9 Die with a Smile

After the third deafening sonic boom, the lone Armatus, a hulking war machine with two P.N.I. bots perched on its shoulders, slammed into the ground with a thunderous impact.

The earth-shattering landing tore a deep crater in the road, sending powerful winds blasting upwards, churning dirt and smoke into a ten-metre-high cloud.

Stunned for a fleeting moment by the menacing machine's dramatic arrival, Lupus swiftly composed herself.

Seizing the opportunity, she dashed forward without hesitation, the blue sigils on her armour boots illuminating with arcane power, determined to gain the upper hand before the smoke cleared and visibility returned.

"Stop right there!" Jack's voice bellowed from the Armatus's speaker system, raw and panicked as an enemy marker on his HUD closed in fast.

Fumbling with the controls, he milked the last drop of energy from the arcanite engine to move the mobile suit's failing arms. His vision blurred, and the world began to spin as exhaustion weighed heavily on him.

The voice was deep, coarse, and laced with an oddly mysterious undertone. It startled Lupus.

Why is his voice so... sexy?! she found herself thinking, the stray notion momentarily distracting her.

Shaking her head furiously to banish the thought, she surged forward again with lightning speed. The gap between them shrank rapidly, the distance now less than fifty metres.

"Stop! Stop! I'm an Arcanii too!" Jack's voice cracked with desperation over the speakers.

As the words registered, the Armatus's torso hatch hissed open. A man in an orange jumpsuit stumbled out awkwardly, stepping onto the lower hatch door.

Lupus froze, her golden eyes narrowing as she took in the figure. "Huh? An uncle? Why is he so old?" she scoffed inwardly, her gaze lingering on his weathered face and malnourished frame.

Her frown deepened as a new thought took root. What a waste of such a deep, mythic voice!

"Tell me, Uncle, why are you in an enemy mobile suit?" she demanded sternly, taking a cautious step closer.

"Good question… uh, my name is Jack… Jack Squire," he replied, his tone nonchalant as he raised his hands to his chest in a gesture of peace.

A groan escaped him.

"Ugh… wait a second," he said, grimacing as he straightened his back. His body protested against the chaos of the crash landing and the relentless pull of gravity on his aging frame.

Examining him with a pitying gaze, Lupus pressed on. "Okay, Unc, how about you get on with your answer? Or are you trying to pull a trick on me?" she repeated, her tone thick with suspicion as she sniffed the air.

Jack's thoughts briefly wandered. Why is she still calling me 'Unc'? I just told her my name. Am I really that old? Kids these days… no respect for their seniors, he mused with melancholy.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

Meeting her captivating golden gaze intently, he spoke with sincerity. "I'm here to find my family," he explained.

Seizing on an idea, he pointed to one of the P.N.I. bots. "See that? I'm a debris collector in the low orbital ring…"

Blinking, Lupus tilted her head, a mix of puzzlement and distrust so palpable it seemed to hang in the air.

"Look, here's the logo. DebrisX," he hurried to add, gesturing nonchalantly to the patch emblazoned on his chest. "It's a private company. See? It's on my jumpsuit too!"

Her long rabbit ears twitched, irritation flickering in her eyes. Why is this old fart explaining things to me as if I'm a dumb animal? she muttered under her breath.

Her stance tightened, her suspicion unwavering.

"Answer me this! Who is your family? What are their names? Where do they live?" she yelled, stepping closer.

"Of course… um…" Jack hesitated, a cold dread settling over him. He realised with growing horror that he couldn't recall their names; he couldn't even picture their faces.

Panic surged through him as his thoughts scrambled. Do I… do I have amnesia? I can't remember anything before arriving at the space station… before the Luna base. My life on Earth… it's all gone.

While Jack's mind reeled in shock, Lupus's frown deepened as her suspicions were confirmed.

Although his faltering demeanour wasn't hostile, it was a deception she had seen many times before. She saw his wide-eyed terror as a performance, a feigned weakness to lower her guard.

"Oh, oh… I have amnesia!" Jack stammered nervously, the truth tumbling from his lips.

He didn't get a chance to utter another word.

In one heartbeat, Lupus was metres away; in the next, she was right beside him.

Her leg coiled around his neck like scissors, locking him in a crushing hold before she hurled him to the ground.

"AH!" His body slammed into the metal hatch door with a deafening clang.

Jack's body twisted in agony, his breath ragged as her thighs constricted around his throat, cutting off his air supply.

"No!... Please…" he gasped, his voice faltering as his vision began to fade.

His eyes rolled back, and his consciousness slipped away, engulfed by darkness.

"You lying uncle! I know you're trying to trick me!" Lupus sneered, flexing her legs tighter.

Jack didn't resist; he lay limp, accepting his fate.

A final, surreal thought passed through his fading mind. If this is how I die, choked by a beautiful woman with rabbit ears…

At least I'll die with a smile.

Despite standing at death's door, Jack refused to touch her thighs to pry his throat free, a final act of weary decency from a man who had nothing left to lose.

Then, something caught Lupus's sharp eyes — a locket peeking out from under his collar. She loosened her grip slightly, allowing it to fall into view. Inside was a faded picture of a young boy.

For a brief, searing moment, she wanted to believe him.

A string of facts solidified in her mind. He wasn't wearing any personal armour, just an orange jumpsuit with a peculiar design. His claim of working with a private company, 'DebrisX', seemed convincing, with his nametag and company logo matching the one etched on the strange cylindrical drones.

His motive had shown no hostility towards her as he had voluntarily opened the hatch, exposing himself to her attack.

Releasing her hold, Lupus slowly unclenched her thighs, watching as his unconscious body lay motionless on the cold, metal floor of the hatch. His face, caught in the sunlight, appeared strangely serene.

"Mister Jack?" She nudged his shoulder, but there was no response.

Her face whitened like a sheet, blood draining from her cheeks.

Oh, no... I think I've killed him! Accidentally!

Lupus gasped inwardly, regret hanging heavy in her heart as her golden eyes lingered on Jack Squire.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.