We know that at some point, thousands of years ago, an ancient civilization was able to develop FTL travel and created an empire that expanded the stars. We know of their monuments, their writings, and have even gleaned evidence of early encounters with fledgling civilizations coming into their own. The scientific community doesn't know much more than that. Answers to what should be simple questions like who they were and what happened to them elude us to this very day. Theories abound, as is typical, and they tend to range from the mysterious race ascending to another state of existence to being wiped out by an equally mysterious and unknowable force. Thanks to carbon-dating, however, we've been able to chronologically place some of the most recent evidence of this long-begotten race. An oft-repeated image happens to invoke four moons, followed by the vanishing of any further evidence of civilization from the planet in question.
Chapter 18: Calculated
"Hey, Mick, you're back early," the voice announced over the speaker. Mick licked his parched lips as he gingerly took the receiver. "Got a pretty bad haul from my last outing. No need to pull any guys off duty, we can manage with what we got."
"Huh, right! More like you want to keep the spoils to yourself!" the voice laughed.
Mick nervously laughed. "Sure thing, buddy. All we got was some low-quality dragonite ore, probably from some refinery built on the cheap. I got to get a sample appraised before I decide how much of a wash I'm looking at."
"Sure thing. You are clear to dock, looking forward to seeing you at happy hour. Big show today, Rukko and the Boss are both going to be in action."
Despite himself, Mick was interested. "Rukko's fighting? That's been a while."
"Yeah, well, apparently one of the fish we caught took his fancy, if you get my meaning," the voice chuckled.
"No kidding. Looking forward to it," Mick replied as he killed the line. He breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the barrel leave the back of his head. "…Good to be home, huh, Cade?"
"Not planning on staying," Cade snorted, dismissively. "Not exactly fond of this place."
"Most of the guys aren't exactly fond of you, kid," Mick shot back. "Killing Silas and bailing didn't exactly endear you to anyone except the Rev. Absalom was the fun leader."
"I've seen his idea of fun. Didn't exactly mesh with mine," Cade responded as he noticed a familiar-looking yacht also docked next to his intended target.
"You know how to have fun?" Mick scoffed, disbelieving.
"I'm more of a quiet evening kind of person," Cade responded as he holstered his gun.
"Praise the stars," Mick exhaled in relief. "I seriously thought you were going to shoot me after I did your spiel."
"Now what kind of monster do you take me for?" Cade asked as he quietly drew his hatchet.
"How much time to we have left?" Gene asked as Suzuka finished her stances. She peeked up to glance at him. "Around twenty minutes, I believe. Though with whatever Aisha is planning, I couldn't tell you how much time she will buy us."
Gene plopped himself back on the couch, annoyed that all he could do yet was wait for some kind of option he had no idea would look. He wanted to fight his way back to the ship, but even in the unlikely event that they succeeded, the Dredholk would simply destroy the Outlaw Star before they would even be able to disembark.
Suzuka, on her end, was pondering another option, one that would surely infuriate Gene upon her suggestion. An idea that left a foul taste even in her mouth. Suzuka pondered whether or not joining the Rev would be prudent for everyone involved. The Rev's crew was a disparate assembly of individuals, and Suzuka figured the crew wouldn't have too much trouble adapting if they did. Plus, it might give them enough leeway to find Jim in the end. However, she knew how Gene would treat the idea of throwing away his freedom to be "safe." She smiled, sadly, as she sat back down to meditate.
Harry kept tapping his foot in perfect rhythm, constantly glancing over at Melfina as she gripped her face in her hands. There was no way he could bring all four of them out of this predicament alive, he had run those numbers over and over. All he had to do was wait for Melfina's say so, and all she had to do was make the right decision. They could escape together, find his ship and her friend, and start anew from nothing. That was all most people could ever want. So why couldn't Melfina bring herself to realize it?
The Rev walked down the corridor, eyes closed as he braced himself for the penultimate meeting. After this, they'd fight in the ring. To the death. Hopefully for the last time. For all his cruelty, for as much as they hated him, the Rev truly rooted for them all the opportunity and ability to finish him off. Didn't matter to him if it was the gunslinger, the swordswoman, or even the cyborg. Just as long as one of them could do it. Just as long as the girl got her ass off his ship and away from him. Just as long as it would soon all be over.
Melfina felt the piercing burn start behind her right eye. From there, the throbbing pain began to rob her of her other senses. Ever since she had blacked out, this pain had been slowly and steadily beginning to grow. Her eyes watered as her lips trembled. She thought it might just be fear or grief, but some instinct within her told her that wasn't it. There was a lot she didn't know about herself. She was about to learn a little bit more than she would want.
Sighting of the Fallen detected. Initiating security protocol. Objective: Deny the Fallen access to vital material. Personality override engaged.
Suddenly, Melfina felt herself pulled into a mental realm, one that she always thought was privy only to herself when she was in the navigation chamber. The ethereal waters submerged her body. Looking down, she saw a stark white band shoot from the depths of her mind. It embraced her, constricting her mental avatar. Within its scaly, suffocating grip, Melfina opened her eyes to find herself back in the room with the others. She felt her body pick itself off the bed. She felt herself walk to the doorway. She watched as her fist began beating on the side of the doorway.
The annoyed jailer peeked his head into the doorway. "What now? We just served you guys breakfast an hour ago."
"Has the Rev told you of the bargain he struck with me?" Melfina said, flatly.
"Oh yeah, the Sophie thing, right?" the jailer asked.
"I've made my decision," she replied.
The other three in the room were just staring at her. This complete shift in her demeanor and personality had caught everyone off guard. They could only watch as the girl they'd all been trying to protect suddenly decided to save her own skin.
Melfina turned to look at the other three occupants. She looked towards Gene, and the entity noted and disregarded Melfina's affection and passion for the man. A Caster gun would do no good, and his other weapons and skills were primitive at best. She looked towards Suzuka, and the entity noted and disregarded Melfina's admiration of the warrior. Ki would not suffice against the Fallen, the probability was too significant to ignore. She looked towards Harry, and the entity noted Melfina's confusion and fear of the cyborg. The frame, however, would give the Fallen little to work around. The probability of significant obstruction of the Fallen was too vital to disregard.
"Harry MacDougal shall escort me from the vessel," Melfina announced.
Gene's jaw felt like hitting the floor and puncturing the hull. "…Mel…"
Suzuka immediately rushed to Melfina, trying to talk some sense into her, or perhaps simply to ask what she was trying to do. As she clasped her hands, Suzuka looked into Melfina's dead eyes and realized something was wrong.
Harry celebrated the news with all the poise and dignity he could muster.
"IN YOUR FACE, STARWIND!" Harry shouted as he shoved both of his extended middle fingers into the side of Gene's vision. He immediately barreled over to Melfina, knocking Suzuka to the side as he grabbed Melfina by the waist and hoisted her in the air. "I KNEW YOU COULD BELIEVE IN ME! I WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN, I PROMISE!" he shouted in glee!
Melfina's expression hadn't changed as Harry spun her around. The entity ignored Melfina's shrieking and pleading as she managed to wriggle her way from Harry's grasp, turning her immediate attention back to the jailer.
"May I enquire as the whereabouts of the Fallen?" she asked, flatly.
"What's that?" the jailer asked.
The entity hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Have you seen an individual recently with an atypical walking cane?"
"Lady, I'm just going to let you and your loverboy go, as per the Rev's orders himself. If you want to ask about anyone on this hunk of crap, why don't you ask the Rev directly?" he said, jeeringly.
"DID YOU HEAR THAT?!" Harry taunted Gene. "I'M HER LOVERBOY!"
"…Melfina…" Gene let out.
"Harry, let us be off," the entity announced as it ignored Melfina's sobs and apologies.
"Right behind you, beautiful!" Harry replied giddily as she door shut behind him, leaving Gene and Suzuka to balk at the sudden betrayal.
"Well, congrats for choosing, you're free to go," the jailer yawned as he reached for a cigarette.
"Where is the Rev?" Melfina asked.
The jailer snorted. "Huh, right," he giggled as he put the cancer stick in his mouth and reached for his lighter. He suddenly felt two delicate hands grasp his wrist. "Please," the girl said, "it's important to me."
"Well, what's it to you?" the jailer grinned as he looked up and down her body. Harry was prepared to peel his skin off his skull for the look he shot her. Melfina, however, grasped the man's hand around his back and shoved him against the ground. "This body has more than enough strength to permanently damage a joint from this vantage. Where is the Rev?" she asked again, flatly.
"Gah! Probably on his way down right now! He usually comes from the eastern sector!" the jailer got out.
"Adequate," Melfina said as she released him.
Growling, the man reached for his knife. "Now just you wait, you little bit-" was all he got out before Harry kicked him in the head, his skull bouncing from the leg to the wall to the floor.
"Melfina, what are we doing? The XGP is in the western sector of this thing, can't we just…"
"Do you love me, Harry?" Melfina asked.
"…What?" Harry stuttered.
"Yes or no?" Melfina asked again, impatiently.
"…More than anything, angel," Harry smiled.
"And would you do anything for me?" Melfina asked.
Harry nodded, excitedly.
"Then follow me," Melfina said as she turned from him, and Harry loyally tagged along.
Upon the moment the hauler docked with the Dredholk, a chute from the main ship docked with the cargo hold. Piece by piece, every crate and barrel within was taken into the belly of the carrier. As the crew of the Dredholk waited for the hauler's crew to disembark, the certain cargo crates cracked open once more, and Jim found himself hacking into one of the side entryways as the rest of his "team" hovered over him.
"Taking too long," Cade muttered.
"He just started, give him a little more time," Leilong snapped, annoyed.
"So what's the plan?" Mara asked.
"We have two things to secure. Find the spaceship and the girl," Cade relayed.
Jim gritted his teeth, wanting nothing more than to blow this operation and get all these bastards killed were it not for the fact that they were his best chance of having his friends escape their incarceration.
"We'll have to split into two teams. Some of us will have to reach the ship, and the others will find the crew. The guys who secure the ship will also be responsible for the getaway, naturally." Cade continued.
"And what about the crew?" Leilong asked.
"We can fly the ship if necessary, but if by some miracle the crew feels like cooperating, don't hesitate to bring any survivors back alive," Mara interjected.
Cade shot her an ugly look only she caught. Cade did not like his leadership challenged. Mara was past really giving a shit. She had watched the sanctimonious one butcher the crew of the previous hauler. All the wanted to do was finish the job, and not hurting the crew would do wonders for the kid's morale. Not that she expected Cade to really care.
"Done," Jim announced as the light above the door turned green.
"Whoa," Eddie laughed. "The kid beat your record by…"
Cade glared at her, and Eddie clamped her mouth shut. Leilong let out a snicker, taking some amount of pleasure watching Mr. Black's wounded ego. Mara immediately rushed forward and grabbed Jim. "Hey, what are-" was all he got out before she slammed him against her body along the edge of the doorway before it opened.
Waiting on the other end were a handful of bored raiders, waiting for the crew to disembark from the other gate. With their backs turned, Eddie and Cade drew their weapons and fired into the unsuspecting sentries, her staccato automatics being punctuated by his revolver.
Leilong was the first to enter the loading bay after the quick massacre. Cade and Eddie also fanned out, watching for any curious onlookers or reinforcements. "Clear," Eddie announced as she holstered one of her pistols.
"So, who is going where?" Leilong asked as Mara and Jim rejoined them.
"I can find the Outlaw Star myself," Jim piped up. "And I think I'll draw less attention to myself than the rest of you, so if you four won't mind…"
"Very cute, kid," Mara interrupted, dryly. "I'm going to need that ship's med bay. I'm coming with you."
"Lady, I don't need some babysitter, especially not you, you…" Jim hesitated to think of a satisfactory insult.
"…Instigator #38," Cade whispered in Jim's ear.
Jim jumped back, startled. "Gah! You big creep!" he shouted as Cade proceeded to the corridor entryway. "I shall escort the civilians to the XGP. I can extract the designated tech myself while we wait for the girl. Eddie, Leilong, locate where the crew is being held and attempt an extraction."
"Us?" Leilong balked. "We've never been on this ship before. How are we…"
Eddie reached into her belt and pulled out an earpiece. "If we get lost, Cade has this ship's layout practically memorized. We'll start with the holding area and work our way from there."
Cade walked over to Eddie. He clasped her shoulders, with Eddie returning the gesture. Then he slammed his forehead into hers, with Eddie digging her heels in as she pushed against his. Cade began to start muttering, and Eddie began to respond in kind.
Jim slowly moved over to Leilong, not taking his eyes off the sight. "…Is this some kind of weird relationship thing?" he whispered.
Leilong shrugged. "I only just signed on with these guys. Don't ask me to make heads or tails of this."
Mara rubbed the bridge of her nose. "It's this weird pow-wow thing they do every now and then. They speak nonsense to each other for about a minute and then they do whatever they were going to do in the first place. I'm just waiting for the day when they just get over themselves and screw like normal people."
Cade and Eddie's heads snapped back. Cade turned to Jim and Mara. "On me, follow my instructions to the letter," he said.
Eddie strode up to Leilong. "The holding area is six levels above us. If the matches are soon, the crew between us should be sparse," she stated as she ran down the opposite corridor.
"What was that all about?" Leilong asked as he raced to join her.
"Just a friendly little chat," Eddie replied. In the back of her mind, she was grateful none of them had picked up on the outlaw cant, the "official language" of the Carnival. Their previous conversation had been a verbal agreement between her and Cade. Eddie had chosen the last possible moment to ask Cade not to harm Jim or Mara, knowing that bringing it up right before a mission was the best possible time to spring such a request on Cade, who would not be in any position to argue. Naturally, he relented. Under one condition. She had to ensure that Leilong would not set foot on the XGP alive.
Solomon stopped for a moment to stretch. Leaning on one leg, he wondered how the preliminary match was going. Rukko was eager, of course he was, but the sudden change of heart within that Ctarl woman was something that did set off his old school suspicions. That girl was angling for something. He wondered if she was planning a honeypot, and then he wondered if she even knew what that was. For all their greatness, espionage wasn't the first thing that came to mind when one thought of the mighty Ctarl-Ctarl Empire. At least not when brute force still seemed like a viable option.
As he started on the other leg, two familiar faces rounded the corner to face him. The blue-haired frame was startled, jumping back as he opened his arms to reveal two blades. The girl, however, just stared at him, unmoving, her expression not changing.
"Thought you'd have left by now," Solomon stated, unconcerned. "Don't tell me you came here to say goodbye?"
"Where is Montauk?" Melfina asked.
"Not here as far as I know," Solomon replied as he started cracking his back.
"You know perfectly well of him," Melfina continued. "Your current condition was likely his gift to you."
The Rev stopped and began eying Melfina suspiciously. "…Last we chatted, you damn near pissed yourself three times by my count. Now what business would you have with that bastard?"
"My own," Melfina stated.
The Rev cast his gaze onto Harry, who struck a defensive stance as he awaited an attack that never came. "You really think THAT will be all it takes?" the Rev chuckled.
As Harry growled, Melfina interrupted. "Your business is yours. Mine is mine. I intend to leave this ship soon enough. I seek no further quarrel with you."
"…Last I heard, he was in the rec-hall with his two flunkies," the Rev surrendered the information, disinterested in the actions of this schizo-chick and her boy toy. As she was about to part, the Rev suddenly shot forward to block her path.
"Now what business, might I ask, do you wish to strike up with our mutual associate?" the Rev asked as he leaned towards Melfina. "He goes back quite the long way, from what I understand. Shared history, is it?"
"This conversation is over," Melfina stated, dryly.
"Ex-lover?" the Rev grinned.
"This does not concern you," Melfina stated as she tried to move around him.
"Oh, come now, a little gossip never killed anyo-" was all he got out before Melfina pulled out her revolver, slammed the barrel under his chin, and pulled the trigger. From inside her prison, Melfina watched as the creature bound to the body grabbed onto a beam of light as it tried to escape, forcing it back into the body as it was stitched together and healed. Her brief flash of pity vanished as she turned to look at a balking Harry. "Y-you just s-s-shot that guy…" he stuttered in disbelief the real Melfina shared with him. "Melfina" cast a glare at him. "Do you still wish to assist me on this matter?"
"Anything," Harry replied, still rattled by the sudden outburst of violence from someone he never expected such actions from.
"Then continue following me," Melfina said as she continued her way down the corridor. Harry briskly followed her, obedient even as he began to realize something was amiss about the woman he thought he loved. As they turned a corner, the Rev's hand slammed against the floor, pulling his body up as his senses slowly returned. "…that… little… bitch," he croaked. "Feigns the weeping damsel and sucker punches me the moment my guard is down?" He allowed a chuckle to escape. "Girl's after Absalom's heart. So much in common."
As he rose to his feet, he felt the top of his skull, the bullet having exited cleanly as it was buried in the panels above. "Pity. I was going to make her eat that," he groused. "Guess the only answer for that kind of insolence it to take it out on the crew she abandoned. Though if I see her again, she has my sincerest promise that it will not be pleasant for either of us."
The creature on his back began to chitter.
"Sick freak," he muttered. "I don't think I'd even be able to if I wanted to."
It continued to chitter.
"And I'm not letting the crew touch her either. The only law here is my law. If you're disappointed, then rejoin your master and leave me be, for once."
Mr. Howard stared into his glass as Johnny Anslou took more winnings from the table, his previous opponents rubbing their arms as Chauncey counted off the money. To the former venture industrialist/capitalist, it was a paltry amount, but it nonetheless amused Mr. Howard to see the grimacing and beaten grouse over losing their squandered earnings. He leaned back and took a sip as he overheard a commotion nearby.
"What is she doing coming this way?"
"Who, Bev?"
"No, that girl the Rev took earlier."
"She's coming here?!"
"That's what I said, dumbass!"
"Is she stupid or suicidal?"
"Give me a little alone time with her and I'll make her love life again, hehe!"
"Rev said not to touch her, you idiot!"
"Oh, c'mon, what he don't know won't hurt him!"
"And what he does'll kill you."
Mr. Howard listened to the myriad of voices talk about the arriving visitor. Soon enough, they made their way inside. The girl stared him down, and the frame immediately stood in front of her, trying to protect her from the gaggle of leering outlaws mentally undressing her. The girl, however, made eye contact with Mr. Howard. He, in turn, raised his glass.
"After so long, we meet again."
From inside her body, Melfina saw Mr. Howard's true form. She began screaming. Immediately, memories that were not her own flooded her mind. She saw the Fallen, broken and humiliated, as he was sentenced to exile beyond the stars. Eons later, he would return, bringing with him the four beasts of the deep entropic sea. She saw oceans burn, mountains devoured, planets unmade as the last of her kind fought a war they could never win, their powers turned against them as Montauk laughed.
The band dragged her deeper into her subconscious, sparing her from witnessing more of the onslaught against her psyche. Her body turned to Harry. "Harry, I want you to kill that man."
A/N: After some careful consideration, I've come to the conclusion that what I had originally thought of as a "Hard-T" rated fic is actually a bit closer to a "Soft-M." Therefore, going forward, the rating shall be altered to reflect this. I'm sure both my regular readers will not be thrown off by this recent development.