Summer Friction: A LitRPG Sci-Fi Adventure (Space Seasons Book 3), page 29
“I can’t imagine how it feels, but I’m here for you. As much as you need me, we’ll get drinks later in Wilco’s shop, talk shit, anything you need.”
“What I need is his head on a platter,” I replied, feeling my hands balling into tight fists. I tried to relax them, but I really needed a vent.
“I know. I want him dead too. But we have a war to win, then we can go after him.”
Tyto helped me back to my feet. “Vitya’s fleet?”
“Come, I’ll take you to command, if you think you can handle it.”
I shook off my emotions and held my head up straight. “As long as Motaki is going to pay, I’ll handle anything.”
Tyto smiled. “Good.”
The rail ride literally was just that, a fine wire that ran the full length of the walking decks. Single seats worked to take you wherever you wanted to go, directed by a simple control. Tyto operated it, and we were soon whizzing our way through the gigantic ship. I was horrified at the speed yet fascinated at the views I was given. The dreadnought was something else, and I could only wish we had a ship as powerful as this. Then again, it probably wasn’t as manoeuvrable in space as others.
When we dismounted, Tyto stepped towards me. “The clan is aware of everything you lost, just so you know. They know how hard I worked to become Eekan and understand some of what it means for us to lose a master.”
“What are they like?” I asked. “His family?”
“I’ll not joke here, Kyle, because you need to know the scope of this. But in rebutting Motaki they openly declared war once more on Arndale. There’re four neighbours which have the clan’s full backing, and then there’s some issues. You’ll see the full pieces on the board. A lot of it runs around Tolsa, which is why the planet and who owns it is a big deal.”
“So it has always been about the clan and Tolsa?”
Tyto opened the door for me, and I stepped into a circular room made for just what we needed. I was no way near qualified to take in all the information available. Jai was one of the first who caught my eye, stood with the very gentleman I’d seen on screen. Tyto walked us both over there, and the man lowered his head towards me, and I felt the sorrow oozing from his very psyche.
“Thank you,” I said. “It is with honour I am here, and it is with sadness we move forward.”
“Si Ranz,” he said. The honour of their command status resonated deep within me, words he would only use for family and for high power. “We are sorry for your loss, but we are here in retrospect for that, and to assist in what may come with the repercussions from our system.”
“Si Fallk, I am sorry it has come to this.”
“It was always coming, Kyle. Please, let me show you the way things look at the moment.”
I nodded to him, and he waved to the 3D views of space before us. I had not seen the map this small before, but the vast space that was around us showed there was indeed a huge amount of space and many, many planets in this war.
At the moment, it looked pretty even, there were two colours. Red and Green. With some yellow and oranges splattered in amongst them.
It was obvious red was the enemy, and it was very clear to see where everything fell around Tolsa and their subsequent home world.
“Interesting, no?” the older man asked of me.
“I think there’s some places where we can be more resourceful.”
“You can tell this by looking?”
I could see the patterns in the code, the things that made the world around it what it was. Even the live creatures that it had no control of. It was like some of the mass SF worlds I’d played before, but this time it had real consequences.
I stepped towards the image, and quickly re-routed several ships and parts of their forces. I knew the games the other side would play. Holding onto resources, bunkering down in places of absolutely no consequence.
Tyto stepped beside me. “You’re a hundred percent sure of that move?”
I never hesitated. “I know what’s at stake here. I understand the way these things move, and I’m not going to lose more lives messing around.”
Tyto looked to Vitya, who was in the background talking to the others around us in his own language. “We will comply, Si Ranz.”
I liked the way they talked. They gave respect where it was due, and even if I didn’t fully understand their world here, I saw how much Tyto gave them.
Despite not knowing everything, I saw the sheer volume of the war ahead, but this time, I saw hope.
“What’s the timing to Tolsa?”
“From here now, we have just a month. Rojak has kindly given us a few upgrades, but they won’t help us much until we’ve got them installed. If we leave in a few days, it will give his team time to do them.”
“We can wait. The time here it seems will aid us more.”
Vitya tapped the screen and pulled up the view of Artemis. “We also have fully kitted you out with the two mechs you needed, helped fix up your mech bays, and given you enough artillery to back them all up. You still have a lot to upgrade, but you can do this on the way to Tolsa. Whatever is going on, Motaki still wants you at Flaoer. We have done our best to make sure that’s possible”
I also saw the crew manifest. We were full.
“This is too much,” I said.
“You’re heading to war, a war you must win,” Vitya said. “Even with the extra we have supplied, there is no guarantee you can sway it there.”
I nodded. “I know. Thank you for even trying.”
“There’s restrictions on us and what we can do. It’s small on the whole.”
“It’s not small when we have an extra few hundred trained soldiers, and two fully capable mechs.”
Vitya smiled. “You’re welcome. I will be leading some of our fleet in your wake. I hope by the time we have grouped that you are victorious.”
I looked back to the 3D imagery before us. “I need some more training,” I stated. “If there’s time in the mech. I think there’s room here?”
“You are correct on both. But…”
“No buts. I have to do this.”
Tyto glanced around to the room. Si Fallak said, “Go, there’s nothing much else we can do here. It is mostly slow moving, getting all of our pieces together.”
“Dreadnoughts do not move fast,” Tyto said.
I could see that with the sheer size of them. “Please show me around some. I’d like to learn more.”
Tyto stepped back from Vitya and indicated back to the exit. I lowered my head out of respect for the room and backed away, turning as I did. Falling in line with Tyto, I followed him back to the speed line. “Their mechs are on one of the bottom tiers.”
“Okay.” I was okay with that. I could see in the back of my head Hiroto was still doing things.
I watched him for a while as he talked with Jai on the quiet. I saw the odd comment about my state of mind, and I moved away from it to watch the ship speed on by.
When the speedway stopped, I saw something else. Tyto hopped off, making sure I was okay doing so. I wobbled. “I guess I’m not used to the way this body moves just yet.”
“Any respawns takes a while.”
“Not ready for a mech yet?”
He shook his head. “No, but Vitya told me where there was a nice bar to sit in for a while.”
He walked in, and I followed, a little perturbed at the sheer number of people that were sitting around. The music playing in the background was upbeat and felt nice to listen to.
Tyto didn’t hesitate at moving to the bar; no one knew who he was, or I was. We were just people looking to get a drink. I liked that. Tyto ordered something, and we waited while the bar person poured two large glasses of ale and then gave us two shots as well.
“I think this is much better here than on Artemis,” I said. I found a stool and sat next to him.
“Agreed.” When the drinks arrived. Tyto held his glass up. “For Xirob, and for the others we’ve loved and lost along the way.”
I continued on, soft, slow. “Day or night, we fight. From the land to the oceans, from the skies to the stars. Together, side by side we trust, to become endless aeons of dust. For the pain and the glory, the battles ahead tell many a story. Even if we do not win but go onwards to glory.”
Tyto touched his glass to mine, and we downed the drinks. “That’s beautiful. Where did you get that from?”
“My father,” I said. “No idea where it came from. I hope I can get to ask him one day.”
Tyto sipped his drink, and I did the same taking in the taste after the shot warmed my belly.
“I’m afraid I need to ask,” he said tentatively. “But can I see your stat sheet?”
I froze. I didn’t want him to see how far I’d dropped in the last few weeks. Not just because it stung me, but because I had no doubts it would actually hurt our missions. Everything I lost made it worse, it made things harder and took longer.
With a flick of my wrist I brought it up for him and sent him an invite. He accepted, and I hoped on hope that just maybe I hadn’t seen Xirob there.
Tyto was silent for a while, then he indicated to the bar person for more shots. He downed one then looked at me. “I won’t lie, the hardest thing is the halved kenosi. You’re going to struggle even more with a merge lead.”
I lowered my head. “I screwed up, now everything’s at risk.”
He nudged my glass again. “No, you didn’t screw up. You did everything you could. And you will again. You’re no quitter, Kyle. I know that much about you.”
I downed my shot, and then the next. “I won’t quit. But it’s hard.”
“I’ll tell you my story Kyle. As Eekan, I was strong. Stronger than most.” He downed his shot and indicated for more, when the guy went to pour the drinks and leave, he indicated the bottle. To Tyto’s request he left it.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Tyto kept the drinks coming as he talked. “As Eekan it was part of my superior’s request that I take on this extra mission. They needed to get someone on the inside of Arndale’s structure. To see and feel exactly how they would and keep reporting back on how development went.”
“You were essentially re-set, right?”
Tyto nodded. “I went from a master to zero in the blink of an eye.”
I couldn’t help but swear. “Fuck, I feel different now, but not that I can’t handle it. I saw what being wiped did to Shion.” I thought about her then. “Did you talk to her about it?”
“Yes, I helped her where I could. Gave her the advice I wish I’d had at the time.” I thought back to how I’d left her in bed. Felt a little guilty.
She is awake, and she asked for you straight away from the med bay. I told her you were on the Cristanna and you’d return to her soon.
Thank you.
Of course. She’s worried, everyone is.
I downed another drink as Tyto moved on. “Being a zero in everything was the worst experience I had. But then I started to see other things, other possibilities. I could train again to do what I wanted. Mould my body to something I actually desired, not just what was given me.”
“Shion said exactly the same thing. If it was possible for more to do it at some points in their lives with regrets, the more I think it would be something they would take.”
“Possibly, though the pain of starting from zero as an adult is something else. Weakness in everything, seeing everyone around you do the things you used to with ease. It takes quite some resolve to actually get to where you want.”
“You’re a good guy, Ty,” I said and poured more shots.
“I didn’t used to think it, not all the time. I’ve done some things for Arndale I don’t think I would have done for myself.”
“That I think comes with the roles. Xirob said almost the same thing in your species honour. I think that’s something which comes with rank, and our own personal integrity.”
He nodded, and the music swayed our way. Tyto’s eyes drifted to the singer that came into view. A pretty young thing. I knew he wasn’t interested in her, though.
“She has a beautiful voice,” I said.
“We’ll train with kenosi instead of the merge. I need to get you back over level forty, or we’re in trouble. That means, everything you’re going to be doing is kenosi-based. From the moment you wake till you go to sleep, no using your hands.” He picked the glass up and downed the shot. Then as I watched, without even hesitating his show of power, he pulled forward his kenosi and poured more. “Everything you do, even if it seems pointless. You need it.”
I nodded at him. “Okay, everything. What about the larger tasks?”
“Denn has a lot to do in the engines, and she could do with your help. But that’s on a much larger scale and will drop your health drastically. I think the mundane and general use has to be priority. Training with Rei and myself with daggers, try and get your sword skills using basic lightning flares, anything as long as you can support the drain.”
“All right. I can do that.”
The music turned a different beat, and there were a few couples who got up to dance. It was nice to watch them as they moved with the beat and lost themselves.
“You want to dance?” he asked me.
I laughed. But actually, I did feel like it. “You twisted my arm,” I said.
Hiroto was actually encouraging me on the inside too, and I moved to the dance floor with Tyto following me.
When he moved to whisper in my ear, it was just to say, “The music’s enchanted. You’re not that drunk, but enjoy. We may never get another chance.”
And so I did. I danced and swayed, and after finding a pretty girl, danced with her for a while. Eventually the music eased off, and the singer dipped her head to us all. And she left us. Tyto moved back to the bar.
There was a familiar face, or two. Vitya, and Shion. She was talking to the bar man, and I saw him pass her something, a card? I glanced to Tyto, managing to get out, “Oh boy, we’re in trouble now, right?”
He frowned. “I’ll see you in the morning, the usual time. No sleeping in.”
I nodded and he moved away, taking Vitya’s hand and kissing it. I slid almost sheepishly towards Shion, whose face was nothing but full of concern. I plopped next to her, suddenly feeling a bit more than drunk.
She didn’t speak though, just poured us both a drink and then held my hand in hers.
It was nice to feel her with me, to understand. Eventually I asked. “How’s Faith?”
“Sadie gave her something. She’s sleeping. I left her to come find you,” she said, giving me a gentle squeeze.
“Thanks,” I said. I couldn’t help it. “Does this new me make you feel different?” I asked her, feeling my stomach churn. There was no way I’d have asked her without the alcohol in my veins.
“Straight to the point.” She sighed.
I downed the shot and went to pour another, but she stopped me, picking up the bottle instead and pulling me with her. She was careful where she guided me, towards the back of the bar.
“Where are we going?” I eventually asked, shocked to actually find there was a corridor that had adjacent room numbers.
“You’re beyond drunk, and it’s too far to get you home on the rails. You’d be sick all the way.”
She pulled out a card and unlocked one of the doors. When she stepped inside, I could see it was pretty sparse, but it had a bed, and facilities to recycle and clean. That was all I really needed.
As the room spun a little, she saw it coming. Quick to deflect me to the toilet area, where I promptly lost some of the drink.
“Fuck,” I swore, trying my best to compose myself.
I didn’t want her to see me like this. To be the one that was consoling me. But her hand never left my back, and she waited while I retched again. Eventually I managed to push myself to the sink and wash and rinse my mouth. She helped me towards the bed, her eyes never leaving mine. Sitting me down, she took off my boots and then helped me slip out of my uniform, placing it in the chute to clean. Then she helped me into bed. I watched her carefully as she moved around the room, then fetched me something from the ship’s drink fabricator.
“It won’t make you feel instantly better, but it will take some of the hangover away for tomorrow.” She handed me the pink liquid, and I drank.
“I don’t—I shouldn’t.” She took her uniform off, and I could only watch, her lithe figure gracing my eyes for a brief moment, before she shoved me over and climbed in beside me. I fully expected her to leave me, let me sleep off the drunken stupor myself. She nuzzled against me, and that one act alone settled my stomach and my nerves for how she felt about me. When I finished the drink, she took the glass from me, and then turned out the lights, remaining against me. I felt the room spinning still, but she reached up and stroked the back of my head.
The darkness wasn’t doing my mind any favours though, and all I could see was Yun’s form being herded away once more. The bodies piling up.
“Shhh,” Shion tried to calm me down some more. But then the waves of emotion just couldn’t stop and while she held onto me, I cried. I cried till the darkness swallowed me.
I felt warmth and could smell Shion next to me. It was one of the most amazing feelings to wrap my arms tight around her.
She stirred and snuggled back into me, which of course set my loins on fire. As much as I wanted her right there, I pushed the thoughts away, content to feel her. To have that comfort.
I drifted off once more, eventually waking to a slight ping in my ear.
Hiroto?
Sorry, Tyto’s awake. He was asking how you were.
I groaned and moved, waking Shion. “Do you have to go?”
I pulled her to me. “I do. Tyto’s going to be waiting for me in the training room on his own otherwise.”
When she looked up into my eyes, hers were filled with something. I wasn’t quite sure what it was until her hands ran down my chest. “You’re not going anywhere until you make me yours.”
I didn’t know what she meant, but I remembered something from when Xirob had taken Faith in the shower, the moment he bit down into her flesh and his DNA mixed with hers.
