Space Youxia (釉下空间)

Chapter 1:

The year is 2113. It has been three years since the Great Space War begun. During the 21st Century, man expanded into space and founded numerous colonies, both on Planets and Asteroids. On Earth itself, the United Nations were transformed into a Federal Republic. There was peace and prosperity. Mankind thought that all wars were over. They were wrong.

In March 2110, a large number of Space Colonies declared their independence from the United Nations led by the extremist and power hungry Takeshi Ruchang. Ruchang was the elected President of the Asteroid colony of Chihong but he gradually transformed that Republic into his personal dictatorship. When the United Nations declared their intention to remove the dictator, Ruchang declared his Asteroid's independence. Soon, hundreds of Space Colonies declared their independence and announced their allegiance to Ruchang, forming the Space Federation.

Since then, the United Nations and the Space Federation have been locked into a stalemate. The era of huge armies and weapons of mass destruction has gone. Instead, the war is being fought by a small number of professional soldiers equipped with robotic armors. As those armors can withstand any type of weapon, hand to hand combat once again dominates the battlefield and Martial Arts have become vital to the war. Those Martial Arts Warriors are called Youxia.

A huge all white Spaceship weighing hundreds of tons was traveling in Space. It's destination? Asteroid Uhoku, a major commercial and military center of the Space Federation. One of the few Asteroids producing the oil needed for the Federation's Spaceships, it was also one of the better guarded. Theoretically, no one could sneak into that Asteroid.

The Spaceship was traveling with the speed of light. Hundreds of tons of oil were needed in order to fuel this Spaceship. That's why the Space Federation had launched an expedition last year that managed to take over Iran, making it the first country on Earth itself to fall into the hands of the separatists. Despite several attempts by the United Nations to retake the area, Iran was heavily fortified by the Federation and all United Nations offensives were repulsed.

That Spaceship belonged to Alexander Diamantis, the Chief Eunuch and Minister of War of the Space Federation. A tall European man, 1.90 meters tall, with long blonde hair, blue eyes and wearing an all white outfit decorated with several golden and bronze war medals, he was gazing at the Space from the Spaceship's Deck. The huge glass made window before him allowed him to have a truly magnificent view of all the stars, asteroids and planets.

A short middle-aged Japanese man dressed in a grey uniform approached Alexander and bowed before him. "Sir!", he said, "What can I do for you?"

"Go and check if Dung Tengfei is ready.", Alexander said with a soft, almost womanly, voice.

"Yes, sir!"

The man rushed towards the 'Youxia Armors' room. He entered inside the dark room and saw Dung, a young Chinese man in his twenties, making some last minute preparations to his robotic armor, 'Black Tiger'. Dung was 1.70 meters tall, had short black hair, black eyes and a slim body. He certainly did not look at all like a great warrior.

His robotic armor, 'Black Tiger', was an all black suit. The only things not black on that armor were it's pairs of eyes, which were crimson red and were shining. Like all robotic armors, it was 6 meters tall and it's armor was made from depleted uranium. It was also equipped with the most advanced weaponry. 'Black Tiger' was the most advanced robotic armor of the Federation.

The Japanese man said, "Commander Dung, the Minister asked me to check if you are ready."

Dung did not reply for some time, as he was checking his armor. Once he finished his task, he turned towards the man and said: "Colonel Ochiya, nice to see you."

He paused for a few seconds. "I am ready."

"Good!", Ochiya said. "Now, wear the armor and I will prepare the launching pad. As usual, you will have to go first to Asteroid Uhoku and see if everything is fine. Then, his Majesty the Minister can land."

"Alright, alright!", Dung laughingly said. "I know my job. Now, go and prepare the launching pad."

Indeed, Ochiya rushed towards the 'launching pad' room. The launching pad was located on the back side of the Spaceship. For one to launch into space, he had to stand before a small metal door. Twelve wires would be then connected with the armor and they would transfer to it the energy needed to travel into space. Once this task was finished, the wires would be taken off, the metal door would open and the armor would be launched into Space.

Ochiya ran towards the computer. He typed the secret code and transferred the right amount of energy from the other parts of the Spaceship towards the computer. He then typed another secret code which allowed him to transfer that energy to the twelve wires.

At that time, Dung, wearing the 'Black Tiger', entered the room. He was standing before the metal door and was waiting. Ochiya connected the twelve wires to the 'Black Tiger' as fast as he could. He then rushed back to the computer and typed another secret code, which transferred the energy of the wires to the armor.

Once enough energy had been transferred, Ochiya removed the wires from the armor, went to computer and typed a secret code that allowed the metal door to open.

"I am going!", Dung shouted and he launched into space. As soon as the armor was launched into space, Ochiya closed the metal door.

The Black Tiger traveled with a speed that few Spaceships could reach. Flying into space was a really amazing experience. All those stars that were shining! The quietness and calmness of space!

In only a few minutes, Black Tiger had reached the dockyard of Asteroid Uhoku. Dung heard the Dockyard's guards transmitting to him the dockyard's signal.

"897834090", the message said.

If the armor's user did not reply or replied wrongly, the Dockyard's shield would not be deactivated, making it almost impossible for the armor to enter the Asteroid.

"09283789", Dung replied.

"You may enter!", the guards replied.

The laser shield protecting the Dockyard was deactivated and the armor landed to the dockyard. The Black Tiger then rushed into the city. Unlike the Dockyard, which was a dark place made up mostly from uranium and metal, the city of Uhoku resembled Earth's cities. There were green trees everywhere, parks, houses, even a fake sky and a fake sun on the Asteroid's roof.

Dung looked around and then activated the 'Search Laser'. Laser beams were fired all over the place from Black Tiger's palms. Those laser beams were non lethal and their purpose was to alert the armor's user if there was any other armor nearby. Since a few minutes passed and no indication of an other armor came, Dung transmitted a message to Minister Alexander.

On the deck of the Spaceship, Ochiya bowed before Alexander and said: "Minister, there is a transmission for you."

"Oh? Let me see it."

Ochiya led Alexander to a computer and pushed a button. Dung's voice was then heard: "Your Majesty, it is safe. You may land."

The Spaceship followed the same procedure as Black Tiger and landed on the dockyard. Alexander, accompanied by Ochiya and one hundred officers, walked slowly into the city. All of the citizens were on the streets, applauding the Minister and shouting: "Long live the Minister!!".

As Alexander was walking, Black Tiger appeared before him and bowed. "Your Majesty!", Dung said.

"You may rise.", Alexander ordered. "You have done well."

But before Alexander could finish his sentence, a white armor appeared seemingly out of nowhere and was soon firing tens of rockets from it's back and it's palms. Those rockets killed tens of Federation officers and set numerous buildings on fire. The citizens were panicked and they were running for their lives. Two rockets aimed for Alexander were intercepted by Dung's laser beams.

Meanwhile, the Asteroid's guards were firing at the white armor with laser machine guns and other laser guns, but all of them were useless. Armors could be defeated only through hand to hand combat.

"Your Majesty, I will kill him!", Dung shouted and his Black Tiger charged at the white armor.

Once the Black Tiger approached the white armor, it sent out a kick that aimed for the white armor's chest. However, the white armor leaned to the right, dodging the kick. The white armor then punched it's fists on Black Tiger's chest. It's punches came one after the other and they were fast and coordinated. Black Tiger was forced to retreat a few steps.

Encouraged by it's success, the white armor went recklessly into the offensive, creating a gap on it's head which Dung exploited. The middle and index fingers of Black Tiger's right hand gouged out the white armor's eyes and the armor's user ability to see was lost. Before the white armor's user could use one of his back up cameras and regain his sight, the Black Tiger punched it's left fist on the armor's head, crushing it.

The Black Tiger, then, retreated just in time. A second later, the white armor exploded, causing even more destruction to the Asteroid. He then rushed towards Alexander, who was furious.

The Black Tiger bowed before Alexander and Dung said: "Your Majesty, I have failed you. You may punish me."

"How did this armor managed to get into the Asteroid?!", Alexander shouted.

Dung replied: "Sir, somehow this armor not only managed to sneak into the Asteroid, but is also managed to fool my 'Search Laser'. Maybe the United Nations are developing a new type of armor?"

Alexander paused for a minute, in order to calm down, and then replied: "Maybe. Dung, you will be responsible for finding out how that armor sneaked into this Asteroid and if it is a new project of the United Nations. If it truly is a new type of armor, you must steal it's design from the United Nations."

"I will do my best in this mission, your Majesty, in order to redeem myself from my failure."

"Alright."

Alexander and Ochiya left, heading for the Asteroid's Governor's Office. Dung led the Black Tiger to the Spaceship's 'Youxia Armors' room and disembarked from it. He would wait until an analysis of the white armor's remains came to his computer. Once he examined this analysis, if this white armor was truly a new United Nations project, he would set off for Iran.