Wildstar
Portal Division
By
Brandi Gray
Chapter 1
Welcome to Portal Division
Cheering rang across the pub and ale was plenty. The Exiles had a recent victory over the Dominion. Not via battle but through technology, or rather a slight advancement within the portal division. The Portal division is a secret program started by Queen Myala of the Aurin race in order to gain an upper hand against the Dominion. Many of the leaders of the Exiles saw this as a useless endeavor considering that they already had the ability to teleport from settlement to settlement with just the push of a button. The push of a button yes but it still took a small amount of time for the teleportation to work. Myalas idea was to create an instantaneous leap from one place to another. A way to save lives in the battle field. A way to evacuate settlements in an emergency. A wormhole generated form one surface to another…
The human soldier bumped into a cheering, and slightly inebriated, Granok.
"Yeah! Exiles!" The Granok shouted. Spilling his ale all around him.
The human was cloaked in a long dark brown duster. Perfect for hiding the many weapons he carried on his person. He looked out of place. He was new to Nexus and apparently decided to come get a drink at a very peculiar hour. He had been to this pub before but never saw it this busy. The usual crowed always seemed quite depressing. Today however, there must have been some kind of celebration. Well as far as he was concerned that is. The man walked up to the bar where a Mordish woman was mixing various drinks. Before he was able to order, a vision suddenly caught his eye. Just a few paces away he saw a man with quite a few holoscreens sitting at a booth alone. He recognized him as an old friend from Earth. He wasn't as tall but he was still just as fit as he was. Green eyes and black hair. The broad shoulders and the sharp look in his brows really made him think that he once knew him.
"Jace?!" He yelled across the bar.
The man in the booth stopped what he was doing and scanned the pub with a confused look on his face. The soldier hopped of his stool and quickly walked up to the familiar man.
"Jace! Oh my god dude I never thought I would see you again!" He yelled.
Jace snapped his attention to his right and saw a man walking up to him. Instinctively he quickly shut down his holoscreens to prevent the gaze of unwanted eyes on his work. Taking a second look, he recognized this man. Tall with a somewhat dark complexion. short dark hair slicked back into spikes and a very fit frame. The blue eyes, the goatee and a belt buckle that said U.S. ARMY. Jace Stood up and greeted the man with a firm hand shake and was pulled into a hug. Jace looked extremely happy.
"Blake when the hell did you get here?! It's been two years man." Jace said.
"Two years? I just got off the Exile drop ship about a month ago."
Jace put his hand to his clean-shaven chin.
"Oh, I see what happened. I remember some of the Exile leaders saying that some of the ships had to bypass their jump through space. Apparently, some dominion ships caught wind of where the jump was so several of the ships had to get to Nexus the long way. I had no idea you were on one of those ships."
Blake sat down and motioned for Jace to sit with him. The booth was hard but designed in such a way that sitting on it wouldn't destroy your back. The table had a few glasses on it and some small plates that looked used. Jace sat to the left of blake and picked up his glass, drawing a few sips from it here and there.
Blake rustled his hand through his slick hair. "Two years. Damn I hope I didn't worry you."
"Not at all. Nexus is a pretty big place. I figured we would cross paths at some point again and we did."
Jace put down his glass and interlocked his fingers under his chin.
"So, what have you been up to for the last month?" He asked
Blake tapped the table with his fingers and scuffed a bit.
"Surviving. Pretty much just taking odd jobs to get by. Hell, most of my time I spend camping out in the wild. I sometimes find it easier to hunt my own food then it is to buy it. When I have the money though I will come to places like here or other shops." Blake shrugged. "What about you?"
"I am doing great!" He cheered. "I am here celebrating an accomplishment with my team and the rest of our department."
"So that's what's going on here. I've been here before but today it seems a lot livelier. What accomplishment did you all make? Must have been pretty good if this many Exiles are celebrating."
"Can't tell you." Jace said with a straight serious face.
Blake was surprised. Back on Earth they were always honest with one another. They were bunk mates after all. On Earth Jace was like a brother to him.
"What? Why not?"
"It's a secret need to know kinda thing. I mean you know what it's all about," Jace motioned at blake. "Considering the job you had."
"Yeah, yeah I get it. I will probably figure it out anyway since I- "
"please try not to."
Blake silenced himself. Understanding that it is not his place to know. He shifted in his seat.
"So what else have you been doing besides this whole thing?" Blake asked
"Not really to much. Just been working for Queen Myala for the last year and a half. With this whole secret thing. I mean hey if you're looking for work I might be able to get you into what I am doing. Military background really helps." Jace said while picking up his glass once again.
"That would be pretty damn kind of…"
Blake looked past the glass that Jace was holding and something with a shine struck a chord in his mind.
"The hell is that!" Blake said pointing at Jaces hand.
Jace looked down and was pretty confused. Blake knows what a glass of ale looks like.
"Um, it's a glass of ale. Duh- "
"Not that," Blake pointed from the glass to his hand. "That! What in the hell it that!"
Jace set down his ale and looked upon his hand where a ring sits upon his finger. During his time in the military with Blake, he never seemed like the kind of guy who would want to settle down.
"Oh that's my wedding band. I'm married now." Jace explained.
Blake slammed his hands onto the table and stood tall, giving Jace a little startle. He peered at him with his jaw hung low in disbelief. How could someone as salty as Jace find a woman. The ring itself was pretty standard looking. Just a sleek metal band probably made of silver or white gold.
"How?!" Blake shouted looking like the impossible happened. "How did you get a girl to merry your ugly mug?!"
Jace laughed at Blakes surprise.
"Well we just met one day and everything about her was amazing. We just fit together is all." He said with a laugh.
"Is she here now?" Blake said scanning the pub.
"Yes, she is. She is the leader of my team. Her sister is here too."
Blakes eyes shifted with intent.
"A sister you say." Stroking his chin like some mad evil genius.
"I wouldn't bother. Supposedly there is some other guy that she is head over heels in love with but refuses to tell us."
Blakes mood went south with that thought.
"well that's a downer. Oh well I guess. So, where are they? I would love to meet them."
"tell you what. My wife is wearing a white tank top and Khaki shorts. Her sister is wearing a pink sundress. If you can spot them I will get you a drink."
Blake smirked at that idea. He hadn't had a free drink in quite some time. He began to scan the room looking for the girls that fit the description. At the bar there was a woman, but she was wearing simple armor. There was another over by a dart board but no luck there as she was wearing a t-shirt and blue pants.
"Nope that's not them…" he continued to look. "No not over there either. Is this one of those trick things where they don't actually exist and you're just making me look like an idiot?" Blake said as he turned to Jace with untrusting eyes.
"No, they are out there. I can see them right now."
"But there is no Human female in here that fits that description." Blake said shrugging.
"I never said she was human."
Blake paused and became wide eyed.
"Wait…" He whispered. "What?!"
Blake began to search the crowd again immediately finding two beings that fit Jaces description. At the juke box was two Aurin females. One was Selecting a song while the other was pressed against the glass looking at the various songs to choose from. The one selecting the music was about a foot and a half shorter then Jace was. Which wasn't saying much considering Jace was almost six feet tall. They both had erect ears like rabbits and their hair was pink. Although their hair shared the same color they were in different styles. One with hair loosely slicked back into long spikes while the other had a single braid that came down to her lower back. Blake didn't believe it, At all. Blake snapped back to jace with a fire in his voice.
"Bullshit!" He snapped. "Complete bullshit. There is no way in hell you got the fine ass to marry you- "
As quickly as He said, "fine ass" was as quick as he felt cold steel against his neck. Jace looked ominous.
"Do not talk about them like that. They are not things."
"I know, I know, I was just playing around. You know I didn't mean it like that." Blake gulped
"Yeah I am aware. You should also be aware that I'm playing around as well. With the knife that is." Jace laughed as he showed Blake that he was using a spoon.
Blake scuffed at the thought that he almost pissed himself over a spoon. No one else had to know that though.
"It's still a bunch of crap. No way one of those…" He paused thinking carefully of what to say. "Beautiful Aurin girls is married to you."
"Want to put some money on it?" Jace suggested slapping down three gold coins.
"Hell yeah I will!" Blake shouted as he slammed two gold coins onto the table.
"You're supposed to match my gold count."
"…That's all I have." Blake murmured.
Jace snickered and took one coin out of the pile and back into his pouch. Blake sat back on the bench in confidence.
"Okay. Now prove it." He said to Jace challenging him.
"Alrighty," Jace sat up tall. "Hey Alison!"
The Aurin girl with the tank top turned her head and smiled a very warm smile. Jace motioned his hands in her direction in the shape of a heart. She returned the gesture and turned to talk to the other Aurin girl. Jace looked to Blake who was unimpressed.
"That doesn't prove anything Jace. That could be just some random chick that thinks you're hot. Therefor I just won two more gold."
As Blake reached out for the gold his hand was stopped by the sound of a woman.
"Hey hun who is your friend?"
Blake became wide eyed and lifted a single brow, slowly turning his head in her direction. There she was. The same Aurin that he was just arguing about. She was very cute. Thin brows, a button nose and beautiful large eyes. To make her looks even more amazing, her eyes where two different hues of color. Her right eye was emerald green while the left was an equal shade of blue. Blake stuttered as Jace picked up the four gold pieces on the table.
"No freaking way…" Blake said in disbelief.
"Hi. My name is Alison, Jaces wife, it's a pleasure to meet you." She said as she extended her hand forward.
Blake reached out and shook her hand, forcing a smile through his bet loosing face. Her skin was soft and a pale pink color. She sat down across from Jace and lifted a glass that was half full. Blake assumed it was hers. Therefor the rest of the glasses must have belonged to others as well. From behind Alison came the other Aurin girl. She sat beside her sister and lifted her glass. Inspecting it realizing that it was empty. She huffed a bit but didn't get to upset because she knew that there was a lot to go around in this pub. She looked up at the new stranger and smiled. Blake was in shock. The only thing that was different about these two sisters were their hair styles and the color of their eyes. While Alisons eyes were Green and blue, the other was blue and green and slightly brighter.
"Hello, my name is Jill what's your name?" She said with the same warm smile that she shared with her sister.
"Tw-…tw-…twins…" Blake stuttered with a single twitch in his left eye.
"Well hello Twins its nice to meet you."
Jace leaned forward. "Actually, his name is Blake. He's just star struck because you two are identical twins."
The girls looked to one another and giggled.
"Welcome to the party" They both said in unison.
"Well that's not creepy." Blake murmured. "So, you're really married to each other?" He said pointing between Jace and Alison.
"Yes, we are. Been married for about a year now." She said nodding.
Blake nudged Jace.
"Dude you got married to an Aurin woman that has a freaking twin?!" Grabbing Jace by his shirt and slightly shaking him.
Blake felt a sturdy grip on his shoulder. A very large grip from a very large hand. He looked over his shoulder to find a towering Granuk behind him. He was huge in comparison to the rest of the party at the table. Very tall and bald. Barrel chested and even looked incredibly muscular.
"This boy bothering you guys?" He said in a deep rocky voice.
"No Kren he's an old war buddy from back on Earth. An old friend if you will." Said Jace motioning with his hand that everything was fine.
Kren let go of Blakes shoulder and sat in a chair at the end of the table. The chair was close though. He may as well be right on top of Blake. Kren shifted in his seat and finished off one of the glasses that was at the table. Next to his seat was a satchel that was filled with books of all kinds. In the front pocket of his jean vest was the hanging frame of what was most likely reading glasses. Blake had already let go of Jace and was white as a ghost. He knew that if Jace would have said that they were not friends, that Granuk would have ripped him in half.
"I heard your name was Blake on the way over to the table." Kren said in a stern voice.
"Yeah that's right."
"If you ever do harm to anyone at this table I will snap you like a toothpick." Said Kren while making the motion of breaking something between one's hands.
Blake had a blank stare. The kind of stare you have when a drill instructor is pounding all sorts of hurt into your mind. Jace leaned over and patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry Blake. Kren is like a father to the girls here. He is very protective of them."
"Well that just makes me wonder how your first meeting with beast master over here worked out for you." Blake snickered pointing back at Kren who cracked his knuckles at his words.
"Well I'm alive, aren't I?"
Blake sat back thinking for a moment.
"Well I suppose you're right." Shifting his attention to Kren. "Hey man I'm not going to try and hurt anybody. That's not what I'm about. At least not to the Exiles."
At that moment there was a small sound. Like the ding you would here when getting a message. Jace pulled up a holoscreen which had a message from the portal divisions security team. The same ding was heard from the other members at the table.
"Don't worry everyone, it's a group message." Jace said while scanning the document.
Jaces face grew a smirky kind of smile. The others at the table were confused.
"It's unusual for Jace to smile at a message from the security team." Alison said while bringing up her own screen. "Wow that was fast."
"Yes, it was." Said Jace. "I mean our team is few in numbers so it's pretty easy to get a background check on someone. Especially if you already have their files."
"How did you have Blakes files though?" Asked Jill.
"Wait, what?" Blake said surprisingly.
Jace closed out his holoscreen and looked to Blake as if he had good news to tell him.
"Remember when you boarded the Exile ship? How they put your military record on file?"
"Yeah."
"Well while you were talking to me I sent your files to our security team. You said you needed work and I figured you would be great for our security team."
"Wh-When did you send them though? How did you get them?"
"It was right around the time you were whimpering for loosing our bet about me being married. As for where I got them that's simple. You said you arrived here a month ago so I just needed to pull up the passenger files from that one ship." Jace laughed.
"So, wait. I have a job now? I can work with you again!?" Blake shouted with pride.
"Yeah that's right. I figured you would be great for the security team given your abilities."
Blake was very giddy. Like a little school girl that just got asked to a dance by her crush. A Mordish woman sat at the table with them just to the right of Kren. He gave her a smile and a nod. She was very well elegant, and she also carried herself like someone that demanded respect and returned it equally. She wore a dark blue suit that had a long trim to it like a uniform and the creases were perfect also noticeable was a metal or two pinned to her chest. Although she seemed elegant, she had a purple mohawk. Her eyes were still within her slender face. The majority of Mordish at least had one cybernetic eye considering their condition. With her was a tray of glasses filled with ale. There was one to many for the group. At least that's what Blake had thought.
"Is this the person that our message is talking about?" The Mordish woman said with what was close a British earth accent.
Jace nodded cheerfully as he logged some unseen data into his holoscreen. Probably information needed to get Blake into orientation for the division. The crowd of the pub began to die down a bit. It became a simple level of chat that you would expect to hear rather then the hardcore celebration that was happening moments ago. A waitress set down a pizza at the table that was ordered by the Mordish woman before Blake even entered the pub.
"Thank you very much my dear." Said the mordish woman kindly.
The waitress smiled and was on her way. The Mordish woman began to hand out the various drinks to her allies. Blake was starting to feel a bit out of place. The only person he really knew was Jace and even then, it had been years.
"This is for you hun." She said as she slid a glass to Blake.
"But how did you-"
"I saw you at the table while I was at the bar. I figured it would be a friendly act to bring you a beverage as well." She said with a kind smile.
"Oh… thank you" Said Blake as he took the ale.
"My name is Sylvia." She said as she slightly bowed her head. "It's a pleasure to meet you and I look forward to working with you. I am the head of the medical department so if there is anything you need just come to me. We have an amazing staff that will take care of you."
Blake was amazed at the hospitality of Jaces friends and spouse. He didn't really know what to make of Kren just yet. He didn't dare bother him. Kren shifted a bit and leaned in towards Blake. Blake naturally started to lean in the other direction towards jace.
"Looks like yer workin' with me boy." Kren said with a grizzly smile.
"What does that mean" said Blake looking desperately at Jace.
Jace looked to Blake and then to Kren and laughed.
"Im sorry Blake but I wasn't even thinking about it at the time. Kren is always with us on our excavations that I forget that he is the head of the security team."
Blake about lost it. Even trembled a little bit. He quickly snapped back reality and stiffened up.
"Yes sir!" Blake shouted with his military pride.
Krens attitude changed in the blink of an eye. He could sense the military background in Blakes voice.
"Oh hell yeah that's what I wanna hear!" Kren shouted as he wrapped his arm around Blakes shoulder and pulled him close. "You're just the kind of soldier I need!"
Blake felt a sudden sense of belonging. The kind he felt back on Earth.
"So, are you guys going to tell me what it is we do exactly?" Blake said as he straightened himself out. Kren had a barrel laugh. The others looked to one another. Blake could see it in their eyes that they were not going to tell him much. After all that was his ability.
"You haven't figured it out yet? You're usually pretty good at that." Jace said to him, scratching cheek.
"Well, I don't have enough information yet." Blake responded.
The other four were a little confused. Blake couldn't possibly know what it is that they do yet.
"Jace," said Alison. "How would he know. He has only been sitting at this table for about half an hour."
"Blake has a special ability. Its actually kind of frightening if you think about it." Said Jace as he picked up his glass. "He can read people."
"What do you mean read people?" Asked Sylvia.
Blake kicked Jace and grunted. Jace gave a bit of a grunt himself and stared at Blake. He could see in the seriousness of his face that he didn't want anyone to know.
"Blake if you're going to work with us they need to know."
Blake scuffed and crossed his arms.
"Fine…" He said.
The four were very interested in learning about Blake. Especially now. Jace coughed into his hand and sat straight. Interlocking his fingers together and setting his hands on the table.
"Blake has the ability to learn everything about you just by looking at you. He was trained to be able to by the intelligence department of our squadron." Explained jace while Blake huffed. "Chances are pretty good that he knows a lot more about all of you then you would want him to know."
"could we not talk about this right now." Said Blake appearing frustrated. "I don't mind telling you all about it, but I would prefer not to talk about it right now. Kind of a dark history." Blake explained.
The group again looked to one another and nodded in agreement. There was something about Blakes past that he did not like at all. Or perhaps something he was not proud of.
"Enough about me, what about you two? How did you meet?" He asked looking at Alison.
Alison had cheese hanging from her mouth not expecting the question. She quickly ate what was left and giggled.
"We met at work in a way. He worked in a different department-"
"We kinda stalked him." Jill intervined with a smile.
"We did not stalk him. You did."
"I did not!" Said Jill as she picked up her glass and religiously drank from it.
"The truth is that Jill and I admired him from a far. Eventually we all started hanging out and became friends. Just one day I asked him if he would like to become a steady partner with me. Jill didn't object since she kept saying that there was another man that she really liked."
"We are pretty much the same person as well. We have the same mannerisms, likes in music and food, and in even in men. My man is just like Jace." Said Jill setting down her now empty glass,
"I am really interested in meeting a guy that's just like me!" Jace said with a smug face
"Of course you would you egotistical butt." Said Blake.
"Are we ever going to meet this guy?" Asked Sylvia.
Jill just cocked her head a little bit as her tail flicked back and forth. Blake picked up on the tail motion quickly. He was reading her but not on purpose. She began to rock back and forth ever so slightly.
"Maybe." She said as she shrugged.
Sylvia let out a sigh and tapped her fingers on the table to the beat of the music. Another thing Blake picked up on. Impatience. Possibly.
The music changed, and Alison grabbed hold of jace beckoning him to come dance with her. Of course, she had to do this just as he started drinking. Alison dragged him out of his seat and the two merrily walked to the dance floor where they embraced each other. Jill glanced behind her and a sly smirk came across her lips. She hustled under the table and sat where Jace was and began to eat his food. Blake smiled at the act. It reminded him of when Jace and himself would be at the mess hall and he would trick him into giving him more food. Kren stretched his arms over his head and rest against his palms.
"Look at those two." He said warmly which kind of threw off Blake. "Have you ever seen someone as happy?"
"not at all." Sylvia answered. "Our girls are growing up. It's hard to watch sometimes."
"Our girls?" Blake asked. "Are you really their parents?"
"yeah they are. Well not biological. Our parents died when we were younger sadly. It was during some kind of Exile, dominion conflict." Jill said to Blake while she stared at Jace and her sister.
Blake noticed the flicking of her tail again. The gears in his head were turning and he would do what he could to try and ignore it. After a few minutes the music had changed once again. Jace and Alison returned to the table and sat down. Jace didn't mind that Jill was in his seat so he just sat where she was before. Alison hung on Jaces arm happily and Jace happily let her. Blake Still wanted to know more about the couple.
"So how old were you two when you guys met?" He asked.
"I was 16 when we got married." Alison said.
"Oh okay…" Said Blake as he started a drink which immediately was spit all over Jace.
"16!?" He yelled.
Jace was covered in ale while Alison simply nodded. Blake looked at Jace like he was about to murder blade him.
"16 Jace!" he said as Kren held him down by his shoulder.
"What seems to be the problem?" Asked Kren
"Problem? The problem is that she is not of age!"
"What are you talking about. She is of age." Said Sylvia.
Blake calmed down in confusion. He did not understand why this wasn't a big deal to them.
"Blake. What can you tell me about the Aurin race?" Kren asked him stroking his rocky chin.
"Not much actually." He replied.
"When you first arrived to Nexus you should have been given a small book about the Exile races. Did you not read it?"
"…I misplaced it." Blake said knowing good and well that he just threw it away.
"Well, the Aurin race matures at the human age of 15 give or take a year. Alison and Jill are about twenty four in Aurin Years. So chill."
Jace looked at Blake with dull eyes as he whipped away the mess. Kren pulled out the same booklet the he had received when he first got to Nexus and handed it to Blake.
"Your first assignment as a member of the security team is to read this book." He said pushing it into his hands.
"…Sure thing…" Blake said as he took the book with guilt.
"I apologize for that. Please let's continue. So, did Jace get you a ring? A nice ring?" He asked Alison trying to brush off his show of ignorance.
"Yes, it's such a nice ring. Jill got one from him too. He didn't want her to feel like she was being replaced or anything like that. He's a sweetheart."
"Yup." Jill said as they both held out their hands.
"Wow. May I see them?" Blake asked the girls holding his hand out.
Both Alison and Jill took off the rings and handed them to Blake. They were nice. Two gold bands with a single gem stone placed into the center of them. Alison had a diamond and Jills had a ruby. They were in pretty good condition as well. He handed the rings back to them and nodded.
"They are nice. Way to go Jace. It was pretty kind of you to assure Jill that you two are still there for her." Blake said with a smile.
"We're family." Jace replied looking at his watch. "Damn. Well it looks like that's it for the night everyone. It's getting late and we have a lot of work to do in the morning."
The group stood and stretched. Kren scratching his sides looked like he was just about ready for bed. Alison and Jill walked by Jace and they stood in a circle.
"You can all stay at our place tonight." Offered Jace
"Yes, please stay with us." The girls said simultaneously.
Sylvia and Kren nodded at the offer as did Blake. He was still unsure of what he was even going to be doing. Security? For what? Are they building a weapon or something?
"You never did tell me what you guys do." Blake said with a shrug.
"Tomorrow afternoon we are going on another excavation. You will understand what it is we do then." Sylvia said.
The party began to glow from Jaces housing recall unit. A piece of technology that allowed you to recall to a town or housing unit via teleportation. Jace looked up to Blake and gave him a very serious stare for his next words would change his path in life.
"Welcome to Portal Division."
The division was gone in the blink of an eye. Unknown to the Exiles in the pub, there was a hooded figure in the far corner opposite their table. He appeared human. However, Cassians are never to be trusted.
Chapter 2
Your Secret is Safe
coming soon