The local star hung high in the sky, its brilliance illuminating the landscape in vibrant hues. It was one of those rare days when the weather seemed perfectly orchestrated—a cloudless expanse overhead that could have inspired poetry or, at the very least, a few heartfelt musings.
Birds flitted about in the trees, their cheerful chirps creating a melodious symphony that harmonized beautifully with the soft rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. The air was sweet with the fragrance of blooming flowers, inviting passersby to stop, breathe, and take in the world around them.
«Swish!!»
The air vibrated with the sudden disturbance as three objects streaked across the clear blue sky, shattering the calm with their raw speed. They moved so fast that they left barely a trace of their passage, save for the thunderous boom that followed in their wake.
For those with keen eyes—or perhaps an unhealthy obsession with military technology—the two trailing objects could be identified as state-of-the-art military fighter jets. Their sleek bodies were a testament to engineering prowess, built for maximum speed and agility, every angle and curve honed to perfection.
«Bbbbrrrrrrrrrtttttttttt!»
Their multibarrel cannons spat rounds with precision, relentless in their pursuit of the object ahead.
This wasn't a simple exercise in maneuvers; it was a deadly chase. The jets screamed through the sky with engines roaring, their pilots determined to bring down their elusive target by any means necessary.
Peering closer, one would see that the object of their pursuit was not an ordinary creature of the skies but a remarkable four-limbed, bipedal exoskeleton adorned with sleek black metallic armor plating. It soared through the air, powered by advanced repulsors integrated into its feet, whooshing through the atmosphere with breathtaking speed.
Yet, despite its streamlined appearance and unimaginably fast speed, it bore numerous signs of the hard-fought battle it was currently involved in. The outer armor plating looked like it had taken quite a beating as scratches and dents could be seen on its surface.
The jets were closing in, their engines roaring as they fired missiles at the fleeing suit of armor. The pilot of the suit was fortunately quick to react, evading the incoming missiles and returning fire with his own weapons.
In the cockpit of the exo-suit, the pilot—a striking Chuzkah male of middle age with flowing jet-black hair that remained miraculously in place despite the chaotic maneuvers—gazed intently at the intricate holographic display integrated into his suit. His deep blue skin, adorned with glowing bioluminescent patterns, shimmered softly in the ambient light, creating an almost ethereal effect.
While looking at the data feedback generated on the holographic screen in front of him, a synthetic female voice could be heard speaking through the internalized speakers.
«Sir. One. Of. The. Unidentified. Bogeys. Has. Reached. A. Distance. Of. Approximately. 72.5. Meters. From. Your. Right... Armor. Durability. Has. Also. Reduced. By. 5%...»
Despite the high-stakes situation, the pilot barely flinched. He had grown accustomed to the AI's dry, matter-of-fact tone, and had long since learned to separate the information from the delivery.
He scanned the data feed that scrolled across his display, his mind working rapidly to process the incoming information. The hair-like scanning bundle attached to his helmet fed real-time updates into the system, allowing him to track the jets with uncanny precision.
«Swoosh!!»
With a slight adjustment of his hand, he diverted more power to the suit's thrusters. The repulsors in the feet roared to life, propelling him forward with explosive force. He cut through the sky like a missile, his body tilting as he executed a barrel roll that narrowly dodged a barrage of bullets that whizzed past his position.
The pilot of the exo-suit was skilled, using the machine to its full potential, but the jets were unrelenting. Their superior speed and agility gave them the advantage, and the pilots were seasoned professionals, each movement executed with near-perfect precision.
All of a sudden, the pilot made a sharp turn that enabled him to dodge a hail of missiles fired by the jets. He knew he was outnumbered and outgunned, but surrender was not in his nature.
Still zooming away, he activated a function of the suit which fired repulsor beams at the jets in a desperate attempt to shake them off. The beams hit their targets, causing the jets to falter and giving him a momentary advantage.
But the jet pilots quickly regained their composure, and he knew he had to come up with a plan. He activated the suit's core AI, running a quick analysis of his weapons and systems.
Marking the closer jet on the generated mini-map in his vision, he gave an order to the core artificial intelligence of the suit.
«X, deploy all mini-missiles against target Alpha.»
«Understood. Master. Forger...»
The AI responded with its usual efficiency, and almost immediately, a cluster of small, armor-piercing mini-missiles detached from the suit's elbow joint. They streaked through the air with deadly precision, homing in on the nearest jet.
«Boom!!»
Despite its impressive threat warning system and the pilot's skill, the fighter jet stood little chance against the guided missiles homing in on it. The missiles made contact, and in a spectacular explosion, the jet erupted in flames, debris raining down in a fiery cascade against the backdrop of the brilliant blue sky.
Not waiting to confirm his partner's state of being, the other fighter jet suddenly increased its speed while still unleashing its payload on the rapidly retreating exo-suit.
«Sir... Armor. Durability. Is. Now. Lower. Than. 10%... Immediate. Maintenance. Is. Advised...»
Looking over at the suit stats displayed on the holographic screen and the fighter jet that was rapidly closing in from behind, Forger realized that he had little to no time before the suit's external armor was broken through.
Steeling his resolve, he initiated a new command to the suit's core AI.
«X, reroute 100% of remaining power to hand cannons.»
«Of. Course. Master. Forger... Initiating. Override... Redirecting. Remaining. Energy. To. Mounted. Hand. Cannons...»
The suit's systems responded instantly, diverting every last ounce of power to the hand cannons mounted on the exoskeleton's arms. The core energy source, located in the chest, began to glow with an intense light, the energy transfer creating a hum that reverberated through the suit.
Rows of data flashed across the holographic display, but Forger had eyes only for the targeting reticle that zeroed in on the incoming jet.
He waited until the jet was almost upon him, its weapons trained on his position.
«Eat lightning pendeho!»
With a grin on his face, he pulled the trigger. The hand cannons unleashed a beam of concentrated energy, thick and blinding, that shot forward with unstoppable force.
«BOOOOOM!!»
Huge shockwaves created by the force of the explosion sent Forger hurtling backward toward the ground as the massive rush of energy that hit the incoming jet created a loud boom. The jet exploded in a burst of flames, its debris raining down to the ground below.
Some distance away, the exo-suit could be seen lying on the ground, signs of overexertion showing on its surface.
«Sir. Energy. Levels. Are. Below. 1%... Switching. To. Standby. Mode. Until. Sufficient. Power. Is. Supplied...»
Almost immediately after the suit's core AI made this statement, the lights around the suit suddenly went dim, indicating that the suit had been powered off.
«Dammit.»
Realizing that the energy reserves of the suit had been bottomed out, he sighed and lightly pressed a button on the waist area of the suit.
A hissing sound could be heard as the front of the suit split open, the light from the star shining on his handsome visage as he lightly rolled out and laid on the warm grass.
His blue face was chiseled and handsome, with mechanical eyes that seemed to take in every detail of the battlefield.
He was also tall and broad-shouldered, with a muscular physique that was the result of years of both incessant exercise and the biological augmentations he had done to his body.
Even though his body had gone through numerous augmentations to the point where it was more efficient compared to baseline chuzkahs, the high-speed chase that had just ended ensured there was no part of his body that didn't ache badly.
Ignoring the soreness, he slowly forced himself to get on his feet.
«Whirrrr!!»
The sound of a helicopter could be heard in the distance as it rapidly closed in on his current location.
«Nowhere to run, huh...»
Forger came to the conclusion that any other act of escaping was pointless as he could also see three tanks rapidly approaching him.
Sensing that there was no other way to get out of the situation, he calmly got on his knees and raised his arms in the air, initiating surrender.
The helicopter landed a fair distance away while the approaching tanks all stopped at a location roughly 10 meters away from him.
Upon verifying that he had no other means of launching an assault against them, the hatch of the tank was opened as some soldiers, all chuzkahs like him but garbed in heavy-duty jackets got down and approached him with their guns aimed squarely at his head.
Reaching him, some of the soldiers went towards what remained of the exo-suit frame behind him and carefully packed it up. Then, they hauled it towards a truck that was parked some distance behind the tanks. As for the rest of them, they put Forger in handcuffs and escorted him toward the land-bound helicopter at the rear of the formation.
As they arrived, a middle-aged chuzkah male in a dark leather suit could be seen stuffing a narcotic leaf in his mouth and chewing on it. Glancing over at Forger, who had been set down in front of him, his lips couldn't help but curl into a sneer.
«Chief Scientist Forger, it is very bad manners to leave a meeting before hearing the conclusion.»
* * *
"Ugh, seriously? That's the cliffhanger?" Adelaide grumbled as he sank deeper into his worn bed, the holographic screen displaying the end credits of the episode as it flickered off. The screen's glow faded, leaving his room in that familiar, slightly depressing dim light.
The untidy room was roughly 30 square meters, with multiple parts and materials carelessly strewn around. Apart from the bed and materials, the only other thing in the room was a work table filled with tools and even more materials.
"I mean, really? They couldn't throw in just one more minute of exposition? Maybe a teaser about why everyone's so gung-ho about taking down Forger? Nope, just bam, done, tune in next week," he muttered to himself as he reached for a tube of synthetic paste beside him.
Carefully removing the cork and guzzling its contents down his throat, he pondered the fate of Forger. "Also, what kind of evil genius lets the bad guys capture him? Like, come on, where's the dramatic escape? Where's the big explosion to finish them all off?"
The room was silent except for the sound of him feasting on his bland breakfast. "I swear, drama series from back in the days really were something."
With a sigh, he stood up from the bed, stretched his lean, blue body, feeling the stiffness in his muscles from hours of sitting still. He was also a chuzkah like Forger from the show, but without the golden ratio body and bioluminescent patterns that were just for special effects. Then, he grabbed a rickety floating cart at the side and walked out of his modest one-room apartment, the door creaking in protest as it swung open.
The light from the local star filtered through the cracked windows of the old building, casting fragmented shadows on the worn floor. He stepped onto the street, his boots crunching against the stones that had long since taken over what was once a smooth, paved surface.
Their facades, once proud and polished, now bore the scars of neglect, with chipped paint and shattered windows that whispered of better days long past.
Adelaide sighed as he surveyed the scene, his sharp eyes taking in the dilapidated surroundings. "Ah, another beautiful day in paradise," he muttered sarcastically, kicking a stray pebble down the street.