Tales of the Courier-Ghost of a Chance Gamble
Every road leads somewhere. Good roads or bad roads, they all lead somewhere. Some have said the road goes on forever. 1courier thinks that’s one of the only truths, as he watches the road run under the ride. This machine is unlike any he has driven yet, it’s responsiveness is as an extension of his thoughts. It even comes with disembodied voices.
He glances at the empty seat beside him and decides why not?
“And what are we supposed to jump with?” he continues watching the road as it continues to unfold, waiting patiently for a response. More than a few minutes pass, and he is starting to wonder if he actually heard anything at all. Then the voice issues again.
“You can make the jump 1courier, focus on the where, you do not have to possess the key to use the key.”
Silence then. There weren’t any sounds, not even breathing, and this had an eerie effect that was almost chilling. He pushes the ride for all it’s worth, and claims more road with much more ahead. Contemplating using the key without having it was strange. Yet when he thought about the other universes, and Timblerain, the thoughts had texture and depth. That shimmering ethereal light begins to emanate through everything, and there’s a sense of merging.
One blink and sapphire moons are replaced by a torrential rain storm. The change has occurred so rapidly the ride still carries the same velocity. The hydroplane begins immediately as wicked forks of lightning pop, highlighting sheets of heavy rain. The A.s.t.e.c.* systems engage, and the ride eases to consuming road again, the rain posing no further distraction.
The silence is the heavy kind and the rain lashes the ride harder. He understands now, that the cargo is the voice. That’s the only part of this strange ride he truly gets. The sapphire moon planet was the home of the key. Only accessible with the key. Whatever the life on the key world, it certainly was advanced. The m-com link lights up as they careen down the highway in the torrential storm. He had been expecting this.
Another voice sounds inside the ride, this one issuing from the audio system and unmistakably AI. He is being summoned by HQ and they are pissed. He grins, he is ahead of any word of the key, and it’s whereabouts. It is currently assumed he still has the key according to the demands he is hearing. The AI questions again, this time in that stern, steel timbre. This ain’t cheeky and that’s enough to end the radio show and he snaps of the audio. Silence, save for the rain lashing against the ride.
Choosing this universe is the same as going around the long way. It’s a calculated risk to be here, but this one is for more than just himself. There is every good chance he will be caught before he attains his mission on this world. There is the cargo to protect and deliver safely, which he will do after this small detour. The storm is worsening as the ride streaks through the heavy downpour and the voice the ride came with, speaks again.
“We are going indirectly to the destination, is there a purpose that serves this delay?”
1courier grins again, everybody was on a schedule these days. He guides the stunningly quick ride into an interchange that leads to the outskirts of Port city. The raging storm is centered over the city in the distance, the lightning a brilliant light show across the sky. He would need five minutes at the dispatch, what he needs to retrieve is accessible and portable. Deciding to go easy on the details he replies, “yes”.
It takes another ten minutes to reach the outskirts of Port city, he throttles back on the ride to adjust for the increase in traffic and re-engages the audio. The radio show is much better because cheeky is doing the talking now. Nice. Her voice is instantly recognizable as she quickly relays urgent news.
“There are reports you’re on the move to the dispatch, they are unconfirmed. HQ is calling it a ghost report, don’t know how you’re pulling off the cloak but it’s working. The client seeks a status report on the cargo and your ETA, 1courier. Care to share?”
Having been expecting a mass showdown at the dispatch , he is surprised to learn he is cloaked and flying stealth. He glances the empty and not empty seat beside him. Yes, this was a strange ride, he was just lucky that way. Deciding again to keep the details light he gives the ETA, taking notice that the dispatch is just ahead.
The storm is all out now, lightning and thunder crack and roll and the downpour has become mighty. Pulling into the dispatch he stations the ride just outside the entry. He glances the empty seat, “I’ll be two minutes, don’t disappear.” He moves quickly into the storm, making a mental note to share that last bit with cheeky. He was confident she would think his humor was improving. Moving into the dispatch and quickly to locker 21, he grabs the package and it’s time to go.
He doesn’t catch the glimmer in the downpour. Focusing on the door of the ride, his hand is on the latch when he feels the hit to his torso. He swings the door open and manages to fall inside the ride. Unable to think or move he manages to vocally autoset the ride before losing touch with consciousness.
(*A.s.t.e.c. – advanced stabilization traction emergency control)
