Post by EmperorMyric on Jul 16, 2023 17:17:39 GMT
The sound of glasses clinking, the pouring of drinks and the chatter of drunken louts filled the bar that had been designated as the rendezvous point for a band of individuals. The group in question, a gaggle of strange and unrelated unknowns, had only one thing in common: Their indentured contracts. One way or another, these strangers had gotten themselves indebted on this world.
Natar: The gambling hotbed of the galaxy, the gem of chance of the Killian Verge, and the Little Lost Star. It was on this planet of aristocratic countryside and always-growing cityscape that they found themselves stranded on. Disconnected from their bank accounts, any public information had labeled them now as indentured, and their ability to legally depart from Natar was now restricted.
Their contracts, regardless of origin, now all rested in the palms of a single, mysterious individual simply labelled 'H.' who had procured the rights to put these indebted labourers to work. Without access to money, it had been transport arranged by their new-paymaster that got the indebted figures to the bar that they had been ordered to group up at: A play called ‘Maxino’s’.
Inside, there was no suggestion that the purchaser of their indentured contracts had arrived on schedule for the meeting. Instead, it was filled with Teliran couples and groups drinking their lives away in a dimly lit room. Up at the bar, lit up by neon, awaited five empty seats; the only seats available in the entire bar.
Atleast with the late arrival of their master, the trickle-in of the contractors gave them a chance for them to get acquainted and introduce themselves before they got to work.
Aoi Yoshida slipped in quietly, as was her wont. She had long ago forsaken the elegant Ingenious garb for a simple pair of black pants and a burgundy leather jacket, though at her hip was the innocuous-looking flashlight-hilt of her honokatana, the tool of her trade. With her bottle-green hair pulled back into a loose ponytail, her horns and glowing onibi were hard to miss in the dimly-lit bar, but she moved calmly and inobtrusively to the empty seats, taking one at the end. She had some loose change in her pocket, a couple of chips worth next to nothing, but it was enough to buy her a single drink.
She sighed, reflecting on her misfortunes. Everything had gone wrong since that Vant job. Pitiful bounties, red-herring investigations, and poor debtors had all chipped away at her finances until finally she had accepted a seemingly easy job on Natar. Track down and catch some gambling delinquent who had run up a huge debt, an effete one-percenter who looked like he'd shit out the money if someone so much as yelled 'boo'.
It had turned out he was well connected, however, and when his bodyguard had tried to intervene and had his hand sliced off for the trouble, Aoi had ended up in jail with a judge who had known the gambler's father since school. Between bail, fines, and the court-ordered payments for the bodyguard's new prosthetic (top-of-the-line bioengineered, of course) she herself was now one of the debtors she had spent so much time hunting down. Out of options, she had found herself compelled to come here, with vague threats added to the enticement of potential salvation.
The next person to enter was less subtle in appearance and attitude. Her name was Rosy Pink Katyutla, a name she hated so she went by her nickname of Baggy. A name she also despised but less so then her real name. At first she looked to be too young to enter the bar but a quick showing of her id allowed her inside. Baggy was wearing simple jeans, sneakers, a punk band t-shirt over which she had a black leather jacket with metal studs and short sleeves. A baseball cap sat on top of short and bright pink coloured hair. Baggy also had Knee and elbow pads which were well worn and scratched. An old school backpack was carried on her back where her two most prized possessions were attached to via rope and elastic bands, her skateboard and baseball bat. While the skateboard was visible to all her baseball bat was hidden inside a flute case, the flute itself was sold to pay her debts but the case proved a convenient hiding spot for her weapon. Lastly she had an extra pouch on her hip, it was filled with ball bearings.
How she managed to survive until this point in time was a mystery to Rosy herself but as she entered the bar she thought back to try and find out where it all began. Her father and mother were immigrants from the consulate of Astril, always talked about Natar being a place for opportunity unlike their own motherland. She believed them delusional as she witnessed her father’s business crumble and him resort to illegal activities with gangsters and mafia. His deeds eventually caught up with him though, murdered, no loose ends she supposed. Now the years of tax fraud, mafia debt and the costs of medicine for her sick mother took away everything else. And since her mother could not pay, Rosy had to help make ends meet. Even after selling her father’s hardware store Rosy had to turn to the underworld just like her dad in order to make ends meet. Serving as a courier for drug cartels for a while before realising even that could not pay the bills enough. She did not need much convincing to work for a new boss. Anything to earn her freedom from her father’s mistakes.
Rosy cautiously approached the empty bar seats. Her bright pink eyes looked over to Aoi and she nodded her head to them. Her tone was overly formal, Rosy really tried to not expose her own emotions and doubts so early. Although she didn’t totally succeed.
“G’day miss.”
Rosy sat down on the barstool in the middle. After that she sat there awkwardly, she had no money to buy drinks. Atleast, not enough to afford something which didn’t taste like vomit.
The door would quite soon creak open again, making way for the heavy footsteps of a new figure. Charlie Kirkhowl looked like quite the average after-shift bar patron in his thick brown synthcotton jacket and dark green boiler suit, luminescent strips on his shoulders, just a general workers uniform that would blend him right into the crowd, or it would were it not for his size. He towered over most in the bar, yet moved surprisingly meekly, and as he pulled the beanie from his scalp, he'd stroke his hands over a head absent of hair.
The suit had a patched logo of some small-time titanium mine to the east, a place he'd been stuck in for months after being scammed out of showbusiness for a 3rd successive time. Now things were growing desperate, he had to sell his personal ship just to survive, and ended up being one of many tricked into thinking indentured also meant 'short-term'. He'd made a small reputation for himself with a number of independent shows before this whole mess fortunately, and was hoping that was the reason he was brought here. Though just in case, not too trusting of things outside the Bulwark anymore, he'd brought some 'work gear' along in a duffel across his back.
The statured fellow stretched himself up to see over the crowds and noticed the empty seats, pondering this 'H' guy's peculiar choice of venue. Stuffing his beanie in a pocket, he'd walk quietly over toward the bar, pushing himself past a small group before reaching a stool right at the other end and dropping himself onto it. It creaked slightly under his weight and he solemnly looked down at his gloved hands for a few moments before glancing off to his right and clearing his throat and returning his sights to the bar surface, a bit concerned about the two individuals he was now only just noticing...it'd been a tiring journey.
A tall, tired man in dark blue trousers and a leather jacket with black hair stepped into the “Maxino’s”, hiding his discomfort. Sam was probably the first Malaakian “civilian” in some sense of a word that stepped foot on an alien planet in this galaxy, and not for the better at it. Since the events at Samnotep City, his life took wild, surprising turns. From a cop, to a rebel soldier, to a bodyguard of a spy during their escape from the SCUMs armed forces, to their hiding and finally, evacuation from Malaak. Unfortunately, whereas Ella got away, he was forbidden from following her by Loyalists that took her in. Something about “compromising their location”. Bullshit.
Instead they sent him into outer space with some cash, until “we could take you in safely”. Sadly he found his way to Natar, where he got robbed and indebted as he tried to make a living. The crisis continued on until eventually he started hiding from debt collectors, which was what caused him to become a de facto slave once he got caught. However, there was a glimmer of hope; a way to get rid of all that debt.
And it all started here.
He managed to hide how weird aliens, REAL LIFE aliens made him feel at first before he got acquainted with them. He had always known that they existed of course, but he never saw one, not even a picture of them, thanks to the isolation of his nation and censorship.
With the bar mostly full of Telirans, save for a couple notable individuals. He didn’t see anyone approaching him, so he decided to take the first step towards the biggest one, cautiously approaching him.
“Uh, pardon me… I'm looking for some indebted guys or someone who was supposed to give them work? Would that happen to be you?”
Charlie jumped for a moment, before turning his head to see the figure. The thin moustache on his face seemed to even help convey his temporary confusion.
"Huh?!"
His face soured slightly as he realised he wasn't in any danger, this guy didn't seem like the corporate type, and his question was rather interesting too.
"Oh! Right, yea, you must be one of us, eh?"
He reached one of his arms over and dragged out the empty stool next to him.
"Yeahh, take a seat, I'd have a guess that our new boss is gonna be a small while. Wasn't sure at first but i'd suppose that means you two are also in this little mess as well?"
He turns his sights on the two women sitting across from them.
Rosy did a little wave to the two men when Charlie mentioned them. She was kind of nervous, she had no idea what kind of people would get in this situation so she feared the worst. So it was a welcome surprise that everyone here so far seemed reasonable and not insane criminals.
“Ya fucking bet,”
She crossed her arms, looked at the time and rolled her eyes.
“Seems like mister mystery is coming later then expected…..”
Rosy stopped herself. She had a short temper but maybe it was not a good idea to call your boss a swear word or racial slur on the first day of the job.
“… yeah… maybe we should at least know each other’s names first before getting fucking ganked in a sewer or some shit. So uh, hi… just call me Baggy.”
Aoi glanced at the others from the corner of her eye, and then turned her baleful gaze back towards the shelves of alcohol behind the bar.
"Aoi," was her only answer, more a vocalization than a word, her accent not even discernible from such a brief outburst.
Her demeanour was not one of contempt or aloofness, however, but rather of weariness. She simply seemed worn, fatalistic, an example of the phlegmatic Ingenious mindset taken to its extreme conclusion
The bald man tilted his head a little, trying to make a mental note of the names before responding in kind.
"Uh, Charlie, Nice to meet ya's." He looked back at the man beside him, raising a brow slightly. "And you?"
The door opened once again, a man stepping in after ducking under the door frame and standing to full height. A few glances were thrown towards him before they went back to their aimless drinking and card games. The man stood tall, very tall, and his excessive vascularity and muscle was a sign of either obsessiveness on bulking or he was manual labor. Based on his garb, a dark gray jumpsuit with a barcode and set of numbers in his left breast as well as the armband in his right arm made the answer apparent.
If you had an Adastreia Identification Scanner or you could read the numbers by heart, you could see that his name was Saruch Vahount. Before his ascent to Independent Trade Merchant of the 378th Autonomous Trade Fleet, Saruch was a manual laborer on a gas platform on Ecolla. He rose through his ranks and was assigned to a Trade Fleet per his request, and this had just so happened to be his first contract.
He blew the contract funds on Natar in an effort to get rich and abandon this life, but to no avail. Saruch went completely broke and was indebted to a mysterious individual whom he had borrowed a selection of funds from, and now he was trapped on Natar and trapped by contract to this person.
Saruch approached the bar, taking one of the open seats and raised his hand for a drink. “Can I get your harfest liquor on the rocks?” His accent was guttural and deep, and immediately everyone could know his origins
With the arrival of all five members of the indebted team, the bartender seemed to take note and depart from behind the counter. Soon after, one of the bar patron’s sat beside the group departed; leaving a seat open beside the group.
Within a moment, from a sidedoor, appeared what appeared to be a Teliran. His visage was largely covered by a long, great coat that reached down towards a set of tight, black wellington boots. Nestled over his mustache perched a pair of thick spectacles that reflected light so well that the man’s eyes were effectively impossible to see. Much of his face was concealed by his trilby hat, the brim of which covered much of his downturned head. With a light cigarette nestled into one of his hands, the strange figure went and took his seat beside the group.
“I am Mr. H. I see you are all here.” He remarked, looking down to the counter in their direction as the bartender returned with a glass of iced water which he placed before the man.
Keeping his gaze averted from the crew, the figure explained, “You are all here today because you have, from whatever cause, indebted yourself to people who are, in turn, indebted to my masters… Each in their own way. We have convinced them to let us take their contracts off their hands.”
“My superiors have seen fit to select the five of you, chosen on the basis of perceived strength, cunning, or agility, to carry out an important mission. The objectives are simple, but achieving them will not be, and each of you will need to play your part well if you are to end with success.” He took a smooth sip from his glass; the ice cubes clinking as he did so.
“In exchange for your compliance in pursuing our orders, my superiors are willing to give you a new chance in life. A slate, cleared of past failures, one with privileges and luxuries afforded to few in their pursuit of a good life. Contract canceled, past infractions brushed aside, and a more than generous accidental banking error channeling three hundred SIGECs into your account - More money any of you will otherwise possess in your doomed lives.”
He proceeded to slide a small, grey file on the bar counter over to the five of them, the stranger still yet did not even take a moment to look at the five of them as he gazed about the bar. Inside the document were five printed photos. Each picture featured a different individual, two Telirans, a Human, some kind of Cybernetic human, and a Cylaurian.
“Five scientists contracted by a certain individual, tied to my superiors, have all gone missing. Some departed several years ago, two left within the last twelve months. All have left Natar and entered the galaxy as a whole. Your orders are to track down these individuals and persuade them, by any means necessary, to return to the fold. Should they prove uncooperative, you are sanctioned to terminate each of them.”
Resting his arms on the counter as he took a puff from his cigarette, the gentleman finalised by adding,
“The choice is yours. Remain stranded, a nobody here, or take up this opportunity. Now is the time for questions also.”
Aoi mused over the photos. 300 SIGEC was a vast amount - it would set her up permanently, give her the freedom to indulge her ennui properly and end this constant carousel of odd jobs and petty contracts.
"They 'left'?" she asked flatly, her tone implying scepticism. "They were not kidnapped?"
Rosy was stunned. She knew her debts would be lifted but… 300 SIGEC. That was enough to do anything with and still have enough to life a comfy life. When the pictures came up onto the table she leaned over to see them.
“So, what about any possible leads? We can hardly begin searching if we don’t even know where to fucking look.”
Rosy leaned away from the photos and looked up towards H, trying to get a better view of the man. To her this still seemed extremely sketchy, especially with the amount of money being offered to what are essentially a bunch of nobodies. So she wished to at least get a glance of his face so she knew who to direct her anger to in case of this all being a hopeless sham.
Sam took note of the individuals before him. They were quite a diverse bunch to be honest, but that might just be his lack of knowledge to be honest. Some of them seemed dangerous, others he was more curious to learn about. BUt first and foremost, introductions were in order.
“Charlie, Baggy. Aoi. Nice to meet you all, I’m Sam. From what I can tell, we will all be working together for a bit. But there is one more seat fo-”
He was cut off by the bulky, strong man entering the bar and demanding a drink. His appearance spooked him for a moment before he calmed down.
“Bet that he is also ‘one of us.’”
He gestured towards the man, inviting him to come next to them.
Before they could introduce themselves properly, the barman left, shortly after which a figure that you simply can’t miss arrived, taking a seat next to the group. Despite looking odd, he made good points and got straight to business- something Sam was grateful for.
But as the man kept talking, Sam got more and more uncomfortable.
The kind of thing he wanted from the group… Sam wasn’t against it or a stranger to it, but surely hiring professionals would be the first option? Why them instead?
He didn’t fully wrap his head around the currency values in this place, but he heard people referring to “milicents” quite often- and judging by how others reacted, this sum of money was truly vast.
Maybe H. was sketchy, but he was used to dealing with men like him back home, and learned that not taking an opportunity is oftentimes the worst decision one can do to get out of a bad situation, regardless of who that opportunity is provided by.
“This all sounds like a good deal… Why not just hire professionals though? We need to know ‘the catch’ to be more effective and not make mistakes that they would do. And yeah, we need more context if we want to do this good- but that can be discussed somewhere else if it's not convenient here.”
“Yes, they left. Kidnapping is highly unlikely considering the circumstances surrounding them prior to their departure.” He retorted to Aoi, he seemed to become annoyed by the questions not pertaining to assisting their mission-effectiveness as he shot back to Sam,
“Professionals are involved where possible. Professional freelance corporations, however, are both expensive when tasked with traveling across the entire galaxy, and leave a paper-trail. They are too big. They maintain procedures, updates to their superiors, and they’re easy to trace, so PI and Mercenary corporations are out of the picture. What my employer needs is an under-the-table operation, and they cannot go to Teliran intelligence organisations to achieve that. Now I recommend that you restrict yourself to questions relating to helping your success; not questions inferring we ought to put you out of your new job.”
The Teliran, shrouded mostly in his coat and hat, seemed to look directly at Rosy the moment she tried to analyse the stranger’s face. His mustache covered most of it, but one could easy tell the man didn’t have much meat on the bone, so to speak. His little eyes seemed to give him a rather ratty appearance,
“In the cosmodrome quarter of this city, look for a ship docked at one of the stations going by the name of Nimble Acolyte. They are deeply indebted to a number of national banks for shipping runs that have fallen-through, and their captain has taken to revelling in alcohol and prostitutes. Drag him from whatever hole he’s hiding from the bailiffs in, inform him that Mr. H. is willing to make amends, should he comply with your orders.”
Taking a ship from his glass, he added,
“You will, of course, find a way to ensure he has no choice in the matter if he refuses. Whatever the case, you will take that ship to the Azuras Memorial Station, within Union space. We have it on good authority to believe that Dr. Teltiv Elisim, the Cylaurian…” His index finger tapped on the photo of him, “...Who left a bit over a month ago, is currently there. We also have good reason to believe that he left after being contacted by an outside force, presumably one of the other runaway scientists, I am certain he is the key to finding the whereabouts of the others.”
“Anything else?” The coated gentlemen questioned with a cocked brow.
Charlie, who'd been listening politely up until now, leaning an elbow against the bar, looked down at his duffle and pondered for a moment, he somewhat understood why questions about why they were chosen were a bit redundant, but was at least happy to hear the people he was working with were at least a little reasonable. Either way, he had had his own, and started it by clearing his throat.
"If I may sir" He stated in a deep, yet accented voice. "You mentioned a possibility of, uh, not co-operatin'. This somewhat confirms ta me that this ain't all gonna be a walk in the park so, are we gonna be provided anythin'? or do we bring our own gear?"
One of his brows raised, he'd brought a hybrid mining laser/jackhammer with him in case of trouble, it was falling apart and mostly belonged to the mine he worked in, he was just leasing it. No way did he think something like that would protect him from whatever grievances these scientists would want to demonstrate on their little band of misfits, he even looked around for a moment to emphasise his point, what did that girl think she was going to do with some sports equipment, after all.
Rosy looked a little unhappy upon hearing that someone might be uncooperative. She didn’t feel like putting up with other people’s issues. It displeased her greatly that she might have to strongarm some absolute loser in doing his part for everyone’s sake.
As Charlie talked she listened intently and then turned her focus to H and whatever his response would be. She would not mind something more hefty then what she had but at the same time there was this pride in the fact she got so far with things from a sporting goods store and scrap parts she found. Her focus wasn’t on fighting anyway, she was more of a runner.
Saruch sighed heavily as he listened to the aimless bantering, he downed the glass of liquor and grimaced hard. 300 SIGECS was a lot…a lot more than he needed to get off this hole, out of the other, and start a life free from that place. He looked as the other around him asked questions, the man covered from head to toe answering mysteriously…yet in a calm and monotone way perhaps? He was frail no doubt, he’d snap like a twig if Saruch took that initiative but…300? It was a lot, that was sure enough to keep him at bay.
He turned his head to the man and spoke heavy, the thick accent barely understandable to the common man. “What do we need to do to persuade the captain? And how do we get these people who left to come back with us?”
Aoi did not look over at Saruch, instead staring into her drink. "I think that's where the kidnapping comes in."
She glanced up at the coated gentleman. "I'm in." she said flatly, before taking a hearty gulp. This mission already felt like a risk to her, with the ad-hoc group and such mystery surrounding it, but the money was too good to resist. Her aimless wanderings and self-destructive bent had finally reached its logical conclusion, and she was rapidly circling the drain, risking a slide into homelessness and slipping sanity, so she could not afford to say no.
Saruch nodded as she spoke to him, taking another gulp and shaking his head. Aoi spoke and it seemed that it really was their only choice, what would he do if he didn’t? Either he would rot here or Constellats would smuggle him off-world and force him back into the hammer. He had no choice.
“I’m in”
Sam didn’t have any other questions that others haven’t asked already, and he didn’t want to risk annoying his “employer” further. So he looked around at his new crew. A bunch of misfits but they all seemed capable. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad after all?
“Everything sounds good to me. Even if we don’t get any gear we will make it work regardless.”
He felt a bit anxious. This was a lot of money, not a lot of time, and a lot of mystery. But he had no choice but to figure it out as he went along. He was ready to depart as soon as others were good to go.
H. Sighed at the question of equipment,
“There’ll be no threats here on Natar for a bunch of indebted nobodies, find the captain and get to the station. My employer is not interested in drenching his funds on strangers until the job is finished. If he was keen on goin’ on a spending spree in this regard, he wouldn’t be banking on costless, replaceable labour like you lot. Any gear you got is free for use… And I’m sure you’ll be able to adapt and find means along the way… You’re travellin’ a galaxy, after all.”
“Besides...” He put his glass aside and rose from the table, looking like he was readying for his departure, “...I’m sure you can take on five separate nerve-stricken eggheads without military-grade power armour.”
Turned to Saruch as he straightened his tie, the Teliran repeated,
“Captain Ebrin is deeply indebted to us, tell him that I will give him a new chance should he comply with your mission. As I have said before, you have a blank cheque in how you get these individuals dealt with. But I would presume you will fly them back individually or lock them on your ship until you have each fugitive accounted for, unless you can persuade them to return independently.”
Mr. H. finished by adding,
“I understand that, to you, there are many questions of ‘why’ this or ‘why’ that floating about in your mind. But that is precisely what you should be feeling. Rest assured that you do not need to know the answers of why you are retrieving these people, but just the questions of how.”
With that, the Teliran skulked for the back door, turning one last time to repeat through the hubbub of the bar,
“The Nimble Acolyte. Cosmodrome Quarter. Captain Ebrin. Find them.” He then disappeared through a door and left the group to themselves.
Rosy watched H. leave the bar. As the Teliran disappeared out of sight she felt a significant sense of unease. She was no stranger to les then moral jobs but this felt like something life changing. Rosy was not going to be same girl at the end of this adventure. For a moment she went silent to contemplate before she stood up from her barstool to check her backpack. The talk of equipment made her doubtful if what she was bringing was enough. Inside the backpack was mostly various small hand tools she managed to keep from her father’s hardware store. Wrenches, pliers, wirecutters, screwdrivers, and the like.
“Seems like our hands will get dirty no matter what. So let’s not dwell on specifics.” Rosy took a deep breath. She then closed the backpack and put it on her back again. “I am ready to go, I say we try to get this all over with as quickly as possible.”
Charlie's face shrank into dissapointment little, he had at least a little hope that they'd be given some sort of donation, even a small one, so getting nothing wasn't ideal. He didn't want to say it but he felt like this was going to be much much worse than arresting a few shaky-handed goldies. At least the prospect of travelling the galaxy and maybe finding something along the way was partially exciting. But he still certainly had his doubts as the odd man strode away.
He'd Slide his stool back with a rather dull squeal, creaking it once again as he stood before reaching down and throwing his duffle up on his shoulder.
"Yeahhh, Seems like we won't be given a helpin' hand from our benefactors either way, so I s'pose at this point it's do or die, yeah?"
He looked back toward the door for a few moments, planting a palm on the bar before turning back to the group.
"... Now It ain't up to me, but I agree, say we get movin' as quick as possible, we can make chit-chat once we're in the clear, or on that ship or whatever."
Aoi jotted down the information in her holo, then pulled up the page for a local taxi service and called one to their bar. She stood, not glancing at the other three, but spoke aloud.
"Nimble Acolyte in the cosmodrome quarter. You're right, we should get going."
With that she quietly crossed the bar and out into the evening, breathing in the 'fresh' air, thick with the myriad scents of an industrial city. As the taxi hauled up, she climbed into the passenger seat and confirmed the address, her dark eyes taking in the cabbie only for a moment before she turned to stare out of the window, waiting for the others to hop in the back.
Here on this alien planet she felt totally lost, disconnected from her past and everything she'd known. It was if, somewhere along the way, she had taken a wrong turn and had wandered off the path, and now she was just blundering in this twilight realm in the hopes of finding her way back to the light...
After his employer abruptly left, Sam had concluded that he was indeed right; if they needed to know something, they would have been told. Seeing as everyone else was ready to go, he got up and followed them. He didn’t even have a backpack with his things in it, that's how light he traveled- just a concealed pistol and the clothes he was in.
Because he too was lost, he decided to just roll along with the group into the taxi. There wasn’t much left to do besides look around and chit chat. That reminded him, he didn’t even get properly acquainted with everyone, just with Aoi, Baggy and Charlie. So he sat next to the other two and introduced himself;
“Hi, name’s Sam. And you two would be..?”
The cabbie seemed to bear little interest in the type of people he was transporting. Merely a question of where they wanted to go and an assertion of his price were all he gave before they set off through the maze of terraced buildings and glowing shop windows. The journey was long, winding and dull, but eventually, the cab stopped at a pavement amid soaring, interconnecting towers with stratified landing pads hanging overhead. These logistical citadels were ever taking in and outletting a plethora of smaller spacecraft.
An information branch at one of the buildings was willing enough to locate the Nimble Acolyte for the gang and point them in the right direction. It took a lot of wandering, a lot of asking for directions, and a lot of spiral staircases and elevators. But eventually, the plucky team found themselves walking out onto a platform outstretched from one of the towers, high into the sky.
Here the air was cold, notably thinner, but there before them sat their objective. It wasn’t a particularly impressive vessel, nor was it that big. But then again, this was a shuttle to the real Nimble Acolyte, a vessel waiting for them in the cosmos. Just like Mr. H had said, however, the vessel was accompanied only by a stevedore and a single, Teliran crewman,
“If you’re debtors looking for the Captain, he’s gone to the Deyona Club. He’ll probably be-”
“I’ll be back right now, John.” Retorted Captain Enebrin from behind the gang as he emerged from the elevator exit with a slight stagger; a whiskey flask in hand and a face so flushed with tiny, red veins that he looked ready to collapse.
“If you’re Onoro’s goons, you can tell that maniac that I have a Qanis shipment…” The Captain stopped walking, and talking, to release a deep, built-up belch before continuing, “...Qanis shipment… ‘acquisition’ planned later this week… The money I get will pay him off.”
Aoi levelled her gaze at him for a moment, just a split second, and then her expressionless face twitched into one of almost-sincere politeness, the eyebrows a little raised and the corners of her mouth tweaked upwards in an emotionless smile. Outcast though she was, she was still Ingenious, and to begin with threats and open discord would be embarrassing for everyone involved. Much better if they could come to an agreement amicably and with reason, although clear thinking didn't appear to be this man's forte...
"So sorry no, we bring a message from an old acquaintance of yours. Mr H hopes to renew your most productive business relationship and wishes to hear from you as soon as possible." she said, her voice calm and quiet, minimizing the oddness of her accent's cadence.
Rosy was not in a good mood, her entire life seemed to have broken down and even something as inconsequential as taking some stairs was getting her pissed of. And then captain Enebrin showed up. The fact he showed drunk instantly get rid of any trust Rosy would have had for him. It was already very little to begin with what she had been told about him but seeing things confirmed before her eyes was cathartic.
While Aoi opened the conversation with politeness Rosy stood just behind her, whispering barely audible threats. Threats which mostly involved blunt force trauma with her baseball bat. It was at the moment the best way to try and relieve her frustration without messing up the whole mission. Angry as she was at everything Rosy knew the importance of the captain, she was not an idiot.
Ted was content to stand by, and let Aoi open up the ‘negotiations’. He was interested in how all of this would pan out, and whether the captain would come willingly or not.
Hopefully there was no need for violence.
He nodded to the captain, maintaining a neutral expression on his face. He was already a bit sick of endless walking around and searching for the right place and the right person to ask, and hoped that they wouldn’t have to do much more of that after this one was done.
Perhaps he could learn more about his teammates this way. After all, one could never know when things such as little details about a person’s life came in handy.
The taxi ride was a bit of a squeeze but he didn't mind it, wandering around nigh cluelessly about huge docking towers lugging around mining equipment was tiring, but he didn't mind it, hell, even finding out he had to wait even longer for the captain to arrive wasn't as much an inconvenience as some might've thought, he was just happy to finally be getting off Natar and maybe even out the system. He loved to travel, after all.
However Charlie gave a low sigh at the sight of the man stumbling from the elevator. In the business he partook in he'd seen it plenty before, he'd even been that person once or twice in the past. Quite differently to how the others might've thought, he actually felt some sympathy for the captain, he was likely in a pretty similar circumstance as they were after all.
He'd approach in the least intimidating way he could manage, seeing the man had all but lost his balance he attempted to bring one of their arms around the back of his neck to bear his weight. Wouldn't be a good start if he ended up injuring himself.
"'ey! ey, steady there fella, there ya go. Maybe we should sober him up a little before trying to do business?"
He looked over and gestured to the crewmember.
"Go inside and get something ready, i'm sure you've got a procedure for this or something."
Despite taking Charlie’s arm, the captain didn’t even seem to recognize whom had helped him. Without making contact, he simply continued to make his way to the ship. Enebrin didn’t seem to be taking the group very seriously, especially once Aoi had made it clear they weren’t here for money. But his tired, dull, drunken expression changed upon the mention of Mr. H. It became something much grimmer. The facial muscles tensed into a grimace and his eyes glared from member to member. Disregard became disdain as the captain replied back to Aoi,
“Does he now? …And what exactly does he want of me, hm? To transport the lot of you to some off-the-books job in the middle of nowhere, huh?”
Looking at Rosy’s attitude and demeanour, the captain spat on the floor,
“I’ve got enough on my plate, I’m not about to play bus-driver for Mr. H’s latest gaggle of freaks. I’ve got people to pay and jobs to do.” He looked to his fellow crewman and grunted,
“...Let’s get out of here.”
Aoi's smile did not falter, but she rested one hand on her hip as she glanced at the crewman.
"You understand that Mr H is one of the people you are due to pay. I suggest that doing a job for him would erase that debt. Let's do it now." she said calmly, almost soothingly.
Rosy kept her cool for now. She let Aoi do the talking, although she didn’t trust anyone in this group right now she definitely recognised when someone was better then her at something. Noticing the way the captain looked at her she stepped back, shuffling a little behind Aoi.
The Captain seemed to pause in his retreat momentarily. His shoulders practically deflated with his sigh before he swung around on his heels and exclaimed,
“Do you have any idea what kind of people you’re dealin’ with Lady? Wherever H. or his type are involved, weird shit follows. Mysterious shit. I’m talking unexplained disappearance, ghost ships, nothin’ that makes sense. You should’ve run the moment his type got into contact with you lot.” Taking a swig from his flask, the captain wiped some trailing beads of alcohol from his thick beard and growled as he returned to his departure. Stopping at the door, Enebrin seemed to recognize his own point
“But now you’ll never escape his scent, I learnt that the hard way. Once you’re linked into his games there ain’t no way out, no runnin’ away or ignorin’ their reach… Let’s get this over with.”
With a sniffle and wipe of his running nose, the inebriated captain waved for the party to join him in setting off.
The trip out from the overcast fume-ingesting clouds that hung over the city was uneventful. Enebrin made little effort to talk, yet despite his drunkenness, the captain seemed to come into his element the moment they were ascending. Mumbling orders to his fellow crew and busily checking away at consoles, he almost forgot to take a moment to marvel at his own ship as it came into view.
Far from a small-range vessel, the nimble acolyte was a freight vessel through and through. The Cargo bays were visibly being filled with freight crates carried by smaller drone vessels, even now as the Captain neared for set off. What looked to have once been a grand brand logo emblazoned onto the side of the ship had since been reduced to a faded paintjob slashed by scratches and weathering. Behind it rested more, subtler brands and flags, each less visible than the last.
“She’s been in service for nine different countries and eleven different organizations since her birth.” The Captain proudly announced to his customers, the first words he had said since their takeoff,
“...And active for four centuries.” Added one of his crewman with a look as though to be warning the party for what they were in for.
“Her maintenance is the entire reason a captain of a ship so big ain’t livin’ the high life.” He noted as the shuttle came to rest in one of the closing hangar bays. After a short wait for the bay to have its gravity kick in with an uncomfortable and discomforting thud, and an additional wait for the oxygenation to kick in, the door’s eventually opened the and crew set out into the Acolyte.
“I’m willing to take you H’s errand, but while you’re on this ship, i’m King, understood? If I tell you to get to your quarters, you go to your quarters. If I tell you to get off, you’re getting off. No arguments, get that through your skulls and we’ll get this job done and hopefully never see each other again.”
A brief tour through the habitation quarter revealed, through the failing light systems, their rooms to not be much more than requisition storage closets. The ship’s technical support section amounted to little more than a handful of cheap Teliran labourers still reading how-to magazines on computational science. Defence operations were perhaps the most robust, but their appearance made it clear that this ship was far from an official, elite operation. Guards and operators were dressed in casual wear with a hodge-podge collection of different equipment that had little to no standardisation.
The final arrival at the ship’s command desk was not much more impressive. Standing beneath a pale-white LED, visibly pilled up with dead bugs trapped inside the light, Enebrin began to take clipboards of physical system reports arriving from his subordinates. He glanced to the team and finally declared,
“So, where does H. want me to send you?”
As they toured through the bulk of the vessel, Charlie actually seemed rather content with it all. He didn't make much of a fuss, simply followed about and peeked around corners every so often to get a good look at the layout. He'd keep his bag close to him however, not even dropping it off when they arrived at their rooms.
He'd seen plenty of ships like this as he hitchhiked about, but never managed to board one so big. Even the slightest increase in the width of corridors was somewhat welcome to him.
'Well, i've definitely bunked in worse.'
He'd mutter to himself at one point.
either way when the all important question arrived, the strongman drew a blank, the memory of the one time H mentioned their destination faded after all the travel to get here.
"Oh, uh, anyone got that writ down or summet? Think it was some sorta station."
Almost when it seemed like there would be trouble, Aoi managed to persuade the captain- although there was some merit to what he was saying.
Just how easily could he forget all of this is over once the job is done? Will he too one day be used again and again as this captain has been?
Now there was no other option but to press on, following the drunkard into a hopefully somewhat spaceworthy ship- not that he was well versed on that topic or even had any knowledge of it beforehand, as he had never set foot on one and never had to think about it, knowing that only the luckiest or the most unfortunate ones would do that while The Council was in power.
But now, there he was, in front of one. Intrigued, he paused for a moment to think about its impressive if not slightly worryingly long service record. Surely it wouldn’t just stop working in the middle of their transit as some ancient bolt or screw broke down from decades spent without proper maintenance?
The crew looked sure enough of it, so he forced himself to simply accept it as it was.
He may not have been to space until even a year ago, but he did go on a vacation to the sea back home when he saved up for it. It was an old boat with a grizzled captain, who nonetheless took no bullshit from anyone, no matter who they were, if they were passengers on his boat. Ted could respect that.
Their quarters were about as good as he was used to back home before he got his job and its numerous benefits, and those Telirans didn’t inspire much confidence…
But what was the worst that could happen to them? There was no reason for anyone to intercept them as far as he knew. Just another monday at work for the crew members it seemed.
He didn’t know what to expect, but at least he was not terribly disappointed with the current state of affairs. He looked at the captain, remembering the place after a moment or two.
“Azuras Memorial Station is where we are off to. That's in, uh…” It took him a moment to remember the name that literally had no meaning to him besides what little he could gather in his busy life since his escape to Natar, besides it being a kinda important nation that was, much like his, not originally from Ancerious.
“...Union of Worlds space I think?”
Aoi had seen worse ships, and she had seen better. The ship looked like garbage, but the crew were still up-to-date on their paperwork and checks and so she did not bear its poor condition too much mind. Better a bad ship with a steady crew than a fancy ship with a bunch of slackers.
She settled into her 'quarters'; luckily she did not have too much to stow, leaving more space for her herself. She packed what few belongings she had away and then followed everyone to the bridge, where she remained quiet as she took in the fading lights, the fly-blown controls, and the general state of the ship
“Azuras Memorial Station, hm? Should be on official starmaps.” The reluctant Captain replied to his guests as he scratched a hand under his beard over a console, “Union space ain’t far, I should be able to get you there.”
Dismissing his visitors to their quarters, Enebrin gave his intercommed countdown as the ship’s engines rumbled to life. Without further stalling, the ship roared to life and, almost as quickly as it had entered sublight, it shot into FTL. Internally, the entire ship seemed to grow as it threw itself into warp. The alarms that sounded and the crewmen that rushed to and fro the instant it did seemed to affirm that this ship was far too outdated; a patchwork quilt of replacement parts and increasing faults. But for the time being, any crisis had been abated as the alarms died down and sanity resumed.
The trip to Union space was not a long expedition, taking less than a week before Enebrin finally broke the daily routines with an official declaration,
“All guests to loading bay alpha, we will be approaching the station short-” The PA for his announcement was abruptly cut off as the ship broke from warp with yet another jolt, indicating the freighter’s arrival at the station.
The memorial station was beautiful, a shining blue starburst which glittered in the centre of the multicoloured nebula that it sat within, ever expanding and standing to coalesce in certain areas. One day it would in time produce new stars that would with any hope produce life, this was the hope of those who had lost loved ones, that their dead may become something new once again. Now the memorial station sat as the tombstone for an entire star system.
Azuras wasn't always like this, once it had been the third most populous Union system.
Dotted with massive shipyards and with two major habitable planets Azuras had been a centre for both industry and culture, renowned for its interesting seafood dishes and well built ships. That had all changed when Inara had unveiled Capitols terror weapon, the Crucible. its devastating beam causing the systems star to go super nova with no warning. Only those who had been aboard ships had managed to flee, and within hours the death toll had reached over 10 billion lives. It was a blow which had helped throw the Union into economic despair and hit hard the population who did not wish to take part in the galaxies conflicts. Oh how times had yet again changed.
The station had been built to remember those who died, and give a home to those who had fled and wished to return to carry on the legacy of its people.
The docks of the station were busy as the teams vessel came in, communicating with the port authorities to get a bay, and it was still quite an avidly used trade hub and stop off point. Everything was clean as the ship came in to rest, several dock crewmen greeting them as the team disembarked to the neat little single ship docking bay that they had been granted. Taking stock and with time to prepare they would make their way through shining well kept corridors only a short way to the customs area. After all, the Union kept its borders well regulated, and with the war on they were taking no chances.
Union Border Officials were processing new arrivals who were neatly lined up with identity documentation and placing their luggage into various scanners.
"Who's next please?" One of the men shouted, beckoning the team over with a gesture. All the posters and more on the walls showed clearly the need for identification, personal belonging scans and the need for necessary background checks with genetic sampling. The Union didn't take any chances it seemed when it came to those entering its nation, and cameras could be seen observing everything.
But they didn't have a choice, their target was here, and a job was a job.
Ted grew more used to the many discomforts on the ship during their travels. It was definitely not a five star luxury cruiser, and he swore that some of the stains on the ceiling above his head were not just rust, which was a disturbing thought. He spent his time reading up on the nation he was about to go to, and familiarising himself with other members of his team.
The station they went into marked something of previously unfathomable scale for the average malaakian citizen- a memorial, and at the same time a monument of sorts.
Monument to the destructive force of superweapons employed in galaxy spanning wars. Where he came from murder was almost normalised. There were no real rules, besides certain unspoken ones.
He thought he knew evil before; face of it were the faceless councillors who ran the show back at home. Face of despair were their victims, and those unfortunate enough to fend for themselves in this cruel world.
But what had happened here, at this monument to pain and loss…
It was more.
Billions erased in seconds.
There was no glory to be found in such an achievement; there was no glorious domination over your enemies, there was no emotion or satisfaction of killing your rival, there was nothing to be stolen and nobody to be avenged.
It was a slaughter, with all emotions, achievements, wealth, ambitions and plans gone down the drain.
Capitol paid for it dearly, sure, but their victims remained dead either way. It was sickening to Ted, even now as the galaxy was seemingly spiralling into yet another such conflict. Was he going to be one among untold billions to get snapped out of existence in a moment? Would anyone remember him, what he stood for and who he was? That he too, at one point existed, had dreams and hopes for a better future?
Remembrance. That was the point of Azuras Memorial Station.
To give new hope to those that escaped, and to remember those that perished.
Even though it wasn’t technically any of his business what happened when he was in another galaxy, it was still a moment where his faith in humanity got rekindled for just a moment. Perhaps there was still some kindness in this world.
Or he could just be gobbling up Union propaganda for all he knew, but either way they had a job that needed doing.
Everything was orderly, and surprisingly clean, but despite it as soon as he stepped out of the ship he couldn’t help but think something was wrong, a concern which built up anxiety in him that only increased as they went further in and towards the border.
As soon as they all made their way to the checkpoint, he realised he may be in a lot of trouble- not only was he going along with a crew through an increasingly volatile galaxy which he barely knew, but now they were to go through all of those background checks. He personally had no problems with them, or reason to believe he would be in trouble.
Until he remembered that he was stateless.
No citizenship, no documentation, no ID…
This could get ugly.
But he had no choice but to press onwards and see what would happen.
Aoi watched in interest as they approached the Azura Memorial Station. It was an example of kintsugi writ large - finding the beauty in even the worst of disasters, the Union Of Worlds had created a poignant and beautiful memorial to the disasters of the last war. Aoi briefly reflected that there would be opportunity for many more such memorials if the looming Third Ancerious War wasn't stopped, but that was not her business.
She stepped forward, nodding politely to the border official as she held up her identification holo to be scanned. Other than her holoblade, she had little of note or interest in her belongings, but she knew that trying to predict what government employees would do was a waste of time so she simply waited patiently for them to scan her.
Somewhere on this station was Dr. Teltiv Elisim, a Cylaurian. Finding him would be an interesting task in this place, with the improved Union security, but first they had to get into the facility...
It was eerie, unsettling even. As Charlie took his first steps into the clean corridors of the elaborate memorial he couldn't help but feel a little unwelcome. After all, he knew practically nothing about the history of this place, or the war, or even the lives it was designed to honour. He'd only heard stories, snippets, and had to deduce for himself from the information around him. What he did know however, is that if this was a memorial, something not so pretty must have happened here. The last thing he wanted to do though was ask questions and make a fool of himself, unless it came to such things mattering, he'd have to quell his curiosity for now.
As he dragged his duffle bag off the steps behind him, he'd take a deep breath, the air was much cleaner in here, which was nice, less noise too. His Brow raised a little as he spotted the checkpoint, and he began rifling through the pockets in his jacket. He didn't know much about this galaxy, but he adapted well, and earned his identification from his time doing acts around union colonies before everything spiralled downhill and he became indentured.
The issue however was what was in his bag, A mining laser was a potent tool, and he technically had the licencing for it under his contract, he felt a little guilty bringing it to somewhere that was likely meant to be hallowed ground, but he didn't have a clue what would be waiting for all of them, so he only hoped he could use a 'miner' cop-out if it came to it.
The official at the checkpoint seemed rather bored, then again this was his job for most of the day. He bowed to Aoi as she came forward, quickly scanning herself through and the ID checking out fine. She was allowed through the gates in less than a minute, out into a concourse where many people seemed to be coming and going, standing, or sitting, all either on the way to somewhere or staring at the huge holo board with estimated ship arrival and departure times.
The next to join her was Charlie, his ID scanned through fine, although his luggage had some questions which were asked. Why did he have a mining laser? Either way the customs staff permitted it, although stated it would have to be switched off and stowed away at all times. He too was let through to join Aoi.
Rosy too and the rest were let through without any problems. However, Teds worry was well founded. The scan bleeped and caused the officer to look up to him.
“Can I see some ID? What business do you have here in Union space and Azuras memorial? What’s your name?”
It appeared one of their gangs was in a spot of bother.
“Hello there, welcome to Union space and the Azuras Memorial! Have you been here before?”
The chirpy voice came from a holographic girl who sprang to life by the group. It was Annika, although she seemed very well dressed and professional. A Union state version used for new visitors.
“I can help you with anything you may require!”
Ted approached the checkpoint and decided that there was really no other option but to try the fake ID given to him. But once he was in, he started sweating when the scanner beeped, and took his forged passport out he got from a shady Teliran for one of his earlier jobs. He never had a chance to test it before, so he surely hoped it would be good enough.
He searched his pockets for it for a while before he took out the ASN faction, belonging a smaller state within that was currently going through a civil war.
"My name is Ted... Kaminski. Me and my friends there who just passed through are stopping for a bit of rest while the ship we travel on undergoes some maintenance and other other business. So, just a short stop and we will be off. Its my first time out of ASN but due to the conflict back at home I had issues with getting documentation."
The checkpoint guard seemed to glance over his ID for a moment. Staring at it before it blinked green. The scanner had passed him.
The border security narrowed his eyes, handing his ID back over to Ted. He looked unconvinced, but the scanner had passed him.
"Have a good stay. Welcome to the Union. Next" He turned away, waving the next person in line forward. They were all through.
"Is this the last member of your group? Perhaps I can direct you to your business location!" The professional Annika smiled as Ted finally joined the group
Aoi responded brusquely to the hologram - she was not entirely fond of Artificial Intelligences, though she herself could not say why. Something about them irritated her, perhaps they were just too peppy.
"We're looking for Dr Teltiv Elisim, if you can tell us where he is practicing." she said, keeping her voice low so that it didn't carry too far. The Annika would not likely alert anyone of their search, but the myriad passersby might overhear and if the wrong person heard the name, news could make its way to their quarry and they might find him prematurely fled...
On the contrast, Charlie seemed almost relieved as the hologram showed up, despite never really seeing Annika before he seemed to intuitionally understand what she was, He's used to the concept after all. He leaned in a little to make an additional comment.
"A- and quickly please, wouldn't want to keep anyone waitin'."
"Thank you sir."
Ted quickly got his ID back and went back to join the others. Thankfully, the incident was avoided and his documentation was forged well as it would seem.
"Forgive me for being late everyone, I am here now."
"Dr Teltiv Elisim? Of course I can assist!"
The Union Annika leapt into work checking her directories at a rapid pace across the Union grid as Ted finally met up with the rest of the crew. The virtual girls face however started pulling frowns and confused expressions.
"...I... Well he did practice here, I am sorry I don't have his current whereabouts or status on record, thats... Incredibly strange. I must alert security to this immediately. I can tell you that he was working at a foreign exchange speculation office 1.2km away from this location on the last accurate updates I had on him. You can get there via the internal maglev alternatively you could walk if you want to take in the sights. I do apologise, not having up to date records of Union citizens is highly unusual"
She shrugged
"Is there anything else I can help you with today?"
Charlie simply leaned closer to the group, muttering and for some reason believing this would mean Annika couldn't hear him.
"I- Isn't having security on that a...bad thing? For us?"
He had a belief that the security on this station would be thorough, and if they got to the office before them, it might cause some complications and make them even more suspicious in the worst case.
Being a disturbed by the notion of the government being so open about everyone's whereabouts all the time, it took him a second to process the very idea that they could possibly not be using this information to do them any harm.
Either way, it was coming in handy, even though by the looks of it local authorities could be on the lookout for him and catch him before they do.
"Well we don't really have a choice but to find him, lost or not, so we may as well get started right away." He said to the rest of the group, before he turned to Annika.
"Could you provide us with the map of this station please?"
Aoi did not wait for the station map, instead taking the name of the office and turning to stride towards the maglev platform. Their lead was already growing cold, it seemed, and she had no desire to waste time.
As she walked, she felt a nagging feeling in her gut. If the man had managed to confuse the Union government's attempts to track him, it meant he definitely did not want to be found. This job was going to be more trouble than she had first thought, it seemed...
“Of course, I can provide a map! Here!” Annika pinged the group with the details before watching Aoi begin to walk off. The holographic avatar waved.
“Have a good stay!”
The maglev platform was clean and sleek, fairly busy but not enough to cause a wall of people who pushed and slid against each other. Individuals came and went, carrying bits and pieces as they either boarded or left the near constant trains that entered the station and then left moments after, their speed and acceleration impressively fast. There was no ticket office, in fact the service was entirely free. As such, Aoi and the others managed to walk straight onto a stark white train moments upon reaching the platform, surrounded by a few Unioners who were going to and from work. All wore casual clothing, and the large insectoid form of a Violar gave them a curt bow in greeting as it looked over to them.
A few moments later and the train was off, the sight beyond the windows resolving from the station to a blur of movement. There was no G-force for acceleration, and within seconds was at yet another station. Some more got on and off before a chime voice informed them of the next stop, the one they needed to get off at.
The sights inside the station were mostly blurred by the speed of the train, but one thing was visible, a huge internal space took up the station where a monument of a stylised star radiated outward. It was the memorial to Asuras, to the death of the system by the Crucible in the 2nd Galactic war. Across every millimetre of the shining surface was etched a name, several billion names covered the star. All someone who died in the Crucible strike.
A chime and stop of acceleration indicated they had reached their station. Once more stepping out across a clean and well-maintained platform several large, stylised towers were laid out ahead. One of them named “Financial Excursions” was their destination. The office that Dr Teltiv Elisim had worked at. A hologram waited at the buildings reception and smiled as they entered.
“Greetings! Welcome to Financial Excursions, how may I help you on this fine day travellers?”
Charlie was used to stuffed transport, if anything it made him feel more at home. The awkward shoulder barges and shuffling, the disinterested looks of those around him, If he blurred his eyes he could imagine himself in an omni-tram. The one thing that was different though was the number of species, sometimes you could go days without seeing a single sylthas in the empire, but here there wasn't only more variety in both shape and size, but more numbers too. He felt bad for it making him a little uncomfortable.
Of course there was the speed of the vehicle too, the sudden blur out the windows making him jolt a little, grabbing a nearby pole and giving him a few odd glances from his surroundings before he regained his composition and cleared his throat at the incident.
He stepped of the platform a little humbled, it wasn't the same, but it felt familiar, and that put him at ease. Though as the hologram spoke, he didn't say a word, mainly because he didn't really see himself as the words guy at this point, that seemed to be more this lady's field.
"I have an appointment with Dr Elisim," replied Aoi, not glancing at the hologram. Like before, she had no desire to waste time or energy on the soulless construct in front of her, only the ingrained courtesy of the Ingenious restraining her from dismissing the hologram entirely.
Somewhere deep in her subconscious she knew that AIs were more complicated than that, and you could never really be sure whether you were talking to a truly sentient machine or just an incredibly clever facsimile, but that only annoyed her further whenever she thought about it, so she mostly didn't.
Ted was slightly bewildered by the concept.
maglev train ride... for free? What's the catch?
Everything was unusually efficient and clean, unlike anything he had seen before.
He decided to simply accept it as another alien thing in this strange new world and move on.
Finally, they arrived tot heir destination. The guy they were after should have been around...
But he was cut off from replying to the polite hologram lady by Aoi. She seemed to have little regard for such things, or perhaps she was simply too used to them.
Either way, she had it under control for now, no need to confuse the thing by talking one over another.
The hologram nodded and stood up, pulling up a visual display of the building. A tag on the reception desk revealed the holograms name to be Ygerer, and it acted very much like a normal human.
“Dr. Elisim aye? How interesting, he hasn’t been checking in and out right lately and the last time we officially saw him was two days ago. He seemed rather, perturbed. Like he knew somewhat was after him or like he had some intense paranoia. Never quite seen the guy like that he was always focused on work and the job. I am afraid he isn’t here now, but I assume given you all are clearly not Unioners you’re here for something serious?” The hologram shrugged.
“Wonder what the guy did this time” The hologram seemed to slump back into the chair, the layout showing Elisims office as being on the second floor.
“Your welcome to head up if you like”
Disconcerted by the concept of a telepresent receptionist, Aoi simply turned away and headed for the stairs - it was a habit of hers that kept her healthy, kept her approach quiet, and meant she didn't have to make awkward small talk with strangers in elevators.
She threw a backward glance to make sure the rest of the team were following, but did not slow her pace as she trotted up the stairs, her boots barely making a scuffing sound. Arriving outside Elisim's office, she stood at an angle to the keyhole to obscure her face and then knocked on the door, her other hand resting on her hip....
"Thank yo-"
Ted was cut off by Aoi brushing past him in a hurry, going towards the stairs unfortunately. All this technology and yet they don't use the elevator....
Whatever.
He followed after her without complaint until she reached the office.
It looked like she was getting ready to pull out her weapons if things went south- useful, although probably not needed here. He decided to wait by the side of the door for it to open, ready to intervene if something happens.
Noting how Aoi didn't even give a "Thanks", Charlie would do so himself at the same time as Ted alongside a little shrug to hopefully convey a bit of sympathy. He didn't seem to bothered as they climbed up towards the office, his own steps not so careful, most of his attention drawn to what most would consider rather typical surroundings as he shouldered his duffel a little closer.
Once they reached the door, He'd decide to stay out of eyeshot, off to the side, for he had a feeling he'd look like a hired goon if he was just standing there behind Aoi...though technically he was a hired goon, but that was beside the point to him at least.
Ygerer nodded in appreciation, despite the appearance he was no AI, but a virtualised living mind who had died almost 20 years ago but continued to serve the Union.
Still the inside of the building was clean and well kept, the office of the Dr being off to one side with his name emblazoned on it. Trying the door for a moment it appeared to be locked but a quick beep and ID check override by Ygerer had the door opened in an instant. A little written 'Your welcome' appearing on the ID screen.
The office was dark, the lights automatically turning on upon entry into the room. It wasn't large, at least in terms of offices although for a single person it was quite spacious. A large slim desk was lined out across next to a blacked out window, a computer terminal laid upon it along with a couple of stacks of scattered papers. Two book shelves took up the remainder of the room, with plenty of books relating to the company matters but also various books on Quantum mechanics and advanced FTL theory which looked wildly out of place.
Interestingly enough it was the three flecks of blood on the desk by the papers which caught the most attention, dried they were clearly days old.
While the Dr wasn't here there was surely clues.
"Honestly...a lot more normal than I expected."
The large man would comment, swivelling his head around the fairly unremarkable room. He wasn't much of a detective though, and was plenty aware that he was simply muscle for this operation. He didn't quite mind the fact, but thought that he could at least try to help in other ways, his skull wasn't that thick after all.
Though the blood was odd, his attention was moreso drawn by the bookshelves. Though he knew it unlikely, he imagined himself pulling one of the items on the shelves and revealing a secret passage or compartment, which made him smirk a little as he looked across the neatly organised titles.
Aoi crossed to the computer and attempted to open it up.
"Let's see what he was up to," she said, not to anyone in particular but aware that she was not being the best team player and not wanting to have to argue with her colleagues either. She began to look in the browser history to see if anything stood out, and checking for any messaging apps.
She glanced up at Charlie as he rifled through the bookcases. "Any interesting reads?" she asked
While no sudden secret passage or dungeon appeared as Charlie rifled through the bookcases the titles which stood out the most painted an interesting picture which did indeed relate to their target.
Quantum anomalies: Stabilising the impossible?
Macro Scale FTL and its theoretical uses
Advanced Quantum Tunnelling with planetary objects
Behind the last book that Charlie pulled out was a piece of paper, heavily folded when opened it seemed to be covered in numbers and heavy mathematic equations, similar to those found in the books.
Accessing the computer was easy, showing various company casefiles which did not highlight anything major other than the usual workload and tedious things the man had clearly gotten up to.
Strangely enough his messaging app was almost almost empty, but not through any kind of attempt at deletion or purging. Dr. Elisim had only spoken to 3 people in 6 months, one being in response to a delivery to another address, one being to a work colleague requesting some data out of work and one to an unknown contact regarding a job offer on Natar, which he had accepted.
It seemed the Dr. Had kept a rather low profile after that job, but the other address was clear, a housing complex not too far away from here perhaps it be where he went especially if injured.
"So, what did you find?" Ted asked Charlie and Aoi from the doorframe of the office, standing guard in case anyone comes in. "Anything that might lead us to him or confirm if he is in danger? The AI dudes seem a bit alarmed that they weren't able to find him, and I'd rather not have to deal with police which is surely on its way..."
Finally, Ted got too impatient and just went in himself. He wasn't really sure what to do, as he didn't want to interfere with what the other two were doing, but he did notice something.
"Hey guys... Is that blood?"
He pointed it out for others, and started looking around, opening any drawers the desk had just to see if they were missing anything.
Aoi noted down the address, saving it as a pin in her own device, and added the contact to her own address book.
"Two leads. A delivery to another address and a job offer on Natar." she said out loud as she read through the job offer, seeing if she could glean any more information - where it was, what the esteemed doctor would be doing, and when he was due to start. They might have just tracked him down.,,
The housing complex seemed like the most likely place to check next, only a 15 minute walk away to where supposedly the Dr. was living. No doubt the job offer on Natar had something to do with why they were here. These individuals they were hunting were all connected somehow, the question was why was the Dr. recruited and for what precise purpose?
The blood wasn't much, but it was laid out in such a way that it was almost like the spray of a small cut, the carpet behind the desk was also slightly screwed up.
Perhaps there had been an altercation somehow?
But they were the only ones who had come to see the Dr. since his supposed disappearance.
The housing complex could contain the answers.
Finishing his inspection of the shelves, and only giving the slightest hum to the pointing out of blood, Charlie turned back toward the others. He was no sleuth, but it was clear what he'd been looking at had some sort of correlation with everything else. He decided to keep the paper, but decided to present it first, just to make sure.
"What about this, seems this fella was workin' on something grand, or researching it at least. Either of ya able to make heads or tails of it?"
Aoi glanced at the papers Charlie proffered, but didn't make any sense of them. In a past life she had known a little about biomechanics but this was a different field of science altogether and all she grasped was that he was working on some kind of wormholes or such.
The blood and the apartment were easier clues.
"Either he was injured and fled, or else his assailant overpowered him. Either one of them might have gone to this housing complex."
She felt the familiar feeling she felt with every new lead. A mixture of frustration and reassurance; frustrated that they would have to delve deeper into the unknown, but reassured that the trail had not yet gone cold.
"We should head there next," she said, turning for the door
"You are right," Ted added.
"Probably related to the job offer he received. Hopefully the police take their time getting there, it wouldn't do for them to block us now. If that's everything we should probably hurry up."
He didn't like this. Ted thought this life was behind him, but apparently not.
But at least they were making progress for now, no dead ends yet.
The journey to the housing complex was uneventful. Ygerer had bid them farewell and politely asked if they could let him know if they found anything. Thankfully with their destination being only a few blocks away it wasn’t a grand adventure, but it did show how clean everything was. The roads, pavement, houses and green spaces were immaculate as plenty of citizens went about their daily lives. No housing complex was some dreary chicken coop, it was large open and spacious housing placed into artistic architecture, surrounded by parks and with communal spaces which seemed to be well used.
Everything was well lit and kept pristine. Bustling with everyday life.
It seemed the Union indeed tried to make it like how it was advertised. At least they were not lying.
But that made what come next all the stranger.
As they entered one of the large organic architectures blocks it was quick and simple to find the Dr. on the room listings. The atrium and main floors seemed lived in and normal, but when they mag elevator got to the desired floor there was nobody.
As they approached the room, the door had a large dent in it, not enough to compromise the integrity, but enough to show someone had tried to gain entry. There also appeared to be very faint traces of blood on the floor, though it had been at least mostly cleaned up.
Without much sense of caution, Charlie wandered over and squatted down, running his eyes from the blood up to the dent, almost touching it but stopping himself; he'd seen enough crime drama to know what errant DNA could cause. Nonetheless he quickly got up and grunted.
"Well there's evidence of a struggle if we was lookin' for it. No idea who's blood that is though. Hey, could be the scientist bloke, if he's dead it might save us a job at least." He chuckled a little, but was still a little profoundly worried by the possibility.
"If he is not dead I have a mind to kill him myself when we find him. We get the reward either way," grumbled Aoi, activating her holoblade and moving to see if the door would budge. The engimatic Mr H had presented this as a simple, easy job, just hunting down your typical lowlives who don't want to be found, but she had an growing feeling this was going to be complex. Perhaps the good doctor would be an exception and the others would be as easy as the captain, their first find, but she somehow doubted it...
As the door opened, its magnetic lock mechanism being totally busted likely by whatever had happened before they were greeted by a loud voice.
"DONT FUCKING MOVE!"
The living room of the apartment was trashed, the sofa was stained with blood, as was the carpet. Some of the bookshelves were broken and the lights did not seem to function.
There standing in the half light caused by the tinted window stood Dr. Elisim, a Union plasma pistol shaking in his hand. He was covered in dried blood, surrounded by the cool glow of almost 20 different holographic displays, some scribbled with mad calculations, some showing security read outs and surveillance cameras.
The man looked half mad, and the commotion caused in his home looked like it had happened days ago. Had he stalled out Union PDF elements for days?
"YOUR HERE TO KILL ME TOO!? ILL KILL YOU FIRST, YOUR NOT THE FIRST TO TRY! YOU PROBABLY WONT BE THE LAST! I SHOULD NEVER HAVE TAKEN THAT PROJECT FUCKING TELIRANS!"
Aoi thumbed off her holoblade and spread her hands slowly. She used the pause to decide what to do, and once she had Elisim's attention she spoke up.
"Thank the heavens we reached you before them, Doctor Elisim. We're here to help you escape!"
Charlie was suddenly regretting what he said outside, if the guy heard it wouldn't look great for them. Instead he decided to slowly open the door further and peek in to spot the source of the commotion. Charlie had never had a gun pointed at him, especially one that looked like that, but something told him he would need to swallow his worries if he wanted it to remain simply pointed.
He slowly put his duffle bag down and raised his hands out beside his waist to show he was unarmed.
"That's right, ya can calm down, we ain't here to hurt yous."
"Yea thats what the last lot said! Who are you! Bastard Telirans I bet they have paid off at least 10 damn hit squads, all because of my work and calculations! You cant have them! They were to save her, not Natar you bastards understand!"
Elisim was twitching like a mad man and it didn't take a genius to figure out he was likely on stimulants. Given he was being hunted, the Cylaurian likely didn't want to sleep out of fear for being killed.
Upon closer inspection some of the displays had exceptionally complicated quantum probability calculations, while others had security cameras which were jacked into Union PDF links. He clearly did not want the authorities to find him or get involved in what was going on either. He had to be a genius if he had kept the Union off his back within their own territory.
Charlie stood where he was, keeping his hands where they were.
"D- do we really look like assassins to you?...Look, it ain't hard to tell ya've been havin' a shitty time here, but we only wanna reach an understandin' alright? You can keep that thing pointed at us for as long as ya want, but we just want to chat...maybe sit down, my legs are killin' me."
Glancing over the stained sofa, he seemed pretty mellow under the pressure all things considered. He didn't realise it but it was probably a quality noticed in him that he didn't even see himself and t was likely he'd continue wondering why he of all people were picked out for a while.
Aoi said nothing - in a situation like this, overwhelming the gunman with a barrage of noise and words would only serve to overstimulate him and tip him towards doing something rash. That, and if she drew his attention the gun barrel might swing back her way.
Charlie seemed to know what he was doing anyway, so she was happy to let him take the lead, listening as he spoke calmly and collectedly.
Finally, Ted joined Charlie in his efforts, showing his hands to indicate that he was unarmed.
"We, uh..." Staring down the barrel of the plasma pistol wasn't exactly helpful, but he knew he had to help Charlie diffuse the situation
"We don't really have the means to get you even if we wanted to, which we don't. So lets just sit down for a while, close the door so that nobody sees us and turns us in to the authorities?"
"The first lot didn't seem like assassins either! They looked like damn normal everyday clients!" He then muttered some incomprehensible words before clearly fighting himself in some internal argument.
His face was contorted in rage and anger and fear, until one side obviously won the argument and his face showed the epitome of exhaustion. He lowered the pistol.
"Just tell me why you are here... I am so very tired I just want to work in peace and live out the rest of my life undisturbed" The Dr slumped into a chair, the pistol clattering out of his hand, he seemed well and truly defeated.
"Just kill me, just get it over with. They want my damn knowledge so badly, so fucking badly..." He trailed off starting to cry.
With a bit of an exasperated sigh, Charlie assumed he was ok to make his way over to the couch; he wasn't lying after all, his legs were killing him. He sits with a grunt, crossing his arms instead.
"Mate, if we wanted to kill ya, we'd of started when ya dropped yer gun. As I say, we only want to get to an understandin'.
So, pull yerself together a little and maybe we can talk about helping yous."
He gestured an arm forward a little, and nodded toward the others, as if inviting them to sit too...clearly not so worried about the blood.
Aoi carefully approached the chair, taking the pistol grip-first and placing it on a nearby shelf before retreating back to perch on the couch's armrest. She was about to speak, but then stopped. Her mind felt untethered, slipping and trying to catch hold of itself, and she abstractly wondered why before realising what the strange feeling was.
Deja-vu. Many years ago, her late husband, a professor at Aeterna University, had been murdered by powers he did not understand after getting tangled up in something far larger than he realised. An innocent man, trapped in a struggle between powers that cared about his fate only in terms of how it would affect their goals.
She said none of this aloud, instead simply sitting decorously, her stare boring into the distressed doctor as if he wasn't there
Ted closed the door behind them after taking one final look outside to make sure nobody was onto them, ad then joined the others. It had been quite a day already, and they barely just started with their mission...
"Maybe we could help you out somehow? When did all of this start doctor?"
Dr. Elisim sighed, letting Aoi take the pistol on the arm rest next to him and running a hand across his snout.
"I haven't slept in what feels like weeks. I genuinely thought you were the next round of assassins sent to kill me, but if your not here for that why are you here and who are you?" He looked at Aoi with the question, given she had effectively now disarmed him.
"Help me how? This all started when I took a damn job on Natar with several others, some big project but they didnt tell us much about it told me it had to do with my research and my goal and they would fund me anything I needed. But some stuff happened, I fled back to the Union and next thing I know I am being hunted. Bastards want to tie up loose ends"
"Your not familiar with Quantum Tunnelling and the Fuzzy Transposition onto Macro scale objects are you?" His eyes briefly lit up.
Aoi was genuinely wrong-footed by the question. Taking a second to think about it, she realised that any lie she came up with would be obvious given her hesitation, so she just shrugged.
"No, it uh. There's been some confusion on Natar it sounds like, factions arguing, but we were hired to come rescue you. Our client seemed truly upset about everything that had happened, told us to make sure we kept you safe. 'Do right by him' is what they said."
Charlie was a little perplexed by the white lie and it took him a moment to realise what she was doing. He wasn't much a fan of such business, but what better way to resolve the situation than lull the man into a false sense of security. It was at least true that he'd be safe though if he followed along, which helped make it easier for the man to play along.
"'xactly, if ya stay here, it's likely more'll come for ya. The client knows ya need some rest, wants to find somewhere ya can finish yer research in peace and whatnot.
'course that means yer gonna have to trust us, and tread carefully goin' forward. If any more of yer supposed hunters come across us, we'll be here to protect ya, that's what we're gettin' rewarded for after all."
"Rescue me? That means you intend to take me back to Natar, did someone else decide to continue the project? They were not exactly happy with the situation last time, hence the assassins of course" Elisim was talking to himself as much as those in front of him.
"There were some kind people there genuinely interested in my research maybe they are in charge now? They wanted my knowledge of quantum macroteleportation. To put it simply, using quantum superposition and tunneling to transport massive objects from one position to another. Im not talking about starships of course they can do that with drive systems, no im talking planets" He beamed clearly enthusiastic about his research.
"So who took over the project? Are we heading back to Natar right away? Are the people hunting me still doing so and will they target me on Natar?" He launched into a barrage of questions
"Exactly," lied Aoi soothingly, "some people on Natar wanted to let politics get in the way of progress, but there's been a change in the wind and they're not in a position to stop you anymore. We'll get you safe back to Natar, don't worry. They didn't tell us exactly what you were working on but it sounds incredible. No wonder they sent us to protect you."
Charlie stands and nods.
"Yeah i'll admit I didn't get the highest score in me sciences, buuut i can tell what yer up to is probably important. All the more reason to get yer somewhere safe, eh?"
Charlie is actually a little perturbed that Aoi didn't fill in all the gaps, but he's willing to try and make a few things up if he has to.
"As for yer new boss, well we're only mercs so we were only hired by a uhh, what's the word..representative, yeah, but they made it clear that anyone hunting ya shouldn't be problem on Natar."
He shrugged, trying to make the problem seem like a non-issue. In reality he had his doubts, but despite not liking it, he was getting more confident with this whole 'lying' thing.
"Important! It could be the single biggest breakthrough in planetary defenses since asteroid interception! Imagine, an enemy cannot strike your world with a super weapon or a planet killer because with the flick of a switch you could for a brief moment flicker your planet in and out of existence! It could even be used on stars, if the Union had only listened perhaps Azuras would still be here!"
The Dr was getting heated and passionate, unable to comprehend that those here had no idea or care for what he talked about.
"Anyway, I must gather my things. Come on, if the project really is on then we must get moving I don't have a second to spare. The Union wouldn't give me the funding needed but Natar... If there is any chance this could succeed I have to take it!"
He rushed around, gathering a few data pads, information storage devices and physical documents. Completely uncaring of clothes or personal affects. After a few moments he was ready.
"Alright lets go, I trust you have a ship handy? Don't worry about customs, I have ways around the Union systems"
"We have a ship yes, it's here on Memorial Station Dr Elisim. We should move quickly, though - who knows what could happen."
Aoi stepped away to peek into the corridor to make sure that no-one else was encroaching. She had a feeling this job was only just getting started...
Charlie did at least understand the whole unexisting concept, but only because he'd seen it in some old movie he'd basically half watched training. For some reason the concept intrigued him, staying in the back of his mind as a dormant memory. Hearing it now though and realising this man had the aspiration, and maybe the knowledge to make such a distant concept real, he chortled. Maybe what he was doing wasn't so bad, or at least so far.
Still oblivious to the details however, he leaned on the solid metal mining tool in his bag like a walking stick until the moment the researcher stepped back in. Now shouldering the bag, he walked up beside Aoi and quite casually stepped right out toward the door, taking a few steps before turning back for a moment.
"C'mon, don't want to be caught next to a crime scene do we?"
He didn't wait for a response before veering his head in a sideward nod and stepping back out onto the street.
The group quickly left the room, bypassing the blood over the corridor and making their way out of the building. The Dr. Had put on a large coat to try obscure himself, numerous anti surveillance programs running on his PDA to try and jam anyone keeping an eye on them.
The maglev trip was tense as well, at any moment someone from Union PDF or any other intelligence agency could come after them but the trip to the docks was quick and thankfully uneventful. Finally the last obstacle was the customs, something that both Aoi and Charlie had no problem with.
For Elisim he again ran ID spoofers, managing to get through even as the group made their way to the ship they had came in. Just in time, numerous suited individuals were making their way towards them through customs, yelling and demanding the dockmasters to shut them in. It was too late, the ship breaking away from the dock before the bay could be locked down.
"It appears that was close, I suggest we hard burn away from here before they interdict and catch us" The Doctors suggestion was the best, already two Arrow class corvettes were moving to intercept, but the vessel was breaking the planets interdiction zone well before hand.
As the FTL drives came to power the team escaped, their charge secured and heading back to Natar.
One down, several more to go.
Natar: The gambling hotbed of the galaxy, the gem of chance of the Killian Verge, and the Little Lost Star. It was on this planet of aristocratic countryside and always-growing cityscape that they found themselves stranded on. Disconnected from their bank accounts, any public information had labeled them now as indentured, and their ability to legally depart from Natar was now restricted.
Their contracts, regardless of origin, now all rested in the palms of a single, mysterious individual simply labelled 'H.' who had procured the rights to put these indebted labourers to work. Without access to money, it had been transport arranged by their new-paymaster that got the indebted figures to the bar that they had been ordered to group up at: A play called ‘Maxino’s’.
Inside, there was no suggestion that the purchaser of their indentured contracts had arrived on schedule for the meeting. Instead, it was filled with Teliran couples and groups drinking their lives away in a dimly lit room. Up at the bar, lit up by neon, awaited five empty seats; the only seats available in the entire bar.
Atleast with the late arrival of their master, the trickle-in of the contractors gave them a chance for them to get acquainted and introduce themselves before they got to work.
Aoi Yoshida slipped in quietly, as was her wont. She had long ago forsaken the elegant Ingenious garb for a simple pair of black pants and a burgundy leather jacket, though at her hip was the innocuous-looking flashlight-hilt of her honokatana, the tool of her trade. With her bottle-green hair pulled back into a loose ponytail, her horns and glowing onibi were hard to miss in the dimly-lit bar, but she moved calmly and inobtrusively to the empty seats, taking one at the end. She had some loose change in her pocket, a couple of chips worth next to nothing, but it was enough to buy her a single drink.
She sighed, reflecting on her misfortunes. Everything had gone wrong since that Vant job. Pitiful bounties, red-herring investigations, and poor debtors had all chipped away at her finances until finally she had accepted a seemingly easy job on Natar. Track down and catch some gambling delinquent who had run up a huge debt, an effete one-percenter who looked like he'd shit out the money if someone so much as yelled 'boo'.
It had turned out he was well connected, however, and when his bodyguard had tried to intervene and had his hand sliced off for the trouble, Aoi had ended up in jail with a judge who had known the gambler's father since school. Between bail, fines, and the court-ordered payments for the bodyguard's new prosthetic (top-of-the-line bioengineered, of course) she herself was now one of the debtors she had spent so much time hunting down. Out of options, she had found herself compelled to come here, with vague threats added to the enticement of potential salvation.
The next person to enter was less subtle in appearance and attitude. Her name was Rosy Pink Katyutla, a name she hated so she went by her nickname of Baggy. A name she also despised but less so then her real name. At first she looked to be too young to enter the bar but a quick showing of her id allowed her inside. Baggy was wearing simple jeans, sneakers, a punk band t-shirt over which she had a black leather jacket with metal studs and short sleeves. A baseball cap sat on top of short and bright pink coloured hair. Baggy also had Knee and elbow pads which were well worn and scratched. An old school backpack was carried on her back where her two most prized possessions were attached to via rope and elastic bands, her skateboard and baseball bat. While the skateboard was visible to all her baseball bat was hidden inside a flute case, the flute itself was sold to pay her debts but the case proved a convenient hiding spot for her weapon. Lastly she had an extra pouch on her hip, it was filled with ball bearings.
How she managed to survive until this point in time was a mystery to Rosy herself but as she entered the bar she thought back to try and find out where it all began. Her father and mother were immigrants from the consulate of Astril, always talked about Natar being a place for opportunity unlike their own motherland. She believed them delusional as she witnessed her father’s business crumble and him resort to illegal activities with gangsters and mafia. His deeds eventually caught up with him though, murdered, no loose ends she supposed. Now the years of tax fraud, mafia debt and the costs of medicine for her sick mother took away everything else. And since her mother could not pay, Rosy had to help make ends meet. Even after selling her father’s hardware store Rosy had to turn to the underworld just like her dad in order to make ends meet. Serving as a courier for drug cartels for a while before realising even that could not pay the bills enough. She did not need much convincing to work for a new boss. Anything to earn her freedom from her father’s mistakes.
Rosy cautiously approached the empty bar seats. Her bright pink eyes looked over to Aoi and she nodded her head to them. Her tone was overly formal, Rosy really tried to not expose her own emotions and doubts so early. Although she didn’t totally succeed.
“G’day miss.”
Rosy sat down on the barstool in the middle. After that she sat there awkwardly, she had no money to buy drinks. Atleast, not enough to afford something which didn’t taste like vomit.
The door would quite soon creak open again, making way for the heavy footsteps of a new figure. Charlie Kirkhowl looked like quite the average after-shift bar patron in his thick brown synthcotton jacket and dark green boiler suit, luminescent strips on his shoulders, just a general workers uniform that would blend him right into the crowd, or it would were it not for his size. He towered over most in the bar, yet moved surprisingly meekly, and as he pulled the beanie from his scalp, he'd stroke his hands over a head absent of hair.
The suit had a patched logo of some small-time titanium mine to the east, a place he'd been stuck in for months after being scammed out of showbusiness for a 3rd successive time. Now things were growing desperate, he had to sell his personal ship just to survive, and ended up being one of many tricked into thinking indentured also meant 'short-term'. He'd made a small reputation for himself with a number of independent shows before this whole mess fortunately, and was hoping that was the reason he was brought here. Though just in case, not too trusting of things outside the Bulwark anymore, he'd brought some 'work gear' along in a duffel across his back.
The statured fellow stretched himself up to see over the crowds and noticed the empty seats, pondering this 'H' guy's peculiar choice of venue. Stuffing his beanie in a pocket, he'd walk quietly over toward the bar, pushing himself past a small group before reaching a stool right at the other end and dropping himself onto it. It creaked slightly under his weight and he solemnly looked down at his gloved hands for a few moments before glancing off to his right and clearing his throat and returning his sights to the bar surface, a bit concerned about the two individuals he was now only just noticing...it'd been a tiring journey.
A tall, tired man in dark blue trousers and a leather jacket with black hair stepped into the “Maxino’s”, hiding his discomfort. Sam was probably the first Malaakian “civilian” in some sense of a word that stepped foot on an alien planet in this galaxy, and not for the better at it. Since the events at Samnotep City, his life took wild, surprising turns. From a cop, to a rebel soldier, to a bodyguard of a spy during their escape from the SCUMs armed forces, to their hiding and finally, evacuation from Malaak. Unfortunately, whereas Ella got away, he was forbidden from following her by Loyalists that took her in. Something about “compromising their location”. Bullshit.
Instead they sent him into outer space with some cash, until “we could take you in safely”. Sadly he found his way to Natar, where he got robbed and indebted as he tried to make a living. The crisis continued on until eventually he started hiding from debt collectors, which was what caused him to become a de facto slave once he got caught. However, there was a glimmer of hope; a way to get rid of all that debt.
And it all started here.
He managed to hide how weird aliens, REAL LIFE aliens made him feel at first before he got acquainted with them. He had always known that they existed of course, but he never saw one, not even a picture of them, thanks to the isolation of his nation and censorship.
With the bar mostly full of Telirans, save for a couple notable individuals. He didn’t see anyone approaching him, so he decided to take the first step towards the biggest one, cautiously approaching him.
“Uh, pardon me… I'm looking for some indebted guys or someone who was supposed to give them work? Would that happen to be you?”
Charlie jumped for a moment, before turning his head to see the figure. The thin moustache on his face seemed to even help convey his temporary confusion.
"Huh?!"
His face soured slightly as he realised he wasn't in any danger, this guy didn't seem like the corporate type, and his question was rather interesting too.
"Oh! Right, yea, you must be one of us, eh?"
He reached one of his arms over and dragged out the empty stool next to him.
"Yeahh, take a seat, I'd have a guess that our new boss is gonna be a small while. Wasn't sure at first but i'd suppose that means you two are also in this little mess as well?"
He turns his sights on the two women sitting across from them.
Rosy did a little wave to the two men when Charlie mentioned them. She was kind of nervous, she had no idea what kind of people would get in this situation so she feared the worst. So it was a welcome surprise that everyone here so far seemed reasonable and not insane criminals.
“Ya fucking bet,”
She crossed her arms, looked at the time and rolled her eyes.
“Seems like mister mystery is coming later then expected…..”
Rosy stopped herself. She had a short temper but maybe it was not a good idea to call your boss a swear word or racial slur on the first day of the job.
“… yeah… maybe we should at least know each other’s names first before getting fucking ganked in a sewer or some shit. So uh, hi… just call me Baggy.”
Aoi glanced at the others from the corner of her eye, and then turned her baleful gaze back towards the shelves of alcohol behind the bar.
"Aoi," was her only answer, more a vocalization than a word, her accent not even discernible from such a brief outburst.
Her demeanour was not one of contempt or aloofness, however, but rather of weariness. She simply seemed worn, fatalistic, an example of the phlegmatic Ingenious mindset taken to its extreme conclusion
The bald man tilted his head a little, trying to make a mental note of the names before responding in kind.
"Uh, Charlie, Nice to meet ya's." He looked back at the man beside him, raising a brow slightly. "And you?"
The door opened once again, a man stepping in after ducking under the door frame and standing to full height. A few glances were thrown towards him before they went back to their aimless drinking and card games. The man stood tall, very tall, and his excessive vascularity and muscle was a sign of either obsessiveness on bulking or he was manual labor. Based on his garb, a dark gray jumpsuit with a barcode and set of numbers in his left breast as well as the armband in his right arm made the answer apparent.
If you had an Adastreia Identification Scanner or you could read the numbers by heart, you could see that his name was Saruch Vahount. Before his ascent to Independent Trade Merchant of the 378th Autonomous Trade Fleet, Saruch was a manual laborer on a gas platform on Ecolla. He rose through his ranks and was assigned to a Trade Fleet per his request, and this had just so happened to be his first contract.
He blew the contract funds on Natar in an effort to get rich and abandon this life, but to no avail. Saruch went completely broke and was indebted to a mysterious individual whom he had borrowed a selection of funds from, and now he was trapped on Natar and trapped by contract to this person.
Saruch approached the bar, taking one of the open seats and raised his hand for a drink. “Can I get your harfest liquor on the rocks?” His accent was guttural and deep, and immediately everyone could know his origins
With the arrival of all five members of the indebted team, the bartender seemed to take note and depart from behind the counter. Soon after, one of the bar patron’s sat beside the group departed; leaving a seat open beside the group.
Within a moment, from a sidedoor, appeared what appeared to be a Teliran. His visage was largely covered by a long, great coat that reached down towards a set of tight, black wellington boots. Nestled over his mustache perched a pair of thick spectacles that reflected light so well that the man’s eyes were effectively impossible to see. Much of his face was concealed by his trilby hat, the brim of which covered much of his downturned head. With a light cigarette nestled into one of his hands, the strange figure went and took his seat beside the group.
“I am Mr. H. I see you are all here.” He remarked, looking down to the counter in their direction as the bartender returned with a glass of iced water which he placed before the man.
Keeping his gaze averted from the crew, the figure explained, “You are all here today because you have, from whatever cause, indebted yourself to people who are, in turn, indebted to my masters… Each in their own way. We have convinced them to let us take their contracts off their hands.”
“My superiors have seen fit to select the five of you, chosen on the basis of perceived strength, cunning, or agility, to carry out an important mission. The objectives are simple, but achieving them will not be, and each of you will need to play your part well if you are to end with success.” He took a smooth sip from his glass; the ice cubes clinking as he did so.
“In exchange for your compliance in pursuing our orders, my superiors are willing to give you a new chance in life. A slate, cleared of past failures, one with privileges and luxuries afforded to few in their pursuit of a good life. Contract canceled, past infractions brushed aside, and a more than generous accidental banking error channeling three hundred SIGECs into your account - More money any of you will otherwise possess in your doomed lives.”
He proceeded to slide a small, grey file on the bar counter over to the five of them, the stranger still yet did not even take a moment to look at the five of them as he gazed about the bar. Inside the document were five printed photos. Each picture featured a different individual, two Telirans, a Human, some kind of Cybernetic human, and a Cylaurian.
“Five scientists contracted by a certain individual, tied to my superiors, have all gone missing. Some departed several years ago, two left within the last twelve months. All have left Natar and entered the galaxy as a whole. Your orders are to track down these individuals and persuade them, by any means necessary, to return to the fold. Should they prove uncooperative, you are sanctioned to terminate each of them.”
Resting his arms on the counter as he took a puff from his cigarette, the gentleman finalised by adding,
“The choice is yours. Remain stranded, a nobody here, or take up this opportunity. Now is the time for questions also.”
Aoi mused over the photos. 300 SIGEC was a vast amount - it would set her up permanently, give her the freedom to indulge her ennui properly and end this constant carousel of odd jobs and petty contracts.
"They 'left'?" she asked flatly, her tone implying scepticism. "They were not kidnapped?"
Rosy was stunned. She knew her debts would be lifted but… 300 SIGEC. That was enough to do anything with and still have enough to life a comfy life. When the pictures came up onto the table she leaned over to see them.
“So, what about any possible leads? We can hardly begin searching if we don’t even know where to fucking look.”
Rosy leaned away from the photos and looked up towards H, trying to get a better view of the man. To her this still seemed extremely sketchy, especially with the amount of money being offered to what are essentially a bunch of nobodies. So she wished to at least get a glance of his face so she knew who to direct her anger to in case of this all being a hopeless sham.
Sam took note of the individuals before him. They were quite a diverse bunch to be honest, but that might just be his lack of knowledge to be honest. Some of them seemed dangerous, others he was more curious to learn about. BUt first and foremost, introductions were in order.
“Charlie, Baggy. Aoi. Nice to meet you all, I’m Sam. From what I can tell, we will all be working together for a bit. But there is one more seat fo-”
He was cut off by the bulky, strong man entering the bar and demanding a drink. His appearance spooked him for a moment before he calmed down.
“Bet that he is also ‘one of us.’”
He gestured towards the man, inviting him to come next to them.
Before they could introduce themselves properly, the barman left, shortly after which a figure that you simply can’t miss arrived, taking a seat next to the group. Despite looking odd, he made good points and got straight to business- something Sam was grateful for.
But as the man kept talking, Sam got more and more uncomfortable.
The kind of thing he wanted from the group… Sam wasn’t against it or a stranger to it, but surely hiring professionals would be the first option? Why them instead?
He didn’t fully wrap his head around the currency values in this place, but he heard people referring to “milicents” quite often- and judging by how others reacted, this sum of money was truly vast.
Maybe H. was sketchy, but he was used to dealing with men like him back home, and learned that not taking an opportunity is oftentimes the worst decision one can do to get out of a bad situation, regardless of who that opportunity is provided by.
“This all sounds like a good deal… Why not just hire professionals though? We need to know ‘the catch’ to be more effective and not make mistakes that they would do. And yeah, we need more context if we want to do this good- but that can be discussed somewhere else if it's not convenient here.”
“Yes, they left. Kidnapping is highly unlikely considering the circumstances surrounding them prior to their departure.” He retorted to Aoi, he seemed to become annoyed by the questions not pertaining to assisting their mission-effectiveness as he shot back to Sam,
“Professionals are involved where possible. Professional freelance corporations, however, are both expensive when tasked with traveling across the entire galaxy, and leave a paper-trail. They are too big. They maintain procedures, updates to their superiors, and they’re easy to trace, so PI and Mercenary corporations are out of the picture. What my employer needs is an under-the-table operation, and they cannot go to Teliran intelligence organisations to achieve that. Now I recommend that you restrict yourself to questions relating to helping your success; not questions inferring we ought to put you out of your new job.”
The Teliran, shrouded mostly in his coat and hat, seemed to look directly at Rosy the moment she tried to analyse the stranger’s face. His mustache covered most of it, but one could easy tell the man didn’t have much meat on the bone, so to speak. His little eyes seemed to give him a rather ratty appearance,
“In the cosmodrome quarter of this city, look for a ship docked at one of the stations going by the name of Nimble Acolyte. They are deeply indebted to a number of national banks for shipping runs that have fallen-through, and their captain has taken to revelling in alcohol and prostitutes. Drag him from whatever hole he’s hiding from the bailiffs in, inform him that Mr. H. is willing to make amends, should he comply with your orders.”
Taking a ship from his glass, he added,
“You will, of course, find a way to ensure he has no choice in the matter if he refuses. Whatever the case, you will take that ship to the Azuras Memorial Station, within Union space. We have it on good authority to believe that Dr. Teltiv Elisim, the Cylaurian…” His index finger tapped on the photo of him, “...Who left a bit over a month ago, is currently there. We also have good reason to believe that he left after being contacted by an outside force, presumably one of the other runaway scientists, I am certain he is the key to finding the whereabouts of the others.”
“Anything else?” The coated gentlemen questioned with a cocked brow.
Charlie, who'd been listening politely up until now, leaning an elbow against the bar, looked down at his duffle and pondered for a moment, he somewhat understood why questions about why they were chosen were a bit redundant, but was at least happy to hear the people he was working with were at least a little reasonable. Either way, he had had his own, and started it by clearing his throat.
"If I may sir" He stated in a deep, yet accented voice. "You mentioned a possibility of, uh, not co-operatin'. This somewhat confirms ta me that this ain't all gonna be a walk in the park so, are we gonna be provided anythin'? or do we bring our own gear?"
One of his brows raised, he'd brought a hybrid mining laser/jackhammer with him in case of trouble, it was falling apart and mostly belonged to the mine he worked in, he was just leasing it. No way did he think something like that would protect him from whatever grievances these scientists would want to demonstrate on their little band of misfits, he even looked around for a moment to emphasise his point, what did that girl think she was going to do with some sports equipment, after all.
Rosy looked a little unhappy upon hearing that someone might be uncooperative. She didn’t feel like putting up with other people’s issues. It displeased her greatly that she might have to strongarm some absolute loser in doing his part for everyone’s sake.
As Charlie talked she listened intently and then turned her focus to H and whatever his response would be. She would not mind something more hefty then what she had but at the same time there was this pride in the fact she got so far with things from a sporting goods store and scrap parts she found. Her focus wasn’t on fighting anyway, she was more of a runner.
Saruch sighed heavily as he listened to the aimless bantering, he downed the glass of liquor and grimaced hard. 300 SIGECS was a lot…a lot more than he needed to get off this hole, out of the other, and start a life free from that place. He looked as the other around him asked questions, the man covered from head to toe answering mysteriously…yet in a calm and monotone way perhaps? He was frail no doubt, he’d snap like a twig if Saruch took that initiative but…300? It was a lot, that was sure enough to keep him at bay.
He turned his head to the man and spoke heavy, the thick accent barely understandable to the common man. “What do we need to do to persuade the captain? And how do we get these people who left to come back with us?”
Aoi did not look over at Saruch, instead staring into her drink. "I think that's where the kidnapping comes in."
She glanced up at the coated gentleman. "I'm in." she said flatly, before taking a hearty gulp. This mission already felt like a risk to her, with the ad-hoc group and such mystery surrounding it, but the money was too good to resist. Her aimless wanderings and self-destructive bent had finally reached its logical conclusion, and she was rapidly circling the drain, risking a slide into homelessness and slipping sanity, so she could not afford to say no.
Saruch nodded as she spoke to him, taking another gulp and shaking his head. Aoi spoke and it seemed that it really was their only choice, what would he do if he didn’t? Either he would rot here or Constellats would smuggle him off-world and force him back into the hammer. He had no choice.
“I’m in”
Sam didn’t have any other questions that others haven’t asked already, and he didn’t want to risk annoying his “employer” further. So he looked around at his new crew. A bunch of misfits but they all seemed capable. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad after all?
“Everything sounds good to me. Even if we don’t get any gear we will make it work regardless.”
He felt a bit anxious. This was a lot of money, not a lot of time, and a lot of mystery. But he had no choice but to figure it out as he went along. He was ready to depart as soon as others were good to go.
H. Sighed at the question of equipment,
“There’ll be no threats here on Natar for a bunch of indebted nobodies, find the captain and get to the station. My employer is not interested in drenching his funds on strangers until the job is finished. If he was keen on goin’ on a spending spree in this regard, he wouldn’t be banking on costless, replaceable labour like you lot. Any gear you got is free for use… And I’m sure you’ll be able to adapt and find means along the way… You’re travellin’ a galaxy, after all.”
“Besides...” He put his glass aside and rose from the table, looking like he was readying for his departure, “...I’m sure you can take on five separate nerve-stricken eggheads without military-grade power armour.”
Turned to Saruch as he straightened his tie, the Teliran repeated,
“Captain Ebrin is deeply indebted to us, tell him that I will give him a new chance should he comply with your mission. As I have said before, you have a blank cheque in how you get these individuals dealt with. But I would presume you will fly them back individually or lock them on your ship until you have each fugitive accounted for, unless you can persuade them to return independently.”
Mr. H. finished by adding,
“I understand that, to you, there are many questions of ‘why’ this or ‘why’ that floating about in your mind. But that is precisely what you should be feeling. Rest assured that you do not need to know the answers of why you are retrieving these people, but just the questions of how.”
With that, the Teliran skulked for the back door, turning one last time to repeat through the hubbub of the bar,
“The Nimble Acolyte. Cosmodrome Quarter. Captain Ebrin. Find them.” He then disappeared through a door and left the group to themselves.
Rosy watched H. leave the bar. As the Teliran disappeared out of sight she felt a significant sense of unease. She was no stranger to les then moral jobs but this felt like something life changing. Rosy was not going to be same girl at the end of this adventure. For a moment she went silent to contemplate before she stood up from her barstool to check her backpack. The talk of equipment made her doubtful if what she was bringing was enough. Inside the backpack was mostly various small hand tools she managed to keep from her father’s hardware store. Wrenches, pliers, wirecutters, screwdrivers, and the like.
“Seems like our hands will get dirty no matter what. So let’s not dwell on specifics.” Rosy took a deep breath. She then closed the backpack and put it on her back again. “I am ready to go, I say we try to get this all over with as quickly as possible.”
Charlie's face shrank into dissapointment little, he had at least a little hope that they'd be given some sort of donation, even a small one, so getting nothing wasn't ideal. He didn't want to say it but he felt like this was going to be much much worse than arresting a few shaky-handed goldies. At least the prospect of travelling the galaxy and maybe finding something along the way was partially exciting. But he still certainly had his doubts as the odd man strode away.
He'd Slide his stool back with a rather dull squeal, creaking it once again as he stood before reaching down and throwing his duffle up on his shoulder.
"Yeahhh, Seems like we won't be given a helpin' hand from our benefactors either way, so I s'pose at this point it's do or die, yeah?"
He looked back toward the door for a few moments, planting a palm on the bar before turning back to the group.
"... Now It ain't up to me, but I agree, say we get movin' as quick as possible, we can make chit-chat once we're in the clear, or on that ship or whatever."
Aoi jotted down the information in her holo, then pulled up the page for a local taxi service and called one to their bar. She stood, not glancing at the other three, but spoke aloud.
"Nimble Acolyte in the cosmodrome quarter. You're right, we should get going."
With that she quietly crossed the bar and out into the evening, breathing in the 'fresh' air, thick with the myriad scents of an industrial city. As the taxi hauled up, she climbed into the passenger seat and confirmed the address, her dark eyes taking in the cabbie only for a moment before she turned to stare out of the window, waiting for the others to hop in the back.
Here on this alien planet she felt totally lost, disconnected from her past and everything she'd known. It was if, somewhere along the way, she had taken a wrong turn and had wandered off the path, and now she was just blundering in this twilight realm in the hopes of finding her way back to the light...
After his employer abruptly left, Sam had concluded that he was indeed right; if they needed to know something, they would have been told. Seeing as everyone else was ready to go, he got up and followed them. He didn’t even have a backpack with his things in it, that's how light he traveled- just a concealed pistol and the clothes he was in.
Because he too was lost, he decided to just roll along with the group into the taxi. There wasn’t much left to do besides look around and chit chat. That reminded him, he didn’t even get properly acquainted with everyone, just with Aoi, Baggy and Charlie. So he sat next to the other two and introduced himself;
“Hi, name’s Sam. And you two would be..?”
The cabbie seemed to bear little interest in the type of people he was transporting. Merely a question of where they wanted to go and an assertion of his price were all he gave before they set off through the maze of terraced buildings and glowing shop windows. The journey was long, winding and dull, but eventually, the cab stopped at a pavement amid soaring, interconnecting towers with stratified landing pads hanging overhead. These logistical citadels were ever taking in and outletting a plethora of smaller spacecraft.
An information branch at one of the buildings was willing enough to locate the Nimble Acolyte for the gang and point them in the right direction. It took a lot of wandering, a lot of asking for directions, and a lot of spiral staircases and elevators. But eventually, the plucky team found themselves walking out onto a platform outstretched from one of the towers, high into the sky.
Here the air was cold, notably thinner, but there before them sat their objective. It wasn’t a particularly impressive vessel, nor was it that big. But then again, this was a shuttle to the real Nimble Acolyte, a vessel waiting for them in the cosmos. Just like Mr. H had said, however, the vessel was accompanied only by a stevedore and a single, Teliran crewman,
“If you’re debtors looking for the Captain, he’s gone to the Deyona Club. He’ll probably be-”
“I’ll be back right now, John.” Retorted Captain Enebrin from behind the gang as he emerged from the elevator exit with a slight stagger; a whiskey flask in hand and a face so flushed with tiny, red veins that he looked ready to collapse.
“If you’re Onoro’s goons, you can tell that maniac that I have a Qanis shipment…” The Captain stopped walking, and talking, to release a deep, built-up belch before continuing, “...Qanis shipment… ‘acquisition’ planned later this week… The money I get will pay him off.”
Aoi levelled her gaze at him for a moment, just a split second, and then her expressionless face twitched into one of almost-sincere politeness, the eyebrows a little raised and the corners of her mouth tweaked upwards in an emotionless smile. Outcast though she was, she was still Ingenious, and to begin with threats and open discord would be embarrassing for everyone involved. Much better if they could come to an agreement amicably and with reason, although clear thinking didn't appear to be this man's forte...
"So sorry no, we bring a message from an old acquaintance of yours. Mr H hopes to renew your most productive business relationship and wishes to hear from you as soon as possible." she said, her voice calm and quiet, minimizing the oddness of her accent's cadence.
Rosy was not in a good mood, her entire life seemed to have broken down and even something as inconsequential as taking some stairs was getting her pissed of. And then captain Enebrin showed up. The fact he showed drunk instantly get rid of any trust Rosy would have had for him. It was already very little to begin with what she had been told about him but seeing things confirmed before her eyes was cathartic.
While Aoi opened the conversation with politeness Rosy stood just behind her, whispering barely audible threats. Threats which mostly involved blunt force trauma with her baseball bat. It was at the moment the best way to try and relieve her frustration without messing up the whole mission. Angry as she was at everything Rosy knew the importance of the captain, she was not an idiot.
Ted was content to stand by, and let Aoi open up the ‘negotiations’. He was interested in how all of this would pan out, and whether the captain would come willingly or not.
Hopefully there was no need for violence.
He nodded to the captain, maintaining a neutral expression on his face. He was already a bit sick of endless walking around and searching for the right place and the right person to ask, and hoped that they wouldn’t have to do much more of that after this one was done.
Perhaps he could learn more about his teammates this way. After all, one could never know when things such as little details about a person’s life came in handy.
The taxi ride was a bit of a squeeze but he didn't mind it, wandering around nigh cluelessly about huge docking towers lugging around mining equipment was tiring, but he didn't mind it, hell, even finding out he had to wait even longer for the captain to arrive wasn't as much an inconvenience as some might've thought, he was just happy to finally be getting off Natar and maybe even out the system. He loved to travel, after all.
However Charlie gave a low sigh at the sight of the man stumbling from the elevator. In the business he partook in he'd seen it plenty before, he'd even been that person once or twice in the past. Quite differently to how the others might've thought, he actually felt some sympathy for the captain, he was likely in a pretty similar circumstance as they were after all.
He'd approach in the least intimidating way he could manage, seeing the man had all but lost his balance he attempted to bring one of their arms around the back of his neck to bear his weight. Wouldn't be a good start if he ended up injuring himself.
"'ey! ey, steady there fella, there ya go. Maybe we should sober him up a little before trying to do business?"
He looked over and gestured to the crewmember.
"Go inside and get something ready, i'm sure you've got a procedure for this or something."
Despite taking Charlie’s arm, the captain didn’t even seem to recognize whom had helped him. Without making contact, he simply continued to make his way to the ship. Enebrin didn’t seem to be taking the group very seriously, especially once Aoi had made it clear they weren’t here for money. But his tired, dull, drunken expression changed upon the mention of Mr. H. It became something much grimmer. The facial muscles tensed into a grimace and his eyes glared from member to member. Disregard became disdain as the captain replied back to Aoi,
“Does he now? …And what exactly does he want of me, hm? To transport the lot of you to some off-the-books job in the middle of nowhere, huh?”
Looking at Rosy’s attitude and demeanour, the captain spat on the floor,
“I’ve got enough on my plate, I’m not about to play bus-driver for Mr. H’s latest gaggle of freaks. I’ve got people to pay and jobs to do.” He looked to his fellow crewman and grunted,
“...Let’s get out of here.”
Aoi's smile did not falter, but she rested one hand on her hip as she glanced at the crewman.
"You understand that Mr H is one of the people you are due to pay. I suggest that doing a job for him would erase that debt. Let's do it now." she said calmly, almost soothingly.
Rosy kept her cool for now. She let Aoi do the talking, although she didn’t trust anyone in this group right now she definitely recognised when someone was better then her at something. Noticing the way the captain looked at her she stepped back, shuffling a little behind Aoi.
The Captain seemed to pause in his retreat momentarily. His shoulders practically deflated with his sigh before he swung around on his heels and exclaimed,
“Do you have any idea what kind of people you’re dealin’ with Lady? Wherever H. or his type are involved, weird shit follows. Mysterious shit. I’m talking unexplained disappearance, ghost ships, nothin’ that makes sense. You should’ve run the moment his type got into contact with you lot.” Taking a swig from his flask, the captain wiped some trailing beads of alcohol from his thick beard and growled as he returned to his departure. Stopping at the door, Enebrin seemed to recognize his own point
“But now you’ll never escape his scent, I learnt that the hard way. Once you’re linked into his games there ain’t no way out, no runnin’ away or ignorin’ their reach… Let’s get this over with.”
With a sniffle and wipe of his running nose, the inebriated captain waved for the party to join him in setting off.
The trip out from the overcast fume-ingesting clouds that hung over the city was uneventful. Enebrin made little effort to talk, yet despite his drunkenness, the captain seemed to come into his element the moment they were ascending. Mumbling orders to his fellow crew and busily checking away at consoles, he almost forgot to take a moment to marvel at his own ship as it came into view.
Far from a small-range vessel, the nimble acolyte was a freight vessel through and through. The Cargo bays were visibly being filled with freight crates carried by smaller drone vessels, even now as the Captain neared for set off. What looked to have once been a grand brand logo emblazoned onto the side of the ship had since been reduced to a faded paintjob slashed by scratches and weathering. Behind it rested more, subtler brands and flags, each less visible than the last.
“She’s been in service for nine different countries and eleven different organizations since her birth.” The Captain proudly announced to his customers, the first words he had said since their takeoff,
“...And active for four centuries.” Added one of his crewman with a look as though to be warning the party for what they were in for.
“Her maintenance is the entire reason a captain of a ship so big ain’t livin’ the high life.” He noted as the shuttle came to rest in one of the closing hangar bays. After a short wait for the bay to have its gravity kick in with an uncomfortable and discomforting thud, and an additional wait for the oxygenation to kick in, the door’s eventually opened the and crew set out into the Acolyte.
“I’m willing to take you H’s errand, but while you’re on this ship, i’m King, understood? If I tell you to get to your quarters, you go to your quarters. If I tell you to get off, you’re getting off. No arguments, get that through your skulls and we’ll get this job done and hopefully never see each other again.”
A brief tour through the habitation quarter revealed, through the failing light systems, their rooms to not be much more than requisition storage closets. The ship’s technical support section amounted to little more than a handful of cheap Teliran labourers still reading how-to magazines on computational science. Defence operations were perhaps the most robust, but their appearance made it clear that this ship was far from an official, elite operation. Guards and operators were dressed in casual wear with a hodge-podge collection of different equipment that had little to no standardisation.
The final arrival at the ship’s command desk was not much more impressive. Standing beneath a pale-white LED, visibly pilled up with dead bugs trapped inside the light, Enebrin began to take clipboards of physical system reports arriving from his subordinates. He glanced to the team and finally declared,
“So, where does H. want me to send you?”
As they toured through the bulk of the vessel, Charlie actually seemed rather content with it all. He didn't make much of a fuss, simply followed about and peeked around corners every so often to get a good look at the layout. He'd keep his bag close to him however, not even dropping it off when they arrived at their rooms.
He'd seen plenty of ships like this as he hitchhiked about, but never managed to board one so big. Even the slightest increase in the width of corridors was somewhat welcome to him.
'Well, i've definitely bunked in worse.'
He'd mutter to himself at one point.
either way when the all important question arrived, the strongman drew a blank, the memory of the one time H mentioned their destination faded after all the travel to get here.
"Oh, uh, anyone got that writ down or summet? Think it was some sorta station."
Almost when it seemed like there would be trouble, Aoi managed to persuade the captain- although there was some merit to what he was saying.
Just how easily could he forget all of this is over once the job is done? Will he too one day be used again and again as this captain has been?
Now there was no other option but to press on, following the drunkard into a hopefully somewhat spaceworthy ship- not that he was well versed on that topic or even had any knowledge of it beforehand, as he had never set foot on one and never had to think about it, knowing that only the luckiest or the most unfortunate ones would do that while The Council was in power.
But now, there he was, in front of one. Intrigued, he paused for a moment to think about its impressive if not slightly worryingly long service record. Surely it wouldn’t just stop working in the middle of their transit as some ancient bolt or screw broke down from decades spent without proper maintenance?
The crew looked sure enough of it, so he forced himself to simply accept it as it was.
He may not have been to space until even a year ago, but he did go on a vacation to the sea back home when he saved up for it. It was an old boat with a grizzled captain, who nonetheless took no bullshit from anyone, no matter who they were, if they were passengers on his boat. Ted could respect that.
Their quarters were about as good as he was used to back home before he got his job and its numerous benefits, and those Telirans didn’t inspire much confidence…
But what was the worst that could happen to them? There was no reason for anyone to intercept them as far as he knew. Just another monday at work for the crew members it seemed.
He didn’t know what to expect, but at least he was not terribly disappointed with the current state of affairs. He looked at the captain, remembering the place after a moment or two.
“Azuras Memorial Station is where we are off to. That's in, uh…” It took him a moment to remember the name that literally had no meaning to him besides what little he could gather in his busy life since his escape to Natar, besides it being a kinda important nation that was, much like his, not originally from Ancerious.
“...Union of Worlds space I think?”
Aoi had seen worse ships, and she had seen better. The ship looked like garbage, but the crew were still up-to-date on their paperwork and checks and so she did not bear its poor condition too much mind. Better a bad ship with a steady crew than a fancy ship with a bunch of slackers.
She settled into her 'quarters'; luckily she did not have too much to stow, leaving more space for her herself. She packed what few belongings she had away and then followed everyone to the bridge, where she remained quiet as she took in the fading lights, the fly-blown controls, and the general state of the ship
“Azuras Memorial Station, hm? Should be on official starmaps.” The reluctant Captain replied to his guests as he scratched a hand under his beard over a console, “Union space ain’t far, I should be able to get you there.”
Dismissing his visitors to their quarters, Enebrin gave his intercommed countdown as the ship’s engines rumbled to life. Without further stalling, the ship roared to life and, almost as quickly as it had entered sublight, it shot into FTL. Internally, the entire ship seemed to grow as it threw itself into warp. The alarms that sounded and the crewmen that rushed to and fro the instant it did seemed to affirm that this ship was far too outdated; a patchwork quilt of replacement parts and increasing faults. But for the time being, any crisis had been abated as the alarms died down and sanity resumed.
The trip to Union space was not a long expedition, taking less than a week before Enebrin finally broke the daily routines with an official declaration,
“All guests to loading bay alpha, we will be approaching the station short-” The PA for his announcement was abruptly cut off as the ship broke from warp with yet another jolt, indicating the freighter’s arrival at the station.
The memorial station was beautiful, a shining blue starburst which glittered in the centre of the multicoloured nebula that it sat within, ever expanding and standing to coalesce in certain areas. One day it would in time produce new stars that would with any hope produce life, this was the hope of those who had lost loved ones, that their dead may become something new once again. Now the memorial station sat as the tombstone for an entire star system.
Azuras wasn't always like this, once it had been the third most populous Union system.
Dotted with massive shipyards and with two major habitable planets Azuras had been a centre for both industry and culture, renowned for its interesting seafood dishes and well built ships. That had all changed when Inara had unveiled Capitols terror weapon, the Crucible. its devastating beam causing the systems star to go super nova with no warning. Only those who had been aboard ships had managed to flee, and within hours the death toll had reached over 10 billion lives. It was a blow which had helped throw the Union into economic despair and hit hard the population who did not wish to take part in the galaxies conflicts. Oh how times had yet again changed.
The station had been built to remember those who died, and give a home to those who had fled and wished to return to carry on the legacy of its people.
The docks of the station were busy as the teams vessel came in, communicating with the port authorities to get a bay, and it was still quite an avidly used trade hub and stop off point. Everything was clean as the ship came in to rest, several dock crewmen greeting them as the team disembarked to the neat little single ship docking bay that they had been granted. Taking stock and with time to prepare they would make their way through shining well kept corridors only a short way to the customs area. After all, the Union kept its borders well regulated, and with the war on they were taking no chances.
Union Border Officials were processing new arrivals who were neatly lined up with identity documentation and placing their luggage into various scanners.
"Who's next please?" One of the men shouted, beckoning the team over with a gesture. All the posters and more on the walls showed clearly the need for identification, personal belonging scans and the need for necessary background checks with genetic sampling. The Union didn't take any chances it seemed when it came to those entering its nation, and cameras could be seen observing everything.
But they didn't have a choice, their target was here, and a job was a job.
Ted grew more used to the many discomforts on the ship during their travels. It was definitely not a five star luxury cruiser, and he swore that some of the stains on the ceiling above his head were not just rust, which was a disturbing thought. He spent his time reading up on the nation he was about to go to, and familiarising himself with other members of his team.
The station they went into marked something of previously unfathomable scale for the average malaakian citizen- a memorial, and at the same time a monument of sorts.
Monument to the destructive force of superweapons employed in galaxy spanning wars. Where he came from murder was almost normalised. There were no real rules, besides certain unspoken ones.
He thought he knew evil before; face of it were the faceless councillors who ran the show back at home. Face of despair were their victims, and those unfortunate enough to fend for themselves in this cruel world.
But what had happened here, at this monument to pain and loss…
It was more.
Billions erased in seconds.
There was no glory to be found in such an achievement; there was no glorious domination over your enemies, there was no emotion or satisfaction of killing your rival, there was nothing to be stolen and nobody to be avenged.
It was a slaughter, with all emotions, achievements, wealth, ambitions and plans gone down the drain.
Capitol paid for it dearly, sure, but their victims remained dead either way. It was sickening to Ted, even now as the galaxy was seemingly spiralling into yet another such conflict. Was he going to be one among untold billions to get snapped out of existence in a moment? Would anyone remember him, what he stood for and who he was? That he too, at one point existed, had dreams and hopes for a better future?
Remembrance. That was the point of Azuras Memorial Station.
To give new hope to those that escaped, and to remember those that perished.
Even though it wasn’t technically any of his business what happened when he was in another galaxy, it was still a moment where his faith in humanity got rekindled for just a moment. Perhaps there was still some kindness in this world.
Or he could just be gobbling up Union propaganda for all he knew, but either way they had a job that needed doing.
Everything was orderly, and surprisingly clean, but despite it as soon as he stepped out of the ship he couldn’t help but think something was wrong, a concern which built up anxiety in him that only increased as they went further in and towards the border.
As soon as they all made their way to the checkpoint, he realised he may be in a lot of trouble- not only was he going along with a crew through an increasingly volatile galaxy which he barely knew, but now they were to go through all of those background checks. He personally had no problems with them, or reason to believe he would be in trouble.
Until he remembered that he was stateless.
No citizenship, no documentation, no ID…
This could get ugly.
But he had no choice but to press onwards and see what would happen.
Aoi watched in interest as they approached the Azura Memorial Station. It was an example of kintsugi writ large - finding the beauty in even the worst of disasters, the Union Of Worlds had created a poignant and beautiful memorial to the disasters of the last war. Aoi briefly reflected that there would be opportunity for many more such memorials if the looming Third Ancerious War wasn't stopped, but that was not her business.
She stepped forward, nodding politely to the border official as she held up her identification holo to be scanned. Other than her holoblade, she had little of note or interest in her belongings, but she knew that trying to predict what government employees would do was a waste of time so she simply waited patiently for them to scan her.
Somewhere on this station was Dr. Teltiv Elisim, a Cylaurian. Finding him would be an interesting task in this place, with the improved Union security, but first they had to get into the facility...
It was eerie, unsettling even. As Charlie took his first steps into the clean corridors of the elaborate memorial he couldn't help but feel a little unwelcome. After all, he knew practically nothing about the history of this place, or the war, or even the lives it was designed to honour. He'd only heard stories, snippets, and had to deduce for himself from the information around him. What he did know however, is that if this was a memorial, something not so pretty must have happened here. The last thing he wanted to do though was ask questions and make a fool of himself, unless it came to such things mattering, he'd have to quell his curiosity for now.
As he dragged his duffle bag off the steps behind him, he'd take a deep breath, the air was much cleaner in here, which was nice, less noise too. His Brow raised a little as he spotted the checkpoint, and he began rifling through the pockets in his jacket. He didn't know much about this galaxy, but he adapted well, and earned his identification from his time doing acts around union colonies before everything spiralled downhill and he became indentured.
The issue however was what was in his bag, A mining laser was a potent tool, and he technically had the licencing for it under his contract, he felt a little guilty bringing it to somewhere that was likely meant to be hallowed ground, but he didn't have a clue what would be waiting for all of them, so he only hoped he could use a 'miner' cop-out if it came to it.
The official at the checkpoint seemed rather bored, then again this was his job for most of the day. He bowed to Aoi as she came forward, quickly scanning herself through and the ID checking out fine. She was allowed through the gates in less than a minute, out into a concourse where many people seemed to be coming and going, standing, or sitting, all either on the way to somewhere or staring at the huge holo board with estimated ship arrival and departure times.
The next to join her was Charlie, his ID scanned through fine, although his luggage had some questions which were asked. Why did he have a mining laser? Either way the customs staff permitted it, although stated it would have to be switched off and stowed away at all times. He too was let through to join Aoi.
Rosy too and the rest were let through without any problems. However, Teds worry was well founded. The scan bleeped and caused the officer to look up to him.
“Can I see some ID? What business do you have here in Union space and Azuras memorial? What’s your name?”
It appeared one of their gangs was in a spot of bother.
“Hello there, welcome to Union space and the Azuras Memorial! Have you been here before?”
The chirpy voice came from a holographic girl who sprang to life by the group. It was Annika, although she seemed very well dressed and professional. A Union state version used for new visitors.
“I can help you with anything you may require!”
Ted approached the checkpoint and decided that there was really no other option but to try the fake ID given to him. But once he was in, he started sweating when the scanner beeped, and took his forged passport out he got from a shady Teliran for one of his earlier jobs. He never had a chance to test it before, so he surely hoped it would be good enough.
He searched his pockets for it for a while before he took out the ASN faction, belonging a smaller state within that was currently going through a civil war.
"My name is Ted... Kaminski. Me and my friends there who just passed through are stopping for a bit of rest while the ship we travel on undergoes some maintenance and other other business. So, just a short stop and we will be off. Its my first time out of ASN but due to the conflict back at home I had issues with getting documentation."
The checkpoint guard seemed to glance over his ID for a moment. Staring at it before it blinked green. The scanner had passed him.
The border security narrowed his eyes, handing his ID back over to Ted. He looked unconvinced, but the scanner had passed him.
"Have a good stay. Welcome to the Union. Next" He turned away, waving the next person in line forward. They were all through.
"Is this the last member of your group? Perhaps I can direct you to your business location!" The professional Annika smiled as Ted finally joined the group
Aoi responded brusquely to the hologram - she was not entirely fond of Artificial Intelligences, though she herself could not say why. Something about them irritated her, perhaps they were just too peppy.
"We're looking for Dr Teltiv Elisim, if you can tell us where he is practicing." she said, keeping her voice low so that it didn't carry too far. The Annika would not likely alert anyone of their search, but the myriad passersby might overhear and if the wrong person heard the name, news could make its way to their quarry and they might find him prematurely fled...
On the contrast, Charlie seemed almost relieved as the hologram showed up, despite never really seeing Annika before he seemed to intuitionally understand what she was, He's used to the concept after all. He leaned in a little to make an additional comment.
"A- and quickly please, wouldn't want to keep anyone waitin'."
"Thank you sir."
Ted quickly got his ID back and went back to join the others. Thankfully, the incident was avoided and his documentation was forged well as it would seem.
"Forgive me for being late everyone, I am here now."
"Dr Teltiv Elisim? Of course I can assist!"
The Union Annika leapt into work checking her directories at a rapid pace across the Union grid as Ted finally met up with the rest of the crew. The virtual girls face however started pulling frowns and confused expressions.
"...I... Well he did practice here, I am sorry I don't have his current whereabouts or status on record, thats... Incredibly strange. I must alert security to this immediately. I can tell you that he was working at a foreign exchange speculation office 1.2km away from this location on the last accurate updates I had on him. You can get there via the internal maglev alternatively you could walk if you want to take in the sights. I do apologise, not having up to date records of Union citizens is highly unusual"
She shrugged
"Is there anything else I can help you with today?"
Charlie simply leaned closer to the group, muttering and for some reason believing this would mean Annika couldn't hear him.
"I- Isn't having security on that a...bad thing? For us?"
He had a belief that the security on this station would be thorough, and if they got to the office before them, it might cause some complications and make them even more suspicious in the worst case.
Being a disturbed by the notion of the government being so open about everyone's whereabouts all the time, it took him a second to process the very idea that they could possibly not be using this information to do them any harm.
Either way, it was coming in handy, even though by the looks of it local authorities could be on the lookout for him and catch him before they do.
"Well we don't really have a choice but to find him, lost or not, so we may as well get started right away." He said to the rest of the group, before he turned to Annika.
"Could you provide us with the map of this station please?"
Aoi did not wait for the station map, instead taking the name of the office and turning to stride towards the maglev platform. Their lead was already growing cold, it seemed, and she had no desire to waste time.
As she walked, she felt a nagging feeling in her gut. If the man had managed to confuse the Union government's attempts to track him, it meant he definitely did not want to be found. This job was going to be more trouble than she had first thought, it seemed...
“Of course, I can provide a map! Here!” Annika pinged the group with the details before watching Aoi begin to walk off. The holographic avatar waved.
“Have a good stay!”
The maglev platform was clean and sleek, fairly busy but not enough to cause a wall of people who pushed and slid against each other. Individuals came and went, carrying bits and pieces as they either boarded or left the near constant trains that entered the station and then left moments after, their speed and acceleration impressively fast. There was no ticket office, in fact the service was entirely free. As such, Aoi and the others managed to walk straight onto a stark white train moments upon reaching the platform, surrounded by a few Unioners who were going to and from work. All wore casual clothing, and the large insectoid form of a Violar gave them a curt bow in greeting as it looked over to them.
A few moments later and the train was off, the sight beyond the windows resolving from the station to a blur of movement. There was no G-force for acceleration, and within seconds was at yet another station. Some more got on and off before a chime voice informed them of the next stop, the one they needed to get off at.
The sights inside the station were mostly blurred by the speed of the train, but one thing was visible, a huge internal space took up the station where a monument of a stylised star radiated outward. It was the memorial to Asuras, to the death of the system by the Crucible in the 2nd Galactic war. Across every millimetre of the shining surface was etched a name, several billion names covered the star. All someone who died in the Crucible strike.
A chime and stop of acceleration indicated they had reached their station. Once more stepping out across a clean and well-maintained platform several large, stylised towers were laid out ahead. One of them named “Financial Excursions” was their destination. The office that Dr Teltiv Elisim had worked at. A hologram waited at the buildings reception and smiled as they entered.
“Greetings! Welcome to Financial Excursions, how may I help you on this fine day travellers?”
Charlie was used to stuffed transport, if anything it made him feel more at home. The awkward shoulder barges and shuffling, the disinterested looks of those around him, If he blurred his eyes he could imagine himself in an omni-tram. The one thing that was different though was the number of species, sometimes you could go days without seeing a single sylthas in the empire, but here there wasn't only more variety in both shape and size, but more numbers too. He felt bad for it making him a little uncomfortable.
Of course there was the speed of the vehicle too, the sudden blur out the windows making him jolt a little, grabbing a nearby pole and giving him a few odd glances from his surroundings before he regained his composition and cleared his throat at the incident.
He stepped of the platform a little humbled, it wasn't the same, but it felt familiar, and that put him at ease. Though as the hologram spoke, he didn't say a word, mainly because he didn't really see himself as the words guy at this point, that seemed to be more this lady's field.
"I have an appointment with Dr Elisim," replied Aoi, not glancing at the hologram. Like before, she had no desire to waste time or energy on the soulless construct in front of her, only the ingrained courtesy of the Ingenious restraining her from dismissing the hologram entirely.
Somewhere deep in her subconscious she knew that AIs were more complicated than that, and you could never really be sure whether you were talking to a truly sentient machine or just an incredibly clever facsimile, but that only annoyed her further whenever she thought about it, so she mostly didn't.
Ted was slightly bewildered by the concept.
maglev train ride... for free? What's the catch?
Everything was unusually efficient and clean, unlike anything he had seen before.
He decided to simply accept it as another alien thing in this strange new world and move on.
Finally, they arrived tot heir destination. The guy they were after should have been around...
But he was cut off from replying to the polite hologram lady by Aoi. She seemed to have little regard for such things, or perhaps she was simply too used to them.
Either way, she had it under control for now, no need to confuse the thing by talking one over another.
The hologram nodded and stood up, pulling up a visual display of the building. A tag on the reception desk revealed the holograms name to be Ygerer, and it acted very much like a normal human.
“Dr. Elisim aye? How interesting, he hasn’t been checking in and out right lately and the last time we officially saw him was two days ago. He seemed rather, perturbed. Like he knew somewhat was after him or like he had some intense paranoia. Never quite seen the guy like that he was always focused on work and the job. I am afraid he isn’t here now, but I assume given you all are clearly not Unioners you’re here for something serious?” The hologram shrugged.
“Wonder what the guy did this time” The hologram seemed to slump back into the chair, the layout showing Elisims office as being on the second floor.
“Your welcome to head up if you like”
Disconcerted by the concept of a telepresent receptionist, Aoi simply turned away and headed for the stairs - it was a habit of hers that kept her healthy, kept her approach quiet, and meant she didn't have to make awkward small talk with strangers in elevators.
She threw a backward glance to make sure the rest of the team were following, but did not slow her pace as she trotted up the stairs, her boots barely making a scuffing sound. Arriving outside Elisim's office, she stood at an angle to the keyhole to obscure her face and then knocked on the door, her other hand resting on her hip....
"Thank yo-"
Ted was cut off by Aoi brushing past him in a hurry, going towards the stairs unfortunately. All this technology and yet they don't use the elevator....
Whatever.
He followed after her without complaint until she reached the office.
It looked like she was getting ready to pull out her weapons if things went south- useful, although probably not needed here. He decided to wait by the side of the door for it to open, ready to intervene if something happens.
Noting how Aoi didn't even give a "Thanks", Charlie would do so himself at the same time as Ted alongside a little shrug to hopefully convey a bit of sympathy. He didn't seem to bothered as they climbed up towards the office, his own steps not so careful, most of his attention drawn to what most would consider rather typical surroundings as he shouldered his duffel a little closer.
Once they reached the door, He'd decide to stay out of eyeshot, off to the side, for he had a feeling he'd look like a hired goon if he was just standing there behind Aoi...though technically he was a hired goon, but that was beside the point to him at least.
Ygerer nodded in appreciation, despite the appearance he was no AI, but a virtualised living mind who had died almost 20 years ago but continued to serve the Union.
Still the inside of the building was clean and well kept, the office of the Dr being off to one side with his name emblazoned on it. Trying the door for a moment it appeared to be locked but a quick beep and ID check override by Ygerer had the door opened in an instant. A little written 'Your welcome' appearing on the ID screen.
The office was dark, the lights automatically turning on upon entry into the room. It wasn't large, at least in terms of offices although for a single person it was quite spacious. A large slim desk was lined out across next to a blacked out window, a computer terminal laid upon it along with a couple of stacks of scattered papers. Two book shelves took up the remainder of the room, with plenty of books relating to the company matters but also various books on Quantum mechanics and advanced FTL theory which looked wildly out of place.
Interestingly enough it was the three flecks of blood on the desk by the papers which caught the most attention, dried they were clearly days old.
While the Dr wasn't here there was surely clues.
"Honestly...a lot more normal than I expected."
The large man would comment, swivelling his head around the fairly unremarkable room. He wasn't much of a detective though, and was plenty aware that he was simply muscle for this operation. He didn't quite mind the fact, but thought that he could at least try to help in other ways, his skull wasn't that thick after all.
Though the blood was odd, his attention was moreso drawn by the bookshelves. Though he knew it unlikely, he imagined himself pulling one of the items on the shelves and revealing a secret passage or compartment, which made him smirk a little as he looked across the neatly organised titles.
Aoi crossed to the computer and attempted to open it up.
"Let's see what he was up to," she said, not to anyone in particular but aware that she was not being the best team player and not wanting to have to argue with her colleagues either. She began to look in the browser history to see if anything stood out, and checking for any messaging apps.
She glanced up at Charlie as he rifled through the bookcases. "Any interesting reads?" she asked
While no sudden secret passage or dungeon appeared as Charlie rifled through the bookcases the titles which stood out the most painted an interesting picture which did indeed relate to their target.
Quantum anomalies: Stabilising the impossible?
Macro Scale FTL and its theoretical uses
Advanced Quantum Tunnelling with planetary objects
Behind the last book that Charlie pulled out was a piece of paper, heavily folded when opened it seemed to be covered in numbers and heavy mathematic equations, similar to those found in the books.
Accessing the computer was easy, showing various company casefiles which did not highlight anything major other than the usual workload and tedious things the man had clearly gotten up to.
Strangely enough his messaging app was almost almost empty, but not through any kind of attempt at deletion or purging. Dr. Elisim had only spoken to 3 people in 6 months, one being in response to a delivery to another address, one being to a work colleague requesting some data out of work and one to an unknown contact regarding a job offer on Natar, which he had accepted.
It seemed the Dr. Had kept a rather low profile after that job, but the other address was clear, a housing complex not too far away from here perhaps it be where he went especially if injured.
"So, what did you find?" Ted asked Charlie and Aoi from the doorframe of the office, standing guard in case anyone comes in. "Anything that might lead us to him or confirm if he is in danger? The AI dudes seem a bit alarmed that they weren't able to find him, and I'd rather not have to deal with police which is surely on its way..."
Finally, Ted got too impatient and just went in himself. He wasn't really sure what to do, as he didn't want to interfere with what the other two were doing, but he did notice something.
"Hey guys... Is that blood?"
He pointed it out for others, and started looking around, opening any drawers the desk had just to see if they were missing anything.
Aoi noted down the address, saving it as a pin in her own device, and added the contact to her own address book.
"Two leads. A delivery to another address and a job offer on Natar." she said out loud as she read through the job offer, seeing if she could glean any more information - where it was, what the esteemed doctor would be doing, and when he was due to start. They might have just tracked him down.,,
The housing complex seemed like the most likely place to check next, only a 15 minute walk away to where supposedly the Dr. was living. No doubt the job offer on Natar had something to do with why they were here. These individuals they were hunting were all connected somehow, the question was why was the Dr. recruited and for what precise purpose?
The blood wasn't much, but it was laid out in such a way that it was almost like the spray of a small cut, the carpet behind the desk was also slightly screwed up.
Perhaps there had been an altercation somehow?
But they were the only ones who had come to see the Dr. since his supposed disappearance.
The housing complex could contain the answers.
Finishing his inspection of the shelves, and only giving the slightest hum to the pointing out of blood, Charlie turned back toward the others. He was no sleuth, but it was clear what he'd been looking at had some sort of correlation with everything else. He decided to keep the paper, but decided to present it first, just to make sure.
"What about this, seems this fella was workin' on something grand, or researching it at least. Either of ya able to make heads or tails of it?"
Aoi glanced at the papers Charlie proffered, but didn't make any sense of them. In a past life she had known a little about biomechanics but this was a different field of science altogether and all she grasped was that he was working on some kind of wormholes or such.
The blood and the apartment were easier clues.
"Either he was injured and fled, or else his assailant overpowered him. Either one of them might have gone to this housing complex."
She felt the familiar feeling she felt with every new lead. A mixture of frustration and reassurance; frustrated that they would have to delve deeper into the unknown, but reassured that the trail had not yet gone cold.
"We should head there next," she said, turning for the door
"You are right," Ted added.
"Probably related to the job offer he received. Hopefully the police take their time getting there, it wouldn't do for them to block us now. If that's everything we should probably hurry up."
He didn't like this. Ted thought this life was behind him, but apparently not.
But at least they were making progress for now, no dead ends yet.
The journey to the housing complex was uneventful. Ygerer had bid them farewell and politely asked if they could let him know if they found anything. Thankfully with their destination being only a few blocks away it wasn’t a grand adventure, but it did show how clean everything was. The roads, pavement, houses and green spaces were immaculate as plenty of citizens went about their daily lives. No housing complex was some dreary chicken coop, it was large open and spacious housing placed into artistic architecture, surrounded by parks and with communal spaces which seemed to be well used.
Everything was well lit and kept pristine. Bustling with everyday life.
It seemed the Union indeed tried to make it like how it was advertised. At least they were not lying.
But that made what come next all the stranger.
As they entered one of the large organic architectures blocks it was quick and simple to find the Dr. on the room listings. The atrium and main floors seemed lived in and normal, but when they mag elevator got to the desired floor there was nobody.
As they approached the room, the door had a large dent in it, not enough to compromise the integrity, but enough to show someone had tried to gain entry. There also appeared to be very faint traces of blood on the floor, though it had been at least mostly cleaned up.
Without much sense of caution, Charlie wandered over and squatted down, running his eyes from the blood up to the dent, almost touching it but stopping himself; he'd seen enough crime drama to know what errant DNA could cause. Nonetheless he quickly got up and grunted.
"Well there's evidence of a struggle if we was lookin' for it. No idea who's blood that is though. Hey, could be the scientist bloke, if he's dead it might save us a job at least." He chuckled a little, but was still a little profoundly worried by the possibility.
"If he is not dead I have a mind to kill him myself when we find him. We get the reward either way," grumbled Aoi, activating her holoblade and moving to see if the door would budge. The engimatic Mr H had presented this as a simple, easy job, just hunting down your typical lowlives who don't want to be found, but she had an growing feeling this was going to be complex. Perhaps the good doctor would be an exception and the others would be as easy as the captain, their first find, but she somehow doubted it...
As the door opened, its magnetic lock mechanism being totally busted likely by whatever had happened before they were greeted by a loud voice.
"DONT FUCKING MOVE!"
The living room of the apartment was trashed, the sofa was stained with blood, as was the carpet. Some of the bookshelves were broken and the lights did not seem to function.
There standing in the half light caused by the tinted window stood Dr. Elisim, a Union plasma pistol shaking in his hand. He was covered in dried blood, surrounded by the cool glow of almost 20 different holographic displays, some scribbled with mad calculations, some showing security read outs and surveillance cameras.
The man looked half mad, and the commotion caused in his home looked like it had happened days ago. Had he stalled out Union PDF elements for days?
"YOUR HERE TO KILL ME TOO!? ILL KILL YOU FIRST, YOUR NOT THE FIRST TO TRY! YOU PROBABLY WONT BE THE LAST! I SHOULD NEVER HAVE TAKEN THAT PROJECT FUCKING TELIRANS!"
Aoi thumbed off her holoblade and spread her hands slowly. She used the pause to decide what to do, and once she had Elisim's attention she spoke up.
"Thank the heavens we reached you before them, Doctor Elisim. We're here to help you escape!"
Charlie was suddenly regretting what he said outside, if the guy heard it wouldn't look great for them. Instead he decided to slowly open the door further and peek in to spot the source of the commotion. Charlie had never had a gun pointed at him, especially one that looked like that, but something told him he would need to swallow his worries if he wanted it to remain simply pointed.
He slowly put his duffle bag down and raised his hands out beside his waist to show he was unarmed.
"That's right, ya can calm down, we ain't here to hurt yous."
"Yea thats what the last lot said! Who are you! Bastard Telirans I bet they have paid off at least 10 damn hit squads, all because of my work and calculations! You cant have them! They were to save her, not Natar you bastards understand!"
Elisim was twitching like a mad man and it didn't take a genius to figure out he was likely on stimulants. Given he was being hunted, the Cylaurian likely didn't want to sleep out of fear for being killed.
Upon closer inspection some of the displays had exceptionally complicated quantum probability calculations, while others had security cameras which were jacked into Union PDF links. He clearly did not want the authorities to find him or get involved in what was going on either. He had to be a genius if he had kept the Union off his back within their own territory.
Charlie stood where he was, keeping his hands where they were.
"D- do we really look like assassins to you?...Look, it ain't hard to tell ya've been havin' a shitty time here, but we only wanna reach an understandin' alright? You can keep that thing pointed at us for as long as ya want, but we just want to chat...maybe sit down, my legs are killin' me."
Glancing over the stained sofa, he seemed pretty mellow under the pressure all things considered. He didn't realise it but it was probably a quality noticed in him that he didn't even see himself and t was likely he'd continue wondering why he of all people were picked out for a while.
Aoi said nothing - in a situation like this, overwhelming the gunman with a barrage of noise and words would only serve to overstimulate him and tip him towards doing something rash. That, and if she drew his attention the gun barrel might swing back her way.
Charlie seemed to know what he was doing anyway, so she was happy to let him take the lead, listening as he spoke calmly and collectedly.
Finally, Ted joined Charlie in his efforts, showing his hands to indicate that he was unarmed.
"We, uh..." Staring down the barrel of the plasma pistol wasn't exactly helpful, but he knew he had to help Charlie diffuse the situation
"We don't really have the means to get you even if we wanted to, which we don't. So lets just sit down for a while, close the door so that nobody sees us and turns us in to the authorities?"
"The first lot didn't seem like assassins either! They looked like damn normal everyday clients!" He then muttered some incomprehensible words before clearly fighting himself in some internal argument.
His face was contorted in rage and anger and fear, until one side obviously won the argument and his face showed the epitome of exhaustion. He lowered the pistol.
"Just tell me why you are here... I am so very tired I just want to work in peace and live out the rest of my life undisturbed" The Dr slumped into a chair, the pistol clattering out of his hand, he seemed well and truly defeated.
"Just kill me, just get it over with. They want my damn knowledge so badly, so fucking badly..." He trailed off starting to cry.
With a bit of an exasperated sigh, Charlie assumed he was ok to make his way over to the couch; he wasn't lying after all, his legs were killing him. He sits with a grunt, crossing his arms instead.
"Mate, if we wanted to kill ya, we'd of started when ya dropped yer gun. As I say, we only want to get to an understandin'.
So, pull yerself together a little and maybe we can talk about helping yous."
He gestured an arm forward a little, and nodded toward the others, as if inviting them to sit too...clearly not so worried about the blood.
Aoi carefully approached the chair, taking the pistol grip-first and placing it on a nearby shelf before retreating back to perch on the couch's armrest. She was about to speak, but then stopped. Her mind felt untethered, slipping and trying to catch hold of itself, and she abstractly wondered why before realising what the strange feeling was.
Deja-vu. Many years ago, her late husband, a professor at Aeterna University, had been murdered by powers he did not understand after getting tangled up in something far larger than he realised. An innocent man, trapped in a struggle between powers that cared about his fate only in terms of how it would affect their goals.
She said none of this aloud, instead simply sitting decorously, her stare boring into the distressed doctor as if he wasn't there
Ted closed the door behind them after taking one final look outside to make sure nobody was onto them, ad then joined the others. It had been quite a day already, and they barely just started with their mission...
"Maybe we could help you out somehow? When did all of this start doctor?"
Dr. Elisim sighed, letting Aoi take the pistol on the arm rest next to him and running a hand across his snout.
"I haven't slept in what feels like weeks. I genuinely thought you were the next round of assassins sent to kill me, but if your not here for that why are you here and who are you?" He looked at Aoi with the question, given she had effectively now disarmed him.
"Help me how? This all started when I took a damn job on Natar with several others, some big project but they didnt tell us much about it told me it had to do with my research and my goal and they would fund me anything I needed. But some stuff happened, I fled back to the Union and next thing I know I am being hunted. Bastards want to tie up loose ends"
"Your not familiar with Quantum Tunnelling and the Fuzzy Transposition onto Macro scale objects are you?" His eyes briefly lit up.
Aoi was genuinely wrong-footed by the question. Taking a second to think about it, she realised that any lie she came up with would be obvious given her hesitation, so she just shrugged.
"No, it uh. There's been some confusion on Natar it sounds like, factions arguing, but we were hired to come rescue you. Our client seemed truly upset about everything that had happened, told us to make sure we kept you safe. 'Do right by him' is what they said."
Charlie was a little perplexed by the white lie and it took him a moment to realise what she was doing. He wasn't much a fan of such business, but what better way to resolve the situation than lull the man into a false sense of security. It was at least true that he'd be safe though if he followed along, which helped make it easier for the man to play along.
"'xactly, if ya stay here, it's likely more'll come for ya. The client knows ya need some rest, wants to find somewhere ya can finish yer research in peace and whatnot.
'course that means yer gonna have to trust us, and tread carefully goin' forward. If any more of yer supposed hunters come across us, we'll be here to protect ya, that's what we're gettin' rewarded for after all."
"Rescue me? That means you intend to take me back to Natar, did someone else decide to continue the project? They were not exactly happy with the situation last time, hence the assassins of course" Elisim was talking to himself as much as those in front of him.
"There were some kind people there genuinely interested in my research maybe they are in charge now? They wanted my knowledge of quantum macroteleportation. To put it simply, using quantum superposition and tunneling to transport massive objects from one position to another. Im not talking about starships of course they can do that with drive systems, no im talking planets" He beamed clearly enthusiastic about his research.
"So who took over the project? Are we heading back to Natar right away? Are the people hunting me still doing so and will they target me on Natar?" He launched into a barrage of questions
"Exactly," lied Aoi soothingly, "some people on Natar wanted to let politics get in the way of progress, but there's been a change in the wind and they're not in a position to stop you anymore. We'll get you safe back to Natar, don't worry. They didn't tell us exactly what you were working on but it sounds incredible. No wonder they sent us to protect you."
Charlie stands and nods.
"Yeah i'll admit I didn't get the highest score in me sciences, buuut i can tell what yer up to is probably important. All the more reason to get yer somewhere safe, eh?"
Charlie is actually a little perturbed that Aoi didn't fill in all the gaps, but he's willing to try and make a few things up if he has to.
"As for yer new boss, well we're only mercs so we were only hired by a uhh, what's the word..representative, yeah, but they made it clear that anyone hunting ya shouldn't be problem on Natar."
He shrugged, trying to make the problem seem like a non-issue. In reality he had his doubts, but despite not liking it, he was getting more confident with this whole 'lying' thing.
"Important! It could be the single biggest breakthrough in planetary defenses since asteroid interception! Imagine, an enemy cannot strike your world with a super weapon or a planet killer because with the flick of a switch you could for a brief moment flicker your planet in and out of existence! It could even be used on stars, if the Union had only listened perhaps Azuras would still be here!"
The Dr was getting heated and passionate, unable to comprehend that those here had no idea or care for what he talked about.
"Anyway, I must gather my things. Come on, if the project really is on then we must get moving I don't have a second to spare. The Union wouldn't give me the funding needed but Natar... If there is any chance this could succeed I have to take it!"
He rushed around, gathering a few data pads, information storage devices and physical documents. Completely uncaring of clothes or personal affects. After a few moments he was ready.
"Alright lets go, I trust you have a ship handy? Don't worry about customs, I have ways around the Union systems"
"We have a ship yes, it's here on Memorial Station Dr Elisim. We should move quickly, though - who knows what could happen."
Aoi stepped away to peek into the corridor to make sure that no-one else was encroaching. She had a feeling this job was only just getting started...
Charlie did at least understand the whole unexisting concept, but only because he'd seen it in some old movie he'd basically half watched training. For some reason the concept intrigued him, staying in the back of his mind as a dormant memory. Hearing it now though and realising this man had the aspiration, and maybe the knowledge to make such a distant concept real, he chortled. Maybe what he was doing wasn't so bad, or at least so far.
Still oblivious to the details however, he leaned on the solid metal mining tool in his bag like a walking stick until the moment the researcher stepped back in. Now shouldering the bag, he walked up beside Aoi and quite casually stepped right out toward the door, taking a few steps before turning back for a moment.
"C'mon, don't want to be caught next to a crime scene do we?"
He didn't wait for a response before veering his head in a sideward nod and stepping back out onto the street.
The group quickly left the room, bypassing the blood over the corridor and making their way out of the building. The Dr. Had put on a large coat to try obscure himself, numerous anti surveillance programs running on his PDA to try and jam anyone keeping an eye on them.
The maglev trip was tense as well, at any moment someone from Union PDF or any other intelligence agency could come after them but the trip to the docks was quick and thankfully uneventful. Finally the last obstacle was the customs, something that both Aoi and Charlie had no problem with.
For Elisim he again ran ID spoofers, managing to get through even as the group made their way to the ship they had came in. Just in time, numerous suited individuals were making their way towards them through customs, yelling and demanding the dockmasters to shut them in. It was too late, the ship breaking away from the dock before the bay could be locked down.
"It appears that was close, I suggest we hard burn away from here before they interdict and catch us" The Doctors suggestion was the best, already two Arrow class corvettes were moving to intercept, but the vessel was breaking the planets interdiction zone well before hand.
As the FTL drives came to power the team escaped, their charge secured and heading back to Natar.
One down, several more to go.