Suspended a few feet below the sands, Mina waited patiently. A few inches of the drill head peaked above the ground, more than enough to intercept any incoming transmissions. The sands also provided protection from the harmful substances in the air, which the mech's life support wouldn't be able to filtrate. Some parts of Logria was inaccessible to the terraforming engines, and it's toxic. The storm had carried the harmful elements, and contaminated its area of responsibility.
After an hour of fruitlessly waiting, The Mole's reactor lighted up, and its engines whirled to life. It then pulled its drill lower into the ground before it started vibrating and then swam through the sands like it was water. Deep it went - toward the city's ground level.
Mina had already heard earlier that the terraforming engines had left their orbit and was now on their way to cleaning the city. With the good news, it was time for scavenging. She remembered a place that sold meat and vegetables.
After half an hour..
The mech facility erupted in loud praises when Mina returned with a bountiful loot. The era of Dirt Ball was finally over.
Two days later, with rations and morale high, the facility seemed to have made sounds of relief as the weight of the sands was eased from its back. Rays of sunlight pierced through the small gaps, as if signalling that the dark days were over.
Although, most wanted to go up and breath under the sun, they were still not certain if it was safe. They had no way to know. Mina had go out once more and listen to the radio broadcasts. She applied the same tactic, by staying in the sands. This time, however, the plenty of sands that her mech could easily traverse was all but gone. She only needed to tunnel her way for a few meters before she accidentally carved a hole on the street.
"Relief ..ods are being sent to Logria by orbital transports. People are now on the streets.."
Mina had to consider for some time. She might die if not treated early if the surface was still toxic. With the radio sounding too convincing, she activated the drill and dug her way out. As the Mole pushed itself up with both arms against the hard pavement, she was surprised to see people walking together toward a nearby relief shuttle. However, as soon as she surfaced, they bursted out in panic, screaming as they go.
It was as if a huge monster appeared out of nowhere that even the relief shuttle's engine roared - its crew were completely taken by surprise and hastily prepared for take off as if their own lives were at the utmost priority.
The terrified look on their faces made Mina stifle a chuckle. Even though she was a little devil herself, making effort to scare people, this was not the time for childish prank. She opened the cockpit, waved at them, before she drove the mech back to the ground - carrying the good news to her own group.
"YEAH!" Niel jumped in joy and hugged his sister who fiercely fought him off.
The mech specialist loudly declared, "We go out now and see the sun once more!"
Niel led the crowd up the stairs in a fast pace waving a poorly made flag from a torn cloth. Mina could only roll her eyes. She preferred to stay behind instead of joining their silliness. However, when she saw Sy walking up the stairs carrying his luggages, she immediately pursued the man.
As soon as they all exited the facility, a high altitude hover - jammed with many reporters - made its way down. Their presence was completely shadowed by a private space shuttle touching down, followed by another two.
Laira Runerie was hurriedly escorted to one shuttle, while Emma Losac had to be convinced with great effort by a high profiled man.
After Emma and her children was loaded into the shuttle, the man approached Niel. With a firm handshake, he said, "My family is indebted to you many times now."
Niel stared at the man for a second. Just like Emma, the man had bright yellow hair and eyes. Handsome. The mech specialist responded, "No problem, Corvy. It's what a great family would do."
Corvy Losac chuckled. He contemplated for a moment before saying goodbye and adding, "With the coming war, you can count on my father to steer Mina's station away from the most.. dangerous parts." He noticed the woman listening attentively to their conversation, and awkwardly waved a hand, before he made his way to his family's private shuttle.
Niel breathed deeply. He had noticed the 'GT' symbol on the third shuffle even before it landed. A man waited patiently on its extended bridge. With no other thing to occupy his attention, he approached the third shuttle.
Observing from a good view, Mina's brows creased when her brother's expression turned grim. She already knew the outcome. Turning around, the mech pilot took her time to ponder before she regretfully approached Sy, who was a head taller than her when she came face to face with him.
"It seems our date will take place some other time " She said, flashing him a weak smile.
Although dubious to what was happening - Sy was secretly relieved, but joked, "Well.. I don't really know what kind of date you'd take me.. Something thrilling? Something dangerous? You might as well kill me as I would refuse."
Mina giggled. A thing which she rarely did. She turned to follow her brother but not before saying in a commanding voice, "Don't leave Logria."
After a brief argument with his sister, Niel also found the time to speak with Sy when she entered the Green Torch's shuttle. He spoke loudly as the shuttle's engine restarted, "I have a hover bike in my garage. I haven't used it since I left Logria for the mech schools. With your skills, it will be up and running in no time."
"There's an offer I can't refuse. I'll be off-planet for a while. I hope I'd see you when I come back. There's more things we could build. More things to do together." The older man added and waited for the younger man's reply.
"I'll be here. There's no other place I'd rather be." Sy answered.
Niel smiled and patted the younger man's shoulder - handing the remote control of the underground facility, "You take care of my tenants. Within a week, a crew will start upgrading the mech facility. I leave you in charge."
With that, the mech specialist made his way back to the shuttle and entered. It hovered a good few meters above ground before activating its main thrusters. As if without any gravitational resistance, it accelerated into the air and instantly disappeared into the red sky.
Sy was once again.. alone.
He spent most of the day helping the other tenants to clean the residue of dusts that the terraforming engine hadn't managed to clean. They had to wear protective masks and gloves in case it was harmful. When it was almost done, he cleaned his room thoroughly, and once more, spread his blanket on the floor.
After laying for some time, he hurriedly got up.
'I can't be wasting time lying around.'
He went down to his landlord's garage and removed the protective cover of the hover bike. After a brief inspection, he determined that the energy cell was damaged, and some parts were stuffed with sands. He had no money to buy new modules.
Instead, he turned his attention to the mech facility - something he had forgotten to secure. After fabricating needed parts which was his custom design from the replicators and glancing a few times at The Mole - abandoned in the storage room, he climbed up and closed the steel doors.
"Sir, have you received medical attention?" A woman in a protective white suit that covered her entire body, politely asked after seeing the man exit from the underground facility.
"I have not." Sy answered. "There's no need to."
"Sir, it is protocol so you must come and sit with me. You will also receive three days worth of free rations." The woman scolded.
'Oh crap!' Sy mentally cursed. He did not want to waste any time, but still needed the free food.
"Can I at least put these things in the garage?" He motioned to the parts he carried.
With the woman's careful watch, he neatly piled the fabricated parts on a corner of the garage, and then followed the woman in her relief shuttle. She made him sit on an expandable chair, before flashing him with a scanner.
She was shocked after seeing the readings.
"That mech earlier almost frightened me to death!" One of the relief shuttle's crew said.
"I heard from group which followed Niel Fanick that he created the mech out of scrap." Another one added.
"The medias are already showing the footage. Some industrial companies are showing interest if Niel would license it."
"You forget that it was Mina, her sister who piloted it. I had a glimpse of her when she opened the cockpit. She's fuckin' hot! As expected from one of the great families."
"You lie!"
"Yeah. He didn't saw anything!"
"Your imagination is playing with you."
"I saw her!"
Sy listened to the arguing crew, before his attention was drawn to the woman who finally spoke.
"What is your name, sir?"
"Sy Verdin." He answered with slight agitation, "And I don't want to waste more time here."
The woman's face frowned for a second, followed by a smile. She inputted the man's name on her digital log and stated, "If you're grumpy like that, I'll have the pleasure of further wasting your time here."
"Mr. Verdin, my scanner showed me that you have a normal human body with zero modifications, which is rare these days. Although, I can see that there are visual indications of genetic alterations on your hair. I can rightly assume that it is inherent."
Since the woman had made her self clear, Sy had to comply and attentively answered.