Written by Virgil. Posted on Oct 1, 05:58 PM.

Primer (Draft 3)

The entire story, with many improvements throughout. Any feedback welcome.

- – -

Marco sat down, James and Andre followed suit. Marco’s black hair framed his face, and his green eyes shone out of the shadows. He looked around the lavishly decorated office. Dark wood paneling gleamed from the sunlight pouring inside, which cast long shadows from the desk. A man sat behind the desk, watching them.

“I have something for you,” said the man. “Something simple.”

“Really,” said Marco. “How simple?”

“There is an object, on a Revo planet, Cobb. I need it.”

“What is it?” pressed Marco. He rubbed a long, white scar stretching from the base of his neck to his cheekbone.

“I’ve only heard rumors,” said the man. “They call it the Primer.”

“Who made it?”

“A Rusan, no one knows his name.” James shifted. His blond hair was slicked back, his watery blue eyes were sunk into his head, and his skin looked like a mask pulled over his face. He wore pristine white gloves, and he fiddled with his cream colored linen shirt. His black pants ran the length of his thin body, and touched on his leather boots.

“Is he still around?” asked Andre.

“If he is, I doubt you will find him,” said the man. “I’ve only met one Rusan.” He nodded to James, who stared back.

“I’ve heard of it,” James said indifferently. “I didn’t know it was on Cobb. I thought the Rusans still had it.”

“So did everyone else,” said the man. “Which is why I’m asking you three to handle it. Keep this off the scans.”

“Sleigh,” said Andre. “How much are you willing to pay for this?”

“Eighty bits,” said Sleigh. “It’s more than enough.”

“Why don’t you send some Nihilis to take care of it?” said Andre.

“This has to stay quiet,” said Sleigh.

“Fine,” said Marco. “We can do it.” Sleigh exhaled slightly.

“Good. When you have it, bring it to Sicilia,” sighed Sleigh. “At the outpost there.”

Marco nodded, and stood up. His black overcoat swished around him, and covered his body. It went down to his ankles, and flapped around his leather boots. He pressed the folds out of his jacket, and the three left the office.

Andre paused, ran his hands through his through his white hair, and the pale skin on his face stretched slightly over his cheekbones. He was missing his middle finger on his left hand. His brown leather jacket lifted up, and then settled lightly on his padded gray pilot pants. They began walking down the hallway, and a steady clack clack came from their boots.

“Well this should be fun,” said Andre with a hint of a smile. “No Corsairs, no Merovingians, just simple.”

“It won’t be that easy to find,” said James. “Rusans hide their treasures greedily. We won’t find it lying on the ground.”

“Right,” said Marco. “Let’s go anyway, and we’ll figure things out from there.”

They arrived at their airlock, and hurried aboard Icarus. Andre moved past them, and up several stairways. A few moments later a rumble went through the ship, and Marco felt a jolt as they detached from the station.

“Did you fix those fuel lines to the starboard engines?” said Marco, walking the length of the cargo bay.

“Yes, it turns out the regulator was bad, and the sensor accidentally…” said James, trailing off.

Marco stopped, and looked at him seriously. “Accidentally what?”

“Uh.. froze the fuel in the lines.”

“What?”

“It’s fine, I fixed it almost instantly. I doubt Andre will notice.”

A moment later, the humming from the engines died, and Marco felt a surge of weightlessness. They heard Andre swear loudly above them. Almost instantly, the humming returned, and Marco felt the ship move again. He looked at James. He shrugged. The two of them went up some stairs, and emerged into a small room painted yellow and orange. An ornate wooden table sat in the middle, and to the left was a small kitchen. A hallway exited to the right, and had several rooms.
Marco sat down, and James sat across him. Andre came in, picked up an apple, and flopped into a chair, chewing noisily.

“What is the Primer, James?” said Marco. “And who built it?”

James looked at him for a long time. “I built it,” he said finally. “When the Rusans were still organized, I was still about nineteen. I was commissioned to make the Primer, as a last defense if the Merovingians wanted to attack us again. It took me a year and a half to design, and it was supposed to be distributed among the ranks. Only a few months after the prototype was finished, the Terrans finished most of us off.”

“What did it do?” said Andre.

“It was a signal hacker. It created or stole transmissions and it let you rework it. However, only as a model, I limited the Primer to one thing. Detonation signals, designed specifically for Merovingian signals”, said James. “I’ll bet they’re doing whatever they can to get it back.”

“I suppose that makes sense..,” said Marco. He looked at Andre. “Wouldn’t it be ironic-”

“It would,” said Andre, frowning. “We’ll be there at Cobb in the better part of a day.”

“Good.”

• * *

“You bought this?” said Andre, a confused look on his face. The ship was new, and clearly never used. The main hull was slim and elongated, with the cockpit on the front.

“Yes, cheap too,” said Marco. “We’ll have to make some modifications.”

Andre examined the engines sitting at the front, and the long wings attached to them. At the moment they faced upwards, ready to lift off.

Andre pointed to the back, which tapered to a long point. “We need to put some Class Nine’s back here. She won’t get off of any planet on those.” He gestured to the engines on the front. Nevertheless, Andre admired the hawk like appearance.

“We’ll find a mechanic too,” said Marco. “Anthony says he might have something for us with our experience.”

Andre looked at him seriously. “We’re not joining the Corsairs.”

“No, I don’t want to either,” reassured Marco. “We can stay independent.”

“Good.”

Marco went up to the eight foot tall doors at the back of the main body. He keyed in a code, and the door opened into three segments. Marco rested his hands on the section that swung out horizontally. Andre stepped onto the lower part, which formed a ramp to the ground. They went inside.

“Just look at this bay!” said Marco happily. He gazed down the long cargo bay spanning the length of the ship. Andre wiped his hands through the dust on the wall, and coughed.

“It’s.. old,” said Andre. “I didn’t think they made Vulture’s anymore.”

“You’re right”, said Marco.

They went up the stairs, and emerged in an empty dining room. Andre peered into the dormitory hallway. A ladder led up to the next level. He climbed up, and emerged in a hallway. To his right was the bridge, and a single door down a small hallway on the left. He went into the cockpit, and looked around. Two console’s sat facing the windows. He glimpsed a mountain in the distance, and pulled his mind back into the cockpit. Marco came in behind him.

“I can work with this,” said Andre, smiling. “Once the dust gets out.”

“Well yes,” said Marco.

Andre looked at him, a gleam in his eyes. “We need a smuggling compartment.”

• * *

Marco woke slowly. He stayed lying in his bed, looking at the ceiling. He rolled out of his bed, and got dressed. A moment later he walked into the dining room, and made a simple breakfast. James was sitting at a couch, fiddling with something. His hands were slowly getting dirtier. Andre came down the ladder, yawning.

“We’re.. only about forty minutes out,” he said slowly. Marco nodded, his mouth full. James stood up.

“I fixed that sensor,” he said waving it around.

“Good,” said Marco. “Put it in before we land.”

James nodded. He put the part inside the small dumbwaiter next to the ladder. He turned it on, and disappeared up the ladder above them. Marco finished his food, and the two of them went up to the bridge.

Marco sat down in the copilot’s chair, and looked at the massive planet in front of them. It was mostly white with snow, being the farthest from its sun, but it had a normal atmosphere. Normally such places were deserted, but the Revolutionaries had a habit of taking things no one wanted.

Andre took Icarus down to the largest city on Cobb. They entered through the atmosphere, and soon they sailed gracefully over the city, and landed near the edge.

Marco made his way down to the bay, and made sure everything was locked. He went to the back, and pulled down two levers. A deafening screeching noise erupted, and bright light poured in. The doors next to him began to grind open, and a chill swept the room. Andre and James came down, and stood at the doors. When they stopped, snow was already collecting at the tip.

The three of them walked outside, dressed in thick clothing. Marco opened a small control panel, and entered a long code. The door screeched again, and made its way back up, sealing the ship.

“Its cold,” said James.

“Good thing we have you here,” said Andre.

“Who should we talk to first?” said Marco.

“The sheriff I suppose,” said Andre. He looked to the stretch of buildings in front of them. He shivered. They set off down the main street, and only saw a few people walking around. They walked around for a bit, but they could not locate any type of law enforcement.

“Where is everyone?” asked James, his teeth barely chattering. “And how in the world do they survive this?”

“I d-d-d-don’t care,” said Marco. “We need to find this thing and get off this frozen rock.” The wind howled, and ice pelted his face.

“Into the t-tavern,” said Andre. “Warm up.” They nodded, and hurried to the tavern. As they entered, a blast of music and warmth hit them at the same time. The three of them shook violently, and stood still. A chorus of things went on at the same time. A band sang in the corner, and several loudmouthed men laughed and cursed in the back. Everyone was dressed comfortably, as if it was perfectly fine outside.

Andre went to the counter, and signaled the bartender. “A hop, round of three, and a fith with a lemon.”

“No lemons here,” said the bartender.

“Fine”, said Andre. The bartender turned around, and produced three individual drinks. Marco and James took their respective ones, and sat on the stool. They shook as the cold liquor conflicted with their almost warm bodies. The bartender eyed them.

“First time at Cobb?” he asked.

“Yes,” replied Marco. The bartender laughed.

“Always the same with the newcomers,” he said chuckling. “Can’t stand the cold.”

“What do they do here?” asked James.

“Miners,” grunted the bartender. “Tritol is in a near frozen state in the mountains, so they mine it, refine it, and sell the fuel directly.”

“I see,” said James, and took a drink.

Andre frowned, and looked around. “We’re looking for something.”

“And it’s here?” laughed the bartender. “Does it have to do with tritol?”

“No, it was left here a while ago,” said Andre. “A small electrical device, made by-” The bartender made a hushing noise, and waved his hand.

The bartender lowered his voice, leaned forward, and said quietly, “Don’t go mentioning that around here!”

“Why?” whispered Andre.

“The local Reverend,” said the bartender. “He don’t want no one talking about it, or he’ll brand you a heretic and disbeliever. You’ll be hanged.”

“Why are you talking about it?” asked Marco.

“I don’t like the Reverend”, growled the bartender. “He’s made a fool out of honest workers. Convince them their sinning, and then tell them for a small fee he can absolve them free and clear.”

“We still need it,” said James.

“Nothing I can do about that,” said the bartender. He pushed his oily hair out of his face. “You should be going.”

“No, but-,” protested Andre.

The bartender glanced over to a corner. A hooded man watched them.

“Fine,” said Marco. The three of them got up, and left the tavern. Outside, the wind had stopped, and the sun shone dimly. They stood in a circle outside.

“Well?” said Marco.

“I don’t know,” said James.

The hooded man left the tavern, and swept past them. He walked swiftly down the street, and disappeared around the corner. The three of them watched silently. They walked to the end of the street. The hooded man entered a house. They stood watching, and for a long time nothing happened. They turned around, and made their way back to Icarus. Before they made it, a man came up behind them, and called out.

The three of them turned around. A man in a black suit came limping. His short hair was perfectly cut, and his wooden cane gleamed, and had a jewel set in the handle. He slowed to a stop, and leaned on his cane, breathing heavily.

“You were asking about the Primer,” he said. “In the tavern.” He coughed.

“Yes, who are you?” said Marco.

“Reverend Owen,” he said kindly. “What brings you to this desolate planet?”

“The Primer.”

“I see. I can tell you where it is, if you promise not to return. These people here are simple, and I have kept them from the Primer. They do God’s work in their own way. I guide them. If you do give them trouble, you will suffer His punishment.”

“Fine, but where is the Primer”, said Andre impatiently. The reverend looked at him for a long time, then pointed to a mountain. A diamond ring on his finger glinted in the low sunlight.

“At the first mining tunnel, near the entrance. Now don’t come around here again.” He grunted, and hobbled off.

“Well, it’s not as if he was setting us up,” said Andre smiling.

“Nothing we can do about it,” said Marco. “James, go to the ship. After whatever happens to us, you go and retrieve the Primer.”

“And if you’re killed?”

“Get the Primer anyway.”

They two of them left the town quickly, and made the short trek up the side of the mountain. Soon they stood next to a gaping hole. A track ran down the ceiling for transporting various equipment.

“He was rather vague at where it was,” said Marco frustrated. He began digging in the side of the mountain, and soon gave up. He went inside, and scraped at the wall.

“Found something,” said Andre. “Seems like a box. I’ll leave it here.” He stood up, and joined Marco outside the mine.

A ship appeared on the horizon, and it was speeding directly at them.

“That was fast,” said Marco. He went inside the mine, and found large carts with crates stacked inside. “Andre come here, help me with this.”

Andre came down, and saw the cart Marco was beginning to drag to the surface.

“Is that tritol?”

“Sure is.”

Andre smiled gleefully, and together they brought the crate up to the mouth of the mine. They hid it quickly just as the ship came close. Andre hurried to the box dug into the ground, and tossed it deep into the shaft. They walked quickly outside as the ship came into full view.

Resembling a slender horseshoe, the ship glided slowly, and fired its thrusters. It came to a slow stop from the mountain. A ramp emerged, and it rested on the clearing in front of the opening. Several dozen soldiers filed out, and their commander followed.

“I knew it,” said Andre.

“Well, well,” said the commander. “If it isn’t Marco and Andre, the saboteurs.

“If it isn’t Vincénte,” sneered Andre. “The Wolf Traitor himself.”

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” said Marco. The soldiers formed a ring around the two, and raised their rifles to bear.

“By order of the Merovingian Council, you are hereby ordered to cease,” said Vincénte. “Take them.”

• * *

James had made his way back to Icarus, and sat in the cockpit. He held a pair of binoculars to his eyes, and watched Andre and Marco drag a cart to the surface. Andre tossed a box down into the mine, and a minute later the ship slowed to a stop in midair next to them.

James started the engines. He flipped the safety off of a missile. A moment later, he grasped the yoke, and raised the ship into the air. The Icarus‘ cloaking didn’t work in an atmosphere, so James moved the ship behind a swath of trees, just high enough to see, and rotated it to face the mine shaft. He activated a viewscreen, and set it to the camera. He magnified the view, and watched.

A dozen armed soldiers faced Marco and Andre, and a uniformed man spoke with them. After a minute or so, Marco looked in the general direction of Icarus, then looked back at the man. James grasped the controls, and shot an invisible laser to the opening of the mine. He saw Andre and Marco enter into the ship, and the bay door closed. He raised Icarus a hundred feet or so, and fired the missile.

On the top of Icarus, a hatch popped out and slid to the side. A slender white missile emerged, and ignited. The hatch slid back into the hull. The missile traveled in a straight path, its body nearly invisible by the snow underneath it. A moment later, it impacted just inside the mine.

The sound of the explosion was muffled to James, but he saw the intended effects. An avalanche came crashing down the mountain, and soon stopped harmlessly along the edge of the town. The area where the tritol was hidden was completely gone, and large chunks of granite lay at the base of the mountain. A shock wave caught the Merovingian ship just as it was turning away, and now it was struggling to remain airborne. James snapped of the viewscreen, and brought Icarus a thousand feet above the ground. He followed the ship until it crashed several miles from the city, then landed near it.

James went down to the cargo bay, and entered a key code into a locker. The wall slid back, and several dozen sets of assault gear was revealed. He donned a bulletproof vest, and examined the array of weapons. He took a pistol and a rifle, then sealed up the locker.

He quickly exited Icarus, and approached the wreckage. He found a hatch, and slipped in. Inside, the highly polished steel walls reflected every surface, and he smelled something he could not place. He moved forward quietly, and drew his pistol. Quickly and quietly, he explored the ship. He passed through the engine compartment when he met someone. He slid onto the wall, and waited.

A man came stumbling in, a long cut across his face. He stumbled again, and fell to the floor. James stepped out, and went up to him. By the time James flipped him over, he had already died. James stood, and moved on. He soon found the cargo bay, and a dozen bodies lay across it. A few of the soldiers began to get up, saw James, and sluggishly lifted their rifles.

James quickly lifted his pistol, and shot a soldier through his left shoulder. He fell back, silent. James hurried over to Marco and Andre. Andre began to push himself up on his knees, his hands bound behind his back. He toppled over as James got to him. James flipped open a knife, and slashed the bindings.

“James…”

“What?” said James frantically.

“Why did you blow half the mountain off?” said Andre, smiling.

James laughed. “Why did you drag an entire cart of tritol up to the entrance? And where is the Primer?”

Andre massaged his wrists, and stood up slowly, looking around the cargo bay. “It’s down in the mine somewhere.” He looked down at Marco. “Looks like he’s unconscious.” James reached down, and removed Marco’s bindings, and checked for any injuries.

“You hurt?” said James.

Andre patted himself down. “No, just bruised maybe.” He looked around, and frowned. “Vincénte’s not here. Sneaked away somehow.”

A voice sounded over the speakers, and spoke something in French, then Italian. Andre frowned. “A gas leak. We should go.”

“Right.” James picked up Marco, and slung him over his shoulder. They walked to the door on the side of the cargo bay, and dropped to the ground.

Outside it had begun to snow again, and the wind was beginning to pick up. The two of them walked the short distance to Icarus and went inside the bay. As they went up to the dining room, Marco woke with a start.

“James,” said Marco, his voice muffled. “James!” James knelt down, and Marco stood awkwardly to his feet.

“What happened?” said Marco. “Do we have the Primer?”

“No,” said Andre, sitting down. “James shot a white missile at the mine, and blew everything to bits. We crashed a few miles later. We just now got onto the ship.”

Marco sat down, and rubbed his temples. “Right. Andre, take us back to the mine, and let’s dig out the Primer.” Andre disappeared up the ladder, James sat, and a moment later they felt Icarus lift off.

The intercom clicked on, and Andre said “Marco, what are we doing about the Merovingian ship?”

“Did you see Vincénte?” asked Marco, looking up to the ceiling. James looked at Marco, and shook his head.

“No, we didn’t,” came Andre voice. “There is a gas leak somewhere, or I would have looked for him.”

“Leave it then, it’s not going anywhere.”

“Ok. We’re at the base of the mountain.” Icarus touched down lightly, and Andre came down the ladder. The three of them left the ship. A few minutes later they reached the original opening to the mine, which was almost nearly caved in. The tritol, however, opened a massive crater in the mountain, and it allowed them to slip in easily. They walked down a minute, and found the box. Marco picked it up, and handed it to James.

James accepted the small metal container, and opened it. Inside was a small pad, about the size of a calculator. He picked it up from the foam nestled around it, and tossed the box away. With trembling fingers, he input a series of codes onto the various buttons.

“It works,” he breathed.

“How far can it detect?” said Andre.

“Well, I can still read the few missiles onboard the Merovingian ship,” said James. “And our own of course. It only works on the Merovingian missiles, a few of which we happen to have.”

“We might have to get rid of those if they pose a problem,” said Marco. “Let’s go.”

They left the mine, and soon they left the planet entirely. The three of them stood in the bridge, and Andre prepared to engage the auto-pilot on the ship. A steady beeping sounded from the control panel.

“Incoming message”, said Andre, and Marco looked up.

“Who is it?” he said.

“Anthony,” said Andre. He looked up at Marco. “I don’t like this.”

“Send him through.” Marco sat down in the copilot’s chair, and activated a screen. It flickered, and a man appeared. Andre stood up, and joined James in leaning over Marco’s shoulder.

“Marco!” said the man joyfully.

“Anthony,” said Marco. “How are things.”

“Well, about to get better I hope,” said Anthony with a quick smile. “As I understand it, Sleigh wants the Primer. So do I.” Andre looked at James, and his eyes flashed. James frowned, and looked back to the screen. Marco rubbed his scar.

“Well, I’ve already been contracted by the Nihilis”, said Marco. “You know as well I do we cannot afford to go against either of you.”

Anthony frowned, and looked at something they could not see. “Say it was destroyed in the process, or something.”

“No,” said Marco firmly.

“No, I understand you have a reputation-”

“I don’t think you do. If anyone does get the Primer, the likeliest person will be Sleigh.”

“I see.”

“It is not personal”, said Marco.

An explosion came rumbling through the ship, and it lurched forward.

“Oh, boy,” said Andre, looking at his radar. “Terran assault boat, right behind us.”

“James, scan with the Primer, make sure they aren’t using any Merovingian equipment,” said Marco. James nodded, and sat down looking at the Primer.

“Good night, Anthony,” said Marco, and switched him off.

Behind them, the angular Terran ship resembling a wedge, followed fiercely. The Terran ship was faster, but with Icarus‘ four rotating engines Andre easily outmaneuvered them. Several missiles had already been fired, and Andre was preparing to counterattack.

“James?” said Marco.

“Nothing, all they have is home grown stuff,” said James.

Marco looked at Andre, and Andre read his mind. “Ferrite net.” Andre reached down and turned a switch. He raised the protective cover, and pressed the button. He leveled out Icarus, and the Terran ship came up behind them.

In space, the tip of Icarus, a small hatch opened. In total silence, a machine loaded a knotted ball, and it ejected into space. The net unfolded, and spread out over several hundred feet. The net sailed past them, and before the Terran ship could move out of the way, enveloped the front half of the craft. Weighted spikes dug into the ship, and then the net glowed orange. The metal began to smoke as the net burned through, and a moment later a hole erupted as the pressure inside entered space. Icarus veered off, and the Terran ship continued going.

Marco exhaled. “Now what? We give it to Sleigh, Anthony gets mad. Anthony gets it, Sleigh gets really mad. Anyone gets it, the Merovingians get mad. Now the Terrans want it. Or they just came to try and kill us.”

“If we destroy it, everyone gets mad”, added Andre. Marco nodded, frowning.
“There’s an easy way to solve this”, said James. The two looked at him. “We give it to the Merovingians. They’ll destroy it instantly, they’re happy, and Sleigh and Anthony are less mad. Anthony will understand, Sleigh, I don’t know.”

Andre and Marco looked at each other. “Seems the best way,” said Marco. Andre took a deep breath, and nodded. Andre stood up to the controls and leaned down to make a course correction.

“We’ll be on Europa in a day,” he said.

• * *

Marco pulled two levers down, and the cargo door opened. Light poured in, and a man with two body guards entered. His long red coat reflected sunlight, and his head was completely shaved.

“Councilor”, said Marco, bowing slightly. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Son, why have you called me here, aboard this decrepit ship of yours?” said the Councilor.

“Did you not get my message?” said Marco.

“Of course. You don’t have the Primer, so I assume this is some ill-gotten attempt to see me,” said the Councilor.

“Well then, father, you misunderstand me, as you always have”, said Marco coldly. He turned, and Andre handed him the Primer. Marco turned back, and dropped into the Councilor’s hands. The Councilor looked down, Awe, fear, and anger crossed his face.

“Indeed, I do misunderstand you,” said the Councilor. He looked up, and said with a mocking tone, “I assume you want some payment?” He reached into his robe, and pulled out some coins. “That should be enough.”

“And now, Marco, I’m afraid you misunderstand me”, said the Councilor. “You’ve been naïve to use our missiles.” He handed the Primer to one of his guards, who pressed a series of buttons, and flipped a switch. The guard handed it back to the Councilor. James reached into his pocket, and Andre crossed his arms with a smug look.

“I’m sorry, Marco,” said the Councilor as he backed out of the bay. When he stood outside, he pressed a button. Nothing happened. He looked down in confusion, and pressed the button again. Andre chuckled. James handed Marco an object.

Marco walked down to his father, and raised the object up to eye level. It was a small piece of plastic with several wires hanging from it, torn out of the Primer.

“Signal transmitter”, he said. He crushed the light plastic in between his thumb and forefinger. The metal crunched inside. “Only one of its kind.” Marco smiled, and behind him Andre laughed. James looking bored, pulled the lever, and the door began to rise. Marco stepped back on it.

“Don’t expect to see me again, on this decrepit planet”, said Marco. The Councilor stood stunned, and the door shut in front of him with a hiss.

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