“Don’t you worry, friends. I can do it!” Imran promised us all and after some thought, removed the armor he’d been gifted by Kung Waid Shishish, remaining just in his athletic shorts. Two blades also showed up in our soldier’s hands.
I asked the others to walk away and form a circle. The two duelists faced off inside it.
“Ah-sahntee maye-uu-u rezsh shashash-u!” Aik Ur Miyeau said distinctly and gave a deep bow to his opponent.
“And good luck to you, space cat,” the Dagestani answered with a mirrored bow.
The battle was over very fast. It lasted at most a second and a half. Aik, using his instant jump ability, darted behind Imran and slashed with both his blades... but Imran was no longer there! And he didn’t run away, just stepped aside, turned around and started attacking thin air a second before the overgrown cat got there. It only took one stab, and the Miyelonian’s impaled body collapsed on the floor. Well, Aik blew it. He wasn’t going to join my team now, and he had no one to blame but himself. He spent lots of time here standing around with nothing to do. He should have been training.
Eagle Eye skill increased to level sixty-nine!
“It was all over so quickly, I didn’t even see what happened,” Minn-O admitted, utterly struck. Seemingly, the rest of my crew was in a similar boat.
I gave a few distinct claps, congratulating my friend. And it bears noting that Imran leveled up to sixty in that fast-paced battle and probably grew some skills and his self-confidence.
“Good job! Well executed, steady and no superfluous movements. Did you practice with Tini?”
“Who else?” Imran chuckled happily, wiping a bloody curved blade on the breathless body then stowing both weapons back in their sheathes. “Back when Ayni was training us on the Shiamiru, I realized that a quick jump behind an opponent is too predictable and would only work against the completely inexperienced. Tini caught me once with that trick, but I figured it out. Vai[4], bad luck. He didn’t drop any loot. Too bad, I wouldn’t mind a second sparkling blade. And for some reason his tail won’t come off!”
“You’re supposed to take the trophy right away. If you wait too long, you can’t do anything with the body. But don’t you worry, Imran. I just so happen to have Aik Ur Miyeau’s tail in my inventory. You can have mine!” With these words, I gave the Gladiator my trophy and helped him clip the gray tail to his helmet.
Honestly, that one was marked as from a level-64 Aik, who was now 66, but I figured that was trivial. No one from my crew noticed.
* * *
WE WENT UP the elevator with a group of Meleyephatians. The three spider-like merchants were communicating actively and speaking in gestures, not paying us any attention at all. I couldn’t sense any aggression from them, and seemingly the eight-armed merchants had no concern for my Geckho or Miyelonian friends. It was a bit weird given their races were at war, but apparently some Free Captains were totally uninvolved in politics or military, and Meleyephatians were just as welcome at Medu-Ro IV as any other race.
As soon as the elevator reached our floor and our paths diverged, I asked Uline Tar her opinion on the matter. The Trader was surprised:
“What’s so weird about that? A Free Captain is free, they aren’t contingent on any government, army or other political force. A Free Captain is not beholden to any authority but their own, and their starship functions as their own little state. Of course, if a Free Captain does take active part in combat operations, they will eventually make enemies with whoever they choose to fight against, as you might expect. But if they remain neutral, no one will forbid them from entering the space of another race, clan or pride.”
“Hold up, are we marked as participants in the war on the Geckho side?” I asked, panicked. “After all, we stormed the underground Meleyephatian base, then warned the Geckho about the attack on their comet!”
Uline gave a happy rumble, as if I’d just said something very funny, and tried to reassure me:
“Gnat, believe me, a couple battles or secret communiques are nowhere near sufficient grounds to be officially declared the enemy of even a single clan! A great spacefaring race needs much more than that. There are even professional mercenaries, who fight for pay. But once their contract is up, they revert to neutral status. Still of course, if someone notices a Free Captain has fought against them too frequently, they might decide to declare them an enemy. But in that case, you’d find out before anything happened. Whenever you’re declared an enemy or a criminal, you get an official system message.”
Over that conversation, I didn’t even notice but we’d reached the registration desk. And my heart quickly started beating faster, because a familiar face! A short golden-orange Miyelonian was sitting behind the desk greeting visitors. She was now speaking with a transparent round alien that looked like a huge bubble. The system told me it was a Cyanian. Seemingly, this bubble’s documents weren’t exactly checking out, because he was blowing air and whistling in anger as the lady behind the desk spoke. But I was not so interested in this individual as the orange cat in white shorts on a tall chair:
Gerd Ayni Uri-Miayuu. Miyelonian. Pride [undetermined]. Level-79 Translator.
Gerd? Ayni was now a Gerd? That said, why not? After the footage of her killing the Great Priestess was broadcast to the whole Galaxy, my Translator friend probably had more than enough Fame. We stopped five steps from the desk as not to get in her way. But clearly our little crowd had drawn Ayni’s attention. She raised her gaze to us, spent a few seconds batting her lashes in surprise and... tipped over her chair, rushed to me with a joyful cry and buried her fluffy face in my armored shoulder:
“Gnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaat!!! You came for me!”
Miyelonians are not known to be emotionally open, especially when others can see. Their society does not look kindly on such behavior, and so her shameless unrestrained joy was touching. I squeezed Ayni close as she shook in worry. Her body temperature even went up noticeably.
Meanwhile, the bubble took advantage of the opportunity and, with a sharp jerk of a pseudopodium, gathered all the electronic cards from the desk, crammed them into its body and slipped out. Ayni seemingly didn’t even notice the illegal entry, she was too busy recounting all her troubles.
She was ejected dishonorably from her pride. Everyone was suspicious and hated her. Her close relatives had turned away from her. And even when it came out that the killer was a Morphian imitating her, it didn’t much change things. She knew no peace now either in the game or the real world. Enraged religious fanatics followed her everywhere. Ayni was killed in the game three times a day, and she tried to stay out of the real world as much as possible to avoid a similar but more devastating fate there.
“I see you’ve become a Gerd,” I said, trying to distract her from the difficult memories. But Ayni only became even more upset:
“You can say that again! My Fame rating is now three hundred eleven! Every Miyelonian in the Universe knows my face! But my Authority is minus ninety-six and every Miyelonian from little children to bald old men know me as the evil murderer of the incarnation of the Great First Female! They all think the space war started because of me, and you’ll never convince them otherwise!”
Hrm, not fun. And I was sure that Ayni was not exaggerating. Every day, hundreds and thousands of Miyelonians came here to the Medu-Ro IV station, and some of them went through registration at this very desk. Sure, some acted out because their minds were clouded with hate, even though they probably knew she wasn’t really the assassin. But most Miyelonians seemingly could restrain themselves, because the Translator was dying at the hands of fanatics only two or three times a day. In my world, I suspect the situation would be somewhat worse.
Alright then, I suggested we leave our past hardships behind and officially took the orange cat into my crew as a translator and experienced personnel manager. Then, I pointed her to the members of my team:
“You’ve already met my kitten Tini. He’s grown a lot professionally and in level and
become a proud and capable member of thieving society. I won’t introduce the rest. You can read their names yourself, then just get to know them. And just so you know, even though you don’t know any of them, they all know you well...”
“Yes, I already am aware that the Morphian was traveling under my identity,” Ayni reacted with utter calm, even though I could hear sadness in her voice. “I got a few Authority boosts, which I could not explain otherwise.”
“Yes, that is true. I didn’t figure it out anywhere near right away either and, once I did, it was too late. We were too far from here. But it’s good that you figured everything out and I don’t have to explain.”
“Indeed you don’t...” the orange cat answered, then squeezed me with a renewed force as if afraid to let me go and lose me again. Then, her voice became very similar to the plaintive mew of an abandoned kitten. “But Gnat... I bought a spacesuit... back then and got ready for a long journey... And for a long time, I couldn’t believe... that... that you left without me, despite all your promises!”
Miyelonians never cried over grief or grievances. They had tear ducts; however, they were not linked with emotion. But in human terms, Ayni was basically blubbering and sobbing. She was shaking like an aspen leaf and meowing out loud, having forgotten her manners or that strangers could see. Although that probably wasn’t really accurate. Ayni clearly did not consider me a stranger, and more likely saw me as someone who she could finally speak her mind to. And she also considered my crew family so, for the first time in the last two weeks, she thought she was among friends, and could finally let out all her sadness.
A few minutes later, Imran came up alarmed. Stringing Geckho words together unconfidently, he asked me and the orange Miyelonian what happened.
“Everything’s fine now, strong and nice human, I’m almost back to normal,” the Translator assured him, as she calmed down quite quickly. “Captain Gnat, please, I await your orders.”
I released my embrace, letting the now calm Miyelonian go, then pointed at the glass desk and tall chair next to it:
“First of all, we need to officially register you as a member of my crew. And the others need proper documents drawn up as well. As far as I know, that is generally done here.”
“Yes, that is true. Seven crypto for each set of documents. Foh!” the orange Miyelonian looked embarrassed and put her ears back in a comical way. “It would probably be wrong to take money from members of your own crew, right Gnat? I can try to register them for free, then wipe the evidence from the computer. I hope the higher-ups don’t catch wind of this.”
“Now, now. No need for the self-sacrifice. Do everything by the books. I’ll pay. Here’s my crew list,” I opened a tablet to the proper tab, adding Gerd Ayni Uri-Miayuu as personnel resources officer. She immediately gave the whole crew morale bonuses, which was unexpected and very nice.
While Ayni entered information into her terminal, Captain’s assistant Uline walked up. After finding out why I was taking so long, the Trader greeted the Translator like an old friend and asked her to advertise our vacancies on the station. The most critical were Engineer, Medic, Copilot and at least one, if not two Gunner positions. And we also needed soldiers of all classes, at least five.
“Yes, I’ll make the advertisement now,” Ayni agreed obligingly, deftly tapping her fingers on the holographic screen and moving variously colored rectangles across it. “But you’ll have to clarify. Which of the Tolili-Ukh X frigates is yours? There are four on the station now. Where should I send the candidates?”
“Docking bay 16-4,” I answered quickly and immediately asked the orange cat if she really could see all the starships docked at the station. When she answered in the affirmative, I asked Ayni to figure out if there was a Tiopeo-Myhh II interceptor on the Medu-Ro IV station under the command of Free Captain Rikki Pan-Miis.
“That is not done, Captain Gnat. It’s confidential information,” the new crew member warned me. But still she looked up the answer in the employee database. “Yes Rikki Pan-Miis’s interceptor is here on the station. Hangar 34-11. But if you want to have a talk with the Free Captain, you’d better hurry. He has requested and already received permission to leave the station. His interceptor is taking off in...” here, attentively observing the lady cat, I distinctly saw the game go out of synch. Based on her lips, Ayni said something else, probably using a time unit she was familiar with, but I clearly heard the words: “twenty-five minutes.” She then went on to say, “To be honest though, Captain Rikki Pan-Miis has to pay three days’ docking fees first.”
Psionic skill increased to level sixty-eight!
In the end, I couldn’t get by without magic, and the Miyelonian had to be slightly pushed to break the rules. But it didn’t matter. In one way or another, I had the information I needed.
“Great! You girls keep drawing up documents for our crew. I’m gonna take the guys to pay a visit to a filthy counterfeiter!” Here I made a predatory grin and moved the Annihilator into my main weapons slot.
“No! Gerd Gnat don’t leave me again! I’ll go with you!” In the space of a second, Ayni was wearing a silver light-armor suit and space helmet. Two curved blades started glimmering in the Translator’s hands an instant later.
I didn’t think this was a good time to pressure my underling with my authority and order her to stay. And wasting Magic Points to convince her before an encounter with space pirates was not a good idea. What was more, Ayni Uri-Miayuu was a Gerd, a high-profile player and was thus entitled to say differing opinions. In the end, I let Ayni come with me.
“And what am I, chopped liver?!” Uline Tar objected, also taking out a laser pistol. “I want to go with you too! Sure I’m a peaceful Trader, but I’ve been itching to punish that Rikki Pan-Miis. He was one of the pirates that captured the Shiamiru, beat us up and robbed us! He was the one who took my Relict artifacts! And Basha, Vasha and Dmmmitry are gonna wanna talk with him about the money he stole as well! Show us the way, Captain!”
Chapter Twenty-Five. Danger Rating
IT WAS NOT THE SMARTEST decision to take noncombat characters with me to the showdown. Ayni, sure. The Miyelonian lady, as with all members of her race, had natural bonuses for bladed weapons and movement speed. What was more, just the sight of the orange Translator, who had once cut down half the crew of this pirate’s interceptor, would probably arouse fear in Captain Rikki and his crew. Sure, this was not the same deadly Ayni, the outrageously high-level Morphian, but the pirates didn’t know that! So I could justify Ayni. But Uline?
Once, Uline told me that she had never used weapons before and had no combat skills. Since then, lots had happened. There was even the assault of the Meleyephatian military base, which Uline Tar took part in on even footing. Also, the once peaceful Trader now had a laser pistol. But still, I thought it was a bit rash to use the furry Geckho lady as a fully-fledged combat unit. I had almost made up my mind to send Uline Tar to the frigate, but without knowing it, my business partner tipped the scales in her favor:
“I’m so happy!” the Trader couldn’t hide her elation, walking with the rest of the group toward the elevators. “This is my third time on the Medu-Ro IV station, but it’s the first time I’m not shivering in fear at every shadow. I just love walking with my head held high! I’m not some helpless victim! I’m about to go out and face my fear! And no matter how the shootout with the pirates ends, I’ll remember this as one of the most important turning points in my life!”
So clearly it would have been very wrong for me to send my business partner back to the frigate at such a psychologically critical moment. It would have shredded my good relationship with Uline and that would have had very negative consequences. What was more, I was hoping there wouldn’t be a shootout, and that I could just scare Captain Rikki into compensating my faction the two million crystals. But even if I was wrong about scaring him, the crew of the Tiopeo-Myhh II interceptor had just six players, and only three of them were dangerous. I had seven soldiers, and
we had the element of surprise, so I figured our chances of teaching that nasty counterfeiter a lesson were high.
We took the elevator down to the thirty-third floor of the space port, and I led my group to docking bay number eleven. The door was predictably locked, but that obstacle didn’t stop me for a second. I already knew these doors could be forced open with an electromagnetic pulse. What was more, I had a professional Thief with me and, in the worst case, I could try to repeat the trick of mind-controlling someone inside. But first I needed to evaluate the situation, so I activated Scanning.
Scanning skill increased to level thirty-two!
My mini-map showed just two players beyond the wall: a level-84 Miyelonian and a level-89 Geckho. They were fairly far away, almost at the very edge of my radius. And the system was stingy with their information. It didn’t even show their classes. But I already knew who they were. Based on their races and levels, inside were Captain Rikki and his big strong guardsman. Strange, of course, that there were so few enemies. Still, they had around twenty minutes before takeoff, so maybe the remaining crew members were coming later.
“There’s just two of them! We’ve picked a great moment! Let’s not waste time. Tini, open ‘er up!”
My kitten obediently crouched down next to the number pad and took out his tools. He brought out his code breaker and, before a minute had passed, the lock gave a quiet click. I praised the self-satisfied Thief and ordered everyone to take out their weapons and get ready:
“The captain’s assistant is a huge Geckho warrior. Take him down right away before he figures out what’s going on and takes down half our group. But I need the Miyelonian captain alive! Everybody got it? Alright, let’s go!”
* * *
I REALIZED WE’D MADE a mistake as soon as the door opened. Instead of the pirate captain and his big scary bruiser of a guardsman, we saw two unfamiliar players in the blue and orange jumpsuits of station technicians. They were standing on a tall folding ladder and seemingly changing out or polishing the interceptor’s armor plates. And although I realized my error and lowered my Annihilator, I didn’t react fast enough to stop my allies. An instant later, the body of the Geckho repairman lay shot full of bullets and laser holes, fallen from the ladder. His Miyelonian partner shrieked in fear and dropped his tools, something like a screw-gun and a bolt-gun, then threw both of his hands up, surrendering to the mercy of his unknown attackers.
Game Changer (Reality Benders Book #3) LitRPG Series Page 24
