Kapitel 78: Back Into Space

Sy entered his apartment sweeping his gaze across the room. He had grown accustomed to the girls being around all of the time. It was out of habit checking on them occupying their usual spots. With a last glance, he took one of the portable computers systematically placed on a corner and settled on his usual place located near the door.

After sitting down, he took out the cheap data chips and gathered his thoughts for a second. Unable to get his hands on massive data storages, the ones he currently possessed should be adequate at the moment - serving as the temporary archive for his unofficial guild.

[12:43 PM]

Checking the time, he synchronized his gauntlet to the laptop in order to take advantage of their interface and processing power at the same time. Sy began remodelling 'The Mole' leaving some room for improvements so that Niel can customize it according to the clients' demands.

One thing he needed to solve was the removal of the Neuro-link. In doing so, anyone could pilot the industrial mech. He came up with removing all of the control panels in the cockpit - hollowing it in the process and replacing it with an ample of space for an exoskeleton where the pilot will be encased with. This would serve as a mechanism from which the mech would mimic its movement.

Of course, it will never replace the Neuro-link where the pilots could still control their bodies and press buttons all the while their minds were linked to the mech. This was just a remedy to make mechs a universal machine where all people could pilot them.

Sy hadn't noticed that a couple of hours had already passed when he finished the new 'Mole', storing it in one of the cheap data chips before he proceeded to the next designs.

Gamma Welding, Bio-organic Replicator and Microtape, these technologies he gained from upgrading his skills were also stored in the data chips. Sy took a few minutes break massaging his temple. The 2 points of intelligence he gained had a big impact, allowing him to continue working with less mental fatigue. This day involved designing a flight module and customizing the Straggler S1-2 until now where he was still working overnight. He would still need to design a dozen of mech components.

[6:21 AM]

Over 7 hours had passed when Sy finished his work. After checking the time, he stood up and stretched his back while yawning.

"No rest for the wicked." Sy muttered with a chuckle as he examined the designs one last time. He disconnected the computer from his gauntlet before he returned the former to its designated place.

This time of the day was still too early in Logria, but also a good time for someone who did not want to abide by the rules to take advantage. Mina had messaged him earlier that a private shuttle would arrive to take him in the next hour. The GT would have some trouble announcing that they were still in the Union. As such, the vessel that would take Sy might bypass the attention of the PDF in Logria at dawn where most of the defense force were asleep.

Sy took a quick shower to ready for his journey. When he entered his room shirtless with a white towel hanging on his shoulder, he searched one of his luggages and found a dark-green void suit with the Trinity Federation emblem on its right shoulder.

"No one will see it anyway." Sy shrugged, preparing to don the protective garment, covering it with a black coat on top of a white shirt and dark-blue long pants.

When he fixed his gauntlet to his left arm, he sent a message to Genevieve to take care of the girls while he was gone for a day or two. With that, he pocketed the data chips and strolled outside his apartment.

The morning breeze was cold, yet the dark sky was beautifully painted with myriads of stars. Sy smiled while looking up from the railings before his face froze for a second when he saw an object descending from the Starport.

'They're earlier than expected!'

With that in mind, Sy hurriedly went to the stairs, reaching the first floor in a flash as he jogged to the courtyard where the shuttle could safely land.

He waited for a minute before the vessel finally arrived and landed a hundred meters away from his location. It had a bird-like feature with its cockpit thrown forward. The viewports were made of translucent reinforced materials, seemingly like a pair of eyes.

Just as the private shuttle's engine shut off and only its signal lights blinking - highlighting its silhouette, Sy made his way toward it. When he was only a dozen meters away, a door slid open as a man wearing a pilot visor peeked out and saw him.

"Who are you?" The pilot shouted.

"I'm Sy Verdin." The Pioneer shouted back, closing the distance.

The answer confirmed his identity as the pilot did not directly asked the name of their supposed passenger.

Motioning Sy with a big smile on his face, revealing white teeth, the pilot ecstatically lowered a bridge.

The Pioneer glanced back to the apartment building, wishing that everything will be alright when he got back. After dawdling for a moment, he finally stepped onto the bridge and boarded the shuttle.

Inside, he was greeted by ten empty seats with hard safety measures. In emergencies, the passengers would be enveloped by anti-void material supplied with enough oxygen and sustenance for a week then ejected out from the shuttle.

"Feel free to pick a seat, sir." The pilot said.

"Tell me, why did none of the host came?" Sy questioned. There was no harm in being cautious.

"The two directors are still arguing with the main branch, thinking that the Union branch are still in business, considering that most of their crew already left for the empire. Only a few of us are left supporting them." The pilot answered. A hint of disappointment in his voice. He added, "As for Commander Fanick, she's busy in simulation while Sir Fanick is trying to gather all the resources available so that all is prepared when you arrive."

Sy gave the man a satisfied nod.

"Well, we're on a tight schedule and we will depart immediately. If you have questions, you can access the cockpit anytime." The pilot lastly added and he entered the cockpit.

Sy had a glimpse of a copilot who waved at him just before the sliding doors shut. He then picked a random seat and sat. As the engines of the shuttle hummed to life, metallic straps bound him for safety measure.

Then... the shuttle levitated in the air before it fixed itself vertically and shoot up into space. Sy momentarily felt the gravitational pull just as everything became weightless. He glanced at his gauntlet and it displayed zero g which allowed him to accurately think that they were now in space.

In a few seconds, the artificial gravity emitters of the shuttle activated and Sy immediately deactivated his seatbelt. He hastily went to the cockpit and its doors automatically opened to his presence.

"How can we help you, sir?" The copilot asked, slightly twisting his neck to look at the passenger.

However, Sy's attention was shifting between the viewports and live feeds - displaying a gas giant orbiting next to Logria. He was truly in space and can't imagine that he had been grounded in Logria for more than a month.

"Look!" Sy pointed at a certain spot on the gas giant and explained, "I'm sure that's a perfectly preserved exotic gas. If the shuttle had scanners, we would be able to identify it."

Both pilots glanced at each other.

As the shuttle was rotating to line up for FTL, the view shifted to a cluster of asteroids and Sy excitedly yelled upon a quick inspection, "Those are iridium ores! We should get closer and examine it!"

"Sir, this is not a scientific vessel." The lead pilot chuckled while manipulating the interface.

Sy could only regretfully let out a sigh as the display changed.

"We're all set, sir. I suggest you return to your seat. We will only need to do one jump to reach our destination." The lead pilot said.

At that, Sy exited the cockpit and returned to his former spot as the seatbelt engaged on its own once again. He felt the continuum shield of the shuttle permeating around him.

Even with the speed of light, humans can't survive it and would instantly turn into meat paste, and it's an even worse case when it came to FTL. Continuum shield ensured that both passengers and vessels stayed intact during jumps while also maintaining that everything was in the right place.

Sy abruptly tensed as every cell in his body were shaken when the shuttle distorted the space around it and disappeared from the naked eye. It was a gruesome experience, and thankfully, it only lasted a second.

The Pioneer had an urge to vomit, feeling like the food in his stomach was all messed up. He raised his left arm and gazed at the gauntlet - displaying that one hour had passed from the jump which only felt a second to him. The faster you move through space, the slower you move through time.

"Not bad." Sy muttered, "But the continuum drive and shield are still outdated. I never felt this messed up than before."

He deactivated the seatbelt again and went to the cockpit.

"I see that you're a natural void-farer, sir." The copilot was the first one to greet him once again but with disbelief in his voice this time. "You can stand up right after a jump..."

Sy stared at the viewport with eyes widening. Out there in the void, a white ship with blue stripes was drifting. Not too big, not too small. Ignoring everything, he studied it for a few moment as the shuttle went underneath it.

[This is small transport, IO, to shuttle craft, Mondosa. Hangar bay is green.]

"Copy, IO." The lead pilot responded to the transmission.

Laser guidance assisted both pilots to successfully dock the shuttle inside the ship through an entrance that gaped open under the ship. When it closed and the hangar bay was successfully sealed, maintenance crew in full gear swarmed the craft.

Sy stepped out from the vessel and swept his gaze around, looking for some certain faces. However, he caught sight of something else in the distance. The silhouette of an object he was too familiar with. Although, it looked nothing like the Straggler S1-2, the framework was something he designed himself, and he knew every part of it.

"Sy!" A familiar voice broke away his eyes from the mech. He saw Mina and Niel in the flesh standing within the crowd. They had not seen each other personally after the storm as he hastily went down and greeted them.

"How's your trip?" Niel questioned, giving Sy a friendly punch to the shoulder.

"It's good." Sy glanced back to the framework of the Straggler, unable to believe it. He had designed and created in Steel Arena by cheating the game's market - scrapping an obsolete first gen. In the real world, even with 50 million to his account, he won't be able to afford its construction material. And yet, it was there, standing just a few hundred meters away, materialized and begging to be completed. It brought an incredible amount of excitement in his heart.

Noticing what Sy had been looking at, Niel wistfully said, "We tried."

Sy looked at the older man and grinned, "What are we waiting for? That's what I'm here for." But, at that moment, Mina grabbed his arm and pulled him to a corner. She rose to her toes and brought her lips to his ear, whispering something.