees use to beat me, but the way you used it showed a great amount of aura control!” Brazen congratulated.

“So, does this mean we pass?” Andy asked, hopeful.

“Yes, yes,” Brazen said. “You all have passed the first exam!”

Everyone handed him their cards. On each, he put his symbol, a red triangle altered to look like a diagonal clawed dragon’s hand. It must have been his own personal symbol, what with the simplicity and color on the design.

“You held back again, didn’t you?” Camis asked Brazen.

Brazen chuckled. “I thought you might figure it out. It’s not my place to fight you. I am only a tester. I am a temporary sensei who decides whether or not you are ready for the challenges ahead. However…

“Compared to the next challenges this will be your lucky break. The other two tests, I must say, are the hardest I’ve seen to date. I’d watch your step if I were you,” he continued with a warning.

Aaron laughed.

“I guess we’ll just have to see for ourselves how difficult it is,” he said. “It’s time for test #2! Let’s go!”

Aaron re-sheathed his katana and began walking towards the door. Everyone followed suit. The new quartet walked victoriously through the opposite door.

“Good luck!” Brazen called out as they disappeared into the hallway that led to the second examination room.
********************

Minutes later, Brazen appeared in a huge room with a spacey desk in the center, with a rather important looking human behind it, rather important enough to be the Overseer of Space Station Midspace and the head of the Galactic Guild Department. Of course, he was in a bluish suit with a black and white tie clinging to his neck, a cyber-magnetic clip-on.

“So, how went the test?” the man asked Brazen, who stood perfectly still in his usual pole-up position, mostly out of habit. “Do you think they did well?”

“They were certainly not our usual testers. They all had a drive, but not for fame, wealth, or power. It was like they all wished only to test because it was a challenge, they enjoy the adventure. It’s more like something out of an Ethervision show,” Brazen explained. “And the small one…he actually cut the scales on my left side. Not seriously, and it was even controlled not to do any serious damage. However, I sensed another power. Something deeper, more mysterious, yet familiar.”

“Hmmmm….interesting,” the man said, thinking about this. “Well, thank you for your time. That is all. You can take the week off, if you’d like. I’ll M-Mail you if we need you at any given time, so keep in contact with us.”

“Thank you, sir. I will continue to support you in the future.”

With that, Brazen teleported out of the room.

Once he appeared in his personal examiner room, he packed his things and left.

Hmmm. Familiar, yes. It was an artifact, I’m sure of it. Is it a sign of hope, or a precursor to the apocalypse? I guess only his actions will tell.