1.75 - A Little Longer


We made it through the asteroid belt and headed straight towards another space station. We’re still in the area where Revrell and Draconian territory overlap, but this area is obviously more Revrell. The ship had some serious damage but we did manage to evade the bounty hunters. Others have gone off to explore, but I chose to stick with Edan and the ship. I’m hoping it brings less trouble to me than any time I tried to explore Tortuga. It took a few days for us to finally get a mechanic, but I’m grateful for the moment of peace to think and recover. After seeing Tortuga, I doubt any space station will ever excite me as much. My wrist comp notifies me that there’s been a transaction done on my bank account. I’m hoping there’s not any fraudulent charges being made.

I’m left speechless when I view my account, there’s got to be some kind of error. There’s enough to buy the farm and have a little left over. Edan said the payment for the warehouse job would be coming soon but I didn’t expect this much. This has to be some kind of mistake. This needs to be split with everyone.

“Hey, is this right,” I ask Edan as he sits on the bench next to me. I hold out my wrist comp for him to view the transfer.

“Yeah, that’s your cut,” he smiles.

“Are you rich,” the question leaves my mouth without passing through my brain.

“No,” Edan burst into laughter. “Most jobs don’t pay that well but you wanted to take everything they had. Some of it was pretty valuable. You’ve turned me into a real space pirate. Nobody says it when you start but the best crews get a big pay day and lay low for a while living a modest life. You take time to hone your skills, maybe learn a trade. Everyone doesn’t do the run and gun every week thing,” Edan stares up above us.

There’s no artificial sky here; it’s an older station that leaves no misunderstandings about what it is. You could be born, live your entire life on Tortuga, die there and be completely happy. This station is a place to repair ships and sleep between destinations. Sure, there are stores and people live here; but they all long to escape. Each time I talk to someone, it’s as if they just know you’re a traveler. They ask about planets we’ve been to; what we do for a living and stories of the adventures they assume we all have. They all want more out of life, and it’s contagious. I have no doubt that Edan would happily allow me to work with him until the end of time and I would enjoy it for a while. But in the end, I would grow to hate it. Like all of these people I would want more. This is Edan’s dream not mine. I wanted to go from planet to planet helping people, maybe having a few glorious battle moments and this is not it. Working for Creed and wondering if every mission would be my last wasn’t it either.  

“You should move to Nyame,” Edan says bluntly.

“Can’t live without your big brother,” I joke.

“No, I can absolutely live without you. That doesn’t mean I have to or even want to. You can keep working on that farm and I’ll stay in the city. We’ll make sure to see each other when I’m home,” Edan pauses, looking from the cieling to me. “I know we didn’t get along right after Evan’s death, but you’re still my big brother. As much as you ran away from the family, you were pushed away. We all pushed each other away. You were just strong enough to leave first. I felt like it broke the family. Dad was never great, but he started drinking more than ever. Mom just pretended nothing bad was going on and you got out of there as fast as you could. As much as I claimed to hate you I took off right after. Do you know why,” I simultaneously love and hate how open Edan is with emotions.

“No, I couldn’t tell you,” I look above us again as I answer.

“Get out of here as soon as you can, don’t let it drag you down like Evan,” the words leave Edan’s mouth now, but they’re my own. They were mine once, a long time ago.”

“Sorry about that, I was a jerk,” I start to apologize but Edan cuts me off.

“We were all jerks, but you didn’t lie. I guess part of me was glad you didn’t think I was ruined, that someone believed I still had a chance. That’s when I forgave you, because in that moment I looked up to you more than I ever had. I even stalked you online and went to your academy graduation. I just couldn’t bring myself to speak to you because I had become a whole criminal already. I didn’t want to embarass or upset you.”

I punch Edan in the arm, “you idiot. Criminal or not, I’m still proud of you. You had the guts to do what I never could and that was follow a dream and see it all the way through without getting distracted or thrown off course. All that time we missed together; I wish I could have it back.”

Edan laughs, “gross. Don’t go all after school special on me.”

“Don’t laugh at me. You know I’m right. Besides, you’re the one trying to get me to move to the place you called a cesspool for crime.”

“Well, you’re a criminal now. You’ll have a mugshot in no time,” he jokes but stops laughing when he sees I’m not laughing with him. “You’re going back aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I’m going back.”

“I knew you were going back to the military,” Edan’s tone shifts, not disappointment, but a unique sadness. “I knew this wouldn’t last forever; I just didn’t know it’d end so soon.”

“Yeah, you told me when we first started this little adventure that I would end up back there.”  

“Are you going to work with that Creed guy again? He sounds like the type to hold grudges.”

“Probably for a while, but I’m hoping for a different division. Something that lets me have my own crew and ship. Something where I can choose my own missions and have real time off,” I take a deep breath. “I envy you and your crew. You’ve all been welcoming to me, even Nastas in his own weird way. But it’s your ship and your crew that you’ve built. As great as you’ve all been, I want my own.”  

“I get it, you don’t have to explain. I get it,” he nods.

“Good because you’re really open with emotions, and I’m not. That was hard for me to say. I’ve been rehearsing in my head for days,“ I exxagerate a sigh of relief causing Edan to chuckle.

“Let’s make the best of what we have left then. We never got to go to an amusement park,” Edan jokes.

“We should because I’ll probably be going to prison when we get back to Nyame.”

“Still want to do it?”

“I need to make things right.”

“Well, don’t be afraid to take a plea deal. Only plea to things you actually did, take any other charges to trial. A jury trial, not a bench trial. Keep to yourself and use the time to learn something new.”

“I forgot you’ve been to prison.”

“No, I’ve been to jail. Big difference. Jail is short term. I can go home from jail. Prison, that’s a little more permanent. Be strong, do your time, don’t let your time do you. Your body is in prison but not your mind, and all that,” the two of us stare at each other for a moment with serious faces before bursting out in laughter. I’m going to a military jail, probably soon, and that’s a good reason to laugh with my little brother.

1.74 - Asteroids


I’ve been on ships that were shot at while landing or taking off. That’s nothing out of the ordinary for some missions. I can say I’ve never been on a ship that’s flying through space at full speed as it’s pursued under fire. I’m strapped in but my body is being flung in all directions. Everyone else seems to have a role to play in defense but I’m useless. Sicker than the first time I went through a bangbepunkt. I’m just swallowing hard, trying to keep the vomit down. Focusing on the burning sensation of stomach acid on my throat as everyone else shouts information between their battle stations. Hollow booms echo as The Pariah returns fire. The sound of thunder shakes the ship with each blow that it takes. This isn’t a movie. There’s no losing them in warp speed. Even if there were a  Hafengdan near by jumping through in the middle of a dog fight would mean certain death for everyone. It’s kill, or be killed. Maybe we get blasted and survive in an escape pod but I don’t think I’ve seen one on the ship. They’re living on the edge.

There’s shouting at the front. Disagreement about what to do before something large crashes into the ship. It’s not like gunfire. Even if the shields had deteriorated, gunfire wouldn’t shake the ship like this. Another pounding sound and the ship rattles. Silence falls over the crew; some kind of tense situation my mind isn’t reading. Shots are no longer being flung back and forth. A few more ship rattling collisions and we start to slow. In the initial quiet, nobody speaks to each other. Just deep breaths, an occasional glance, and the occasional mutterings of what seems to be a prayer from Nastas.

“What’s going on,” I ask.

“Janet has chosen the best escape for us is through an asteroid belt,” Edan responds with none of his usual excitement or even sarcasm. It’s a voice reserved for serious situations. A voice for when he needs to be the captain of his crew and not their friend. I don’t answer as another asteroid scrapes the side of the ship. The sound of metal crunching and stone dragging across it pains my ears but nobody else flinches.

 I just close my eyes and wait for this to be over. Fleeing through an asteroid belt isn’t unheard of. It’s just stupid, something a military ship would never do. I’m trying to keep a calm exterior to show that I’m not worried. I don’t know if Janet is a good pilot, if she does this all the time, or even if I could trust her skill. Inside, my heart is pounding and I’m gripping my safety harness to prevent my hands from shaking out of control.  

The crew of The Pariah remains in complete silence, not even uttering an affirmation to Janet as she pilots us threw. None of them look too worried, staring at wristcomps or leaning just enough to gaze into the pilot's nest and watch Janet at work. The feelings of adrenaline and mission going south are all too common. It wasn’t long ago when I was on Xioshaa walking hand and hand with death. I’ve got scars and a metal arm to prove it. But this is different. In the military, you just die or you’re held as a prisoner of war and eventually given back or rescued. But with this, I might die, smashed into nothingness like the rest of the junk that litters asteroid belts. Even worse I could end up in prison, an accomplice to whatever charges the crew has gained.

“And we’re clear,” Janet speaks.

I breathe a sigh of relief but everyone else acts as if this is just a daily occurrence. I need to go back. I can’t do the farm life, but this is not the life for me either. Fleeing from threats of death, fine. Even fleeing capture, fine. But everything has been a risk. I’ve been drugged, ambushed, dragged into a warehouse raid and helped fence stolen goods. I can’t do this.

“Need a drink,” Edan asks.

“Yeah,” I answer without hesitation.


1.73 - RUN


Outside the museum people scatter in all directions, causing instant panic in the district. We keep our heads down and I follow Edan as he picks up speed; making his way through alleyways and market stalls as if he knows the place well. We don’t speak just move. I’m reminded of a dozen different missions that went bad. We joke on the way in but when things go bad, there’s no more jokes or planning for afterwards. Hand motions and eye contact are the only forms of communication allowed.  

Almost as if in slow motion a creature swoops down from the air crashing into Edan and dragging him across the ground through the alleyway and out into to the market. I follow, I reach for a sidearm that I don’t have as I hit the street’s. Through the crowd of people rushing and shoving I almost lose track of Edan but I make it in time as he manages to use his legs to push the creature away and regain his footing. It’s a Strux, I recognize them from the museum. The Revrell claim to have elevated their species for the purpose of law enforcement and fending of Draconian invasions. Many who don’t live under Revrell control work as bounty hunters, and I’m guessing Edan has a bounty. Insect like, hard exoskeleton, some even hide wings on their backs. I move in to join the fight but Edan waves me off confidently tossing his jacket to the side.

The bounty hunter swings first, Edan redirects his hand, landing a solid punch on the throat. If it were a person without an exoskeleton that would have dropped them. But it gets no reaction from The Strux. The two aback away feeling each other out. Edan pushes forward with a flurry of punches that all seem to be dodged or deflected. Another pause as a market stand separates them for a moment. The bounty hunter closes in with a flurry of body blows that Edan blocks with his elbows. It’s clear he’s a better hand fighter than I am but I can’t relax. The two trade a series of jabs and light kicks. Never really landing anything solid. The bounty hunter lands a big body blow to the Edan’s gut which causes him to back away for a moment. For just a brief second the bounty hunter shows signs of arrogance nodding his head and admiring his own work instead of closing in for the finish.

Again, I move forward but Edan waves me off. The bounty hunter rushes in to have Edan swing some wide hook shots and haymakers that seem to have no purpose until two manage to land on the side of the bounty hunter’s head. He’s shaken by the blows. That’s when I notice there’s no shell on the side or back of his head. Edan has a chance, he’s surely fought them more than I have. I just have need to trust in him.

Edan doesn’t allow time for pause, he rushes in with a series of shin kicks towards the knee. The bounty hunter attempts to lift his legs to block or avoid them. Edan launches a high spinning kick that backs the bounty hunter into another stall. He retaliates, grabbing a pot of liquid and flinging it at Edan. Edan covers his face to avoid whatever the liquid is only to have the pot thrown at him when peaking out. He manages to dodge the pot but the bounty hunter lands a big knee to Edan’s head sending him toppling backwards. Edan doesn’t move right away, but he’s still breathing. The bounty hunter produces a set of shock cuffs from his belt and walks forward.

He’s not playing fair, and I’m not going to let my little brother get arrested in front of me. I rush into the chaos, pushing through the circle of onlookers. Before he can turn around, I’ve grabbed the bounty hunter’s wings and placed a foot on his back. He shouts a gargled scream as I pull like I’m trying to rip them right off his back. I go toppling back to the ground as the bounty hunter goes limp. Edan is standing over me, offering a hand with the pot in his other. I roll the bounty hunter’s body off me and take his hand. A gunshot goes off and the crowd screams.

“Shit, he’s got friends,” Edan sighs either from annoyance or exhaustion.

“They’ve got guns too.”

“We should just run.”

“Which way,” is all I can ask before he takes off and I follow.

It feels like I’m back at the market when Edan abducted me, only this time, he’s running slightly ahead of me leading the way. Edan leads us down an alley and further down a set of stairs. We duck through a corridor and climb a fence as the chaos continues. I spot three more Strux chasing after us. Back on the market floor Edan starts to tip a stand of fruit, I catch up and help before we continue to run. Something tells me not to look back, but I take a glance. The bounty hunters aren’t stopping but the strange fruit does slow them just a bit.

“Ship is ready,” someone calls in to Edan but I can’t make out who.

“Coming in hot, be ready for a rough launch,” he shouts back.

We almost make it to the docks, before one of the bounty hunters manages to grab me by the arm. I throw a few punches but can’t manage to get away. The bounty hunter screams in pain as smoke pours out of their side. I spot Nastas pulling a short but red hot knife from their side and kicking them away. He tosses me a black holdall as I give him a nod of gratitude. The bag is heavy but I don’t question him right now. He’s running slightly behind me carrying  a bag of his own as we move through the tunnel towards the docks. The ship is in sight, we’re in the home stretch now.

A heavy shot rings out and echoes through the docks as we near the ship. A pile of crates detonates before us, finally bringing us to a stop. My body sucks in wind air stinging my chest. Suddenly my legs ache after running, hiding and fighting for what seems like an hour. Edan and Nastas are equally as tired. Edan running with me the entire time, and Nastas clearly on his own chase, brining a new bounty hunter with him. The number has risen to five. There’s three of us, and they’re well-armed.

“We have you outnumbered,” one of The Bounty hunters says.

“Yes, but we have a Velphi,” Edan smiles.

“I hardly think now is the best time to be making jokes,” Nastas takes a deep breath. “We are in a life or death or prison situation. I don’t know about you humans but Meteorians believe prison is just as bad as bowing before another species. Live free or die, that is what my uncle always said.”

“I think now is a great time for jokes,” Edan tries to shrug while breathing heavily. “Besides when is the last time either of us went to jail?”

“What is a Velphi,” one of the bounty hunters asks.

“Are you two stalling for time,” I ask.

“I just think they should know what a Velphi is,” Edan responds.

“I hardly think that is any of their business. A Velphi is a trade secret, no, a company secret that we guard most dearly,” Nastas argues.

“I just feel like we should tell them and get it over with,” I join the fun.

“What is a Velphi,” another guard asks aggressively before Velphi’s massive body appears in the sky casting a shadow from so high above.

“That’s a Velphi,” Edan points up.

Their guns take aim at Velphi, the mythical Alpha Draconian their species was elevated to kill. Based on their reactions, they have never seen one before, a real one. There are plenty of species refered to as Draconians because they’re subjects of the empire, but Velphi is the real deal. The original species that conqured so many others. I understand their shock, I had the same reaction, actually, I think I was less afraid. Velphi is the culmination of centuries worth of nightmares. Not just for the five in front of us, but for their entire species. They raise their guns slowly to fire, too afraid to say anything. Velphi lets out a massive roar, that sends chills down my spine. A sound made of pure killing intent from the gentle soul I know just seems unthinkable. From here he does look like a dragon and commands the same respect as one. Will The Strux rise to be the knights they were trained to be by The Revrell in order to slay the dragon that had only been myth to them before, or will they cower? One of the bounty hunters fires their weapon. From this angle I can’t tell if Velphi was hit, but he doesn’t budge until the next round leaves the gun. With no warning he opens his mouth and begins to blow out flames that warp and shift until a massive fireball is heading towards the bounty hunters with speed.  

The three of us rush onto the ship followed by Velphi. He’s embraced with hugs and cheers as the door closes. He saved our asses and should be treated as a hero.