Tales of the Courier-Standing Room Only
Close quarters and not the happy kind. Maybe this is how a sardine feels at the end of the day. There’s a feeling of being covered and under pressure as he comes to.
Memories come next and now it is understood, the pressure is from debris that is laying on top of him. Moving carefully to dishevel the pile of debris, he begins uncovering, and struggles to get free.
Bedlam is happening in front of him as he sits up. The whole of the area has become dim, and filled with smoke. Debris from the event is everywhere and many couriers are on the ground. He tries to lay eyes on Cheeky. The ride is in pieces and is no longer recognizable as anything other than mangled debris. Groups of couriers are struggling to regroup, and now, he can see Cheeky.
She is across from him, 50 feet away and locked in a struggle of her own. The ringing in his ears is loud and he shakes his head to clear the noise, and begins making his way to her and the struggle.
She is fighting mightily to replace the container lid. It appears as though the force she struggles against is invisible. Strangely he’s reminded of a mime he once saw in the old media archives the dispatch keeps as reference guides. He reaches her and together they wrestle the container lid into place.
“Thank you 1courier, I was beginning to doubt whether it would close.” She looks at him, all business and tough, then “you’re lucky as hell, I thought we agreed to skip the risky business.”
Remembering all the fun from the last couple of hours, he decides all business is risky. Taking in the extensive damage throughout the enclave proves the point. They would have to hammer out the details later because at that moment courier17 joins them.
“Transport will be waiting, final systems check is on now. Our contacts at the dispatch estimate a 13 hour window before detection. Maybe a little more if you can keep up that crazy cloak thing, 1courier.” Leaving them quickly, courier17 rejoins the other couriers in recovering from the hullabaloo that occurred just minutes ago.
He looks at Cheeky wanting to know the obvious, and waits for it. He’s not disappointed.
“We have a delivery to make and it’s late.” She looks at the recently closed container, and then looks back at him, her eyes have changed color again, “our cargo exists more in another dimension, than it does here. The ride you were in was designed as a transport container, our dimension is too…compact, and confined, for these beings.”
She watches him to see if he understands. He’s glad he’s getting the short version, but understands well enough. She continues as two service robots secure the cargo and take it to be loaded. “This is serious 1courier, we are delivering a defector from another dimension, and little is known other than destination. We are sorely outmatched and running out of time.”
It was starting to sound like another day at the office as they reached the replacement ride from dispatch. The service bots were finishing with the loading of the cargo, this time in the rear compartment. He grins, much better. No side seat spooky business on this trip. He looks at Cheeky, and wonders what they’re up against. The remaining couriers have cleared the structure, and another enclave fades.
As they get in the ride to depart, the cargo bangs loudly in the rear compartment. He looks at Cheeky knowing there’s more to this. Question is, does he want to know, or drive? 1courier fires the ride and hits the road leading away. They had thirteen hours and little chance.
“You know our destination?” He asks, but somehow already knows the answer. She continues to watch the road unfurl in front of them and confirms 5universe. He already sees the first world of 5universe in his mind and it begins to fire with that ethereal light. He blinks.
Comment here