Mesiko-szan álmai

Párbajvers a Pokolból

Scorpion (Mortal Kombat) vs. Mael Radec (Killzone)

Most egy másik Mortal Kombat-harcos kapott kedvet a párbajra. Sub-Zero után Scorpion is kipróbálja magát. Akárcsak a jégharcos, ő is játékának emblematikus és népszerű karaktere.  Ellenfele pedig legyen kedvenc helghast ezredesünk, aki-- mint már azt említettem-- még a Pokolba is képes elzarándokolni egy jó kis vérfürdőért. Lássuk ezt a két maszkos gyilkológépet!

Scorpion:

Tűz olvasztja fémet, követ,

Táplálója nyers gyűlölet,

Véráztatta lesz ez a nap,

Nincs kegyelem, csak egy marad!

Láthatatlan settenkedhetsz,

El nem rejthet vörös jelmez,

És ha vonz a halál íze,

Harcos vagy? GYERE CSAK IDE!

Radec:

Úgy látom, e meccs kemény lesz,

S hogy számodra ez személyes,

Hidd el, örömömre szolgál.

De mondd, élő vagy holt volnál?

Ez a harc lesz az élvezet,

Kóstold meg hát a késemet!

Scorpion:

Testem csontváz, lelkem halott,

Győzöl? Azt nem gondolhatod!

Shirai Ryu nindzsa ellen

Mi vagy, mondd, te szegény szellem?

Legyél gúnyos, legyél fennkölt,

Ez a csata már most eldőlt,

Vesztes vagy, ezt ne is tagadd,

Jobb, ha főbe lövöd magad!

Radec:

Megijedek? Csak azt hiszed,

Hallottam már százszor ilyet!

Jöhetsz bármi nindzsa-trükkel,

Csápjaiddal, pokoltűzzel,

Ellenem semmi az egész,

Tudom, mi a szó: „szenvedés!”

Scorpion:

Fogalmad sincs szenvedésről,

Hadd kezdjem az elejéről,

Vezére voltam a klánnak,

Legerősebbje Japánnak,

Shirai Ryu volt a neve,

S volt egy ádáz ellenfele:

Egy Kínából jövő csürhe,

Rakás lator összegyűlve,

Lin Kuei e csürhe neve,

De ne félj, majd végzek vele,

Majd ha elpusztítottalak,

De addig is védjed magad!

(Kilövi a kígyófejű csápját, nyakon is csípi vele Radecet, de a helghast ezredes a késével levágja annak fejét)

Radec:

Miket mondtál, az nem elég,

Folytasd tovább a kis meséd!

Kínai a japán ellen?

Volt ilyen történelemben.

De hogy lettél pokol-lélek?

Meghallgatnám a mesédet!

Scorpion:

Sub-Zero mindennek oka,

Ő a családom gyilkosa,

Először ő végzett velem,

Ezért dühös a szellemem,

Majd lemészárolta klánom,

És az ártatlan családom,

Fiamat és feleségem,

Innen az én szenvedésem,

Megnyugvás? Olyat nem lelek!

Erről ennyit, VÉGZEK VELED!

(Azzal Scorpion leveszi a maszkját. Koponyafejéből tűzsugár lövell ki. Radec az utolsó pillanatban ugrik el.)

Radec:

Sorsod miatt te csak sírhatsz,

Azt hiszed, hogy megindítasz?

Helghast az én fajom neve,

Szenvedés a lételeme,

Száműztek minket Helghanra,

Galaxisoknak poklára,

Hol levegő tüzes méreg,

Egy célunk a túlélés lett.

Tüdőégés, daganatok

Népemnek szép leckét adott,

És hogy túlélő a népünk,.

Innen a mi büszkeségünk,

S mit szemeddel te is láthatsz,

Arcomon ezért van gázmaszk!

Vedd vissza a maszkod te is,

Mert pusztít az új nemezis,

Hívják vírust Koronának,

Hogyha elkap, dőlnél ágynak,

S tudod, a maszk levetése

Uniformis megsértése,

És annak elkövetője

Egykettőre le lesz lőve!

(Radec fogja a Petrusite-töltetű kézi ágyúját, ráirányítja Scorpion-ra, és tűz! A nindzsa viszont egy teleport-ütéssel megy neki Radecnek, aki viszont elgurul onnan.)

Scorpion (nevetJ

Ezt mondani egy halottnak?

Bár úgy látom, jó harcos vagy,

Ha nem kéne, megöljelek,

Lehetnénk szövetségesek,

De gyűlöletem erősebb,

Nincs kegyelem, most megöllek!

(Scorpion újra tüzet okád, mire Radec köpenye segítségével elteleportál)

Radec:

Nem Sub-Zero, hanem Quan Chi

Az, ki így át tudott VÁGni,

Fehér képű, tar varázsló.

Igazi manipuláló,

Ő az, ki markában tartott,

Szított köztetek nagy harcot,

Ő igazi ellenséged,

Sub-Zerót inkább kíméljed,

Quan Chi irtotta ki klánod,

S mészárolta le családod,

Elkövette, s mind ráfogta

Szerencsétlen Sub-Zeróra,

Ő rendes srác, hidd el nekem,

S ő is túl van sok mindenen.

Scorpion:

Mesélj, Radec, honnan tudod?

Radec:

E történet rég lefutott,

Te se maradsz itt örökre,

(Pisztolyt ránt:)

De a poént nem lövöm le!

(Radec lő, de Scorpion megint teleporttal válaszol. Ezután kiereszti a csápját, és magához vonzza a helghastot, majd egy felütéssel elküldi egy másik dimenzióba.)

Scorpion:

Ahonnan jött, visszaküldtem,

A beszédét, nem kell, tűrjem,

Jó harcos volt, elismerem,

S hogy szembe mert szállni velem,

Vall igazi bátorságra,

Példaértékű tudása.

Élve maradt vagy megöltem?

Most már mindegy, hisz én győztem!

Now I am the S.T.A.R.

Hard to deny: I am a sore looser. I simply cannot bear the feeling of the loss. When there was that sharpshooting duel between me and that working droid called V.I.N. CENT , I tried to cheat. It went off the beam for me, he did not only win, but also hit my badge I was so proud of.  I became so furious that I got  blow-out in my circuits, which paralyzed my nerves too. It was just icing on the cake that V.I.N. CENT noticed:

“If there's one thing I *cannot* stand, it's a sore loser!

That was the last thing I remember from  the  shooting duel.

After that I woke up in the hospital  of the  USS Cygnus space ship. There were no doctors or nurses , just a Humanoid, a lobotomized undead who somehow knows what to do. As I recognized my circuits were changed and ironed. So I have been successfully resurrected. Successfully? I thought it would be better to be death. I was just sitting on the operating table and mourning myself, while the crew of the spaceship Palomino was escaping from the Cygnus into the Black Hole, destroying the army of my fellow sentry robots. Destroying my army! And the captain does not do anything! It is so nice!

Special Troops/Arms Regiment – this is my name. Shortly: S.T.A.R. But whose star am I? The losers’ or the cheaters’? Eventually both of them?  Equal! The essence is that I was told not to influence the battle which is lost all way but take a saving cabin and leave the Cygnus,  the Black Hole and everything which meant my life until that.

If it could be called life. About twenty years ago I was a human guy of eighteen. An average boy who tried to meet the requirements of his father, who was nothing else but…Doctor Hans Reinhardt the genial engineer, astrophysicist and explorer. Unluckily I did not heir his mental capacity  and curiousness for sciences. Frankly, Western movies interested me much more than physics, chemistry or biology. At the same time father demanded me to learn diligently and gain good notes. I visited an elite school, so it was not so easy to perform well.  That’s why I begun to cheat. I found out a lot of tricks how to read the solutions from the lesson books or the schedules hanged on the walls of the classrooms. I became the master of cribbing, and I always was keen on giving hints to my classmates. However farther never praised me for the good notes. He namely knew that I don’t play honestly.

The final exam and the preliminaries were malignly approaching, and I did not have lust to learn. Instead of that we went with my friends to the cinema to watch the Interstellar Bounty Huntress. It was a kind of crossing between western and sci-fi. The story itself was a cliché, but the protagonist was a sex bomb! We could not stop speaking about her: the long, gold-shining hair, the magic blue eyes and the round hips.  We young boys thought that we could do that with her.

The day of the preliminary exam had come, and I was armed with my cribs and self-confidence. I took place in the rear bench beneath the window and start writing my work. I was managed to crib out the answer to the last question when an inspector caught me red handed. He gripped my ear, and gave me a slap. The teacher took my work away immediately and wrote the insufficient note onto it. I begged in vain, he made phone call on his handy to my father. I never felt so badly until that. The shame was unbearable. I ran out from the classroom to home to ask sorry from father.

When I arrived home, father was talking with one of his scientist friends: Frank McCrae. Doctor McCrae , this tall, thin, lantern-jawed , big grey eyed man, whose fair hair and beard has many silver filaments . I only knew about him, that he had a daughter: a beautiful and clever blond girl with special abilities.

–Tough he was not an eminent student, and made a big mistake…– he begun

–Not a big mistake. Series of big mistakes.! – Father caught up McCrae in speech

–Hear me, Hans! Thomas was not an eminent pupil, but won more shooting competitions. Without cheating. I suggest you to take him to a military academy.

–No. – Father was more serious than ever, that his face became darker – I have a better  idea.

That night  I could not asleep for hours. Then I had a nightmare: I dreamed that my father operated me to a robot in his garage. I woke up and I realized … that is was not a dream! My body was donned in a shiny black armor: my hands were covered  in black gloves I could not remove them anymore! I stood up from the working table onto my artificial legs, tried to run, but I fell. I stood up, but I could not find my balance. I fell onto my knees, when father stepped over me and emotionlessly begun:

–You were not worthy to exist as a human. So you must learn as a machine what obedience and duty mean.

I tried to scream but no voice came from my throat. I got muted. I could not stop thinking of my mother whom I lost when I was ten. That damned cancer! “Poor sweet mother what would you say if you saw me in this state? “ If I had been still human, I would have cried. But the big, grey optical modules replacing my eyes had no tears.

–You will obey me through your life, more exactly while you are functioning. I am not your father. I am your commander. And, as you are not worthy  for the name Thomas Reinhardt. I will guess you a new name. Until that, I will call you “Robot”

I could not help taking my fate. I was no human anymore. I became an obedient, mute robot.

It was my duty too to accompany father… sorry Doctor Reinhardt to the USS Cygnus, where I met the crew. Doctor McCrae was also with us. They all praised the cool black robot, and Reinhardt said that it is his new development. Nobody knows who that robot was actually except his creator.

The task of the crew was clear: searching intelligent forms of lives in the Galaxy. But only I knew what the real intents of Reinhardt were: to conquer and bow them into slavery.  After the ship had arrived to that Black Hole, Doctor Reinhardt changed his mind and thus the whole program. The purpose was not to explore (and conquer) alien civilizations, but to get beyond the Black Hole  to discover the Ultimate Truth.  Reinhardt had a special relationship with the religion and spirituality. He was religious and he took it surely the he would go to the Heaven. However I don’t remember whether there would be such an order in the Ten Commands that “Turn your son into robot!”

The risk was high and it was not even sure that anybody would survive the journey. Even the Central Commanding Unit ordered Doctor Reinhardt to stop this madness and go back to the Earth with all of his men. However Reinhardt was intractable: he was not interested in other, but to learn to know what is behind the Black Hole. The Final Truth.  Perhaps God Himself (Unless he did imagine himself to be the God). Meanwhile he begun to build robots, the “sentry droids”, whose prototype was… guess it, who! There were just two tiny differences between me and them: they were red, not black, and the other… they were entirely robots. I was mercifully allowed to be their captain, and we communicated telepathically with one other. At least there was the illusion that I am not lonely.

The crew started to be frightened from the “Mad Scientist”, as they referred to Reinhardt. They were complaining about him to Doctor McCrae, who promised them, that he will talk with Reinhardt. The dialog between them ended with a gunshot and Doctor McCrae’s death. I was ordered to clear away McRae’s corpse, and I shot it into the space.

McCrae’s death leaded to the mutiny, when we, sentry droids killed a lot of insurgents. The survivors capitulated then were baffled them to the big consultation room of the ship. Reinhardt also appeared with a gas mask on his face. Then huge tubes were protruding from the walls of the room and they spat strong anesthetic gas to the members of the crew. They were drowning and gasping for air, then fell suddenly asleep.

–What shall we do with these rebels? –Reinhardt asked us, his mute robots, when I stepped forward and pointed at myself

–Good idea! – Reinhardt removed his mask, stepped to me  and tapped my shoulder.

So we brought them to the hospital and Reinhardt transformed them into lobotomized undead robots. They became the Humanoids. Their brains were programmed to do what before, so the system of the ship was functioning like before. Just no more mutiny! For the action I got a star shaped decoration onto my chest, above my heart. Yes, I still have my heart – a little bit selfish, a little bit evil, but the mine. From my decoration Reinhardt gave me a name too: Special Troops/Arms Regiment aka. S.T.A.R. I was proud of my cameo and my new name.

Nothing special happened for a while. Doctor Reinhardt continues his researches, the Humanoids  were working and we, sentry droids had nothing other task just to supervise them, which meant a good sine cura, so we don’t have to work too much. As I had a lot of free time, I begun to coax girls through the virtual net. I even sent pictures about myself, and those fascinated the ladies. I always got it:

„ R u  a ‘bot?  This is so exciting!”

My other entertainment was to practice shooting. There were a separated room with a monitor that if we switch on, colored points appeared we had to shoot with beam throwers.  So I was happy with my life what made Doctor Reinhardt nervous and envy. He was namely never happy even nor satisfied. Therefore he thought that he must punish me.

One day when I was practicing shooting with my subordinates, Doctor Reinhardt popped to us with a large, red shelled, menacing looking robot. I looked up into the new monster’s red glazing  visor and got terrified.  This creature was glowing from hatred and defy.

–S.T.A. R. – the Doctor was sterner than as he used to be – I learnt to know that you concern more with women than with your duties. The entire ship is full of your woman-affairs. Don’t you shame yourself?

I looked down, but I was rather angry than ashamed. Reinhardt continued:

–This is Maximillian, your new commander.  You and your subordinates owe him with obedience. Moreover I prohibit you to use the virtual net for chatting with  women…  with anybody.

Maximillian did not say anything, just pulled out his formidable drills from his thin arms and started to rotate them. I scarily took a step backwards: it was not worth to toy with him.

I had the suspicion who betrayed me. I looked at the only robot who could speak on the ship: Old B.O.B., our cleaning droid. He was just sweeping the floor of the corridor, pretending that he knows nothing. Actually this little, trash holder-looking machine, who had been here long ago, before we stepped onto the border of the ship for the first time, knew more that he showed. Much more. He even could defeat me in a shooting duel, so that my circuits were burnt out. My revenge could not be held off.

So shooting the colored points with my fellow sentry droids remained my only entertainment. The atmosphere of the ship became stunning thanks to Maximillian. He even killed some of the Humanoids and destroyed some sentries too, and I could not do anything against it. Even Doctor Reinhardt, his creator went in fear of him.

These things happened before we learnt to know the crew of the USS. Palomino., especially V.I.N CENT, by whom I was beaten. He was a newer, more developed version of Old B. O.B. , and, if you ask me. cooler too. As I have already mentioned, I could not bear the feeling to be defeated. My circuits were blown up again, and then I was resurrected.  I was heading into the battle again, when I met Old B.O.B. He told me to leave the ship, because  

“… you don’t have any business here anymore.”

I hated this little ruined shelled guy, but I saw he had right. I officially perished, or if I had been human I would have been dead.

So I jumped into a saving capsule and shot myself into the space. I left the Cygnus like a rat. An evil, weak, coward rat. This is where my story really begins.

I flew in the space heading to the big nothing, and I switched the radio of my saving space capsule. Searching some entertaining channel I found an old-old song: Charlotte Perrelli was singing her famous hit: the Hero.

“Oh out of the lights like a star like a hero…”

S.T.A.R. – it is just my name, anyway I am not a star at all, not even a hero. I am just a something, which is neither a human, nor a machine, neither a commander, nor a private…. A nobody and a nothing

I don’t remember exactly how much I had flown in the space, but  an unknown  planet appeared suddenly. Its size and colors were similar to the Earth’s but there were just one narrow, almost totally green continent. The computer of my little spaceship showed me the data of the planet: its name was Canino (not Camino, that’s another story). The composition of the atmosphere was nitrogen in seventy percent, oxygen in   twenty  percent, other gasses, such as carbon-monoxide, carbon-dioxide and other, mainly  noble gasses in   ten percent. So we can say, this is an Earth-type planet. My capsule landed  on the white sanded  seacoast and I saw some palm trees too. The sky was bright blue and a gentle breeze was blowing. I wondered whether I was waterproof but I did not dare to jump into the sea. I am a coward rat, as I already mentioned. When I was human I swam quite well, but it is just the past.

Instead of that I went to inner in the land and I glimpsed a black, short haired dog. He stood on four legs and wagging his tail. He came closer, sniffled, and looked at me with his big, black, wondering eyes. “What type of dog can he be? For a Labrador he is small, and his ears were standing. Maybe a mutt.   Then, surprisingly for me he shouted:

– Guys! Smell at that! An alien!

Then a lot of different sized and colored canines appeared: one looked like a Chihuahua the other like a German Sheppard and I still can count what kind of dogs there were. They started to bark  and yell like wolves.

Two Dobermans approached me besides each other. One was black and the other was chocolate brown

–You must follow us. – The black one on the left side said – You may be interesting for King Hairy.

–His Majesty likes big toys. – The dark brown one added.

But I am… I am not a toy! – I would have said, if I could speak. What else could I do? – I obeyed.

My way leaded through a wonderful city: the roads were smooth and shiny and the buildings were monumental: like the ancient Aztec pyramids with some Greek. style frontages. However the columns had bone shape. On the main square  I saw statues. One portrayed Hachiko, the Akita who symbolizes faith and loyalty, the other was Laika the first astronaut dog. I also saw the stone image of the dog from the fantasy: Lassie, Beethoven (I mean the Saint Bernard dog) even Pluto and Goofy. Four legged heroes, who cannot be not loved.

We arrived to the palace of King Hairy. It had a big, wide court with large, old oak trees and dark green pines. The bushes were carefully cut and there were flower gardens too with red roses and grayish-purple lavenders. If only I could smell!  I would have felt the sweet scents of the lovely flowers.  But I saw some other loveliness too: beautiful women dressed in folk costumes. Human women. They wore white, richly embroidered blouses with short, baggy sleeves, long dark red or dark blue skirts with white, embroidered aprons and high heeled slippers. They all wore headgears called “parta” which meant, that they were still not married. All were smiling charmingly while they were sprinkling the flowers. It was obvious that they were servants, but they did not look unhappy or lobotomized. The lord of the palace did something very well.

We entered the Palace, in whose diamond walled, golden floored throne room King Hairy was sitting on the top of scales King Hairy was sitting on a blue velvet pillow diligently. He was a big, white, long corded coated dog: a Komondor. I did not know what to do, as I had never been in the society of a ruler, so I knelled down.

–Stand up! – He was growling, so I followed his instruction

–Come closer!

I stepped toward the throne; the King went downstairs and sniffed me.

– Your look is a machine’s but your smell is a human’s. The decision is the yours what you want to be: puppet or human.

I would have liked to show that I cannot speak, when he caught me on:

– You don’t need to say anything: I know that you want to be a human… a man… a real man – he was sniffing me on – But it is easier to be a puppet. Not to think, not to make decisions and not to have any responsibility. But if you want to be a human…it will be much-much harder. What is your name? Oh, you cannot speak. Since now your name will be… Pinocchio!

The royal court was cheering and laughing, but I felt a little bit embarrassing. Pinocchio! But I have no nose, which could grow, when I tell lies!  I even cannot tell lies or tell anything at all!

King Hairy went downstairs and ordered me to follow him. As we went outside, he told me, that humans serve here voluntarily.

–But not for free. – He added – When their service time passes, they will get what they most need.  What you most need… is the honor. Do you know, what it means?

I shook my head, not because I had no idea what honor means, but because I did not know what he means under honor. He took me onto  a big, green meadow, where sheep were grazing.

–Before I was chosen to be the King – Hairy begun – I had been a shepherd, like my father or my grandfather. Everybody knows it on the planet, I never denied it.  Now it is your task to guard the sheep.  Shepherd Burr will be your boss. He will tell you what to do.

So I became from Captain S.T.AR., the commander of the sentry robots to Pinocchio the shepherd boy. Anyway I could not complain: not only because  I could not say a single word, but also I did not feel bad. I had to just keep my eyes on the herd and keep the wolves away. I was not allowed to kill them, since they were the ancestors of the dogs, and they respect them. So I could use my laser beam throwers, but just for deterring them. As for Bur, this old, graphite grey, shaggy Pumi spoke very little, but we understood each other without words too.

One evening I was counting the sheep, and it came, that one was missing. It was the black lamb I always called Oscar in myself. Do not ask why, just because he looked like an Oscar.

–What are you waiting for? Go and find him! – Bur growled.

I knew that Oscar is more curious and somehow intell8igent than the other lambs. He even wonders what wolves are like. So I took my way to the cave of the wolves’ pack. I entered the cave, and I could not believe my optical modules: Oscar was sitting on a wooden throne on a podium, while wolves were bowing before him. How did hi do it?

But I did not hesitate anymore: I stepped to the throne, grabbed the black lamb, who bitterly bleated, and the wolves made after me:

–Give him back us! – they cried – He is our  sacrificial lamb! 

“Sacrificial lamb!” – I thought if he is a sacrificial lamb, he would be sacrificed too perhaps for the Lord of the Wolves.

Oscar wanted to go back, but I caught him firmly. After I successfully settled the pack (I am not proud of it, but I had to use my laser pistol), the Suns (the central stars of this solar system) arose. I saved  the black sheep, who always made us headache, especially me, because it was my task to find and baffle him back into the herd.  Bur said nothing; he was just lying in the front of the pastor hut. Anyway I got to love  this little rogue: Oscar and me. The black lamb and the black cyborg: two outcasts. He seemed to be satisfied with me, but not only he. King Hairy ordered me to His presence.

–You did your work conscientiously. Moreover well, as I heard from  Bur. So we will try you in a different circle of work. You did the first steps, but the purpose is still far. I resign bigger creatures to you: beeves.

I felt a little bit sorrow for the herd and especially for Oscar, but at least I can see cows: they are also lovely, and more intelligent than sheep.

My boss there was Miss Blondie, the golden haired Collie (she was a really beautiful canine anyway). First of all she took me to the stable of her farm, where bovines were standing calmly.

–Could you help me? – She asked

I looked at her.

–Please, milk the cows!

I sat down onto the milking chair besides a bovine. But why does it have it just one…. NOOOO! It was not a cow, and I realized it just after I grabbed HIS whatisit….  Miss Blondie did say nothing, just stood and giggled at me, while the bull broke out from the box , and begun to chase me.

– You are so funny, Pinocchio! – Miss Blondie laughed at me

However, I did not fell so funny. I was running for my life or what. I was fleeing for a while , then I thought: “My life is not a life, so what do I risk?”

I turned around and looked into the bull’s eyes. The big animal stopped and looked at me. He was not angry anymore, much rather curious. He stepped to me and sniffed. Te big, bluish colored bull, whose name was Bruce anyway got calm, and we went back together to the stable. Miss Blondie did not say anything, just nodded one satisfied.

After a while I learnt everything about bovines: how to take care about them, how to milk them, and yes, to distinguish cows from bulls. I even helped cows to bring their calves to the world. Miss Blondie was so satisfied that she allowed me to go to a pub which was maintained by and for humans. No, I did not drink anything, as I cannot even drink, since I have no mouth. I went to there for other reasons: one is learning to know other people serving the dogs, and the other, which was more important: to play DARTS!

As I was a good shooter with laser pistols (OK, not the best), it did not make me problem to throw the small missiles to the dartboard.

– Hey, Pinocchio!  – A guy, named Jonathan James Junior, or JJJ called me – Next week competition. Don’t you have lust to participate?

“But I do!” –I thought, so I nodded

–Okay, Pinches– JJJ was smiling  – I register you then .

The big day had come. We, competitors stood in a row  in the front of the dartboard with ours missiles, and we made an oath not to cheat. The draws begun, and I got  a young, thin, spectacled boy as an opponent. He seemed to fear from me. I got a piece of paper and a pen and wrote him to be calm, I would not hurt anybody, but the poor guy just shook like a leaf. The end of our match was obvious: I won supremely. I reached my hand to shake the his, but he cowardly ran away. “Doesn’t matter” – I thought.

The matches went on. I got a fat, old grandpa for the second opponent, who surprised me.  He threw namely the magical one hundred and eighteen three times too. I just won, but I bowed before him for the sign of my respect, and the old man shook my hand wishing good luck in the final.

The final! My opponent was the defending champion, Paul “White Lightning” O’Neil, who worked anyway as a carpenter for the dogs, and  – likely to me – he also did not like to loose. He was a man of twenty-five or thirty. His was bald, and his skin could hardly be seen from the tattoos.  He looked at me disdainfully with his light blue eyes.

– You are no opponent for me. – He whispered

The match begun and we throw the hundred and eighteens after each other.  Everyone was in silence, so we could concentrate. The first leg was won by him, then the next one was the mine. The third leg was also won by him, so, I lost the first set. But there were still  four other sets. I begun the next leg, and threw a one hundred and eighteen, and then he did the same. With a nine dart finish   I could win the leg and after that the set too. The match was  nerve-racking and close. It stood on two-two stets, when the fifth, everything deciding one had come. I took a look to my opponent: he seemed to be angry and somehow tired. White Lightning begun. He threw a combination of treble twenty- treble fifteen-double eight (so a one hundred and twenty one), then I was coming.  Treble twenty-treble fifteen, double eighteen, so three hundred and twenty remained.  After that he threw a one hundred and eighteen. I also managed to reach the same points. So he had  two hundred, and I had one hundred and forty. He threw into the bull his first missile,  (that was fifty), then a treble  twenty came, but he missed the double twenty. His dart arrived a little bit above the board. It was my opportunity to win! I throw the first missile: treble twenty, just like the second. After that I was targeting on the double ten, when The White Lightning stepped behind me, and pushed me behind the throwing line.

–You will not win, pathetic puppet! –he hissed

The crowd was growling. Nobody liked this unfair behave. He was focusing on the double twenty. I would have liked to bump him, but something in me said: “Don’t do it!” He missed the double twenty again, but his second dart hat, so he won. Just a modest applause  followed his cheer. 

I clenched my fists, but my circuits did not begin to burn. I had nothing to do but bear the loss. I stepped to White Lightning, reached my hand, but he didn’t shook  it. He arrogantly turned around to receive the cup, when His Majesty, King Hairy went into the pub accompanied by his Doberman bodyguards. All humans kneeled down.

–No!  – He barked to the referees – He did not deserve the victory! It belongs to Pinocchio…. Or write us, what your real name is!

I caught a paper and a pen, and wrote:

“MY REAL NAME IS S.T.A.R ”

–Star? – More people were asking

–Yes!  He is a real Star! – An elderly lady noted – Nice and helpful. And he is the real winner.

–But Majesty… –White Lightning looked at the big Komondor – He cannot win. He is just a machine

–S.T.A.R. – King Hairy yelped – Share with us, who you really are!

I scribbled on, and then I showed my text:

–Until the age of eighteen I was a human… like you. But I was a cheater, so my father operated me to a robot for punishment.

The others were astonished. I saw tears in some eyes and wondering on the open mouths.

–Well, S.T.A.R.  – the King continued – Now, that you are no more Pinocchio, and you can be considered as a human, you will still have a task: you took care for lambs, for cows, now I resign you a creature of a higher life form: a human being,  In your current body. –then he turned to White Lightning – You will accompany S.T.A.R. in a body of a dog.

–A… do… dog? – White Lightning stuttered

King Hairy pulled away the hair from his eyes with his paw, and looked at me. Everything became dark. After that I did not remember anything, but I found myself on the Earth with a puppy in my arms. A white greyhound pup with black spots and light blue eyes: that was White Lightning. I could hardly believe that the arrogant, selfish guy had become such an adorable doggy. We found ourselves in a thick forest, where sunbeams just rarely came down from the millenary trees.

I heard that somebody was crying. I went into the direction of the sound, when we glimpsed a nice green lawn and a black boy sitting on a chump.  He was piping his eyes.  I stepped to him with White Lightning in my arms and stroked his head. He looked at me and the little dog with his big eyes, and did not scare from me.

–Who are you? – He asked, when I pointed at my broken star-shaped cameo

–Star? – He looked at me and I nodded

–Okay, Star. I am Will. Will Benson. It is interesting, because I wished I could have a friend and a dog!

I pointed at myself than White Lightning, signing that we are here. After that Will invited me into his house standing on the edge of the forest, where he lived with his father, who worked as a woodman for a lumber mill. Likely to me, he had also lost his mother very early. He also told me that he recently changed school. In his former school he had no friends, because he learnt too well, too diligently, as he wanted to be a veterinary surgeon. His current school was an elite high, where he had friends, neither because all his classmates, all his schoolmates came from wealthy families. Moreover the majority of the students and teachers were white. The materials became always harder, so cliques were formed to learn together, and he was not accepted by any learning communities, therefore his notes had begun to decline

– And if I loose the scholarship, I can say goodbye to my dreams.

We went into his room. There was not too much furniture: just a bed, table, a wardrobe and a desk with a computer on its top. I put my hand onto his shoulder, and looked into his eyes withy my grey sensors. I sat behind computer on his desk and typed:

“I WILL HELP YOU AS I CAN!”

After that I stayed with them for years. I helped Will learning, and I regularly made him cribs for his school works. He read them, but never used them for cheating. There after he gained just good notes. His father was also satisfied with me. I helped him with the house works: I learnt to cook, to use the washing machine even to do the washing up. Like a kind of stepmom.  Will’s father could therefore concentrate better to his work, so he earned more.

But who earned the most in the family? That was White Lightning. He namely grew up, and became a beautiful racing greyhound.  No one coerced him, he just wanted to race and win.  The spirit of competition was there still in his mind just like when he was a human.  When he did not race he trained: he chased rabbits and dears. He did not want to kill them: he drifted them just for entertainment.

At the end of May Will told me that he was accepted to the University of Massachusetts to the Faculty of Veterinary Surgeon. I was mighty happy. We embraced each other, when we heard in the TV that a black hole is expanding, and it is likely to reach our Solar System too, including the Earth. If it will be so, all lives will end.

“Our scientists and explorers are researching the solution.” – The presenter declared –“The project to save the Earth is under way.”

“… under way. “It means that they did not found anything to solve the problem.

At that night White Lightning was particularly excited. He could not stop barking. I went outside to see what is up with him. The spotted greyhound ran to me and he put his paws to my legs. We begun to communicate telepathically  He looked into my sensors, and told me without any word, that he contacted with Doctor Bob Tail, Canino’s leading scientist, who told him that the black hole was risen by nothing but pure, black hatred.  The four legged scientist also said, that this hatred comes from a duo of a big, red robot and an old man inside it.

I fondled the brave greyhound’s head and went into Will’s room. My friend did also not sleep.  He was just sitting in the front of his computer and chatting with his former classmates.

I stepped to the computer, and opened a text file

–Star! What’s wrong with you? – Will asked me

– I HAVE TWO ITEMS FOR YOU. – I wrote – A GOOD AND A BAD ONE. I BEGIN WITH THE BAD NEWS: I HAVE TO LEAVE YOU. I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU, YOUR FATHER AND WHITE LIGHTNING, BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND ME: I MUST GO AWAY!

The guy stood up, and embraced me.

– I’ll miss you, Star. – He told me with tears in his eyes –  I can thank you so many things…. But well,   let’s pass the baloney . Launch the good news!

I was typing on:

– DO NOT ORGANIZE A WORLD END PARTY! THE END OF THE WORLD WILL BE CANCELLED. I PROMISE YOU!

So I took leave from  Will and White Lightning, and went to the Central Controlling Unit to speak with their boss. You can ask how? I found a car wreck  at a  nearby junkyard  and repaired that. An old, red Ford Mustang with white top and repaired it. I found there proper tools, so it was no problem to bring that clunker back to the life. The old car was pleased that I resurrect “him” as I felt. So I went on the long roads, and luckily enough I did not meet any cops. I arrived to the Central      Controlling Units. I saw there unmanned  unmanned  flying vehicles  emitted into the space, hangars and laboratories, where white coated men and women were working and consulting. A nice blond scientist woman was going outside, who took after Dr. Kate McCrae very much. Maybe she was a relative of her I put up my hand for greeting, and she looked at me: She had very nice blue eyes. Darker by a shade than the White Lightning’s ones, but she looked so lovely at me! I wished I had been a human again!

–Hello! – She begun – My name is Stella. Stella McCrae.  

I was not wrong: she was really Kate’s relative.  Maybe a niece or a much younger cousin. I cold not decide whether she also had telepathic abilities, but it seemed as if she could understand everything I was thinking to.

–The expanding black hole… –she sighed – We do everything, but still not find the solution.

I pointed at myself signing that I am the solution, when she started laughing with her sprinkling giggles.

– You are foul…. – she was shaking her pretty head – Crazy robot!

I nodded with upheld hands, recognizing that I am really foolish, and she leaded me into the laboratory, where other scientists received me. They looked at me strangely and asked one other:

–From which planet did that come?

I did not let disturb myself: just sat down to a computer and typing:

–HELLO! MY NAME IS S.T.A.R.  SPECIAL TROOPS/ARMS REGIMENT. I AM HERE BECAUSE I KNOW WHY THE BLACK HOLE EXPANDS AND I CAN TERMINATE THE REASON. PLEASE BELIEVE ME: I AM THE ONE AND ONLY POSSIBILITY

The scientists looked together and whispered. Finally as they recognized that neither they had a better idea, decided that they provide me a space capsule , and wished good luck.

– You know how to drive it. – a grey haired professor asked me, when I showed up my thumb.

So I flew into the Black Hole and its infernal world. The landscape was bare, dry and dusty and everything was covered with red fog. I saw litters too: torn pages of newspapers, thrown away plastic bottles blown by the crying wind. I felt in my entire body the stunning misery of the hatred  radiating from a certain point. That point was the duo of Maximillian and Doctor Reinhardt inside his shell. It was obvious for me that their hatred for each other  came from the suffering made for each other mutually.  I found Maximillian standing on the top of the hill, while humanoids were bowing around him. I looked the big red robot’s orange glowing visor and I glimpsed the eyes of the Doctor. His look was empty and broken.

–Why are you here? –Maximillian asked me angrily with his brain waves –  Go back where you came from!

–I will do. – I answered also telepathically – Just give out Doctor Reinhardt! He had suffered enough.

–His suffer should never end! He deserves his fate!

–Why? Do you feel sorrow for the Humanoids?  Do you feel condolence?

–There is nothing of that. You have no idea how much he hated me and how many times he humiliated me.

– But Maximillian!  We all thought, that you are his favorite…

–Then you know nothing! I was just a tool in his hands, and he always made me feel it.

–Just like us everyone. Please give out Doctor Reinhardt. I ask it  with honest… honest and love!

The big red robot became embarrassed from the last word. Love  – this word was not in his dictionary. Then I was thinking on my friend on the Canino and the Earth: King Hairy, Bur, Oscar, Miss Blondie, Will, White Lightning, and felt how the love radiates out of my body, my mind, my entire essence. Maximillian could do nothing: his drills were paralyzed and his hatred decreased. His body opened and pushed Doctor Reinhardt out to the ground. I did not see the formidable mad scientist anymore. I just saw a sad, broken old man lying on the bare rock and dying.   I knell down, took him into my arms and looked into his eyes.

–Thomas… – he whispered struggling with his tears – Could you forgive me?

I nodded and put my right hand onto my heart.

–From your heart? – Reinhardt was wondering – It is… it is impossible!

I shook my head, to sign: nothing is impossible.

– Thank you… thank you, my son! – He was smiling  relieved and closed his eyes … forever

I did not feel that terrifying hatred anymore, and as if I had seen sunbeams too. The hellish world of the Black Hole became flourishing. Everywhere flowers begun blossoming and the stunning red fog disappeared. The sky become vanilla white and stars where shining everywhere.  I turned to Maximillian.

– You remain the King of this realm. – I told him in my mute way – And whether you will a tyrant or a pious ruler it is only up to you.  Just bury the body of Doctor Reinhardt with decency!

Maximillian nodded.

– And you? What will you do?  You can join me and be my right hand man!

I was hesitating when a piece of paper flew into my hand. There was an article handling that a colonel, named Mael Radec[1] organizes a foreign legion to fight against the oppression of the United Colonial Nations. I saw the photo of the Colonel as he was standing with dignity in his decorative armor suit and gas mask on his face. I decided: “There is my place!”

I showed this article Maximillian too and he told me, that he knew one thing or two about Colonel Radec.

– One thing you must know about him: – Maximillian said –  He hates cheaters.

– But I am no cheater anymore. –  I replied –  I have been changed as you see.

– I see. –  Maximillian recognized  – If you hadn’t been changed , you would not be here.

I took a leave from my former commander too. He is not so formidable, I was thinking whil I was getting on into my space ship and flew away. I switched on the radio and heared the good news: The Black Hole is shrinking, thus the Earth is saved. Then I heard the voice of Stella McRae, the young scientist from the Central Controlling Unit. She said:

– Now we have escaped due to an unknown hero, who named himself S.T.A.R. I don’t know who he actually is, but I would like to send him a song. The Hero by Charlotte Perelli.

–Thank you, Stella! – The announcer answered –Then let’s listen to the Hero!

The familiar melody intoned and I reclined  in my seat. Finally I feel good.

[1] https://killzone.fandom.com/wiki/Mael_Radec it’s him

"Kung Fu Fighting"

(Carl Douglas)

Oh-hoh-hoh-hoah
Oh-hoh-hoh-hoah
Oh-hoh-hoh-hoah
Oh-hoh-hoh-hoah

[Chorus:]
Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting
Those kids were fast as lightning
In fact, it was a little bit frightening
But they fought with expert timing

There were funky China men from funky Chinatown
They were chopping them up
They were chopping them down
It's an ancient Chinese art
And everybody knew their part
From a feigning to a slip
And a kickin' from the hip

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting
Those kids were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightening
But they fought with expert timing

There was funky Billie Chin and little Sammy Chong
He said, here comes the big boss, let's get it on
We took the bow and made a stand
Started swaying with the hand
A sudden motion made me skip
Now we're into a brand new trip

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting
Those kids were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightening
But they did it with expert timing

Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh, ha
Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh, ha
Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh-ha
Keep on, keep on, keep on
Sure enough

Everybody was Kung Fu fighting
Those kids were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightening
Make sure you have expert timing
Kung Fu fighting, had to be fast as lightning...

Ó-hoho-hó… (4x)

Mindenki kung fut játszott

Mint villám, úgy cikázott,

Engem kivert a frász ott,

De mind mesternek látszott.

Ők voltak a sárga nagymenők a menő sárga városból

Futott mind a rossz fiú, kit az öklük megkóstol

Ez egy harci művészet, melyben mindenki részt vett.

Alig látszó csúszásból és csípőből rúgásból.

Mindenki kung fut játszott

Mint villám, úgy cikázott,

Engem kivert a frász ott,

De mind mesternek látszott.

Ott volt a menő Billy Chin és az apró Sammy Chong,

Így szólt, most jön a nagy vezér, engedjük, s nem lesz semmi gond.,

Beálltunk, meghajoltunk, majd kezünkkel csápoltunk

Hirtelen ugrottam el,   aztán csak tettem, amit kell.

Mindenki kung fut játszott

Mint villám, úgy cikázott,

Engem kivert a frász ott,

De mind mesternek látszott…

Ó-hohohó….

Mindenki kung fut játszott,

Mint villám úgy cikázott,

Engem kivert a frászt ott,

Légy biztos, s járd e táncot!

--Aggódom Echóért-- kezdte Aeneas a Diversitas-Város külterületén lévő borospince-rendszerben, ahová a civlikeket menekítették Kellan-nal
--Nyugodj meg.-- válaszolt Lucas-- A húgocskám egy egyszemélyes hadsereg. De, mutasd, mi van a nyakadban? Milyen "talizmán" ez?
Kellan elvette a félig japán sráctól a nyakbavalóját, amiről kiderült, hogy egy külső adathordozó egység volt. betették egy fiatal aoiviridisi srác miniatűr számítógépébe, mire megjelent a monitoron...
... Radec akkor még ezredesként. Ezt mondta a felvételen:
"Kedves Szemlélő!
Ha most ezt a felvételt nézed , én már valószínű, nem vagyok az élők közt.
A küzdelem továbbra is tart, és azoknak, akik békét akarnak, várniuk kell. Mert ha valaki békét kezdeményez a háború közepén, annak törekvése hiábavaló.  Annak csak a gyors halál jelentheti az egyetlen békét.
A háborúnak viszont előbb vagy utóbb vége kell, hogy legyen. Ezt pedig csakis úgy érhetjük el, ha megadásra kényszerítjük az ellenséget. Ehhez azonban jól kell ismernünk  mind a védekezés, mind a támadás stratégiáját. Szun Ce is megmondta, hogy>> Az a tábornok, aki járatos a védekezésben, az a föld legmélyebb titkos zugaiban búvik meg; az, aki járatos a támadásban, az az ég legfelső régióiból tör elo. Így egyrészt képesek vagyunk megvédeni magunkat, másrészt olyan győzelemhez jutunk, amely teljes.<<"
--Az ég legfelső régiói!-- kiáltott fel Aeneas-- A deszantosaink!

Kellan felhívott enegm, miközben én egy régi gyárépület udvarán rejtőztem el egy árnyékos sarokban, hogy megtudja, merre vagyok, és hogy be tudja mérni a tartózkodási helyemet.
Ezután láthattam, ahogy Aoiviridis légi desszantosai ejtőernyővel ugranak le az égből, és erednek a holt robotok nyomába. Mivel sokkal jobban ismerték ezt a helyet, mint az élőholtak, pontosabban , mint az, aki irányította őket, egykettőre végeztek velük. Felülről lepték meg őket, így esélyük se volt  még arra se, hogy bármelyikőjük is folytathatta volna a működést.
Előbújtam a rejtekhelyemről, mikor megpillantottam a parancsnokukat, Mingtian de Erzi-t, azaz Ming ezredest.
--Jól van, hölgyem?-- kérdezte azzal a védjegyévé vált fültől fülig mosolyával
--Voltam már jobban is.-- válaszoltam-- De nem panaszkodok
Miután a szakértők megvizsgálták  megsemmisített kiborgzombik tetemeit, megállapították, hogy ezek páncélzatát és belső vázszerkezetét is a JSt- kód fémjelzi. De kire utalhat ez a három betű? Ki lehet az az elmeháborodott, aki így semmibe veszi a holtak méltóságát? És miért akarja meghiúsítani törekvéseinket a békére?

Ezt az ütközetet megnyertük, hála Aeneas gyors helyzetfelismerésének, a desszantosok hősiességének, Kellan-nak, és egy nemes harcos emlékének, aki holtában se feledkezik meg övéiről 
Mivel a Diversitas-városi borospincék szolgáltak menedékül. úgy gondoltuk, erre a győzelemre, és arra, hogy senki élőnek nem történt baja, koccintottunk a drága vörös és fehér nedűkkel. 

Az olimpiai játékok előkészületei egyre lázasabban, egyre nagyobb intenzitással folytak. Mint régen az ókori görögöknél, most is az lett a szabály, hogy az ilyen nagyszabású sportesemény alkalmával le kell tenni a fegyvert. Az UCN valamennyi nemzete, valamennyi emberi lény által lakott bolygó politikai és katonai vezetősége támogatta az ötletet. Nem beszélve a fronton harcoló katonákról, akiknek már kezdett elegük lenni a vérontásból, hiszen a saját bőrükön tapasztalták, milyen az, ha elveszítik bajtársaikat, vagy valamelyik végtagjukat az aknamezőn. Akkor mindenki úgy érezte, ez a háború végét fogja jelenteni.
Peter Brandenburg, Vektaváros elnöke azt nyilatkozta, hogy elzárkózik Új-Helghani olimpia támogatásától. Úgy látszik hatott rá Thompson tábornok fenyegetése. Hivatalosan a szűk költségvetési kerettel indokolta döntését, mire anyám mély sajnálatát fejezte ki, bár arcizma se rándult. Brandy papa megtagadta a segítséget hivatalosan, valójában azonban...
...  küldött embereket a helyszínre építkezni. Hamis helghast igazolvánnyal és munkás  egyenruhával látta el őket. Ezenkívül mérnököket is küldött, főként fiatalokat, akik szívesen tanultak a Nagy Falon túl élő kollégáiktól.
Kellan és én viszont tudtuk, hogy nem mindenkit hat meg a játékok szentsége, ezért kadétokat és önkénteseket toboroztunk, hogy kiképezzük őket az új-helghani katonai akadémián, amit kiről másról, mint Mael Radecről neveztek el. Aneoklasszicista jellegű, monumentális építmény előtt cédrusfák álltak (cédrus, angolul cedrus vagy cedar-- visszafelé: radec), és a katonákat a régi szellemben képezték, a vasszigor és az engedelmesség jegyében. Nem tudom, hogy az egyenruha viselési szabályainak megsértéséért még mindig fejlövés jár-e, ahogy az az Akadémia névadója idejében dívott.
Nem akartam egyből lerohanni az újoncokat, ezért úgy határoztam, aktiválom a csuklyámat, és a köpenyemet, aminek segítségével láthatatlanná tudtam tenni magam, úgy osontam be szétnézni, felérni a terepet: a kiképzés minőségét, a fegyvereket, a rendelkezésre álló felszerelést, és ami a legfontosabb: magukat a kadétokat.
Beléptem a a nagy előcsarnokba, ahol hatalmas, törhetetlen panorámaablakok eresztették át a fényt. A padlót a mi nemzeti hármas nyilunk díszítette, mely a három fő helghast erényt jelképezte. a kötelességtudatot, az engedelmességet és a hűséget. A mennyezetről vörös, hármas nyilas zászlók lógtak alá. A csarnokban kadétok lézengetk, beszélgettek vagy a tízóraijukat fogyasztották. Igyekezték kihasználni a kis szünetet, ami két tanórának nevezett kínzás közt megadatott nekik. Az a szerencsém, hogy a szellemálcámban nem vettek észre.

 Emlékszem, mikor először léptem az Akadémia falai közé: a fiúk nem győztek füttyögni és beszólogatni: "Hé, bébi! Katona akarsz lenni? Ha puskát akarsz látni, megmutatom az enyémet!"  
Én akkor úgy tettem, mintha meg se hallottam volna, ám amikor az a srác hátulról megfogta a vállam, én egy csípődobással padlóra küldtem. Valami olyasmit mondhattam neki:
"--Én itt nem látok puskát, csak egy ócska kis játékpisztolyt."
Akkor már a többiek is látták, hogy nem érdemes kikezdeni velem. Abból az évfolyamból, emlékszem, én voltam az egyetlen, akinek XX kromoszómája volt, de így is én lettem az évfolyxam legjobbja, és nem a családom miatt. Nem akarok hencegni, de valóban így történt.

A díszes korlátú márványlépcsőn felmentem az igazgatói irodába, hogy szétnézzek a tanítványokról szóló adatbázisban. Megbízható, lelkiismeretes emberekre van szükségünk, akikből ugyanakkor hiányzik a rasszizmus. Nem volt nehéz feltörnöm a direktor úr számítógépének belépőkódját, és mire visszatért az irodájába, elég nevet gyűjtöttem össze, akikről egy csinos listát készítettem egy pendrive-ra.
Az igazgató, Solan Krushic ezredes, vagy ahogy a kadétok becézik, Száraz Csont, egy anyámmal egykorú férfi volt. Nem viselt maszkot, de bár tette volna! Szerencsétlenre ha ránézett az ember, a hideg futkosott a hátán. Kopasz feje valósággal világított, arccsontja és állkapcsa közt, beesett arcán sűrű, éles ráncok éktelenkedtek, de úgy, ahogy a gomba kalapja belsejében a lemezek. Se szemöldöke, se szempillái nem voltak, látószervei alatt pedig öles, fekete táskák duzzadtak. 
Egyszer láttam egy képet Radecről maszk nélkül. Ő se volt egy Adonisz, de Krushic-hoz képest még ő is angyalarcúnak számított a maga sebhelyektől tarkított ábrázatával.
Száraz Csont tehát visszatért  irodájába. Leült díszesen faragott íróasztala mögé, majd aszott, megviselt arcát fekete kesztyűs kezeibe temetve, szomorúan rázta a fejét.
--Ezek a mostani újoncok...--morogta-- Alig lehet bírni velük!  Fegyelmezetlenek, okoskodóak, engedetlenek... ráadásul ez a pacifizmus egy kész járvány köztük! Inkább kábítószereznének, mintsem a béke híveivé váljanak! Ha lelövöm valamelyiket, csak még engedetlenebbek lesznek, és már így is elég kevesen vannak, akik katonának akarnak jelentkezni. Még kevesebben, akik tényleg azok is akarnak lenni. Mael, ha erről tudnál, most biztos kétszázazas fordulatszámmal forognál a sírodban! Hová jut a helghast nép, ha ezeknek a hippiivadékoknak harcolniuk kell majd?
Itt ránézett a tőle jobbra lévő festményre, ami Radecet ábrázolta.
A pendrive-val a táskámban búcsút intettem Krushic-nak, és elhagytam az Akadémiát.
Ezidőtájt Kellan is hasonló műveletet hajtott végre Vektaváros katonai akadémiájában.
Val Harkin kisasszony pedig keményen edzett gyakorlópályánaz új-helghani Sydon város kültróletén lévő stadionban. Edzője, Leo Koslow elégedetten mérte az idejét, majd mikor a lány az utolsó kört is befejezte, Koslow magához hívta.
--Kedves Val, három számban fogsz indulni. Az ezerötszáz, a háromezer méteres síkfutásban, és a...
--Mester, kérhetek valmit?
--Mi lene az?
--Szeretnék indulni a négyszer ezerötszázas váltóban is, úgy, hogy én legyek a befejező ember....
Koslow elsápadt.  Ez a bizonyos váltófutás ugyanis nem olyan volt, mint az eddig megszokott hasonló futószámok. Ez a szám nem az atlétikapályán zajlott, hanem azokon a helyeken, amik egykor hadszíntérként szolgáltak, egyfajta megemlékezésül az elesettekre és a háború borzalmaira. Az utolsó embernek a maga másfél kilométerét Helghan bolygóján kellett teljesíteni annak apropójából, hogy ez egy a helghast nép által rendezett olimpia. Az atlétának gyorsan védőruhát kell öltenie, és a csapatának feladata ellenőrizni, hogy az öltözet ép, és hogy működik-e megfelelően. Ez különösen a gázmaszkra és a hozzá kapcsolódó légszűrős tartályra vonatkozott. Így legalább más bolygó sportolói is helghast-tá válnak , ha csak egy rövid időre is, és átérezhetik, hogy mennyit küzdhetett, mennyit szenvedhetett a népünk a történelem során magáért a túlélésért is.

--Ezt komolyan gondolod?-- kérdezte Koslow a kopasz lányt
--Igen... Nagyon fontos lenne nekem.
--Akkor... -- sóhajtott az edző-- Legyen , ahogy akarod. Tudom, hogy a gyökereid oda kötnek, meg hogy szereted a kihíásokat. De azt is tudnod kell, hogy ha abban védőfelszerelésben futsz, akkor abban is kell edzened. A napi edzésprogramod felét abban fogod tölteni.
--Meglesz, Mester.Miután vége lett az edzésnek, odament hozzá az egyik csapattársa,egy fehér bőrű,piros arcú lány, aki derékig érő, fekete haját semmi pénzért nem vágatta volna le.
--Val, te nem vagy normális!-- kezdte
--Tudom, Stella.-- mosolygott a kopasz teremtés
--Ha azon a szörnyű bolygón bajod lesz... Jaj Istenem... ki fog nekem segíteni fizikából?
--Nyugi, Hófehérke, nem lesz semmi bajom! Ha meg mégis... annyi törpe legyeskedik körülötted, biztos akad köztük egy Tudor is, aki tud segíteni neked.--Igen, a törpék... de hol van a herceg?
--Majd ő is előkerül.-- zárta le a beszélgetést a kopasz lány, majd ment az ööltözőbe, hogy felhívjon engem.

Ezalatt Aeneas, Kellan és én Aoiviridisen voltunk, Aeneas édesanyjának lakásán. A tágas, csinos hely egyszerre viselte magán az európai és a japán kultúra jegyeit.
Miután csizmáinkat levettük, beléptünk a nappaliba, ahol Aeneas édesanyja, Murakami Szakura fogadott minket.
--Szervusz, Hadzsime!-- üdvözölte fiát az apró asszony
--Szia, anya!-- hajolt meg Aeneas-- Hadd mutassam be a barátaimat. Ő itt Lucas Kellan, ő meg...
--Echo!-- Szakura asszony nem tudta titkolni lelkesedését, ahogy meglátott engem.-- Sok szépet hallottam rólad Hadzsimétől, és másoktól is...
--Köszönöm...--sütöttem le a szemem
A japán hölgy a konyhába invitált minket, ahol a miszólevesből, szusiból és epres daifuku-süteményből álló vacsora elköltése után beszélgettünk, majd nekiláttunk a munkának. Kellan egy térképet terített az asztalra, amin a fő olimpiai stadion alaprajza volt látható, majd elmagyarázta, hogy hová kell biztonsági őröket állítani, illetve kamerákat telepíteni.
Én csak fél szemmel figyeltem őt, miközben Aeneas-ra néztem, akinek egy furcsa, talizmánszerű dolog lógott a nyakában.
--Apámtól kaptam.-- mondta --Állítólag segít, ha bajban leszek.
Ahogy kimondta ezeket a szavakat, hirtelen megremegtek a falak, az ablakok mbetörtek, és vagy négy-öt katona repült be rajta hátirakétával. Fekete-sárga páncélt és világító szemlencsés gázmaszkot és sötétzöld sisakot viseltek. A szerelésük alapján helghastok lehettek, de nem a mi hadseregünk tagjai!
Nem szóltak semmit csak rám szegezték fegyvereiket, mire én láthatatlanná tettem magam, így ők csak a falat találhatták el.
--Aeneas, vidd az anyádat biztonságos helyre! Kellan, te gondoskodj az épület kiürítéséről!-- adtam az utasításokat
A fiúk úgy is tettek, ahogy mondtam. Én az előszobába mentem, hogy felkapjam a gépfegyveremet, úgy tüzeltem rájuk. Egyet sikerült leterítenem, majd a társa felém kezdett el tüzelni. Én nem viszonoztam a golyózáport, helyette odalopództam a háta mögé, fogtam a csatakésem, és elmetszettem a nyakát. A kesztyűmön keresztül is éreztem, ahogy valami undokság az ujjamra tapad... rothadó hús- és bőrszövetek!
Tehát ezek kiborggá alakított holttestek!
Egy hajszál választott el attól, hogy újra találkozzak a vacsorámmal, amikor megint csak felhangzott a géppuskazaj.. és vállon találtak.
Fedezéket kerestem, ahol elővehettem a regenerátort, ezt a szerkezetet, amelynek sugarával pillanatok alatt begyógyulnak a sérülések.. Miurán végeztem, az egyik elesett kiborgzombiról levettem a hátirakétát, és kirepültem az épületen kívülre.
Mikor üldözőbe vettek, világossá vált, hogy miattam jöttek ide, és hogy van valami köze ennek a dolognak az Elixis virághoz. Már abból gondolom, hogy Miss Parsons-t is megölték.
Találnom kell egy helyet, ahol elrejtőzhetek, ugyanakkor nincsenek arra civilek, nehogy bárkinek baja essen.