by Trevor Scott
The Dinari bowed low before him, a sign of deference. Ju-Long pumped his fist into the air in celebration. Thousands of onlookers cheered, their booming voices an assault on Liam’s eardrums. Liam couldn’t believe it. They chanted Ju-Long’s name once more, louder than ever.
“He really did it,” Saturn said, her lip curling up into a smile.
Liam and Saturn joined the Dinari crowd in their chant. Ju-Long smiled wide, taking in every second of the excitement. In that moment, Liam knew he was going to make a perfect poster boy for the Human race. He craved the attention and now he’d shown he was not someone to be taken lightly. It appeared Zega’s plan was working.
The Dinari judge made a gesture to silence the crowd once more. Slowly the chanting died off and they hung on his every word. The judge had won the tournament years ago and commanded a certain respect from the spectators, even though he hadn’t fought in years. The crusty Dinari had lightly colored scales, pale from being out of the sun. He held up a small copper device to his wrinkled throat and spoke, his voice amplified so that every Dinari would be able to hear for a mile in any direction.
“It gives me, Kiln, famed fighter of the Dinari people, great pleasure to be the judge for this event.”
Kiln smiled, his white pointed teeth glinting in the yellow sun. Liam could already tell he didn’t like the guy. In his opinion, anyone that self-absorbed needed a reality check.
Kiln continued, “Every year our best fighters test their skills in the ring as we anxiously wait to see who comes out the victor. Our winner today will go on to compete in the final round with the winner of tomorrow’s Semi-Final match. You will of course have to wait for our fighters to recuperate before the final match takes place.”
Several boos rang out from the restless crowd and Liam heard one voice shout, “Get on with it.”
Kiln’s smile faded. He pressed the copper device forcefully against his throat and his voice rang out, “Your winner, Ju-Long Ma of Earth!”
The Dinari went wild for Ju-Long, who tried to make his way over to where Liam and Saturn were standing but was soon surrounded by a horde of eager young fans. The Dinari children clawed at him playfully trying to get Ju-Long to pose for holographic pictures. Despite his injuries, Liam’s bulky crewmate was hamming it up, having the time of his life. During one photo he winced and grabbed his stomach where one of the electrified barbs had struck. Thin streams of red flowed down onto his scaled shorts, staining them a deep vermilion shade.
“Come on,” Liam said with a hand on Saturn’s shoulder. “Let him have his moment. He can meet us at The Sand’s Edge.”
Saturn was fighting hard to suppress a giggle and ended up failing. Liam had to admit that the sight of Ju-Long with a throng of alien kids hanging off of him was an indescribable sight, so odd but yet so fitting at the same time. Saturn’s eyes were locked on the children.
“They must have had children on Mars,” Liam mused.
“I know, it’s just remarkable how similar they are to human children. Also, there were never so many. The colony had strict rules regarding population.”
Liam turned his gaze back to Ju-Long, who had a Dinari kid hanging from his biceps while posing for another shot. He felt a smile creeping up his lip.
After a moment, Saturn nodded and said, “Okay, we should go. Nix is waiting and if we don’t get back soon, he’ll have started on the liquor without us.”
3
The Sand’s Edge Bar, Sector Seven, Akaru Colony
A coarse breeze brought sand up into Liam’s eyes as he opened the simple wooden door to The Sand’s Edge. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and entered the darkened room. It was lit only by a few orbs of glowing light which hung from the ceiling without any sign of string or wire. The bar was empty except for one Dinari who sat on a barstool swilling a short glass of brown liquid. When he noticed Liam, he focused his golden eyes on his drink and downed it in one gulp.
Nix had held a number of jobs on Akaru Colony, but his latest was acting as a guide and mentor for the humans. He’d proven himself resourceful on several occasions, and more loyal than most of the freelancers Liam worked with at Vesta Corporation. The drinking was new, though. Ever since he’d thrown his lot in with Liam and his crew, life hadn’t exactly been easy for him. The Ansarans had made sure of that.
Nix wore the brown cloak and tan drawstring pants common of Dinari in high-level service positions. His scales were the color of the sand outside and rough like he’d been working in the sun recently. When he looked up at Liam, his large eyes reflected the orb overhead, making them glimmer a more brilliant shade of gold.
He motioned for Liam to sit beside him and reached over the bar for two more glasses. He clanked the grubby glasses down on the stone bar top and began to pour. Liam and Saturn sat on either side of the downtrodden Dinari. When the alien was done, he passed a glass to each of them and took a small sip from his own, making an almost imperceptible wince as he did.
“Drinking early, I see,” Liam stated.
“Where’s Ju-Long?” the Dinari asked.
“Soaking in the glory of his win.”
Nix stopped mid-sip and choked on his drink.
“He won?” Nix gasped.
“He performed well,” Saturn said before taking a sip of her drink and spitting it out across the bar. “What the hell is this stuff?”
Nix gave her a questioning stare. “It’s a drink that’s common among my people. It’s called Thecla. It’s made from fermented Nerva plant.”
Liam squinted at his glass skeptically. Finally, he took a sip and forced himself to swallow. The liquid burned on its way down his throat and he could feel it curving along his insides like fire all the way to his belly. Liam clenched his jaw and clanked his glass on the stone counter, letting out a huff of air.
“Strong,” he wheezed.
Nix patted him on the back and said after a sharp laugh, “That’s the way, friend.”
Saturn nonchalantly pushed her almost full glass away and asked, “So Nix, what’s your lead?”
The Dinari’s smile faded and his face became grave. “Reapers.”
“Reapers,” Liam repeated, nonplussed. “You’ve mentioned them before. What are they?”
“Only the most notorious Kurazon vessels in existence. They are wicked fast and known throughout the system for their unique fighting tactics. Not much was seen of them after the War of a Thousand Years, but they pop up now and again, mostly in the drunken stories of merchants and traders.”
“How does this relate to the wormhole device?” Saturn asked.
Liam pricked his ears, the same question running through his own mind. If these Kurazon ships were really what the stories said, finding the Quantum Trigger might be made more difficult.
The Dinari lowered his head toward the bar and swirled the dark liquid in his glass. Nix took another sip and swallowed hard before continuing. “All I know is that the stories are multiplying. Rumors are flying from here to Ansara, our Mother World. When Zega gets here, he’ll—”
“He’ll tell you not to believe in ghost stories,” a thick voice said from the other side of the bar.
Liam turned around on his stool and regarded the bar’s proprietor. Zega was a rather fat Dinari, whose scales always seemed to be bulging as though he were a snake, gorged on a large prey. His clothing was more detailed and ornate than the other Dinari he’d seen, with colored jewels embedded into the soft fabric. He was the overseer of Sector Seven, which gave him certain privileges with the Ansarans who ran the colony. Whether through those connections or his seedy side businesses, he’d amassed an untold amount of wealth. Wealth, that is, in the form of favors.
“Zega, there you are,” Nix began. “What fool’s errand are you going to send us on this time?”
Zega rubbed his plump neck as he waddled up to the bar. Every move he made turned Liam’s stomach. Simply watching Zega for a moment was enough to make him want to gag.
“Am I sensing insolence from my
favorite pupil?”
“No,” Nix said apologetically. “It’s the drink.”
“As suspected. I’ve called you all here because I’ve found a real lead.”
Liam chided, “To be clear, this time we won’t end up making deliveries to your friends in the other sectors, right?”
“I can see by your insolent tone that you’re going to be a bad influence on my Nix. This information was not easy to come by and cost the life of one of my informants. Do not take it lightly.”
Liam opened his mouth to make a retort but thought better of it. Zega’s expression was too serious. Whatever he knew really was important. Which meant it was going to cost him and his crew dearly.
“What favor do you ask?” Liam probed.
“I don’t give you enough credit, Outsider. You do catch on quick. Given the extent of this mission, I will require a rather large favor.”
“What do you want?” Saturn asked.
“War is coming and I do not intend to be on the losing side again. The Dinari are restless, perhaps more so than the Kurazon Throng. When the time comes, I would ask for your support, however things unfold.”
Nix spun his glass on the bar top, intent on the dregs of his drink. His eyes drifted to Liam solemnly. “You do not know what he asks.”
Liam cocked his head to the side and asked, “What do you mean?”
“After the War of a Thousand Years, any Dinari in power were quickly silenced. Most simply disappeared, but a few became examples of what to expect should another uprising occur. They were dark times, Liam. I was born after the worst of it, but what I saw as a child could not be forgotten even after sitting through reeducation. Anyone found to support the rebellion was slaughtered until only the meek, and those wise enough to keep their mouths shut, remained.”
Liam’s eyes traveled to the fat Dinari, examining his face closely to ascertain his intentions. If there was another rebellion and it failed, Zega would likely be dead, so what use would he have for a supporter?
Zega seemed to read his thoughts. “Things will be different this time. The Ansarans are afraid. They’ve spread themselves thin and let our numbers grow unchecked. We outnumber them now five to one.”
“Let’s not forget who has all of the weapons,” Nix interjected.
Zega bowed his head, seeming to grow tired of the direction the conversation was headed. “I’m not advocating a war, Nix. Have I taught you nothing? Whether we want it or not, something is coming. Something is already in the works. The Dinari will be forced to come together or die. All I ask is that you do what’s right for the Dinari people.”
“And what is that?” Saturn chimed in.
“Elect a leader they can trust to bring them through the darkness to a new era for our people. One day, the Dinari will rise again.”
“Zega, the reluctant leader, will be there to save the day,” Nix said mockingly.
Zega smirked and replied, “We all have our burdens to bear.”
Liam took another small sip from his drink out of frustration and instantly regretted it. The fluid had the consistency of motor oil and scorched his throat worse than Ju-Long’s moonshine. His mind came back to Zega’s request. With the Kurazon attack a couple of months before, Liam understood where the rotund proprietor was coming from. The tensions were high between the Dinari and the Ansarans, with each side seemingly itching for an excuse to get into a fight. Toras, the Ansaran Caretaker of Akaru Colony, was no exception. Though he’d let Liam and his crew come and go as they pleased, it seemed like he was never far away, with his henchmen showing up nearly everywhere they went.
What worried Liam more was this talk of Kurazon Reapers. If they really were wreaking havoc on interplanetary trade, then the Ansarans would be forced to respond. Any weakness on the part of the Ansarans might bring Zega’s predictions to life. Everything in him told him it was too early to be taking sides.
Zega folded his arms one over the other, resting on his protruding belly. “Do you even want to find the Quantum Trigger anymore? Perhaps you’re better suited here. You’ve proven yourself…useful.”
Zega was clearly trying to manipulate Liam, but he had a point. Even if they found the Quantum Trigger, they would need to find a way to operate it. The Kurazon had a ship that integrated with it, but with their resources, building a ship seemed out of the question. If they were able to get back to their system, there was still the riddle that had haunted Liam for the past two months. Why was Vesta Corporation’s name emblazoned on the Quantum Trigger? Something told him the answer wouldn’t be found in his own system.
“Regardless,” Liam began, “We need to find the Trigger to get it out of the Ansarans’ hands. We can figure out what to do with it later.”
“I second that,” Saturn said with her hand raised.
A smile crept over Zega’s face. “So, you accept my offer?”
Liam stood up from his stool and stepped up to the fat Dinari. He held out his hand and Zega looked at it quizzically. After a moment, he understood and took Liam’s outstretched hand.
“You’ve made a wise decision, Outsider.”
The front door of the bar burst open and Ju-Long’s thick bloodied frame stood in the bright light, being propped up by two attractive Dinari women. Liam’s eyes adjusted to the sunlight in time to see Ju-Long send each girl away with a pat on the butt.
Liam’s crewmate had multiple bruises forming around cuts on his bare chest. One of his eyes was almost swollen shut with a coagulated line of blood caked to his cheek. Ju-Long was limping up to the bar when he noticed Liam and Zega’s hands still clamped together. He stopped dead and regarded Liam.
“Great,” Ju-Long scoffed. “What do we owe him this time?”
4
Zega motioned for Ju-Long to take a seat at the bar. Liam made his way to him and helped the battered Ju-Long onto an open stone stool. Nix was already finished pouring another drink and slid it down the bar to Ju-Long, who without hesitation drank the whole glass in one gulp. After Ju-Long came up for air he made a face. He shouted, “I’ve got to teach you how to make a drink, Nix. Back home I used to make this stuff called Starlight—”
“Moonshine,” Liam clarified.
“Call it what you want, but it’ll put hair on your chest.”
Liam glanced at Ju-Long’s nearly hairless chest and mumbled, “Clearly.”
Zega crossed his arms and huffed. Liam could tell the Dinari was growing more annoyed by the second. The obese Dinari said, “I don’t have all day. Do you want the information or not?”
Nix drank the last bit of liquid in his glass and slid it a few meters down the bar. He turned around on his hard stool and raised his elbows up, resting them against the stone top. Nix squinted at Zega, clearly intoxicated. He slurred, “Let’s get this over with.”
“We’ll address your tone later,” Zega assured him. “Now then. My informants have uncovered something of interest on the planet Narra. There is a research facility near a small colony of Dinari settlers. For years Narra was off-limits due to an unknown source of radiation, but it seems those reports were greatly exaggerated. I’m told this facility has been at work on an item of interest to the Ansara Alliance. Based on the description I received, I believe it could be the Quantum Trigger.”
Liam interjected, “It seems a little thin. Are you sure you don’t just want us to infiltrate this facility to further your own goals?”
Zega gave him a toothy smile and began to pace around a nearby circular table, stopping on the other side and placing both of his clawed hands on the stone table top, clicking his nails against the surface impatiently. His wrists led right into his forearms without much change in size, captivating Liam’s attention momentarily. The difference between Zega and the rest of the Dinari in Akaru Colony, and compared to the leaders of the other Dinari sectors, was striking. It almost seemed a status symbol on Surya to carry extra weight. If so, Zega was the richest man on the planet. The fat Dinari cocked his head and stared at Liam with
his golden orbs.
Zega said in a smug tone, “I wouldn’t be a very good businessman if I sent you on missions that weren’t to my benefit. This facility is rumored to be where the newest Ansaran technology is developed. No Dinari has ever been inside. Find the Quantum Trigger if you can, sure, but what you see may be worth far more.”
“What do you mean by that?” Saturn asked, raising one hand gracefully to her waist.
Nix spoke up first. “He means you’ve just become his informants. Welcome to the club.”
Zega smiled, his pointed teeth glowing under the golden orbs of light suspended near the ceiling. In the glow, Liam could see stains of drool and lizard blood clinging to his chin. The repulsive Dinari burped and picked at his teeth with a claw, finding a forgotten piece of flesh and using his tongue to collect it.
Liam tried his best not to sound disgusted and probed, “What do you plan to do with that information?”
“What does it matter? You’ll have the Quantum Trigger and find your way home. You’re quite plucky, I’m sure you’ll figure out a way.”
Ju-Long was busy wiping the crusted blood off his cheek and examining his crimson hand in the low light of the bar. He wiped it off on his scaled shorts and regarded Zega curiously. “You really don’t know those two. They’ll keep asking until they get a straight answer. No matter how annoying it is.”
Zega considered the beaten down fighter and shrugged his shoulders. “I’m simply trying to stay ahead of the curve. Information is power in war and in peace.”
Liam stepped up to Zega casually and crossed his arms, making himself appear larger next to the fat Dinari. He spoke in his darkest voice, “We’ll go to Narra and we’ll find the trigger if it’s there. But if you want anything else, it’ll cost you one favor.”
Zega shook his head, his chin fat jiggling along with it, and responded, “Preposterous. I’m putting you up, I feed and clothe you; I even lend you my ship. By now your debt to me is boundless.”
“Saturn,” Liam said calmly over his shoulder.
