Belt and Fireworks

Zac had a lot of thoughts going through his head at this moment. Pain from the repeated kicks, a building sense of rage towards the lizard and Blackfire who just sold him out for what, some rapport with the local underground? And to top it all off a building sense of dread as Blackfire seemed to be having some sort of attack or fit. He needed to find an out to this.

And he had one. He just wasn’t sure about using it.

One more kick that sent him sprawling across the floor and he felt the choice was taken out of his hands. It was do or die.

Rather than resist, he rolled with the blow which let him get some space between himself and the thug. He got to a crouch and slowly stood up as a hand fished out something from behind him. Torde was about to shoot him when he saw it was only a small thin piece of cloth or perhaps leather. He snickered but kept a hand on his weapon, knowing some aliens used weird weapons.

“And what does that do?” He asked as he motioned his head. His two minions took the hint and started to move into a good flanking position.

“That is a good question.” Zac muttered, his voice shaky, “Let’s find out.”

Zac put the belt to his waist which made it automatically wrap around his body and lock into place. A small metal rectangle appeared on the front, with a notch to put something in along with what looked to be a switch or leaver on the side. A lever that he slammed down hard on without even thinking, as if it felt natural to do so.

Pain shot through his body which made his back arc and his fingers half close into a claw like position. What was this pain, it was supposed to be a gift not a form of ****. His mind raced as he tried to think of an explanation, had he done something wrong?

He flashed back to the pamphlet about the belt, and he recalled a passage in the directions. Something about a heart at war with itself would tear itself apart if one tried to **** the use of the belt. He needed to clear his head before it was too late.

A hard task given the pain felt like it was going to tear him in two.

“Think…. Think…. focus...., Layla…”

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His breathing slowed and kept on a steady pace, taking in deeper and slower breathes. The pain started to lessen as a soft light started to form around him.

Where the light touched his body it faded and left behind a dark colored body suit. Extra padding or cloth like “armor” covered his shoulders, chest and outer thighs. A blank featureless helmet covered his face and long protective gloves and boots covered his limbs. The color shifted from the pure black to a familiar looking bluish purple; a ‘galaxy’ like shade as several white specks appeared on the outfit.

To Blackfire, through her half closed eyes, it looked like some dressed down pilot suit, or maybe under armor. Whatever it was looked half completed. And this wasn’t lost on Torde who gave a laugh at this.

“Getting changed into pjs or maybe heading to a costume party or something? You’re weird buddy. Well come on, you put on the show, take a swing.” The alien taunted as he leaned forward and presented his chin.

Blackfire knew a mocking gesture when she saw one. Morse so for his race, as the neck was especially weak on his kind. Torde was no fool though; the moment the 'android' moved, his own minions would gun him down. If he didn't tear into it himself. That weird suit didn’t look any more protective than what he had on before.

The figure didn’t move. Didn't even shift or sway at all. Just stood there in silence. Had whatever happened knocked the android off line?

Torde waited a bit more before pulling out his large lethal weapon; a Melta-slagger. Designed from a tool to cut through ship hulks, a molten blast of super heated metal would just end this now. Maybe he could just blow off an arm and resell the remains as scrap. Either way no skin off his back, getting the woman was his task not dealing with this nonsense.

“Had your chance buddy.” He mocked as the gun warmed up.

Blackfire fought to say something, anything, but another crack of energy courses through her body which robbed the air from her lungs. The only she was able to do was watch as the trigger was pulled.

“Lady Layla, what is this?”

Layla looked up from her book. Her new sitter/caretaker was in the middle of cleaning the room. Perhaps half a day had passed but the lass had broken her new room in. Toys and dolls scattered around, books pulled from shelves and all sorts of small knick-knacks removed from storage were scattered around the room. She was a bit of pack rat when it came things.

But the item that Carm has asked about was sitting on a shelf, a small translucent golden stone with a small carved out design in the middle.

“Oh that? Yeah my dad bought it for me…. Oh I have another one!”

She moved her book to the side as she jumped off the head and went to another storage space. Carm sighed as her new charge messily dug through, tossing clothes out of her way to the floor. With a smile and a puffed up chest, Layla turned and presented another stone. It was identical to the first one, save for being light green in color instead, with a different symbol carved inside. Carm careful picked it up in her hand, trying her best to show care to the object.

“I can’t remember where he got them from, I think it was some arts and crafts fair we passed by on one of the weekends I traveled with him. It was a birthday present!” She said with a big smile though her face darkened, “Err don’t tell mom though.”

“Your birth mother…. Not Mistress Blackfire.” Carm half asked half informed. Her new charge nodded slowly.

“Yeah yeah…, my real mom didn’t like things like this; too weird and strange and made you look like a kook or something. She never really liked what I did.”

"What is it though?" came the question as she turned the object over in her hands a few times. Hopefully distracting Layla from her thoughts.

“A sign stone, least that’s how the man selling them said. Said he craved them out of gems but dad said it was resign instead.”

“I believe you mean Resin, my lady.”

“Yeah that!” Layla said pointing excitedly at the robot, “But my dad knew how much I liked that Zodiac and stars so he got me a couple stones based on them.”

"How interesting…., what do they mean though?" Carm continued to ask as she tried to get a better look at the stone she held. The strange shape carved out was something she didn't recognize and thus far, her search in the ship's database hadn't turned up anything. That said; there was a LOT of data to sort through.

“Different things… some of it I don’t get but they’re really neat. They say each one is ties to times of the year..., Look that one is dad!”

Layla pointed at the golden stone on the shelf. Carm handed the bluish stone back to Layla and moved closer to the shelf. Carefully picking up the other stone to see what she meant. Must have something to do with the different glowing symbol inside...

Wait glowing?

A surge of energy surrounded the stone which caused Carm to drop it and on programmed guidelines, ran and grabbed Layla to protect her, putting herself between the girl and the stone.. The child cried out in shock as the pair watched the stone just float there for a moment before rocketing off, simply phasing through the wall.

“Uh… hope dad doesn’t get mad that you lost it.” Layla grumbled as she was set back down.

“I am simply glad you are okay.” The maid said as she inspected the wall the stone passed through. Then she processed what was said. She turned to look at the child.

“I lost it?”

Torde’s weapon fired before anyone could say anything or stop him. The bright orange flash **** the bar to look away or close their eyes. However the follow up of scream and smell of burnt flash never came. In fact the light didn’t dissipate at all but rather started to collect into a smaller and smaller form.

Hovering in-between the two figures, a small golden stone had blocked the shot and absorbed all the energy from it, pulling the entire blast inside itself. It pulsed with energy as it sizzled the air around it.

“What the….”

The large lizard couldn’t finish his words as a pulse of **** and heat sent him stumbling back, his weapon sent rattling across the floor. He blinked for a second before realizing the gun had been half turned to melted slag. It had been designed to with insane temperatures generated by cutting through a hull. What the hell just melted it in a few seconds?

And how was the android just holding it?

Zac closed a gloved hand over the stone, the sizzling getting louder as it was held. Yet for as much as it sounded like it should be burning through him, it didn’t seem to harm him at all. His fingers gripped the hand sized stone tighter and tighter until a loud crack was heard when his hand finally clasped tightly close. Opening his hand, he showed that the stone was gone.

In its place was what looked to be an emblem of some kind, still gold and with a symbol clearly embalmed on the surface. To Blackfire it looked like a small circle before trailing off into an inverse U symbol with a fading tail. Without missing a beat, Zac slammed the object into the front of his belt which easily locked into place with a loud metallic snap.

“Armor Set!!!” A disembodied electronic voice announced.

“Hen…. Shin.” Came a tiny nearly in audible whisper. With that Zac slammed the lever on the belt, fully locking the buckle into place.

“Armor UP!!!”

The star decals on his outfit shined bright before flying off and moving to display a certain formation. Each star then faded out, replaced by metal equipment that flow back to Zac and slammed into his body. Heavy gauntlets covered his hands, equally thick greaves covered his legs. A heavy chest plate slammed tight over his chest, the symbol from before emblazoned onto the front. Pauldrons covered his shoulders, each one having a beast’s head carved into it. His helmet’s visor flashed gold as extra parts flew and attached themselves to it, making it resemble the creatures on his shoulders.

Most the armor that covered him was gold or yellow in nature, with an orange or reddish hue to the details. The under armor had kept that ‘galaxy' color to it, though the symbol on his chest, the one that had been on the stone, was a bright blazing white like that of star.

“Blazing Courage!!! Leo Armor!!!!” the voice announced again to a stunned bar.

“What the…”

Torde’s choice of curse was cut off when a metal fist was suddenly in his gut, making him double over in pain and confusion. He coughed, trying to keep what he ate earlier down before a back hand quickly sent him sprawling to the floor. But he was a tough cookie and started to shake off the shock of the both the strange event and the hit. For as armored as the android was now, the fucker was fast.

He blinked a few times to focus as he got up before a new strange sound reached his ears. It sounded the same as when the soon to be dead man changed into his combat form. Only with a crackle of energy behind it.

“Starry Blow!” came that digital voice.

The thug was able to get to his feet just in time for another hit. He was ready this time and crossed his armed in an X shape to block just in time to catch the fist coming towards him. The sensation was… different. He felt the fist impact with the same level of **** before but ready this time he took it far easier. That wasn’t the problem or the weird part.

The weird part was the second impact. As if a phantom **** was behind the fist, a heavy burning sensation. Like a melting piece of slag the size of a wall slammed into him. The **** sent Torde flying backwards even braced as he was. His large body flew clear across the bar, crashing through the entry door and sliding a fair distance across the walkway floor outside.

The smaller lizard aliens took a look at the door and then slowly turned their heads back to the armored figure. And just as slowly raised their weapons.

“Gimme five.” Zac said as he put a hand on Blackfire’s shoulder before taking a few steps towards the thugs, cracking his knuckles.

——

“Back. Up. Now.”

Torde pushed himself to a kneeling position as he barked into his ear piece. All his minions stationed around the bar just in case the woman did a runner were starting to head his way. He wasn’t gonna take a chance in dealing with that pleasure droid turned combat monster. No tricks or traps, no digital hacks or anything fancy here. He’d just put as many barrels pointed at it as he could muster and turn it to particles.

And he wasn't going to stop at just his immediate flunkies either. EVERYONE in comm range got a ping to get their ass in gear and get over here. He was going to make a show of what happened when you fucked with him. After all, he had a special meeting later and didn't want to lose face from losing to two randos that blew in from off station.

The worrying sounds of deflected laser fire from inside the bar was worrying though. He spun down his contact list before finding who he wanted.

“Oirs, Your boys in the garage still fixing that turret?” he growled as the call connected.

“Yeah we still fixing it, geeze. Have it done….” a squeeky voice came before the thug cut back in.

“Can it fire?”

“I mean yeah….” came the blurted out response and the start of all that technical jargon behind it only for Torde to cut him off again.

“Giving you a location, updating it if we need to. Get it to me now and I’ll wipe half your debt. Full wipe if it kill this asshole.”

Torde could have sworn he heard the grav lifter peel out over the phone. That should work well enough as a the ace in the hole. Android or not, at his size that turret should still rip him apart. His boss might be a bit ticked but..., well he'd deal with that once his ship docked. For now he had rein over the outfit, and he was going to use what he had to crush this thing now, before anyone else got any ideas.

That done he took a breath and was able to get to his feet with some effort. He hurt like hell, like a grav lifter ran him over. Upside was the blow hadn’t been as damaging as it felt. He could still move his body, nothing felt broken or even burnt. Odd that.

Soon the rest of his gang was in position on the street, a few out in the open while others took cover behind anything they could. Just in time to see the two guys inside get tossed out the open entryway. Their eyes followed the pair who grunted as they landed near Torde's feet before passing out. Looking back upward, he saw the armored figure was at the doorway with the weapons the three thugs had when they entered the bar. Each one smashed or melted in some way to make them useless. The figure dropped them into a pile before it put a foot on the the pile and rotated an arm lazily.

“So. Just putting this out there. Really don't want to fight. I will, but you started it.” Zac announced as he continued to stretch his limb, “But I don’t think you’d just let us walk away…”

“Smart for a tin head.” Torde shot back.

“No, I’m just not entirely stupid.”

Zac hit the lever on the belt again and slammed a glowing fist into the weapons before him, the metal flooring cracking apart. As it shattered the entire slab of flooring started to glow red hot as it started to fold in on itself. The weapons too started to melt away, merging with molten slag below it.

Properly heated, a set of unseen hands started to mold the liquid material. First into a small ball about the size of a head before flatting it out and lengthening it. Smoothed edges started to appear along with a few details as it cool, mainly flames stars and that beast. Zac simply reached out and gripped the finished handle.

The pommel and handle had a detailed design to them. A mix of good and red, with the lion head appearing on the edges. A wide beast maw, large enough to fight something inside, was the design of the pommel. An image of a great beast leaping from flames lined the sides of the sword where the fuller would be. All and all, a fanciful and showy piece of old age weaponry.

Were it not for the size of the blade.

Torde was no stranger to wielding large weapons but this was a tad insane. It must be close to seven feet long. That alone would make it unwieldy but the weight it must have from all the scrap was used to ‘forge it’ would make it even more cumbersome to use. It was less a blade and more a coffee table with a handle.

Then again, the armored figure hefted the massive blunt weapon onto his shoulder without a problem. Even without a sharp edge, getting hit by that blade would just smash through anything in its path.

“Last chance.”

“Light him up.”

Torde took cover as his men opened up on full auto at the figure. Or at least as fast as they could pull up the trigger on their weapons. The merc wasn’t surprised the armored figure didn’t just crumble to dust from the heat, considering what happened with the melts weapon earlier.

It was more the figure just casually took the stone out it’s belt and attached it to the swords pommel. As it was the most natural thing to do. Like all the Fire was just water to it. Torde watched in befuddlement as the man twisted the pummel a few times, each twist adding more swirling energy around the blade.

“Starlight Burst – Leo!” the strange voice shouted.

He dove for an alleyway as the blade was brought down in a diagonal slash.

A wave of red-orange energy flew out from the blade, expanding like a massive cloud of fog. Every goon that was engulfed by the energy cried out as a brief sizzle was heard from each of them. Followed by the clatter of metal and plastic as every held weapon was dropped and hit the floor. Each and every one in varying states of melted junk. Light burns was the only sign of damage from his gang though..., what the hell was this?

Torde’s entire gang had just blown through most of their equipment allowance and didn’t even have a body to show for it…., Wait a body? The lizard blinked a few times as his mind caught up.

“The *}£~*\*] did he go?!?!?” He screamed as he gestured towards the empty space in front of the bar.

“Where are you taking me?!?”

“Anywhere but here!”

The moment he had launched his attack, Zac turned and ran back into the bar, grabbing Blackfire and asking about a way out. The bartender was kind enough to point him out the back, warning it would be a maze of alleys that way. He thanked the man and bailed, Blackfire over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. To say she wasn't happy about this turn of events was an understatement.

“Why? Get back out there and kick their asses! Now, I command it!” She said, her hands hitting the middle of his back as she fought to get some control over him.

Either she was still feeling off or the armor was protecting him a lot better than expected considering her strength. Still, now that she had a problem with him she had energy and was using it to bitch to him about getting back there. Couldn't just get out of this and talk about what happened, noooooo, she had to turn this into another fight. Maybe she was more like his Ex than he wanted to admit...., he wasn't sure who that made worse in that comparison.

“You’re not well and I’m still getting used to this power so I don’t like our odds here without some more info." he explained, keeping his voice even as he ran down the hallways, "Maybe come back when we’re both better and then maybe you can go all '**** for this insult you puny bugs' or something. ..., hang on….,”

He picked up bit of scrap from a garbage pile as he ran before turning a corner and throwing it. A door at the end of the hallway burst open as one of the smaller lizards started to level a weapon down range, only for the scrap to slam into him. Enough to disrupt his aim and send the shots wide.

Which ended up giving Zac enough time to slam both feet into him as he drop kicked through the door. With Blackfire still hanging on for dear life.

A prompt kick sent the thug’s weapon spinning into the face of another goon which let the human pick up his dazed partner on the floor. With a spin, he tossed the lizard into the other, knocking them both the floor and letting him take off off as more goons started to appear around corners.

“How did you…” she started to ask as she watched the lizards chase after them from her vantage point.

“It's the armor, seems to alert me to hostile intentions. I could sense them before they showed. Kinda... hard to describe while running.” He answered as he readjusted his hold on her. She'd slipped a little bit during that whole thing and the last thing he wanted to do was leave her behind..

“Handy. Wonder if your suit is more magic or advanced tech. Or how much it could go for.” Thoughts of replacing her lost wealth by selling this thing drifted in her head. Perhaps she could even get a pleasure vessel to just take a lazy trip back home.

“If you want to think on something; think on a way out. I’m sensing more guys coming. We need a way out.” came the response.

Blackfire thought for a moment with a roll of her eyes. She hadn’t anticipated the gang would be this big or could field this much. How big was the local crime family, or where they...? No matter figuring that out was for later. If they’re this at least this big, going back down the way they came in could cause problems. Maybe they could lock the entryway down; either by ‘request’ or making enough noise to **** a shutdown. No, it would be best to make their own exit… but where…..?

A snap of her fingers signaled to Zac she came up with something.

"Follow my commands minion and we can get out." she said quickly, her voice having her usual sharpness coming back.

Zac did, doing his best to follow the instructions but also keep out of the way of anyone not pointing a gun at him. Much to Blackfire's annoyance of not just going through a crowded market. No sense in getting the civilians tied up in the crossfire. The gang seemed pretty peeved about the two of them and were brazen in taking shots at the pair. His armor protected him and Blackfire shrugged off the few shots that hit her with barely a blemish. But others in the station had to go ducking for cover.

A hero would leap in and fight them in order to save the people just going about their lives. Him? He was more pragmatic than that. He wasn’t sure how many repeated shots his armor could take; or how much damage a fight would cause. No point in saving a handful if he caused way more damage in the process. Best thing to do was get the hell out of here as fast as possible.

As more and more thugs started to converge on him, Zac noted that different races and weapons started to show up. A few he'd seen on the walk inside the station or at the bar; others were new to him. Each one wielding a variety of small arms or longer weapons, a few even tried to take him on with some nasty looking melee weapons or tools, but no 'heavy' weaponry. At least not yet.

“How big of a gang did you piss off?!?” he asked, turning his head as he ran to give Blackfire a glare.

“At this point I don’t think it’s a gang. Probably a syndicate.” Blackfire mumbled as she stared into her wrist device, tapping a few buttons from a panel that had slid open.

“Difference?” Came the question as Zac shoulder tackled a large figure out of the way in order to keep running.

He slid to a stop in a wide hallway, probably used for more vehicle traffic than people. He needed a moment to collect himself before taking off again. On the upside, he didn't feel even the smallest bit tired after all that work.

“Resources.”

“….. so a Syndicate could maybe field a large ship turret?”

“I mean they have entire SHIPS of weapons, stations and even planets. Syndicates can reach to being micro governments in themselves. They can field much more than a turret.” She explained with a huff. Honestly how stupid was this man?

“No I mean…” he grabbed her head and made her look down the wide corridor.

A large truck like vehicle had come to a stop some distance ahead of them. Well it looked like a truck to Zac, only fancier and slicker; also missing wheels, just bobbing on the air as some round half spheres on its undercarriage glowed as it hovered in the air. The main focus was a large almost AA gun looking device in the back. Only with a way more advanced design and a ball of energy forming from the four coiled rods in place of barrels.

“Oh…. They have an Eviscerator cannon.” Blackfire muttered drily.

“Are you kidding me? That’s the name?!?!” he shot back at her.

Zac took off as the weapon fired, narrowly getting into an alley as the energy impacted just behind him. It sounded like several bolts of lightning hitting at once before an intake of air and a 'pop' was heard. He turned his neck just a bit to see a huge scorch mark where he had been. Something that big, he was surprised it didn’t do more damage. Like the entire building should have been blown to bits or disintegrated right?

“How can they use that inside a station! Wouldn’t they blow out a wall and breach the place?” he asked as he took off. He could hear the sound of the vehicle moving, probably turning down a wider pathway to catch up.

“It’s because it’s an Eviscerator they can! It was designed for killing large fauna on foreign planets quickly and effortlessly, as a defense system during first encounters or colony foundation. I mean, some of those new critters are building sized. It just leaves surface burns against anything organic but rips flesh apart easily..., along with several models of androids. Including the one Carm is." came the explanation.

"I suppose they think you to be the pleasure bot I got the techy to reprogram...., hmmm what are your thoughts on a maid outfit?"

“NOT. HELPING!”

Blackfire could hear the eyeballs rolling inside that helmet. Still if they could field something like that, it had to be a Syndicate they were going up against. Lovely. Normally she'd do just a bit of research before cracking heads, even if it was a tiny bit, but... her new ball and chain made her act far more recklessly. And this damn energy too. Why was it flaring up just randomly like this? UGH, she'd have to find some sort of solution to it later.

"Complain to me later about it. Turn here and book it straight." she commanded.

The guidance from her eventually led the pair to a large viewing deck with a few tables set out and a couple market stalls, or at least what looked like them. Clear of any bystanders too. They probably left for shelter when they heard the distant gun fire. He wondered how often this happened as Blackfire slapped his back to get him moving again.

"So what's the actual plan here?" he asked as he heard shouts from behind.

"Well that depends...., do you trust me?"

Now that felt like a loaded question.