Careful Not To Break Reality

The inside of the cargo ship was almost completely torn apart by the rapid change in pressure and whoever that was unfortunate enough to be in that section at that moment was killed almost instantly due to the change as their lungs give out and the freezing temperature of space snatches life away from them. Zel ducked around snapped wires and deformed pieces of metal before reaching the pressure seal.

With a single twitch of his right arm to change it from grappling mode to work mode and some slight gear selection, he is plugged into the sh.i.p.s control system.

The ship is of standard human design with the pressure seals being closed off on either end automatically in response to the pressure change. All Zel had to do is fool the system for a long enough time to allow him to get into its main haul but not too long that the next section of the ship is automatically sealed.

Zel applies a bit of pressure to turn on the power to his right hand, which detects the type of system it's interacting with and switches over to the corresponding source code and operating system.

'Select, pressure gauge, input.' Zel whispers the command and the operation pathway opened and is shown on his visor.

'Input. Atmospheric, standard.'

A new set of numbers is put into the blanked space where the pressure reading can be. That space is previously occupied by the number 00 and a red warning sign is shown next to it.

'Pressure seals. Override. Release.'

Zel quickly put together a timing circuit with with left hand and swapped it for his right arm which was connected with the system. The last command he gave was directly linked to the timing circuit so that it would only fire after a few second, giving Zel just enough time to get ready. Then the first command will be performed and the seals will be released.

Zel swapped his right arm to grappling mode and awaits the timer.

Without any warning, the pressure seals swung open and air started flushing out like river water through the flood gate. The brute force of the wavefront hit Zel right in the face, but he didn't move even an inch and calmly grappled onto a wall at the end and pulled himself into the relatively pressurized chamber. The timing circuit kicked in and the pressure seals slammed shut again.

Zel looked at the readings on his visor. It's well above the sealing pressure.

'In.' Zel sent off the message to his group and let them know of his progress, then he took off the space suit, folded it and packed it away in his backpack. Now it's the time for action.

'Ship layout.'

With a single command, a detailed map of the whole ship is shown in front of him. Zel activated the auto-aligning function and started walking forward. The auto-alignment will take visual inputs from Zel's movements through the corridors and compare it to the parts of the map. With each turn he makes, many areas of the map is eliminated and soon the correct section of the map overlaps with where he is now. He is on the outer corridor of the ship right near some storage rooms. At the end of the current corridor is where the major storage spaces should be.

It seemed he found the exact right location to get in. To the people guarding the cargo, the breach in the ship body is simply a result of the battle. As there is usually only a handful of people in that area where Zel broke in, they wouldn't think too much about it. Add on the fact that Zel has already plugged in the pre-programemd package that overrides the security cameras, there is little to no chance that anyone is going to notice his entrance.

'What the heck are you doing here?'

Right before Zel reaches for the door, someone behind him spoke up and prompted him to rapidly turn around as it caught him completely offguard. But he wasn't unprepared. After fixing the collars of the stolen shirt he snatched off the walls, Zel slowly turned around.

'Captains orders. Everyone needs to get to the main storage haul. We are isolating the vessel and breaking away from all these shananigans.' The person looked at Zel suspiciously, but couldn't really tell what's wrong. He could simply be a new face on the ship and it's basically impossible to know everybody at any one time anyway. He waved his hand and gestures for Zel to hurry up.

Zel had no idea what the cargo is before this mission started. The pieces of information given was simply it's something mysterious, dangerous and strange. It's an object out of the ordinary to the point that it's almost incomprehensible.

It's certainly not helpful when such vague non-information are given, but that's why the captain wanted the cargo that bad. Partially out of curiosity, partially out of a need to stir up the situations.

'Have you spotted the cargo?' Speaking of the devil, the captain's message appeared on the top right corner of his visor with his own unique font. So it seems like he is here himself. This is quite unusual as the boss never shows up to such a side job. But he suppose a side job has its own importance when most of the Ghostly Shadow's forces is in for this.

This cargo seemed a lot more valuable than people realized.

Zel has spotted it. The massive main storage space is almost completely empty, except for a cubic container that's at least ten meters tall. It is located in the dead center of the space with lots of small space crafts surrounding it all with chains connected to it, as it they are ready to burst out at any moment should the big cargo ship be destroyed.

'Cargo located. It's big.' Zel looked at the massive container in the middle and deducted that it must what the captain is looking for. By the look of it, it does seem like it could really hold some extraordinary piece of technology capable of helping one faction dominate the whole of the wild space.

'Noted.' The captain's words didn't really surprise Zel that much, but somehow, that one word gives Zel an ominous uneasy feeling, as if something has already been planned and the captain has already made his decision.

'Prepare for impact!' Someone distant away from Zel and the other crew member screamed all of a sudden, and the cargo ship shook violently almost at the same time. Towards the far end of the space, something pierced through the shells of the ship and ignited within the main storage space leaving a quick flash. A massive shock wave rushes towards the container, the sh.i.p.s and Zel immediately after.The hole left over from the piercing was peeled wide open like a chef dismantling an orange's skin with swift cuts. The metallic shielding of the ship was split into four neat pedals and they were forced to roll outwards as the immense pressure difference drove behind them.

Zel was thrown backwards by the initial shock wave and lost his orientation for a good while. The artificial gravity is shut off completely and the air flow towards the exit started pulling Zel towards the exit as his body started floating about.

What?

Zel didn't even have time to react to what's happened. He quickly reached backwards for his space suit, flicked it wide opens and started putting it on in a moment of pure panic and fear. He is speed up towards the exit, but the suit trousers are stuck at the knee. With some violent kicking action, it finally went through.

With about three hundred meters to go, the inner lining is finally sealed up. The outer layer soon followed and the inside of the suit is finally pressurized. Zel never stopped scanning around the environment as the suit enters its calibrating stage as he would have to stay at least somewhat still. This is the single most dangerous moment as he has no control over where he is going and what he can do. He started spinning slightly. But that's not a big deal as his space suit isn't supposed to provide any sort of thrust at this moment so once things are calibrated, he should be ready to go.

'Calibrating...Calibrating...'

To Zel's surprise, the spinning motion doesn't seem to remain constant. His vision started becoming more and more blurry as he slowly accelerates tangentially and getting more and more out of control. It appeared that one of the thrusters on his spacesuit is malfunctioning somehow and really pushing him in the wrong direction. Zel signed and started to concentrate intensely and try to make out where he is going and if he is in any imminent danger.

'Zero all. Shut down.' After a few rotations, Zel realized that there is no longer any point in waiting for the suit's propulsion system to calibrate as the basic resting state is already quite problematic. Knowing him losing control of the suit would mean certain doom in this scenario, he shuts off all of the system and spread his arms and legs out wide sideways.

Thanks to the conservation of angular momentum, his rotation speed is slightly reduced, and he is able see his surroundings a bit more clearly. Zel reached all around with his right hand to check the thrusters placed throughout key joints of his body and realized quite a few of the thrusters have been deformed somehow. This is really bad news, but Zel already has a plan in mind, despite knowing the captain has definitely deemed him a worthy sacrifice and screwed him all over.

The shock wave missiles the captain undoubtedly fired is always best suited to cause chaos and leads to a lot of superficial damage in the near vicinity before the all the energy is dissipated. All Zel felt was simply a really strong blast of wind. What's truly damaging is the aftermath, as most spacesh.i.p.s (especially human and Rockies made) will not be able to seal up the holes in time.

Take a shot every time rapid pressure difference change in space kills someone.

All the space crafts what were parked near the cargo container has already switched on the engine in response to the attack and prepared to move out. With an organised action, all off them lifted off at the same time and turned around in a synchronous march, spinning the container around. The chains connecting to the cables slowly loses slack and straightened up as they flew towards the hole.

'Grappling. Fire.' The voice command centre stopped responding all together once Zel ordered the shutdown. Great news.

Zel quickly judged the distances between him and the container that's slowly accelerating away. His Grappling hook has a safe range of about ten meters, or a maximum range of twenty. The cable he uses will be able to handle loads about twice his body weight Safely and forces much less at much greater length. This sort of material property has always been one that's favored by designers of past and present, despite the possibility that the absolute strength might be less than its brittle brothers, the long and gradual failure mode allows for any vaguely intelligent being to spot the failure site and replace the part.

In space or zero gravity environments where not much forces are required unless you are trying to turn a rocket, Zel should be able to utilize the full extent of the cable.

The container is now about thirty meters away. Zel judges it visually as he tried to knock some sense into his visor, but no reading shows up. It seemed like the shock wave and his subsequent fall has damaged the circuitry of it. Knowing he probably has one shot, Zel got started on disconnecting some of the wires attached the grappling hook. Most of the higher functions of his arm can only be performed at closed range, and the further the cable extends, the less things Zel can do with it.

But currently, he only needs it to do one thing.

'Fire.' Simply out of habit, Zel whispers the word and triggers the firing mechanism. The mechanical hand shot off straight at the container, pulling the cable stored in various sections of the mechanical arm. It made impact in a few seconds, and grabbed on. Zel slowly started to rewind the cable to check it's strength. It seemed unmovable after a gentle pull, and Zel also drifted closer towards the container. He lets the air held in his lungs go and started pulling himself towards the box.

He is attached on the backside of the container out of sight of anyone, and he simply held on with magnetic suction pads and digs his hand deep into the container case.

There were some sort of explosion going on the other side of the container, and all of the sh.i.p.s rushed out into the space with the container behind them.

The space battle is in full effect at this moment. The rag tag group of fighters and medium sized sh.i.p.s led by the Ghostly Shadows have cut off the connection of the cargo ship and the rest of its force, who are surrounding the whole of the Ghostly Shadows. Small fighters from both sides are in the middle of an intense dogfight as they constantly outran the projectile weapons, tanked the laser shots that hit them with the energy shields and remained fairly equally matched. Despite the disorganized look, the formations of the Ghostly Shadows actually remained surprisingly intact and really held back the bigger factions.

However, things aren't all sunshine's and rainbows for the Ghostly Shadows as the reinforcements have already surroudded them, closing off any path for escape in all directions. As both sides entered into a stalemate, the combat began to calm down and Zel can only assume some sort of talks are already going on at this moment.

It also became quite evident that the talks didn't go so well at all.

The sh.i.p.s on the outer circle started to charge up their weapons, intending to destroy all of Ghostly Shadow's forces in one go, but the Ghostly Shadows responded in kind by pointing the guns at the cargo.

At Zel.

'No good.' Zel knew he had to move out of the way, and it seems like the only way out is in. It doesn't seem like the container is going to keep Zel safe from the full force of a dozen sh.i.p.s, but it will be better than getting vaporized in an instant.

Finally, the visor's reboot is complete, and Zel has decided to get started with saving himself. With a quick visual scan of the surface not too dissimilar to the one he performed on the outer layer of the cargo ship, he has found some more evidence of steel work for it. The containers are likely to be pressurized as well, but there won't be any pressure seals compared to the ship. So if he actually blew the whole thing open, there will not be coming back for him at all.

'Do you have eyes on the cargo?' Suddenly, the captain's message is patched through. He certainly knew that Zel was IN the cargo ship when the missile was fired, and he just as well pretends that he didn't try to kill him, and acted like that was a part of the plan.

How predictable. Zel grinded his teeth and started to lose his cool slightly, with a frustrated swing of his arm, it dug quite deep into the container. On the grand scale of things, however, it was just a scratch.

'You seemed to be moving well. Stay there and stay put.' The captain ordered, knowing Zel couldn't do anything else, 'Don't you lose it.'

Zel felt surges of fire and lightning roaring from inside him. He wasn't planning to do anything at this moment, but now he felt compulsive, irrational and angry. He wanted to do something. Anything to piss the captain off, anything to make him feel pain and regret.

Anything to make him pay for what he did to her.

Zel switched off the communication link, reached behind him to get the last of the explosive gel. He propelled himself towards where he believed the weakest point of the container is, loosens everything up with his metal arm and applied a generous portion of the explosive gel.

'Fire.'

With a slick flash of light, the container was blown right open, and something came out.

That thing is a whirl of opaque cloud that seemed to have a mind of it's own. It took it's chance to get out through the opening Zel has made with his explosives, and clashed right in the face with Zel.

Suddenly, everything around Zel stopped. The layers of sh.i.p.s are all completely fixed in space like it's on a painting. The distant stars formed the perfect background, gently illuminating on the container and letting the reflected light off it provide a soft gentle lighting. Zel, being the lonely space-walker, was at the center of the masterpiece.

What is happening here?

A screaming voice came from inside Zel's mind, yet it's sounds and tone is completely different from Zel's usual inner thoughts. He tried to turn around and look, but realized immediately that his body isn't moving an inch.

Time seemed to have been frozen.

'What is happening here?' Zel tried to open his mouth and talk, but could only hear his voice, 'Who is talking?'

Oh for gods sake am I trapped in someone's useless body again? Are you kidding me? I can't even just chill in peace without people trying to get inside me every other minute?

The voice inside Zel ignored his question, but went on to complain about everything ever existed.

'What?' Zel asked, 'I don't want you here. Just let me get back to normal.'

No kidding, kid. The voice said, I don't want you here either. But my frickin programming says otherwise. But hey, it's okay, I have no rush.

'No rush to do what?' Zel started to get a bit impatient and questioned.

Hey kid, just get on with it okay. I will read the instructions, and you go ahead.

'What are you talking...'

Fight! Using the artifact. Fight! Ok, here you go. Don't break a leg out there.

'What? Why am I fighting? You expect me in a space suit to fight everybody here?' Zel has completely lost it and started firing back at the voice. Maybe he is dreaming somehow and are just exerting effort arguing with himself.

Exactly, just go get killed and let me go. Not too hard given your situation, right?

'Another one of you that want's me killed? Get the hell out of here.' Zel screamed out of anger and tried to violently move around, but his body isn't responding to his commands, only his thoughts. But that didn't matter, as Zel spitted out a vow, 'Screw you all, I will outlive all of you losers.'

Oh please don't. I want to be set free.

'And who the hell are you?'

OK so you know how the universe is very very old, and there are always going to be civilisation before and after you right? I am from one of those ones. Now I am one of the many powerful reality changing artifacts around, and since I had so many previous owners, I just developed this shining personality right here. OK. But I am now sick of this shit. I don't want nothing more to do with you beings, I just want...

'Stop. How are you going to help me fight?' Zel stopped the rambling of the artifact.

I ain't doing shit.

'What if I tell you, if I die right here, everyone here will get you, and you will get many more owners after me.' Zel smiled slightly and suddenly realised something, 'Actually, you have to help me. You not being able to escape until I blew up the container means they have a rough idea of how to trap you and stop you from running away.'

Yeah, so? I will just use the chance of you dying and run away.

'Don't give me that stuff. You sound like you are smarter than that and you know I am too. If you don't find a way to keep me alive, just expect to stay in that prison forever and never be free.'

The voice became silent.

'I will make you a better deal.' Zel knew the threatening strategy has worked great, now he just needs to sweeten the deal, 'I promise you I will set you free somehow, and make sure I will be your last owner. Once I am a free person, then I will let you out into the wild. Whatever planet?'

Whatever planet? How about Cecicilia?

'Never heard of it. But I will look into it. ' Zel promised, 'now, get me out of this sticky situation, if you are as powerful as you claim.'

Watch me.

Everything went back to normal time as Ghostly shadows and the enemy realised what Zel has done. All side opened fire against each other, and the dark sky was lit up completely. Right before the projectiles and energy blasts reaches Zel, something from the middle of his stomach started expanding towards all of his body, and swallowed him whole.

Suddenly, he is floating in a brand new spacial dimension. Everything on him remains intact, even the the visors are functioning properly. He can still see everything that's going on however, but the energy blasts and metal bullet shards simply passed straight through his body, and he felt absolutely nothing.

'What is this?'

Welcome, to my pocket domain. Now, where to?

Zel smiled as he looked at all the destruction around him and the fireworks. With the disintegration of the Ghostly Shadow's flag ship into one million sparks, he felt a great sense of relief. But also a strange emptiness.

At least nobody would be asking him where the cargo is now.

So, have you figured out where the cargo is?

'Yes. It's in the main storage building. Of course I got it figured out.'

Yeah ok. On another note. once again, this is not what you promised! You f.u.c.k.i.n.g liar! This is nowhere near Cecicilia!

This is not what you promised! You f.u.c.k.i.n.g liar! This is nowhere near Cecicilia!

'Well, don't blame me. I got a big store to steal here.' Zel shrugged his shoulders slightly as he continued to work on his mechanical arms in his lab chair, 'You were there for the deal. You know what we have to do.'

Yeah, but that doesn't mean we have to do it. They just offered a 'generous sum'!

'Not true. We are never really free in this galaxy, unless we have the money to do what we want. Plus, don't tell me you didn't feel it. I think they knew.'

That I am here? I don't think so. Those people don't think that smart, they just want your skills.

'I am not sure. Something tells me they may have some baseline understandings of the artifacts. If not from the way they behave, the gear they want is a dead giveaway.'

What, so all the things that you help them steal?

'For a 'generous sum'. ' Zel nodded, 'but I also wanted to know what is happening. You have been here for a long while now, and your technology is supposed to be way beyond ours. But I am not so sure now.'

The voice fell silent, as it is also thinking quite hard. It is true. Artifacts should not be able to be touched by the current technologies simply due to how advanced they are, but times are changing. What was once the creation of Gods, are now merely scientific instruments.

'I think, they are trying to copy your type. Or at least work on it.' Zel dropped the hammer down onto the table, 'and to be able to do that, there are many more of us out there. In this time.'

The door is knocked, and Zel looked up to see Rydel standing there by the door.

'Heyo! Want to go to lunch?'