Black Feather: Episode X
"Light"
Global Cortex Surface Base, Branch GC-05
12:46 p.m., 03/07
"Pilot Qastor, please report to transport area GCH-TL-N/00. Your AC part has arrived."
Qastor could barely contain the excitement of getting a new AC part. He made a brisk walk to the transport area, for the duel had exhausted him.
It was as large as an AC's chain gun, and resembled a plasma cannon's rail barrel.
"Hey, uh... What kinda weapon is this?" Qastor inquired the transport pilot with a puzzled expression.
"It's a..." The pilot looked at a stat sheet and replied... "...a Rail Gun? That's it." He soon handed it over to Qastor for a look-see.
SWC-X-RG/25
Manufacturer: Sphere
Type: Rail Gun
Weight: 597
Energy Drain: 79
Weapon Lock: Special
Attack Power: 3750
Ammo Heat: 326
Range: 1000
Maximum Lock: 1
Reload Time: 75
Number of Ammo: 25
Ammo Type: Solid
Ammo Price: 120
Usage Drain: 1200
Description
"Powerful magnetically-propelled projectile stealth cannon. Penetrates armor."
"Hmm... This is nice. And 597 kilograms! I should replace the grenade launcher, maybe?" Qastor wondered aloud. He later requested the chief mechanic to switch his new part with the grenade launcher. His stomach growling, Qastor followed the scent of the cafeteria.
"Two deli sandwiches." The cook went to work immediately. A television monitor was viewing some breaking news. Feeling a tad bit outdated, Qastor concluded that he should tune in.
"...in the year. On a more tragic note, an unknown force in Falkirk City's Industrial Sector FIS-076 massacred Sphere's squad of MTs and an AC. Many are killed and only a few survived. Fortunately, the unknown force withdrew shortly after a reinforcement squad repulsed the oppressors. Repair costs to the..."
Qastor blinked hard at the screen. He got out his wallet, readying his credit card.
"Here ya go. That'll be 8c." Qastor handed the cook his card, still staring at the television monitor, but not paying any attention to what was being viewed. After sliding the card down an acquisition device, the cook handed Qastor back his card. He grabbed the bag of sandwiches and shoved his wallet down his right pocket.
"Qastor!" Iris was running toward him. She quickly grabbed his right hand and started pulling.
"Come on! It's an emergency!"
"Iris, what's wrong?" Qastor's eyes were wide, his eyebrows gave him a confused expression.
"We've got to hurry!!"
"But-" His sentenced ended when Iris turned to him. A hopeless sparkle danced in her eyes.
"It's Malirant... He's..."
_____________________________
Everything was a mad palette of faces and doors. A river of light flowed on the ceiling.
Qastor and Iris hurried to the infirmary and caught up with the rushing paramedics. Malirant was being rushed to the emergency care unit. Qastor ran ahead and synchronized his speed with the hasty paramedics.
"Malirant! You okay!?" Malirant barely opened his eyes.
"Qastor...? Hey... you know me... I'm always... fine..." Malirant struggled to speak. It sounded as if something had stolen his air from his lungs. His throat was a wooden canvas with crimson streaks painted across. It throbbed with pain and hurt even more as he spoke. But, for his best comrade, he spoke calmly.
"What happened!?" Qastor face was a mix of sorrow and anger.
"...Aw... just... got the wind... knocked out of me... That's... all..." Malirant close his eyes. He struggled to breathe.
"Malirant... Malirant!!" Qastor stopped. The paramedics barged into the emergency care unit. The empty hallway was quiet all of a sudden.
Iris stood silently behind him.
"Qastor..." His hands became clenched fists. Iris moved to comfort him, but he started forward and wearily took a seat on a nearby bench. She slowly joined him.
Qastor sat hunched over, with his hands covering his face. He would occasionally put them down on his lap and look the other way. And a moment later, he would put them to his face again. Iris stared blankly at the reflecting floor. The only noise was a low, whispering electronic hum. An hour later, Qastor sat up to say something, but found Iris' head on his right shoulder sound asleep. He rubbed her shoulder and looked up at the ceiling. The slightly dim lights hypnotized him into sleep.
"Qastor... Thank you..." Iris whispered in her sleep.
"Light"
Global Cortex Surface Base, Branch GC-05
12:46 p.m., 03/07
"Pilot Qastor, please report to transport area GCH-TL-N/00. Your AC part has arrived."
Qastor could barely contain the excitement of getting a new AC part. He made a brisk walk to the transport area, for the duel had exhausted him.
It was as large as an AC's chain gun, and resembled a plasma cannon's rail barrel.
"Hey, uh... What kinda weapon is this?" Qastor inquired the transport pilot with a puzzled expression.
"It's a..." The pilot looked at a stat sheet and replied... "...a Rail Gun? That's it." He soon handed it over to Qastor for a look-see.
SWC-X-RG/25
Manufacturer: Sphere
Type: Rail Gun
Weight: 597
Energy Drain: 79
Weapon Lock: Special
Attack Power: 3750
Ammo Heat: 326
Range: 1000
Maximum Lock: 1
Reload Time: 75
Number of Ammo: 25
Ammo Type: Solid
Ammo Price: 120
Usage Drain: 1200
Description
"Powerful magnetically-propelled projectile stealth cannon. Penetrates armor."
"Hmm... This is nice. And 597 kilograms! I should replace the grenade launcher, maybe?" Qastor wondered aloud. He later requested the chief mechanic to switch his new part with the grenade launcher. His stomach growling, Qastor followed the scent of the cafeteria.
"Two deli sandwiches." The cook went to work immediately. A television monitor was viewing some breaking news. Feeling a tad bit outdated, Qastor concluded that he should tune in.
"...in the year. On a more tragic note, an unknown force in Falkirk City's Industrial Sector FIS-076 massacred Sphere's squad of MTs and an AC. Many are killed and only a few survived. Fortunately, the unknown force withdrew shortly after a reinforcement squad repulsed the oppressors. Repair costs to the..."
Qastor blinked hard at the screen. He got out his wallet, readying his credit card.
"Here ya go. That'll be 8c." Qastor handed the cook his card, still staring at the television monitor, but not paying any attention to what was being viewed. After sliding the card down an acquisition device, the cook handed Qastor back his card. He grabbed the bag of sandwiches and shoved his wallet down his right pocket.
"Qastor!" Iris was running toward him. She quickly grabbed his right hand and started pulling.
"Come on! It's an emergency!"
"Iris, what's wrong?" Qastor's eyes were wide, his eyebrows gave him a confused expression.
"We've got to hurry!!"
"But-" His sentenced ended when Iris turned to him. A hopeless sparkle danced in her eyes.
"It's Malirant... He's..."
_____________________________
Everything was a mad palette of faces and doors. A river of light flowed on the ceiling.
Qastor and Iris hurried to the infirmary and caught up with the rushing paramedics. Malirant was being rushed to the emergency care unit. Qastor ran ahead and synchronized his speed with the hasty paramedics.
"Malirant! You okay!?" Malirant barely opened his eyes.
"Qastor...? Hey... you know me... I'm always... fine..." Malirant struggled to speak. It sounded as if something had stolen his air from his lungs. His throat was a wooden canvas with crimson streaks painted across. It throbbed with pain and hurt even more as he spoke. But, for his best comrade, he spoke calmly.
"What happened!?" Qastor face was a mix of sorrow and anger.
"...Aw... just... got the wind... knocked out of me... That's... all..." Malirant close his eyes. He struggled to breathe.
"Malirant... Malirant!!" Qastor stopped. The paramedics barged into the emergency care unit. The empty hallway was quiet all of a sudden.
Iris stood silently behind him.
"Qastor..." His hands became clenched fists. Iris moved to comfort him, but he started forward and wearily took a seat on a nearby bench. She slowly joined him.
Qastor sat hunched over, with his hands covering his face. He would occasionally put them down on his lap and look the other way. And a moment later, he would put them to his face again. Iris stared blankly at the reflecting floor. The only noise was a low, whispering electronic hum. An hour later, Qastor sat up to say something, but found Iris' head on his right shoulder sound asleep. He rubbed her shoulder and looked up at the ceiling. The slightly dim lights hypnotized him into sleep.
"Qastor... Thank you..." Iris whispered in her sleep.