Zinc 01 - Altors, page 11
part #1 of Zinc Series
Galax shook his head. "I didn't have to say anything. You're loud, huge and she thinks your a king."
"I'm no king." He laughed at me. "I'm a god."
My eyes grew comically huge. "Please tell me he's suffering from a delusion." I glanced at Galax. He did not just nonchalantly introduce me to the Pallium deity.
Galax carefully nudged me behind him. "She wants a job."
"Fine by me." Flux said easily. "So long she's sweating, panting and complaining like the rest of you."
Galax rolled his eyes. "Of course."
"Stick by Galax and make sure you don't bother anyone with your presence." The Pallium leader instructed me. "If the job is too much, you come to me and say so. I like them complaining but I don't like them bitchin’, ya got it?"
"Thank you..." What did I call him? Boss? My king? Pallium king? Delusional Deity?
"It's Flux." He said, and continued to chuckle as he lit up another cigarette.
* * * *
A while later, as we stood in the middle of the garage again, the music from the loud speakers and the clanging of tools invading my ears, I frowned up at Galax.
"Does he always give jobs that easily? I thought Palliums didn't let outsiders in." Granted I didn't know much about them, but Flux's entire personality contradicted everything I'd ever read on them.
Galax shrugged. "Faster than I expected, but you technically aren't an outsider." He looked at me warily, gauging my reaction to that. Okay, now it was time for a session of 'frequently asked questions'. Grabbing his hand, I towed him along to one of the tables around the kitchen.
"Fine. Ask me anything you wish." He offered.
I nodded happily his way. "What am I?"
"I believe you are an Altor civilian. Meaning you descend from rebellion blood, but it's deluded enough with that of Civilian blood to give you features like theirs. Your eyes are amber. Although unusual when mixed with Altor black hair and a tan, it's not uncommon among the Civilians."
"I have Altor blood. Established." Next question. "Now tell me what the situation is with the Rebellion, Regius and Palliums."
"Maybe I should give you the information little by little. It is a lot to take in when you've been led to believe none of this was here anymore." I frowned at the concern in his voice, knowing I could handle it, but 'little by little' implied he’d need to come talk to me several times, which meant I’d actually insure us spending more time together, which was something I wanted to happen. Interesting.
He scratched his head, sitting back in the chair. "The war was moved underground. The Blue Bloods and Rebellion haven't died out. They are still very much present in Zinc, just not on the surface for everyone to see. The Altors are still fighting against the Regius, but the Civilians just aren't involved anymore." I stared at him, letting all of that sink in.
"I am in the middle of a war zone? Assuming that what you do here behind the facade of being jewelers is somehow involved with the war." I raised an eyebrow, daring him to tell me I was wrong on that last point.
He pressed his lips together, smothering a grin. "Yes and no. This isn't an official war zone, but the Regius could attack at any given moment. Your job will require you to help build the things that will, in return, help the Palliums and Altors fight off the Regius."
I held up a hand, stopping him. "What is it about the Regius that makes them different from the Civilians? Besides their physical traits." I waved at his blueness.
"Blue blood has cells in it that makes the Regius stronger than the Civilians, Palliums and Altors. Because the Altors derive from the Blue Bloods, they carry half the amount of strength a Blue Blood does. While it's still unfair, Altors have a much better chance in winning a battle against a Regius than a Civilian or Pallium does."
"Are you saying I'm stronger than the average person because I carry the blue blood cell?"
He shook his head quickly. "No, like I said, your Altor blood must have gotten deluded throughout the generations as you carry obvious civilian characteristics. That being your eyes." That meant that Cali had Altor blood as well. As did Lupinus and Acacia. And Delph. Detaching my eyes from the table, I looked at Galax. He was a Blue Blood. It wasn't a secret, he'd told me right away, but I hadn't known the war to still be ongoing at that moment. Which meant that I had to ask him again.
"Are you evil?"
"Yes." He growled out. "You caught me. I'm a Blue Blood soldier living amongst the Palliums, pretending to be on their side so I can get useful information out of them and send it back to the Regius leader whose intention is to ruin Zinc." Okay, clearly he was a tad touchy.
* * * *
Galaxi had decided to take over guide duties, dragging me to the other side of the garage, far away from Galax. Standing before a small cart, we studiously stared at the numerous tools displayed on it.
"Have you ever used any of these?" I shook my head.
"Hmm." She rubbed a hand over her chin, looking thoughtful.
"Hmm?" I asked.
She dropped her hand, exhaling loudly. "Well, that is going to be a problem considering we use tools everywhere."
I shrugged. "I'm not sure I can pull off the greasy look you all seem to be sporting anyway."
She chided me. "Everyone can pull off greasy. Maybe I should just dump you with the Rangers." I didn't need to ask her to elaborate, and for that I liked her a lot. "The Rangers are ex Altors. They quit the rebellion to form their own rebellion against everyone. They're very melodramatic." She said flippantly. "They work for those who offer the highest amount of gold, not caring if it's Palliums, Blue Bloods or Altors. We call them sky pirates as they travel in airships and they steal.” She paused. "A lot." I was startled when someone came to stand between myself and Galaxi, and noticed it was Conium as he placed an arm around each of our shoulders.
"Call them pirates and they'll place a gun against your head. I would know, it happened to me." He said this with a grin, obviously not all that traumatized with the experience.
Galaxi shrugged off his arm. "Yes, but that's only because you push Juglan’s buttons! Stop getting on his nerves and he won't take the revolver off his belt." She scolded him.
"You really want to dump this pretty little chickadee on his airship with that crew and hope he'll keep her alive?" Galaxi winced at Conium’s words, making me wince and while Conium nodded his head. With that, he took off, placing a quick kiss on his wife’s mouth, and then smacking both our bottoms before returning to his own business.
* * * *
There were three different sets of tools. The first set were the tools that were used on vehicles and weaponry, called ‘gero’. The second set were used to make the jewelry out of the desert jewels, titled ‘calx’. The third set were to be used only in relation to the technicians computers, named ‘fovi’. While the gero could be found laying around randomly throughout the garage, the calx and fovi were locked away and neatly sorted every evening after use.
The calx, only to be used on jewelry, were practically as precious and valuable as the actual jewelry. The tools were made out of the same jewel. Only diamond could cut diamond, and that same rule applied to the desert stones.
The fovi were kept a close eye on as they had to stay perfectly clean and in shape. They were used to repair the computers in the tech room within the castle.
Each category had different branches as well, jewelry had two; the making of the jewelry and the searching of the desert jewels. That last one scared me a bit as my memory of the desert wasn't pleasant. They took whatever vehicle worked best for them and searched the desert for the right ground, cutting out the jewels to then bring back to the base. Techs had hacking, repairing and enhancing, but that was off limits to me.
The vehicle and weaponry department had three different branches. There was simple repair; meaning, a number of Palliums were living within the city center of Cobalt and repaired regular vehicles for the Civilians living there. Then there was vehicle enhancement, which meant taking a regular vehicle apart and stuffing it with technology for the Altors. Then, last but not least, weaponry enhancement. Now I really liked that category. They made all kinds of blades, daggers, swords, shields, knives, guns, and bombs. I liked bombs.
But the idea was to make money fast so I could get out of here and find Calycanthus. Vehicle enhancement pulled in the bigger amount of pay. After having decided I wanted to work in that category, Galaxi had trained me for days, taking time off her own job so she could get me ready as quickly as possible.
The first day Galaxi had made me watch her work on a car. Cars weren't that regular for me since there were practically none in LV. I'd only ever seen one in Lupinus' garage.
I'd watched Galaxi work for an hour right before she shoved a screwdriver in my hand and told me to take apart the dashboard. I had no idea what a dashboard was. Then she'd had me take apart the back seat. I didn't know why and I'd come to learn that there wasn't much time for explanations once in the swing of things.
Galaxi Morrisey did everything at a fast pace; she walked, talked and acted quick and if you didn't keep up, she didn't stop to find out what the reason was. There was always something that needed repairing, transforming, enhancing, beautifying. The list was never ending. Although the Palliums had specific working hours and none of them were allowed to work after the last bell rang, they all seemed to be saddened when they were forced to put their tools down and take some hours off to relax and sleep like normal human beings.
I now knew how to change a tire, pop a steering wheel out, and take apart a motor without breaking anything so parts could be re-used later. I did a pretty decent job at painting. Nothing I did was perfect and I was clumsy with the gero tools, but she said I just needed to remember what she'd told me and repeat the actions over and over. I'd built up a routine in no time and my hands grew steady along the way.
* * * *
"Alright. She's all yours, Frater." Galaxi announced, giving me a gentle push in Galax's direction before skipping off to wherever. I was standing beside the big ass tank, looking at the azure hair hanging in his face. Since our last talk at one of the kitchen tables, we hadn't been able to chat since. Galaxi was constantly dragging me off someplace, and although I did reside in Galax's quarters, I passed out the moment I plopped down onto his couch. Due to different time schedules, I basically never saw him.
His quarters consisted of the bedroom I'd woken up in when he'd fished me out of the desert, a living room and a bathroom. I was currently crashing on his couch. It wasn't much, but the Palliums spent the majority of their time outside in the garage, around the castle, in the sand mountains and desert anyway.
"Hi." I muttered as he tucked a tool into his belt and stepped away from his tank to give me his attention. He pulled the greasy gloves off his hands as he smiled at me, nodding his head in acknowledgment.
"How's your training been?" He asked, gesturing for me to come closer. Frowning, I did and he pushed the cart with the gero tools laid out on top of it in my direction.
"I guess you'll find out since obviously you are testing me on the tools." I said, waiting for him to ask me to hand him one.
"If you don't know what a screwdriver is, then I'm afraid I can't like you anymore." He announced cheerfully. Handing him the screwdriver mutely, I pressed my lips tightly together when my skin tingled the moment it touched his. Oh, I had been more than aware of the crush that was threatening to happen where it concerned Galax. As if my situation allowed for a crush. I didn't have time for it.
Subject change. Now. "Frater?" If I remembered right, that meant brother in Pallium.
"It means brother, but we aren't blood related.” He explained. “My parents were killed, war related. Flux found me, took me under his wing and Galaxi was part of the package." I'd asked Galaxi about Galax, but she'd told me to ask him. Now I knew what a Blue Blood was doing here amongst the Palliums.
I frowned as I realized what he'd said. "Wait, Flux is Galaxi's father?" I just couldn't picture it. Although, they did have that same sense of energy and authority.
"Sic. Galaxi Kaminski before she married." He named a couple of more tools, making sure I knew which was which. "She will become the Pallium leader when Flux deems her ready."
"Why are your names so similar?"
"You ask an awful lot of questions." He shrugged. "It's common, very traditional." I nodded absently at his words, looking over his tank, still awed by the size of it.
"Do you use these in the-" My nose wrinkled. "Underground war?"
"I told you things are tough out here, Solenum. It gets rougher than we wish it to get from time to time. Anyway, you were lucky to grow up in Lithium Village. It benefits to be prepared for all of this right from the start, but having the option to live free for a bit sounds nice." He seemed to be trying to imagine it. "Thanks to the Pallium bases here in Cobalt and the training base of the Altors, we manage to keep things low profile as the Regius attacks those bases. The Regius don't gain anything out of attacking Civilians. They need people to reign over."
I frowned. "I'm glad it's underground for the Civilians sake. I mean, with the lack of the Blue Blood cell, we are at a disadvantage. But you're not so bad for a Regius."
He smiled. "Not so bad, huh?"
"No." I clipped out shyly. "Why are the Regius made out to be evil?" A frown formed on his forehead and he remained mute for a while.
"You thought me to be Digitalis the first time you saw me." He remembered.
"Yes." I answered carefully, definitely not willing to tell him about that part of my life.
"He's not an exception, Solenum. He is the very definition of what a Blue Blood is."
His words and the imagine of Digitalis branded upon my brain sent shivers down my spine. "You make them sound so inhuman."
"The Blue Blood cell gifts the Regius with inhuman strength. Unfortunately, that gift consumes the space that makes a human, human."
"But you're not cruel." I couldn't help but point out, not able to grasp the evil he was describing when he was standing right next to me, seemingly unable to harm a fly.
He shrugged, giving me a weak smile. "Maybe something is wrong with me."
* * * *
Narrator
“Sigh”
* * * *
Once upon a time my narration was interrupted.
"Will you have dinner with me?" Robinia Kowalski asked.
I frowned. "But I am not hungry." I pointed out.
Sighing, my guest closed the door and left.
* * * *
Chapter 12: Solenum Everhart
“Don’t kill the moment”
* * * *
"Excito sursum." I felt something wet touch my forehead as I cracked my eyes open. Galax was dabbing a wet cloth to my skin, his face written in worry.
"You get a lot of nightmares." He stated, not questioning. This meant he'd heard me toss, turn and whimper before. "I know you are a private person, and so I didn't wake you any other night, but I heard you crying." He pulled the cloth away when I moved to sit up, quickly wiping my cheeks and realizing that he was right, I had been crying.
"I don't want to talk about it." I whispered miserably.
He smiled. "That's okay." Reaching out with a hand, he gently pushed the hair out of my face, tucking the rebel bangs behind my ear. His fingers lingered a moment longer, softly tracing the contour of my cheek and jaw. Swallowing nervously, I didn't pull away, managing to find enough courage to look him in the eye while he seemed to memorize my face.
He cleared his throat then, pulling away. "Will you let me take your mind off things?" My eyes locked on his lips. I wanted him to kiss me. Or maybe I should just kiss him. Leaning forward, my eyes fluttered halfway closed and my mouth started puckering out the closer I came to him.
But then he stood abruptly. "We will have to find you some clothes so you don't freeze." Giving me a nervous smile as I glared up at him for what might as well have been the most incredible slap in the face I'd ever received, he either hadn't noticed I'd tried to kiss him, or he was very good at pretending.
Overtaken by a sudden burst of energy, he quickly walked back to his bedroom, leaving me staring after him. Huffing, I rolled my eyes and decided to just get up and see what he had in store for me.
He was standing by a closet, pulling his shirt over his head. The expanse of naked skin that was revealed was covered in blue markings; they were like the sapphire dot he had between his eyebrows. They were thin lines, accentuating his body curves and seemingly following his veins. The blue faded in and out with the skin, as though the gradient of colors only showed itself when he moved.
I got kicked out of my observation when he threw an extremely large sweater in my direction, and when I'd pulled it over my head and was able to look back at his face, I got the clear sense he wasn't happy I'd stared.
"Galax." I tried softly, but he shook his head, not willing to answer me this question as he opened a trunk at the foot of his bed, pulling out a pair of massive white boots and a huge winter jacket.
"They'll be too big on you, but it's three in the morning, so I cannot go and disturb Galaxi for something your size." He muttered, tossing a couple of pairs of socks my way to put on.
Once I'd dressed in all white winter clothes, Galax took a moment to look at me and then nodded in satisfaction as I'd clearly gotten the belts hooked up the right way on the large jacket and the massive boots.
"The clothes are white so we don't stand out among the miles of ice. The creatures will approach us with more ease if we blend in with their surroundings." I followed him out of his quarters and into the garage.
"The creatures?" Galax made his way over to a small four wheeler, just long enough at the back for me to be able to sit behind him. He didn't start the motor inside the garage, instead started pushing it towards the exit, probably trying to make the least noise possible as everyone was sleeping right now.
"Creatura of Satus." My eyebrows shot up in surprise as I climbed up on the quad behind him.
