Machinist of Mana

“So, is it far?” I asked the people taking me to a second location, though I knew that you should never let them take you to a second location, fight to the death if you had to. Though it was a poor idea, I really did want to talk to these people.

“Not too far, just enough to keep others from intruding,” Sasha said, looking back at me.

“Do you mind if I ask a few questions while we walk then? Get to know each other?”

She didn't seem particularly excited, but nodded. “Very well.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why are you all doing this, chasing me down, kidnapping people, I'd assume also killing them since nobody has reported it before, but all of it.” Odd, she looked almost uncomfortable when I mentioned the killing, maybe she didn't know? Or didn't have a part of it, yes, she certainly knew.

“It's... unfortunate, but necessary.”

“For what?” I continued pressing. I really did want to know why they were going through all of this for seemingly no reason.

“Father's goals. It's true that some people have died, but it's not without purpose. He, he wants to make a better world. Didn't you know? Maybe that's why we're fighting then; I'm sure once he explains it everything will be clearer.”

“Better how?”

“Like us... before him, before he began to improve us all of our people but him were savages, unable to speak, barely able to think. Many still are, but we're changing, all thanks to Father and his designs. Because of him we're able to be so much more than we were, and when he's done your people will be so much more too. He knows how to live far longer, did you know that? Like, immortality, for everyone, isn't that worth a few lives?”

I could tell that if nothing else, Sasha believed that what he was doing was right. That was important, because people seldom followed those they thought were evil, they always had a reason, a sense to their actions. If we could find that out, maybe we could find out how to stop this all. Because I knew for a fact that anyone kidnapping people to be test subjects was up to no good. Perhaps there would be some benefit for the world, but this new world 'Father' sought to make would undoubtedly have him at the top.

“Killing innocents is wrong,” Lucas said from the side. “We should let them be.”

“Without a few of those deaths I wouldn't be able to think or speak. I rather like both of those things,” Greta pointed out to him, frowning.

“I rather like them too Greta, but there are better ways to go about this than taking little girls off the street. How would you feel if someone came into your home and snapped up one of your siblings, carting them off to kill them?”

They both got quiet for awhile, thinking. Good, thinking was good, thinking might get them to turn on their leader and stop this madness. Sure, I was opposed to them, but I wasn't genocidal, they could reason, and if they could reason they could be made to see reason, and stop. That would keep any more from dying, an altogether better solution than any other.

“We actually lost one of ours awhile ago. We presume he was killed by your people.”

That I actually knew of, for I'd been there when he'd been killed.

“Is that so? What was he doing when he was lost?”

That answer too took them awhile to respond to. Eventually though Sasha spoke up. “He was part of one of the gathering groups.” It was painfully clear what they were 'gathering' to all of us.

“Well, you can't well fault people for defending themselves then can you? Things might have been different if someone had actually tried talking to us.”

“Like you would,” griped Greta.

“I'm doing so now. In the future I'm willing to as well, though I do want you to stop kidnapping people.”

After a bit more walking we finally reached some kind of intersection. These weren't tunnels we were in, nor were they the steam tunnels used in only a few places. Rather they seemed to be some old maintenance ones of some form, though I didn't know from where they hailed. Before us was a door, made of steel and slightly rusted. With a calm hand I reached out and pulled on it, opening to a larger room behind.

“Ladies first,” I offered with a wave.

Inside was some kind of storage area, larger than I'd have expected for something underground, used at one point for carts if the ruts in the stone and the little stall-looking structures were any indication. It was clear though that it had been long abandoned, left to fall apart where it was. That was odd, since it could've been refurbished, and I wondered briefly if this kind of thing had been common on Earth as well.

“Well well our guest finally arrives, welcome, welcome, I'm so very excited to speak with you,” said a goblin in the center of the room, he looked slightly older, not aged, but mature, standing taller than either of the girls. He wore a long white coat, miraculously clean, and an approximation of a shirt and vest. It would have been quite stylish on anyone but a goblin.

“I'll admit I'm quite interested in speaking to you too,” I replied.

“Oh? Wonderful to hear, though I believe I requested you to come alone?” he commented, looking at Lucas who was standing quietly to the side.

“Are you alone?” I asked, looking to the two girls who'd brought us here.

“Haha, well, you do have me there. I was hoping you might introduce me to the lady my dear Greta told me about, that's why I said to allow an additional, but it is of no consequence.” He put his hands in a perfect scholar's cradle, looking up at me.

“*I hope you don't mind if we switch to English?*” he said. “*There are some things I'd rather keep slightly more private if you don't mind.*”

“*The same.*”

“*I guessed, but didn't want to assume; it would be a truly awkward conversation with one's parents. Where are my manners though, I am Doctor Anton Parkov, a pleasure to meet you.*”

Anton Parkov, I knew that name, I'd heard it somewhere, but I just couldn't place it.

“*Please just call me Percival. I've had another name, but not using it in years...*”

“*Naturally, naturally. I'm sure you'd like to know what I want, but first I must ask, English? And an American too if I'm not mistaken, would you mind confirming your location and the date you found yourself here?*”

I rattled off the name of my former hometown and date I'd wandered into that field while I thought about his name, it was so familiar. I could see his eyes light up as I did, blinking in seeming confusion.

“*Also, cursive? Who even uses that anymore?*”

“*Oh... bit of an oversight on my part, my apologies, it's just what I use in my day-to-day.*” So he was a weirdo too, good to know, well, confirm. “*Most odd though, I was taken at roughly the same day, and from the South as well, during an earthquake no less, but I came here some centuries ago.*”

“*Some kind of time distortion, or we're landing periodically. I met another of us and she seemed to be here for a long time too.*”

“*Is that so? Do you think she might be willing to speak with me as well?*”

Parkov...

“*I'm afraid she's indisposed.*”

“*Oh well, a shame. Now for the meat of the matter, I'd like you to join with us. I assure you I can make it worth your while, and with two people from a far more advanced world we can do so much. Even with just myself I've achieved great things.*”

Anton Parkov... was he...

“*Wait, your name, you were on the news.*”

“*Ah... was hoping you wouldn't remember that, but have no fear my lad the things they said about me were hardly true.*”

“*You killed dozens, and dozens more here at least. They were going to execute you.*”

“*One does have to break a few eggs to make an omelet my friend, I was hoping you'd come to understand that.*” As he spoke I heard footsteps running hard in the distance, coming our way at speed, still far, but they'd be here soon.

“Yeah, no, but if you surrender now I'll do all I can to see your people are treated well,” I replied, switching back to the local tongue.

“Oh, is that so? And if I refuse?”

“Well, then we'll have no deals will we?”

“How about this, I'll learn what I can from you and your friend here before I move on to the rest of my research, subjects with actual power are so rare for me.” As he spoke he separated his hands, a wisp of yellow magic stretching between them.

“So much for letting us leave unharmed,” I quipped, not for him, but for the girls, I had to hold out some hope there, and I could see Sasha's face waver at the words.

“Father?” she said, confused.

“Plans change,” he said, releasing his spell.

Lucas and I both had to leap to the side, dodging a yellow arc of energy. I didn't know what would happen if it landed, or even grazed me, and I was in no mood to find out. As we rolled I heard him draw his blade, and I reached for my weapon.

“They sure do,” I returned, pulling the trigger.