Untold Stories of a Galaxy - Kysaek: The Beginning
Driven hunt - 2

A little later it turned out that the area of Kysaek’s crash landing was not another residential area, but one of the many urban shopping malls.

Most of the retail space was inside the tower building, a concatenation of corridors and squares. Some of them had air upwards, which is why you could glimpse the other floors or see people leaning on the railings. Shops abounded, but there was not nearly enough space for all of them. Traders who didn’t have any of the spaces that were built into the façade had their stalls in front of the shops or in the wider squares where there were small villages of vendors. Despite the diversity, however, there was a certain order and many of the stalls had a similar basic structure. Usually this was a table or two full of goods and above them shone holographic names or signs. Countless offerings filled the boxes and windows of all the vendors, but fashion and electronic goods in particular had the upper hand, while the number of customers was moderate in comparison.

Kysaek stayed away from the public places, however, as the crowd was not large enough to slip through undetected. The narrower corridors were a possible trap, but there she had a better view and that was necessary as scattered PGI and police patrols were on the lookout for her in this and the surrounding areas. Kysaek knew that again thanks to the news that routinely flickered across the screens in such business areas. Her pursuers, however, were not yet entirely sure that she had not crashed somewhere else and was lying dead, but at least they knew that the hoverwheel did not contain a body, and so the pursuers searched the nearby areas of the wreckage, where there were many paths for Kysaek to take.

One of them led upwards at a slowly rising angle, where there were only three shops, and they were all crates built into the wall, resembling a counter. Two were occupied by one customer each; the third counter was not manned. At the first counter it was quiet, a silent buying process, but at the next mini-shop it was different.

A hishek stood in front of the shack. “Have the police been to see you too?” he asked, casually scratching his skin with his sharp claws.

“Why would they come to me?” retorted a Palanian in the shop behind which stood a selection of kits.

“Did the ground swallow you up? Haven’t heard about the fight at PGI?”

The Palanian showed disinterest. “No, I haven’t and I don’t care what was there,” he said, referring to his merchandise. “Let’s talk about the kits instead. You were deciding between the silver and the grey with extra upgrade ...”

“What do you mean, you’re not interested?” the Hishek cooed in a throaty voice. Again, he seemed to have little interest in a deal right now. “PGI soldiers and police are searching everywhere here for a dangerous terrorist. She might even raid your shop!”

“Sure,” said the Palanian incredulously and without fear. “And leave me alone with PGI! That corporation is making my life difficult enough as it is.”

“Is that why you prefer to remain ignorant? Because you don’t like PGI?”

“Yes, but I thank you for the information,” said the Palanian gloatingly. “What is the name of this terrorist? I’ll send her a thank you email. Hope she demolished the factories properly!”

The Hishek’s next question did not sound accusatory. “Don’t you care about the death of innocent people? Only that your business is running?”

“Since when do Hishek care about more than their pack?”

“Knowledge is important and you are clearly a greedy businessman.”

Salesy was probably not the next thing. “Greedy? I fight for every currency! PGI dominates almost the entire planet in the technology industry and sells its kits considerably cheaper. It’s hard to compete with that and that’s why I say -the corporation can take a bit of damage.”

“So it’s envy?” grinned the hishek. “Maybe I’d better buy my kit from PGI.”

“If you want to support slave drivers,” the Palanian said seriously.

“Why slave drivers?”

“Ah, you don’t know? Yet knowledge is important.”

Slowly, the Hishek leaned his neck and muzzle forward out of curiosity. “Enlighten me.”

Unimpressed, the Palanian showed his business acumen. “Gladly, but first we’ll settle the sale. Then I’ll tell you what you don’t know.”

“Clever. All right. I’ll take the grey kit, with upgrade.”

The two men were far too preoccupied with themselves and didn’t pay Kysaek a second’s attention as they passed. While she would have liked to hear what the Palanian had to say, she couldn’t afford to. Instead, Kysaek wanted to find a parking level and steal a new Hoverwheel there, only this time without any trouble. Her path was not very busy and the directions easily led her to a lift. It was near an intersection, but it was guarded by a light police security guard.

It was a rickety figure, more arms and legs than a real body, and light was not just a reference to appearance, for light bots were quite limited in their programming. Still, this one was armed with a magnetic submachine gun and could quickly notify the police and thus PGI.

The thought played through Kysaek’s mind. I have to get past this thing, but unseen and without a fight. In her mind it sounded easy, but how was she going to do it? The corridor of the lift offered her no cover, no hiding place and no help for a distraction.Knock on the wall? No, that idea was too bad for her, for it would attract the machine, but then where would Kysaek go? Noises are good. She just had to improve the plan and grinned.Who would have thought that I would actually use the training? The stored empty vial of retroadrenaline was Kysaek’s key. Actually, the military liked to use them as shell casings for improvised grenades, but the piece was also suitable as a throwing deflection.

Silently, Kysaek turned the corner at the intersection and smashed the vial onto the floor of the corridor from which she had come.

Immediately the police bot turned its head as the clang pierced the air. “Suspicious sound was heard,” he beeped piecemeal. It was as if each word was a separate sentence. “Source is fixed ... Source has been fixed. Unit 901Z reporting.” He apparently made contact with his commanders. “Have heard suspicious noises coming from corridor C15. Recommend checking ... No check. Understood sir, increase alert and return to routine.”

Kysaek’s plan had not gone as desired and she clenched her fist. What a bummer! I can’t get the ampoule back and go through this again or he’ll get me. And I can’t use up the second injection yet and I certainly won’t throw it away while it’s full! Apart from her pistol, the spare magazine or the vortex cuff, however, Kysaek had nothing else and none of the things were expendable for her. Must I flatten him after all? A fatal plan, Kysaek was aware of that. It didn’t necessarily have to be the pistol, because she still had her prismatic. That’s it! A ball of prismatic energy formed in her hand, but she didn’t want to throw it at the bot.

Instead, Kysaek chased the white ball over the machine’s head and the energy slammed into a piece of wall at the other end of the corridor, doing no visible damage, but it was very loud on impact.

Even more hastily, and with its weapon raised, the bot responded. “Extremely dangerous sound detected,” he said angrily, his blue eyes turning red. “Unit 901Z reporting again! Explosive sound heard from corridor D9! Combat mode active ... Command being carried out! Investigating incident!”

Kysaek remained in place until the machine was gone and she could hurry to the lift, which she used to dial the parking level.

The ride was accompanied by soft music and an advertising announcement. “Are you dissatisfied? Are you tired of everyone always trampling on you? Do you want to give everyone a run for their money? Then this is your chance! Aereth and Ma’bol, the lawyers you trust. Take out a legal protection insurance that becomes effective immediately and show it to your opponents! The choice of your means is of course up to you and we don’t want to urge you to violence ... but here’s our promise: We’ll get you free, no matter what, and if not, you’ll get your foreign currency back!”

Kysaek smirked, but not because it sounded funny. Rather, she had rarely heard anything more stupid. Her smirk evaporated all the more quickly when the lift came to a halt.

Five PGI soldiers were standing together on the parking deck. However, they were standing in such a way that they could not see the lift.

Kysaek swallowed hard and selected the highest intermediate bridge at the counter while staring straight ahead as if frozen.

“We are to fire on sight immediately,” a Galig soldier said coolly.

A human soldier as wide as a wardrobe replied, “You know the bounty is paid to everyone, not just people outside PGI? Skarg really wants this Kysaek dead.”

“Early retirement,” another woman said. “That’s what I call it. Can’t wait for her to cross our path. Then we divide by five.”

The stout woman disagreed. “If you want to be so generous - I won’t be. Hehe!”

Meanwhile, the lift at the back of the PGI troop shut down again and Kysaek’s shoulders slumped. Whew!

On the other side of the parking level, the highest intermediate bridge appeared deserted as far as Kysaek could see from the open cabin. She was now a few floors below the roof, which had just been passed by a romping air unit. Kysaek had been in such a craft herself once during her army training, but only as a passenger in the co-pilot’s seat.

Such fighters were extremely popular with mercenaries, private security forces or companies like PGI, but that didn’t make them any less used by military personnel. The Toben was a steel, elegantly designed vehicle with four sleek wings and in each wing was a pivoting rotor. This ensured maximum manoeuvrability and flexibility. For longer distances, however, these qualities could be abandoned in favour of extraordinary speed by retracting the wings and extending thrusters at the tail. This allowed Toben to reach supersonic speeds several times over. For space combat, however, they were absolutely unsuitable.

The aircraft overhead flew towards the city centre.It continues to fly. With this observation, Kysaek ventured onto the platform, at the edge of which were two hoverwheels, and she stopped at the retracted bridge. ‘I can’t get any further here, but I’m not a hoverwheel cracker and backshould ...’

“Hey you there!” a female voice called warningly from behind.

Tension coursed through Kysaek, but she tried not to let it show and turned towards the lift, but it was empty.

“I’m here!”

“What?” blinked Kysaek, aiming her gaze higher.

Below the roof stood a Talin in police uniform. Her dark blue outfit was made of synthetic material and in key places, such as elbows or chest, there were custom-made protective plates. There was also a helmet, but it only covered the top of the head and a visor made the eye area barely visible. “What are you doing here?”

“I was strolling and wanted to go home,” Kysaek lied smoothly, pretending ignorance. “Is there a problem then?”

“You bet there is!” the policewoman said, coming down a wall staircase. “No one is allowed to leave the area. That’s what the bot at the lift should have told you, and anyway - how did you get past that⁈”

“Bot? There was no bot there.”

“Don’t talk nonsense! May I ask you to remove your cap and lower your collar?” she demanded, putting a hand to her submachine gun.

“As you wish,” Kysaek nodded, for playing for time was of no use to her now and she saw no alternative. She didn’t consider killing a policewoman for a second, partly because the Talin already had her gun ready and Kysaek didn’t want to give her an excuse to pull the trigger.

When the cap was gone, the law enforcement officer recognised her target immediately. “It’s you!” said the Talin, sighting in on the wanted woman. “Hands up and don’t move!”

It was a dangerous situation for Kysaek. “Easy,” she murmured, raising her arms slowly. At least there was one good thing about the situation - the policewoman spared Kysaek. That suggested the vigilante wasn’t a PGI rabble-rouser and wasn’t keen on the bounty, but still, Kysaek had to distract her and keep her from reporting. “I also have another gun. I suppose you want me to put that down?”

“Then take it out slowly, but no tricks, and put it on the floor!”

“Sure thing,” Kysaek said and very carefully unloaded her gun.

“Now slide the gun over to me with your foot!”

“I’ve done nothing wrong,” said Kysaek level-headedly, giving the gun a good shove with her foot. The distance was about five metres, but she wanted to risk an attack right away.

“You can discuss all that at the station,” the policewoman replied, completely fixated on her target. Only when the gun was almost at her did this observation subside and she crouched down to pick up the weapon.

Now was Kysaek’s chance! Using her prismatic, she threw the sliding pistol at the Talin, whose reaction was an immediate protective stance. Immediately Kysaek sprinted off and focused her prismatic energy on the submachine gun.

The policewoman tryed to aim with her gun, just then it was snatched from her hand by the universal force. The gun flew far to the side and the Talin looked at the machine gun, puzzled.

Kysaek came rushing up, head down, and rammed herself into her opponent’s torso. Doggedly, she sought hand-to-hand combat, but the policewoman was a trained adversary. Every blow from Kysaek was blocked or countered. She was the offensive part, but she put up far more and out of nowhere the policewoman made it to Kysaek’s back and wrapped both arms around her neck.

“Give it up!” the Talin demanded loudly. She applied an air-choking grip that forced her victim deeper to her knees with each passing second.

Kysaek escaped the threat of fainting by throwing her elbow back repeatedly and forcefully. Her throat cleared again and she sucked in the air in one long gulp as she flailed dazedly and unknowingly.

However, the policewoman deftly intercepted the attack and used her opponent’s strength against her. “Enough already!” she said, throwing her target away from her.

Kysaek’s landing was hard, but afterwards she spotted Daniela’s pistol within reach and grabbed it in a hasty action. “Yes, enough now!” retorted Kysaek angrily, her pistol loaded.

Now the law enforcement officer raised her arms. “Don’t do anything stupid!” warned the Talin. “You’re already in deep anyway.”

Bumpily, Kysaek straightened up without taking the gun away. “I haven’t done anything! And I’m not putting myself in the hands of PGI or the police. I wouldn’t survive that.”

“You won’t survive it if the reinforcements behind you open fire right away.”

Reinforcements? Hastily, Kysaek looked back, but there was nothing!

The policewoman lunged forward and grabbed the gun, which was still tightly gripped by Kysaek’s hands. Settling vigorously on her target, she tried to snatch the gun when suddenly a shot rang out!

It was fired out of fear and pure reflex by Kysaek, straight through the Talin’s neck. Shocked, she followed her unwilling victim as he fell on his back, purple blood pouring from the wound. The sight was made worse by the policewoman’s painful gasping and bubbling from her throat before she reached her arm up and died. Stunned, Kysaek ruffled her hair. “No, no, no, NO!” she gulped. Now she had killed a law enforcement officer, and intentional or not - that was a crime. No one had seen it, though, as Kysaek realised when she looked around. The sound of the gunshot had probably been lost in the hustle and bustle of the noisy city. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” she stammered to the dead woman and took the Talin’s ignition key, but not to steal her car. Kysaek didn’t see it anyway, and she didn’t need it at all, because a police ignition keywas a custom-made device. It could unlock and start any Hoverwheel. Kysaek then did the same with one of the nearby vehicles and disappeared from the scene.

The outer industrial districts were Kysaek’s new destination, making for a two-hour and uneventful flight. There were no pursuers, no posse of police in pursuit and the news on the radio brought nothing she hadn’t heard before, and the day was drawing to a close. On Cipi, this planet, that meant night fell quickly, due to the rapid rotation of the world. A day was over in sixteen standard hours, and as it drew to a close, so did the effect of the retroadrenalin in Kysaek’s body. There was something about the feeling of arms and legs falling asleep, a nauseating tingling. It was the reason Kysaek landed on the roof of a large warehouse where not a single light shone and which was part of a larger chain of facilities.

However, the surroundings were far from flat, roof or no roof, and bristled with pipes and blocks of ventilation and transmission units. The place was good for hiding the hoverwheel.

But Kysaek didn’t want to sit in the car any longer, never mind that numb feeling. She desperately needed fresh air and left the vehicle and moved a good distance away from it. She saved the second ampoule of retroadrenalin and had a cigarette instead. Kysaek had discovered a whole pack in the hoverwheel and the glow stick was bitterly needed by her as she sat down on a ledge. The tip of her cigarette glowed clearly in the darkness as her eyes rested on the garish skyline of Auranis. The city seemed so peaceful, as if the place didn’t care about terror, any problem, just anything.

Unfortunately, Kysaek could not proceed like that and ignore what was happening. On Cipi, she saw no chance for herself. She desperately needed an inhabited place to which PGI’s arm could only reach with difficulty, and there were not many of those, or possibly none at all. I guess I have to go to the maw, despite all my misgivings. There are no laws there and there are enough scum who like to collect a bounty there, but I can also hide more easily. So I...

Suddenly the air was filled with the unpleasant whistling of a rocket and Kysaek only saw her hoverwheel become a fireball. The force of the explosion sent her spinning through the air and she tumbled over one of the roof shafts. What was that? Where did that come from? Crouching behind the shaft, she searched the night sky without finding anything. Nevertheless, she heard a rising rattle, beats of rotor blades and suspected bad things.

Then, on the opposite side of the roof, it rose, a bluster whose hull was painted with a huge PGI logo, and it turned on a blinding light.

’You’ve got to be kidding me! How could he find me? And how could he get so close? At least the last question Kysaek solved fixedly, for she knew the answer and had only forgotten it: Blusters could switch to silent gliding flight at the expense of manoeuvrability. Unfortunately, the knowledge helped her very little right now and she stumbled backwards to the edge of the roof where lines of pipes led to the next camp.

“Where to in such a hurry?” resounded the bluster, and he unleashed a triple-barreled, rapid-fire on-board cannon. Its force mercilessly shredded everything in the path of the fire trail, but the shots missed the actual victim leaping to the side. The pilot looked arrogant. “Oh, that was close!”

Kysaek didn’t have a suitable reply ready, as she had absolutely nothing to stand against this fighter, and her prismatic wasn’t nearly strong enough even if it had been at full power. And just now the numbing muscular sensation really kicked in. “Argh!” gasped Kysaek, reaching into her jacket. ’Where is it?! Her retroadrenaline was gone, and instead of touching it, her fingers fumbled around in a hole in the jacket. It was damage that told Kysaek how narrowly she had escaped the initial attack before spotting the vial - it was close to the edge of the roof and could roll down at any moment.

Running would have been the best thing for Kysaek, but unfortunately her weakening muscles meant that she could only move sluggishly towards the much-needed stimulant. The turbulence of the rage then also caused the vial to rotate ominously and the vessel tilted more towards the abyss. It fell straight and Kysaek tried to intercept it by leaping forward. Unfortunately, however, the impact of her body gave the ampoule the final jolt and it didn’t catch the retroadrenaline. No!

“So you’re quite the dangerous terrorist, huh?” the pilot sneered as he brought his bluster into position at his side, shining bright spotlights on his target. “Let’s see what you can do. Quickly! Run away over the lines!”

What choice did Kysaek have? She was aware that the pilot was only toying with her, and despite all that, she crawled haltingly towards the pipelines. But as soon as she reached them, Kysaek heard the whistle of a rocket again.

This one, however, did not come from the visible roar, but from the darkness of the night and struck in the middle of the pipe bridge, completely destroying the escape route.

At this point, the strength finally left Kysaek’s legs and she went down on her knees, only to see that there was a second PGI Bluster. “Stop playing!” said the pilot of the second plane. “Get the job done!”

The first pilot didn’t like this at all, but complied. “Looks like you won’t get another chance, Kysaek!”

Just as her body was increasingly capitulating, so now did Kysaek. She dropped back against one of the pipes and looked at her tormentor as far as the light would allow her. So what? So that bitter thought was to be her last, but she wanted to at least meet the pilot with cynicism by taking out her pistol and firing at the machine. Such a weapon, however, was not even remotely strong enough and already failed against the protective shields of the Bluster.

It made the pilot laugh. “Hahahaha! That’s what I call fighting spirit! Good riddance!”

Kysaek’s senses were now so focused on her approaching death that she almost went numb. A world where there was only her. Pull the trigger one more time, she wanted to, and squeezed it.

All of a sudden the Bluster was hit by the burning hoverwheel wreckage! “Shit!” the pilot yelled in fright. The wings on his right side were completely torn off and he whirled around uncontrollably before coming down.

Was Kysaek dreaming? She perceived everything with increasing difficulty, which no longer included sounds anyway, and there, where she had landed her car, stood three figures. But she did not recognise them clearly. Were they women or men? The only thing that was clear to her was that there was a hishek with them and that they all wore uniform equipment, with absolutely concealing face helmets.

The middle figure stretched his arms above his head and began to bristle with prismatics. It had something of a higher being about it, creating an imposing dome of prismatic energy around itself and enclosing Kysaek within it as well. The flames of the roof beat blazingly against the barrier, repeatedly, just as the missiles of the second PGI Bluster, but the protective wall did not give way.

The Hishek carried something large under his belly, where he could easily reach with his short hands, and he would not be rushed. The object was a kind of thick cannon barrel and from it came two missiles. Meanwhile, the third being of the unknown group rushed to Kysaek, who succumbed to her faintness.

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