Lightship Chronicles
Book 1 : Sacred Warriors
copyright©2015
Florin Nicoara
From the Author
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Chapter 8 - Art of Parza
Lightship Chronicles
Book 1 : Sacred Warriors
copyright©2015 Florin Nicoara
There's hustle and bustle all-around. The small covered hand cart stalls are full of goods and trinkets, each with a sales man yelling and hawking their wares. Andee is navigating through hustle and bustle of the Triangle on his way to Old Tom's Junkyard. He is wearing his standard attire, but this time there's a large lump in the outer hood of his cape.
As he passes all the handcart stalls, and heads towards the far tip of the triangular plaza, he looks over to the shrine of the Brothers of Bitani. The instant he does, a couple of the bearded men in white robes recognize him. First they start shouting insults at him, then a few start throwing pebbles, cursing, and basically being belligerent and childish. Eventually, a few of the others intervene and stop them, pulling the aggressors back. Andee simply ignores the nonsense and makes a wide circle around the shrine.
Once in Old Tom's yard he pulls the lump out of his hood. It's the white orb Ricio gave him. He taps it and a small light flashes on its surface, then it turns into the beautiful light-fairy.
"Hey Andee. What's up?" She greets him with a friendly smile.
"Hey Lyka. How are you?"
She stretches her arms up in the air. "Still sleepy. That was a good nap." She looks around. "Were are we?"
"Does it matter?"
"Nope." She responds with a broad smile and focuses on Andee.
"Follow me." Andee gestures at her and then opens the door and enters Old Tom's shed. He is at his usual spot at his worktable. Mykee is already there, on a lounge seat fiddling with is white panel. Old Tom is concentrating on his work, his back to the entrance, so speaks without looking.
"A little late aren't you Andee? The day is almost over."
"After the adventure I've had..."
"What is that?" Mykee shouts wide eyed as he looks up off his panel. "Oh my god! Is that a real light-fairy?" Poor Mykee stares at Lyka as if looking at a real life alien in the room.
"Yes I am." She responds with a bright smile. Old Tom breaks from his work and turns over his shoulder. He is wearing glasses, hanging low on his nose. He stares right over them and squints at Lyka. He gets up and takes a step forward.
"No way!" Mykee shouts and leaps to his feet. "Andee! For real? Fairies are supposed to be a myth!" Mykee is freaking out, while Old Tom approaches from further back looking through a hard squint over his low hanging glasses.
"Is that an animebot?" Old Tom finally speaks.
"Dam it! You know what it is. I was hopping to freak you both out."
"What? What's that? So it's not a real light-fairy?" Mykee looks from one to the other confused.
"Where did you get that?" Old Tom looks at Andee suspicious.
"From my Bitani friends."
"And you brought it in here?" Old Tom responds with disapproval clearly spelled on his face. Andee stares back at him for a moment. He seems to want to say something but can't. "Just keep it there for a moment, I need to check something." Old Tom turns back to his table, pulls out a drawer completely, reaches in as deep as he can and pulls out a small, smooth, and flat modern looking device. He starts tapping at it.
"What is that Tom?" Andee asks growing more suspicious by the second.
"Quiet! Wait until I'm finished." Tom snaps at him, but a few seconds later he places the object on the desk, and replaces the drawer without hiding the device.
"I thought I was going to freak you out but now I'm freaked out." Andee responds frowning at Old Tom looking quite shocked now.
"Can you please turn off your toy for a moment, and I'll tell you." Old Tom responds. Mystified, Andee does.
"Wow." Mike retorts when the fairy disappears and the white orb is all that's left floating in the air.
"Ok, what's going on?" Andee asks approaching Old Tom.
"That animebot can record everything, and send messages. So if we talk with it on, it can record everything we say and send it up to the Bitani. Now who gave you this?"
Andee looks a little frustrated and disappointed. "Ricio."
"Wow really?" Mykee shouts, his eyes locked on the floating orb.
"The pilot you rescued?" Old Tom retorts.
"Yes."
"When?"
"About an hour ago."
"That's what you had to do?" Mykee yells at him. "Why didn't you take me with you? Jerk!"
"Hey!" Old Tom snaps at Mykee. "What did I tell you about language?" Mykee just looks away frustrated.
"Ok, both of you!" Andee snaps this time. "Mykee, I'll show you this thing and explain everything to you later." Turning to Old Tom. "Tom! You don't know this guy. He is genuine. I saved his life, and he hates the fact that the Bitani keep secretes from us. That's why he gave me this. Inside of it there is knowledge about science, tech, and all kinds of things that can help us. I believe him." Andee finishes his statement aggressively staring down at Old Tom. The old man stares back at him defiant for a while.
"OK." But then Old Tom concedes more easily than expected. Andee frowns surprised, than asks him about the flat object.
"What was that thing... that you did?"
Old Tom picks up the small device. "This is a sensor. It tells me if there are recorders around and information being transferred."
"And it said that Lyka is recording us?"
"No, the opposite."
"So she's not recording us?"
"It wasn't, no."
"So why did you make me turn it off?"
"I just, I just don't feel safe any more. With the Bitani thinking you're a Starfighter, and you meeting up with that pilot. By the way, do you know who he is?"
"The Governor's son."
"You know? And that doesn't bother you?"
"OK, Tom look. I can't deny that this could all be some kind of weird trick to get information about me, but I don't believe it. He didn't even know who Starfighter is. But he showed me everything, his house, his garage. He even took me for a ride in the Silver Sickle through the entire course."
"What! Now way! No! Are you kidding me! You got to ride in Ship1?" Mykee yells, then as hard as he can kicks Andee in the shin.
"Ahwww!" Andee leaps away. "What the hell? What's wrong with you?"
"Punk you! Why do you get to ride in a light ship? You won't even allow me to see them, but you get to ride in one? And in ship1? Through the whole course! You're a jerk! I hate you!"
"Mykee!" Old Tom snaps and starts scolding Mykee. "I will not allow you in my shed, around my tech, and I'll take that white vidrom of yours back if you continue acting like this!"
"Why? Why can't I ride in a lightship?" But Mykee continues relentless and furious.
"Hey little brother come here?"
"Shut up! Get away from me!"
"Hey! I'll smack you across the head! Do you understand me? Don't be an arrogant little snot, and listen!" Andee verbally accosts his little brother.
"You..." Mykee tries to resist defiant but Andee cuts him off immediately.
"Quiet! Listen! You see this orb?" Pointing to the floating white sphere next to his shoulder. "This is the most advanced tech you've ever seen, and I brought it for you, you little snot! Do you want it? It has all the knowledge you need to build a lightship. Everything! Ricio gave it to me, but I brought it here, because I want to give it to you. But I guess I shouldn't. You don't deserve it." Mykee's arms are folded. He is staring at the ground on the verge of tears.
"Apologize to Old Tom. Apologize to me. Promise to never speak like that again, and this is yours. And you will get to ride in a lightship one day. One that you build, but not if you're going to act like this. Am I clear?" But Mykee doesn't budge.
"Lykon, on." Andee orders the orb and the boy Jasurai appears. Mykee can't help but look up from the ground.
"Lykon. Do you know how lightships work?"
"Yes, of course. They use photon regenerators to create an electromagnetic force loop that..."
"That's fine, that's fine." Andee interrupts Lykon. "That's my brother, Mykee. Do you think you could teach him how that regenerator works, so he can build one himself."
"Yes, I am programmed for instructions at all levels."
"What else can you do Lykon?"
"I have thousands of