The Ice Warrior

Chapter 22

Going through sector 15 was even more shocking than Silv expected. It took her eyes a lot longer to get used to the lack of technology around them.

As far as she could remember, the last time they had to stop the sector 15 riots, it was a bit more technologically advanced, not nearly as much as sector 1, but still enough not to be such an eyesore as it was in that moment.

The people milling around among the haphazardly made buildings wore clothing that was nothing like the efficient clothes of sector 1. The only type of material that Silv recognized from the old archives was denim, but the other articles of clothing were equally odd.

"I never understood why they wear those dreadful old-fashioned clothes," Silv whispered to her grandmother.

"Sector 15 gets just the most basic life support technology to keep the frigid air out and for some other basics. Everything beyond that, they have to take care of by themselves, usually by scavenging through what's left of the old world, or by going through the other sectors' garbage." Rose said as if that was the most natural thing one could do.

"But why? Why don't they live the way the rest of us do? I've been here before, but I still don't understand why they live the way they do." Silv said.

"There are many reasons for that. The most important one is that they refuse to show complete obedience to the Government. Since the Government is unable to get rid of them all as it would cause suspicion in other sectors, they provide them with a bare minimum. I've heard some insisting that the Lower Stratans have to be 'removed' once and for all. However, I don't see that happening anytime soon. It would draw too much attention." Rose said.

Contemplating Rose's words, Silv felt like a small child learning about the world for the first time.

Silv always saw Lower Stratans as the bad guys. The official reports about the crimes she had gotten in the past only confirmed her suspicions. She was naïve and obedient enough never to look deeper than the surface, and realizing the truth made her annoyed with herself.

What also occurred to her was that as far as she could tell, the Lower Stratans resembled her more than she wanted to believe. All they wanted was to be free to express their own opinions and be who they were.

It was clear to her that they refused to be just average, and Silv could relate to that feeling. Always being balanced out was comfortable, but she had a feeling that excelling in something was more exhilarating. All her life, she wished to be more than enough.

As they shuffled down the narrow streets, the strangest mixture of smells, good and bad alike, assaulted Silv's olfactory senses. Her brain was going into overdrive, trying to catalog all of them.

It was a challenge for her to keep up with all the changes, but Silv did her best to tap into her training and remain calm. After all, she usually thrived in new surroundings.

For the most part, she succeeded, though she couldn't stop herself from occasionally staring at Wir Eis's new appearance. After all, it was so strikingly different from his usual form that it was only natural to gawk at the difference.

Silv knew that it was just the appearance modulator changing her perception of Wir Eis, that the transformation wasn't physical, yet she couldn't get over how real it looked.

"We're here," Rose said when they reached a rickety old door that to Silv's shock, was made of wood.

Before Silv had the chance to ask where they were and why, Rose tapped her knuckles against the wood in a strange pattern of three short, one long, two shorts, pause then one short two long, pause, one short, pause, one short, one long, one short.

Moments later, an elderly looking gentleman opened the door. Upon noticing Rose, an enormous smile adorned his wrinkled, unmodified face.

"Viper!" he exclaimed, hugging Rose tightly.

"It's been too long Joe," Rose said, hugging him back just as firmly.

"I thought they got you for sure this time," Joe said.

"You know me. I always slither my way out." Rose said.

No one but Arthur was able to understand the odd exchange, but both Wir Eis and Silv were shocked by the apparent familiarity of the two.

"My boys will be so happy to hear you are back," he said enthusiastically.

"Where are those rascals?" Rose asked with warmth.

"On another scavenging hunt," Joe said.

"All of them? Isn't Jack too young for that, Joe?" Rose asked worriedly.

Before Joe could say anything, Silv coughed loudly to remind Joe and Rose of their presence as she was unsure how long they could spend in useless banter.

"Oh, I apologize. I didn't notice you brought company. Come in, come in. Any friend of Viper is a friend of Joe's," he said, gesturing them in.

"This girl is Snow, that's my friend Bear, and this here is Arthur," Rose said, introducing them one by one.

How she was able to think so fast was beyond Silv, but she followed Rose's lead and entered the house.

Once inside, Joe directed them to a small kitchen with a roaring fire, the glow of which was the only illumination in the dark house. Its light made visible one large table and chairs surrounding it, on which they promptly sat.

"They're all new to this life, so be gentle with them," Rose warned her friend.

"Of course, of course," Joe said good-naturedly.

Before any more words could be exchanged, the front door burst open, and a small boy with brown hair and blue eyes ran into the house.

"Grandpa, grandpa! We are back!" the boy yelled.

Behind him, two tall men stumbled in, carrying heavy objects Silv couldn't identify. From the similar features all three of them shared, it was clear they were brothers, and Silv was shocked to note that one family was allowed to have so many children in sectors other than sector 1.

As the men lowered the burden they were carrying, the boy dashed towards his grandfather, accidentally bumping into Wir Eis on the way to Joe. That made him hit his hand with the watch on the table. As a consequence, Wir Eis's image flickered for a few moments, thus revealing his true self for all to see.

Few moments were more than enough for everyone to notice. Thus, they drew weapons in a matter of seconds.