Chapter 18
A young woman stood on top of a massive tower that precariously perched on a small rocky island. She tapped her cane on the ground. From way up here she could make out the roofs of the other towers, a small village on the edge of a peninsula and endless ocean stretching in every direction. She peered over the edge and waved.
"What do you see, Ganamede?" asked a metallic voice behind her.
Her long honey blond hair hid her pale blue eyes. "Marcus and his boys just came back," she said happily. "Isn't that great Alexander?"
Behind her loomed what looked like a colossal armor clad gorilla. Huge front limbs, the head hidden in a curved helmet and two giant shoulder pads that concealed unspeakable death. It lumbered slowly across the rooftop, making the ground under Ganamede shake slightly. Alexander stopped at the edge and analyzed the courtyard far below.
"Scanning. Confirmed. The Raj have returned," said Alexander.
"I told you silly," said Ganamede climbing onto its shoulder. "Why didn't you believe me?"
"Direct perception is preferable to secondary data," said Alexander.
She kicked her legs back and forth, her heels lightly tapping its armor. "Why don't you talk like normal people?"
Alexander processed this. "I am not a person. I am an automaton. I am programmed to communicate this way."
"You're so boring," she said sighing.
"May I inquire why you visit me?" asked Alexander.
"Why not?" she said. "You're a lot more fun than anyone else. All they care about is magic. Even that dreamy Marcus is too serious."
"No one else visits me," it pointed out. "I require no companionship. It is illogical to utilize your time like this."
"Look, I hate it when people tell me what to do. Don't you start," she said, resting her chin on her hand.
"Compliance," it said.
Ganamede stood. "Oh no!"
Alexander scanned in her direction. "Confirmed. Sailing vessel sighted. One sail, small capacity."
"Please start with a warning shot," Ganamede begged.
"I always do," replied Alexander smoothly.
The helmet visor opened revealing a small nozzle. The shoulder pads lifted exposing rows upon rows of strange panels that began to glow. Ganamede hopped off as internal relays inside Alexander began clicking furiously. The tip of the nozzle began to glow from within and an intense white-hot beam burst forth and streaked across the surface of the water and cleanly cut the flagpole off the top of the mast.
"Please go away!" she yelled toward the ship. She glanced fearfully at Alexander who was dutifully counting down the required five minutes. After a while she heard footsteps clattering up the spiral staircase beneath her. She saw Marcus emerge very much out of breath.
"What happened?" he demanded between pants.
"A ship is approaching!" she said.
"Time is up," said Alexander.
"Wait!" she shouted.
Alexander fired off another salvo that hit the ship directly below the mast. The ship disintegrated in the white holy light, spreading debris in a cloud that scattered in every direction.
Ganamede sobbed and embraced Marcus, who wrapped his arms around her.
He glanced at Alexander. "Good job. Now we'll let Golem handle clean up."
Timber washed ashore on the rocks far below. In between floated splinters of wood and strips of cloth. A large metal dome floated amid the other debris, although it moved slightly faster than the surrounding flotsam. When it was a few feet away from shore a small door popped open on top. Air escaped out with a loud hiss and a few moments later Shiva took a peek from the hatch.
"Well?" asked Ramuh's voice from below, slightly muffled.
She frowned and scanned the rocky shoreline and the gargantuan tower that hovered above it. "No welcoming committee. I think it worked."
As she climbed over the side Ramuh appeared behind her. "Just as well. We have to sneak around a bit before all hell breaks loose. Got that sonny?" he asked calling down.
"Yeah, yeah old man," said Ifrit from below. "Just promise me we're going to crack some heads eventually."
Ramuh peered down at him gravely. "If you want a bloodbath, then you'll get one."
Ifrit met his gaze fiercely. "Damn you old man. Can't you let me take revenge against these Esper killers?"
Ramuh sighed. "Not if it makes you a killer too. Shed blood only when necessary."
Ifrit pounded his fist against a bulkhead making it reverberate. "Damn it! They'd show us no mercy! Why should we?"
Ramuh stroked his beard thoughtfully. "We'll sleep better at night that way."
Ifrit grunted and leaned against the ladder. Cid put her arm around his shoulder.
"Just rescue the Espers and get out of there," said Cid nervously. "Don't be a hero."
Ifrit smirked. "Believe me, I'm no hero."
Cid kissed his cheek. He blinked in surprise and covered his cheek with his hand.
She leaned against him. "For luck," she whispered. "Please don't die Red."
Ifrit blushed and hastily climbed up the ladder. He reached the hatch and easily hopped the three feet to shore. He stood next to Shiva and Ifrit and glanced behind to see the hatch being closed.
Shiva took out a handkerchief and dipped it in the water. "Hold on," she said. She walked over to Ifrit and rubbed his face with it. He yelped and backed away in surprise.
"You've got something on your face," she said. "I thought it was blood. Did you cut yourself?"
Ifrit touched his face. "I'm fine. Let's go."
A young woman stood on top of a massive tower that precariously perched on a small rocky island. She tapped her cane on the ground. From way up here she could make out the roofs of the other towers, a small village on the edge of a peninsula and endless ocean stretching in every direction. She peered over the edge and waved.
"What do you see, Ganamede?" asked a metallic voice behind her.
Her long honey blond hair hid her pale blue eyes. "Marcus and his boys just came back," she said happily. "Isn't that great Alexander?"
Behind her loomed what looked like a colossal armor clad gorilla. Huge front limbs, the head hidden in a curved helmet and two giant shoulder pads that concealed unspeakable death. It lumbered slowly across the rooftop, making the ground under Ganamede shake slightly. Alexander stopped at the edge and analyzed the courtyard far below.
"Scanning. Confirmed. The Raj have returned," said Alexander.
"I told you silly," said Ganamede climbing onto its shoulder. "Why didn't you believe me?"
"Direct perception is preferable to secondary data," said Alexander.
She kicked her legs back and forth, her heels lightly tapping its armor. "Why don't you talk like normal people?"
Alexander processed this. "I am not a person. I am an automaton. I am programmed to communicate this way."
"You're so boring," she said sighing.
"May I inquire why you visit me?" asked Alexander.
"Why not?" she said. "You're a lot more fun than anyone else. All they care about is magic. Even that dreamy Marcus is too serious."
"No one else visits me," it pointed out. "I require no companionship. It is illogical to utilize your time like this."
"Look, I hate it when people tell me what to do. Don't you start," she said, resting her chin on her hand.
"Compliance," it said.
Ganamede stood. "Oh no!"
Alexander scanned in her direction. "Confirmed. Sailing vessel sighted. One sail, small capacity."
"Please start with a warning shot," Ganamede begged.
"I always do," replied Alexander smoothly.
The helmet visor opened revealing a small nozzle. The shoulder pads lifted exposing rows upon rows of strange panels that began to glow. Ganamede hopped off as internal relays inside Alexander began clicking furiously. The tip of the nozzle began to glow from within and an intense white-hot beam burst forth and streaked across the surface of the water and cleanly cut the flagpole off the top of the mast.
"Please go away!" she yelled toward the ship. She glanced fearfully at Alexander who was dutifully counting down the required five minutes. After a while she heard footsteps clattering up the spiral staircase beneath her. She saw Marcus emerge very much out of breath.
"What happened?" he demanded between pants.
"A ship is approaching!" she said.
"Time is up," said Alexander.
"Wait!" she shouted.
Alexander fired off another salvo that hit the ship directly below the mast. The ship disintegrated in the white holy light, spreading debris in a cloud that scattered in every direction.
Ganamede sobbed and embraced Marcus, who wrapped his arms around her.
He glanced at Alexander. "Good job. Now we'll let Golem handle clean up."
Timber washed ashore on the rocks far below. In between floated splinters of wood and strips of cloth. A large metal dome floated amid the other debris, although it moved slightly faster than the surrounding flotsam. When it was a few feet away from shore a small door popped open on top. Air escaped out with a loud hiss and a few moments later Shiva took a peek from the hatch.
"Well?" asked Ramuh's voice from below, slightly muffled.
She frowned and scanned the rocky shoreline and the gargantuan tower that hovered above it. "No welcoming committee. I think it worked."
As she climbed over the side Ramuh appeared behind her. "Just as well. We have to sneak around a bit before all hell breaks loose. Got that sonny?" he asked calling down.
"Yeah, yeah old man," said Ifrit from below. "Just promise me we're going to crack some heads eventually."
Ramuh peered down at him gravely. "If you want a bloodbath, then you'll get one."
Ifrit met his gaze fiercely. "Damn you old man. Can't you let me take revenge against these Esper killers?"
Ramuh sighed. "Not if it makes you a killer too. Shed blood only when necessary."
Ifrit pounded his fist against a bulkhead making it reverberate. "Damn it! They'd show us no mercy! Why should we?"
Ramuh stroked his beard thoughtfully. "We'll sleep better at night that way."
Ifrit grunted and leaned against the ladder. Cid put her arm around his shoulder.
"Just rescue the Espers and get out of there," said Cid nervously. "Don't be a hero."
Ifrit smirked. "Believe me, I'm no hero."
Cid kissed his cheek. He blinked in surprise and covered his cheek with his hand.
She leaned against him. "For luck," she whispered. "Please don't die Red."
Ifrit blushed and hastily climbed up the ladder. He reached the hatch and easily hopped the three feet to shore. He stood next to Shiva and Ifrit and glanced behind to see the hatch being closed.
Shiva took out a handkerchief and dipped it in the water. "Hold on," she said. She walked over to Ifrit and rubbed his face with it. He yelped and backed away in surprise.
"You've got something on your face," she said. "I thought it was blood. Did you cut yourself?"
Ifrit touched his face. "I'm fine. Let's go."