The sounds of struggle could be heard, even from behind IRIS' sealed doors. Adding to the noise came the snap and sear of Combuster bullets, the crash of something exploding, and quite the number of vehement slurs. Moments passed until rent metal's familiar clang deafened those amid the struggle. There came a pause at that. But as faces turned to look toward its source, those that saw were horrified by the sight of their pirate comrade, severed at each joint into the many pieces that littered the ground.
They turned again toward the one responsible. Only, their enemy was no longer in sight.
"Wher'd ee git too?" A pirate asked. In rage, his grip on his sword tightened till steel-white. He turned with fury and haste. Nearby, two pirates wielding Combusters grouped together back-to-back, covering for each other while they too had angry looks about the entrance of IRIS.
"We git that landlubber. Break 'is head wit' o' bottle of grog, ay fellas?" The cry of approval rose to raucous levels.
Watching the pirates move about, the one responsible for the shattered pirate stood atop the exterior dome of IRIS. In his right hand fit a sphere of purple energy. "Bottle?" he thought to himself, his eyes lowering to take sight of the sphere in his hand. Beneath his steady gaze, his grip relaxed and his fingers released the sphere. It morphed into a cylinder. Next came a curved handle out from its side. Smiling at his handiwork, the stranger took the handle in his fingers and called out to the pirates. They reared their heads to face their opponent.
With a shout, those with swords ran toward the dome and those with Combusters began to open fire on the stranger. The stranger's feet carried him toward the edge of the dome where he took a leap. As he sailed through the air, he bent over and threw his bottle down at the sword-pirates. A shockwave ripped across the battleground upon landing, electrocuting the sword-pirates. Smoke billowed from their bodies as the stranger landed. The Combuster bullets failed to hit their intended target. And when their opponent landed, the Combuster-pirates broke apart, taking the opportunity to cover his flanks before firing some more.
The stranger broke for the smoke and vanished in the gray. Turning to face his foes from within the haze, more spheres of energy formed in his hands. With a thrust outward, they left the stranger's hands and bore toward the Combuster-pirates. They fell too upon contact. Smoke also billowed from their bodies.
The stranger cleared his throat and turned around. Black covered his eyes before a mighty crack could be heard. Thrown off his feet by the force, the stranger slid on his back across the ground. He looked up. Sure that it was a pirate who nailed the nose-rending blow, the stranger stared into the smoke and saw a dark form on approach. It raised his sword high. Quickly the stranger's irises filled with purple and he narrowed his gaze at the approaching shadow.
As the odd sensation overcame the pirate, he tried to move his head so as to look around. The pirate found he couldn't move at all. Even his eyes were frozen in place, unable to look away from an approaching figure through the smoke. The color of the stranger's irises immediately struck the pirate as dumbfounded. Again the pirate tried to move, but the stranger shook his head in disapproval at the sight.
"You don't stand a chance against my telekinesis," The stranger began, who to the pirate's surprise, the stranger's lips moved not at all, and yet his words were audible. "I suggest you give it up."
The will to speak, to curse and insult his enemy rose within the pirate. But try as he might, the mechanisms in his jaw refused to cooperate. All he could do was watch as the stranger turned his body and reach out with his hand. By now, most of the smoke subsided, allowing the pirate to see clearly the shimmer of steel that blinded his eyes before he ever saw what the stranger reached for. With a steady hand, the stranger rested the tip of the cutlass in the middle of the pirate's torso.
"If you had known what was good for you, you and your mates here would have taken my warnings to your other mates more seriously."
The stranger pushed. The blade made a clean stab. As the stranger released his foe from his telekinetic grip, he watched the pirate fall limp on the blade, dead on the spot. The stranger dropped the cutlass at that point, noting with calm the loud clanging the pirate made after he crashed against the floor.
Looking around, no more enemies were in view. Satisfied, and hoping that this would be the last of them, the stranger turned around and walked up to IRIS's sealed doors. They retracted at his presence and the stranger finished his walk inside.
"Hello Nathaniel. I've been awaiting your arrival," IRIS said in greeting.
"That's nice to know." As Nathaniel's gaze drifted over the many computer screens, he recognized them showing his life up to that point. Although some of what was shown stirred up warm feelings, he couldn't help but notice the screens showing the trying times of his life. It wasn't long before he decided he'd had enough, and his eyes looked to the main screen of IRIS, where a flatline sat in waiting for a question to be asked.
"If that's so, you know what I'm going to ask about then," Nathaniel replied.
"I do. You wish to know more about time travel. Or more specifically, Travel The Days."
"That's correct. What can you tell me about it?"
"Very little. The Agent of Time kept much knowledge of the artifact a secret. However, if you are truly bent on seeking it, I suggest you bring in Ratchet and Clank."
Nathaniel tilted his head over in question. "Those-galactic-heroes-from-Solana-who-currently-reside-here-Ratchet-and-Clank?"
"They are the only Ratchet and Clank," IRIS stated.
"Just making sure. Continue."
"There are not many beings within your reach of the cosmos to help you on your journey. Should Ratchet and Clank choose to aid you, I recommend seeing the Senior Caretaker of The Great Clock, Sigmund. He may have what you seek."
"Understood. Is that all?"
"Yes."
"Thank you IRIS." Nathaniel turned away and began a sprint for the teleporter near the entrance of the area.
"You're welcome."
Nathaniel was beamed back outside. Instinctively, his hands receded into the sleeves of his hoodie. He chuckled to himself as his eyes again colored purple and a faint aura surrounded his body. His hands pushed out of the sleeves and they felt nothing of the bitter chill that filled the air around him.
"You sure took your sweet time," a voice called out. Nathaniel looked toward where the source resided. Stepping out of the shadows from a looming ice wall, a figure in body-tight, light sliver and green holo-armor entered Nathaniel's view. The helmet to the newcomer's armor was retracted, revealing a round face covered by dark silver fur. Three forest green stripes in the shape of triangles was evenly spaced along two long, pointy ears that stuck out near the back of his head. Sharp crimson met the gaze of bright purple. They both smiled at the other and the latter's eyes receded to the owner's original color: hazel.
"Hey Terin," Nathaniel greeted. He walked over and offered a hand. As Terin took hold and both exchanged a firm shake, Nathaniel continued, "Yeah, it wasn't a simple 'get in, get out' mission like I thought it would be."
The smile from Terin devolved into a knowing smirk. He lowered his hand and said, "Knowing you I'd say you toyed with them."
Nathaniel shrugged, taking a moment to look away. "It's not every day you come across insignificant trash beneath your notice.
"'Insignificant trash' huh? That's new."
"Yeah. Thought the 'pathetic weakling' was getting old."
"A little bit. So Nathan, what now?"
"IRIS says we should go see Ratchet and Clank and invite them to join us."
Eyebrows shot up in surprise and Terin took a step back without thought. "Wait… what? Really?"
Nathaniel nodded. "But as for finding a starting place to begin our search for Travel The Days, IRIS recommended the Senior Caretaker of The Great Clock."
Terin tilted his head forward and turned a complete one-eighty. His feet carried him to a ship nearby. A hand reached out and patted the windshield. "Alright Zenith, open up."
"Will do."
A whoosh of air pricked at Terin's and Nathaniel's ears as they watched the former's ship open its canopy. Terin placed a hand on his ship and leaped in, taking the driver seat. Nathaniel wasn't far behind his friend before he hopped in and took shotgun. As Zenith closed the canopy windshield, he spoke up, reminding them both that none here knew where the galactic duo were at in the present time.
"That's what I'm mulling over," Terin said.
Though nobody said a word further, their surroundings were far from quiet as Terin flicked a switch, igniting Zenith's engines. Taking the steering mechanism in one hand, Terin's other hand moved across the dash, eyes scanning everything in an effort to check off pre-flight procedures. With a nod, his free hand took the other side of the steering mechanism and he pulled up. Zenith complied. At a safe altitude above the comet's frozen landscape, Terin pushed the mechanism forward and Zenith blasted away.
"Any ideas?" Terin asked his passenger.
"Actually I do," Nathaniel began in answer, "Talwyn Apogee."
Unseen by Nathaniel, Terin's brow furrowed as he tried to recall the face behind the name. "She's the Defense Force Captain, right?"
"She is. And she's a high enough ranking member that she can be found on Igliak."
Taking a hand off the mechanism, Terin gave his friend a thumbs-up and asked Zenith if he heard Nathaniel.
"I did. Planet Igliak it is. Prepare jump for the Praxus Sector."
R&C
Gazing through a pair of binoculars, its owner lowered them upon losing sight of their ship in the depths of space. Clipping them a hook on his belt, he placed a hand on his left arm, fiddling with a wrist and upper arm mounted device. When a quiet buzzing noise was produced, he began to speak.
"This is Jornik, reporting from Kreeli Comet. Targets are on the move to an unknown location. I can only assume that from time they spent here, IRIS was involved with their search. I will make my way to the supercomputer and ask about their time here. Over and out."
Jornik shut off the recording and out popped a mini holodisc. Taking it his palm, a hand reached to his waist and pressed a button. Behind him, a whoosh of air pricked at his ears and he turned to see his ship open up. He walked over and leaned inside. Taking the holodisc, Jornik placed it in a slot on the dash of his ship.
"Upload log entry to Commander Balloch," Jornik commanded.
Hello everyone. Yes, this is exactly what you're thinking. And I hope to explain my case here: I don't hate what I originally wrote. But it is deeply flawed. And no amount of superficial edits are going to fix that. The thing is,
This story needed a complete do-over. And today is the day I unveil the new first chapter of this do-over to the archive.
I won't disclose the fate of the old To Travel The Days. But effective immediately, this is the official To Travel The Days. Also, about the cover art... Guardian, I hope you aren't bothered by it. And if you are, I'm sorry. Until chapter 02 everyone, take care!
Max out.