Significantly Advanced Tech

Inferno's Core

A hard-edged perfect cube lifted off the moon of Elipso. Six smooth sides pulsed through the six colors of the rainbow every six seconds. The ship's interior was divided into two decks; the bridge and the gear room.

On the bridge, Abaddon St. Baal stood before a massive view screen. The sheer enormity of Inferno filled the floor to ceiling monitor. Endless turbulent gas storms roared across the planet. Abaddon's normal indifference was accented by the gentle flutter of his wings which hung through slits in the back of his designer suit. 

Melock sat cross-legged on the floor like an ascetic monk in simple course robes and no shoes.

"Space travel," he said taking in the glorious sight before them, "I shall never grow tired of its infinite repetition."

"Indeed." Abaddon was more the tall handsome nontalkative type.

"Will this ship be sturdy enough to get us into Limbo?" asked Melock.

"We can pass through the upper gaseous layer to the edge of the dark hydrogen, beyond that the liquid and metallic hydrogen will crush us," responded one of the two identical #71EEB8s piloting the craft.

"That will do nicely, boys."

Melock referring to the #71s as boys confused them as they stepped out of the cloning chamber fully matured adults and never got to be boys nor even understand what boyhood was. Not to mention they were both well over four centuries old. 

They took no offense as their sensors informed them Melock was, in fact, their elder. Abaddon's readings were inconclusive.

In the gear room below, the ladies were looking through a large wooden box Melock had brought. The waifish girl with a Joan of Arc haircut stripped out of her silver Zero-G combat armor and handed it Pippalotti. She stood there in a dirty white t-shirt and shabby underwear with bruised legs and blackened toenails. Her calloused hands held out the body armor like a sacred offering.

"You're taller than me, might fit you better."

Pippa looked at the slick fitted suit. "This is military-grade stuff."

"You should wear it. And this too."

She stepped in close to Pippa and taking her gray hand placed a simple blown glass ring on her finger. It had a hint of a rainbow within.

"It will protect you from the fire."

It was rather pretty, but Pippa failed to see how it would protect her from anything.

"So, Sister John Murphy, do you have another name you go by?"

"My maiden name was Mademoiselle Melody Cherrycoke. I was married to Lord John Murphy at 15. He died when I was 16 and I was put into the nunnery. I ran away a year later and met Melock in my battles against the darkness. You may call me Murphy if you like."

"Ok, Murph. How old are you?

"19."

Murphy pulled what looked like robot body parts out of the box and began clamping the metal cylinders around her arms and legs. She shoved her smashed-up little feet into thick steel boots and pulled broad iron shoulder pads over her head. When she finished she looked like a girl pretending to be a robot.

Pippalotti put on the body armor. It was flexible and tough, giving a feeling of being both nakedly comfortable and indestructible. The boots were to die for.

Sister Murphy armed a wide barrelled electro-blunderbuss.

"That's Ibi-Ero technology, isn't it?"