Breeze Corinth (Book 1): Sky Shatter (40 page)

He received no response. He stepped over to Breeze’s body and tried the same thing with no result.

He turned away and gazed at the back entrance to the arena with a sigh.

Back down in the tunnel, Breeze and Sally held each other tightly. His astral form wavered as she gripped both of his hands.

“What happened?” he said, “why was it so hard to pass through that wall? It was like trying to move through thick mud.”

Sally shimmered, then phased into focus. “There is a lot of interference in here. Someone purposefully set up this room to keep people out. Not just coming through the door, but—”

”—projectors like yourself. That explains why it was so hard to get in,” Breeze finished for her.

Together they floated about the room. It was bigger than the previous ones, with more racks and shelving filled with pieces of equipment ranging from mechanical hands and feet, to boxes of electrical wire and circuit boards. Breeze was taken aback by a shelf filled with heads of various robots. A few he recognized as models he had seen on Perihelion, while the uppermost rack was filled with heads of RF of different vintages.

Sally gasped and tugged on his hand, and Breeze turned to see what she was pointing at.

Above a workbench were photos in frames hanging on the wall, and they drifted closer to get a better look.

“Breeze, look at these pictures. Doesn’t everyone here look familiar?”

Breeze squinted as tried to make out the faces in the faint light. All were images of people posing together while smiling and waving at the camera, but it was the background that caught his attention. “These pictures were taken at Perihelion,” he concluded.

“How do you know?” Sally said as she edged up to him.

“Look at the buildings in the background, they’re just like the ones on campus except they look newer.”

Sally’s hand swept up to her mouth. “Oh my gosh, look,” she pointed at a picture tacked to the wall off to the right and they both leaned over to peer at it.

“Call me crazy, but the tall guy looks like Oslo when he was a whole lot younger,” Breeze said.

“And this woman here,” Sally pointed, “looks like Raza. But you’re right; younger.”

Breeze turned to her. “It’s kind of strange to think of Oslo as being young.”

Sally shook her head. “No way. Raza looks far older now compared to Oslo, almost like a crazy, old hag. Okay, she is a crazy, old hag. What does he see in her?” She peered closer. “I wonder who this guy is and why is he so grim while everyone else is smiling?”

Breeze stared at the figure Sally was pointing at and knew immediately who it was. “That’s Bram.”

Sally turned to face him. “Are you sure?”

“More than sure. That is the same man we encountered in the basement of the Science and Engineering Building. Well, I did, you passed out. Don’t forget Sally, Oslo and Bram worked closely together on various projects and I’m pretty sure Raza was part of it too. That’s why we see them together in a lot of these pictures.”

“Oh, I’m sure she was,” Sally said sarcastically.

“Why do you say it that way?”

Sally sighed. “Men. You have eyes, but sometimes you can’t see. Look at him,” Sally jabbed a finger at the image of Bram, “Oslo has his arm around Raza and she is pressed up close to him. But look at Bram and that sour look on his face. Yeah, his head is facing the camera, but look at his eyes as he glares at them with a sideways glance. I’m telling you Breeze, this Bram guy was in love with Raza, but she ended up with Oslo instead.”

“Is this your hunch?”

Sally sniffed. “No. A woman’s intuition.”

Breeze leaned back. “You know, I’m beginning to realize something. What’s a robot doing with pictures of Oslo and Raza? And in all places, in a room under a gladiator’s arena in Appalachia?”

They were startled by the sound of deadbolts on the door sliding back one after one like gunshots. They turned to look as it opened with a loud hiss.

Standing in the doorway was Achilles with its eyes glowing bright white. It stepped inside and the heavy door slid shut and locked itself.

The robot spoke in a mechanical tone. “Hello, I knew I would see you again.”

The last thing Breeze heard was Sally shrieking as he felt the unnerving sensation of being flung backward while reality blurred around him. It came to a stop when he slammed back into his body and found himself tumbling across the grass and dirt.

He slowly got to his hands and knees, then looked over and saw Sally lying in a fetal position as Ray rushed to her. He stood up and stumbled towards them.

“What happened to you two? You told me you would stay in contact, and then you guys went silent!” Ray shouted at Breeze as he cradled Sally.

Breeze told him what they saw and experienced. “When Achilles entered the room and spoke to us, I guess Sally freaked out, and the next thing we’re jumping back into our bodies.”

Sally moaned as the boys helped her to her feet. She began rubbing her forehead. Her eyes were but narrow slits, and her face was ragged and worn. “Why are you two staring at me like that? What’s wrong?”

“Sally, you look tired,” Ray said as he pulled her close.

“I am,” she said softly and leaned into his chest, then looked at Breeze and smiled weakly. “How about you? Doing okay?”

“Yeah, good I suppose. Feels like I got hit by a sledgehammer, but I’ll live.”

“Well then, this is a good thing,” a mechanical voice said.

They spun around as a figure stepped toward them. It moved deliberately with each step growing shorter and slower until it stopped a respectable distance from them, and then raised a hand as its eyes glowed. “My name is Achilles. May I ask to whom I have the pleasure of speaking?”

Sally clutched Ray tightly as he pointed a glowing hand at the robot.

“Do not be afraid. I am…we…,” Achilles swiveled its head quickly as servos whined, “I am delighted to see you all.”

Ray pulled Sally behind him. “How did you know we were coming? How do you even know us? What—”

“Do not be alarmed,” the robot interrupted, “there is nothing to fear. Please, accompany me to my dwelling. It is not far from here, and it will be so much more comfortable there. According to my temperature sensors, it is far too cold to be outside. For humans at least.”

Sally whispered into Ray’s ear. “I can see a violet haze around it when it speaks. I don’t understand why, because I only see something like that around humans.”

Ray nodded as she spoke, and then turned his attention back to Achilles. “Right. Go with a robot that fights for money in a rundown arena to some dwelling. Good plan.”

Achilles threw back its head and emitted a tinny sounding laugh, then swiveled to gaze at the arena. “Well, the establishment could use a little refurbishment, I must agree.” It turned back to face them. “I know who you are. You are from Perihelion.”

Their jaws dropped.

“How did you figure that out?” Sally said wide eyed.

Achilles chuckled as it tapped its brow. “I do possess excellent vision, thank the maker.” Then it pointed at Breeze, “I could see the insignia on his jacket while I was engaged in combat with Sargon. I must admit, I was intrigued for I have not seen such an insignia in quite some time. A very long time.” It swiveled its head rapidly for a moment, then stopped. “No matter, for there is much that I need to inform you of. Please, come with me.”

Breeze spoke up. “I don’t get it. You spot me in this jacket and you automatically assume we’re from Perihelion? How do you know I just didn’t get it from some merchant in town?”

Achilles tilted its head. “My apologies, young man, but whom am I addressing?”

“Don’t tell him anything!” Ray shouted.

Breeze turned to Ray with his hands held up in a reassuring gesture. “It’s okay. Remember, we’re a team, right? We can handle this.”

Breeze strode up to the robot and its eyes glowed brighter with every step he took. “My name is Breeze Corinth.” He pointed out Sally and Ray. “And these are my friends, Sally Trumbull and Ray Verhesen.”

Achilles’ eyes shined into a brilliant white, then faded to mere pinpoints of light as it nodded its head slowly. “Corinth, you say? Fascinating, that is a name I have not heard nor contemplated for such a long time.” It swiveled its head again rapidly, then stopped and held out a hand. “Greetings young man, it is an honor to meet you.”

Breeze hesitated, and then shook the hand. It was warm to the touch. “Do you know me?”

“You specifically? No, but the Corinth name was once synonymous with premium manufactured aerocraft, the finest ever to take to the skies, many would say. Could you be any relation to that historic name? Perhaps not, for you are a youngling and what I speak of is from a time long lost to the darkness.”

Breeze’s eyes lit up. “My father’s name is Jacob. He runs a scrap metal yard and foundry, and sells a lot of processed scrap to aerocraft builders where we live in Conception.”

“Jacob, you say? Interesting. Nevertheless, everyone these days must do what they can to survive and there is no shame in the selling of scrap metal.”

“Breeze, you’re telling it too much. Please stop,” Sally pleaded.

He ignored her and opened up his jacket, pulling out the disk he found in the engine room of the scout ship. “Then explain this to me,” he said and held it up to the robot.

Achilles took a step back as its eyes dilated sharply. “A diagnostic disk. I have not seen that particular model in quite some time. What a fascinating piece of equipment for you to possess.”

Breeze pulled back his sleeve and exposed the nav-compass on his wrist. He put the two together and the disk chimed while the nav-compass began to glow. “Hello, Jacob,” a female voice emanated from the disk, “which piece of equipment would you like to scan first?”

Achilles slowly approached Breeze, it eyes locked on the disk. “Intriguing. It immediately synchronized to your nav-compass. Where did you retrieve the disk? And how did you come into possession of a nav-compass of such vintage?”

“Well, the nav-compass my father gave to me—”

“Scanning,” the female voice from the disk declared, “faulty Robot Fighter, model number 5150. Unknown anomaly detected in operating software. Return to docking facility for immediate repair and memory wipe.”

Achilles jumped back and kept its distance.

“I told you Breeze! There is something about that robot that doesn’t make sense,” Sally said as she broke away from Ray to stand next to him.

Achilles let out a metallic chuckle. “Well now, young miss, I must confess I have spent quite some time amongst humans. Perhaps too much time for I seem to have picked up some of their mannerisms, both good and bad.”

“I saw how you pushed Sargon away from you without touching him,” Sally said.

“Sleight of hand, my dear Sally. I am no magician, so sorry to say, but merely a mechanical contraption and nothing more.”

“You glow like you’re alive,” she persisted.

Achilles was silent for a moment before it spoke. “Quite the projectionist you are, and of exceptional skill and training, just like your mother.”

“What was that?” Sally said as her face turned pale.

Achilles gestured toward Ray. “And you, young man, you must be a pyrokinetic with that glowing hand of yours. Judging by your demeanor, would it be safe to say you come from a military background?”

Ray stared at the robot without flinching.

“Precisely. Stoic to the core,” Achilles said as it raised its hands. “My young friends, my sensors are informing me what you are obviously experiencing. The temperature is dropping rapidly. Please accompany me to my home. We have all introduced ourselves, therefore, we can hardly call ourselves strangers now, can we? Also realize that you outnumber me and are in possession of much power amongst the three of you. A triad of strength, one would be forced to admit, and you could so easily subdue me if I were to become…uncivilized.”

“No,” Ray and Sally said in unison.

Achilles turned to Breeze. “And then there was one.”

“I’ll go,” he said.

Sally gripped his arm. “Breeze, don’t be crazy! That ‘bot is not normal.”

He held her hand. “Look, as long as we stick together, we’ll be fine. Everything happens for a reason. “Isn’t that one of those Oslo ‘isms’ we always joke about?”

She smiled and nodded.

He continued. “Everything that we’ve encountered so far seems strange, like the world has been turned upside down. But don’t forget that Matilda insisted we come here. She couldn’t stop talking about Achilles, and you saw how the disk and nav-compass reacted to him. Let’s just go. It’s right, you know, we have a lot of power between the three of us. We’ll be fine. Let’s just hear what it has to say.”

Sally turned to Ray. “Raymond, let’s go with them, at least we don’t have to spend another cold night in the scout ship.”

Ray shrugged. “Okay, but I still think we’re better off leaving this walking tin can behind and head back to the ship. We should be waiting for Oslo. That would be the right thing to do.”

Achilles cautiously stepped forward. “If I may interject; Raymond, I respect the position you’re in. You take duty seriously. But if your vessel is damaged, I promise you at dawn we can head out and bring your ship to my dwelling, or at least determine what parts it will need if we cannot get it to fly. I do have a workshop full of equipment and spare part for repairs. How do you imagine I manage to remain in mint condition? Does it not appear to you that I have just stepped off the assembly line?” It let out a metallic chuckle as it tapped its scratched and dented chest.

Breeze laughed. “I’m starting to like him. He’s got a sense of humor.”

“It. It’s a machine. Stop treating it like it’s human,” Ray said.

“Well, nothing is perfect, but I do the best that I can under the circumstances,” Achilles said with a shrug.

Breeze grinned. “Come on guys, let’s face it, we need help fixing the scout ship. And it’s getting really cold out here. Let’s stay together.”

Sally took Breeze by the hand. “I’m with you. Ray, you’re coming with us of course.” She held out a hand to him.

“I guess my mind has been made up for me,” he grumbled.