By David C. Daoust
The city-stations of the Onion were teeming with life. Skyscrapers reigned paramount above, wrapped in walkways that varied from level to level, connecting bridges from structure to structure, like a great cubic grid that faded off in the distance; lost in a haze of atmospheric distortion. Every walkway packed with people, traveling from one place to another. Coursing throughout, curved ethereal pathways, loaded with the more ‘recreational’ vehicles; anti-grav boots, cycles of varying propulsions. And between that, the vehicles of every make and model, ‘hovering at their regulated height’. Last but not least, the uniform trains that zipped through the city, charging through towers or around them, carrying passengers or goods, from station to station. All of which sprawled for miles in every direction. All those people, all those machines, created a vibration, a feel.
Major Sims found his current surroundings, eerily silent. Not a soul walked the walkways, not a vehicle in sight. It was as though the entire city-station was just a… silent, empty stage.
Major had given up on waking up, for what else could this be, but a strange, strange dream?
Chased from an uncomfortable sleep, Major had slipped free of what… exactly? He could not see. Some massive machine, come to collect him. To capture him. Whatever had abducted him, put him in these odd clothes. Not to mention the alterations to his body; he was now short one ear, and had some unknown cybernetics implanted in his body. Would his body reject these implants? Would they weaken him, shorten his life? He knew enough to know that people with such additions, were usually upgraded on a genetic level. Was he stronger? He felt somehow weaker, the ache in his stomach told him he had not eaten in a while though.
But the strangest of all his current conditions– why couldn’t he stop thinking about Dr. Sun? All his thoughts, one way or another, led back to that gabby little blond doctor. It felt like she should be there, that she should offer up the answers to all his questions. She haunted him. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why.
Sims had climbed up out of the bowels of the city, doing what he could to scout out his location. The empty stomach, however, is what pushed him.
At last, he found what he believed was once a shopping center. Ever aware of his surroundings, he moved from store to store. The doors should have all opened at his approach, instead, he was forced to pry each open in turn.
Once inside, the shops and restaurants were all empty of wares. As if each had been closed down, cleared out. It was a slight comfort, that whatever had emptied the city, was not sudden. Whoever had run these shops, had had the opportunity to close down properly.
None of which helped his growling stomach, nor the incredibly uncomfortable and silly jumpsuit he was wearing. He was barefoot, the formfitting suit was tight, the legs stopped midcalf, with unusual sockets attached to the end; same with the sleeves. The collar was wide and stiff, with some strange looking diamond just below his collarbone. All of which looked like it was meant to be attached to something else. He kind of hoped no one ever witnessed him in such a silly outfit… unless they had food. He could really use some food at this point.
Major checked each shop, just the same. The stores were all empty racks and barren shelves. He found ‘fabricators’ in the kitchens of every restaurant. Lotus should flow through these devices, as long as there was power, he should be able to select whatever he wanted to eat, have it fabricated then and there.
The fabricators were as powerless as the doors and he found no lotus within.
Major abandoned the shopping center empty handed, puzzled at what he may be able to try next. It was during this puzzling, that the Wraiths appeared in the distance, on the next block. They seemed to hover there, in a group. He did not believe they noticed him. He jetted for cover all the same. After a moment he peeked out from within the doorwell he had chosen to conceal himself.
There they hovered in a huddle, unmoving.
Major was in the lab when the Good Doctor Sun had managed to pry free the unusual domed helmet that hid their true forms. He had witnessed what lie within those darkened spacesuits. What appeared to be a small pale child, manned what, in reality, was more of a vehicle than just a suit. A helpless child at that, considering it was balling in fear. In the same vein, it was one of his last memories from before he woke up. Could they have brought him here? It was possible they were not so helpless after all.
This small band of Wraiths were the only sign of life. The only movement Major had witnessed- beside the giant centipede monster that had tried to abduct him.
Upon the thought of the monster, as if summoned, it was there- climbing up from the bowels of the city. Major momentarily tensed, ready to run upon the sight of the creature. After a moment of ducking back, he risked another peek around the corner. It had not detected him.
The Wraiths scattered, flying away from the creature, into hiding. Much like Major had done in reaction to the Wraiths.
This told Major they were not working together, especially as the creature continued up, pulling itself straight up the side of the building, snaking around walkways, in a long train of machine-legs clanking into place, purchase after purchase, it made its way up into the higher reaches, the Wraiths seemed to steadily stalk it. Up and away.
Major was trapped on his level. He had to decide… should he stalk the stalkers, or flee? There were children inside; Living beings that also needed sustenance. He knew they were his most likely chance to acquire food.
Major charged ahead when he was sure they wouldn’t witness him, tracked them best he could. The problem was that they seemed to be following the monster… which was steadily climbing upward. Major could not follow, he could keep an eye on them from below, however.
Eventually the creature vanished atop a higher platform.
The Wraiths, who had kept their distance, halted. Major could only guess what they were doing, but they reformed their huddle. After a few moments, they headed east in unison- away from where the centipede had vanished, away from Major.
Major Sims had to assume- food was east.
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