Miltic Episode One of Volume One

Steam Powered Legs (Stillan)

Steam Powered Legs

Stillan

The massive ship hovers over us, fans run by steam power keep it up. Smoke billows from the tail end. Queen Anne's Revenge painted on the side. A man leans over the side, his black beard hanging down in tied tendrils.

"Well, if it ain't the Knight Hanlon! Who that wit' yau? She's a fine red head indeed. Think I'll take her for miself!" The man takes out a pistol and aims it me.

"Sorry, Black Beard, not today." I grab onto Sandra's hand and run. Just missing the bullet that comes firing in our direction. "I advise to stop using those antiques!" I yell over my shoulder before picking Sandra up and putting her on my back.

She lets out a scream as she wraps her arms around my neck. "Watch your grip, or I won't be able to run for much longer!" I warn her.

Her grip loosens. Black Beard's ship may be one of the faster ones in the land, but it can't keep up with my legs. Before long, its nothing but a speck behind us, and the city line mere miles away. I slow to a stop, my legs scream in protest. Steam rushes out of them. I may have over done it.

"Woah, what are your legs?"

I forgot, she doesn't anything about this world. "They're steam powered. A few years ago, I was jumped by some defective robots. The kind that think humanity should be robots like them. They took both my legs and replaced them before my friend Madis came and saved me. I hated them at first. Now, they come in handy."

Her eyes focus on my legs. "Wow, how bittersweet."

I stare at her for a while. Shouldn't she be more shocked? She really has taken none of this in.

She points. "So I'm guessing the steam coming out of them right now means you've used up most of your power?" Sandra glances over her shoulder to where Black Beard's ship hovers as a black speck. "We covered a hundred miles in a few minutes. And we still have at least ten before we reach the city. Can you walk? I don't see coal and water nearby."

She's aware of how steam power works? "I should be fine. I'll take you to Madis's shop. I can get fuel there and he may be able to point us in the direction of where the next portal will open. He has a device thing that helps with that."

Her eyebrow goes up and she flicks her red hair over her shoulder. "A device thing? Really?"

I huff. "I don't remember what it's called. Don't have a Larus." I bend each of my legs testing them out to see if they will get me to the city. I doubt this girl could carry me and she certainly wouldn't be able to find help on her own.

"I don't know what you're referring too, but I hope I don't have one."

"C'mon I'd like to reach the boarder of the city before nightfall. It gets even stranger out here once the wildlife comes out."

Sandra quickens her step to keep up with me. "How far into the city is your friend Madis?"

I point off into the distance. "See that red glint? That's the roof of his shop, but we won't be walk straight there. We need to take the Underworxs. You aren't wearing clothes from around here, and visitors from Earth are rare now a days. Madis should have a change of clothing for you. The man has everything."

"What is the Underworxs?"

"Underground system of pipe line that hasn't been used for a long time. People use it to move around when they don't want to be seen. If we run into anyone down there, they'll keep their mouth shut. They don't want us to reveal they were down there either."

"Oh, makes sense, I guess. How old are you?"

I glance at her out of the corner of my eye. She's studying my face now. "In Earth years, I guess I would be 115."

"How about in your world years?"

I grin. "23."

She let's out a breath. Is she relieved I'm not some old man? "So you're turning eighteen tomorrow, that's some kind of milestone in your world, right."

Sandra shrugs. "I guess. I can vote now and be tried as an adult. Nothing too awesome."

"Sounds thrilling."

We walk for several miles in silence. The distance between us and the border of the city growing ever closer. I wonder if she will be able face what's coming up. We'll be entering the area of the city where the defective robots of all kinds roam, searching for organic beings to hunt.

~*~~*~~*~

I should talk to her now. Let her know what's coming up. It wouldn't be fair to surprise her with it as we run into one of the Defectives.

"So there's something you should know. To get into the Underworx, from this side of the city, we need to pass through the Repair district."

She clears her throat. "I gather from your tone it's not a good place to go?"

"It's where I got my legs. It's not safe for any organic, which is what we are. Stay close and you should be fine. The entrance to the Underworx close to the city limit. We won't have to go far within the Repair District."

"That's not too reassuring, but okay."

We walk farther. The city looms over us. I reach back and grab her hand as we enter the shadows of the buildings. "Don't let go, and keep running," I whisper.

Her grip on my hand tightens as I quicken my pace. I move into the shadows, pressing my back against the wall of a rundown building. The hum of Defectives searching rises into the air. My heart hammers. I can't let this girl get captured by them. She'd never mentally recover.