Take a Free Ride

[Enzo Matrix]

Matrix was surprised as he emerged from the portal, taking in the radically different environment of the Vasty Deep, specifically the bustling city of Costa Del Sol. He'd rarely seen anything like this in all the time he'd been alive. In fact, other than Mainframe, only the desert port system he'd been to matched this level of bustling activity. People were moving in all directions on the street, vendors were offering wares of all sorts, and every building seemed to have a steady influx of traffic in and out of it. All of it seemed so alive, so vivid. It was surreal.

As the two of them stepped away from the portal, Matrix glanced to AndrAIa, watching as her hair blew in the wind. He could see strands of hair individually, and she obviously felt them as she was reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ears. He was mesmerized by her, but at the same time he realized that there was something unique and different about this world, compared to what they knew. He would have to figure out the details later, for now he was already growing uncomfortable by standing in such a crowded area.

"Well, it feels better!" AndrAIa announced with a smile, basking in the bright sunlight and warm weather. She then looked around the crowded street before she echoed Matrix's thoughts. "Where do we go from here?"

"Let's keep moving down the street. Maybe the crowd will clear out once we get away from this portal," Matrix decided. AndrAIa, partially distracted by the many different types of people milling about, nodded and they quickly began walking down the street.

One thing Matrix was noticing, meanwhile, was the presence of the stormtroopers amongst the population. There seemed to be no shortage of them. It wasn't a comfortable sight to him, as he didn't like any sort of stifling military presence from anyone, much less these people he'd already had an uneasy experience with, already.

Regardless, he was right about one thing. As they ventured away from the portal and by extension the prime real estate for shop owners, the crowd thinned to a still busy, but much more acceptable level. Matrix glanced to the side to see AndrAIa moving towards a stand with multiple brochures sticking out of it, and quickly joined her.

"It's a tourist trap!" AndrAIa cheerfully announced as she grabbed pamphlet after pamphlet. "We might be able to get all the info we need right here."

"Good. Let's grab a seat and look everything over," Matrix said as he looked at a few fliers and advertisements. He didn't take anything, trusting AndrAIa's judgement on this one.

The two of them moved down the road a bit further until they found a small restaurant. They walked up the steps to an outdoor patio, and took a seat at a small table with an umbrella providing a little bit of shade on this bright and hot day. Immediately AndrAIa began spreading out the informational brochures she had looted, and then scanned them for what might be the most relevant.

Matrix grabbed one and she grabbed another, and they both quickly began to read up on the place they were in as fast as possible. They both learned that this place was called the Vasty Deep, that they were on an island named Costa Del Sol, and that there were many more islands litering this verse. From there, the information was a bit more scattered and harder to decipher.

"This is one of the largest 'verses' in this Omniverse," Matrix read aloud from a brochure, tossing it aside once he determined it held no more useful information.

"A verse must be about the same as a system, to us," AndrAIa realized, opening another flier and skimming it until something caught her eye. "Ok, here! The Empire, from Coruscant, uses Costa Del Sol as a base of operations."

"The Empire. That's the people I talked to before," Matrix nodded, turning one of his brochures over to read the back. "Looks like they're at war with Camelot. I saw them, too, but I thought it was just a broken game, then.

AndrAIa giggled at that thought. "Well, unless you want to do any windsurfing, I think we're tapped out on this resource."

"I agree. What we need now is a plan," Matrix said, tossing his last pamphlet back into the stack.

"Hmm..." AndrAIa mused aloud, tapping her fingers on the table as she looked around and observed the crowd. "If there was a way out of here through this island, everyone would know about it."

"You think we need to go and try another verse?" Matrix asked in surprise, not seeing her point yet.

"No, just the opposite. There's a lot to see and do in this one. I bet our chances of escaping are pretty good from here," AndrAIa said. "The only problem is, it won't be on this island. We need a boat."

Matrix nodded, agreeing with that logic. "I like it. We just have to find one."

"I think we can manage," AndrAIa grinned as they stood up. "Come on. Let's look for the docks."

Matrix gestured his arm to the side, jokingly indicating that he would follow her. AndrAIa smiled as she walked past him and down the stairs. Matrix followed her, staying constantly alert and carefully watching the area as he walked. If they could avoid it, he didn't want to steal something Imperial and get on their bad side, yet. He had no qualms about fighting anything that needed to be set straight, but he didn't want to jump into something without all the facts. It had nearly cost him before, and now he was even further out of his element. The risks were high, but at the same time he felt confident, and even a little excited.

[Enzo Matrix]

Matrix and AndrAIa walked out on one of the many docks that littered Costa Del Sol. It was a bit unsteady, rocking with the constant waves of the ocean and the impact from the tied up boats. Matrix glanced down for a moment, amazed that AndrAIa could move like she did in those high heels she always wore. He brushed it off as he saw her looking over the boats, and looked at them himself.

There were plenty of boats, with all levels of technology and size. Matrix noticed AndrAIa looking at all of them in wonder and amazement. Of course she would love these things, just like she does a decent motorcycle. It was hard to forget her aquatic origins. He knew they needed something fast, but light, if they were going to make it away from Costa Del Sol. Even once they were out in the ocean, though, they had no idea what other obstacles they might encounter, or how much civilization there might even be. They had to be ready to live on this boat for now.

They paced around a bit, then finally spotted the boat they were looking for. It was lashed to the dock with three sturdy ropes at the stern, bow, and beam. The boat itself was over thirty feet long, with a large open area at the back and a staircase that went upwards. It had several outdoor seats, and the controls were on the upper starboard section of it. There was a small descending staircase in the center that went to what was obviously a small cabin at the bow of the boat. Matrix couldn't see in there, but as long as it had something resembling a bed and some storage, they'd work around the rest.

"Think this will work?" Matrix asked, before glancing to AndrAIa.

Her expression said enough. She was completely enamored at the sight of the vessel. She walked up and down it and looked around, excited at the mere thought of adventures on the high seas with Matrix. Meanwhile, Matrix was shaking his head and looking around. He wasn't quite sure he could muster up a boat like this with Omnilium, so it would have to be this one they took. If they just grabbed it and ran, though, they would be at the mercy of the Imperial fleet just off shore. There hadn't been any security to stop them from entering this dock, though, so he began to wonder how hard that might actually be.

"Hey! You there!" a voice suddenly shouted, getting Matrix and AndrAIa's attention.

They looked over to see a single stormtrooper approaching them. One obstacle. Matrix narrowed his eyes as he considered how difficult it might be to fight their way out right now. Suddenly, AndrAIa put her hand on his arm and stood next to him, knowing full and well what he was considering. Her gentle touch was enough to make the hardened renegade pause.

"This is a restricted dock. I'm going to need to see some authorization," the stormtrooper ordered as he stopped before them.

"I'm sorry, I was just showing him my family's boat. We didn't bring any paperwork," AndrAIa lied. Deceit was her specialty, along with tact. Matrix made up for not having skill in either of those with brute force, which was probably why they worked so well together.

"Ma'am...you have to have clearance papers to get in here," the stormtrooper explained, obviously distracted by her beauty and the complimenting outfit that displayed it. "You...you could just as easily be thieves trying to steal one of these boats."

"Oh, but we don't have to worry about that. Not with a big, strong man like you guarding them for us, right?" AndrAIa replied, turning on her sultry voice. Matrix rolled his eyes, unnoticed by the guard. AndrAIa knew all too well how to play off of people, and after seeing it a thousand times, he was amazed at himself for still being surprised how well it worked.

"Well, I..." the poor stormtrooper didn't know what to say.

"We're leaving, then," Matrix abruptly said, taking AndrAIa's hand and walking off with her.

"Bye!" AndrAIa said with a wink and a wave to the stormtrooper, just to annoy Matrix. The poor soldier just stood there watching them leave.

They exited the docks and stopped near a few shops, well away from them. AndrAIa was still laughing, but Matrix was already planning the next move.

"The security is weak," Matrix said. "If we come back by cover of night, we should be just fine."

"Except we don't know what the off shore fleet will do," AndrAIa commented.

Matrix paused, looking around as he thought.

"Then again, if we pull away from the dock without any incident, they probably won't think anything of us," AndrAIa realized. "Do you think you can actually be sneaky for once in your life?"

"I've got plenty of stealth in me," Matrix proudly reminded her, leaning back and knocking over a potted plant with flawless timing.

AndrAIa laughed as he angrily looked down at the destroyed decoration.

"What kind of basic idiot puts one of those..." Matrix mumbled, but caught himself just as quickly.

"Alright, then," AndrAIa said as she managed to slow her giggling down. "Let's go get some dinner, maybe some supplies, and come back after it gets dark. Does that sound alright?"

Matrix simply nodded as he glanced back in the direction of the dock, then up at the sun. It seemed like a good enough plan, and they were committed. There was no use in staying here. He noticed AndrAIa already walking down the street, so he turned and followed after her.

[Enzo Matrix]

Night had fallen over Costa Del Sol. The dock was quiet, all except for the gentle sound of the ocean's waves and the creaking of the boats against the dock. Faint music could be heard from the bar district far away from this dock. A single stormtrooper was on guard, but with his feet kicked up in the small hut, he had been asleep for some time now.

AndrAIa slowly peered into the window of the hut, looking at the only guard. His body language, sprawled out in his chair and the small confines of the tiny shack, suggested that he was asleep, but the helmet he wore obviously shielded his face from view. After a few seconds, however, she could make out the rhythmic snoring of the man. She grinned and waved Matrix over.

The two of them quietly moved down the dock, taking gentle steps so the only sound would be that of the dock's joints straining from the ocean's push. Matrix had a large supply bag slung over his left shoulder, that he was holding with just that arm. Inside were provisions such as food, maps, and various other supplies they might need to stay alive. Anything they were missing they figured he could simply summon with Omnilium.

They swiftly moved towards the boat they'd identified earlier, making sure to keep looking around to confirm they were the only ones out here. They didn't see anyone else, and arrived at the boat in no time. AndrAIa quickly jumped on board, while Matrix threw the bag on after her. She didn't waste a second and quickly moved towards the controls while Matrix was busy untying the ropes. AndrAIa opened up the control panel underneath the wheel, getting ready to attempt a hotwire. As she looked at the complicated wires and fuses, she suddenly noticed a single key hanging from a hook inside the box.

AndrAIa could only give a sly smile to no one in particular as she took the key from it's hook. "Good thing it's safe here."

Matrix untied the last rope and tossed it up onto the vessel, then put his hands on the boat and began to guide it from the slip. He heard AndrAIa fire up the engine, and quickly jumped on board. After that he moved up to the controls, while AndrAIa grabbed the bag and went to the cabin, putting their supplies inside and simultaneously confirming they were indeed the only occupants of the boat.

Matrix gently pushed down on the throttle, so they would move forward at a slow and unassuming pace. He stood at the wheel and guided them away from the dock, then sat down in the seat as he continued to steer. AndrAIa came back up to him, leaning against the console beside him and smiling. Matrix looked up at her, once again captivated by her beauty. He watched the way her hair blew in the light wind, and how her eyes seemed to shine just like the stars in the sky. It was a sight, but he pulled himself away from it to focus on driving the boat. There would be time for more later on.

"You got it started quick," Matrix said. "Did you find a key or something?"

"You weren't supposed to guess that right away," AndrAIa replied in mock disappointment.

Matrix let out a small laugh, shaking his head as he did. Someone's carelessness was their good luck for today. He would take it, though. A victory was a victory, and in this unusual place there was just no telling how many of those there would be.

"Looks like no one even noticed us," AndrAIa said as she looked back at the peaceful island they were departing.

"Good," Matrix simply replied.

He stood back up, and looked around, oblivious to AndrAIa staring at him. She was glad, though. Matrix could get serious and wrapped up in whatever he was working on for better or worse. But his focus and determination was hard to beat, and she enjoyed seeing it in action. So, she just watched as he looked all around and confirmed that they weren't being followed or observed by anyone. Luckily, they appeared to be alone on the sea tonight, with the exception of a few patrolling and uninterested Imperial Navy vessels.

Matrix finally pressed down on the throttle all the way, and the boat got up to speed and took off into the ocean and the night.

"Where do we go, now?" AndrAIa asked, glancing back to the cabin, where she'd left the maps.

Mainframe was home, and it was where he wanted to return to. But something was different about this place to Matrix. It just felt more alive than anywhere he'd ever been. Maybe it was just the world that Omni had created, that it had been built to elicit this feeling and people might want to stay. Mainframe was obviously the end goal, but there was no telling how long that would take. He glanced back to AndrAIa, content to enjoy the journey, this time.

"Where ever we want."

[Enzo Matrix]

Two weeks had passed since Matrix and AndrAIa went to sea. In that time they had stopped at a few islands and experienced some drastically different cultures. Some were advanced, some were very primitive. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the differences, so they had simply taken each one they encountered as it's own unique experience. Given their previous travels in their own land, it had been just like old times.

Now, on a sunny afternoon at sea, AndrAIa was trying to get in a short nap on the small bed in the cabin of the boat. This proved difficult, because every couple of seconds there was the bang of Matrix's gun, up on deck.

AndrAIa pulled the pillow over her head, hoping to drown out the sound of the gun's blasts and the subsequent rattling of the cabin. Three more shots and she gave up, throwing the pillow across the room before standing up. She exited the tiny living space through the small staircase. The warmth of the sun and a little spray from the ocean hit her as she did, which normally would have been nice. She turned to see Matrix standing at the front of the boat, meaning he had been on the roof above her while she tried to sleep. To her annoyance, he was firing shot after shot from his firearm into the empty sea.

"Matrix!" AndrAIa loudly announced her presence. Matrix jumped in place, but lowered his gun and looked at her just the same.

"I thought you were going to sleep?" Matrix asked, oblivious to the ruckus he was causing.

AndrAIa had to smile at his surprise. She knew better than anyone that beneath his hard exterior was just a nice guy.

"Well, it's kind of hard to do that with you keeping me up," AndrAIa replied as she crossed her arms.

Matrix looked at Gun, then tilted his head a bit. "Sorry," he said as he holstered the weapon on his hip. "But it's been acting a lot different since we got here. My eye, too. I'm trying to figure out how to get the full functionality back."

AndrAIa could only respond with a reassuring smile. "I'm sure that Omnilium will play a part in it. It's all anyone seemed to have on their minds wherever we stopped."

Matrix nodded slowly in agreement.

"Speaking of which, we should probably start looking for another island. There's a few supplies you can probably make us with Omnilium, but a few other things, like a map that covers this area, you can't and we're going to need it." AndrAIa continued.

Matrix stepped off the deck and moved towards the controls. He sat in the seat and turned the key, causing the motor to fire up quickly. As AndrAIa sat down in the seat next to his, they both looked out at the open sea. There was only the sound of the motor roaring as Matrix pressed the throttle down and the boat quickly planed off.

"I think we need to try and find a place to put some actual roots down, just while we're in the Omniverse," AndrAIa said, suddenly.

"I agree," Matrix instantly responded, the fact that he had been thinking the same was more than evident. "This boat isn't going to hold up forever."

AndrAIa looked out at the ocean, thinking to herself. None of the islands they had been to would be good enough. They wanted to lay as low as possible, observe and understand this world from the shadows before they sided with the wrong team. The Empire had a foothold on nearly every island they'd come across. They'd heard good things about them, but just as many bad things, too. It was enough to make them want to avoid them as much as possible, for the time being.

Matrix glanced to AndrAIa, noting that she was obviously lost in thought. He knew she was likely thinking the same as he was, as they were usually in synch with matters such as these.

He looked forward to see they were approaching another island, and another challenge.