Atomsk's Heir
S-Michael
Chapter 5 -- Atomsk's Plan
The police officer injected Naota with something. "It'll take a minute for the drug to take hold, okay?" Naota nodded. She ruffled his hair affectionately. Like everyone else he had met on this planet so far, she had pink hair and yellow eyes. Naota looked at the ceiling and hoped that Atomsk's plan worked.
"Why must we evade the police?" Atomsk asked.
"Because you blacked out half the planet," Rehara said.
"Rehara, you're just a witness, they won't use truth serum on you unless they have to," Atomsk said.
"They have a lie detector built into the walls," Rehara said.
"Yes, but not a perfect one. It relies on the tone of your voice, the beat of your heart, things like that. Raharu, as the arresting officer, you don't even have to worry about that. Rehara, all I want you to do is omit the part about me being inside Naota and the spaceship being of his own design. Say that he never told you where he got the spaceship, and emphasize that Naota is lost and confused. That's not even technically a lie."
"That ought to be good enough," the officer said.
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Atomsk, in the body of Naota, went behind the counter of Rehara's kitchen. He mixed something, "Drink this after Haruko calls her superiors. It'll help you fool the lie detectors."
"How do you know?" Rehara asked.
Atomsk used Naota's face to smile attractively. "Trust me." Suddenly, she trusted him.
"Alright, your name is Haruhar Rehara, correct?" the officer asked.
"Correct," Rehara said.
"Alright, tell us what happened."
She told him what happened, until--
"Why didn't you call the police when he told you that he was the one who caused the blackout?" the officer asked.
"I would have, but he was just so scared and alone, and I thought, well, it would be a while until you could do anything about it, anyway, what with the dust storm and all…"
He nodded. "Continue."
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"Do you want me to hide the fact that this is the same Nandaba Naota that I encountered on Earth?" Haruko asked.
"No, that would just create the need for more lies, and the closer we stick to the truth in this, the better," Atomsk said.
"What's your name?" the officer asked.
Let me handle this, Atomsk said.
"Nandaba Naota," Atomsk said in Naota's voice.
"Naota. That's a pretty name," she said, and smiled at him.
Naota's mouth smiled back shyly. "Thank you," Atomsk said meekly.
I don't believe this. Are you flirting with her? Naota demanded.
Trust me, son, Atomsk said.
I told you not to call me that. And I don't want you flirting with people while you're inside of me! exclaimed Naota.
"Tell me what happened, Naota," she said.
"Alright, ma'am," Atomsk said. "It started three quarters of a year ago…" Atomsk told the officer about Naota's adventures with Haruko from his perspective with an alarming amount of detail.
You read my mind, didn't you, you bastard! demanded Naota.
I had to, Atomsk said, not pausing in his verbal recital of Naota's story.
Must you make me sound so pathetic? Naota said.
I'm playing to her emotions, Atomsk said.
Why? Naota demanded.
"…and then Haruko left," Atomsk finished. He took a trembling breath, and faked a tear. "Everything was alright for a while, but then Medical Mechanical came back, and they kidnapped me, and took me off-world. They made me learn their language so that I could serve them. They…they hated me. I ruined their plans to conquer my world -- did I mention we have no space flight capabilities?" Atomsk sniffled.
"You did, Naota," the officer said gently, reaching out to grab his hand.
"I mean, we have nothing," Atomsk said. "The Americans have landed on our one moon, the Russians sent a ship behind it to photograph the surface of it, back when they were the USSR, and the Chinese have made it into orbit. Those are the only three nations of my world to have made it into space, and that is the extent of their reach."
"I understand, Naota," she said, squeezing his hand.
"I ruined MM's plan to conquer my world, and so they kidnapped me. At first I thought that they did it out of spite, but then they put me in the spaceship, and they sent me off into space. I think they thought I'd die in the aftermath of the explosion," Atomsk said.
What are you doing, Atomsk? Naota asked.
Would you rather take credit for this yourself? Atomsk said.
"Do you remember anything specifically?" she asked, squeezing Naota's hand.
"Nothing relevant," Atomsk said. "Well, there was this one thing one of the thugs said about 'teaching the "pink-heads"' -- am I pronouncing that right? Yeah. 'Teaching the pink-heads a thing or two.'"
"Is that all?" she asked.
Atomsk made a show of concentrating. "They opened my N.O channels before sending me off. They might have been planning on sending something through. Do N.O. channels have a maximum distance or something? You know, like how radio signals fade out with distance?"
"Naota, do you know what 'pink-head' means?"
Atomsk shook his head. "No, my command of your language is…how do you say it? Not-whole."
"Partial, incomplete," the officer suggested.
"If you say so," Atomsk said.
"Well, pink-head is actually two words…" the officer went on to explain it in words someone with an incomplete grasp of the language could understand. "You understand?"
Atomsk nodded.
"Good. 'Pink-head' is actually an insult, you should know."
"I didn't mean to offend," Atomsk said.
"I know. You didn't, Naota," she said.
"It was just…so scary," Atomsk said, and started to cry.
The officer went around the table and held him against her, shushing him.
Atomsk, please, you're embarrassing me! Naota said.
Trust me, Naota. PR is important, Atomsk said.
Atomsk "regained control" of himself. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it," the officer said, tipping Naota's head up to meet her eyes.
"Can…can I go now?" Atomsk asked hopefully.
"Not just yet."
"Oh. I see. Well, can you hold me, then? Just for a little while?"
"Okay, Naota," she said.
What are you doing?
Wrapping her around my little finger. What did it look like I was doing, Naota?
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"Well, how's the witness?"
"She appears to be telling the truth, except about why she didn't call the police."
"Well, that's to be expected."
"What do you mean?"
"A beautiful boy like that arrives on her doorstep, why do you think she didn't call us right away?"
"Oh. I see."
"Go ahead and release her."
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"Alright, Raharu, after they're done questioning Rehara and 'Naota,' they're going to show you the tapes, and then someone will ask you--"
"Do you have any reason to believe that any of this is in any way inaccurate?" her commander asked.
"--(or words to that effect), to which you will of course answer that--"
"I do not," Haruko said.
"After that, they may ask some more technical questions, but eventually, they'll get around to saying--"
"Naota claims that Medical Mechanical kidnapped him. Do you believe that they could still be on the planet?"
"--to which you will respond--"
"No, I doubt that they would stay, not after committing a federal crime," it disturbed Haruko that Atomsk could think things out this thoroughly. Made her wonder what else he was planning.
"I see. Thank you, Raharu."
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"Well, I have orders to escort you back to your homeworld, Ta-kun," Haruko said. Naota hopped on he back of Haruko's vespa. "You know, it was really sweet the way you cried."
"It was all Atomsk's doing!" Naota protested.
"Uh-uh, sure," Haruko teased.
"Really!" Naota said.
The Vespa lifted from the ground, and flew off into space. The city, then the surrounding countryside, then the continent, then the planet itself shrank into nothingness. "That will never stop being impressive," Naota said.
"Just you wait," Haruko said knowingly.
"Raharu will take Naota and myself to Chyochi, and we will wait for you guys to catch up to us there," Atomsk said.
"So what was in that drink you gave Rehara, anyway, Atomsk?" Haruko asked.
Atomsk, using "his" voice instead of Naota's, responded: "One part alcohol, one part placebo."
"No shit?" Haruko stared at Naota's eyes.
"Watch the road!" Naota complained.
"One: autopilot. Two: even if I was flying this thing, we're going several times the speed of light. If there was anything that we needed to worry about on our path, we would be dead before we even saw it."
"Gee, that's comforting," Naota said.
"By the way, I've been meaning to ask you…"
"Yeah?" Naota asked.
"Where's my Rickenbacker?"
"Huh?"
"My guitar," Haruko said. "Where is it?"
Naota grimaced: he had left it behind back on Earth. How could he have been so stupid? "It's…safe."
Haruko spun around in her seat and looked him in the eye. "Safe where?"
"Safe…at home," Naota said.
"Ah, well. We can fix that when we reach Chyochi," Haruko said, turning back around.
Atomsk, we need to talk, Naota said.
What about? asked Atomsk.
I don't want you flirting with people while you're inside of me, Naota said.
Is this about that police officer? As hard as it may be for you to believe that I don't exist to get you laid, that was entirely business, Atomsk said.
More like to get yourself laid, Naota accused.
I am a sexless being that has been alive longer than humans have lived on your planet. Trust me when I say that it was entirely business, Atomsk said.
Hey, wait! If you're sexless, how can you have a kid? Naota demanded.
Obviously, when I take on human form I take on gender, Atomsk said. That means that I can have sex, and furthermore, my body wants to. I've never been one to inhibit myself, true, but when not in human form, I do not feel lust.
But you are in my body! Naota protested.
I am. And did you feel like you wanted to screw the good officer? Atomsk asked rhetorically.
Well, uh, not really. I mean, she is cute… Naota stammered.
Business, then, Atomsk said.
Of course, Naota said.
Atomsk laughed.
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Atomsk's Heir
S-Michael
Chapter 6 -- Searching for Atomsk's Heir
The predominant colors of Chyochi were blue and white. The native flora was blue-green, and white stone jutted through the planet's surface. The People had sapphire colored hair and eyes and extremely pale skin (not albino pale, but close) (also, long, pointed ears). Even the buildings seemed to be a bluish silver color. Even under normal light everything probably would have been a little bluish, but Chyochi orbited a blue dwarf, which magnified the effect. The sky was a deep blue, deeper than it was on Earth, with a smattering of wispy clouds, and the ocean was a darker blue than the sky, waves cresting on the shores with white foam. Naota could see both from the balcony of the hotel that he and Haruko were staying at. The others had not yet arrived.
"I hope nothing has happened to them," Naota said.
"Relax, Ta-kun. Do you have any idea how long it takes to get a robot out of storage?" Haruko asked. "We might as well just sit back and enjoy ourselves for a couple days. Unless, of course you want to ditch them."
Well? Naota asked Atomsk.
I don't really care. Canti has served his purpose, and Rehara was really only tagging along, anyway. I suggest that you wait, as it'll be a good excuse for you and Raharu to…ahem, work on your relationship. It's up to you, though, Atomsk said.
Great, now Atomsk was playing match-maker.
"Atomsk said that it's up to us," Naota edited.
"Let's wait, then. I promised Rehara she could come, and besides, whatever Atomsk is really planning, I think I'll want some witnesses."
"You don't trust him?" Naota asked.
"Nao, he's Atomsk," Haruko said. "The Pirate King, the Prince of Light and Darkness, the Master of the Roads, the God who Lies, the Light-Bringer, Defier-of-the-Deities, Godslayer, the Patron of Thieves, I could go on. Of course I don't trust him."
"Oh. Stupid question," Naota said. He recognized Light-Bringer and the Prince of Darkness as being titles ascribed to Lucifer in Christendom, and remembered what Atomsk said about that personage being loosely based on him. Just how loosely, I wonder?
Fairly loosely, Atomsk said. That guy takes himself way too seriously.
"Why were you chasing after him, then?" Naota asked.
"Um, duh. He has something I want: power. I want the power to control the galactic lay-lines, the N.O. channels. Sure, through people like you I can access and use them, but I want to be able to alter them to reflect my own desires, the way Atomsk can. I want to hold the whole of the galaxy in the palm of my hand, Ta-kun."
"And then what? Galactic domination?" Naota asked.
Haruko shrugged. "Maybe. I won't know until I have the power. Mostly, though, I just want the power for its own sake."
"If not galactic domination, what could you possibly want that kind of power for?" Naota asked.
"In your world's recent civil cold war, the Americans and the Russians each acquired enough nuclear strength to destroy your world eight times over a piece. What could they possibly want with that kind of power?"
Recent Cold War? Then Naota remembered that Haruko was literally as old as America was, according to Atomsk.
"C'mon, let's go eat, my treat," Haruko said.
"It pretty much has to be, doesn't it? I don't have any money," Naota said.
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Naota and Haruko sat at a table of what Naota couldn't help but to feel was an expensive restaurant. Tablecloths. Candelabras. Soft music. The tablecloths were blue, the candles were a light blue, lighter than cerulean, in silver candelabras. Naota picked up a piece of silverware that looked like a fork with prehensile parts, trying to figure out how to use it.
"What is with all the blue on this world?" Naota asked.
"Hmm?" Haruko asked.
"This world has a lot of blue," Naota said.
"Yeah. What of it?" Haruko asked.
"Is it, like a theme or something?" Naota asked.
"Not consciously. All worlds have their predominant colors. You just never noticed because you've lived your entire life on Earth," Haruko said.
"Really?" Naota asked. "What are Earth's colors?"
"Shades of brown and yellow," Haruko said. "There's also dark greens and dull oranges to a lesser extent. My world isn't much different, except with more orange-yellow and less yellow, so that's why you hadn't noticed."
"Haruko? People keep looking at us, and their expressions are…I don't think they like us," Naota said.
"They think we're a couple. That sort of thing isn't really popular on this planet," Haruko said.
"Then why do they think we're a couple?" Naota asked.
"Because I'm a pink-head, and we're notorious for molesting young boys," Haruko said, sounding…disgruntled?
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"What took ya?" Haruko asked when Rehara and Canti showed up the next day. Canti, of course, said nothing.
"I'd rather not talk about it," Rehara said. "Suffice it to say that bureaucrats are the Spawn of Evil." The she changed the subject, "Alright, so from here we go to Atomsk's lair, and then what?"
"My son will be there when we get there," Atomsk said. "I have arranged for it."
"When?" Rehara demanded.
"When you weren't looking," Atomsk said.
"I don't remember you doing anything like that," Naota said.
"You weren't paying attention," Atomsk said.
"What was I doing?" Naota asked.
"This and that," Atomsk said.
"Watching you talk to yourself is giving me a head ache!" Rehara complained
"Let's just assume that Atomsk knows what he's talking about," Haruko said.
"Okay," Naota said.
"How will he get into the Pirate King's Keep? Only Atomsk can access it," Rehara said.
"My son has most of my powers. He will be able to use my lair to it's full potential. Why else would I leave it to him when I leave the galaxy?" Atomsk said.
"So in other words, he can find his own way in," Naota said.
"Yes."
"So why didn't you just say so?" Naota said.
"Making my head hurt, again," Rehara said.
"Sorry," Naota said.
"That's alright," she said. "Well, let's go."
"Not just yet. There's still something I need to do first," Haruko said.
"What?" Naota asked.
Haruko put a visor around Naota's head.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Naota demanded.
"Nothing I haven't done to you before," Haruko said.
Then it clicked: this was exactly like the time she pulled the guitar out of his head.
"Hey, don't--" Haruko plunged her hand into his head. "I'm sorry I forgot your guitar on Earth, alright? Come on, that hurt the last time you did that!"
"Really? Does this hurt?" she stroked something.
Naota shivered in delight. "Hey! I said not to touch that from behind!" Naota had the migraine of all time as Haruko pulled a guitar from his head. He pulled the visor from his head, stood and glared at Haruko. "Ow!"
"That looks like your guitar," Rehara said.
"It is," Haruko said.
"And where is that 'Earth' place, again?" Rehara asked.
"The other arm of the galactic spiral," Haruko said.
Rehara stared at Naota. "You channeled an object that size from across the galaxy, and you're not even tired?"
"Should I be?" Naota asked innocently.
"Come on, cousin, you heard about what he did on Earth," Haruko said.
"Yeah, but…well, it's different seeing it," Rehara said. "And there is no one else on his entire planet with powers anywhere even close to this?"
"There are only a handful of channellers on the whole planet, and they can barely be called that. The second best Earthling channeller next to Ta-kun here is Amarao, and he can barely channel an object the size and rough makeup of my fist--and it takes entirely more effort than it is worth to make him do it, as well. Yeah, Ta-kun is a fortunate freak of nature," Haruko said, affectionately ruffling his hair.
"Great," Naota murmured.
"Hey, I said 'fortunate,'" Haruko said. "You could as easily have wound up with a third eye as super powers, you know."
"Can we just go?" Naota asked.
"Atomsk hasn't given us the coordinates yet," Haruko said.
"You don't know where this place is?" Naota asked.
"No one does, except for Atomsk," Haruko said.
"Can we please go, Atomsk?" Naota asked.
"Okay," Atomsk walked over to Haruko's vespa, flipped up a control panel Naota didn't even know was there, and punched some buttons. "There you go. The computers are set to take us where we need to go."
"Tell me, Atomsk," Haruko said, "you said earlier that you needed me to help you find your kid. Obviously, that's not true, so what's the real reason you want me here?"
"I said that I needed you to help him," Atomsk said.
"Help him how?" Haruko asked.
"I'd rather not say just yet. Look, we are nearing the end of our journey. All will be revealed before the day is out, I promise," Atomsk said.
"Why not spill your guts now?" Haruko asked.
"Look, I have had a reason behind everything I have done so far. Just trust me, please," Atomsk said.
"There had better be a good reason behind this, Atomsk," Haruko said.
"Don't worry. I haven't lied to you yet," Atomsk said.
"So are we going?" Raharu asked.
"We're going," Haruko said.
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"Haruko?" Naota said sheepishly. They were traveling at several times the speed of light, so it made sense that he couldn't see Rehara or Canti.
"Yeah."
"You remember how I said that I love you?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, it's true. Haruko…I need to know…do you love me, too?"
Haruko sighed. "You know, Ta-kun, I wanted to take you with me, I really did. But it's dangerous out here. You don't know, because all you've seen of it is my cousin's house, the police station, and that rest stop. Ta-kun, There are dangerous things out here, monsters that prey on human flesh, creatures that masquerade as human but aren't, not to mention monsters of a more mundane kind: pimps and slavers that'll see you for a beautiful youth and try to kidnap you."
The Great Humanization Project of my people caused humans to evolve on many worlds, thus allowing the beasts of multiple worlds the opportunity to become a perfect predator on humanity instead of just one. New worlds of humanity are always popping up, so old predators don't die out, they become more specialized, Atomsk interjected.
"I do love you, Nao. That's why I left you on the Earth, even though you were practically sent by the gods: young, cute, the perfect weapon, and totally in love with me? Any one of those things would make you valuable as a tool or a toy, but I valued you as a person, so I left you there. Lot of good my high-handed nobility did, eh?"
"This thing's on autopilot, right?" Naota asked.
"We're going many times the speed of light. What do you think?" Haruko said.
"Could you turn around real quick?" Naota asked.
Haruko did so, saying, "Alright, but--" Naota kissed her. At first she froze, and then she kissed back. Then they stared into each other's eyes. Speaking, but not with words. "Are you sure about this?"
Naota laughed, "Isn't that supposed to be the guy's line?"
"Only on your world, and I still don't know what's wrong with you people to cause you to get everything backwards," Haruko said, smiling. "Seriously, though, are you sure?"
Naota nodded. "I love you, Haruko."
"My name is Raharu, Ta-kun."
"And mine is Naota, Haruko."
"I guess old habits are going to be hard to break." She smiled.
"Yeah. Let's work on it later." He smiled back.
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"That's the Pirate King's Keep?" Naota asked.
"What does Atomsk say?" Haruko asked.
"Yup."
"Well, then it is," Haruko said.
"I was just expecting something a little more…I don't know, classy," Naota said.
They were looking at a rundown space station that looked like it had been through a war and then neglected. It looked roughly like a wheel in the middle of an axel."
"Hey, I don't usually have company over," Atomsk said.
"Why's it spinning?" Haruko asked.
"Gravity."
"It's spinning for gravity? Gods, Atomsk! How primitive is this place?"
"I don't exactly need gravity, so I never bothered to update it," Atomsk said. "Some of the things I have done will make your mouth water, though."
"There's something here. I can feel it. I don't know how, but I do," Naota said.
"The Pirate King's Keep is built over an N.O. channel conjunction point," Atomsk said.
"How powerful?" Haruko asked.
"One billion six hundred forty-three million two hundred fifty-one thousand thirty seven individual N.O. channels run through this junction," Atomsk said, "connecting to points all across this side of the galaxy and conjunctions that reach even farther. From here, I can steal planets and put them wherever I want."
"Well, does it have atmosphere? You don't need to breath, either," Haruko asked.
"Yes," Atomsk said. "Get the others to come in closer. We need to share atmosphere if I am going to pass you through the force-shield."
Haruko gestured for Rehara and Atomsk to come in close. The vespas' force-shields touched and merged, and then they were all breathing the same air. A red mist escaped from Naota's skin, and, surrounding the vespas. They continued forward, and Naota felt an electronic tingle as they passed through the force-shield, and shivered.
"What is it, Ta?" Haruko asked.
"Nothing," Naota said. He didn't want to look like a novice, even though he was.
The red mist took the form of a giant bird. "We're through the force-shield, and you can lower yours. The air in here is quite breathable. Follow me."
Atomsk flew towards the wheel. Naota noticed that it was bigger than he had first thought. He had thought he could fit all of Mabase into the interior of the wheel, now he realized that he could fit all of Japan, if he cut it into shape. They got closer, and Naota could see flying specks. Those are birds! Naota realized. There were things living here! They landed on the inside of the wheel, on the shore of a great river that went around the whole of the interior. It must have had jets making it go, or something.
"Okay, we're here, where's your kid?" Haruko asked.
"Oh, my heir here," Atomsk said. He began to shape shift. "I'll formally introduce you to him soon enough." He was shrinking. "First, though, I want to say I'm sorry." His voice was changing. "I'm sorry for using you as pawns in my fiendish games, and yes, I have been, this entire time." He was taking on a vaguely human form. "What can I say? I am Atomsk." The form was slender, without a lot of muscles; Naota would have expected something a little more he-man-ish from the Pirate King. "The Master of Roads, the Patron of Thieves, the Eternal Trickster." Naota gasped as he realized he had judged the form all wrong. "I'm especially sorry to you, Naota, for I have played with you for longer than the others, and have used your special powers for my own gain. I want your forgiveness above all, and," Atomsk's hands grasped Naota's face, "I want you to be able to call me 'mother,'" she said.