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Authors: Percival Constantine
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air, flashing emerald light through the tunnel before hitting the ground. Upon impact, the stone’s bright glow dimmed. Bowers and Tanus both stared at it in awe.
“That wasn’t a light reflection,” said Tanus. “You ever seen anything like that?”
“Can’t say as I have,” said Bowers. “Seems like some kinda gem or something. Giving off some sort of energy.”
“What should we do with it?”
Bowers pondered that same question himself. “Take it topside, we’ll need to check with the home office about this. That’s not the kinda thing I want just sittin’ around.”
“You’re the boss.” The barrel retracted into Tanus’ arm and his artificial hand reassembled itself. He used that hand to pick up the gem, cradling it carefully as he left the foreman and walked past his co-workers. They watched him with curiosity as he passed, their eyes focusing on the mysterious stone he carried.
It had been only a few days since the mysterious stone was discovered in the mines. But Tanus nonetheless was surprised to arrive at work and be called right into Bowers’ office. Once he entered the foreman’s trailer, he saw a tall man in the corner. The man wore a suit of a deep, royal purple color with gold trim on the cuffs. His coat was a cross between a formal tuxedo and an aviation jacket. A small cape hung over his right shoulder, attached by a braid of gold rope. His right arm rested atop the globe-shaped head of a cane, but strangest of all was the mask he wore. It was a leather helmet with goggles for eyes, and only his lower face was left exposed.
Tanus eyed the strange man carefully as he spoke to his boss. “You wanted to see me?”
“You are the one who found the stone?” asked the masked man.
“Actually no, I just pulled it free from the rock,” said Tanus.
“Was there anything strange about it?”
“Boss, who is this?” asked Tanus.
“I am a representative of the home office,” said the masked man. “My name is Fredericks.”
“And since when does the home office send guys in masks to come here?” asked Tanus.
The masked man reached up and removed the leather helmet. Beneath it, he possessed short blond hair and bright blue eyes. “Satisfied?” he asked. “The helmet is simply for protection from the elements. I flew here myself.”
Bowers chuckled. “You’ll have to excuse Dreyer here, Mr. Fredericks. You see, back in the day, he was a Dreadnought commander.”
An eyebrow arched upward. “Is that so?” asked Fredericks.
Tanus nodded. “That was a long time ago.”
Fredericks’ gaze drifted down to Tanus’ metallic arm. “That...military issue?”
Tanus nodded once more.
“I’d heard about experimental procedures such as this. First time I’ve seen one. Outside of active service, that is.”
“That a fact,” said Tanus.
Bowers pointed at the arm. “That little wonder has helped us more’n a few times in the mines. Helped us dig out that rock of yours, sir.”
“I will have to compose a letter of gratitude to the Emperor,” said Fredericks. “Now, if I could see the stone?”
“Of course.” Bowers nearly jumped from his seat. “Just follow me right this way, Mr. Fredericks.”
The foreman excitedly led the way from his office, with Fredericks following. Tanus lagged behind slightly. Bowers was no doubt hoping for a promotion, something to get him out of Corvil and back to civilization, back to his family in Serenity. Tanus, however, desired to remain as far from Serenity as possible.
“We keep some of the more valuable finds locked up good and tight,” said Bowers as he walked across to another trailer. He fiddled with his keys as Fredericks watched.
“You keep them behind a simple locked door?”
“Oh no, not at all.” Bowers unlocked the door and led Fredericks and Tanus inside. Once there, they came face to face with a large safe. “We keep ‘em in here.”
The foreman went over to the keypad and entered in the code for the
“That wasn’t a light reflection,” said Tanus. “You ever seen anything like that?”
“Can’t say as I have,” said Bowers. “Seems like some kinda gem or something. Giving off some sort of energy.”
“What should we do with it?”
Bowers pondered that same question himself. “Take it topside, we’ll need to check with the home office about this. That’s not the kinda thing I want just sittin’ around.”
“You’re the boss.” The barrel retracted into Tanus’ arm and his artificial hand reassembled itself. He used that hand to pick up the gem, cradling it carefully as he left the foreman and walked past his co-workers. They watched him with curiosity as he passed, their eyes focusing on the mysterious stone he carried.
It had been only a few days since the mysterious stone was discovered in the mines. But Tanus nonetheless was surprised to arrive at work and be called right into Bowers’ office. Once he entered the foreman’s trailer, he saw a tall man in the corner. The man wore a suit of a deep, royal purple color with gold trim on the cuffs. His coat was a cross between a formal tuxedo and an aviation jacket. A small cape hung over his right shoulder, attached by a braid of gold rope. His right arm rested atop the globe-shaped head of a cane, but strangest of all was the mask he wore. It was a leather helmet with goggles for eyes, and only his lower face was left exposed.
Tanus eyed the strange man carefully as he spoke to his boss. “You wanted to see me?”
“You are the one who found the stone?” asked the masked man.
“Actually no, I just pulled it free from the rock,” said Tanus.
“Was there anything strange about it?”
“Boss, who is this?” asked Tanus.
“I am a representative of the home office,” said the masked man. “My name is Fredericks.”
“And since when does the home office send guys in masks to come here?” asked Tanus.
The masked man reached up and removed the leather helmet. Beneath it, he possessed short blond hair and bright blue eyes. “Satisfied?” he asked. “The helmet is simply for protection from the elements. I flew here myself.”
Bowers chuckled. “You’ll have to excuse Dreyer here, Mr. Fredericks. You see, back in the day, he was a Dreadnought commander.”
An eyebrow arched upward. “Is that so?” asked Fredericks.
Tanus nodded. “That was a long time ago.”
Fredericks’ gaze drifted down to Tanus’ metallic arm. “That...military issue?”
Tanus nodded once more.
“I’d heard about experimental procedures such as this. First time I’ve seen one. Outside of active service, that is.”
“That a fact,” said Tanus.
Bowers pointed at the arm. “That little wonder has helped us more’n a few times in the mines. Helped us dig out that rock of yours, sir.”
“I will have to compose a letter of gratitude to the Emperor,” said Fredericks. “Now, if I could see the stone?”
“Of course.” Bowers nearly jumped from his seat. “Just follow me right this way, Mr. Fredericks.”
The foreman excitedly led the way from his office, with Fredericks following. Tanus lagged behind slightly. Bowers was no doubt hoping for a promotion, something to get him out of Corvil and back to civilization, back to his family in Serenity. Tanus, however, desired to remain as far from Serenity as possible.
“We keep some of the more valuable finds locked up good and tight,” said Bowers as he walked across to another trailer. He fiddled with his keys as Fredericks watched.
“You keep them behind a simple locked door?”
“Oh no, not at all.” Bowers unlocked the door and led Fredericks and Tanus inside. Once there, they came face to face with a large safe. “We keep ‘em in here.”
The foreman went over to the keypad and entered in the code for the
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