» Chapter 2: Removing The Limiter «
“It looks so fragile,” Josh said staring at the blue planet through the spaceship’s window as it moves further and farther away into space.
“What is?” Asked Celine, not really catching Josh’s earlier statement.
“I mean the earth looks so fragile” Josh repeated. “Its been a while I traveled through space and I miss this ship” continued Josh as he looked around the spacious deck he was in.
“I knew you would. So how do you feel?” Celine replied moving closer to Josh.
“Well it kinda feels nostalgic to be honest” said Josh with a smile.
“C’mon let’s go to the upper levels of the ship. I wanna show you something” celine beckoned, pulling Josh by the hand.
“Oy hey! Where are we going?” Josh inquired as he was being pulled by the blue eyed lady.
“Hahah Just shut up and follow me” Celine said playfully.
“Whoa!” Josh said in awe as they got to a higher level of the ship. “A lota things has changed” said Josh as he observed the sophisticated electronic equipments on deck. “Everything looks so…… upgraded,” Josh remarked .
“Yeah you are right. We made some important chang…”
‘Oh my God! Josh mi lad!!! You are back!!!’ Was the sudden cry from a lady across the room interrupting celine. ‘Hahahah I’m so happy,’ the lady said with excitement as she swiftly got to Josh and gave him a snugly hug. “I’ve missed you mi lad, you know?” She said as she spun Josh around.
“Mmph .can’t… breathe,” Josh managed to say as he gasped for air, his head being buried in the lady’s buxom chest.
“Captain.. You are gon suffocate him with that chest of yours,” sighed Celine putting her face in her palm.
“Oops! I’m so sorry mi lad” the lady said letting go of Josh’s head. Josh gazed up and discovered who she was. “Captain Rebecca?!” He said with excitement. “Oh wow! You still look as gorgeous as ever!”
‘I know mi lad, you look good too,’ the lady returned the compliment and gave Josh another snugly hug.
“Uhm c-captain not so tight” Josh said as he received a bone crushing hug from Rebecca.
‘I’m sorry mi lad, it’s just being too long.’ The lady apologized.
“It’s ok captain. I’m so glad to see you” Josh said with a smile.
Captain Rebecca Starfleet and Josh had a history. They have been friends since his recruitment and have been on the same team unit ever since. ‘Captain Becks’ as she is fondly called by most of her colleagues except Josh who calls her ‘Captain Rebecca’ was the pilot of the ‘Unicorn’ a ship specially designed for space patrol. And as far as Josh is concerned there is no one as good a pilot as Captain Rebecca Starfleet in the entire universe. Rebecca Starfleet is a Pandorian with shiny silver eyes. She is quite tall and has an impressive bust. Looking passed their pale blue skin and elf-like ears, Pandorians look a lot like humans, well almost. Rebecca is extremely fond of Josh and can be very over protective of him. So much so she was known as ‘the nagging aunt.’
“So captain Rebecca, are you the pilot of this ship?” Josh inquired.
“You bet mi lad! This is the unicorn but it has been improved.” Rebecca replied nodding her head. “We have so much catching up to do Joshy! I can’t wait to show you the…”
‘Captain Starfleet?’ A girl wearing huge headphones called out to her interrupting them.
‘The Captain General is asking for you in the control deck’ she said.
“Oh damn it! You mean right now?” Rebecca said impatiently.
“Well you know the captain General, you better hurry up before he starts breathing down your neck,” Celine advised.
Josh wasn’t paying attention to what Celine and Rebecca were saying as he stared at the girl with headphones who had a pepper love tattoo on her left shoulder, trying to figure out where he had seen her before.
“Karien? Is that Karien?” He said as he moved closer to her. “Wow it really is you, you’ve grown. It’s incredible. What are you doing here?” He asked the girl whose face suddenly appeared flushed making Josh wonder if she was feeling sick or something.
“Uhm well I work for SIFT now” Karien replied with a slight stammer.
“Karien are you alright? You look a lil pale” said Josh with concern.
“She’s fine Josh,” Celine said. “Now you two better hurry up before the Captain General have you both for breakfast hahahah” Celine said to the other two ladies, laughing.
‘Heheheh that guy is a case,’ Rebecca said in agreement. “Josh mi lad please follow Celine to the lab alright? You’ll be fine” she said. “Karien let’s go!”
‘Yes captain Starfleet,’ karien replied and made her way with the female pandorian out of the room. But on getting to the door karien paused and said with a smile, “I’m glad to see you Josh.”
‘Oh yeah me too. We’ll catch up later ok?’ Replied Josh.
“C’mon Josh let’s go,” Celine beckoned.
“Uhm so who is the Captain General?” Asked Josh as they walked through what appears to be a corridor leading towards an elevator.
“His name is Jim Bandwater, he was assigned to this unit two years ago,” replied Celine.
“Eh? What about Captain Haygreaves Butterfield? Is he retired now?” Josh asked in shock. “He didn’t look like someone who would, you know”
‘He didn’t.. He.. He’s dead.. He was.. Killed,’ Celine said softly.
Josh could feel the sadness in her voice. “I’m so sorry Celine, I never knew your Dad died. How did it happen?” Josh asked.
‘You’ll find out soon enough Jay, I just don’t wanna talk about it right now,’ Celine said.
“I understand” Josh said, deciding it was best he backed off a little.
“I know you have alota questions” Celine said as they got into an elevator.
“Yeah like why are we going to a lab?” Josh asked.
“Well isn’t it obvious? We are gon remove the Limiter,” Celine answered pointing to the Red bracelet clenching Josh’s left wrist.
“Uhm is that really necessary?” Sighed Josh.
“Josh you know it is, the limiter is sealing off your powers giving you access to just zero point zero zero zero zero zero zero zero zero zero one per cent of your aura essence and trust me with what you’re about to be up against you’ll be needing all your powers,” Celine pointed out.
“Uhm you sure you got the number of zeros right?” Josh said playfully.
“Hahahah whatever! You’re not serious,” Celine laughed out giving Josh a light punch on the shoulder.
“We are here!” Celine said as the elevator doors opened, leading off to a laboratory.
“Hmm ion know Celine,” Josh said skeptically.
“Don’t worry Jay, I won’t let the Doctors give you Injections,” Celine teased.
“Hahahahaha I’m serious Cee.” Josh said laughing. Celine always had a way of making him feel at ease.
“It’s an honor to finally meet the Guardian in person,” a man wearing spectacles and a lab coat spoke out as he walked towards them.
“Oh Doctor Flynch Keywalker, I’ll like to introduce…”
‘Fred Josh I know Celine, I’ve read his file,’ the man butted in.
“It’s an honor,” the dark skinned man said extending his hand to Josh.
“The pleasure is mine really,” Josh replied with a smile as they shook hands.
“Doctor Flynch is our lead scientist in research and bio-tech. He’ll be removing the limiter off your wrist,” Celine said.
“Wow this particular Limiter is a master piece,” Flynch said as he closely examined the bracelet on Josh’s wrist.
“Uhm I’m sure it is,” Josh said, feeling like a lab rat of some sort.
“Who designed this?” Asked Flynch with keen interest.
“Uhm Doctor Greymatter Bumblesquat did,” replied Josh.
“Hahahahah that mad scientist from the planet Nobtrix?!” Laughed Flynch.
“Oh so you do know the guy. He really is a mad scientist and a good friend too.” Said Josh.
“Well it’s time to get this off. I’ll also like to study this bracelet as well,” said the Doctor. “Please follow me. We’ll be removing the limiter via a Buffer chamber as safety precaution,” Flynch pointed out.
“Don’t worry I’m here for you Josh, so don’t be too scared,” Celine said teasing the lad.
“Haaha you? Here for me? oh now I’m really scared,” Josh said with a smirk.
Josh entered into the chamber and laid on his back.
“Alright! Activating retrieval sequence now!” Doctor Flynch uttered as he pushed a blue button on the control panel. Josh noticed the lights inside the chamber getting brighter and a machine moving towards his arm and clenching the bracelet on his left wrist.
“Here we go! Just hang on! This will take a while!” Flynch spoke loudly to Josh as the racket from the chamber was rather loud.
“His body vitals and heart rate are normal,” he spoke looking at a screen which seemed to be wired to the chamber.
Josh could feel the bracelet coming off. But there was something more. He could feel his powers returning. Powers he had sealed off for about three years. He couldn’t help but feel excited. Then suddenly…
“Something is wrong!” Flynch said alarmed.
“What’s wrong doc?” Celine asked.
“I don’t really know but his aura essence is spiraling enormously. I don’t understand its significance!” Flynch replied staring at the screen. “We have to get that Limiter off of his wrist fast!” Flynch pointed out as the alarm went off.
“What’s going on?!” Celine asked agitatedly.
“His aura essence is going outta control, its even affecting the ship!” Answered Flynch. They could hear Josh screaming in pain from inside the chamber.
“Doc you have to stop the process right now!” Celine cried out.
“I can’t! If I do that in this his unstable state. He might end up losing his powers for good or even worse he could die!” The Doctor said.
“Aaarrrrghhhh!!” Josh screamed in pain. Flynch hurried through the control panel seeking a way to halt the process without hurting the boy. But the situation blew up beyond reasonable proportions as Josh’s aura essence suddenly increased incredibly.
“We have to get outta here!” Flynch called out to Celine.
“I’m not leaving Josh,” Celine said sternly.
“But his aura essence is creating an unbelievable pressure.. it’s gon ex…”
The Doctor didn’t get a chance to finish his statement as the chamber Josh was in suddenly Blew up! Sending Celine and Flynch flying out of the laboratory.
“Wh-what p-power?! Celine said as she staggered to her feet.
Looking towards the laboratory she saw a figure standing where the chamber was.
“Josh?” She asked a little confused. The figure didn’t reply but started walking towards her. Whoever this person was his aura essence was unlike anything she has ever seen or felt before. The manifestation of Josh’s aura essence was golden and warm but what the aura essence emanating from the figure in front of her was Dark and sinister! It was pure evil! “This can’t be Josh,” she said to herself.
“Who are you?” She asked in terror as the figure approached her. The figure engulfed in dark aura essence didn’t reply but continued walking towards her slowly. As it got closer. Celine’s eyes opened wide in horror. All she could utter was; “Oh my fucking God!!!!”
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“He who wields great power he can’t control is no better than a weakling”
