5 A "Desolate" Entrance
As soon as Michael saw that face and heard those words, his entire body twisted to find what Carrian had spotted.
And in all its majesty, there it was, a sideways, small panel, covered in sand. Above it, were two massive metal double doors, pressed against each other, airtight, about 3 meters wide and 2 meters tall each.
The scene was strange, to say the least. The sideways double doors were far above Michael's height. In order to reach them, when they were open, he would need Carrian's help...
He looked over at the young man who seemed to be all smiles and friendliness but was all the bit a perverted, strange, and useless person underneath. Michael resolved himself.
'Maybe after I'm up, I can close the doors on him from the inside' Michael thought hopefully.
But there were issues he had overlooked regarding the panel itself. It was broken.
Broken as in, smashed in, "broken".
Michael frowned.
Now everything depended on his ability to fix the damn thing. He could only hope his meager skills were enough.
He walked over to the broken panel and inspected it. It had two tiny, clear plastic squares above a number pad. Michael wondered for a bit about how the Arabic numerals, as well as the english language he was speaking to Carrian in, existed here. This was an "alternate universe" after all.
He also confirmed that this ship: "The Desolate", was probably of human manufacture via the numbering.
If he ever had a chance to talk to a certain "higher-being" again, he would overwhelm them with questions, if that was even possible. He felt that "he" made it clear that Michael's ability to communicate with "him" was not for Michael's convenience.
Anyways, the number pad only made it up to three before it was caved in and torn apart, revealing wires and a bunch of other things. Michael identified all of the components he could see.
He hoped what he did next would work.
"«Repair»" Michael whispered under his breath.
All of a sudden, a flood of information invaded his mind. Arrows were drawn in his sight, depicting the identities of the items and their functions.
'An alternate for identify? Huh?'
But that wasn't all, Michael also felt sudden urges, as if he knew what needed to be done to fix the panel.
Thinking that it was the way to go, he let those urges guide him. It was as if, another force; other than his own, was working to move his arms and guide his fingers. He began weaving through wires with his own small digits, piecing together thin cables and wires in odd and fascinating ways. Connections were made left and right, and before he knew it he had finished.
Michael was amazed and in awe in his heart at what had just transpired. He had done similar things when working in his uncle's shop and fixing his own computer many times. But they had never felt like this.
He had a feeling like he had known what he had just done, but at the same time...he didn't. Michael only realized this when he was left staring at the number pad, which still lacked every other digit.
'Is there even a power source to make this thing work?'
In curiosity, he went from the bottom to the top, punching in all three numbers with his pointer finger, to see if he had done anything at all.
...
When nothing happened, he was disappointed, to say the least.
.
But before he could turn back to Carrian, who was eyeing him strangely, with a glint in his eyes, the air around them started vibrating.
Michael looked up in shock, the two metal slabs; acting as the entrance into the wreck, slowly parted ways, they sent sand from in between, flying outwards in the process.
*Repair Sucessful*
-«Repair»(beginner) Lvl.3 ~ [Level up!]
*Wisdom +1*
* BP-Proficiency ~ [Level up!] *
'BP-Proficiency? '
To Michael, it started to feel like everything only got more complicated as things went along.
'If only I could use «Identify» on stats...'
...
*Wisdom +1*
!?...
'Such an obvious sign...*---sigh---* I must be stupid.'
Michael almost fell to his knees at this act of stupidity that he had been pulling off for the past few minutes. As an avid gamer, this was unforgivable: not exploiting his stats to the fullest. Maybe there was some aspect to these stats that was vital to his knowledge, that he could not afford to ignore at any cost. Or...maybe not.
'It did say «Identify» could display the identity of an object in my view...that includes blue screens and the information on them right?'
Michael tried opening up his status to give it a go.
*Personal Status Overview*
------------------------------
Name: ? (Michael Bonandarte)
Job Description: Scavenger Lvl.1
Species/Race: Uminos-Andii (Human)
Level: 5 (76%)
Health: (36/100)
Stamina: (65/100)
Satiety: 46% (46/100)
AP-Proficiency: Lvl.1 (0%)
BP-Proficiency: Lvl.2 (11%)
------------------------------
Charisma: 4
Physical Proficiency: 5 (+2)
Agility: 5 (+1)
Wisdom: 7 (+4)
Mental Defense: 2 (+1)
Physical Defense: 0
------------------------------
-Additional Stats- -*view*-
He noticed that his "achievements" didn't appear and wondered why? But he was truly grateful in his heart.
'Maybe they have their own overview ?'
.
Michael focussed on the section where "BP-Proficiency" was located, then activated «Identify».
Another screen enlarged itself from the stat. He half expected it not to work.
*BP-Proficiency: Measure of one's ability to control Beta Particles.*
'Beta particles?'
Michael ventured further into the information.
*Beta Particles: Particles residing in one's body, allowing better control over physical and mental activities. Higher proficiency in controlling Beta particles may allow for the acquisition of skills such as: telepathy, mental attacks, and/or inner body strengthening. *
'Telepathy? Body strengthening?...what the hell... This is incredible!!!'
Michael had a big grin on his face that Carrian, who had walked over to look into the dark opening of the airlock, saw as clear as day.
"You look really happy all of a sudden..."
Michael turned to face him.
"Yeah. Just learned something new"
"Really?... What might that be?" Carrian furrowed his brows a little. The young man's inquisitive tone couldn't distort the grin on Michael's face.
"Eh. Nothing much."
Michael paused.
"Say. Carrian...what level can you manipulate Beta Particles at?"
Carrian, who had moved on to observing the airlock once more, froze in place.
"B-Beta Particles!"
'Huh' Michael shifted his eyebrows in confusion at Carrian's stutter.
'Did I just miss something?'
"Where'd you hear that?!" Carrian asked, eyeing Michael up and down vigorously.
The physically 6-year old man she under Carrian's constant gaze. Even as a male, this perverts eyes had gruesome effect.
"Uh...just looking up stuff about anatomy in my 'status' with «Identify»" He tried his best to sound believable.
When Michael finished speaking, Carrian let out a breath of held in air, much to Michael's suprise.
"Whew...Hahaha" Carrian began laughing to himself. It seemed like he was laughing at himself rather than to himself though.
'Strange' Michael thought. He then asked:
"What was that all about?"
.
Carrian returned his eyes to Michael with a light smile. He started to laugh lightly again, before replying.
"Oh. I was just being an idiot, thinking up impossible things..."
'When was this new?'
Carrian's smile grew a tad bit before he continued.
"Seeing as how young you are, I guess its no wonder you don't know..."
Michael squinted but stayed firm for the sake of the info he was about to receive.
"Beta Particles: the ones I'm guessing you just read up about... the ones that allow you to use mind tricks and such..."
If Michael were seated right now, he would be at the edge of his chair.
"...we of the Uminos Andii and the other "less evolved species" simply can't use them"
Michael had his eyes wide open at this revelation, looking back and forth from his still open stats screen and Carrian.
The handsome young man, whom probably thought Michael was still viewing information about the Beta Particles in his anatomy, seemed approving of Michael's reaction. Inside of Michael's head, however, was another story altogether.
'So. Humans here can't use Beta Particles?...then why can I?'
.
Young Michael pondered a bit, and a sudden light bulb blew bright over his head.
'That could be it. That "guy" said I was brought here by his power, and some of it still lingered on me..."
He thought back to his conversation with Thetus.
'...its most likely what gave me those stats, right?' He almost gave off another grin, but that would've surely made Carrian suspicious.
'But if all of that applies to Beta Particles... what the hell is AP-Proficiency? "Alpha Particles"?'
*Wisdom +1*
..
He squinted at his gain in stats blankly, shook his head, then began wondering what Alpha Particle proficiency entailed.
.
But before he could put a coherent thought together, Carrian spoke up.
"It's about to get a lot hotter out here. Mind if we skedaddle up into that fine piece of shade you opened up for us?"
Michael closed his status, which he discovered could be done with a thought and faced the airlock. Seconds later, he turned to face Carrian.
"It's kinda obvious that I'm not reaching that far up" He voiced dreadfully.
Carrian made an amused face, Michael hated it.
"So, need a boost?" The young man said with a smile.
In response, Michael made a face that said:
'What the hell do you think?'
Carrian walked over next to the panel, directly underneath the open airlock. He turned 180 degrees away from the "wall", crouched down low, and offered his hands as footholds for Michael. The bastard had a smile on his face all the way too.
.
'Let's get this over with' Michael grumbled consciously, moving forward.
--------------------------------------
As soon as he was boosted upwards into the dark square opening of the airlock, he looked around to find an access panel to close it once more.
Sadly, he was unsuccessful. Even more so, when Carrian managed to pull himself up after a small jump.
A quick look around and nothing but barren metal wall could be seen.
'Wait a second....aren't we standing on the wall right now?'
He looked down. And there it was...The access panel he was so desperately looking for seconds earlier.
'Damnit!' Michael was tempted to run at the wall, no... - ceiling, and smash his head open.
'*sigh* Fuck it' He decided to stop brooding over it and attempt to take a look down the dark passageway.
There was only pitch black darkness there to occupy his vision for the next half-minute of search. Michael felt stupid for trying to make out shapes in the dark.
He glanced back at Carrian. The "bandit" was fumbling for something in a pouch on his right thigh.
"Ah. There it is." He pulled out a small sphere-looking device.
Then pressing on it in a few odd places, from Michael's point of view, the sphere began to glow an expressive purple. Whatever the device was, Michael guessed its purpose was to simply provide light. Why else would Carrian pull it out in this situation?
Carrian, now holding the purple sphere, faced Michael.
"Think I should go first?" He said, gesturing into the darkness.
"Be my guest" a childish voice responded. Michael didn't want this man behind him in a dark passageway anyhow.
.
A bit after they began walking down the passageway, Carrian's light still revealing nothing as he blabbered nonstop, Michael brought up his status once more.
Michael, as a long-time gamer, and rational person, wasn't about to dismiss AP-Proficiency so easily, especially if it granted him powers like that "higher-being" If Beta particles affected the body and mind, what did Alpha Particles do? External stuff?
He quickly identified the stat.
*AP-Proficiency: Measure if ones ability to control Alpha Particles.
'Guessed that part'
*Alpha Particles: Elusive particles residing in any and all things. Higher proficiency in manipulating Alpha Particles may allow for the acquisition of skills such as: Telekinesis. Objects may be subject to manipulation of their Alpha Particles dependant on their mass (lower AP-Proficiency corresponds to objects with less mass). Ability to manipulate Alpha Particles is also dependant on species: extremely few species have been noted as capable of manipulating Alpha Particles.
*Tip: Level up«Identify for further information»*
...
.
'F-further information...th-that's not all?!'
Michael was quivering in excitement, he felt as if infinite doors were now open to him.
But he came to the realization that if he had these stats, everyone else that Thetus decided to send over probably had them as well.
'It still sounds pretty damn epic and extremely fucking useful though!!!' Michael grinned anyway. Thank goodness Carrian couldn't see his face.
--------------------------------------
As they continued to walk down the seemingly endless pathway (which they both grew suspicious of), Michael wondered how to activate his use of Alpha (AP) and Beta Particles (BP). They weren't a skill, so there shouldn't be a name chant, that left him not knowing if there was some other sort of method.
He didn't get too far into his thoughts, because he and Carrian wandered up to another sideways door, with a panel at the floor, or wall, or whatever. He could also tell it was sealed air-tight despite being a single door.
"You can get this one open too right?" Carrian inquired.
"You'd better hope so"
