“Let me see if I understand.” Branwen cleared her throat and began. “Don Mateo knew Tiala well. They were, at the least, close friends.” At Sirrah’s request, she’d watched the three holo recordings Don Mateo had left behind, watched the distinguished gentleman become more ragged and desperate for assistance each time, rising concern evident throughout.
Sirrah nodded. “Yes. He was a client of hers, as well as a friend, for many years.”
“And when she failed to turn up as expected, he worried. This is reasonable, I assume?”
Sirrah seemed to think for a moment, but nodded again. “Yes. Tiala might have become busy, but she would have communicated such a delay to him, I know. She certainly wouldn’t have simply let him worry for weeks as he has. It’s not something that a Kala, or Tiala personally, would do.”
“And then Don Mateo looks into it himself, discovering that her last visit was to Kharvid, a port on Urzra, and that she was never indicated as having left. Then, when he contacts Urzran authorities, he is given roundabout answers that tell him nothing. That is when he discovered that the messages he dispatched to the Kalaset previously had been intercepted, and became worried not only for Kala Tiala, but for himself as well.” Branwen ran fingers lightly through loose sections of her golden hair. “And then he disappears. Don Mateo mentioned Tiala was on a trip, seeing several of her former, favored clients. Is there any way to make sure?”
Sirrah was already shaking her head, lustrous ebon hair dancing as she did so. “Sorry Captain, but client lists are always completely confidential. Not even the Luminas of the Kalaset would know for sure. She was indeed on such a trip, but no one knows exactly who she intended to see, or how long she intended to stay.” She cast a pensive look toward Branwen. “And I have already contacted the Lumina of Kepa’ohalei. According to our contacts in Urzran customs, Kala Tiala never left Urzra, though she arrived just over one month ago.”
Sirrah cleared her throat lightly, clasping her hands in a pleading gesture Branwen was unfamiliar with. “I need to ask a favor of you, Captain. Help me find Kala Tiala. Please.” Her eyes glistened with worry and hope.
Branwen frowned thoughtfully, trying to keep Sirrah’s emotional display from swaying her overmuch. “Why us? We are hardly a group of investigators, or intrepid adventurers.”
Sirrah closed her eyes briefly drawing a long, steadying breath before meeting Branwen’s eyes again. “Because you and your crew have shown yourselves to be quite capable, and more importantly, I trust you. Perhaps it is unreasonable for me to trust someone I have known for so short a time, but I do. I trust your ship, your crew, and most especially, you.”
She rose and paced over to the counter, crossing her arms across her stomach. "Something has happened to Kala Tiala, Captain. I do not have proof of this yet, though Don Mateo seemed to believe so as well, but I know in my heart that it is true." Worry knitted the Kala's smooth brow.
For the moment, Branwen chose to keep her expression carefully neutral, though she didn’t know if it would have the desired effect on one of the Kalaset. Behind her, she could feel Prisoner 286, still lurking and silently watching their exchange. “Who is Tiala to you, truly? I would like to know the whole story before deciding whether to ask my crew to embark upon a journey on your behalf, or hers.”
"Tiala was my mentor in the Kalaset. In many ways, she is like a mother to me. She is my sister in the Kalaset, but she is also more to me than anyone else." Sirrah turned just enough to catch Branwen's eyes over her shoulder. "I love her as family, and I am terrified that she has been hurt. More than that, I fear that if Don Mateo was unable to penetrate whatever has obfuscated her location from us, then the Kalaset's influence being applied would only alert whoever is trying to keep her from us. I fear that once they know we are looking for her, she will be in even greater danger than she is in now."
She turned to face Branwen, unfurling her arms to extend them in an antiquated, formal, pleading gesture, one hand held in the other, palms facing upward. "I’m afraid that once the Kalaset begins to act, Tiala may simply disappear for good. Please, Captain Hawke, help me find her."
Branwen had to pause a moment to consider, and to examine her feelings. “I will have to discuss this with the crew first, of course. I would have them know the full story, both the risk and what is at stake.”
“Of course, Captain. Thank you for considering my request.”
An hour later, Branwen watched from her seat on the bridge as the Destiny left port for the slipstream points that would lead to Uzra. Zimi and Mr. Leonard had readily agreed to support Sirrah in her endeavor, once the issue and her reasoning had been fully explained. Merlo had simply said “So let’s do it already,” and Branwen figured part of the reason she seemed so eager to go was because it would extend her relationship with Prisoner 286.
Branwen had half hoped someone would object, giving her a solid reason to turn Sirrah down. Not because she didn’t want to help, but because some part of her dreaded treading that path once more, fearful she might never manage to step off of it again.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Sudden Movement
Merlo
“You know I can’t go down there, right?” Prisoner 286 swatted Merlo hard on the shoulder, causing her armor to harden up reactively and getting her attention. They were currently on the ninth day of their trip to Urzra, and now nearing the Urzran homeworld. 286 had spent most of those six days in Merlo’s quarters instead of Sirrah’s, a fact she was actually quite enjoying. “To Urzra, I mean.”
“Why not? I thought you did whatever you wanted.” Merlo sat up on the bed they shared, giving the taller woman’s form a lingering look-over.
“Oh, I do.” 286 sat up as well, leaning to grab a vapor stick and light it before leaning back against the wall and slapping a hand possessively on Merlo’s butt. Merlo rolled her eyes. “But if I do, you’re gonna have trouble.”
“Why’s that?”
286 sighed. “Because Urzra isn’t under Altairan jurisdiction? As in, I’m still wanted there, and they won’t give two shits whether Sirrah’s supposed to be keeping an eye on me or not.”
Merlo frowned, showing a bit of confusion. “Wait, what? You mean they’d just ignore one of the Kalaset like that? I thought they were too big of a deal for that.”
Prisoner 286 shrugged. “Well, yeah, there is that. So maybe, maybe not. But Sirrah’s deal with Altair doesn’t extend here, is what I’m saying. And, don’t forget that I’ve got a pretty extensive criminal record there, too.” Eyeing Merlo, she suddenly twitched, retracting the hand from Merlo’s ass and putting it to the side of her own head instead. “I’m just saying, hauling me down there will probably bring you more trouble than it’s worth.”
“I gotcha. Hey, are you okay?” Merlo felt a bit of rising concern, watching 286 grip the side of her skull.
“Yeah, just head pains. Most class four and five Kinetics get migraines from time to time. Which means I probably get the worst migraines in the cluster. Lucky me.” 286 paused to eye Merlo, hand still clutching at her head. “It happens. Hey, go grab me some juice.”
Merlo rolled her eyes at the woman, but stood up and summoned her suit anyway. She’d already gotten used to the way 286 didn’t really ask people to do things for her, instead just assuming they would, likely out of self-preservation. “Sure. Want anything else? And why juice?” She’d noticed 286 drank a lot of juice, having demolished an entire blend from the Destiny’s storage during their current voyage.
“Hey, if you’re cooking, I’m eating. Have fun.” Merlo detected a more-grating-than-usual tone from 286, which rather concerned her. If Merlo could tell it was bothering her, that meant it must be pretty bad. “And juice is good for you, you know. Now run along, little Merlo.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She’d be damned if she found she didn’t like the woman more and more despite her unusual habits and mannerisms. She went to get them both something so they could sit and eat together before she had to go l
and the Destiny. Who knew what was in store for them after that?
14.1- Branwen
“She said it wasn’t really a good idea for her to come down with us. Said that they don’t really like her planetside.”
Branwen nodded along with Merlo’s comment. “I can relate, unfortunately.”
She watched Merlo lean over the controls, attention on what was in front of her, and it took the girl a moment to catch what Branwen said and respond. “What? How’d you get in trouble on Urzra, Captain?” Sparing a glance away from the screen and lights ahead of her, Merlo grinned in amusement and curiosity at Branwen.
Branwen shook her head. “It is not like that. I have committed no crimes on Urzra. I have not even been there before. We simply do not get along.”
“We?”
She nodded. “Urzra and Fade have a long standing dislike for one another. Our dislike for them goes well beyond any other outsider, assuming we can tell the difference. I have always assumed our mutual distaste, or even hatred, stems from the same sources.”
“Which are what, Captain?”
“You remember what I told you about their ill-fated invasions of Fade?” It took her a moment, but Merlo nodded, and Branwen continued. “From that. I imagine, given what I know about how they covet the resources of other worlds, they resent what we have, and that we, an ‘underdeveloped’ civilization, were able to repel them.”
“Kind of like a pride thing, I guess.”
Branwen nodded. “Something like that, I suppose. As for us, we detest Urzra because they invaded our home, killed and abducted our people, and tried to take our world by force.”
Merlo whistled lowly. “Yeah, that would be a reasonably appropriate thing to hate somebody for. I would, too, if it happened to me.” She spared another curious look at Branwen. “You don’t seem too perturbed by them, though.”
Branwen shook her head. “Those that personally invaded my home were all long dead before I was born. Whereas I dislike the Urzran leaders that set such policy, I feel it would be foolish to judge each and every individual by the same standards.”
“So you’re okay with Urzrans?”
“In a sense. Individuals I will judge individually, but as for the whole… stereotypes are often there for a reason.”
Mr. Leonard’s com channel lit up on the control panel, and he spoke before Branwen could even hit the button. “Captain, Miss Merlo, we’ve been cleared for entry to Kharvid.”
Merlo blinked. “What, no helpful VI this time?” Branwen couldn’t tell if she was pleased by that or not.
“Sorry, Miss Merlo, but we’re… a long way from Altairan space.”
That we are. Branwen gazed out at the looming spectre of Urzra, cast into silhouette by the ruddy light emitted by the nearby red dwarf it circled. She wasn’t really looking forward to setting foot on Urzra. The planet was one of only three orbiting bodies in the system, and passed continually close to its star, Noll, leaving the surface hot and irradiated. Most people lived underground, or in specially shielded structures, if they were fortunate.
They passed the close orbit of Sentinel, Urzra’s large, solitary moon, starlight casting into sharp relief the jagged back side of the satellite, supposedly ruined while intercepting a celestial body on a collision course with Urzra. Without the pull of the mighty Sentinel, Urzra would be tidally locked to Noll, one side charred to a crisp by the sun’s emissions.
Still leaning forward, and intent on piloting, Merlo nonetheless continued the conversation. “So, before we go down there and start poking around in people’s business, what can you guys tell me about Urzra? What’s it like? Why aren’t they a part of the whole alliance thing with Altair? Are they not very advanced down there, or something?”
Branwen started to turn to Mr. Leonard to see if he wanted to speak first, momentarily forgetting his lack of a physical presence. She shook her head, amused at herself. “Oh, they are advanced, all right,” she said. “Advanced enough to have Slipdrive technology of their own.”
Merlo nodded as Mr. Leonard’s voice picked up where Branwen’s sparse details left off. “Urzra relies on a lot of ‘dirty’ energy to fulfill its needs. Refined heavy metals, nuclear reactions, advanced particle splitting. That kind of thing. But their science is actually pretty advanced considering the lack of many resources utilized on other worlds.”
Merlo scoffed quietly. “Sounds pretty backwards to me.”
“Perhaps by your standards, Miss Merlo.” Mr. Leonard replied. “But their technological level is overall equal in many ways to Altair’s. In particular, their reliance on outdated power sources has caused them to refine the efficiency of their workings to an extremely high degree, and their weapons technology is the most advanced in the cluster.”
“As for why they do not fall under Altair’s aegis, they simply do not wish to.” Branwen interjected with an indicative gesture. “They do not overall get along with Altair, since they do not think too highly of Altairan policies. They also covet Altairan resources.”
Merlo made a thoughtful noise. “So the people who have the best weapons technology in the cluster are also the people who want what everyone else has, and are also on the verge of creating second stage slipdrives so that they can freely enter the rest of the cluster? That sounds fun.”
“No, no,” Mr. Leonard was quick to step in, before Branwen could gather the breath to voice her own thoughts on the matter. “Whereas everything you said is true, there is no way for Urzra to defeat the Altairan Legion. Altair simply has far too many ships, several thousand at least, and far, far more resources. Nor is it actually confirmed how close Urzra is to mass producing second tier drives.”
Branwen nodded. “Yes. It seems Urzra likes to make noise, but in the end they have little effective muscle backing it up. Urzra needs imports from the rest of the clusters to survive in the long run, much less flourish.”
“Okay.” Merlo grinned, and Branwen closed her eyes momentarily as the girl swept the Destiny cleanly between two enormous freighters, massive rectangular cargo ships that seemed a mile long. When Branwen opened them again, they were past the vessels, and Merlo was grinning at her directly. She made a mental note to strangle the girl later. “What’s the planet like, then? That star of theirs doesn't look too happy.”
Although she was fairly confident in her accrued knowledge of Fade’s old foe, Branwen nonetheless felt this was a question her engineer could field much better. “Mr. Leonard, would you kindly?”
“Of course, Captain. I would be happy to be of assistance. I of course have to issue a disclaimer to Miss Merlo, however: I’ve never actually been to Urzra, so all of my information is gained through study of historical data and Exonet information.”
“Understood.”
“Well, the driving force behind Urzran habitation patterns is its star, Noll. Noll is a rather fitful star, and constant fluctuations such as solar flares or dark spots can greatly alter the heat levels output to Urzra, since it orbits so closely. Furthermore, Urzra’s surface is irradiated and hot due to Noll’s close proximity. Most people on Urzra thus live underground, and eat food grown or raised underground, but most natural water sources are also highly contaminated, no matter where they are.”
“So… what do they do for water? Just drink irradiated water anyway?”
“Well, the poorest of them do, from what I understand.” Branwen interjected. “As for those not so impoverished, Urzra imports ice water from out of system, or mines it off of their third world in system, though it is still slightly tainted. They also brew a fungus-based variant of alcohol, if I’m not mistaken.”
“Exposure to radiation from Noll commonly manifests psychological dysfunction, loss of mental integrity over time, and eventual death as it causes key proteins to break down in the brain,” Mr. Leonard continued, sounding sympathetic. “Many people attempt to leave Urzra when signs first appear so as to delay or stop the effects from getting worse, though due to advances in cluster medicine and impo
rted food and water, average Urzran life spans are almost equivalent with the cluster’s overall average now.”
Merlo nodded enthusiastically. “So that's why they raid Fade’s outer planets, isn’t it, Captain? They mine your ice worlds, since the Fade system has so many of them in its outer reaches.”
Branwen grumbled out an expletive under her breath. “Indeed.”
Merlo chuckled. “This trip should be lots of fun.” She tilted her silver-topped head thoughtfully for a moment. “I wish we’d had more time to see the Fade system when we passed through, Captain. It seemed really pretty. Binary star systems are neat.”
Branwen smiled over at her. “So, you took a liking to Fera and Vola, hmm?”
“Yeah. Your world looked really awesome too… kinda spotless by my standards, I guess. No cities or lights you can see from space, or anything like that.”
Branwen nodded. “I suppose by the standards of Arlesha, or even such as Altair, it certainly would be.”
“All of your worlds I saw looked so pristine, healthy. Almost untouched.”
Branwen chuckled. “I assure you, once on the surface, you would see we touch it quite often.”
“Not sure we’re still talking about the same thing, Captain.”
Branwen grinned, but their conversation died away as they approached planetfall. The Captain announced their impending landing to her crew, and Merlo’s youthful face took on a serious cast as she navigated them through the atmospheric friction and turbulence, past other descending starships undergoing the same.
Finding port on Urzra was more competitive than on Altairan-governed worlds, as the Urzran port authority seemed content to let each ship and crew figure it out mostly on their own. Branwen watched through the forward viewscreen as her pilot found the Destiny its own spot in the press of ship traffic, jockeying for position amongst hundreds more. At least the Destiny was much larger than most of those vessels, and Merlo was able to almost bully many of them aside.
Destiny Abounds (Starlight Saga Book 1) Page 27
