by Adair Hart
Emily smiled and put her arm around Dr. Snowden.
Dr. Snowden thought again about how nice it was having her here. She was getting to share in the experience, one that would have seemed ridiculous only three months ago. As he looked out the window, he thought about how much Dan would have loved to see this. A grin crept onto his face as he looked down at Emily, who had put her head on his arm. He knew he could never fill Dan’s role in Emily’s life, but he would try to be there for her when needed.
An hour later, a Kreagan in a two-tone blue-and-silver robe with elaborate markings and a lightly armored Kreagan walked into the room. The Kreagan in the robes stepped forward. “I am Inspector Silva Ga Hujorn, here to fulfill the role of observer on this mission. I will ensure Kreagan law is observed and followed.”
The armored Kreagan stepped forward and placed his right arm, palm down, across his chest in a straight line. “Ranger Rakar Ho Jador, reporting for duty.”
Dr. Snowden noted Rakar’s silver armor. Although it appeared somewhat thin, it was scuffed, like it had seen battles. It was thicker than Andia’s armor. Rakar had a weapon of some type slung behind him, with smaller sidearms on his thighs. Dr. Snowden saw no helmet, but figured Rakar probably did not wear them to a first introduction, or maybe there was some technology that spawned it that he couldn’t see. He noticed Rakar’s boots had a thick sole, and the gauntlets on his arms were also larger than the rest of the other armor pieces. On Rakar’s shoulders were two mounted devices. His belt looked like it was part of the upper body armor and had several pouches on it.
The purple skin of the Kreagans stood out to Dr. Snowden again. He wondered why their skin was purple. Rakar’s head had small ridges on the backward cone part of the head he saw on the other Kreagans, but they were not as pronounced as the ridges on Silva. Rakar was definitely younger than Silva, probably in his early thirties, assuming Kreagans aged the same as humans. Maybe that was why Rakar looked formidable to him. He noted that Silva had a belt and a small sidearm hanging off it. He had a large metallic forearm device, and a metallic badge stood out on the sleeve of his right arm.
Andia saluted Rakar with a Fredorian salute. “At ease, Rakar. This is a civilian venture, so you don’t need to be so formal.”
“This may be a civilian venture, but I expect Kreagan protocols to be observed,” said Silva, raising a finger.
Andia smirked. “We will try to observe them, but this is a Fredorian mission.”
“Whatever you say. I’m merely here to observe and report.”
Andia drew her lips flat and narrowed her eyes as she shook her head.
Dr. Snowden could see Andia did not care much for Silva. He wondered if it was due to their relations or something more personal.
“Do either of you need to get gear, or are you both ready to go?” asked Andia.
Rakar crooked his thumb behind him. “We have a supply container outside the room. That is all we will need.”
“Yes, we came prepared per Kreagan protocol,” said Silva, tilting his head with his lips drawn to the side.
Andia sighed. “Fine. Let me introduce you to the crew we will be going out with.” She pointed to Evaran and to the others in turn. “This is Evaran. He is providing transport for this mission. Next to him are V and Dr. Snowden and his niece, Emily. Now, I have a few things to wrap up, so give me about fifteen minutes, and we can head out.”
Evaran walked up to Rakar and extended his hand.
Rakar shook it and dipped his head. “I hope to serve you well.”
Evaran tilted his head at Rakar. “I am sure you will. What do you think of this venture?”
Rakar glanced around, then turned back to Evaran. “If you can find the Arkaron crystals, it will be monumental. We wouldn’t be here as a species if the Arkaron hadn’t spoken to us. I am excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the crew that might actually find the crystals. I read the results of the recent scan on your ship. It’s clear your technology is superior to our own.”
Evaran nodded. “What do you think of Senator Kraas? Be honest.”
Rakar cocked his head back and looked at Andia. Andia gestured for him to speak. “Well … we’ve not had the best of relationships. I’m not sure why she selected me, but I am glad to be here. It beats being in the ranger reserve.”
Evaran eyed Rakar for a few moments, then nodded. He then walked up to Silva. “What do you think of this venture?”
Silva cocked his head. “To be honest, I think it’s a waste of time. It seems every week someone has found them, but no proof. We get these requests to provide support for them all the time. However, none of them have come from a prime ambassador. Regardless of my opinion, you can be assured I will assist in any way, assuming everything is legal.”
Evaran nodded. “What do you think of Senator Kraas?”
“She is a credit to our species and an example that all Kreagans should follow,” said Silva, giving Rakar a sidelong glance.
“I see,” said Evaran.
Dr. Snowden noted the pattern Evaran was doing. It appeared these two Kreagans had two very different views of this trip. Maybe it was a job thing. Silva had mentioned that these types of requests were routine. He hoped Silva wouldn’t turn out to be a thorn in their side. Rakar, on the other hand, was enthusiastic and genuinely interested in the trip. He was not sure why they needed a ranger, or what they were exactly, but guessed it must be a Kreagan policy to have one.
After a bit, Andia looked up from her table console in triumph. “Detail work is done. Let’s move.”
They headed up to the landing pad and then exited the building to arrive at the Torvatta ramp.
Dr. Snowden chuckled when he saw Silva, Rakar, and Andia staring at the Torvatta as they walked up the ramp. He figured they probably had never seen anything like it. He noticed the other alien ships when they first arrived, and none of them looked remotely close to the Torvatta.
“That is an interesting-looking ship. It’s going to be cramped,” said Rakar as he scrutinized the Torvatta.
“You might be surprised,” said Dr. Snowden, half grinning.
Rakar glanced at Dr. Snowden and nodded.
Once inside, Evaran motioned to V, who was waiting for them at the top of the ramp. “Take them to their rooms.”
“Acknowledged.”
“Once you are all settled in, please come to the front of the ship. V will show you where it is,” said Evaran.
Dr. Snowden smiled as he saw Silva, Rakar, and Andia do a double take when they walked into the living quarters entrance. They were probably trying to figure out how it could exist. He remembered back to his first time going through that door. They would most likely be impressed by the rooms as well. He followed Evaran and Emily to the front of the ship.
Evaran sat in his command chair while Dr. Snowden and Emily sat in the right U-shaped seating area.
Dr. Snowden turned to face Evaran. “So what was that really all about with the senator?”
Evaran smiled. “Noticed that, did you? The senator wants to keep tabs on us. For what reason, I do not know. Whatever it is, I suspect there is a hidden agenda.”
“Rakar seemed pretty nice,” said Emily.
“He is. He seems honorable. I do not know what the strained relationship with the senator is about, but if he has one, then he may provide a useful balance to Silva,” said Evaran.
“Silva seems like he might be trouble,” said Dr. Snowden.
Evaran shook his head. “I am not sure about that. Regardless of his personal view, I suspect he has Kreagan interests at heart and will not tolerate corruption. That may work in our favor. At the very least, any group wishing to interfere will know our whereabouts due to his reporting and we can maybe see who we are dealing with. We will need to be cautious.”
Dr. Snowden could not see that, but he would trust Evaran’s judgement.
Ten minutes later, V walked up, followed by Silva, Rakar, and Andia. Evaran motioned for them to sit in the left
U-shaped seating area. They took their seats.
“This ship is amazing. How are those rooms possible?” asked Andia.
“Dimensional mechanics,” said Dr. Snowden, smiling.
Andia shook her head. “I’ve heard of that, but it was theoretical. I wouldn’t believe it, but I just saw it. Fredoria could use something like that.”
Evaran smiled at Andia. “I am sure they could.”
“The empire could use it as well,” said Silva.
Evaran pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. “I am sure they would use it for peaceful purposes. Now, this information broker, what do we know of him?”
Andia tapped at her tablet. “He is supposedly on an asteroid station deep in the Galvin Rim. The place is a free-for-all for those who exist outside the law. It’s a perfect spot for someone like him.”
“And a perfect spot to get killed,” said Silva.
Rakar snorted. “Not with a ranger present.”
Evaran nodded at Andia. “Do you have the coordinates?”
“Yes.”
Evaran gestured at V, who walked over to Andia and looked at her tablet.
“Coordinates acquired.”
“Take us there.”
“Acknowledged.”
The Torvatta lifted off and soared into space. The front screen split into two parts. The left side showed outside, while the right side showed a galactic map. The map zoomed to the coordinates Andia gave. It showed blank space.
“Interesting. It does not show up at all. We will need to find it if it has moved,” said Evaran.
“If you’re using the standard Kreagan maps as a source, it won’t show up, but it’s there,” said Andia.
Silva sighed. “That is at least a ten-day journey, and that’s using a compressed-space drive.”
“We will be there in a few moments,” said Evaran.
Once the Torvatta was a fair distance from Kreagus, it shot out a gold beam, and a portal appeared in front of the ship, which the Torvatta flew through. After a short trip through the semitransparent tunnel, they exited into space with nothing around them.
“What was that?” asked Silva with widened eyes.
“That was your estimate being done in five seconds. V, scan for the asteroid station,” said Evaran.
“Acknowledged.”
After a few minutes, a green highlighted object appeared faintly in the right front window.
“Take us in.”
“Acknowledged.”
The Torvatta took off toward the asteroid station.
Dr. Snowden chuckled as he saw the astonished faces on Silva, Rakar, and Andia. They were trying to figure out Evaran and this ship, and the portal probably made it harder. He recalled being in their shoes and wondered if this is how Evaran felt when he had picked them up. He turned back to look at the front screen.
After a few minutes, the Torvatta approached the outskirts of the asteroid station. Dr. Snowden noted it looked like a hollowed-out asteroid with large thrusters on every side except for a massive hole that appeared to function as the entrance. Massive turrets ringed it, reminding him of teeth. He saw smaller landing pads dotting the outside of the asteroid. He could see why those wishing for privacy would like it here. It would be easy to set up and then leave if need be.
“How … was that possible?” asked Andia.
Evaran half grinned. “As I mentioned earlier, the Torvatta is unique. It will make getting places a bit easier than if we had to do it conventionally.”
“Your ship is impressive. I have never seen this type of capability before. If we had it, our force projection would be so much greater,” said Rakar with a sparkle in his eye.
“Yes, it would, and that could be dangerous in the wrong hands,” said Evaran, raising a finger.
“Coris is asking for intent,” said V.
“Coris?” asked Dr. Snowden.
“I apologize. The docking authority refers to this asteroid station as Coris. They have asked us for our intent.”
Evaran nodded. “Tell them we are just visiting.”
“Acknowledged.”
The Torvatta flew through the massive hole in the side of Coris and then descended to a landing pad that hung off the side near the entrance. The interior lining of Coris was packed with walkways, shops, and landing pads like the one they were approaching. The open center was filled with ships coming and going. There was an object emanating yellow light that hovered in the open space interior.
Once they landed, Dr. Snowden looked out expecting to see a dock manager or something similar, but none came. He chewed on his upper lip as he looked at Andia.
“Expecting a welcoming party?” asked Andia.
“Yeah, I was, sorta,” said Dr. Snowden.
“Definitely your first visit to an asteroid station, then. The docking authority here only assigns you a landing pad. You’re on your own after that, for better or worse.”
Evaran stood up. “Yes, you can expect to find many differences here from Kreagus.”
Silva smirked. “Of course we will. This is a dump, and Kreagus isn’t.”
Dr. Snowden sighed. Silva’s constant arrogance irritated him and reminded him of a pompous politician. He wondered if Silva would hamper their efforts here. Evaran seemed to think he would not, but Dr. Snowden found that hard to believe.
“Okay, from what we know, this place can be dangerous. We will need to stick together,” said Evaran.
Silva tapped at his forearm device. “This is odd. I can’t communicate back home.”
“My shields are most likely preventing that. It should work once we are off the ship. V, orb mode.”
“Acknowledged,” said V. He walked to the back of the ship.
Silva smirked and shook his head.
The group assembled outside the Torvatta near the ramp.
Dr. Snowden noticed the smell immediately. It smelled like rotten eggs and gasoline. He coughed and waved his hand in front of his face. “Strong smell out here.”
Andia raised a flap from her neck area and covered the lower half of her face. “Don’t you have a breather or filter of some type?”
“Dr. Snowden and Emily will not need one. They will adjust automatically, and Silva and Rakar have natural protection,” said Evaran.
Silva eyed Dr. Snowden and Emily. “You can filter like a Kreagan. Maybe these Earthlings are more advanced than Fredorians.”
Emily cocked her head at Silva. “Or Kreagans even.”
Andia chuckled.
Silva smirked as he walked to the edge of the landing platform. “I’m going to check in. Please, start without me.”
Evaran nodded. “Okay. Rakar and Andia, you two seem familiar with this place. What course of action do you recommend?”
Rakar tilted his head and gestured off in the distance. “We should start at the entertainment centers. From what I have heard through various channels, that is usually the best place to find contact information.”
“Hmm, I wonder how many there are,” said Evaran. He walked over to a console standing near the walkway off the landing pad. He placed his UIC on it and then perused his ARI. “It appears there are eight main entertainment centers. The nearest one is close by and is called Duzuul’s Crater. We can start there. Any concerns?”
Dr. Snowden shook his head, as did the others.
“How did you get that information so quickly?” asked Andia, pointing to the UIC on the console.
Evaran half smiled. “Advanced technology.”
“I’ve never seen technology that can hack into something that quickly before,” said Andia.
Evaran nodded. “You most likely will not again either. These systems are centralized, a vulnerability the UIC can exploit.”
Silva had rejoined them. “Senator Kraas wants me to meet with a contact here. I will need Rakar to escort me.”
“Right now?” asked Emily.
“Yes. We can meet back here in, say, a day or so. Will that be an issue, or is my presence required fo
r you to do whatever you’re going to do?” asked Silva.
Evaran narrowed his eyes. “No, that will be fine. Do what you must. The rest of us will head to Duzuul’s Crater.”
Silva began walking away.
Rakar walked up to Evaran. “I apologize for this. I didn’t know I would be escorting him on Senator Kraas’s personal business.”
Evaran put a hand on Rakar’s shoulder. “Keep him safe. We will be okay.”
Rakar sighed and trudged after Silva.
Dr. Snowden watched them walk away. On one hand, he was glad Silva wasn’t with them. On the other hand, he wanted to talk more with Rakar. At least he would get to see more of Coris.
Evaran gestured at Silva and Rakar once they were off the landing pad and had walked a bit away. “V, stealth mode. Keep close to them.”
“Acknowledged,” said V. He took off after Silva and Rakar.
Andia smirked. “Don’t trust them?”
“Just keeping tabs on them in case they get in trouble.”
Dr. Snowden, Emily, and Andia followed Evaran as he walked off the landing pad onto a walkway. It led to a platform that extended a bit out from the asteroid wall. Looking up and down the platform, Dr. Snowden could see that the various shops and buildings were carved into the asteroid, with just the front of the shop sticking out. He figured there were probably access ways to the exterior of Coris that led to landing pads he saw dotting the outside. Coris was the definition of easy come, easy go.
As they walked down the platform toward Duzuul’s Crater, Dr. Snowden noted that the architecture of the shop fronts varied wildly. He figured this was due to the many different alien species present. He got a good look at the center object that was emanating light. It appeared to be a free-floating orb. He compared it to a miniature sun, without all the radiation. The sounds of Coris seemed to vary—from the buzz of the locals to the sounds of the multitude of ships flying around. Although he initially gagged on Coris’s smell, he had already adjusted to it. His eyesight had been hazy back at the Torvatta, but it had adjusted as well. He chuckled and glanced at Emily. “This is an interesting place. Pretty busy so early in the morning.”
Emily nodded. “Yeah, it’s pretty cool once you adjust to it.”
