Chapter 8 – Schoolyard Chaps

            Alos was sitting on the couch just getting off the Omninet when he glanced up and saw the TV flashing wildly with advertisements. An ad for mens' deodorant showed a man slouched over, walking down the street as if it was the worst possible day in his life. He walked into his house, into the bathroom, and then removing the advertised canister of deodorant, applied it to his body. Instantly there was a knock at the door. The man turned and walked to his front door and upon opening it, found a scantily clad woman in plumbing clothes.

            With a sense of need and almost urgency, she said “Do you need any... service?”

            Alos glanced flatly at the ad laughing at the ridiculousness of the commercial.

            Dardaños sat up in the couch turning to the hallway leading into the room. His ears were twitching pointed in that direction, with his attention glued to the hallway. Sure enough, moments later, Merick came grumbling into the room.

            “Aye Dard I need yer ‘elp.” He muttered throwing his hand over his shoulder with his thumb pointed back down the hall.

            “What duh yah need?” Dardaños stood up and walked over to Merick. They continued down the hall and around the corner until their conversation drowned down into incoherent mumbles.

            A light stinging sensation began to crawl up Alos self-inflicted wound, crawling up his forearm to his elbow and then began to work its way up his bicep. It was more annoying than anything, nothing to really be worried about but it did make him think about that replacement hand they promised him. More specifically, it reminded him of the promise of its installation after he helped them with that bullshit slave running operation. He had helped them, not that he had a choice, and decided he was now entitled to that hand they had promised.

            Alos stood and followed Dardaños down the hall, over to the stairs, and then down the elevator to the slime room. At the bottom, the elevator doors opened up revealing Dardaños hoisting a heat compressor three times his size up on his metallic shoulder. Dardaños carried it across the room to an empty slot in a row of others just above him. Then, with his one robotic arm, he lifted it up, his arm extending outwards, inserting it into the ceiling, twisting and locking it into place. The extended robotic arm revealed several layers of thick intertwining cords, like cybernetic muscles, linking and attaching to each joint segment on the arm. Bulging contractions within the cords gave Alos the impression that there was a liquid inside, being drawn to the specific spots within the cords like blood, though what liquid that could be he didn’t know. The extended arm then retracted, pulling back into its original form.

            “Thanks Dard.” Merick said, with honest gratitude in his voice.

            “It es myee pleasure.”

            Dardaños’ attention was caught by Alos walking into the room and turned over him.

            “ ‘ello myee friend, what brings ya down ‘ere?” Dardaños warm smile stretched out to Alos, welcoming him into the room.

            “I was actually hoping to talk to someone about that hand I was promised.” Alos said, brandishing his damaged arm. “You guys told me that if I helped, you’d give me a replacement.”

            “Aye taht es true, though Iee am not dah one tuh talk tuh.”

            Merick nudged Dardaños out of the way pushing himself out in front.

            “As long as you’re Xri’s sagit, yah don’t get tuh complain. Yuh doo as we say. End uhf story.”

            Dardaños shook his head down at Merick, his eyes looking apologetic for his friend’s actions.

            “Merick ya were also Xri’s propehrty at one point.” Dardaños spoke as a gentle friend would. This didn’t make sense to Alos, why was Dardaños so nice to him? As far as he was concerned Merick deserved worse, much worse, he was a smug chest puffing bastard and for Dardaños to be so nice just confused him.

            Shaking his head, Alos asked exactly what he was thinking.

            “Why are you so nice to this asshole?”

            Smiling widely, Dardaños placed his hand down resting it on top of Merick’s head, rustling his hair with his metallic fingers.

            “Me an’ ol’ Merick ‘ere go waaaayee back.”

            “AYE! AYYYE! QUIT IT YUH OVERSIZED PUP!” Merick dropped into a squat and somersaulted forward, leaving Dardaños standing off balance. Dardaños shuffled to the side trying to regain his footing, as the weight of his large metal arm pulled him unexpectedly over.

            “Dis one an’ me grew up together,” Dardaños said, re-balancing himself, “we were notin’ but teh best schoolyard chaps.”

            “Someone had tuh watch yar tail for pricks trying to kick it,” Merick scoffed, puffing out his chest with his arrogant lips pressed together, “if it weren’t fur me, ya woulda lost more dan jus’ yar arm.”

            “Tis true, tis true.” Dardaños turned his attention to Alos. “Alos, teh measurements for yar hand ‘ave already been sent tuh Bert. Iee believe we are tuh go get it after dah auction.”

            “And that’s tomorrow?” Alos asked, audibly impatient.

            Dardaños smiled, “Actually, we're headed dare now.”

            “Ugh, I wish we could get just tuh auctions in ‘ere. Frackin’ slimewads piss me off.” Shaking his head, Merick marched off back into the ship.

            “Sorry ‘bout ‘im lad, ‘ee’s alwayees a bit ohn edge.” Dardaños patted Alos on the back. “Engineerin’ an entire ship does taht tuh ya after ‘while.”

            “So he’s like a mechanic then or what? I wasn’t quite sure what he did.” Alos shrugged, his brow still indented with agitation.

            “’ee drew out and built dis whole ship for Xri. Maintainin’ an’ pilotin’ it ess just part uhf teh job.”

            Alos’ eyebrows arched.

            “Oh that’s what you mean by he used to be Xri’s sagit. He essentially bought Merick then, and then funded him to build the ship?”

            “Yar’ pretty sharp dare lad.” Dardaños motioned towards the elevator. “So I’m sure by now then yuh must ‘ave realized Merick wants us tuh leave.”

            “He always seems to want me to leave.” Also replied, his face as flat as his remark.

            Dardaños laughed, walking with Alos to the elevator and then entering inside.

            “Trust me Alos, yah two will eventually be good friends.”