The lights of the Atometry flashed vibrant shades of orange and blue in pulsating rhythm with the music emanating from within. A crowd had gathered outside to the right of the club's entrance, laughing and cawing at their own conversation. To the left, a wide array of shops stretched further down the sections of rusted, dingy pathways. Cold droplets fell like rain from the ceiling above, residue derived from the heat of Tovarro's engineering deck mixed with the cooler inner air of the Underside.
Diah and Zaius stopped outside and took a moment to relax. Zaius watched as Diah looked around the unfamiliar space, cautiously keeping track of the people around her. He could sense it too - Something felt off, but he didn't see anyone or anything that raised any alarms. Zaius knew that Gen spent a lot of time working on keeping the Atometry safe, however, and trusted things would be fine. He waved to grab her attention.
"We should be ok. The security around the Atometry is top-tier," He said while pointing out the cameras around the front and shock pylons on the roof.
"I can't shake the feeling something is wrong or just off," She explained. She looked around again, but still found nothing.
Zaius motioned his hand forward in response. Hopefully it was just nerves.
"Let's get inside. At least there we have some cover and some help."
Zaius led Diah toward the Atometry where a large Terric bouncer met them at the door.
"Gen's been looking for you," He said to Zaius, waving them in.
Zaius gave him a nod and thanks in return. As they entered, the music within swelled to an almost overwhelming level. Lights strobed and fog wafted in every direction. A sizable crowd had gathered on the kaleidoscopic dance floor that pulsed underneath them. That familiar comfort of home settled in.
Zaius guided Diah around the dance floor and toward the V.I.P. section in the club's corner. Gen has always closed off a space just for him to hang around and patron watch. He turned back and chuckled lightly at Diah. She looked around fervidly with an expression of wonder and awe, mouth agape and a beaming smile. He could sense she had never seen anything as chaotic or energetic as the Atometry before. It reminded him of when he first entered its doors a decade ago.
"This is where you live?" Diah yelled over syncopated rhythms. "How do you even get any sleep?"
"You learn to adjust," Zaius said coolly.
*****
Sky waved her hands violently from the other side of the dance floor. She had been waiting for a while, intently checking every one of the club's entrants in hopes it was Zaius. As she caught sight of him come through, her spirits had immediately lifted and a sense of relief washed through her. She didn't expect him to come with someone else though.
'What's up with the bubblegum beauty queen?' She thought as she pushed her way through the dancing crowd. It wasn't like Zaius to bring people back, and the girl was obviously a High Mark Chyl no matter how much she tried to hide it under his jacket. Her poise and ignorant air was a dead giveaway at any distance. The whole situation was curious.
Sky stopped in the middle of the thrashing crowd.
'He gave her his jacket,' She realized. Her mouth tilted into a wicked smirk. There was definitely something more to the situation, and she was determined to discover what it was. 'I'm going to give him so much hell over this.'
Before she could move forward, a rough hand tightly grasped her wrist.
"Not like you to come partying with the people," the bronze Ixr clubgoer said. His breath was rancid from drinking. The Ixr's grip tightened as she tried to shake it off.
"Can I have a dance? I've watched you on that stage for a while now. You've always been my favorite," He continued.
Sky pushed him back and tried to walk away, but the Ixr wouldn't leave. He stepped forward a few steps and grabbed her arm again, whipping her around toward him.
"Let me go," Sky demanded as she tried to shake his hand off again.
The Ixr laughed and tightened his grip even more, causing Sky to wince in pain.
"You shouldn't talk to your fans like that," He said snidely. "People like me are the reason you're even here and not on the streets. You should be tha-"
A booted foot smashed into the clubber's face and sent him tumbling across the dance floor. The crowd parted to avoid him then melded back together.
Sky turned to the owner of the boot and was met with a look of concern on the bubblegum Chyl's face. She glanced further back and saw Zaius gripping his sides in painful laughter.
"You ok?" The Chyl asked, shaking her head, "these creeps are the same no matter what planet you're on."
Sky looked back in the Chyl's direction and let out the most ecstatic smile.
"I don't know who you are, but I think I love you!"
The Chyl developed a puzzled expression.
"You Tovarrans are an interesting mix of people, to say the least," the Chyl said after a moment.
Sky analyzed her intensely. The Chyl had a beautiful swirling pattern of star-like marks across her softened face. Her skin was smooth and well cared for. Her clothes, while tattered and covered in various layers of grime under Zaius' jacket, exuded class and reserved sense of affluence. She was definitely a High Mark.
'But what are you doing here, and with Zaius of all people?' She questioned internally.
Sky grabbed her new friend's hand and hurriedly led her back to the table Zaius was sitting at. The dark blue of the rounded cushion blended with the steel of the wall around it. Something about his attitude seemed different, and it was definitely because of whoever this mysterious woman was. It was time to dig deeper.
"You didn't tell me you had a girlfriend or that she was such a badass!" Sky yelled at Zaius ecstatically. His reaction would tell her everything she needed to know. Trap set.
"She's not my girlfriend," Zaius managed to awkwardly spew as his face reddened. Bait taken.
*****
The crazy bright blue Uvari dancer let out a giggle and glanced towards Diah.
Diah stood and played with her hands while looking down, unsure of what to make of the situation. She had intended to help her out after watching that sleazy Ixr grab her and it led to a whole new and awkward situation. Not only did she know Zaius, but it was apparent that she knew him better than he originally let on. She was glittery, dynamic and a little on the flirty side.
That wouldn't have bothered Diah so much if it wasn't for the way Zaius responded to her very abrupt statement. Diah questioned if he had said what he did to deflect or because he didn't think of her in that sense. She stopped the cogs of her overthinking mind.
'Why am I even asking myself that?' Diah questioned. 'It's definitely not the time to think about these things.'
Still, her mind couldn't help but wander a bit. Zaius was definitely an interesting individual, and she hadn't gotten to spend much time around humans before. Maybe it was the thrill of something new, but it felt like more. It was too early to really tell, though. She wanted to know him better, spend more time and take things slow. As she tried to unpack her inner emotions, the Uvari's face popped in front of her own.
"Hi not-Zaius' girlfriend, I'm Sky," She said with a hand outstretched.
Diah looked down and shook her hand before introducing herself. The electric atmosphere of the club swelled back into place around her. The music had shifted into something more intense and the crowd was reacting accordingly.
"Sky, quit bugging her," Zaius chastised.
Sky whipped around and slid across the cushion. Her hand balled into a fist and struck Zaius hard in the arm.
"You don't get to say anything," She yelled, hitting him again. "Do you know how worried we were? How much trouble you created? Then you show up with Bubblegum over here in your jacket and don't expect me to pry?"
Diah slid into the cushion slowly and watched the chaos unfold. Zaius and Sky started slapping each other's hands away and calling one another names like a pair of small children. A warm feeling peaked for a moment in Diah's stomach.
"I'm a little confused. What's the situation here?" Diah questioned, leaning forward and motioning her finger between Zaius and Sky. She couldn't handle the mystery of their relationship any longer.
Sky let out a snicker as Zaius pushed her away. She switched sides and shuffled up close to Diah instead.
"Don't worry, he's like a brother to me," She said as her hand rested on Diah's. "Gen took us in years ago and I just like to give him trouble because he's a troublemaker. Besides," She continued, her free hand making a shooing motion at Zaius, "I don't care for guys."
"Oh," Diah said as Sky held her hand firmly. The situation was thankfully not as bad as she originally thought. Diah felt herself getting slightly hot around the cheeks again. She felt silly for getting slightly worked up about the whole thing. Her mind settling back to normal again, the realization of Sky's statement struck.
"Oh!"
Sky laughed at the sudden surprise that registered across Diah's face. Diah turned a dark pink from embarrassment. Zaius leaned in and lightly smacked her hand away from Diah's. Sky's laugh turned contagious.
"He's not going to tell you," Sky said to Diah between heavy breaths, "but you are absolutely stunning and I may steal you away if he's not careful."
Diah hid her face in her hands. She wasn't used to all the sudden attention and it made her feel a bit self-conscious. It was a bit too much and she didn't really know how to process or address it.
Zaius leaned over the table, apologizing for Sky's overly-friendly behavior. The Uvari stood and wrapped her arms around their necks. She yanked them close into a double-sided hug.
"This is great, you guys! We're gonna be like best friends forever," She teased before letting them go.
*****
Zaius dusted glitter from the side of his face and scooted away. As much as he appreciated having Sky as a sister figure, her glitter-heavy wardrobe always made him itch. The stuff just got everywhere.
He gave Sky a quick pat on the head and then got out of the cushioned booth. He stretched as he stood, giving a quick look and warm smile to a silently watching Diah. She smiled back, but he couldn't read her expression. He hoped Sky hadn't scared her with her ridiculous antics. It was a nice distraction from the heaviness of everything that had recently occurred, though. Still, Zaius knew they needed a quick and permanent solution to their Areshia problem.
"Do you know where Gen is? I need to talk about us getting off the station," Zaius asked Sky.
"He's in his office waiting. He sent me out to look for you," She responded, then hesitated before she continued.
"Would I be able to go with you?"
Zaius blinked and tilted his head in thought. He looked back up at Diah and Sky and felt the beat of the music around them reverberate through his core. The answer, to him, was simple.
"I'll always say yes," He responded. "You know that, but have you talked to Gen about it?"
Sky nodded tamely. The sudden shift in her energy betrayed the pain she had been hiding. Zaius pondered if Diah had served as a distraction for her as well.
"Areshia came while you were out at the Stock Docks," She explained. "Gen is worried about me staying here. She seems to have a particular distaste for me."
Zaius rubbed his ear and tapped his foot anxiously for a split second. He hadn't thought that Areshia would immediately come to the Atometry, and that was before the job was even done. Not only that, but Areshia had specifically come after Sky. It was definitely a targeted move.
"I'm going to go to Gen's office. We need to move faster than I thought," Zaius said with a few backward steps. Diah and Sky turned to each other then nodded at Zaius in affirmation.
"We'll hold things down," Sky said with a small salute. "I'll get to know Bubblegum better while you're gone."
Zaius shook his head and mouthed a "sorry" at Diah. She shrugged and let out a more natural smile than the one she had before. It somehow made Zaius feel a bit better about everything.
He left the table and headed toward Gen's office in the far back corner of the club. He turned down an empty hall, rounding the corner and into a tiny area tucked behind the wall of the dance floor. Bass notes rippled throughout the space. A large frosted glass door stood in the middle of the adjacent wall, the office on the other side. It slid open as he approached. They were all one step closer to safety.
"Gen, I heard you wa-"
Zaius froze mid-sentence. Gen was suspended in mid-air, Jix's clawed hand wrapped firmly around his throat. Gen's hair was disheveled and his face badly bruised, signs of an obvious struggle between him and the Terric brute. The left part of Jix's face was melted by horrible burns.
"About time you got here, human filth," Jix growled.
"Zaius, watch over Sky," Gen managed to groan before a large spark of orange energy shot up from Jix's remaining arm and into Gen's body. Jix's Kanushin acted like a shot of high voltage electricity that surged through Gen's every synapse. His body arched back in immense pain as his muscles spasmed stiff. He let out a choked gasp, eyes full of terror, then fell limp.
Jix lifted Gen's body up higher and brought it down with full force into his office desk. Pieces exploded across the room. Zaius didn't need to move closer to know the worst had happened. Gen was gone.
"Areshia sends her best," Jix taunted as he kicked Gen's lifeless body across the floor. "Now give me those damn gauntlets."
Pain erupted in Zaius' core. Everything he had feared, everything he had held back and every spark of anger within smashed into a neutronic explosion of fury.
Zaius moved without thinking. Jade exploded from his hands across the office floor as he shot himself into Jix at full speed. They smashed into the wall, busting through it and onto the dance floor. Screams erupted as clubbers began to scatter and run, Zaius and Jix tumbling through the crowd.
Jix managed to stand first, but Zaius quickly used another burst of Kanutic energy to alter his momentum. He ricocheted off the wall like a rubber bullet and back into Jix with legs outstretched. A loud crunch resounded when his feet smashed squarely into Jix's chest. The Terric slid backward, his body arched to slow his velocity. Zaius followed up with a flip back onto his feet, shooting another blast across the floor to propel him into an uppercut. Each punch increased his fury.
Jix's head snapped back with a crack and he stumbled backward into a table. His hand reached around, grabbing the side to rip it off the floor brackets. He brought his arm forward and launched it like a spinning disc at Zaius like the metal debris in the the Embankments.
Zaius calculated he only had a few milliseconds to dodge the throw. He dropped down onto his back as the table flew over and into the performance stage. Jix was nothing if not predictable in his fighting style.
Zaius launched himself back up but was met with Jix's electrified fist. It caught him completely off-guard and sent him back to the ground where Jix followed up with a kick to the stomach. The air shot out of Zaius' lungs and he screamed as his insides burst into unbearable pain. His body rolled across the still-pulsing dance floor.
Zaius threw himself onto his stomach, breathing labored. Every bit of air felt like boiling water being poured down his throat and into his lungs. He coughed heavily and blood pooled in his mouth.
The weight of Jix's foot slammed into the bottom of Zaius' spine like a thick metal column. He held it there, pressing down with most of his weight as Zaius struggled to breath. He felt the pressure steadily increase and his back bend unnaturally. He felt like he would snap in two at any moment.
"You think you're tough, but all you've ever done was run," Jix mocked as he pushed his foot down harder. "I'm going to break you in half like the weakling you are. You got my brother killed, so it's time to return the favor."
Zaius screamed in pain and tried to fight back, but Jix's weight was nearly five times his own. He coughed again and a stabbing sensation told him a rib had pierced his lungs. Parts of his body had gone numb from the smashed nerves within his spine. Jix growled then raised his foot for one final spine-shattering stomp. Zaius braced for the worst.
*****
As Jix's foot came down, Diah knew she had a small window to catch it. She pooled her energy forward into her hand and slung a purple spike through the air. It whizzed across the Atometry and into Jix's calf. The force caused him to stomp the ground instead, his balance thrown off entirely. He lurched forward in surprise as she launched more spikes into his exposed side. The crystals shattered into purple particles with a loud pop.
Diah slid behind Jix and dug both of her Kanutic daggers into his outer thighs. His antennae created what sounded like a horrible shrill screech. She tugged on the right dagger, ripping it out of him and stabbing it further up into his side. Jix threw his elbow back, catching Diah in the jaw. A flash of pain erupted across it.
"You! Your little stunt with the steam pipes messed me up good," Jix told her as he pointed to his burns. "I may look bad, but I'm going to make you look so much worse. I'm going to rip every one of those precious little marks right off your face!"
Diah clicked her jaw into place and threw a spinning dagger into Jix's sole arm.
"You want to fight? Come on then!" She shouted as she jumped forward. Her second dagger met Jix's electrified fist and created a shower of orange and purple sparks. She struck again, but Jix blocked her every move. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye.
Zaius rolled over and kicked the back of Jix's left knee, sending him into a kneel. Jix shifted to the left, dodging Diah's follow-up blow. She swung to the left, swiping him across the face. Zaius followed with a quick gut punch of his own. Diah took a labored breath. Together, they could take the Terric down.
As Jix struggled back on his feet, Diah leapt forward and swung wildly. Zaius joined her from the opposite side. Orange, purple and green shot into the air like confetti as they clashed with Jix, who somehow managed to block most of their hits.
Jix jumped back and ran his fist into the floor, a large pulse of electricity ballooning up. Diah stepped back, unsure of what was coming. The dance floor exploded into a bubble of glass and shredded metallic bits that flew past her arms like a thousand razors. Each slice sent shockwaves of pain up her body and the force of Jix's attack threw her backwards. The lights above whistled and shattered everywhere. Diah fell to her side and skid across the debris. She saw a glimpse of Zaius on the dance floor's opposite end. Jix moved towards her with a deep growl, yellow rings rippling out from the center of his eyes.
A blue blur shot down from the Atometry's rafters.
Sky landed on Jix's shoulders and wrapped a shredded strip of her dress around Jix's arm. She yanked it back and used the momentum to carry herself into a roundhouse kick. It connected with Jix's unscarred eye. He threw his arm forward and sent Sky flying over his head and onto the glass mess in front of him. She yelped and tried to rotate, but Jix's hand moved around her throat.
Diah stumbled to her feet in a vain attempt to help. Her movement was sluggish and her balance gone. She lurched forward and caught sight of Zaius jumping back into the fray. He looked at Diah with a deadly expression. It seemed completely unlike the Zaius she had come to know.
"Dagger, now!" He yelled at her with an arm outstretched.
Diah hoped Zaius had a plan as she summoned another dagger and tossed it at him with perfect precision. He propelled himself into the air, catching it and ramming it straight into the middle of Jix's arm. The dagger cut through with ease and Jix let out a guttural scream. He dropped Sky back onto the floor.
"I'm going to kill you all!" He raged as he swung his bleeding arm around widely.
Jix sent another pulse of Kanutic energy into his palm and smashed it against Sky's body with a loud crackle. She tumbled back as Zaius called out to her in concern. Jix moved in, grabbed Zaius' left arm and smashed down into his elbow. Zaius' arm cracked and went limp. Fear spiked in Diah's mind as she watched it all unfold.
'How much more can he take?' She thought as she looked around for an opening. Her arms stung and her legs wobbled like jelly. Jix turned to grab Zaius' other arm. This was it.
Diah pushed through her pain and jumped onto Jix's back. Her body moved faster than her mind as she shoved four spikes into his neck and shoulder blades. Jix swiped at her and she dropped further down to grab handfuls of his matted fur. He bucked wildly but she held strong knowing that if she let go, they would lose. As Zaius forced himself up, a new plan came to mind. She moved back to Jix's upper back and twisted the spikes deeper into him.
"Zaius, punch as hard as you can!" She commanded.
Zaius gave Diah a look of confusion but did exactly as she ordered. He channeled all his Kanutic energy into his right gauntlet, wound up his arm and punched Jix in the middle of the chest. The force of the punch distorted the air around them all and left a loud crackling smash in its wake. Jix flew toward the wall, Diah still hanging on his back. She hoped her plan worked, but her timing had to be absolutely perfect. Even a difference of a second would kill her.
Diah let go and wrapped her arms around herself. She pooled the very last of her energy into her core and expanded it outward across every part of her body. A spiked purple bubble enveloped her with a feeling of cold slime.
They both smashed into the wall, Diah hitting just a split second faster. The bubble halted Diah's motion with a jarring slam, knocking the wind out of her. She held strong and pushed through the pain. She had no other choice.
Jix crashed into her with a violent smack as dozens of crystalline spikes pierced through his back. The pressure compounded Diah's bubble further into the Atometry's wall. Diah's body shook as she forced every last ounce of Kanutic energy out. Completely exhausted, she dissipated her bubble and they both slammed to the floor. Diah rolled sideways on impact and stared at the sparking ceiling. Every part of her body burned on a cellular level and she had never felt more tired. It was like the very life had been sucked out of her, her body left behind as an empty yet coherent shell.
She laid her head sideways and saw Zaius limping towards her. As he reached her side, he held out his good arm and offered to help her up. While she wanted nothing more than to lay on her back and fall into a deep sleep, she knew they had to keep moving. The time to rest would come eventually.
"Great thinking," Zaius wheezed as she took his hand and wobbled to her feet. He winced in pain and grabbed his chest.
The two gradually made their way toward the middle of the destroyed dance floor and a sprawled out Sky. Diah helped Zaius as he crouched down and picked her up, dragging her to the nearest table. Sky's hair had frizzed from the electric impact and her dress was covered in glass.
"You ok? You took that hit pretty hard," Zaius asked her while Diah dusted glass off. She was careful to avoid slicing her hands.
"You both owe me, and you'd better not forget it," Sky answered while smoothing her hair down.
"Thank you, Sky," Diah chimed in with genuine gratitude. She didn't want to think about what would have happened if Sky hadn't intervened. A part of Diah was upset by how things had gone. She thought she was prepared for any kind of combat scenario, but Jix had proven to be stronger than she could handle alone. It was a rude wake up call and Diah didn't like how weak it made her feel.
'That's because you are weak. You always have been,' a voice reaffirmed from the back of her mind. She shook it away and looked at her companions.
"What do we do now?"
"Where's Gen? He should have figured something out by now, right?" Sky asked Zaius.
He looked off the side in silence. Diah immediately knew the answer.
"Zaius," Sky said with worry in her voice. "Where is Gen?"
Zaius clenched his fist and turned away. He looked like he was holding back a scream.
Diah could tell from his actions he didn't want to be comforted, so her mind switched over to Sky. The Uvari's face began to scrunch into tears. Diah stepped forward and pulled her into a comforting hug as Sky broke down into sobs. The salt of her tears burned Diah's cuts. She stroked Sky's head gently.
"I'm really sorry," Diah said quietly. "I can't imagine what you're feeling."
She pulled Sky closer and began to lightly rub her back as Zaius stood in silence on the side. Diah couldn't tell what he was thinking. Sky sobbed deeply into her shoulders. She racked her brain for a thought but nothing came. She had to say something to him though. She felt he needed her at that moment. Or maybe it was more that she wanted him to need her.
"Dumb question, but are you alright yourself?" Diah asked him in a hushed tone.
Zaius nodded, but his eyes reflected his inner sadness. Tears began to collect in the corners of his eyes. Diah watched silently as he shook them off. She wanted to say something else but her overthinking mind prevented her from doing so. She had never been in a situation like this, never had to offer condolences in a truly emotional sense, and it bothered her more than she ever thought possible.
"Gen was always prepared," Zaius said with a withdrawn tone. "I'm sure he had something figured out already, but I need to search around and see."
"I know he did," Sky added tearfully, face still buried in Diah's shoulder. "I'd check the vault first."
Diah looked at Zaius, determined to say something else. She couldn't. She bit her lip in frustration instead.
*****
Zaius looked at the expression on Diah's face and knew she was struggling. He wanted to tell her it was okay and that she didn't need to comfort him, but deep down, he knew it was a lie. He wanted her warmth. He yearned to feel the comfort that Sky was receiving wrapped in her arms. A part of his mind told him that was selfish.
"I've lost so much, though,' Zaius argued internally. 'Can't I be entitled to a selfish desire?'
Zaius looked around at the club. The Atometry had been his home for years, Gen a father and Sky a sister. Now, death and destruction had followed him three times over. He watched Diah hold Sky, the last remnant of his home and family, and made a vow in that moment.
He would do whatever he could to protect them and bring Areshia down.
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We're nearing the end of Act 1, and there's still so much left to go! Please be sure to vote if you're enjoying the story so far so others can find it, or leave a comment about your favorite character/moment so far. Thanks for reading! - CSG