Blood Obsidian

Issue 26

The unbearable weight of waiting ... - Part 2

Most of the heroes began to file out of the room after Drone informed them that the ship they were to use, and Caitlyn still couldn't quite believe it, to get to another planet had finished cycling through safety checks. They were ready to depart and save some civilisation light years away but still Principle, Fear, Trooper Jane and Drone remained with Caitlyn. They all wanted to hear Drone's news.

"The suit you carry is made up of something called Black Element, but with a portion of Doc Blood's Red Element. No-one knows where Black Staff or Doc Blood found these Elements, but I theorise that ..." Drone stopped as Principle made a polite cough, hidden by his hand. "Of course. Anyway, the Elements are poly-alloy, self-replicating ..."

"Liquid nano-bots that have a bio-electric symbiotic relationship. Like living cells, but manufactured." Caitlyn stood up to look at the holographic display above the table. "The explosion caused a cascade failure in the interlink between the bots. Basically, they became blind, cut off from the collective."

A silence fell around the table and Caitlyn looked to the faces of the others and saw amused looks and every one of those amused looks tried to hide the fact that they were amused. Except for Fear, of course, and Drone, whose screen emoji had turned into the mildly annoyed smiley. She had the feeling that she had stepped on someone's toes.

"Don't mind Drone, he's probably the smartest person on the planet and doesn't take kindly to anyone competing for that title." Principle gave a little bow of the head and waved a hand, asking Drone to continue. "Please, eager minds need to know what you found."

"It's healing. That's it. Did you work that out, missy? Because I did." The emoji turned into an eye-roll and then a hooded side-eye. "Twenty-four to forty-eight hours and the suit should be fully operational. In the meantime, I have a starship to fly. A starship! This place would fall apart without me. Me!"

Drone continued to grumble and complain as its thrusters manoeuvred it out of the room. That left Principle, Trooper Jane and Fear with Caitlyn and she had the distinct feeling that she was about to be given The Talk. Or, at least, one of The Talks. There seemed to be so many of them that adults liked to pass along to children at various ages. She still shuddered at the time Aunt Mary had tried to engage in the sexual The Talk. Caitlyn had the internet, she already knew all about it, but Aunt Mary still tried.

"Do I have to tell you to be careful?" Principle offered his hand to support Caitlyn to stand. "We have several supers ready to be alerted if anything should happen. Do not engage Fiend until the suit is repaired. I'm asking you to show patience and that can take a greater strength than to act."

"I have inserted an operative in the area." The menace that Fear emanated still chilled Caitlyn's blood, but she didn't shy away as he neared. "Drone has modified your cell phone to our standards and has issued you an ear piece wirelessly connected to the phone. Call his name if you need help, it isn't in your contacts, but the phone will recognise it. His name is Pho-Boy."

"Pho-Boy? Pho-Boy? And people keep mentioning my name?" The mask on Fear showed no sign of his feelings either way at Caitlyn's incredulous questions. "Never mind. I'll remember. Well, thanks for everything. I'll try not to have an emergency when you're about to go into space next time. Good luck and, you know, go Earth!"

She gave a little punch to the air, but Principle and Fear had already started to head out after the others. Fear gliding along beneath that trailing black cloak and Principle hovering along beside him. She wondered if Principle had walked at all since he learned he could fly. On the table, she saw her new phone, and a box containing the ear piece, and wondered if they had busted her warranty with their modifications. Only Trooper Jane could answer that now. Caitlyn picked up her things as she looked at her combat tutor.