Unknown Dusk Moon

Baxter

He ran along the grey ash death, the billowing dust clouds plumed in his wake.

Baxter could finally cut loose, sprinting to his heart’s content. And sometimes sleep or digging, but mostly running. Shindow had said it was really important for him to run outside, which he was in agreement with. There was no room in the Ferrum to dig and play! And Shindow had given him steak to do it with the promise of more steak! It as a good day.

He sped along, keeping a brisk eighty mile an hour run. This was only possible due to the MK A Hind Canis power armor that he occupied. Flexible and tough berylite gave him durability as well as a light frame. The monocular tracking eye gave a one-eighty field of view while keeping Baxter’s predatory focus honed. The energized teeth could melt steel if he desired. The multi-jointed legs allowed for a multitude of maneuvers. He had never moved like a deer or cheetah before, but now he could! His shoulder mounts could contain any Primetech or Mars Tech weaponry. The back mount could house even heavier weaponry. And best of all, he now had a tail.

It was everything he could want.

He had to test out its ability to dig and take naps in. You never knew when you needed to sleep. However, the teeth would vaporize any food he attempted to eat, which was sad. His small form occupied just inside the chest of the power armor snuggled safely inside. He blinked at the seamless UI, showing him the outside. Due to the field of view change, he felt as if his eyes were larger. He went from a deer lope to a cat sprint to a horse gallop. He felt the limbs changing mid-stride. The Rumbler had made really big holes, which meant it loved to dig like he did! Except they were still bad guys. He made sure to stay away from the large chasms, lest he fall in.

“This is a great day! I am fast!” he declared with a muffled bark.

“Understood,” Excertius replied as they kept up, only appearing as footprints in the dust. Baxter was also invisible to the naked eye with his Active Mantilla, blending him in with the environment; perfect camo. Excertius had their own Mars technology of Veiling, refracting light around them to give true cloaking. He halted at a large rusted iron crystal outcropping, inspecting his goal as it glowed on-screen. He cocked his head, curious why it was glowing. And also saying ‘mission objective’. And also saying ‘Baxter, stop here and collect this.’ He wagged his nose at the on-screen intrusions, attempting to vanish them away.

“Go away!”

the screen was unyielding.

“Lieutenant Baxter, it appears this is a mission assigned from headquarters,” Excertius explained, still invisible in their veiling.

A single Excertius exited veiling, stalking in close to mine a sample. Their skeletal form appeared to be deceivingly light and fragile, but Baxter witnessed what they could do. He let out a yawn, feeling a little bored now that they stopped. The Hind’s sensors were fine-tuned, allowing him to feel the dusty particles of the grey ash along the alloy paws. He began stamping his feet in place, feeling the strange sensation of the fine grains. He then sat, gazing at the grey overcast sky.

“Shin. It is grey and sad out here,” Baxter announced over comms.

“Color blindness aside, Baxter. Yeah, it’s like the physical manifestation of ‘sullen’,” Shindow replied over the comms.

“Can you eat or chew ‘sullen’?” he asked, unsure of what that word meant. He didn't believe it was a word!

“Uh… No,” the AI answered, pausing briefly to process Baxter's Baxterism.

Baxter grunted in response. Finding things to chew was important. But finding things he could not chew was arguably more important as he found being yelled at to be no fun.

“Is Gid going to be just OK?” Baxter asked, changing the subject.

“He is going to recover; he just needs rest,” She replied happily.

I hope his arm is OK. Two hands for ear scritches are the best.

He had his priorities straight. Excertius interrupted him as it vanished into veiling once again.

“Samples collected. Initial radius of the headquarters mapped. Mission complete,” they announced.

“Good! Now Baxter, let’s get you back in. We can’t stay out too long or they may spot us, mantilla or not!” she ordered.

“I will do just that!” Baxter responded as he rose to his feet, shaking the ash off his chassis.

“OK, Eggstuss, We will head back to base for steak and pats. You were all good boys.”

That word was difficult for Baxter, but he attempted to say it regardless.

“Understood, continuing to shadow,” One of the military Anforms responded.

“Threats overhead, stay still,” Excertius alerted.

Baxter froze in place, not moving an inch. His nose itched, but he would not fail Gideon! He caught sight of the squad of those black star drones flying overhead, possibly drawn by the dust plumes.

Bad guys! I will get them!

Baxter had half a mind to bark and shoot at them. After all, they were bad guys!

“Do not move,” Excertius warned on internal comms.

Baxter let out a doggy sigh, staying firmly in place as the satellites began flying off, having checked the area and finding no threats.

They are running away! I win!

“They must be unable to see through veiling and mantilla,” Excertius concluded.

Baxter did a quick about-face and began a beeline for the base. He avoided those rusty crystals like he was the best. Because he was. A thought had occurred to Baxter. These Anforms all looked the same, so how could he tell who he was speaking too? For Baxter, they were all ‘Eggstuss’, which confused him. He decided it then and there.

He was going to name them.

“Eggsbenedict. What is your favorite thing?” Baxter asked.

“Irrelevant. We exist to serve the Machine Father and Machine Mother of Mars and her children.”

Baxter mentally paused, the only noise was of his power armor dashing along the grey dust. He had a brilliant idea.

“OK, your name is now Steak!” Baxter stated as he lept over a fallen iron crystal formation.

“Understood.” there was a hint of dejection.

Baxter nodded inside his armor, all too pleased with himself. One issue solved. One more to go.

“Ecstug… Er, Other Ex-estoke. What is your favorite thing?

“Excertius?” The second Excertius replied, attempting to derail the question.

“OK! Your name is now Pat!” Baxter chuffed.

“Understood,” Pat replied, accepting the new name faster than Steak did.

“Very good! You are both very good boys!” Baxter announced.

“Acknowledged,” Steak and Pat affirmed together.

Why they were confused over such a thing was because they were both the same being: Excertius. They were the Mars military Anform, each one housing Excertius’ mind. Each Excertius was interlinked to each other, making them the terrifying force known today. Fear or shock and awe tactics could not shake them. They couldn’t get flustered with failure or the unknown. Each Excertius had their own built-in QSD filled to the brim with armor, weapons, and utility items, flexible in all situations. Excertius was simple enough to repair with its modular body, and even a fully broken, which were easily recycled.

What Baxter did was the equivalent of naming one half of someone’s body Bob and the other half Jill. Baxter was the third senior officer of the flight, outranking the Excertius on this mission; they could not refuse. Baxter was getting close to the Ferrum with escorts in tow, all too pleased with himself. He did do good work mapping and testing the Hind suit. Baxter made sure to test the suit out thoroughly by digging, running, rolling, and sleeping. He made sure to stay alert and hide when Dusk Satellites scouted overhead. He even got to name Excertius and unconfuse the situation.

He was a good boy.

They arrived at the entrance to the Ferrum, which was a nondescript indention of grey ash. A double door burst from the ash, sending a plume floating to the sky. Baxter hopped aboard the platform, scanning the ash bluff in the distance. He turned, almost missing a black figure along the bluff. He perked his ears, snapping back to the bluff, seeing nothing. He let out a low growl as suspicion formed.

“Bad guy!” Baxter snapped.

“Good Baxter, are you sure? I sense no threat,” Steak replied.

“Nor do I sense any movement upon that bluff,” Pat added.

Baxter lowered his mechanical tail, unsure if he did see something. He let out a sighing chuff, sitting upon the platform as it began to lower with Excertius aboard. The doors shut, letting the grey ash settle once again, hiding the Ferrum from sight. Baxter’s power armor face lamp clicked on, revealing the inner elevator. Excertius appeared from veiling, storing their weaponry in blue light. The lift doors opened, revealing the hall to the inner bridge. Baxter trotted out, deactivating the power armor as he knelt down. The back and spine opened up, letting the little dog free. He slipped off the side, tumbling to the deck with a squeak. He panted heavily, only realizing now how tired he was. This called for a nap. He rose, glancing to the two military Anforms.

“Goodbye, Steak and…” Baxter trailed off, having forgotten the other’s name.

“Pat,” the Anform corrected.

“Goodbye, Steak and Pat!” Baxter amended. The Anforms dematerialized into orange light as they stored themselves into Gideon’s QSD. Baxter laid a paw on his Hind, vanishing it away in blue light as he stored it inside his own QSD. He had done everything right. He got the stuff that Shindow needed, he tested the Hind, ran as fast as he could, and got home safe.

He was a good boy.

And now the best part: the praise of Shindow and Gideon.

He trotted into the Ferrum, seeing the medical stretcher Gideon still occupied. Shindow floated overhead, catching sight of the dog. She floated over, zipping around his head before stopping in front of him.

“Baxter, do you mind telling me what you did?” Shindow asked cryptically.

Baxter twitched his ears, not appreciating that comment.

“Uh. Yes. I got the crystal thingies. And also ran and scanned. I did a good boy!” He replied with a quiet bark.

“Then what is going on with Excertius? What is going on with their report?” Shindow asked, her voice starting to rise.

"Nothing?" Baxter replied, his voice betraying him.

Shindow crossed her arms, glaring at him.

“Uh. I- I was confused. Exerstuck is very confusing. I named them Steak and Pat,” Baxter replied.

Shindow vacantly adjusted her glasses, brushing her loose strands of projected hair as she gave Baxter a hollow smile.

“You diverged them?!“ Shindow shouted at Baxter.

But. But I did a good thing...

Inside the Ferrum, an argument began to boil over. Outside of the vessel, another being surveyed from afar. Baxter’s expedition was not unnoticed.

They were followed.

A being in a black robe stood atop a bluff of grey caked dust. It towered at seven feet tall, long and slender, its robes billowing in the wind. Its left arm was visible as the sleeve of the black robe was torn just above the elbow. The arm was twisted and bent like it was broken and never set right. It had almost been spotted by the four-legged being, a mistake that almost doomed its mission. It had seen the secret entrance to the Ferrum, its destination.

It sat and waited, content to survey from an ashen bluff up above.

It needed to be cautious. These visitors appeared to be wily, unpredictable, and heavily armed.

The right time would open itself up. They would need to leave and then it would advance. It glanced to the mountains; breathing out a sigh.

It would happen soon.