PLANET MALTA, OMICRON ALPHA SYSTEM, EDGEWORLDS 17th of December, 833 AS
Although the Omicron Alpha system boasted a green star, the green light faded to a paler shade as it passed through the upper layers of Malta's atmosphere, making this sunny noon not much different from similar days on other worlds across Sirius. The small, futuristic, and modern city of Genova, experiencing a continuous economic boom since 780 AS, contrasted its low white, extensively glazed buildings with the endless golden horizons of the Outcasts' home world. Tall white planetary defense towers stood at regular intervals around the city like an honor guard. Cultivated and introduced decorative greenery on Malta complemented the white plastered buildings, providing shady retreats from the sun.
"[Here they are. That is Caliban - let them land.]"
Fiorella de Marco, standing behind an Outcast in the flight control center atop the central control tower at the local starport, conveyed her instructions in Italian. The young-looking Outcast woman nodded and began guiding the incoming freighter to one of the smaller landing pads around the fortified city of Genova. Simultaneously, it became evident on the screen that the planetary defense ceased targeting the small ship, switching instead to a more welcoming, less active monitoring mode.
By then, Fiorella had already left and was standing at the landing pad in a loose, long-sleeved white shirt, and black trousers with a striking red sash around her waist. Behind her gold-tinted sunglasses, she watched the small vessel land on the platform while two men stood beside her as her guards.
In contrast to Genova's appearance, the freighter which landed before the Outcast woman looked like a stain on the city's image. A roughed up Grizzly no less. The many scars left over the surface of the hull and its many defects stood out like an eyesore. Broken flood lights. A damaged scanner array. Worn down cockpit glass with dirt sneaking through the cracks.. Such metal coffin was either found on a ship graveyard or belonged to an extremely lazy pilot.
"[Signora de Marco. A pleasure.]"
A feminine, digitized voice spoke towards Fiorella from the ship's rear. First, a stasis pod had come out into the open. It levitated gently over the ground with a low hum that trailed behind it. Two radically different droids followed behind the pod. The first one looked quite clean. A well kept frame with a chrome finish. Its steps were ever so slightly faster than that of the pod, yet its posture was elegant, giving the droid a confident look.
The second droid did not introduce itself. Instead, it followed behind the first with an irregular, slightly hunched walk as rags covered the machine's frame which moved slowly against the warm breeze, yet they did hide the end of a firearm's barrel. There was a specific stench emanating from all that dirty cloth - like oil and dirt being left out in the sun for days at a time. The droid kept its only functioning optic fixed on Fiorella's gaze while murmuring unintelligible words. Nobody could deduce what it tried to say, but perhaps that was for the best.
"Test the sharpness of your sword against another. And when that is not enough, unsheathe your cunning as the hidden dagger that ends the fight."
Her stance betrayed a hint of surprise as she was greeted by two robotic companions instead of their master, Caliban. Fiorella slid her gold-toned sunglasses from her eyes and pushed them into her black hair. Her gaze then shifted to the stasis pod. As the droid showed itself to be more than capable of speaking Italian, she continued to use her native tongue.
"[Good afternoon.]"
She greeted the robotic companions as if they were people. It was challenging to say to what extent she respected them as autonomous beings or if it was merely an unconscious reflex ingrained in her personality by upbringing.
"[May I know what happened?]"
She asked the more elegantly behaving robot that had greeted her, gesturing gracefully towards the pod. Then, her expression indicated she had remembered something else, and after a few seconds, she added,
"[Do we have his medical documentation? Knowing his medical history would expedite the convalescence process, allowing our specialists to act more effectively.]"
[This unit suffered catastrophic damage from a large caliber gunshot. Damaged faceplate. This one is alive, but held in a vegetative state to allow the organic components to heal.]
The machine spoke with a dismissive tone, yet there was a sense of concern at the edges of every spoken word. It gestured towards the stasis pod while describing the recent incident and Caliban's current state, before finally introducing itself and its other.
[My name is Seidr. Designated lead in the science branch until a year ago. My companion is known as Ullr. We are siblings - in a way.]
It paused briefly. Her optics flared up with a cool blue light as her mechanical hand extended towards Fiorella's PDA. It was a fluid motion of her joints, performed with elegance.
[And this is what you asked for. You will find detailed documentation on relevant cybernetics and current brain implants.]
Ullr maintained his hunched posture. His right claw wide open, twitching as it gazed over the Outcasts. He did not speak coherently, yet Seidr understood him perfectly without even looking. To Fiorella, it almost felt as if the droid spoke directly to her. A false feeling which might've faded as she saw Ullr react to his sibling's every word.
[Please. Hold your excitement. We are not meant to sully our host's generosity, but welcome it.]
"Test the sharpness of your sword against another. And when that is not enough, unsheathe your cunning as the hidden dagger that ends the fight."
The mention of Caliban's gunshot wound surprised her, but not overly so. She bestowed a courteous smile upon both droids as they introduced themselves and, with an elegant gesture, indicated towards one of the many futuristically designed low-rise new buildings in Genova.
"[It is a pleasure to meet you. Dr. Reo and her team are ready to take Caliban into their care at the clinic in the upper part of Eduardo Salieri Square. Please, follow me.]"
Fiorella de Marco led her droid guests and Caliban in the stasis capsule away from the landing platform of the starport, where a specially ordered low-altitude vehicle (LAV) awaited them just beyond the first gate, ready to accommodate both passengers and the more substantial cargo. She comfortably settled into one of the luxurious, inviting-looking seats near the cargo platform with the stasis capsule, and her droid guests noticed her sending Caliban's medical history to Dr. Verdiana Reo with a few gestures on the touchscreen.
The automatic yet locally controlled LAV quietly closed its doors behind them. A series of anti-gravity engines and vectored thrusters allowed it to ascend to a hundred meters above the ground and head towards the clinic. Panoramic displays inside the vehicle provided a 360-degree view. Compared to the cities in the Colonies, Genova appeared almost serene and idyllic – the buildings were low, typically no more than five stories high, and the traffic both on the ground and above was sparse. Scars from the Slave Revolt were still visible here and there, with ongoing restoration of the damaged cityscape.
Fiorella shifted her attention from the cityscape back to the two droids.
"[You may need to stay here for a while - do you have any special requests for your accommodation?]"
Seidr replied promptly, almost instantaneously to Fiorella's offer.
[For the time being we do not have any requests. Ullr appreciates your offer nonetheless.]
The filthy looking droid threw his gaze all over Fiorella. Measuring her every inch until he had finally calmed down, almost bowing towards the Outcast in the same ecstatic movement.
[The view of your magnificent landscape is enough for the time being. A shame for the few spots devoid of the same beauty...perhaps an unwanted conflict?]
She asked with curiosity rivaling the one of a child. Her voice remained still as ever, leaving her optics to ravage the landscape for any and all information she could collect from such a distance. She knew from the start that there was not much information to collect on. "Hope dies last..." - she told herself, and by default to her brother who responded with a stomp against the floor. The metallic sound reverberating through the cabin.
[A topic to be had another day - by a wide balcony. A martini in hand and no worries about a particular patient.]
"Test the sharpness of your sword against another. And when that is not enough, unsheathe your cunning as the hidden dagger that ends the fight."
The luxurious LAV performed several circling maneuvers around the Genovese cyberclinic building and gently touched down on the landing pad. The autopilot also automatically opened the exit doors directly facing the entrance to the Outcast medical facility on Malta. Outside, several individuals in white coats, complemented by the same logo as on the exterior façade of the building, were already waiting. No one awaited the new arrivals with weapons drawn; rather, their body language was relaxed and friendly.
Dominating the gathered medical capacities was a tanned, older-looking woman with black hair styled into an almost corporate-looking cut with a ponytail. Had she been human, she might be nearing fifty - however, in this case, she could be something over a century old. Despite her advanced age, she exuded an energetic impression, capable of shaming most twenty-year-olds. The name tag on her coat revealed her identity - Dr. Verdianna Reo, the head physician of the Genovese Cybernetic Clinic.
Fiorella was the first to step out of the LAV and exchanged a few polite gestures with Dr. Reo in greeting.
"[Good afternoon, Dr. Reo. I am so glad you have spared your precious time for me and my guest.]"
The older physician merely smiled pleasantly, though her posture revealed a somewhat reserved approach towards her significantly younger client.
"[Good afternoon, Madame de Marco. It was a matter of course - after all, you are the third most significant investor in our cybernetic institute?]"
'The third most significant', it almost sounded like a challenge in her voice, Fiorella de Marco, I dare you prove that you can be our the most significant investor. Give us even more funds to work with. The other medical team members prepared to take over the patient as the remaining passengers disembarked from the LAV at the department head's signal.
