Late July, 1860
The three gentlemen awaited in the table room, each with their own speculations of what was to happen next. The large room eagerly awaited the arrival of Koge and the much-feared "Zed". Elliot was a bit tense, but then, he was always a bit tense. Pete seemed rather nonchalant about it, but it was his idea in the first place. Duran frowned. He wasn't too peculiar on the idea. On so many levels did this not seem proper. However, Werner was very much eager to see this young terror, the demon.
"Dr. Inkapalia, Dr. Enduro, do either of you believe in the story of Adam and Zeikfried?" Werner asked, a small smile forming upon his lips.
"The Faluna bible is all poppycock, Dr. Maxwell." Elliot narrowed an eyebrow. "Real men of science don't waste their time on such silly notions."
"I am not familiar with this story." Pete said. "I never got around to reading the Faluna bible as a good Abramist should." He smiled and laughed.
"The story of Adam and Zeikfried is the creation of man and demon." Werner started. "I don't necessarily believe it myself, but I am suddenly reminded of it. When Abram created Filgaia, he created Adam, man, in his image, as his son, to live out his existence upon Filgaia happily and peacefully. However, Adam grew jealous of Abram, who lived in the sky and had many angels to do his deeds, where Adam had none. So, from a bone of a dragon and his own flesh he fashioned Zeikfried, a stronger man to do his deeds. Abram was furious at this, as Adam hadn't the right to create. And so, Abram cast Zeikfried away to wander the globe without his love, as a hated child. And as for Adam, since his actions had spawned from his jealousy and envy, Abram created a consequence for these feelings. He gave Adam mortality and created illness and plague to live in the world. However, Adam was still very much loved, and he began the human race…"
"Of course, how can a species propagate with only one male?" Duran laughed. Elliot snickered at this.
Pete smiled. "And where do the Baskar and the Elw come in?"
It was then when a door opened for itself, letting in the young girl Koge. She was pushing a cart, and biting her lip at the same time. Upon the cart seemed to sit a young child. He was pale in all sense of the word, and long, stringy blonde hair fell from his head to his shoulders. The child's face was hidden as he looked at the floor. He was very thin, haven been diagnosed with anorexia, and he was wearing only a pair of black pants.
Koge pushed the cart to the center table, the round one underneath the array of rather brutal looking tools. "H-here he is, doctors."
"Well done Koge." Pete said as he stepped towards it. "You can stand back now."
The girl did as told with much relief, and the four scintist gathered around the cart. The boy continued to sir motionless.
"So this is "Zed"." Werner stated.
"Very much so, doctor. A half breed demon." Elliot replied. "Well Pete, I guess you should begin."
"Thank you Elliot." Pete strapped on a pair of plastic gloves and reached above him for a flashlight that was on the rack of tools. With one powerful hand, he clutched the boys chin and raised it upwards, shining the light into the face.
"His face…" Duran commented.
"Half of his face has been covered in a metallic substance, yes." Pete responded. It was true, Half of Zed's face was coated in a silver metal, surrounding a red eye. "The metal comes from a genetic trait that all demons carry. However, metallic skin is a recessive gene, so the genes for human skin are always pushed to the surface, as they are dominant."
"Have you identified what kind of metal it is, or how it would work on a living being?" Duran asked. "Metallic skinned demons are extinct, I thought."
"Very good, Dr. Feld." Pete said as he checked Zeds ear. "Pure blood demons, or Homo sapian Superior, are quite extinct. All we have left are small populations of half-breeds… The metal seems to be an organic source. The results from our survey found large traces of iron, whereas his blood seems to be suffering from an iron deficiency anemia as of late. One can only theorize that the iron has been redirected to the metallic skin."
"We've been given him large amounts of vitamin B12 and iron supplements in order to keep him healthy. At least, in the physical sense." Elliot crossed his arms.
"His face is not one large plate of metal, as it may look, but rather millions and millions of iron plated episquamous cells. His physiology is working now so that when these skin cells are created in the dermis, they are coated in a thick layer of iron instead of karotyn. The iron is porous, up to the last stage anyhow, and thus nutrients can be exchanged between extracellular fluid and the cell itself. His red eye is still anyone's guess." Pete explained as he shifted the boy's head so that the red eye was facing them. "It is completely bioluminescent to an incredible degree. My theory is that the eye has been coated with several layers of bioluminescent cells that have a red pigment. However, if that were the case, he would not be able to see out of it."
"He can see out of it?" Werner asked.
"Yes, at least that's what he has told us." Pete looked Zed in the eyes then. "Zed! Can you see out of your left eye!?"
The boy didn't respond for several minutes. But then there was an eerie laughter. The eye flashed and a smile appeared on his thin lips. "My name… is not Zed. I am Scarecraft…"
"Scarecraft?" Werner repeated.
Pete frowned and turned the flashlight off. "Koge, give him another dose of morphine."
"Yes sir." Koge saluted and picked up an anesthetic needle from the rack and cleaned it with a napkin. She injected the liquid into the boy's neck and stood back, watching the laughter stifle away to a silence.
"Pete, what did he mean by "Scarecraft"?" Werner asked.
Pete sighed and waved his hand, indicating that Koge should take the boy away. She did so at once, allowing the drugged up demon escape from the doctors. "He has been developing a different personality as of late. If we don't do something about it soon, he may end up completely insane before long. At this rate, we seemed to be worsening things. It may be good for research on Superiors, but as for saving a child, well, we've failed."
"Well… I don't think you two need worry yourselves over it." Werner replied.
"And why is that? If we don't fix it, we'll have the wrath of both the committee and the Pullman Company's on us! And that would definitely rule out furthering the contract on the Sample project." Elliot seethed.
"The Pullman Company, nor the committee, can touch you if you are Council of Seven." Werner smiled. "I believe you two have what it takes."
Elliot's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "Y-you're serious!?"
Werner nodded. Pete laughed and threw his hands into the air. "Well lucky day! Council of Seven."
Duran smiled and reached through the large packet of papers he was holding. "If you two would start the paperwork, we'd be most thankful."
"Of course, of course!" Elliot laughed. "Right away!"
** *
Three Days Later… Early August, 1860
"You sure you want to see this?" Koge asked the two gentlemen hiking behind her. It was a beautiful day, one with the sun shining from far beyond blue skies and white rolling clouds. Koge Donbo had been told by the good doctor she was assisting to assist Werner Maxwell and Dr. Duran Feld in any way possible. And it was just that these two men needed a guide through the Humphrey's Peaks, a range of mountains not far from where Leyline Observatory was established. She wasn't exactly sure why they had wanted to go, but she was happy to oblige. She liked helping Werner… and Duran as well. They were about halfway up the slope of a particular mountain, the Humphrey's Peak. It was a naturally red mountain, covered in reddish soil and small conifer trees and Douglas firs. "Are you sure you want to see this radio antennae? It's awfully old and dangerous…"
"We've been hiking half the day Koge. What makes you think we're going to give up now?" Werner grinned. He was wearing his trademark rawhide leather coat and broad hat, added to an adventurers gear.
"Easy for you to say. You still have young blood in you." Duran rested for a moment. He, too, was dressed in adventurers gear, but needless to say, it didn't look nearly as dashing upon him as it did Werner.
"Why are you interested in the antennae anyway, if you don't mind me asking?" Koge asked, blinking those large brown eyes of hers. She was dressed in adventuring gear as well, khaki shorts, large boots, and a blue top within a rawhide leather vest.
"Oh, just for research's sake." Werner smiled. "Isn't that right Duran?"
"Werner, you owe my a rather large favor when we're through here." Duran tried to catch his breath.
Koge giggled and continued hiking along a path, using large, red rocks to aid her. Duran caught up with Werner after his break. "Well Werner, have you thought of our next candidate for Council?"
"As of now… no." Werner replied, scaling a rock that jutted from the needle strewn red path.
"Ah. Well, From what Berlitz has told me, the Committee seems rather pleased that you chose two candidates from their roster at the Observatory. Ms. Saint wasn't thrilled about Enduro, but she seemed to even it out with Inkapalia. Will you give me a hand with this rock?" Duran received Werner' hand as he pushed himself over.
"Choosing Pete went over quite well, didn't it? I was thinking we'd have some problems with his ethnicity." Werner started up after Koge, who was well ahead.
The cries of several Onkypete's interrupted the air as Koge pushed through the brush. The fat black birds escaped into the azure sky, cawing rudely. Duran laughed a bit and looked back to Werner, who was getting ahead again. "The Committee approached him to join their staff in the first place, so I wouldn't be surprised that they would favor him. It's the senate you have to worry about when it comes to dealing with issues as those."
"Oh yea. The senate is going to love that and Enduro as well." Werner grumbled. "But still, I stick with my gut feeling. We'll work things out."
"I can see why you want to work hard to get in the favorable eye. Your hiring the type no one wants!" Duran laughed.
"Exactly. A few mistakes by a liked man will slide." Werner responded.
"As long as we're climbing this peak, we should go into town, eh?" Koge announced from her position ahead. "A nice deli sounds good right now."
"Have you ever been to Humphrey's Peak before, Koge?" Duran asked.
"Only a few times with Dr. Enduro. Humphrey's Peak is a nice place, filled with lots of different people. It's got large buildings that aren't rusty, and restaurants, and, well, everything! And not a scientist in sight!"
"Someone's looking for a vacation." Werner whistled.
"Hey! I work hard, y'know!" Koge smiled. "Leyline's always working hard. Sometimes, you just need to let loose."
"Agreed." Duran stated.
"Not so admirable work ethics though. Is that what your father taught you?" Werner thought.
"My father was always working hard on the railroads. If he didn't, they'd fire him. Working railroads is the only job that we Orientals can seem to get…" Koge sighed.
"Hmmm… but your not working the railroads, obviously." Werner said.
"My father met Dr. Enduro a long time ago. The Dr. was looking for an assistant, and my father was the first one in line to try and give me a better life…" Koge stopped on a log.
Werner started to feel a little sorry for bringing up the subject. He glanced around. They were certainly getting high.
"My, this spot is almost identical to a Baskar sight I once visited in my earlier days." Duran said, finally meeting up with the two. "Well, I recommend setting up lunch."
"Me too!" Koge chuckled.
"All for it." Werner smiled.
Koge reached into her pack and pulled out the sandwiches that she had prepared earlier. Thin layers of ham and provolone cheese packed between two slices of white bread, wrapped in a napkin. The three eagerly started lunch.
"So, Mr. Maxwell-" Koge began.
"Please, call me Werner." Werner interrupted, eating his sandwich.
"Right. Umm, Werner, do you have anyone else in mind for your Council of Seven?" Koge asked.
Duran looked particularly interested. He had asked the question before, and was waiting to see if Werner would give the same reply. Werner coughed. "Well, not one one in particular, but I'm interested in a certain someone."
"Really?" Duran raised a white eyebrow. "And who pray tell would this gentleman be?"
"Anyone from Leyline?" Koge asked, interested.
Werner fished into his coat pocket and withdrew a notepad. He had several things in chicken scratch jotted down, and he squinted to make sense of them. "No, she's not from Leyline…"
"She?! Huh, first a man with mental records, then a Baskar, and now a woman. Werner, you really are trying to give the senate a run for it's money." Duran chuckled.
"I certainly am Duran. I certainly am." Werner sighed. "It was Elliot that first clued me into her. Her name is Dr. Melody Vilente, and she's a virologist."
"Vilente, Vilente… that name was on some records I filed! She provides the hormone packages for Dr. Enduro and Dr. Inkapalia's projects. They've been using those hormone samples to alter DNA on the sample and on Zed for years!" Koge spoke up, excited.
"I am not following. What does a virologist have to do with Yggdrassil? Yggdrassil uses brain waves to power global revitalization, hence the anatomist and the genetic engineer."
"Well, Elliot was telling me that she's also the leading expert in nanotechnology in the Union. Modern nanotechnology is a new filed, so it's not going to appear on many resumes, but Yggdrassil uses the concept of nanotechnology when dealing with Filgaia's cellular structure. I don't quite understand it all myself, but I'm hoping she can help clue us in." Werner explained.
"Where does she work Werner? Not far I hope." Koge said through bites.
"On the contrary. She operates out of a small clinic in a small town known as Little Twister, deep in Slayheim." Werner replied.
"That will be quite the trip." Duran commented after taking a sip of water from his canteen. "Slayheim is still under Union occupation, and there's still quite a bit of Arizona activity going on. The train we'd be on could be attacked by Arizonian activists."
"Arizonian activists?" Koge asked. "I thought the Arizona party was gone after the Slayheim civil war ended twenty years ago."
"Well, that's all what we'd like to believe." Duran smiled. "Unorganized rebels are still trying to liberate Slayheim and secede from the Union. Damn demons…"
"Well Duran, think of it this way. Yggdrassil is supposed to help save the entire world, and that includes Slayheim, so we should travel through there with smiling faces and helping hands." Werner finished his sandwich.
"Well that just seems silly. We won that war and have a large army there. Shouldn't they realize they lost?" Koge was baffled.
"It was the fact that the senate repealed the Arizona act that started the war. Doing that means that demons are fair game and it means so today as well. If I were a demon, I wouldn't be too happy with that." Werner said.
"Werner, you are most definitely a left wing liberal." Duran laughed.
"I sure am." Werner rubbed the back of his neck. "Well Koge, how much further till the radio antennae?"
"Not much further! C'mon!" And with that, the three packed up and continued on, much to Duran's protests.
** *
It was approaching dusk when they arrived at the top. Though trees and shrubs still dotted the mountain, snow was ever prevalent, even in the warm days of August. The radio antennae was a large tower, stretching into the sky. Several rusty dishes were mounted to it, silently transmitting messages across the region. Werner approached the tower and looked to Duran, who had already started to unpack a large transmitter from his pack.
"What kind of research are you two doing with the telepath tower anyway?" Koge asked.
"Telepath tower? Is that what they call this place?" Werner asked.
"Yup! It's called Telepath tower. The Committee built it a decade ago and named it after a story book or something." Koge answered.
"Well we're not doing research at all. Werner here is making one hell of a long distance broadcast." Duran said as he assembled his machine.
"Broadcast?" Koge was confused.
"Duran here is helping me in an attempt to reach my wife in Boot Hill. His mechanical skills should help the signal travel that far." Werner explained.
"You flatter me Werner." Duran blushed.
"…You're wife?" Koge repeated.
"My wife and daughter. I haven't' seen them in months. Letters take much too long, so I was hoping that this would work.""
"You do have a station near Boot Hill, right?" Duran asked. "If you don't, I don't think a simple radio will do."
"Yes, there's a tower near Boot Hill. It's for the Ranger's office, but it doesn't have too good of reception. We are a frontier town after all." Werner told the older scientist.
"Yes, yes, way out there in the territories." Duran mumbled. "Is Ekatrina familiar with the local Ranger unit?"
"Well, she knows the sheriff well enough." Werner thought. "That should help put them through."
"Do you even know what time of day it is in Boot Hill? I'd hate to wake such a pretty thing up in the middle of the night." Duran continued questioning.
"Just who's wife is this, eh?" Werner smiled. "Just patch me through."
"Very well." Duran reached for a cable from his signal booster and attached it to the tower, securing it with metal clamps. "Just don't let there be any Gob vandals out here…"
Werner placed the large, boxy headphones upon his head and crouched in the snow, near the microphone on the machine. Static buzzed through his ears as he tried to adjust the station. After several minutes, Duran stepped over and turned the knob so that clarity reached Werner's ears. Werner gave thumbs up and Duran nodded, wrapping his coat around him. Night was approaching the mountaintop.
"Hello? Hello? Boot Hill? Anyone there?" Werner began to speak.
"This is Boot Hill." Came a rough voice with that territories dialect. "Who be this?"
"This is Werner Maxwell, of the Maxwell estate." Werner replied.
"Ah, Werner, how you doin' you old coot?! Haven't heard from you in a long time. You in the ranger business now or something?" The voice asked.
"No, no, not at all. I am just far from home and I was thinking of talking with my wife."
"Now Werner, this isn't a public broadcast booth." The voice started to go through static. "I can't just let anyone use this. It's govament prapertay."
"Yes, I know, but just this once?"
"… Fine, just this once, ya hear? Your lucky no Baskar are around! You want me to go and fetch her?"
"If you wouldn't mind."
And thus, night fell over Humphrey's Peak…
** *