Tranquility

Interlopers

-Copyright© Kyle Anand 2016-

Three interlopers waited in the confines of a large, shadowed chamber. Two of them wore silver-grey space armor. A third was dressed in a faded brown trench coat, his own space suit was tossed lazily by his feet. One of the grey armored individuals - Erik Davis, a tall, Native American man in his mid-50's, sat peacefully with his hands resting on his knees in silent meditation. He wore his grey and black hair braided as his ancestors did centuries ago. He had a hooked nose and pockmarked skin. A long scar ran down the right side of his face. His younger protégé, Kanna Matsuo, wore a similar space suit but hers was more silver than grey. Unlike her mentor's calm demeanor, she paced nervously around the room like a caged tiger yearning to be free. She had predominantly Japanese features, hollow cheeks, a pointed chin, and long black hair that was tied in a bun behind her head. Both Erik and Kanna had eyes the color of sunlight - the mark of extensive genetic experimentation. Every so often Kanna would glance at the man in the trenchcoat and give him a shy smile. Oliver Revetta sat on a small crate, staring at his gloved left hand, looking intently at an orb of blue light. He reached with his right hand, pinched the orb with his thumb and forefinger, and brought it closer to his face. He rubbed the stubble of his beard and then ran his fingers through his chestnut colored hair. Oliver's own blue eyes lit up in the sapphire aura. The orb emanated from a small rectangular object the size of a paper clip.

"I've never seen a Neuro-card before. Can I touch it?" Kanna asked Oliver.

"No." Oliver said flatly, still studying the small glowing object in his fingers.

"Come on Olly, Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Yes, I can see it?"

"How old are you?" Oliver said mocking, he stuck his tongue out at the younger woman.

"29 next month," the younger woman puzzled. "Or at least that's what the scientists tell me. You should give it to me as a birthday present!"

"Sound good Kanna, I'll be sure to give you the key to saving all of humankind as a birthday present." Oliver said raising his eyebrow. Kanna grinned. Oliver pulled a small chrome and black rectangular box from his worn coat and slid the Neuro-card into a small opening on its side. The blue glow faded like night stars at dawn. His fingers clenched around the box.

"How thoughtful of you-" Kanna began smugly.

"They're here." Erik Davis interrupted. Oliver jumped up and walked over to the older man. Erik Davis stood up slowly to his full height.

"You've sensed them?" Kanna asked her Sensei. Erik gave a stiff nod in reply.

"Are they on our side?" Oliver asked, his tone now serious.

"It's impossible to tell. We need to head up to the landing pad to see for certain." Erik responded with grim resignation. Oliver and Kanna exchanged a look.

"The Observer should have given us more intel! If Astrocore finds us before the Rangers do..." Kanna ranted.

"The Observer can't help us now. I don't think any of us want to work with mercenaries - let alone the Blood Rangers, but we're out of options."

"Well, we need to get going then. Olly, you better put on your spacesuit." Kanna said. Oliver dressed quickly. He left behind his jacket but took with him the encased Neuro-card and a black gun that he had modified himself. Erik, Kanna and Oliver made their way out of the large dark chamber into darker corridors beyond.

Although it was not the most exotic of hiding places, the three interlopers had reluctantly decided to stow away inside a long-abandoned weather monitoring facility on Jupiter. Jupiter's Great Red Spot had existed naturally for more than three centuries. Now in 2207, it should have been long-disappeared. The hundreds of floating weather stations used their powerful reactors to keep the storm going in a feedback loop of kinetic energy. The station itself was a hulking derelict full of ancient machinery and forgotten purpose. Gusts of wind shook the deteriorated pipes and rattled the heavy blast doors of the hallways. Oliver looked out of the shallow windows as the three walked the narrow corridors. There's a storm coming. Hopefully we get out of here before it catches us. Oliver's hands instinctively drifted towards the Neuro-card attached to his belt. Steam vents pumped out excess vapour that fed from the large fusion reactor on the west side of the floating station. Rust grew like a red moss on steel roots. Unused stasis pods stood like caskets in the empty rooms they passed by. Besides the groaning of the structure, all was quiet.

"We've been sitting in this dungeon for the past eighteen hours. At least now we're getting some action!" Kanna grinned as she tilted her head to the left and right, cracking her neck.

"Cool it kid, we still don't know what to expect once we reach the landing pad." Erik chided. Kanna's smile disappeared and she walked faster to match Erik's long stride.

"I've heard that once the Blood Rangers agree to a job, they don't stop until it's finished," said Oliver.

"Right. And they have no love for Astrocore either, let's hope that works out in our favour." Erik added.

Although he was walking behind Erik and Kanna, he could still feel her looking at him through her periphery. Her glances were subtle, but Oliver had noticed Kanna looking at him often. They had known each other for more than two years. For as long as they both lived, they could never be together. She was a Sentinel. Both Erik and Kanna could never hope to have children, they couldn't even have a relationship. Thinking about her made his throat tight. I'm sorry Kanna. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you during your initiation. I'm sorry I won't be able to help you when you'll need it most.

It didn't matter matter what he did, Oliver was never there for anyone when they needed him most. I can't be there for you Kanna, I can't even be there for my own children... James has been growing up without his father. Alice... I'm so sorry Alice. Oliver's guilt was his own, and it was something Kanna would not be able to understand. It had been months since he had seen either James or Alice. Thinking about Alice back on Tranquility brought on a raw dullness that sat in the pit of his stomach. She would have to become more than she ever thought possible if she was to survive. There was so much left to do, so much left unsaid. Kanna looked back at him with concern in her bright yellow eyes. It was almost like she could tell what he was thinking. He gave her a sad smile.

"I'm always amazed how you Sentinels can just sense when someone is nearby, it's incredible." Oliver said trying to cut through the awkward silence. Erik smiled.

"Biopathy sure comes in handy when there's a crazy corporation doing everything they can to try and catch you. There are a lot of myths that go along with it but it has its basis in science," Erik explained. Oliver gave an exaggerated shrug.

"I always thought you were a wizard."

Erik gave a hearty laugh. Kanna smiled as well. "Bio-energy is easy to detect when there isn't any life around. Trees, plants, animals... Sentinels like Kanna and I can detect any life form as long as there isn't much biotic interference. Back on Earth our skills aren't as useful." Erik explained.

"Right. My biopathy isn't as developed as Erik's." Kanna broke in. "Looking for someone's bio signature is easy to do in space since there isn't any organic material to hide it. Drop us in a tropical jungle and it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack." Oliver nodded.

"Your skills will improve the more you meditate Kanna. Your power comes from your mind and your calmness... in your memories." Erik told his protégé with sincerity in his voice.

"Yes Sensei." Kanna replied biting her lip. She looked away. Oliver saw Kanna ball her hands into fists. She only makes it harder for herself. She needs to let go, not only of me, but of her past too. Only the rumbling of the approaching storm filled the silence as the three made their way to the top of the facility. The three interlopers stood by the airlock hatch and opened the door to the howling storm.

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