Eclipse Star: Genesis Chapter Thirty-Nine
Eclipse Star: Chapter 39
“You Don’t Know Jack”
Recap: Last time, after a very bad day in which the Hex-Duo robots destroyed the Legion’s base and killed the Commander and Chris, the rest of the group managed to escape to the city at large. Unfortunately, the Hex-Duo robots were on their trail, and even worse, the group was beginning to fall apart from the stress. Now, Jack has gone back to the wreckage of the base in hopes of leading the murderous robots away from everyone else and to look for any survivors, namely Chris.
Jack: (Running into the area formally known as the Legion’s base. All that’s left is a flaming pile of rubble). This is ridiculous. The fire department didn’t even attempt to show up. (Sighs). I suppose I don’t blame them though. When I hear ear-shattering explosions I usually don’t run towards them. Not usually anyway… (Just kinda surveys the area). Half a day ago this place was full of people. I should have known something was up. It was too quiet…
-Jack starts walking casually through the rubble.
Jack: This just isn’t like me. I pride myself on always knowing. How could I have blown it this time?
–Makes his way to the hospital wing, or at least what remains of it.
Jack: Now let’s see if Chris is anywhere around here. (Taps his watch, trying to get anything). Come on, pick something up. Anything. I know he’s not dead. (Looks down at the ground). Somewhere in there…he’s just hiding… (Breaks and begins frantically digging through the carnage to find Chris). Where the hell are you?! Stop playing this game! It’s not funny anymore!
–After a few layers are removed, Jack comes across a hat and jacket. He instantly stops.
Jack: Dammit…
-Jack falls to his knees and picks up the remains of the hat. It has holes all throughout it stained with blood and is basically torn apart. Jack looks down at the jacket and the same is true there as well.
Jack: Dammit… (Flips out and throws the hat). God dammit! Where did you go?! Stop hiding!
Hex-Duo 6: The aftermath of war can be grizzly on both the body and the mind, wouldn’t you say?
Jack: (Jack doesn’t even turn around or seem to care). So, it took you all enough time to get here.
Hex-Duo 6: (Patronizing Jack). Oh you know, we were in the neighborhood and decided to pay a quick visit.
Jack: (Cold). You wouldn’t be so calm about all of this is if I could just find Chris.
Hex-Duo 6: Of course we would. We’re robots, we don’t display fear. (Hex-Duo 9 “eeps” quietly). Disregard that one.
Jack: Hmh, you just don’t get it though. This was the one that would have destroyed you all in a flash. No, this is the one that’s gonna destroy you all in a flash. Do you have any idea what he’s capable of?
Hex-Duo 6: (Casual yet annoyed). Yes. Why do you think we decided to kill him first? But don’t give him so much credit. If he was about to explode, don’t you think he would have done it right before we killed him?
Jack: He didn’t get the chance, but he will. Just give me a few minutes to find him.
-Jack turns back around and keeps digging at a leisurely pace.
Hex-Duo 6: At least you won’t have to look for very long. I’m sure you’ll find him as soon as we’re done with you.
Jack: (Doesn’t turn around, continuing to dig). Any idea where the rest of us kids are hiding?
Hex-Duo 6: Right, and I’m going to just tell you what we know?
Jack: I’d assume so. It’s common courtesy to monologue before killing someone.
Hex-Duo 6: I’m programmed a bit smarter than that. (Raises its hand and blasts at Jack).
–Jack instantly rolls out of the way and faces Hex-Duo 6.
-The other Hex-Duo robots all seem ready to attack, but Hex-Duo 6 holds its hand up to prevent the attack.
-Jack stares into the robot’s emotionless eyes.
Jack: Well go ahead, gang up on me. You don’t seem to find any trouble fighting like cowards now don’t you?
Hex-Duo 6: No, we don’t.
-Hex-Duo 6 snaps its fingers.
-All eight of its fellow robots charge Jack at once.
Jack: Yah!
-Jack closes his eyes and throws his hands out, creating a barrier as usual. The robots are momentarily bumped away.
Hex-Duo 6: (Sighs and rolls its eyes). You think that move is going to do you any good? We know all about your moves. Sadly it seems that the barrier technique is the only move you’ve managed to come up with.
-Jack opens his eyes, the other Hex-Duo robots are standing just outside the barrier’s radius, looking to pounce as soon as it drops.
Jack: You’re gonna end up underestimating us if you assume that you know all about us.
Hex-Duo 6: But we do.
Jack: We’re humans, we don’t have limits and we aren’t a species to be taken lightly.
Hex-Duo 6: Show him why androids are better.
-Hex-Duo 10’s arm transforms into a blaster and fires a quick shot at Jack, hitting the barrier and instantly turning it off, as well as throwing Jack through the air.
-Jack about rights himself only to find Hex-Duo 4 elbowing him in the chest straight downwards into the ground.
-Jack hits and instantly fires up another barrier technique.
-Hex-Duo 3 cuts right through it and smashes him with punches from both hands.
-As Jack flips into the air again, he fires a few blasts at anyone pursuing him, although they just explode harmlessly on the thick armor of his aggressors.
Jack: (Floats in the air). Alright, so if you’re not gonna give me a fighting chance, then I guess I’ll drop any restraints I’ve been holding on to.
Hex-Duo 6: I assure you, we’re not going to mind much.
Jack: You say that now, but you hardly even know anything about me.
Hex-Duo 6: No, we know everything about you. Don’t you listen?
Jack: Bring it! (Powers up).
Hex-Duo 6: Fine then, give him his wish.
-Hex-Duo 1 rushes Jack, punching directly at Jack’s face.
-Jack blocks with his forearms and fires a blast point-blank at the robot, inconveniencing it slightly and pushing it back a few yards in the air.
-Hex-Duo 9 clocks Jack from behind, forcing Jack to fall forward.
-As he does so, Jack kicks backwards, connecting with Hex-Duo 9, forcing it back a few yards as well.
-Hex-Duo 2 comes out from above, attempting to smash Jack’s head open, although as Hex-Duo 2 brings both fists down, Jack flips upside-down and kicks back at the fists, disorienting Hex-Duo 2.
-Jack vwings above 2 and double-handed smashes it down.
Hex-Duo 4: Hey Two! Watch your head there!
Hex-Duo 2: (Stops itself inches from hitting the ground). Hey, it’s not my fault; he got a lucky shot in there!
Hex-Duo 1: You think that’s funny?
–Jack turns around to find this robot in his face, hurling punches in his direction. Jack is hardly able to block these attacks.
Hex-Duo 3: You wanna pick a fight with fighters your own size, huh?
–Joins Hex-Duo 1 in the attack, one attacks high, one attacks low, and poor Jack can hardly keep from getting punched in half.
-Finally, a punch connects with Jack’s chin and that’s all it takes before he’s being pummeled in the head and the gut simultaneously.
-The robots work in unison, each attack matching the other’s attack.
-They finally strike Jack hard enough to send him careening through the air and then falling back to the ground in a heap.
Hex-Duo 6: (Walks up to Jack, slowly). So why haven’t you shown us why humans should be feared yet?
Jack: (Forces himself to his feet). Because I’m tired and outnumbered.
Hex-Duo 6: So this is the extent of the human capabilities? They can only do good when they aren’t under stress?
Jack: Nope, we do far better, and I’d advise you to pull your troops back before I tap into some unforeseen power.
Hex-Duo 6: Now that’s just silly. We’re making some headway here; we might as well press on through until you show us something new. But since you’re so eager for fairness…(Looks over its group). Let’s see…Number 4, play with him awhile.
Jack: (Hex-Duo 4 begins walking over to Jack). So, sending the enforcer huh? Too worried to fight me yourself?
Hex-Duo 6: No, just too uninterested. I might as well fight with a small child or something; at least they make less noise when you hit them hard enough.
Jack: You think I’m as weak as a child? Hah, another underestimation. (Snubs his nose).
Hex-Duo 6: No, actually compared to myself, you’re nothing more than an ant, a flea, an insect, a helpless child, a small dog, a kitten, a molecule, a raindrop; I can keep reaching into my cliché metaphor databank if you’d like but the overall point is still the same. Hopefully you’ll enjoy fighting someone who lives for the excitement of the bloodlust instead of the thrill of the hunt. Number 4, go.
-Hex-Duo 4 shoots instantly in front of Jack, pelting him with a backhand to the cheek.
-Jack cartwheels into a pile of rubble.
-Hex-Duo 4 takes off in pursuit, diving headfirst into the pile after Jack.
-The two break out of the other side with Hex-Duo 4 having a firm grasp on Jack’s throat.
-Jack hardly seems to struggle much, instead being overwhelmed by the sheer power that the robot has over him.
-Hex-Duo 4 decides to take this fight high up into the air, soaring over the clouds.
-As Jack begins to finally open his eyes a little, Hex-Duo 4 tosses him out of its clutches and into nothingness.
Hex-Duo 4: Any last requests?
Jack: Just don’t act surprised when you fail to kill me.
Hex-Duo 4: Hah, I’ll do my best.
-Hex-Duo 4 kicks at Jack in a blur, connecting with its attacks every so often.
-Jack is doing pretty well considering that he’s only getting hit hard every three or four attacks.
Hex-Duo 4: At least you’re one of the better fighters from your group.
Jack: I trained ‘em, so why shouldn’t I be?
-Jack punches Hex-Duo 4 in the face, and just as when anyone punches these robots in their faces, they only succeed in injuring their hands.
Hex-Duo 4: Hahaha, we’re built a little too strong for that. Maybe if you’d been trained properly you wouldn’t be making such rookie mistakes, eh?
–As Jack is nursing his hand, Hex-Duo 4 punches Jack back through the cloud-covering and back to earth.
Hex-Duo 8: Hah, bring him this way, Four! (Floats up a bit, ready for a shot at Jack).
Jack: (Screeching back towards ground, he’s having difficulty regaining control). These guys just don’t take damage from anything basic…time to get desperate.
-Jack increases his speed, regardless of how much control he has over himself. He’s become a human rocket at this point.
-As he gets closer to striking Hex-Duo 8, he readies a punch.
Hex-Duo 6: Eight! Look out!
Hex-Duo 8: Huh?
-It’s completely unprepared for what Jack’s got cooking. Using his incredible momentum, Jack makes contact with Hex-Duo 8 directly on target.
-Jack’s fist comes out at just the right time, battering Number 8 in the side of the head and blowing it into another mound of debris.
-Although his attack was actually successful, Jack still doesn’t have control of his own momentum and continues on towards the ground, hitting it with a thunderous boom.
Hex-Duo 9: (Panicked). Number Eight! (Runs off to find 8 in the wreckage, almost in tears). Please be okay!
Hex-Duo 6: (Angry). Idiots! Stop giving him anything to work with! Don’t give him these chances to fight back!
Hex-Duo 9: (Digging around in the rubble now, hoping to find Hex-Duo 8). Please please please…are you alright?!
Hex-Duo 8 bursts out of the pile of broken building pieces without a scratch on it, although it looks shaken up a bit.
Hex-Duo 8: How did he do that?!
Hex-Duo 6: Number Eight, you idiot, you add momentum to anything and it gets stronger! Stop getting too anxious for your turn or else you’re likely to get destroyed by stupidity!
Hex-Duo 2: (Tapping its head). Well at least the human’s not in too good of shape from all of this.
Hex-Duo 6: What’s he reading at?
Hex-Duo 2: Hardly a blip right now, but he’s still alive, no doubt about that.
Hex-Duo 6: No more one-on-ones with him. You all seem to have a problem with finishing the job, so when he gets back up, converge and destroy him; are we clear?
Hex-Duo 1: I got ya loud and clear Six.
Hex-Duo 9: (Practically hugging Number 8). Oh my goodness! Are you okay? Are you broken?
Hex-Duo 8: (Massaging its head). Nah I’m fine. I’ve just gotta be more careful.
Jack: (Buried in a small crater, he’s beaten badly but through some strange miracle he’s alive. He slowly pushes crap off of him until he can breathe semi-normally again. He closes his eyes and wipes his face off, pulling his hat off and running his hand through his hair before putting his hat back on). Okay, so now my hand’s definitely broken. And I’m sure that pissed them off to the point that they’re really ready to kill me now. So I need a new plan. (He looks at the ruins of the headquarters). Chris, what would you recommend? Flashy light show? Good plan. (Gets up and walks towards the group of androids).
Hex-Duo 6: There he is now. (To Jack). We were just discussing you.
Jack: (Unnaturally calm). And Chris and I were just discussing you all. He doesn’t seem to like you guys much, what with you murdering him and all.
Hex-Duo 9: (Looking around, worried). He’s here, right now?
Hex-Duo 6: No, he’s dead. Jack’s just lost it, now keep quiet.
Jack: (He has definitely gone crazy). Oh I assure you, he’s very much alive. He’s agreed to lend me his strength, so it looks like you guys are pretty much screwed.
Hex-Duo 6: (Looks Jack up and down, judging the validity of his statement). He’s bluffing. Kill him.
–As the Hex-Duo robots move to attack, Jack’s got one hand in his pocket, turning a little yellow stone over and over in his palm.
Jack: You guys seriously need to learn not to underestimate us.
–As one of the robots gets close enough, in this case Hex-Duo 1, Jack begins to spark with electricity, keeping one hand on the stone in his pocket and pointing his other hand at the robot, firing a zap at the robot and knocking it back.
Hex-Duo 1: (Taps the spot on its chest that took the shock). Gah! The hell?!
-Jack fires another zap at the next closest robot, Hex-Duo 4, clipping it in the knee and dropping it down.
-He turns to whoever gets closest and hits it with a little spark.
-Jack starts making a break for it now that he has a chance.
-As he runs, Hex-Duo 9 comes at him, taking a small shock to its side.
-Jack jumps into the air, zapping a line in front of him to clear some space.
-He starts hopping from one jutting piece of concrete to the next.
-Hex-Duo 5 comes up from behind him, Jack turns and gives it a jolt to the chest, although the robot isn’t harmed enough to stop its assault.
-Hex-Duo 5 pulls back and fires its arm at Jack like a piston, knocking Jack onto the ground again.
-As he tries to get up, all the robots surround him, keeping their distance.
Hex-Duo 4: (Thumbs over at Jack). Hey, when the hell did he learn to use electricity anyway?
Hex-Duo 2: I don’t know, the reports didn’t tell us anything about that. Their genetic makeup didn’t show any readouts suggesting electricity-based attacks.
Jack: How outdated are your reports anyway?
Hex-Duo 2: They’re not outdated!
Hex-Duo 6: (Still standing back from the group, its arms crossed). You think a few sparks are going to slow them down? They’re built better than that.
Jack: (Gets up and smirks). Well so am I.
-Jack tries firing at any of the robots, but as he fires they easily step out of the way.
Hex-Duo 6: You’ll need a new trick; they’ve figured that one out pretty well.
-As Hex-Duo 1 comes up behind Jack to crack his head open, Jack hardly has time to flip out of the way.
-He stands for a second, watching the robots circle him, ready to catch him off guard.
-He raises both hands up in the air and closes his eyes.
Hex-Duo 3: Now what’s he doing?
-Jack begins crackling with electricity again, sparks jumping around him slightly. An electricity core starts encircling him. Jack is soon beginning to look like an atom with small sparks rotating around him.
-He begins moving, his eyes still closed, the field of electricity follows him. He looks like a gyroscope as he moves.
-Unexpectedly, a bolt of electricity discharges and hits one of the androids randomly, then another and another, all at unpredictable times.
-The Hex-Duo robots are now finally taking some pretty heavy hits from this new attack and none can get close enough to stop Jack.
Hex-Duo 8: (Getting hit with a bolt in the arm). Hey, someone turn him off!
Hex-Duo 4: (Shielding its face, although a bolt hits its arms and knocks it over). We can’t get close enough!
-Jack is moving gracefully, waving his arms slowly, as if he’s in a trance, shuffling his feet around, almost like he’s dancing about. He’s got a slight smile on, but his eyes are still closed.
-As the robots are getting hit, they’re getting dropped to their knees, convulsing and cringing at the sting from the attack.
-The sparks from Jack are dancing all around the area, lighting it up now and then as they hit the Hex-Duo robots.
Hex-Duo 6: How long can you keep that up for?
Jack: (Suddenly his energy field begins to shrink. He mutters to himself). Not now…
Hex-Duo 6: Those stones only stay charged for so long. You’d have learned that in time. (Jack’s electric generator fades away).
Hex-Duo 1: What was that?
Hex-Duo 6: He’s using a stone of some sort that lets him harness some electrical abilities. Check your memory files, the technique isn’t natural to their DNA structures. They picked them up when they were in the woods.
Jack: How do you know all of that?
Hex-Duo 6: I’ve been trying to tell you, we know everything about you.
Jack: Just because you know a few things about us doesn’t mean you can read our minds.
Hex-Duo 6: But we can come pretty damn close. Such as now, you’re getting more and more desperate and hoping that someone comes along to save you. I’m sorry to inform you, that’s not happening. (Looks around its group). Finish this.
-Hex-Duo 4 is the first to lunge at Jack, so ready to end Jack’s life in an instant.
-Jack leaps into the air to outmaneuver the robot but is just too slow.
-Jack takes a metallic fist to the face and goes flying over the ground again.
-Hex-Duo 4 speeds off after him and catches up, pounding him towards the dirt.
-Hex-Duo 1 zips under Jack, backhanding him back towards Number 4.
-The two robots volley Jack between them with increasingly vicious punches.
-Jack’s merely a toy for them right now, with the sounds of Boom boom boom boom being heard with every punch.
-Hex-Duo 8 finally comes in between the two other robots and body-slams Jack with its gut.
-Hex-Duo 2 comes down on Jack’s stomach and smashes him into the ground, standing on him and looking down at Jack’s battered face.
Hex-Duo 2: (Its hands on its hips, leaning down to mock Jack). You about ready to call it quits?
Jack: (Hardly able to stay conscious). Never.
-Jack throws his head up and headbutts the robot in the midsection, throwing the small android off him but giving himself a devastating headache.
-Instantly he grabs his forehead after the stupid tactic.
Jack: Gah…why did they have to be made of metal?
Hex-Duo 6: Enough games. (Finally uncrossing its arms and walking over to Jack). I’ve let you stay disillusioned for the past half hour and I’ve grown tired of it.
Jack: (Stands up weakly, his legs bowing, about to give out). Heh, as soon as Chris gets up with me we’ll be unstoppable.
Hex-Duo 6: I don’t care how hard we’ve beaten you, it’s still sad to have you believing that he’s anything but dead.
Jack: Oh but he’s not. You’ll see. I’ll prove it to you.
Hex-Duo 6: No, this should be proof enough.
-Hex-Duo 6 throws up its hand and fires a beam at Jack, hitting him instantly.
-The blast doesn’t push Jack away, but as it hits him his body tenses as he’s forced through a severe amount of pain.
-The blast starts shredding his clothes.
-He looks as if he’s trying to scream but no sound can come out.
-Hex-Duo 6 stops and Jack falls onto his hands and knees, panting and bleeding.
Hex-Duo 6: That’s roughly a fraction of what we did to your friend. (It’s utterly heartless). Now look me in the eyes and tell me that he’s still alive.
Jack: (Jack looks up at the robot with a defeated expression). No…why did you do that to him? How could you put anyone through that much torture?
Hex-Duo 6: We simply don’t care about the pain we’re causing.
-Jack puts a hand in his pocket again, hoping to find anything more of use.
-He comes across the red stone and pulls it out, looking at it.
Jack: Last chance. Sorry that I stole this from you Austin, but I had a feeling I’d need some extra help…
-Jack clenches his fist and sends a fireball at Hex-Duo 6.
-It hits him and does nothing but fizzle away into ashes.
-The other androids are preparing for a final kill.
-Jack fires at them as well, but they’re unaffected by the fire attack.
-Hex-Duo 6 begins floating above Jack, charging another blast, drawing visible energy from around its fist.
-Jack pulls his hand back, his whole body setting itself on fire.
-He looks up at the android and fires one last fireball.
-Hex-Duo 6 moves its head slightly and the fireball zooms up into the clouds.
Hex-Duo 6: Seems you missed. Pity.
–The fireball disappears from view.
-All of a sudden a deafening CRACK is heard and the clouds begin turning deathly red.
-All of the robots turn their heads to look at what’s going on.
-Jack dashes off towards an overhanging piece of wreckage, diving under and covering his head.
-A fireball falls to Earth, blowing a crater in it.
-Soon another does the same as slowly more and more are falling down.
-The androids are unsure what to do, and attempt to avoid these flaming hailstones altogether, some firing blasts back to clear the sky.
-As the sky continues to rain fire, Jack finally slips from their view, disappearing during the confusion.
Jack: (Running as fast as he can manage). I’ve gotta remember how I did that…
To Be Continued…
Eclipse Star 