Mydnight Symphony

Mydnight Symphony Ch. 19 The Base

Chapter Nineteen

The network of large, shimmery, black buildings loomed before them. A river of lava flowed around the metal landscape, flames burst from the river of molten rock at intervals, and a ghostly white steam rose from the metallic terrain.

"Put these boots on," Alaiza instructed, handing Jasmyn a pair of heavy, steel-lined boots. "The Base has a core temperature of over 1000 degrees. Touch the ground, and your feet wont only burn, they'll melt off your body. These boots are heat-resistant."

At every given moment, thousands of ships were flying in and out of the Category Base, which was the size of a small planet. The Base was completely flat, and appeared to be floating in mid air.

Jasmyn watched as the ships glided in an out of the Base. "Will they notice us?" She asked worriedly.

Gordon snorted from the other side of the room. "We got past the Waves. Not many ships can do that. We're practically inconspicuous."

"Except for one problem," Dominicus peeped up. "We'll burn up trying to get even remotely close to the landing zone of the Base. Not many Category ships do that." Gordon glared at Dominicus for mocking him.

Jasmyn looked over the fiery landscape. "It's like we're in Hell."

They had sent the Mydnight Symphony Q-Ship back to the Mothership. There was no point in harming any of the civilians on board. Instead, they had taken a Garage down to the Base to investigate further.

"How are we going to get inside the Base?"

"We can get close to the Base, but not extremely close. I'll set the ship on autopilot, and you guys will have to sneak in. I'll catch up with everyone later." Gordon said.

Jasmyn felt the temperature rising as they flew closer to the Base. "Sneak in?"

"We're trespassing on Category property," Alaiza explained. "And we're the Regency, the moral enemies of the Category. What do you think is going to happen to us?"

Beads of perspiration formed on Jasmyn's face. "I'm just either extremely nervous, or the temperature in here just rose 20 degrees. Is there an air conditioner in here?"

"No!" Gordon suddenly shouted. Everyone looked at him for his outburst. He calmed down. "I mean, no, they'll know. The Category is immune to the intense heat of the Base, and they categorize every ship that enters its territory. They'll immediately know that we're not of the Category if we start using their energy by turning on the A\C."

"Hmm." Alaiza said. "I didn't even think of that."

The temperature in the cabin of the Garage steadily rose to 115 degrees. Though Alaiza, Gordon, Levi, and Dominicus made no response to the intense heat, Jasmyn was affected by it. She was drenched in sweat, and lethargic.

"You're going to have to put on a heat resistant suit on too." Alaiza said, pointing to the cabinet. Seven sleek, shiny black body suits hung lifelessly on the hangers.

Jasmyn looked at the suits, exasperated. "There's no way in hell I'm wearing that. I'm already dying. I don't need the extra layers."

Alaiza rolled her eyes. "First, we're in Hell, and there is a way, so you're wearing it. Second, since you're immortal, you can't die, so you wearing it. Third, everyone in the Category wears these suits, so you're wearing it. And fourth, ours are air conditioned, so you're wearing it!"

Jasmyn's eyes lit up at the mention of air conditioned.

Chevron and Dara were still sleeping gently in each other's arms. They looked so peaceful, almost dead-like.

"Should we wake them?" Jasmyn asked.

"No, we're just going to dump them on the planet like that, and watch their bodies melt. Of course we're going to wake them!" Alaiza snapped. She kicked Chevron gently in the side. "C'mon, get up!"

Jasmyn watched as he continued to peacefully sleep.

"He didn't... die again, did he?" She asked worriedly. Chevron slowly stirred, and relief swept over Jasmyn.

Alaiza kicked Chevron a lot harder, and this time, he sat up. He looked at Alaiza, at Dara, and ran his fingers through his silky brown hair, which was drenched in sweat.

"Are we there yet- ow!" He rubbed at his side. Alaiza smiled sweetly at him.

"Wake up your girlfriend, I don't feel like kicking anyone else."

The guard on top of the tallest black building was lying back in his chair as far as it could go. The chair drooped, and creaked, but refused to break. He breathed in slowly. The black metal can with the holographic C on the side, rested on his swollen stomach, and moved slowly up and down with each breath he took. He looked as if he hadn't shaved in days, and the gray stubble on his face was more hair than the patch on his head.

There was a younger guard beside him. He had a pale face, and charcoal colored hair, pinned back into a ponytail.  His muscles bulged under his skintight black suit. He patrolled the top of his buildings, his arms behind his back, his footsteps quick and precise. He was facing away from the shorter building adjacent to him, which the Garage quietly hovered above.

"How are we going to get around them?" Jasmyn asked.

"I can pull down, close enough to get the edge of the roof, but no further. See how it is smoggy down there? That is the residue of the fuel keeping this Base alive. The Garage will immediately be destroyed if I go any further down." Gordon said. "Remember, if those guards do come near you, you're armed with Teslas. Six against two? And that fat guard's asleep, so he shouldn't be a problem. Stay low to the ground, don't let them see you."

The Garage door opened, and everyone jumped to the ground. The Garage quickly rose, and the six sprinted across the rooftop, pressing their backs against the wall of the taller building, and praying to God the guards hadn't noticed them.

Jasmyn was grateful that cold air was running through small wires in the suit. She pulled the hood of the suit over her head, letting the cool air wash over her messy orange hair. The outside temperature of the base had to be about nearing two hundred degrees.

Her feet sizzled with each step she took on the top of the building. It was only about 10 feet shorter than the building the guards were positioned on. Even though they were pressed against the wall, they were still conspicuous to the guards. Neither guard, however, made no effort to move towards them, which concerned Jasmyn.

"Why aren't they coming after us?" Jasmyn whispered, as they crept along the wall of the black building. Even though she was wearing the heat resistant boots, her feet were beginning to burn.

"They can't see us." Levi said simply.

"They're facing away from us. They have been the entire time." Alaiza explained.

"Besides, we look like guards." Chevron added.

Dominicus pointed to the side of the building. "There's a ladder over there," he said. "We'll have to climb quickly down it, because it's the only way we can get past the guards. Once we're a certain distance down the ladder, we'll be hidden from view by the smog."

Chevron was first to reach the ladder, but stopped suddenly by a voice above them.

"Halt, comrades!"

Facing them from the tall building was the young, muscular, guard.