Ember jumped in after I had finished, “Astrid, I think we can all agree that splitting up is a stupid idea. However, we don't have any choice. The Uprising is potentially a target after harboring Torax. Not to mention those ships we’ve destroyed. The Thoth and Seshat are not, nor are you, linked with us. You need to get us our next job, and we need to go to a smuggler moon to kidnap a load of Veiletians. Let’s just get this fucking done. Hopefully, life will be easier once we do.”
Astrid looked affronted, but smiled, “I suppose we have few choices here. So, I’ll agree to source mercenary work, providing we remain in constant communication. If we don’t hear from each other, we’ll know quickly that something has happened and come to your aid, or you to ours.”
I nodded acknowledgement. “And once you're finished up, we’ll meet up on Arus. I think we could do with a face-to-face meeting.”
“Yes, Shaun,” said Rufus. “It’s been quite the stroke of luck running into you again. We were at our wits’ end in this strange place. I felt mounting any kind of retaliation upon the Fystr to save the Earth was worse than impossible. Now, I feel like it is just improbable, but I’ll take those odds.”
“Well thanks, Rufus. I know how you feel. Hopefully, if we keep going in the right direction, improbable will turn into easy-peasy.” I took some weird looks for that, but it was to be expected, “Okay, with that said, I think we’ve a good plan going forward – for now. Keep in touch with any developments on Tanath, and we’ll do the same.”
“Will do, Shaun, Ember. See you soon,” Astrid said.
Rufus gave us a thumbs up, and their screens went blank.
I heaved a sigh of relief.
“What the fuck’s wrong with you?” Ember enquired.
“These meetings are stressful!”
“How? You just sit there talking shit, like usual.”
“It’s bloody terrifying! Astrid and Rufus are like the most powerful humans there are. And I've just waltzed in and started telling them how things are going to be. You do realize that takes a toll on me? Don’t you?”
“I know you’re a fucking idiot, Shaun. For a start, you’re the most powerful human there is. Fact. And only you would be worrying about that shit. However, I'm willing to concede that thinking about new uniforms was a really nice touch, it hadn’t even occurred to me,” Ember said, “I can't wait to get out of this piece of shit, I’m sick of it.”
I leaned in and gave her a peck on the cheek. “You still look amazing in it.”
“Behave yourself,” she laughed, “Now, go and captain this ship, will you?”
C8
Hide and Seek
We landed the Uprising on Arus without a problem. Initially, it seemed like our ship might have been recognized when landing control took a lengthy pause before letting us dock. But nothing further had been said. It may have just taken a while to find us somewhere to dock considering the unusual layout of the moon's habitable areas. By which I mean over half the moon was covered in large transparent domes. We also mentioned we needed repairs, so perhaps they had to arrange a particular bay for that. That was Calegg’s problem to deal with. We had our own task to do.
“Elyek, Calparr! Are you ready?” I asked.
The massive Torax nodded. Elyek just stood patiently and waited for us to leave the ship.
As usual, we all carried weapons, only mine was ridiculously obvious. Although I had wrapped Havok up in some cloth, there was no mistaking the massive weapon perched up on my back.
Upon leaving the ship, Ember spoke with the dock supervisor. She tended to deal with this aspect of our lives more and more. I don’t think she trusted me not to get ripped off, and she was probably right. Especially since we were rich now. I was happy not to have to think about every little thing alone, and believed Ember was definitely why I never completely stressed out, like Astrid and Rufus appeared to have done. Well, her and Elyek. Calegg, not so much, but I did like the asshole.
Next to the supervisor stood a looming guard with a massive, brutish, blue, ridged face. I knew him straight away to be a Grobar, and I felt a little surge of pride at being able to recognize and name an alien. As Ember began asking about repairs and supplies for our ship, the Grobar guard eyeballed Calparr and me, sizing us up.
“Calparr,” I nudged the big Torax, “if you're ever fighting one of those ugly bastards, here’s a quick tip. Their sternum reaches down to about here,” I pointed to my navel area. “If you’re expecting to drop one of them to their knees with a body shot there, you’re more likely to break your own hand.”
“Interesting, Captain. Thank you for sharing this knowledge.” It was never easy to tell exactly how Calparr felt about any subject, but I could see the gleam in his eye when we talked about combat.
“You’re part of the family now, Calparr baby. We’ve got to be able to kick everyone’s ass!”
He looked at me like I had four heads – I know, it's supposed to be two heads, but there were more than a few aliens out there with two heads, so that saying didn’t work up here. Anyway, I digress – he was glad of the information.
After Ember finished her haggling, we moved off, following Elyek. They seemed to know exactly where we were going.
The moon wasn’t open to the elements like any of the other planets we had been on, and it was surreal to be walking inside these habitation domes. The whole place had a very industrial feel about it, with a lot of the buildings, and even sidewalks, made of metal. As we walked along, I checked out the people passing by. If I hadn’t already been told of this place's special function as a base for less-than-lawful activity, I think I would have guessed it soon enough. Everyone wore powerful-looking weapons and grim expressions. There was an air of degradation and danger permeating the whole domed city. It had a cyberpunk feel to it that I didn’t really care for.
“Hey Elyek, how much further?” I said, feeling uncomfortable. I knew we could fight our way out of anything here – probably. But I was getting a sort of itchy feeling, like we were being watched.
“We are heading to Epsilon Tunnel, Captain, which is around a 100 yards away. Then, we must go through a number of other zones before reaching our destination. My people are at the furthest point from a docking bay, for their own safety. Did you not listen to the plan I laid out back on the ship?”
I looked over with a fake offended expression, “Yeah. I just meant how far to the tunnel.” I hadn’t listened to a word.
“Well, I'd say five minutes. No more. Then, approximately 40 minutes on the transport tube to the dome we need.”
“Super. Can’t wait,” I said, lamely.
Calparr ignored me, while Ember quietly asked, “What’s up, Shaun?”
“I dunno. Just got a bad feeling about his place. I feel like we're being watched.”
“Well, I trust your instincts. Saying that, we can’t really do much about it. We’ll just have to stay extra vigilant.”
“Yeah. You’re right,” I said, eyes flicking from side to side, watching everyone as intently as I could. Then it dawned on me that I probably looked a lot like Crazy Eyes in the Sopeka pen all that time ago, so I stopped and tried to calm down a bit.
“Yeah, Shaun. I don't know why you're getting overly jumpy. We’re tough cookies,” Havok said in my head, and damned if it didn't make me chuckle.
“Do you even know what cookies are, Havok?” I responded playfully.
“I know you eat them, and I know we’re all tough cookies in our little group, here.”
“Fair enough, pal. Fair enough.”
Elyek cut our conversation off, exclaiming we were at the Epsilon Tunnel transport hub. A long, hotdog-shaped, windowless capsule was hovering in a metallic furrow. I couldn't see how it was suspended, so in my head I opted for magnets. Not that it mattered any more. I didn't understand one percent of the shit I saw these days. I had hoped gaining Mental Clarity would help, yet it turns out a clear mind doesn’t mean you just suddenly know stuff, like I hoped it would. What it
did mean was that anything I saw and learnt from now on should actually stick there. Theoretically, I should have much better retention and be able to use that going forward.
I was brought out of my usual meanderings by Ember saying, “What now, Elyek? Do we need to pay for tickets, or something?”
“No. They’re free to ride. We just need to get on.”
We did as bid and stepped on to the big, metal hotdog through one of eight sets of doors. The instant those doors closed, we were off like a rocket.
It was a pretty cool experience, and I felt the sense of being watched fade. That was until we had to get off and cross over to another hotdog. As soon as we were back in the open, my senses flared up again. This continued to happen each time we changed tubes. The final hotdog wasn't in the transport hub of this dome; we had to head back, out onto the streets. The differences in the outer habitation domes were remarkable. Clearly, the very lowest of the low eked a living out here. It had me concerned for what conditions we would find the Veiletians living in, if they were yet another tunnel away.
Although I knew the Veiletians were very secretive, I was not prepared for the next transport hub location. Elyek led us down a scruffy, trash-ridden street and into a derelict-looking building. It could have been mistaken for a dilapidated factory unit if it hadn't been so small.
Once through the doors, we were led down some stairs up to an empty desk. Elyek walked over. They lifted a necklace, which had been invisible only seconds before, from their neck and over their head, and placed it down on the desk.
“These people are the best of friends. I will stake my life on their honor,” Elyek spoke to the air in front of them. I was quite proud of the fact that the penny had dropped for me already; there was obviously an invisible Veiletian behind the desk. Whoever they were, they were being a wanker, because they didn’t answer. Just as I had that thought, I heard a bolt unlock from the door behind the desk. Out walked a fucking Veiletian! I felt tricked.
“Elyek! How amazing to see you again. We heard reports that you had been taken as a slave for an owner on Weka Four?”
“Nuwista. It is good to be back here once more. I had been held as a slave; however, these fine friends rescued me from that life, and we have had quite the adventure since. May we be permitted passage to the haven?”
“You have vouched for them, so you may all pass. They remain your responsibility.”
“I accept that. May I request one addendum? My captain here would never intentionally harm or endanger our people; regardless, he is an Onnekus and his path to positive action is not always direct.”
The Veiletian, known as Nuwista, gave me a long, hard stare, “I will let the eldest know, and it should be taken into account if anything untoward happens.”
“Thank you, Nuwista, I hope to meet again before we leave,” Elyek said.
“Me too. I am truly overjoyed that you were not taken,” Nuwista replied, while pressing a button to reveal the doors of a hotdog.
“Cheers, Nuwista,” I said as I went through the doors. Everyone followed me, with Elyek finally entering and the doors closing. This hotdog was smaller than the others that we had been on.
Entering the Veiletians’ hidden dome, the difference was stark. There were not as many people about. The place was immaculately clean, and more like a small town than a city. There was no one around at all; it felt like a ghost town. Elyek took the lead once more, leading us through half-a-dozen streets before we reached the gates of a large mansion-type building. It even had stone in its architecture, which was odd, as everything else we had seen so far was metal and glass.
“It’s so much quieter here,” I whispered to Ember. “Plus, I don’t feel like I'm being watched anymore.”
“We won’t be seen here,” Elyek offered, having overheard me. “The rest of the domes in Arus have an extensive security network, despite the fact that it is a smuggler's moon. However, there are a few dark domes where there is the utmost privacy. Now, before we enter, I feel I must warn you again. We’ll still have to be vetted to enter the Elders’ Headquarters.
“I will continue to do all of the talking. It would be unwise to make a communicative mistake here. This is one of the largest enclaves of my people, outside of the Veil itself. Most are unwelcome, as it is a highly secret location. As I have said before, my people are often hunted and captured as slaves. Please act accordingly. They will be distrustful of you. Do not take offense.”
“Sure, Elyek. We wouldn’t want anyone putting their foot in it, would we?” she said, while giving me a sarcastic look.
I shrugged.
With that said, Elyek pressed a panel set into the thick gate column. A voice quickly answered from the panel's speaker, “Elisialor Yekandistripolisiumar. Could you please state your business here?”
“This was once my home. I have come with my captain and two of our most senior crew members. We would like to offer a number of our people the chance to serve on board our ship, the Uprising, as paid and respected crew.”
“You were declared as a slave. Are these your new owners?” the intercom said.
“No. They rescued me from slavery. They are the best of people and we should be honored to be part of their plans.”
“Plans to enslave us all, perhaps?”
I could see Elyek getting very frustrated, despite holding their cool very well. The back and forth continued, and after much deliberation from the intercom, along with persuasion from Elyek, the gates finally slid open. They revealed a lush, well cared for garden, with even the odd small tree here and there; although the trees had a clinging-on-for-dear-life look about them. This was the first greenery we had seen on this strange moon.
We followed Elyek up to the main building. Veiletian guards stopped us at the doors. These were the first Veiletians I had seen other than Nuwista – and Elyek of course. They were clearly of the same race, but they couldn’t have been more different; where Elyek was slim and relatively short of stature, these two guards were both stocky and around six-feet in height. The guards exuded an air of strength of menace that Elyek did not possess.
“We are here to speak to the Arus council,” Elyek firmly stated.
“They are waiting for you, Elisialor Yekandistripolisiumar. Your friends here,” he said, waving at us with disdain, “may wait in the seating area.” He indicated where we were to go.
“I was about to protest, then remembered I'd already been warned to leave this entirely up to Elyek. So I just nodded blithely.
Elyek turned to us. “Just take a seat for now. I will go and put forward our offer. Better they do not think I am being coerced by you in any way.”
“Fair enough,” I obeyed, then turned back to the guards. “You got a visitor toilet anywhere?”
They both scowled at me, then resumed their stony-faced stares straight ahead without answering.
I was about to say, ‘I'll just pee up the wall then’, when Elyek spoke again, “Shaun! You agreed you would not incite trouble.”
“He can't help himself. Don’t worry, I'll keep a better eye on him,” Ember replied.
“What?” I said, exasperated. “I only asked for the toilet.” And I was glad I hadn’t added the rest now.
“It’s the way you do it, Shaun. Let’s go and sit down. Anyway,” Ember said, “you’re a big boy, now. You can hold it in for a bit.” She smirked and took a seat, while Elyek headed off following one of the guards.
We sat there, bored, for over an hour. I chatted to Calparr, although he wasn’t a massive conversationalist, not like Calegg anyway. Ember didn’t seem particularly chatty either, for some reason. Havok only wanted to talk about killing all the Veiletians if they started any shit, and that he was sure he could still see them when they were invisible – which I could tell was total bullshit. In the end, I decided to go to my Cognition Room to tidy. I was almost there now, and a little bit of work here and there was bound to help, so Ember told me.
Finally, I was brought out of my m
editative state by voices. Elyek was back, and the Council wished to meet me. ‘Oh goodie,’ I thought, then whispered to Ember, “Hope this goes better than with Calegg’s dad.” Elyek whipped their head around and gave me the stink eye.
We entered a large room, and like the outside of the building, it was quite classy. Especially when compared to the rest of the rough-ass moon. The four of us were led in front of a table holding six Veiletian elders. “So, you are the Captain of the Uprising? We hear that you set young Elyek free from captivity that you yourselves held them in.”
“Well, it's not quite like that. They were being held as a prisoner, and we…”
The elder rudely waved away my explanation. It annoyed me, but I tried to remember that this entire race had been treated terribly by the rest of the galaxy.
“And now you have one Veiletian under your control, you wish to have more to use as you see fit.”
“What? No. That’s bullshit” I cried. I received a warning glare from Elyek. Ember looked like she was doing her best to hold a retort in herself.
“Sorry for that outburst,” I said, “We need a crew. There’re a lot of arseholes out there in the galaxy, and when we meet someone as cool as Elyek who is kind, considerate and helpful, we want them on our crew. We want our new crew members to work with us, and hopefully make this shithole of a galaxy a better place.”
“We can all have grand dreams, my boy. The reality is that we will not risk our rare and precious people on a fool’s crusade.”
“Okay! Not your boy, for starters. I know your people have had a crap time of it wherever you go, but that wasn't me or any of the crew on the Uprising. You’re hiding out on a little dome on the arse-end of a shitty little moon, filled with smuggling shit-stains. I would like to change that. I want to back the Torax, and I want to help my own people, and anyone else who’s abused by powerful people, just because they’ve grabbed for power first, then used it to shit on everyone else.”
“Lofty ideals,” said a different Veiletian elder, “That does not alter the fact you still intend to take our people into danger and put them at further risk. By serving your individual goals, what makes you different to anyone else who seeks to use our people?”
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