Garths Fajarcharp

[Links to both previous episodes of Garth's adventure can be found at the bottom of this story. Please check them out prior if you want to follow along]

Garth felt a sense of deep belonging flood his tall, strong, scaly body. He felt a power within him surge and rise up. Clarity washed over his mind like none before.

The message was clear, get to the Order of the Way, make contact, prove yourself worthy and begin the quest you were destined for.

Garth positioned himself cross-legged on the floor of the cave. He needed to reserve his strength just now and replenish his lost energy. Garth remembered the practice Phylo taught him many years ago.

He steadied his breathing. Focused on the tip of his tail resting between his legs and allowed his mind to relax. Everything went dark, blackness rose up and enshrouded his consciousness. Garth saw himself, sitting crossed-legged, yet floating, suspended in the darkness. He flew above himself and sat there, watching his own body intently.

Garth began to summon the darkness. He allowed it to take his body, so that only his mind remained. He gave to it everything he had in physical form. A faint smile grew across his lips. And then he disappeared too. (Garth is still unaware of the intimate nature of this process, he is young still and has much learning to do).

He came back to his senses in the cave moments later when his consciousness returned to his body. Rejuvenated. Empowered. Garths tall ears picking out strange vibrations coming from across the meteors surface.

A mining droid.

“It’s time to get off this fucking rock” Garth thought to himself. He would sneak up on the droid and hack its mainframe to disable the AI. After that he could pilot it to the closest planetary system and carry on the quest he started.

Garth has incredible sight, and he used this to his advantage to pick out the serial number on the drill of the mining droid.

“B-Class Humanoid LTD OX99” He chuckled to himself, bloody humanoids. Garth knew he would have to approach the droid at speed, this version, in particular, carries a wide range sonar pulse that sends out repeat bursts every 6 seconds. That’s all Garth needs. It is a wonder the pulse hadn’t picked him up yet, he must be just out of range.

He steadies his breathing and begins to climb the craggy rock surface next to the caves entrance for a better advantage point. Claws quietly search for cracks to cling to. Garth is some 15 meters above the droid now and he estimates some 50 meters between them.

His legs tighten up and kick back off the surface as he begins to sprint towards the droid, arms pounding down to propel his massive body across the rock. In just 4 seconds he reaches the droid and dives into the air towards its back.

He smashes into its armor shell and crushes it to the ground. His massive legs and arms pin the droid down as his tail rips open the panel to access the mainframe network. He inserts his tail into the port of the droid and hacks its systems instantaneously.

The droid makes a low buzzing whir and shuts down. Garth clambers over the giant machine and opens the front cover of the unit with his large, clawed fingers.

He contorts his body to fit over the central console units. Droids like this are equipped with a body configuration exam and as Garth slides into the console seat the droid begins a meta-scan. It determines his size and shape accordingly and the holo-plastic chair morphs to suit his physique.

Garth closes down the hatch and seals the inside chamber of the droid unit. In front of him sits an array of colorful panels and holo-screens. He hadn’t used anything holographic for a long time but remembered the simplicity of its design immediately and he quickly managed to navigate his way to the star and planetary systems map.

Garth activated a sub-routine that enabled the autopilot protocol of the AI onboard the droid to activate. He selected the closest planetary system with a stage 1 civilization and the AI created a route for maximum efficiency. He tapped in the commencement procedure and the craft took to the air in an instant. Thankfully, these drones are equipped with a gravity propulsion system, he will get to Nivugrap in a few days.

Garth starts to drift off into memories of the almighty one he saw just days before in the cave. So much power, so much strength. Why did she choose him for this mission? Is he really the person she says he is. Only time will tell.

For now, Garth waits, he reserves his strength. The road ahead is a long one.

Episode One

Episode Two