Fenris Perrywinkle: The Great Galactic Duel
Chapter 17: Watch where you point those things, Lady!

“What are you up to, Fenris?” Jenn asks as I step out of her spacecraft.

I brush the blood from my nose before turning to answer her. “I’ve got to put a stop to this, Jenn. All of it. It’s just not right – the barbaric duel, the unfair odds, the exploitation… all of it.”

“But…” she starts a thought, then takes a deep breath and turns back to the ship’s glowing console. “I have to leave now if I’m going to be on time to kill your girlfriend. I can’t be here with you right now.”

I have to wonder what someone would think if they just started reading this account right now. What an odd conversation.

“You don’t have to do this,” I offer. “If you don’t show up, the people of Everbright will win by default and finally get the chance to reproduce.”

A deep look of sadness washes over the beautiful blonde’s face. “Yes, and Amanda’s father will pay the price. She wants this. She wants to sacrifice herself to save him. I don’t like this any more than you do, but I also have a responsibility to the people of Deepdarc.”

I mirror the sad look on her face. “And you also want the other woman in my life to die so you can have me all to yourself?”

A little glint flashes in her eye for a moment. “Actually… I want to stand beside Amanda and hear you choose me over her. I want to see the look on her face when you do it. I want her to know that you want me, and not her. That’s what I want. The whole killing her thing kind of robs me of that pleasure, actually.”

I’m not entirely sure what to say to that. Women are so catty.

“So, if you’re going to do something… do it fast. I’ll come back for you after it’s done.”

The side door of Jenn’s space craft slides shut. A moment later, the craft lifts into space and fades from view.

“If you are ready, the center will see you now, Fenris Perrywinkle.”

I turn and give the mechanical being a nod.

It bows and begins hovering down a metal pathway which disappears into an archway. The landing pad seems like it’s barely attached to the rest of the structure. There’s no sky or anything, we appear to simply be floating in space. Odd that I’m able to breathe without any apparent atmosphere. Strange things are afoot.

Walking through the archway, I’m surprised to replace an entire civilization of mechanical beings busily buzzing about. They appear to be building and maintaining the space city - which sprawls out as far as the eye can see.

Most curious is what they’re using as building material. Off in the distance is a large blob of… I’m not even sure. Energy? Matter? It seems to be a mixture of the two. Regardless, thousands of pipes are draining whatever it is into large mobile machines. These machines appear to be refining the material and producing solid bricks of whatever the blob cloud is. Then I guess everything else, including the mechanical beings, are made out of that material. Fascinating.

“The Center will see you now,” my mechanical guide repeats, as if to urge me along.

I nod absentmindedly as I continue to take in my surroundings.

We walk and walk and walk and walk. I swear there is no end to this structure. It’s like I’m walking on the Death Star or something. Do you understand what I’m saying? This place is enormous!

“The Center will—“

“Yeah, yeah I get it. I’m coming, I’m coming.” I guess these robot guys aren’t that advanced. They’re starting to remind me of my two year old niece.

I replace myself standing in front of what looks like a metal mountain. It reflects the starlight all around us giving it a magical look and feel.

My mechanical guide raises its long arms above its head. “You have reached… the center.”

I glance around. I guess I’m supposed to go inside the mountain thing. “Well alrighty then. Thank you for showing me the—“. The mechanical being suddenly falls apart. Like… nuts, bolts, panels, circuits… the whole nine yards. It just falls into a heap of parts and cloth before my eyes. Then another robot thing comes along and sweeps it into a bin and tosses my guide’s white and gold garments on my head. I swear to you, I couldn’t make this stuff up.

“Welcome to the center,” the other robot thing tones as it floats away.

I watch as it disappears from sight, then look back to the metal mountain in front of me. I have no idea what to do next, so I shrug and put on my guide’s robes. The loose, flowing garments are very airy and comfortable. I catch a reflection of myself in the side of the mountain. I actually look pretty good in this getup.

There are no visible doors, but at this point, I’m used to that. Everything is seamless in outer space for some reason.

I walk along the base of the mountain while running my fingers along its smooth surface and whispering “Open up, open up.” I’m guessing it’s going to read my thoughts or something like everything else does.

After about ten minutes of this, however, my tune starts to change a little.

“Open up, dammit!” I shout and kick the solid metal structure. The muted ‘donk’ sound my kick makes doesn’t make me feel very manly. I was hoping it would sound like a gong or something.

“Why are you kicking that mass of matter, human?”

The soft voice from behind me catches me off guard and makes me jump a little. I cough and compose myself a little before turning around. I totally meant to do that. I’m going to pretend it’s an earth custom to yelp before answering someone for the first time.

I’m not prepared for what I see. A metallic female figure with human features has… assembled? …itself from out of the ground behind me.

“You thought I was inside the mass, didn’t you?” it asks with a chuckle.

I feel both dumb and dumbfounded at the same time. “What are you?” I ask.

The robotic female chuckles again. “I am what you seek, silly Fenris. I am Center.”

Center disassembles… or dissolves… or whatever back into the ground and… reassembles? …grows? …solidifies? …beside me. “You have come to seek my wisdom regarding the Everbright / Deepdarc civilizations, haven’t you? Speak, human. Ask your questions.”

I feel very uncomfortable right now. I wasn’t prepared for this; that and I’m a little bit afraid that Center’s pointy metal boobs are going to accidentally poke my eyes out.

“How… how do you know what I’m here to ask?” I stammer.

She chuckles once again. There’s nothing robotic about her voice – it’s soft and soothing, like the soft coo of a dove. “I am one with the galactic interface, silly Fenris. I know all.”

Oh. Of course she is. How did I not see that coming?

I clear my throat and try to sound sure of myself. “How can I stop the Everbright / Deepdarc conflict without causing a galactic war?”

Center grabs me and pulls me in for a hug. I’m very aware of where her pointy metal bits are. “You seek for peace? What a wonderful creature you are! Center is so happy to have met you!”

She disappears into the ground and reappears on the other side of me. She gives me another painful hug. “You must seek for unity. Only then can peace visit their civilization.”

I hope she doesn’t notice me rolling my eyes as I’m crashed against her metallic form.

“Yes, yes, very good, but how do I achieve unity with them? I need ideas.”

The robot woman holds me by the shoulders at arm’s length. “Merge their symbols of hope into one, of course. When two become one, unity is achieved.”

I’m starting to feel like this was a wasted trip.

“Can you be a little more specific, please? I don’t think I’m understanding what you’re saying.”

“Two must become one. Both must become united. Unity must be. Do you understand now?” she asks.

I take a breath. No sense getting angry with a machine. “I don’t understand how to make two into one. Please explain.”

Center dissolves into the ground and a pedestal appears in her place. A small box with intricate circuitry sits atop the pedestal. “Use this.” Her voice seems to come from every direction.

I pick up the box and turn it over in my hands. “Okay, thank you, Center. One more question: what do I do with this? How does it work?”

Walls start to grow out of the ground and form all around me. “I’ll explain on the way. You have a duel to interrupt.”

Before I can say anything else, I’m enclosed in what I can only assume is some sort of capsule. I can’t see anything outside – there are no windows or anything. There are probably a dozen or so learning lights hitting me right now. My brain feels like it’s being scrambled!

At some point I guess I blacked out because the next thing I know, the Center ‘pod’ is dissolving all around me. I look around in a daze. My surroundings are familiar somehow, but I’m still too groggy for it to register.

I stumble forward a little, feeling like I might vomit. I suddenly feel one thousand percent better when a certain gorgeous brunette comes running over to me.

“Fenris!” Amanda shouts. “Oh my sweet Fenris! I was so sure that I would never see you again after you got on that ship with Jennifer!”

She picks me up off the ground and swings me around a few times. Before I can say hello, her lips are sealed to mine and her fingers are running through my hair. I’m at her mercy for what seems like several glorious minutes. Her lips finally leave mine with a loud pop. My vision clears to the point that I can detect tears running down her face.

I wipe one away with my thumb. It’s quickly replaced by another.

“This is goodbye, my love,” she whispers. “Would you think me a terrible person if I confessed to considering trying to win anyway and letting my deadbeat father die? I’m a terrible person, aren’t I? It’s alright. I deserve what I’m about to get. All those months lying to you like I did. It’s unforgivable and I hate myself for it!”

I can feel the sincerity of her words. Maybe I was too hasty in thinking that she wasn’t my Amanda any longer. She continues to blubber about the mistakes she’s made and how she doesn’t feel like she can live with them. I put an end to it by re-sealing our lips together again.

Another few minutes pass. Another loud pop sound signals the end of our lip-lock. She’s calmed down a little bit.

“Thank you,” Amanda whispers. “I’m going to go let your fiancé beat me to death now. Please remember me for the good I tried to—“

I cover her mouth with my hand and shake my head. “That’s not going to happen, Amanda. I’ve got a plan.”

“You’b gob um blam?” she mumbles through my fingers.

I nod just ask the crowd pops inside the stadium. I can barely make out the muffled voice of Philander Jefferson making the pre-duel announcement.

Amanda pulls away with a pained look on her face. “I’m sorry, it’s time. I have to go and face the blonde now. Do you really have a plan? Do I not have to let her win?”

I vigorously nod as she becomes airborne. “Yes, I do. No, do not throw the fight. Fight her like you mean it. The more time you two can give me, the better!”

She nods and disappears into the darkness of the Everbright stadium intake. A moment later, the crowd pops again – presumably because she’s made her appearance.

I look down at the curious cube lying at my feet. I rub my temples a little to try and sort the massive information dump I experienced on the trip back here. I pick up the cube and squint a little.

“Okay, Center. I’m ready. God help us all if this doesn’t work.”

The cube begins to unfold and wrap metallic ribbons all around my body.