Read Online All Light Will Fall by Almney King - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Almney King
Ads: Link
geographic landscapes. We learned all the
different nations and civilizations across the mainland. Every now and then he
told us one of his epic tales which was usually followed by some dramatic and
historic quote. It took hours.
The following day, Instructor Kane took us to sector 6 of
Pilot. The sector was a storage space for robotic fly suits. “This is your way
to Niaysia,” Kane said. “The halos-suit IG. Welcome to the greatest place on
Earth.”
The halos-suit was difficult to maneuver. The mechanics were
nerve ending sensitive, making the robotics shift at the slightest movement.
“The halos-suit is all manual,” Styler explained. “The field around Niaysia
absorbs the power of any energized technology within a twenty kilometer radius.
You’ll travel alone. It makes piloting through the asteroid belt less of a
hazard. Any craft larger than the halos-suit is a cause for collision.
“When you’re in flight, keep the body vertical. Second, stay
relaxed. Let your body do the steering, not the suit. When you first enter the
suit, it will be difficult to breath. The air tank is full of nitrogen to help
you adjust to the planet’s atmosphere before landing.”
It took a complete five hours to get accustomed to the
halos-suit. I finished the session early and returned to my quarters. I was
unusually tired. It must have been Proloxy 7. There was no other explanation.
When I woke the next morning, things felt out of place. I
went to the mirror and looked at myself. There was something on my forehead. I
pulled my hair back to get a look. It was a bruise, a thick gash running from
my hairline to the top of my brow. I searched the walls and found it. There was
a deep crater in the wall, right above the message board.
I looked to the mirror again. And when I saw myself, I
jumped back in horror. My right eye was completely black. I couldn’t see from
it. What was happening? I slid the halos from under the bed and stuck myself
with a vial.
A sharp pain struck my body. I steadied myself against the
bedpost. The metal bent forward at the vice of my grip. When the pain softened,
I could see again. I took a few breaths then looked to the mirror. All was
normal, but it wasn’t the end.
I would have to endure this. ARTIKA would make me endure
this. It was they who bred me. It was they who cursed me. They did it for survival.
They did it for control. My birth, it was not an offering of life. It was a
ritual for ruin.
“You look different,” Elric said.
“I was thinking the same thing,” Tank agreed.
Since the day we met, Tank and Elric had taken a liking to
me. I didn’t understand it. Most of the time I was aloof and threatening in
conversation. I didn’t like to talk and could care less for silent company.
They followed me anyway. Over time I suppose I had no choice but to accept it.
They were my comrades.
“I’m perfectly well,” I told them.
“Are you sure?” Kitty pressured. She leaned over the dining
table, searching my face. “You look a little unstable.”
Tank yanked her back into her seat. “You sure like to
antagonize her, don’t you?” he said.
Kitty shrugged, tilting her nose in the air. She was such a
child. “Why do you always defend her?” She glanced at me. “There’s nothing
special about her. Nothing that I can see.”
“Don’t be like that, Kitty,” Elric said. He placed an arm
around my shoulder. I didn’t like it. He was too affectionate. “Celeste has
been through a lot. That makes her one of us.”
I shrugged his arm away. “I’m not one of you,” I said. “I’m
better.”
Tank chuckled. Kitty’s face twisted in offense. “See, I told
you. Tank, how can you be friends with an arrogant wench like that?” she
whined.
“You’ve got nerve, Celeste,” Tank said. “It’s more
entertaining than it is a pain in the ass.”
I could sense them coming before the dining hall door
opened. Everyone looked their
different nations and civilizations across the mainland. Every now and then he
told us one of his epic tales which was usually followed by some dramatic and
historic quote. It took hours.
The following day, Instructor Kane took us to sector 6 of
Pilot. The sector was a storage space for robotic fly suits. “This is your way
to Niaysia,” Kane said. “The halos-suit IG. Welcome to the greatest place on
Earth.”
The halos-suit was difficult to maneuver. The mechanics were
nerve ending sensitive, making the robotics shift at the slightest movement.
“The halos-suit is all manual,” Styler explained. “The field around Niaysia
absorbs the power of any energized technology within a twenty kilometer radius.
You’ll travel alone. It makes piloting through the asteroid belt less of a
hazard. Any craft larger than the halos-suit is a cause for collision.
“When you’re in flight, keep the body vertical. Second, stay
relaxed. Let your body do the steering, not the suit. When you first enter the
suit, it will be difficult to breath. The air tank is full of nitrogen to help
you adjust to the planet’s atmosphere before landing.”
It took a complete five hours to get accustomed to the
halos-suit. I finished the session early and returned to my quarters. I was
unusually tired. It must have been Proloxy 7. There was no other explanation.
When I woke the next morning, things felt out of place. I
went to the mirror and looked at myself. There was something on my forehead. I
pulled my hair back to get a look. It was a bruise, a thick gash running from
my hairline to the top of my brow. I searched the walls and found it. There was
a deep crater in the wall, right above the message board.
I looked to the mirror again. And when I saw myself, I
jumped back in horror. My right eye was completely black. I couldn’t see from
it. What was happening? I slid the halos from under the bed and stuck myself
with a vial.
A sharp pain struck my body. I steadied myself against the
bedpost. The metal bent forward at the vice of my grip. When the pain softened,
I could see again. I took a few breaths then looked to the mirror. All was
normal, but it wasn’t the end.
I would have to endure this. ARTIKA would make me endure
this. It was they who bred me. It was they who cursed me. They did it for survival.
They did it for control. My birth, it was not an offering of life. It was a
ritual for ruin.
“You look different,” Elric said.
“I was thinking the same thing,” Tank agreed.
Since the day we met, Tank and Elric had taken a liking to
me. I didn’t understand it. Most of the time I was aloof and threatening in
conversation. I didn’t like to talk and could care less for silent company.
They followed me anyway. Over time I suppose I had no choice but to accept it.
They were my comrades.
“I’m perfectly well,” I told them.
“Are you sure?” Kitty pressured. She leaned over the dining
table, searching my face. “You look a little unstable.”
Tank yanked her back into her seat. “You sure like to
antagonize her, don’t you?” he said.
Kitty shrugged, tilting her nose in the air. She was such a
child. “Why do you always defend her?” She glanced at me. “There’s nothing
special about her. Nothing that I can see.”
“Don’t be like that, Kitty,” Elric said. He placed an arm
around my shoulder. I didn’t like it. He was too affectionate. “Celeste has
been through a lot. That makes her one of us.”
I shrugged his arm away. “I’m not one of you,” I said. “I’m
better.”
Tank chuckled. Kitty’s face twisted in offense. “See, I told
you. Tank, how can you be friends with an arrogant wench like that?” she
whined.
“You’ve got nerve, Celeste,” Tank said. “It’s more
entertaining than it is a pain in the ass.”
I could sense them coming before the dining hall door
opened. Everyone looked their
Similar Books
