The resistance came to see me, "Hey Emris you got a minute." I kept turning the alum wrench listening to a lecture in Pashtoan. The subtle nuisance was very difficult to replicate if I didn't pay attention. He tapped my shoulder, "Emris are you free?" One person grabbed him and pushed himself and the intruder to the ground half expecting me to shoot fire. I just ignored them as I fixed the turbo drive. The guy got up and started talking, "Since Kabbohera is looking for you we gave you a cool nickname. Emris which means immortal." I ignored him as I repeated the tongue twister mentioned in Pashtoan. The Kovans came with a mission as well. But he was here to see the director. He heard about me, "I have heard about you from the Colonel. He mentioned that if you had approved his idea. You would be helping in creating the supersoldier Verena project. Verena means to fear or respect." I retorted, "I want nothing to do with Verena so I declare my Draconian. Which means approach with caution." To which the governor kindly reminded me of the Parthean service badge. He smiled, " I think that Eleena is a better name because I believe you shine even in the darkness moments." I pursed my lips, "I think I will stick to Fyr Stormborne as a name when I go on missions."
The governor shook his head. The young hotshot asked me if I would join him on one of his missions to blast on the warehouses. I explained how I usually prefer solo missions. And I am opposed to blowing things up. I would prefer to dismantle. The governor reminded me to be a team player. I promised to be a team player as long as I don't get my face stamped in the blacklist. The intergalactic terrorist watchlist. Not to mention the other bad guys who are out there. It is for this particular reason I wear a mask on my missions. So no one can say I was a crook. Everyone was impressed and asked me to make an exception. They were going to find out about the super weapon that Kabbohera is creating. There is a device which opens the portal between worlds where deadly creatures are locked up. If these things get out they will destroy life itself. So I accepted this as the rare occasion where I go on a mission with additional personnel. I tried to restrain myself as the director and others discussed the overall plan. I heard one of them say he will convince me to shoot flames out of my fingers. I was seriously tempted to slap him as hard as possible. The requests I got when I boarded the ship become more and more worrying. I made it clear I am not using my gifts. I am using my pistol instead. This was met with protests but I made it clear. I have to live with the consequences of my actions so I decide how to use my gift. If they can agree we can proceed or I disembark. The general in charge waved his consent and I took my seat.
I looked at the pistol Gidim gave me. It was light weight, long, sleek and made of Sky iron. The other pistol strapped to my back was made from Unobtanium. It was short, slightly weighted and easily concealable. The thing still felt foreign but will soon feel like an extension of me before the end of this war. The others stared as I cleaned, reassembled and loaded both before placing them back in their holsters. I was wondering about the places I could go once this war ended. All of a sudden the ship swung sideways as though it was struck with something. The ship came out of the star bridge and was greeted by an asteroid belt. I sank back to my seat,"We are doomed. Hera is the pilot. I should have written my will" A few started laughing and an angry voice called out, "I heard that. I did the calculations correctly." I yelled back, "The computer does the calculations. You don't have to do any. You just give the direction of the system and the planet you are going to. Then give them the precise distance you want to be from your target when you exit the star bridge. It will calculate and give you everything. All you do is push one button. Did you sleep during the explanation." She started talking in Caluti. Which is a language I am not fluent in but I can understand a few phrases. One of them was said to stick my idea where the sun didn't shine. I gave her one as well. Never give a gun to an idiot. She froze and turned the ship around. An hour later we reached our port.
I put my mask on and the general ordered me to take it off. I ignored him as I stepped out. The provincial guards assigned by the galactic sovereign were particularly curious. I used sign language to speak. They understood that I was deaf and mute so they gave me a green card and told me to run along. I happily accepted the visitor's pass. The others had a few extra minutes before they were allowed to go. They each had a brown card. I know the brown card means when things get ugly they will be detained without question for sometime. Exactly how long is somewhat unknown. Some have said they are detained forever. As for me I am in the safe zone. The authorities will push me out of the way as they drag everyone else out. I enjoyed a glass of Gharqa as the others walked around scoping the place for the safest routes I'm and out of the facility. The perfect place for the sniper's hide. The place where back up should be. The general showed his displeasure as I walked into the safe house. I laughed, "I am wanted by Kabbohera to be her human body suit. I wear this mask so she won't find me. Cu rāutate is one of the companies who have placed bounties on my head. I am not going to make things easy for them." He gave me a look and made it clear that I had better not screw up the operation. I promised to behave but he better remember that I am not going to use my abilities at all. I will be using the skills I have worked hard to learn. The vein on his forehead rose and pulsated fifty beats a minute. He took several shallow breaths and walked out of the room.
We walked through narrow alleyways and crowded streets till we reached the research facility. This was creating a device called The terraformer. This will change everything on the planet it is used on. Which would most likely kill the residents in a slow and painful manner. The air would be toxic, the water would be poisonous and the earth would most likely be fire or something of the kind. Or there would be strong geostorms. The two poles will switch places. The process would rip the planet to pieces. This was still in the test phase so nothing was certain. The next was a psychotropic hallucinogen. A chemical which would induce fear. The moment the chemical is inhaled the people will go crazy and kill each other. I would be immune to this chemical. I remember my days with the fire and air communities who used vigorous fear induced training. Fire kingdom believed every emotion was a weakness. While the air tribe believed the emotions were a form of barrier which was clouding my better judgement. I stared at the men and women in hazard suits carefully handling volatile compounds. These people are complicit. The next one was working on a new poison called Enamoured. This causes the drinker to smile as the veins turn to ice as their breathing comes to a stop. They remain frozen with an eerie smile which strikes fear in the heart of the observer. The general had enough so he asked me to set this facility ablaze. I chose to activate the emergency biohazard button. The workers went out in an orderly fashion and I snuck in and dumped the toxic chemical down the drain. Then I deleted all the data stored and poured the chemical on the terraformer. I watched the machine break down before walking out.
We got out in an orderly fashion and the general announced his displeasure. I reminded him that I just threw a wrench on their plans. They won't remember the formula and so they will have to start all over. He said that it was not the mission. The mission was to set the place on fire and kill everyone who is working on this weapon. I had to remind him I am not a killer. If he wanted to do that he is welcome to do so without me. He asked me why I possessed these gifts if I didn't use them. I smiled, "I use them. Just not the way you think." His face went purple as I walked away from him. The city had a blackout and I raised my hand and a streak of flame rose to illuminate the place. The general grabbed the flame and burnt his hand. He screamed in pain. I reminded him that only fire welders can hold it. He gave me a dirty look as one of them used a spray to cool burn and ease the healing process. I snapped my fingers several times and slapped my hands together hard. Iridescent flames erupted and I illuminated our way back to the safe house. The entire time the general gave me the look of death. He can pick a number. When we got in I didn't used water to heal his burns and get some sleep. The next morning the team leader ordered me to go and set the facility on fire with the complicit scientific society. I told him outright that I am not killing anyone. He can go there and do it himself but I am not going to do it. My mission is not to go around killing people. I am here to rescue people who have gone missing. That's what the director said I should be doing. He and his team just gave me a ride. He didn't believe it till one of his men called headquarters for confirmation. Then I was redirected to a different safe house. The other and his men set out to destroy the supplies being sent to make the weapons.
I met with a Karuda. A green and black striped woman with horns and a headtail on either side. She wore a humble maroon shirt and pants. The fabric looked like they were made from coir rope. She was taller and looked older. She gave me a smile as we got ready for action. Which was out on hold after another in a cadet uniform barged. He announced the others were captured and during interrogation he mentioned my mission. I cursed as I was told to put the whole thing on ice. Officers in uniforms and mechanized helmets came asking if any tourists had been in the area. The Karuda explained how she was by herself but the soldiers double checked to be sure. I used invisibility to hide. They walked into my room and tapped the side and the visor went from transparent to opaque. A light emitted from the badge on their pocket. I had to move quietly to avoid being detected. The officers apologized for the intrusion and walked away. I waited till the officers had moved to a different quadrant before sneaking out. The entire time I was wishing I was on Calysto flying to explore space. The missing were exactly where the cadet said they were. On open fields surrounded by guards armed to the teeth. They were sorted accordingly. Some were sent as workers to construct the building for the enemy. This facility will become an autonomous factory building weapons once they work out the kinks. I took a deep breath and was about to make the earth swallow these arrogant people when a firm hand stopped me. She explained that these people have tags hidden in their bodies. If they escape then the enemy will punch a code which will blow them up.