Cyphid and Rough-Pound arrive on Artifak, with their weapons drawn. They are not comfortable being back in the same location twice, but, as Cyphid put it, this is all for Zack.
Cyphid: Alright, then, R.P., what now? This is your plan.
Rough-Pound: We wait.
Cyphid: For...?
{BLARE} {BLARE} {BLARE}
Rough-Pound: Dat!
A deafening siren echoes throughout Artifak as a swarm of guard-bots surround both entities.
Guard-bots: Attention, perpetrators! You are required to stand down and desist for your precious crimes against this planet!
Cyphid and Rough-Pound get on their knees with their hands up.
Rough-Pound: Listen, y'all! We come in peace! We just need to know the whereabouts of a child!
Cyphid: He's just a boy! A-a boy with purple clothing and dark hair!
The guard-bots do not let their cannons off of the two.
Guard-bot: Silence! You perpetrators shall pay for your heinous crimes against Artifak!
One guard-bot, however, speaks up.
Guard-bot: Wait! I saw the boy you speak of! I witnessed him standing around with VE8520SZX!
Another guard-bot, V's father, overhears the conversation and gets in the middle of the confrontation.
Guard-bot: I implore you guards to stand down.
The guard-bots all stand down and lower their weapons.
Guard-bots: As you command, chief.
Cyphid and Rough-Pound are both confused.
Cyphid: What...?
Rough-Pound: I dunno...
The chief turns to them.
Chief: I require you both to come with me.
Knowing they have no choice, Cyphid and Rough-Pound agree.
Rough-Pound: Yessir, Chief, sir.
----
The chief has taken Cyphid and Rough-Pound to his place of residence, which is above the museum portion of the planet. Artifak is divided in two parts. The lower part is where the museums are. The upper location is where the robot guards reside.
In the chief's house, he has Cyphid and Rough-Pound in the living area, where there's nothing but a massive screen against the wall.
Rough-Pound: We owe ya for what ya did fer us back dere, robo-cop.
But the chief is not smiling.
Chief: Seeing as how you have destroyed most of my kin, I should have you both incarcerated for eternity.
Rough-Pound: Eh, fair enough.
Chief: But the safety of my daughter is important and you two might be the key to finding her.
Cyphid breaks them up and gets the chief's attention.
Cyphid: Okay, before we go any further, let's talk about what you know about your daughter.
Chief: I had assigned my daughter the task of standing guard of a certain artifact. When I returned, both her and the artifact had disappeared. Vanished.
Cyphid: And what was this item, if I may ask?
Chief: A Korrupton crystal.
Cyphid clutches his mouth, feeling very uneasy.
Cyphid: He was right...
Rough-Pound speaks for him.
Rough-Pound: And da crystal? What do ya know about it?
Chief: I know plenty.
Cyphid sighs in relief.
Cyphid: Okay, that's a start.
Chief: But such knowledge cannot be handed to outsiders. It is only knowledge us guards have been trained to keep secret. Especially from the likes of you perpetrators.
Cyphid and Rough-Pound are in disbelief.
Rough-Pound: Come on, dude! This is our kids we're talkin' about! Are ya seriously gonna abandon yers?!
The chief shakes his head.
Chief: I fail to see the point. My daughter has strayed from me ever since her adolescence sprung. Her rebellious nature has overtaken her sacred purity. And now there is nothing I can do to make her appreciate me.
Cyphid gives the chief a look of disgust.
Cyphid: Are you serious?
Chief: I have done my best to make things right with her. But wherever she is now, it must be better than here.
Then, Cyphid pushes past Rough-Pound and gets in the chief's face.
Cyphid: Listen, pal! I know how you feel, alright? My boy doesn't respect me either! He feels like he can do whatever he wants and, yes, it's tough! But I made a commitment as his guardian to be there for him! I promised I'd never let him go, and I don't plan to now!
Chief: I understand what you are saying to me, but I refuse to believe there is anything I can do for VE8 now.
Cyphid: We have the ability to! But only if you help us! Tell us what we need to know, and we'll get your daughter back! I swear!
The chief says nothing for a long time.
Chief: How can I be certain you will?
Cyphid: Because the best way you can show how much you love them... is just by being there. If you go through all this trouble for them, they'll see that they're appreciated. That you truly love them. Because it's not about you.
The chief nods.
Chief: Indeed.
Cyphid: So, chief, tell us what we need to know.
The chief looks nervous.
Chief: I have been bluffing when I said I knew plenty about the crystal.
Rough-Pound groans.
Rough-Pound: Shoulda known!
Cyphid: What?! Wh-what do you know?!
Chief: That when activated, the crystal will send the wielder to where the crystal once came from.
Cyphid: Well, do you know where the crystal came from?
The chief nods.
Chief: A planet that is not from this dimension.
Rough-Pound: Dimension? What in Lord Eyezak's name is dat?
Cyphid: A dimension is another reality, Rough-Pound. Another... universe.
The chief, once again, nods.
Chief: That is true. And... I may be able to assist on that matter as well.
Cyphid: Then by all means, chief... Lead the way.
----
YOU ARE READING
The Telerin Force: Beginning
Science Fiction11-year-old Zack belonged to an organization known as Eyezakorp, run by Admiral Ove, a cruel monarch who wants to enslave the universe by creating her new army, the Soldiers of the Shadows. But after crash-landing on an unknown planet and meeting a...
