Chapter 7: Sold

'I have asked you once, and I don't like repeats. What is going on?' RG leaned in closer and made her point clear, this time with even less patience then before as she drew her Aquarian blade, 'Were you part of them? Were you trying to get the energy core off me?'

'No!' Zel shook his head violentlywhile remaining in that coiled up position and trying to manage the pain still, 'Listen, I have this strange technology within me. I can control it freely, and it helps me go in and out of a pocket dimensions that exist in parallel with the real dimension.

'It doesn't look like you can control it freely.' RG remarked.

'I overused it on my way to this station. Like using a strained muscle, it hurts like a...'

'Ah, so that's what.' RG returned the blade back into a hidden compartment in her arms before reaching her hand and helped Zel up onto his feet, 'I appreciate you saving me, but the energy core is important. We need to go back.'

That's when the light flashes and the Aquarian knocked themselves clean out with their own weapons.

'You know what...let's stay here for a while.' Seeing what happens, RG realized that being absent from the room isn't too bad an idea. There would have been a lot of explaining both of them needed to do if the riot droids found them with a room and corridor full of dead Aquarians.

'Yeah, need a breather.' Zel lets out a long breath before sitting down on the ground again, 'you know, I don't trust anybody, but somehow, I feel like...'

'I can open up with you.' RG completed Zel's sentence, 'like we have met before. That's what you were going to say.'

Zel didn't say anything, as his mind flowed towards the faint hope that she is still alive. Is RG her? It couldn't have been. RG's peak was when she was on the ship with him! And she wasn't a cyborg by any means. However, she was from the thieve's guild, so perhaps RG has heard of her?

'Listen, I appreciate you saving me. I will offer you whatever outstanding sum we got for the auction.' RG said as she walked towards the energy core, stretching the pocket dimension they are in a little bit, 'though it looked like the damage is gonna knock away a few thousand credits.'

'I am not in it for the money. Not really anymore.' Zel shook his head. He hesitated for a moment, then asked, 'I have a question. It's about someone from my past, and I am wondering if you had any idea.'

RG conitnued to examine the energy core the best she can and said, 'You may ask away, and I will answer it with whatever's in my database the best I can.'

Zel nodded lightly as looked towards RG, thought for a moment in search of the right wording before speaking up, 'The reason I came back here, was to find out more about someone from my past. She was part of a pirate crew that I was on when I was small, and she was a part of the guild of thieves.'

'There are a lot of females registered in the guild of thieves.' RG said, 'more specific information is required for me to find anything meaningful in the guild files.'

'The thing is, I don't know much else. I know she died roughly ten years ago in when my ship was attacked and blew up. The captain of the ship commanded her to go back for the cargo while they are under attack, and she never came back.'

RG stood still for a moment as if she is pondering Zel's words. However, she is simply accessing her data base. Then, a list of a hundred registered female human thieves that died ten years ago in space were reproduced. RG turned around and pointed her arms at Zel, transmitting the separated data file.

'This is all that I can find.' RG said, 'you will have to dig through the rest of the data.'

'Thanks.' Zel said, and sat back.

They continued to wait in the pocket dimension while the riot droids began looking through one room at a time and inspecting all of the sellers for possession of weapons. Right as that is going on, RG continued to inspect the energy core from multiple directions and Zel begin looking through the files.

The names are organizde in alphabetical order, and each one came with a mug shot attached. But as Zel scrolled through each and every one of them, none of them looked remotely like her.

The process of digging through data took an incredibly long time to the point that Zel didn't even realized the riot droids have already inspected and cleared out all of the corpses in their old room until RG talked to him.

'Let's get out of here.' RG said, as the screens on the TV showed that it's almost term for the energy core to get auctioned. Zel nodded knowingly and released the pocket domain. The pain was much less compared when he was activating the artifact, but he still made a mental note to really precisely control the size of the pocket domain as to minimize the pain and maximize the utility of it.

The conveyor began moving the slightly damaged energy core right as the two exited the pocket domain. As it disappeared into the wall, both RG and Zel's focus are turned to the TV, and with consideration to Zel, she turned on the audio too.

'The next item on the menu, is an energy core. The specifications are read as follows: This energy core can form a major part of a acceleration gate, power station, or a deadly weapon capable of planet level destruction. Such levels of energy is already hidden within the core itself at this very moment.' The Aquarian host said right as the energy core is raised up to the surface level in the arena.

'Meaning that it could blow up at any moment, hahaha I hope that's just hyperbole.' The human host interjected dryly, and unsettling murmurs began to spread form within the crowd. If such levels of energy is stored within this tiny device, if it blows, the entire station will be obliterated in an instant.

Zel looked towards RG nervously, who shrugged her shoulders.

'The true value of this energy core lies in its stability and containing mechanisms. The scanned blue prints will be distributed.' The host continued on. In order to make sure the technology presented in this bid isn't a scam, the mutual third party have already performed a full scan of each of the product before they were presented. Then, the technology specialist for all of the rich bidders can perform a quick assessment to make sure that everything is as they say.

'I have never seen this kind of technology before!' One technology specialist for an Aquarian gang leader shook her head at the blueprint, 'this sort of thing shouldn't be technically possible.'

More specialists agreed with her sentiment, and voices of complaint of foul play began to echo around the arena before sounds of booing started echoing throughout.

'Oooh wait, there is a new message sent from the seller: There are gun damage to the energy core as someone tried to take it by force just now, you are free to perform any measurements you wish to make sure that your non-obliteration isn't pure luck.' The human host interrupted the booing concert with another announcement, and his voice sounded even more nervous.

The crowded became quiet once again as specialists from each of the bidder scrambled to their feet, each holding a measurement device descending the stairs. Some of the bigger gangs can afford actual scientific devices while the others could only bring about rudimentary assembly of circuits and parts. As tens of specialists gathered around the device, they reached an agreement before performing the measurements despite serving different masters that the blueprints simply don't make any scientific sense. Then, they got into an orderly queue and started working through each segment of the device, performing power measurements at each key junction separately.

Ao Kong is an Aquarian technology specialist intern at the medium sized gang of Aqua Raiders. He is young, and freshly graduated from the Aquaria Institute of Advanced Technology with pass. He couldn't find a job at any of the big firms in the settled regions, and came to the wild regions by accident as he fell for one of those scam job applications. But to be honest, the treatments here actually isn't that bad. The 'post' that he is filling in has just been opened up recently as the precious specialist, who's just a temporarily hired huma died of drowning when he fell into a pool. An Aquarian certainly isn't going to die a same way, Ao Kong thought when his colleagues told him that story.

He has yet to make a name for himself, and that's why he was ecstatic when the boss took him on and brought him over to the Arena of Gods for the auction of advanced technology that would make anyone lose their minds. So far, all of the items on display are really just straight forward products with a quirky advancements or two with at most one to two innovative steps, but when he got his eyes on the blueprints for this 'energy core', he knew something was different.

Based on the basically physical laws he learnt at the institute, he can begin to work through the diagram of circuitry and figure out the functions for each individual complement and perform simple tabletop calculations of the energy at each stage, however, if he isn't mistaken, the cumulated sum of all of the energy just kept on adding up with each other, and the entire core runs on energy that sums up to illogical magnitudes. Such amount of energy simply cannot be contained within the designated area without causing the formation of some sort of singularity, or at least alter the local gravity fields, and yet all of them in the space station seemed completely oblivious to the fact that a small sun is sitting right in the center of the room.

Like many other specialists in the room, Ao Kong suspected some sort of foul play may be going on, and to his pleasant surprise, he wasn't the only. As he descended through the stairs while holding his custom made measurement device, a small crowd has already gathered by the device while a drone hovers overhead and projects what they are doing to the entire arena.

A packing order of specialist quickly organizes itself as the most senior and experienced one quickly gained the respect of the others regardless of what that would make the gangs each of the specialists represent feel. When it comes to technology, there isn't much room for pointless ego contests, as any showing of stupidity would be instantly spotted and there will be no where to hide here.

Each of the specialist present is assigned to assess a single section of the machine before rotating their positions for two further times. They worked quickly and fluently and measured as they went along while quickly plotting down the data collected. As data points began to accumulate and grow, the workflow of the machine is simultaneous being created as the reserves eagerly explained what each parts of the graphs to their distracted bosses.

Ao Kong were the one to work on two ordinary container sections and the energy core itself. The first one were nothing out of the ordinary, and the quality and make of the sections are rather well constructed if anything for wild region standards. He is sure that whoever's the previous owner of this must be rather gutted to have lost such a well made piece of equipment.

The second container is shaped much differently to the first one, and its design strays away from either the conventional designs of human or Rockies circuitry styles. It's a lot more...sporadic and out stretched, for lack of a better word, as the central unit mimics the size of the former container unit, while the peripheral units stretched outwards like arms of an Octopus and encircles the core. Upon closer instructions, tiny circuit coils and trails of components dotted all across each of those arms, and upon even closer inspection nearing the maximum resolution of Ao Kong's personal microscope, there are even more layers of substructures within each one. From what he could tell, there are much more things going on than what's currently within his sight.

Ao Kong wondered what this design is all about, and where it came from. Right as he is noting down some of his thoughts, he felt a blunt item stabbing into his back. He jumped up and looked to see a grumpy old Aquarian waving for him to move aside, 'if you are taking that long, then perhaps you should go back to your mummy.'

Ao Kong opened his mouth, but no words came out. It is true that he cannot do anything further about this container module. It's best to continue working and move onto the actual energy core.

Just as Ao Kong started preparing to connect the two pins to the one of the pairs of input and the output channels for the core itself, he heard a light metallic clicking sound followed by some knocking. He turned his head towards the origin of the noises, and the same old Aquarian who hushed him away was the one playing with it now.

'Holy Turbs...' He muttered something underneath his breath and looked into his own microscope. Ao Kong suppressed the annoyance, shook his head lightly and focused on his own work. He turned on the switch, and the dial immediately shot to maximum before the safety shuts off the measurement device. Then, the entire equipment became boiling hot and Ao Kong had to drop it onto the ground and allow it to cool.

That meant only one thing. The amount of energy within the core far exceeded the maximum capacity of his handheld device. If what the seller said is true, then it makes sense. However, Ao Kong had worked with the drives of cruiser ships before, and they are about the size of the entire arena building. What is happening must have been a mistake.

There are some more clicking and tapping sounds coming from that same annoying Aquarian, but Ao Kong simply ignored him. Wrapping his hands in a layer of cloth, he picked the equipment back up and connected it. Right before he turned the switch back on, a short high pitch tearing of the metal came from his sides. The entire energy core roared as the containment sphere was broken by that same blasted older Aquarian and energy started pouring out like water busting out of the flood gates after a storm. He saw a strand of what looked like a miniature solar ring reached out from the gap and extended its deathly grasp towards him.

Ao Kong knew at that moment that he would be dead, alongside everybody on this station, all thanks to that idiot by his side.

Then, the outreaching strand of energy was held in place, as it struggled to breakfree before the safety mechanisms of the container units kicks in and the leaked energy was literally locked down and removed from the outside world. Ao Kong can feel his blood boiling and his legs shaking. He stumbled backwards and fell onto the ground.

'Ao! What the hell were you doing!'

Ao Kong looked back and saw his bosses pointing an accusing finger at him, clearly assuming that he was the one to cause all the Ruckus. However, he was too freaked out at the near-death experience to really say anything. He looked around at the others, who all stopped with what they were doing and focuses their gaze back onto him. Their judgmental looks burning more than the strands of highly condensed plasma like substance ever could.

'The old mechanic seemed to have triggered something that at least demonstrated sufficient level of energy contained within.' Finally, the pack leader of the specialists finally spoke, not only breaking the silence but also coming to Ao Kong's rescue. That's when all the gaze finally shifted away from him, 'my measurement device is burnt.'

'Same.' 'Same here.' 'Agreed...'

The rest of the pack echoed each other's words and one friendly hand reached out and helped Ao Kong up. And with that, the quick verification procedure was done. Each of the forces in the room trust their specialists just enough that no further discussions are had, and bids have quickly begun.

Only those that worked closely with technology and stood closest to the device knew how they are literally inches away from being vaporized in an instant. The others couldn't quite grasp the level of danger they were all in just a moment ago, therefore, as each of the specialist returned to their group and tried to convey the values of the containment unit alone, few believed them.

Though few and far between, it was enough to drive up the prices.

Sir Deva was ready. He waited like a hawk soaring upon the skies as the top bidders are filtered through the crowd before coming down with a massive bid, another one hundred thousand credits above the rest. There were some struggles from the other few bidders, and another tried to compete with him. And he simply raised it another one hundred thousand..

'With five hundred thousand credits, the Energy core is sold to Sir Deva!' Not long after, the host enthusiastically announced the winner, and with that, the technology is finally back in the hands of Absolute Being. He quickly transferred the credits away from his account, and then rose up from his seat.

Now, there is only the next step.

It's time to catch the thief.

Sir Deva breathed in and out as he stretches out his arms to his sides, fine-tuning his body and mind and getting ready to do something only he could pull off. Another feats of power that would get him what he wanted. As waves of buzzing sensation flowed throughout his body, bouncing at the extremities and returning to his core, his heart rates are increased, pupils dilated and mind clear and cold.

It's time. He has also been practicing using his artifact too. He activated his artifact as it roared to life and with outstretched fingers, his mind encompasses the entire Spotlight space station and it's surrounding space. He breathed in deeply, arms shaking and straining from the effort of isolating an entire pocket of space, but he got it. He has full control and command of the bubble of space that includes the Spotlight and it's car parks.

He can feel a handful of ships slipping away just in time, though he knew the transactions of the credits is done physically, and there wouldn't have been enough time for the thief to make his exit.

He spun around, created a sphere of astronomical masses all around the station, collapsing it inwards into itself and generated a gravity well akin to a black hole, just with a much smaller radius.

With heavy knees, he slammed the station into a gravity well that he has created!

Everybody within the space felt a strange jerking from all around them as if someone is tugging them from all directions. The metallic structures strained as clicking sounds echoed from each corners as the station is being pulled tight by gravity in a tug of war, again from all directions. The space station screamed and shakes as it settles into the center point of equilibrium, the dead center of the artificial gravity well!

Sir Deva dropped to his knees out of exhaustion, and the nanotechnology enhancements flowing through his blood quickly delivers replenishments to his tired tissues and started the healing of strained muscles and cracked bones from the effort. He stood up and tall after another minute has past, fully recovered from this act.

'Urgh, please stay calm and remain in your seats. We are checking with the station maintenance team on what has just happened...' The host stuttered out the words as none of them knew what Sir Deva did. They muted the mic and opened the secure line towards the Operation center of the space station, only to hear sounds of panic and rapid exchange of words.

'Arena to Station Control, What is happening?' The human host asked, and there weren't any replies.

He looked over to his Aquarian colleague, who's looking back at him and is just as eager to find out what has happened.

'Arena to Station Control...'

'We are unsure!' Finally, someone has picked up and interrupted the host's second attempt, 'we seemed to have been...'

'I know what happened!' Within the Arena, Sir Deva raised his voice and declared as he marched into the center of the arena, 'I am the one that caused it. If any of you wants to leave, then you shall follow my instructions. And if you disagree with my methods, then feel free to challenge me.'

'You know what I can do.'