Slaves of Destiny
PREVIEW CHAPTER: The Ramp Opened.
When it was opened, they were surprised by the light coming from the floor of the structure to assist with landing.
They began to walk calmly.
TUM! TUM! TUM!
…
…
…
"We've finally arrived! It's time…" H.K. whispered to himself.
Silence took over the group, and apprehension made the atmosphere extremely terrifying.
Their faces showed a mixture of fear and hopelessness, but also the opposite. Anything could happen now, and that affected even the most confident among them, like Harvey and Burton.
They were approaching the planet's force field. But since it was an artificial planet, it had special security resources—facilities that were only possible in an artificial world. These protections helped maintain a controlled flow of arrivals and departures. The main one was a force field, which was impenetrable.
It was always kept active and only partially opened at very specific points to ensure constant security.
As the group approached the nearest force field, they accessed a new radio channel to receive instructions.
A robotic voice spoke on channel Dreiundfünfzig (fifty-three), beginning to relay location information.
"You have entered Planet Geschäftshaus. Welcome to the oldest mercenary business hub since humanity's expansion into the cosmos. If you wish to go anywhere, you must first land at a designated location, where you will be received by two butlers and a chauffeur/Treiber. Upon passing through the force field, you must fly around the planet until you see a red and green light. That is the only available landing zone for non-residents. You will notice, as you get closer, that it is merely a projector illusion, designed to guide visitors. If needed, request assistance at any time via this radio until landing. Have a pleasant stay!"
The moment the voice stopped speaking, What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong began playing.
"Everyone! Get ready… ANYTHING can happen now!"
"I don't need advice from you, H.K.!"
"Why does Mr. Smith treat me like this?" he muttered under his breath.
…
WHOOSH!
They were finally approaching the force field when another radio warning interrupted the music playing at the moment (99 Luftballons, by Nena), notifying them that the ship had been identified and should maintain its course to avoid errors while entering the force field opening.
…
"Phew! We're in, and there hasn't been any scanning yet, guys. ATTENTION!"
"SHUT UP, H.K.!" part of the group shouted almost in unison.
H.K. continued piloting the ship in silence, trying to stay focused and momentarily forget his fears.
The Facilis moved closer, and now the crew could see the surroundings—a representation of the classic cyberpunk city stereotype.
In the distance, the landing area was visible, but the guiding light had disappeared. The site was an elevated square platform with an L shape.
"The L stands for Landeplatz—German for 'landing site'," Heinrich said, pointing to the illuminated letter at the center of the platform, colored with the German flag.
"Alright… Stay alert. We don't know if we'll be searched here. Just do as I do," Smith said mockingly.
H.K. landed very slowly, ensuring he made a good impression on the Germans, whom he deeply respected for their renowned piloting skills.
Shawn and Stjarna lowered the retractable metal table to the floor, and everyone gathered near the ramp's opening, waiting for H.K. to open it slowly.
TUM! TUM! TUM!
Their hearts beat faster…
…
The ramp opened.
When it was opened, they were surprised by the light coming from the floor of the structure to assist with landing.
They began to walk calmly.
TUM! TUM! TUM!
On the outside, they appeared confident, but inside, they were being eaten away by fear. The brightness still made it difficult to see clearly. They walked with a certain elegance and authority.
Standing at each end of the ramp were two men in their sixties, dressed in premium black suits—seemingly the most expensive kind available. In the upper left pocket of both men's suits, a rose was pinned, which slightly surprised the group.
The two men approached as they descended the ramp and made a bowing gesture, pointing toward a wide vehicle. It resembled a golf cart but was much larger. It was entirely black and chrome, very long, and lacked doors. It had four rows, each with three seats, and was fixed on a rail system.
"You gentlemen need not worry about transportation, as our Treiber will take you wherever you need," said the man on the left, who seemed the more sociable of the two.
"Please proceed to the vehicle. But first, inform me of your destination. If you are unsure, my colleague will provide you with a map detailing all the places you can visit here."
The Treiber on the right handed them a tablet-like device with a blue surface displaying: "CLICK ANYWHERE TO ACTIVATE." However, they only used it for reference, as Heinrich had already planned their destination, so they only needed it for orientation.
"We are heading to the Kontinental Hotel. But we'd like a short tour of a few places on this small planet—just to revisit and discover some new spots. Nothing extravagant, and of course, we'll provide a generous tip."
"Very well, gentlemen. Please proceed to the vehicle."
They followed the butlers down a staircase. The surroundings were completely empty—only this staircase led to the sole exit.
Strangely, the Treiber seemed to glance at them with suspicion. However, once everyone boarded the rail vehicle, he turned around and remained silent, staring straight ahead.
They sat as follows, from left to right in each row:
1st row: Treiber, the quieter butler, the sociable butler.
2nd row: Shawn, Stjarna, Burton.
3rd row: H.K., Smith, Alfred.
4th row: Heinrich, Harvey, Cassandra.
"What brings you gentlemen here?" asked the butler.
"We are here on business," Burton replied.
"Would you mind sharing the name?"
"No, it's someone whose identity I prefer not to disclose."
"Ah, forgive my intrusion, sir."
"It's alright… But tell me, what is your name, sir?"
"I am Klein Sanfte, which means 'Little Gentle' in German, and my quiet colleague never reveals his name to anyone. So, we call him K, as it is the first letter of his contract code."
— Tell me, Mr. Sanfte, how is the movement? — Heinrich spoke from the back.
— What do you mean?
— I mean, how are things in the business world? It's been a while since I last came here.
— So you're a veteran?
— You could say that.
— Well... Everything, actually, has been quite stagnant regarding foreign relations. The brothers who manage the organization are trying to maintain the official status and legality of this place, without interference from the American, German, or Chinese governments. I mean, it's not that they want to cause harm. It's just that they value the security and reputation of their own nations. Besides, this is definitely a gray area in moral terms, so the process is slow, and that has driven away many clients.
The car was descending a steep road with a single lane. There were a few simple houses that clashed with the otherwise utopian environment. As they neared the end, they noticed the growing noise and the increasing flow of people coming from the direction they were heading. As they got closer, they found themselves in a crowded area—a commercial street branching into three different paths: straight ahead, left, and right. Treiber turned left, where there was a steady flow of cars and pedestrians on the sidewalks.
…
— Gentlemen, as you can see, this area is quite busy and crowded; that's because it's the main commercial district. Here, you'll find all kinds of shops and services, from cyborg replacement parts, simple weaponry, parties, and a wide variety of food vendors. A huge mess, I'd say. So, sometimes, no matter how hard we try, it's difficult to keep things organized.
— A question... Why wasn't anyone else entering when we arrived? I mean, are we the only ones revisiting or visiting?
— Good question, sir... What is your name?
— Harvey Guster.
— Very well, Mr. Guster. That is because the number of visitors here has dropped significantly. It has stopped being advantageous for most of the rough and not-so-gentlemen who need adrenaline at all times and can't go a single day without getting into a fight.
— So... You're saying we're the first visitors to show up in a long time?
— Visitors? Aren't you veterans?
— Not all of us...
— Well, in that case, yes. It's been a long time since the system registered a new entry.
They continued straight along the left side of the lane, still moving slowly due to a line of cars and motorcycles. They were traveling on tracks, so no one could simply cross the street in this city.
…
Silence lingered for a while due to the loud noise in the streets, as they were in a part of the district where various high-performance mechanics services were concentrated.
— GENTLEMEN! WE WILL SOON BE PASSING THROUGH THIS TURBULENT AREA, SO DON'T BE ALARMED! — shouted Mr. Sanfte, as if he were in the middle of a storm and couldn't be heard.
…
— Are we arriving? — H.K. asked, his youthful excitement evident.
— Ah, forgive my delay—yes, gentlemen, we are.
…
— What is that?
Stjarna pointed to a building—unique and lifeless. It unsettled the group, as there were no other buildings nearby. It looked abandoned and completely out of place in this cyberpunk city, glowing with lights. It was tall, with several shattered glass windows. Its architecture resembled the buildings seen on Earth during the years 2000-2030...
— A history we forgot and never cared to remember again.
…
The car continued straight until Treiber turned right, leading them to a road that began with a few simple houses on the right side, while on the left, there was a small grassy elevation. After a few kilometers, the road became bare on both sides, with nothing but an expansive artificial grass field.
At the end of the road, it was now clearer—a large building stood ahead, covered with advertisements and various forms of projected content. The distant sounds and speaker systems lightly polluted the ambient noise.
— Gentlemen, we are arriving.