Dark Energy by carlsojos

Chapter 42

A few minutes after sundown, we came across what seems to be a large mountain range. Demi grabs my shoulder, This storm is getting worse. We should seek shelter soon. I look closer, and realize a large portion of the range is actually mountains of ice! The wind is swirling the snow downward to make the wall even bigger.

I spot a small spark of light. It was only for an instance, but it caught my attention. Hey, there he is! A shadow in the snow, slowly moving. It suddenly collapses onto the white ground.

Shit, man down! Etirn curses as we ran to the person's aid. He's dressed in several layers of a linen-like cloth, with armor of a metal and style I've never seen before. Ray runs a knife against the armor, and pulls it off. The inside glints like the inlay on that book of pictures.

I turn to the person. Are you okay? He moves his lips, but no sound comes out. I briskly rub my knuckles against his chest to entice a reaction of pain. Hello? Speak to me! No sound, but I manage to interpret what he mouthed. I can't hear you.

I know enough from Biology to know that this kid is in serious danger. I pull off my overcoat and put it on him. Etirn stuffs some snow into his computer and hands it to me. It starts making a strange buzzing noise, but it's also getting very warm, so I put it next to the victim. Demi, Ray, dig a hole until you hit dirt! Etirn looks worried about his computer, but he shapes the snow into a roof while the other two finish. Demi seems to be quite adept at digging, as it only takes a minute for her to reach a patch of grass underneath.

Done! Etirn begins fumbling with a small box of matches, but he drops it in the snow. I look around in vain for a way to start a fire, and curse myself for not bringing extra matches. I look at the kid as he holds up a quivering arm.

Get away from the hole! Suddenly, four small fireballs split apart at his hand and fly into the hole, igniting the grass. He then proceeds to pass out. Etirn throws some snow into the hole to make the fire manageable, and I help Ray move the person into our little cave.

Bios are currently stable. Not nominal, but stable. There is a slight chance he may not recover. Demi had attached some little objects to Jeetoh to monitor pulse and other things. Etirn looked extremely unhappy laying nude under a blanket with the kid, but Demi doesn't put off very much heat, and I pulled the "I'm a girl" card, leaving him and Ray. Unfortunately for Etirn, rock never beats paper, no matter what he argues, and there really isn't a better way to treat a severe case of hypothermia other than roasting the person over the fire, which would obviously be needlessly dangerous.

Ray seems preoccupied with something. I wonder what kind of technique that was? It definitely wasn't Foi. According to that field book Ray gave me, Foi invokes some heat and fire on a target, but I agree that the illustration looks nothing like what Jeetoh used.

I couldn't hear him speak when he cast it, but I could sense the energy build inside him while he cast it. It was quite amazing he succeeded, given that he was going comatose at that point.

Despite still being rather steamed, Etirn says, It definitely worked better than wet matches.

I suddenly feel something fly through my mind... What was it?

Demi looks up. His neural activity is spiking! The boy is recovering! A slight twitch, then his eyes slowly open. He starts trying to get up, but quickly grows still again. I look over to see a streak of pain in his eyes.

Where... are we?

Etirn keeps his back turned. Take a break, man. You look like frozen shit on a stick.

I......Esper Manor.... Before I could inquire further, his eyes close again.

He's dropping into normal sleep. I'll keep monitoring in case he starts to go comatose again.

I turn to Demi. Have you ever heard of an Esper Mansion?

Wren talked about it once. It's a large manor a long ways east, past the ice, if I understood correctly.

Is there a way to go past the wall? There's no way we can climb it, given our lack of experience.

Demi nods. We'll need an Ice Digger. Wren had one made a long time ago, but I don't know where it is now.

Etirn turns to face us. Did it happen to have some drilling spikes on the front?

A few years ago. I tried driving it on a footbridge in Krup. Didn't work out as I planned.

Your mom said that some people from the University took it away after you left.

That's strange. I'm pretty sure that if that was true, It'd be in the tech lab. Etirn throws a snowball, which ricochets off Ray's head. Ray! I need my pants! I gotta call someone. I hand Etirn his trousers, and he pulls his computer away from the fire. He starts smacking it, and eventually it turns on. Attaching his headset, Mota U, Outerbeast 1. Reading?

I hear you with a touch of static. Do you know what time it is? What could you possibly need right now?

Info. Is there a vehicle in the lab capable of burrowing through something? I've never seen it.

Let me check. A couple minutes pass by. I don't see anything in the bays. I'll start searching the records.

Etirn looks worried. That can't be good.

What is Etirn thinking about? What isn't good?

A massive vehicle, likely the only one capable of what we need, disappears. Where in the world could it be? Demi, can you contact your facilities from here? It might've gone home.

I'll check. Demi appears in deep thought for a minute. No. Ice Digger was last reported to have been taken from the Machine Center about 7 years ago.

That would've been me. Damn.

The radio squelches. There's nothing in the records, classified or otherwise. It never existed in Piata.

Thanks, stay on the line. Outerbeast 1 calling Tonoe campus. Boss Man, you still have a radio by your bed?

A minute passes. Name and purpose, please. You woke me up.

Post-Grad Bay. Could you call student Dover, Ben to your office?

Let me- hey, wait a minute! You bastard! How in the world does Etirn get away with so much? Most other students would be expelled for a prank like that.

I want to know if you have a vehicle with spikes on the front anywhere out there.

I'm sure that if I did have anything like that, I'd use it to kill you the moment you next set foot in Tonoe. Anything else?

Hang on, I gotta tell you something else, but first, stand by. Motavia U, could you wake the principal and bring him to the radio?

You do know it's like one in the morning here, right?

Tell him that it's very, very cold on Dezolis.

A loud crash comes over the radio. You made it?! I'll wake him now! Hang on!

Etirn makes a borderline-scary smile. While I wait, Boss, what's the status on the Outerbeast Project?

Outerbeast 5 has been completed. It's being shipped towards Kadary to be tested by the archeological team near there. How's your units holding up?

Outerbeast 1 is still performing perfectly, despite my recent attempt to short it out. I stripped Outerbeast 4 for parts.

WHAT?! If words could harm, Etirn would be dead already.

It's a necessary evil. Gyuna's Bar, you read?

A short pause, and the barkeeper's voice comes on, I don't deliver drinks. How can I help you?

Just testing the equipment. Thanks.

YOU DESTROYED A PROTOTYPE DEVICE TO BUILD A BAR TOY?! Even I'm breaking into a cold sweat from the pure rage in Mr. Man's voice.

Somehow, Etirn resists the logical temptation to try to calm him down. Well, I guess you could put it that way....

I WILL FUCKING THROTTLE YOUR SCRAWNY NECK!

Etirn starts showing a little nervousness. Uh, I have a good reason....

BULLSHIT!

Another person talks, That is enough, Tonoe! Outerbeast, this is the principal speaking.

Etirn relaxes a bit. Principal, I'm currently safe on Dezolis, but I need information about a missing vehicle. I personally drove it into a canal before I enrolled, and word is that the University acquired it afterwards. Problem is, there's no sign of it in Tonoe or Piata, and I know the other campuses aren't really involved in technology research yet. Do you know about it?

A short pause. I know about a vehicle from the Krup area. I'm afraid we no longer have it. A former professor was in charge of it when he went rouge. The records have been stricken of his name, but he's known as Shalan Landiet. He didn't like the ethical considerations that went into controlling whether something gets classified. He resigned, and stole the vehicle on his way out.

Is there any way we can track it? We really need that particular vehicle.

I don't know of any way. I do know that there are only two known towns on Motavia that don't have radio equipment. If Landiet is smart, he's probably in Uzo or Termi, to avoid the death warrant that was issued against him.

Thanks for the help.

As Etirn was about to take off the headset, another voice comes over the air. Er, Outerbeast 1? It's me. Can you hear me? Are you asleep? It's that kid in Tyler, judging by the voice.

Who's that?

Perfect timing. I've actually woke up the Principal of Motavia University for something else... er, I never caught your name?

Oh, I'm Alan. Nice to meet you, Mr. Principal!

Bay, what is this about? The principal sounds less than thrilled.

Principal, I request you to authorize foundation of a new remote campus, in Tyler, Dezolis.

What are you up to?

Further, I'd like you to add Technology lectures to the public broadcast schedule to enable training for a future professor. I think we now have the ability to begin to bring the gift of knowledge to those on another planet.

I will mention now that we do not have the resources to build a new facility on Dezolis at this time.

The Tyler inn can function as a temporary facility until it is able to finance a new building. Alan, will you accept my nomination as a possible future professor?

Oh, I'd love to!

You're not joking, and you clearly aren't going to answer any of my questions. Very well, I will approve your requests, provided that Tyler doesn't directly require any resources, since we have no way of transporting anything that far. I'll notify the Technology professors to begin utilizing the broadcast equipment in the lecture hall. But please tell me, Etirn. What have you been doing this month? What happened to Marika? Why aren't you submitting any reports?

Etirn looks at me. To be honest, I don't really know what I'm doing. Right now, I'm sitting in a cave made of frozen water, and with an almost dead guy using my bedroll. I assure you that Marika's safe with me. I borrowed her for when I drove the Rappy into a Pre-Collapse satellite. Somehow, I think that if we both knew exactly what I'm doing, you'd probably be a little angry. Oh, before I forget. Alan, your callsign will be Dr. Mad, because you are one hell of a mad scientist for no formal training. I look forward to see what you create in the years to come. Goodnight, everyone. Etirn takes off his headset.

Demi looks at the ever shrinking hole leading out of our little shelter. We should spend the night here. Jeetoh should be capable of moving by morning.

Sounds good to me. Demi, could you recharge my computer while we sleep? Etirn hands her the computer, who plugs it into the port her gun uses. I curl up in the back, clutching my necklace.

Next chapter

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