AMP The Core by Stephen Arseneault Page B

have a family that I cannot leave, Don Grange. The winter is upon us, and our food supplies are already low."
    I began to pace the floor. "You have a lake nearby, right? You gather fish from it during the summer?"
    Grakus replied as he pointed to the large pit behind me, "The grub house provided for that during the summer. We do not have bait for the winter, and the lake itself is frozen over."
    I turned for the door. "Well, Grakus, I wrecked your food supply for the winter, so how about I make up for that?"
    As I stepped through the door, Grakus reached for my arm. "Don Grange, please do not go outside; others may see that I have given you shelter!"
    I smiled. "Come down to the lake’s edge with me, Grakus. And bring a few of those fish baskets over there with you. We are going to see if we can up your food supply!"
    Grakus pleaded for me to stop as I walked down the street in the middle of Vireque. The walk went without notice, as the heavy snows of the night before had kept the other villagers in their homes. When I reached the edge of the lake, I stepped out onto the snowbank that covered it. I swirled my arms and kicked my legs until I reached the ice beneath the freshly fallen snow. Grakus looked on in curiosity as he glanced back towards his village.
    I spoke as I raised my fist in the air. "Let’s go fishing, shall we!"
    I slammed my fist against the ice and was rewarded with a cracking sound. I smiled and then leaned in closer to beat the ice with everything I had. I pounded with my fists in a semicircle around my boots. When the ice began to weaken, I stood and jumped high in the air, pulling my legs in close. As I came close to the ice, I thrust my feet downwards with all the power my legs could bear. I was rewarded with a snap and a whoosh sound as I slid through to the freezing water underneath.
    I stood under the ice on the lake bed, five meters below the surface. A quick scan revealed the lake to have ample fish for the Meggak village. I used my helmet HUD to reprogram the circuits where my arm pad had once lain. Power feeds were rerouted, with a high-voltage source exposed. With a wink of my right eye, a pulse hit the water where I stood.
    I felt my suit harden as the voltage attempted to find a ground on my person. A second scan showed the results of the pulse, as hundreds of the native fish now floated nearby, stunned by my action. I swam in the cold water and began to expel the fish through the hole I had come through. When I felt that I had gathered a sufficient amount, I lunged upwards and sprang through the hole as a bewildered Grakus looked on.
    Grakus spoke. "How? How is that possible, Don Grange?"
    I smiled. "My suit is heavily insulated, and I was able to provide a mild static shock to stun the fish. Let’s use your baskets to gather them up, and I will help you carry them to the elders’ building. If it is decided that more is needed to atone for my mistakes, I will go back in and get more. All I ask in return is for sufficient food to take me to the larger village you spoke of."
    I carried three large baskets of fish as Grakus carried another. As we approached the elders’ building, I took note of the dark green coating of Tantric on its outer shell. It was the remains of a space vessel that had no doubt been taken out by the protector. I smiled at the sight of an ion cannon that was in use to prop up an awning over the door.
    The village elders were grateful, and another fishing expedition was soon put into action. I filled another seven large baskets before the elders felt my debt was paid in full. They would only pull the fish from the lake that they would need for the winter, as food was not a commodity that was traded with others. Besides, during the winter months, travel to other villages was too perilous a journey for the average Meggak. It would only be done in times of extreme need.
    With my debt repaid, I was given rations for four days. The Meggak insisted that the journey took nine;