Beyond?

“And the one true goddess worked without rest to create the world as we know it. When she was done she allowed herself to rest with the people of Quinn. She taught them about the world and its secrets to ease their lives.

When she was done she left them to take care of themselves, promising to return once they manage to realize her dreams. So she spread her golden feathered wings and flew towards the sun.”

-The holy Scriptures of Quinn.

***Free City States of Nict, Capital***

***Azir***

I watch the advancing column of strange vehicles. Our three dimensional light construct is displaying them through several different windows. This form of displaying information wasn't invented by me, which makes me proud of my team. It shows that the people with whom I am working have a head of their own.

They took the knowledge and techniques I taught to them during our satellite program and applied the new design techniques for magical circuits to other projects.

Since not everyone is proficient in mind magic they decided to create the light construct to interact with the mana net. There are plans to raise many of those access points throughout the city and let people access them for free. Even commoners can use them since they only require the proper hand gestures.

When I suggested a name for the light construct I was totally ignored and they decided to name it light sculpture. I wonder what's wrong with 'photon based three dimensional displaying device'.

Unfortunately the light sculpture doesn't have the ability to look into an object, nor do my drones have any system which enables them to find out how the strange vehicles of Quinn work. Most of them have wheels, though some are tracked vehicles. At a single glance I have problems in making out two vehicles of the same design.

It's like the design engineers of this zoo weren't able to decide on a proper building plan. In absence of a decision they simply started building cars in all possible shapes and sizes.

There is no way to tell how they work. Though it can't be coal or steam, they don't produce any smoke. What's worrying me is that most of them have mounted cannons on them. There is no way to misjudge the function of the big turrets with long metal tubes coming out of them.

“Helen?” I have to ask our leader in regards to our choice of action. “If we aren't allowed to turn them into dust, then we have to get to know their intentions. Assuming that they continue on their path they will pass our borders somewhere between Di and Tri. Once they come across one of our villages they'll surely... ask for directions.”

She averts her attention from the screen. “We can put an army into their way, but with such a highly mobile force they could simply bypass us and go on. Meeting them on open grounds is probably in their favour. I fear that the structure of our terrain isn't a problem for them unless we catch them in a forest.”

I shrug my shoulders. “I doubt that they would lead their force into an area which doesn't allow them to manoeuvre freely. I thought about going there to have a chat with them?”

Helen shakes her head. “No way! I heard about your stunt with the helmet. What do you think you can do while facing them alone? We know nothing about them. I won't let a member of my family go anywhere near such a force. On top I heard stories about them being very unfriendly towards magicians.”

But if we don't blow them up and can't place an army in front of them, then there aren't many options left to stop their advance. I want to avoid letting them go anywhere close to Tri. “Then how about using one of our newer drones? Someone suggested to place a full sound system inside them to use them as listening devices. If they stop and listen to it, a two way communication might work.”

Helen's expression turns confused and the small wrinkles on her skin become a little deeper. After a moments of contemplation she pulls at her very restrained blue dress to straighten it. Helen isn't a fan of pompous and fancy clothing. All of her various garbs lack jewellery or any other kind of adornment.

Suddenly her expression sharpens. “Why would you install something like that in a three metre long piece of metal? Anyone can see them long before you get into hearing range. Are you wasting my money?”

Ah... damn! I didn't expect her to be that sharp. “Not... exactly. Hahaha. Isn't it cool to be able to give out messages to normal citizens when you fly close above the ground? We thought it might be a nice help if you need to warn something like a small village of approaching danger.”

Her eyes turn into thin slits. “We have the mana net and there is at least one access point in every village. Even the weakest hedge mage can access the command line to be informed of the latest news. What are you hiding?” She comes closer than I deem comfortable and my step backwards is followed by a step forward from her side.

“We might have installed a few improved features... which I forgot to mention in my report.” I avert my eyes from her, that stare is simply too straining on my mind. Having her that close is also unpleasant. I just wanted to keep a few of our abilities as a secret of my own.

“I see, so you forgot to mention what you are doing with my money.” She crosses her arms in front of her chest and glares at me.

I have to correct her. “The country's money.”

“My money! What can the new model do?” She doesn't back off and comes even closer.

“It might have the ability to bend light around itself to turn invisible. It's an advanced feature of the magical light gathering circuit which focuses light. Though the drone can't gather energy while having this feature activated, so it can stay invisible only for short periods of time.” See? I hope she is happy now.

“Any other features I should know about?” Helen presses on and I realize that I am with my back against the wall.

“There aren't any systems you don't know about.” I blurt out.

She starts smiling and gently takes my hand, softly stroking it. “Azir. I am an idiot when it comes to technical stuff, but even I realize that you just dodged the question. I knew about the light gathering system too, though it seems to be able to do a little more than what I was told. So if you tell me that there aren't any systems I don't know about, then that seems to mean essentially nothing.”

Why is she smiling like that? That looks more threatening than when she is angry! “The report with the advanced features might be somewhere in my office. I am sure that it'll show up when I look for it.”

She pats my hand. “That might be a good thing. I expect it on my desk tomorrow morning.”

“Mom? Could you stop getting intimate with the father of my child.” Stella's angry voice frees me of Helen. She stayed at Ivy's side while watching the exchange. The paper bag with the egg shells is almost empty... did she eat a little of the paper too?!

My mother in law finally decides to back off. “Of course my dear. I am sorry.”

Did she just call me a father? Why did my life take this turn? Oh, yeah... it was my own decision... fault. I hurry to the light sculpture and access the drone's settings. “I'll drop the invisibility and position the drone in front of their army. Then we can take a look at what they do.”

“They'll surely attack it. Is the drone able to take an attack?” Stella doesn't sound very convinced.

“It can bend radiation based attacks around itself by using the circuit for light manipulation. Physical attacks can be warded off by the gravitation engine. If the drone creates a strong gravitational field in a small area it can use that force to divert incoming projectiles from their trajectory. Although it works only with small calibre ammunition,” I add subdued.

A few more manipulations and the four drones which are circling the strange army are under my full control. I enlarge the viewpoint of the drone I chose for this experiment. The others are also still displayed, but in smaller windows.

A chop of my hand drops its concealment and I send it downwards from its current position in a height of five kilometres. The drone follows my command and tilts its nose directly to the earth. The rapid descent stops when I reverse the acceleration and activate the hover mode directly in front of the leading units of the rainbow army. The drone reorients itself automatically to observe the target.

In the meantime the loose formation of the advancing vehicles broke. The smaller cars which were the leading units steered off into random directions, while the bigger units behind them came to a complete stop. The biggest one is looming between them like a huge fortress.

“That woke them up. Should I get closer?” I take a look at Helen, but she shakes her head.

Her bobbing silver hair is reflecting the sunlight from the window. “Can you simply land the drone? I doubt that they would go anywhere near it if it's airborne.”

I let out a deep sigh. “If you want, but that makes the drone a sitting duck. We'll be unable to use the gravitation engine for defence.” A gesture lands it smoothly on the ground. “I would prefer to have it in the air.”

Helen shrugs her shoulders. “If they destroy it I permit you to test your orbital arsenal in a retaliatory strike.”

Stella grabs her mother's sleeve with a worried expression. “Is that okay? The drone is just a piece of metal.”

“An expensive piece of metal.” Helen answers without hesitation.

The strange army came to a complete halt and now one of the smaller vehicles approaches the drone. It's one of the four wheeled ones and its painted like an explosion of red, orange and yellow colours. The vehicle has a turret on the top with two long metal tubes emerging from it.

The thing is made out of wood while the driver's capsule seems to be a metal box. Upon closer inspection I recognize two small slits for the driver to look out of his vehicle.

The armoured car stops ten metres in front of my drone and a door swings open on its side. It was perfectly concealed before the driver decided to leave his machine.

The driver is clothed in a tight fitting uniform with frilly sleeves and a long cloak. I notice that his blue horns seem a little small, but to compensate for that his hair is also dyed in an explosion of colour. Judging by his horns and his insecure behaviour he seems to be very young. He points something which can only be a gun at the drone and the car's turret rotates to aim its gun too. If he wasn't a soldier and a member of a scouting party I would think that he is frightened.

I'll crush their fancy car if they hurt my toy. “Their technology seems to be decent, although I haven't seen anything outstanding up till now. I wonder what's their problem regarding colours?”

Helen answers my question. “I think I've read that in one of my old books. They believe that they amuse their goddess when they dress like this. According to their holy scripture the goddess laughed tears for a month and created the oceans by doing so.”

Those guys have a few screws loose. “So they want to drown us? What happens if they manage to cause another laughing fit to their goddess?”

“We should say something. Now or never.” Stella reminds us of the awkward situation.

“Oh, you are right.” I activate the speakers on my drone.

“Bring me your leader and explain your presence here!”

The soldier's eyes widen upon the sudden proclamation and he discharges his weapon at the drone. I immediately enlarge the viewpoint of a second drone to inspect the damage.

“That scratched the paint you nervous, little clusterfuck!”

“I'll sue you if there is a dent!”

“No, I'll use the drone's engine to smear you over the entire eastern plains.”

“You won- mmm...MMM-”

Stella immediately jumped to my side and held her hand over my mouth. I try to free myself, but she holds me tightly with iron force while she is pulling me away from the light sculpture. I have to take revenge! You can't be serious that this child is allowed to scratch my drone!

Helen steps into my place and throws an inquiring look at Ivy, who nods to assure her that her voice will be transmitted. “I am sorry for this little outburst. The person you heard just a moment ago is one of the creators of this device and he is emotionally attached to his work. I am Helen Gejene and I rule the Free City States of Nict. It would be very nice of you if you state the reason for your visit and get me a person with authority.”

The soldier had paled upon my outburst. Then, after hearing Helen's words, he nods with a frightened expression and hurries back into his car where he seems to have some kind of communication device.

.