My board slowly drifted to a halt as I finished coasting across the desert sand, the hot air beneath my board gently displacing the sand beneath me as I approached the steady glow of the forcefield that made up the outer ring of the city. Its translucent glow shimmering in the heat like some sort of collective mirage, a gathering of all the hopes and dreams lost in the rolling expanse of sand. As I let my board and goggles flow back into the black expanse of my coat, the green hue of the barrier's entrance swam through the air. The faint glow illuminating the sand-colored barrel of an M3 rotary cannon aimed right at my head, five barrels rotating gently as the weapon peaked slightly out of its underground hidey-hole, The metallic cover above it tactfully caked in sand. Its malevolent twin undoubtedly hidden somewhere behind my back mirroring its brother's actions. The lights also illuminated the two asshats I wished least to see anywhere near a position of power. Kareem and Jose, two former members of the gissu ningin. Also known as the Roaming Shadow a search and destroy team during the war responsible for removing enemy assets. They also happened to be my incredibly loose-lipped drinking buddies. As he casually strolled forward a blatant smile of glee decorated the olive tone of Kareem's face. The rough patch of stubble on his chin quivered with anticipation as the swirling red of his robotic left eye zoomed in on my face as he undoubtedly turned on the recording feature. "Unknown entity approaching base, identify yourself unknown entity." As I rolled my eyes at the pettiness of it all I raised my arms in the air the languid rush of the desert air brushing against the skin on my face. "It's me Enam" I stated already knowing the response wasn't going to get me out of this situation. "Code name and rank Ursang we have no recording of any current or former operatives codenamed Enam" Kareem replied the smile on his face growing wider as Jose stumbled unsteadily forwards behind him. A pair of sunglasses concealing his eyes as the pale gray of his metallic arms and legs glistened brightly under the sun. Looks like I'm not the only one dealing with the consequences of last night's binge, considering he was the only one to down a bottle of 80% proofed Haradi it's honestly a miracle he was still standing. "One last time entity, name, and rank" Jose replied as he stumbled forward, his face pale as he silently held back heaves through his determination to be an asshole seemed to be suppressing his need to surrender his breakfast to the desert. Defeated, I let out an aggrieved huff " Former Operative Hummingbird, Rank A5 Reconnaissance specialist" The smiles on the two bastards' faces threatening to spill over into laughter. "We will need your call sign to validate this information, it's protocol sir ". Shithead one said "Protocol" The other echoed smugly behind him as he gave up on his attempts to stand and lazily toppled over into the sand. "I believe that my rank and operating name are enou..", "Sir this is an official order". Kareem managed to choke out as he barely managed to hold it together. For a second all we could do was stare at each other in a silent contest of wills a clash of dreams, ideals, and clear tom fuckery. Finally, I reluctantly pulled my hands down to the sides of my face as I let my palms stick out like wings "Tweet, Tweet" I muttered as I flapped my hands accordingly the action barely coming to an end before the two burst out laughing. Kareem's deep voice nearly vibrating as he doubled over with tears flowing from his good eye, the scar bisecting across his face twitching frantically. Jose being no better was letting loose with a series of uncontrolled giggles, The messy mop of curls that made up his hair stuck to his head in a sweaty mess as he rolled around in the sand like a kid, damn near cackling in satisfaction. As the theatrics continued the cannons locked onto my position slowly retreated back into their hidey holes as the security measures switched off probably linked to Kareem's systems. The shit that happens when your best friend becomes chief of the Ursang. As the laughter gradually ground to a halt Kareem stumbled forward. Wiping the tears from his eye, a grin still pressed on his face as we collapsed hands. "Good to know you're still wasting oxygen Eunuch"." Eunuch that's funny, Last time your mom checked it was working just fine" I replied still annoyed by their antics. "Well I'm guessing it was dark since the only thing you can get up is your thumb." Kareem replied the smirk never leaving his face. So it's a war he wants. "If my thumb is bigger than your head then sure, it only seemed right to leave your family with a somewhat positive legacy". That wiped the smirk off his face. A combative calm spread over Kareem's features as he returned fire "The legacy of a dickless sprinter could never grace the sacred shafts of my family's enormous phalluses I'm sure my mother assumed that she was simply checking the bridge of your nose when you whipped out the nub of your desires". "If the bridge of my no" " WILL YOU TWO SHUT THE FUCK UP UMPHH" Jose screamed his words abruptly cut of as his breakfast sloshed out onto the desert sand, his body shaking intensely as he heaved. With the flow of our glorious duel compromised Kareem and I made our way toward Jose, Careful not to get to close to the growing pool of discharge as we approached his shriveled-up form. The metallic sheen of his arms and legs dampened by a layer of sand as they shook gently, enduring the effort to keep his face from plunging into the refuse. Wait arms shaking under his weight? His Perpetuum designed arms. Something wasn't right. The notion caused me to halt pushing an arm out in front of Kareem as the stream of puke coming out of Jose's mouth turned red. Chunks of red matter join the initially harmless pool of breakfast on the sand. "JOSE" Kareem's voice rang out as he shoved my arm aside quickly making his way to our friend's side the previously gentle tremble of his arms picked up in speed the shift gradual at first the frequency moving in time to the neverending mix of blood and vomit before a few second later his whole body went slack. His metallic arms and legs ensuring that he remained upright even as his mind and body faded in and out. Concerned Kareem knelt next to his friend unperturbed by the pool lapping up to his boots as he placed a palm on Jose's back, his other hand placed gently on his neck as he checked for a stable pulse. My mind spinning with speculations as he continued on with the process. Faulty Tech, vomiting blood, and intense bouts of dizziness. All signs of an illness which should be fucking impossible since the last recorded illness was over a hundred and fifty years ago before the restructuring. "Kareem!" I said my voice ringing with urgency "Get away from him right now". Kareem looked up his eyes widening as the realization of how absurd the current events were tore through the veil of his concern. His palm barely lifting an inch of Jose's back before the smooth silver metal that made up his left arm split open. The metal of the appendage splitting apart rapidly as the smooth steel of a curved blade erupted out through his elbow slicing clean through Kareem's stomach. The cold steel vibrating slightly as drops of blood slowly splattered on the sands beneath. Crimson pearls destined to be lost in time.