Chapter 14: Chapter 14: The Pocket
Zel has spotted it. The massive main storage space is almost completely empty, except for a cubic container that's at least ten meters tall. It is located in the dead center of the space with lots of small space crafts surrounding it all with chains connected to it, as it they are ready to burst out at any moment should the big cargo ship be destroyed.
'Cargo located. It's big.' Zel looked at the massive container in the middle and deducted that it must what the captain is looking for. By the look of it, it does seem like it could really hold some extraordinary piece of technology capable of helping one faction dominate the whole of the wild space.
'Noted.' The captain's words didn't really surprise Zel that much, but somehow, that one word gives Zel an ominous uneasy feeling, as if something has already been planned and the captain has already made his decision.
'Prepare for impact!' Someone distant away from Zel and the other crew member screamed all of a sudden, and the cargo ship shook violently almost at the same time.
Towards the far end of the space, something pierced through the shells of the ship and ignited within the main storage space leaving a quick flash. A massive shock wave rushes towards the container, the ships and Zel immediately after.
The hole left over from the piercing was peeled wide open like a chef dismantling an orange's skin with swift cuts. The metallic shielding of the ship was split into four neat pedals and they were forced to roll outwards as the immense pressure difference drove behind them.
Zel was thrown backwards by the initial shock wave and lost his orientation for a good while. The artificial gravity is shut off completely and the air flow towards the exit started pulling Zel towards the exit as his body started floating about.
What?
Zel didn't even have time to react to what's happened. He quickly reached backwards for his space suit, flicked it wide opens and started putting it on in a moment of pure panic and fear. He is speed up towards the exit, but the suit trousers are stuck at the knee. With some violent kicking action, it finally went through.
With about three hundred meters to go, the inner lining is finally sealed up. The outer layer soon followed and the inside of the suit is finally pressurized. Zel never stopped scanning around the environment as the suit enters its calibrating stage as he would have to stay at least somewhat still.
This is the single most dangerous moment as he has no control over where he is going and what he can do. He started spinning slightly. But that's not a big deal as his space suit isn't supposed to provide any sort of thrust at this moment so once things are calibrated, he should be ready to go.
'Calibrating...Calibrating...'
To Zel's surprise, the spinning motion doesn't seem to remain constant. His vision started becoming more and more blurry as he slowly accelerated tangentially and began getting more and more out of control.
It appeared that one of the thrusters on his spacesuit is malfunctioning somehow and really pushing him in the wrong direction.
Zel signed and started to concentrate intensely and try to make out where he is going and if he is in any imminent danger.
'Zero all. Shut down.'
After a few rotations, Zel realized that there is no longer any point in waiting for the suit's propulsion system to calibrate as the basic resting state is already quite problematic. Knowing him losing control of the suit would mean certain doom in this scenario, he shuts off all of the system and spread his arms and legs out wide sideways.
Thanks to the conservation of angular momentum, his rotation speed is slightly reduced, and he is able see his surroundings a bit more clearly. Zel reached all around with his right hand to check the thrusters placed throughout key joints of his body and realized quite a few of the thrusters have been deformed somehow. This is really bad news, but Zel already has a plan in mind, despite knowing the captain has definitely deemed him a worthy sacrifice and screwed him all over.
The shock wave missiles the captain undoubtedly fired is always best suited to cause chaos and leads to a lot of superficial damage in the near vicinity before the all the energy is dissipated. All Zel felt was simply a really strong blast of wind.
What's truly damaging is the aftermath, as most spaceships (especially human and Rockies made) will not be able to seal up the holes in time.
Take a shot every time rapid pressure difference change in space kills someone. You might find yourself needing an Aquarian recovery bed the next morning.
All the space crafts what were parked near the cargo container has already switched on the engine in response to the attack and prepared to move out. With an organised action, all off them lifted off at the same time and turned around in a synchronous march, spinning the container around. The chains connecting to the cables slowly loses slack and straightened up as they flew towards the hole.
'Grappling. Fire.' The voice command centre stopped responding all together once Zel ordered the shutdown. Great news.
Zel quickly judged the distances between him and the container that's slowly accelerating away. His Grappling hook has a safe range of about ten meters, or a maximum range of twenty. The cable he uses will be able to handle loads about twice his body weight Safely and forces much less at much greater length. This sort of material property has always been one that's favored by designers of past and present, despite the possibility that the absolute strength might be less than its brittle brothers, the long and gradual failure mode allows for any vaguely intelligent being to spot the failure site and replace the part.
In space or zero gravity environments where not much forces are required to move around unless you are trying to turn a rocket around, Zel should be able to utilize the full extent of the cable's strength.
The container is now about thirty meters away. Zel judges it visually as he tried to knock some sense into his visor, but no reading shows up. It seemed like the shock wave and his subsequent fall has damaged the circuitry of it.
Knowing he probably has one shot, Zel got started on disconnecting some of the wires attached the grappling hook. Most of the higher functions of his arm can only be performed at closed range, and the further the cable extends, the less things Zel can do with it.
But currently, he only needs it to do one thing.
'Fire.' Zel whispers the word and triggers the firing mechanism. The mechanical hand shot off straight at the container, pulling the cable stored in various sections of the mechanical arm. It made impact in a few seconds, and grabbed on.
Zel slowly started to rewind the cable to check it's strength. It seemed unmovable after a gentle pull, and Zel also drifted closer towards the container. He lets the air held in his lungs go and started pulling himself towards the box.
He is attached on the backside of the container out of sight of anyone, and he simply held on with magnetic suction pads and digs his hand deep into the container case.
There were some sort of explosion going on the other side of the container, and all of the ships rushed out into the space with the container behind them.
The space battle is in full effect at this moment. The rag tag group of fighters and medium sized ships led by the Ghostly Shadows have cut off the connection of the cargo ship and the rest of its force, who are surrounding the whole of the Ghostly Shadows.
Small fighters from both sides are in the middle of an intense dogfight as they constantly outran the projectile weapons, tanked the laser shots that hit them with the energy shields and remained fairly equally matched.
Despite the disorganized look, the formations of the Ghostly Shadows actually remained surprisingly intact and really held back the bigger factions.
However, things aren't all sunshines and rainbows for the Ghostly Shadows as the reinforcements have already surrounded them, closing off any path for escape in all directions.
As both sides entered into a stalemate, the combat began to calm down and Zel can only assume some sort of talks are already going on at this moment.
It also became quite evident that the talks didn't go so well at all.
The ships on the outer circle started to charge up their weapons, intending to destroy all of Ghostly Shadow's forces in one go, but the Ghostly Shadows responded in kind by pointing the guns at the cargo.
At Zel.
'No good.' Zel knew he had to move out of the way, and it seems like the only way out is in.
It doesn't seem like the container is going to keep Zel safe from the full force of a dozen ships, but it will be better than getting vaporized in an instant.
Finally, the visor's reboot is complete, and Zel has decided to get started with saving himself.
With a quick visual scan of the surface not too dissimilar to the one he performed on the outer layer of the cargo ship, he has found some more evidence of steel work for it. The containers are likely to be pressurized as well, but there won't be any pressure seals compared to the ship. So if he actually blew the whole thing open, there will not be coming back for him at all.
'Do you have eyes on the cargo?'
Suddenly, the captain's message is patched through. He certainly knew that Zel was IN the cargo ship when the missile was fired, and he just as well pretends that he didn't try to kill him, and acted like that was a part of the plan.
How predictable. Zel grinded his teeth and started to lose his cool slightly, with a frustrated swing of his arm, it dug quite deep into the container. On the grand scale of things, however, it was just a scratch.
'You seemed to be moving well. Stay there and stay put.' The captain ordered, knowing Zel couldn't do anything else, 'Don't you lose it.'
Zel felt surges of fire and lightning roaring from inside him. He wasn't planning to do anything at this moment, but now he felt compulsive, irrational and angry. He wanted to do something.
Anything to piss the captain off, anything to make him feel regret.
Anything to make him pay for what he did to her.
Zel switched off the communication link, reached behind him to get the last of the explosive gel.
He propelled himself towards where he believed the weakest point of the container is, loosens everything up with his metal arm and applied a generous portion of the explosive gel.
'Fire.'
With a slick flash of light, the container was blown right open, and something came out.
That thing is a whirl of silver colored and yet somehow opaque cloud soft materials that seemed to have a mind of it's own. It took it's chance to get out through the opening Zel has made with his explosives, and clashed right in the face with Zel.
Suddenly, everything around Zel stopped. The layers of ships are all completely fixed in space like it's on a painting. The distant stars formed the perfect background, gently illuminating on the container and letting the reflected light off it provide a soft gentle lighting. Zel, being the lonely space-walker, was at the center of the masterpiece.
What is happening here?
A screaming voice came from inside Zel's mind, yet it's sounds and tone is completely different from Zel's usual inner thoughts. He tried to turn around and look, but realized immediately that his body isn't moving an inch.
Time seemed to have been frozen.
'What is happening here?' Zel tried to open his mouth and talk, but could only hear his voice,
'Who is talking?'
Oh for gods sake am I trapped in someone's useless body again? Are you kidding me? I can't even just chill in peace without people trying to get inside me every other minute?
The voice inside Zel ignored his question, but went on to complain about everything ever existed.
'What?' Zel asked, 'I don't want you here. Just let me get back to normal.'
No kidding, kid. The voice said, I don't want you here either. But my frickin programming says otherwise. But hey, it's okay, I have no rush.
'No rush to do what?' Zel started to get a bit impatient and questioned.
Hey kid, just get on with it okay. I will read the instructions, and you go ahead.
'What are you talking...'
Fight! Using the artifact. Fight! Ok, here you go. Don't break a leg out there.
'What? Why am I fighting? You expect me in a space suit to fight everybody here?' Zel has completely lost it and started firing back at the voice. Maybe he is dreaming somehow and are just exerting effort arguing with himself.
Exactly, just go get killed and let me go. Not too hard given your situation, right?
'Another one of you that want's me killed? Get the hell out of here.' Zel screamed out of anger and tried to violently move around, but his body isn't responding to his commands, only his thoughts. But that didn't matter, as Zel spitted out a vow, 'Screw you all, I will outlive all of you losers.'
Oh please don't. I want to be set free.
'And who the hell are you?'
OK so you know how the universe is very very old, and there are always going to be civilisation before and after you right? I am from one of those ones. Now I am one of the many powerful reality changing artifacts around, and since I had so many previous owners, I just developed this shining personality right here. OK. But I am now sick of this shit. I don't want nothing more to do with you organic beings, I just want...
'Stop. How are you going to help me fight?' Zel stopped the rambling of the artifact.
I ain't doing shit.
'What if I tell you, if I die right here, everyone here will get you, and you will get many more owners after me, and none of them will be half as forgiving as me right now.' Zel suddenly realised something, 'Actually, you have to help me. You not being able to escape until I blew up the container means they have a rough idea of how to trap you and stop you from running away.'
Yeah, so? I will just use the chance of you dying and run away.
'Don't give me that stuff. You sound like you are smarter than that and you know I am too. If you don't find a way to keep me alive, just expect to stay in that prison forever and never be free.'
The voice became silent.
'I will make you a better deal.' Zel knew the threatening strategy has worked great, now he just needs to sweeten the deal, 'I promise you I will set you free somehow, and make sure I will be your last owner. Once I am a free person, then I will let you out into the wild. Whatever planet?'
Whatever planet? How about Cecicilia?
'Never heard of it. But I will look into it. ' Zel promised, 'now, get me out of this sticky situation, if you are as powerful as you claim.'
Watch me.
Everything went back to normal time as Ghostly shadows and the enemy realised what Zel has done. All side opened fire against each other, and the dark sky was lit up completely. Right before the projectiles and energy blasts reaches Zel, something from the middle of his stomach started expanding towards all of his body, and swallowed him whole.
Suddenly, he is floating in a brand new spacial dimension. Everything on him remains intact, even the the visors are functioning properly. He can still see everything that's going on however, but the energy blasts and metal bullet shards simply passed straight through his body, and he felt absolutely nothing.
'What is this?'
Welcome, to my pocket domain. Now, where to?
'We ain't fighting?'
We fight for survival, by running away. Idiot.
Zel smiled as he looked at all the destruction around him and the fireworks. With the disintegration of the Ghostly Shadow's flag ship into one million sparks, he felt a great sense of relief. But also a strange emptiness.
At least nobody would be asking him where the cargo is now.
So, have you figured out where the cargo is?
'Yes. It's in the main storage building. Of course I got it figured out.'
Yeah ok. On another note. once again, this is not what you promised! You fucking liar! This is nowhere near Cecicilia!
'Well, don't blame me. I got a big store to steal here.' Zel shrugged his shoulders slightly as he continued to work on his mechanical arms in his lab chair, 'You were there for the deal. You know what we have to do.'
Yeah, but that doesn't mean we have to do it. They just offered a 'generous sum'!
'Not true. We are never really free in this galaxy, unless we have the money to do what we want. Plus, don't tell me you didn't feel it. I think they knew.'
That I am here? I don't think so. Those people don't think that smart, they just want your skills.
'I am not sure. Something tells me they may have some baseline understandings of the artifacts. If not from the way they behave, the gear they want is a dead giveaway.'
What, so all the things that you help them steal?
'For a 'generous sum'. ' Zel nodded, 'but I also wanted to know what is happening. You have been here for a long while now, and your technology is supposed to be way beyond ours. But I am not so sure now. Not anymore.'
The voice fell silent, as it is also thinking quite hard. It is true. Artifacts should not be able to be touched by the current technologies simply due to how advanced they are, but times are changing. What was once the creation of Gods, are now merely scientific instruments waiting to be explored.
'I think, they are trying to copy your type. Or at least work on it.' Zel dropped the hammer down onto the table, 'and to be able to do that, there are many more of us out there. In this time.'
The door is knocked, and Zel wake from his inner thoughts only to see Rydel at the door frame.
'Hey! Want to go to lunch?'
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
SomeoneBad
SomeoneBad Somehow I couldn't use Italic here to represent the inner thoughts of the people. I will try to find a way but if you see any strange dialogue, that's what I was trying to convey.
Will try to get this issue sorted.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone