Crais' story
He had looked for some spare parts for Talyn. It almost seemed as if this whole cycle had been spent looking for spare parts and eking out a living.
Besides, Talyn and Crais were still recuperating from the StarBurst inside the Command Carrier. The bond between them had become stronger and Crais was happy to note that at last Talyn's violent tendencies seemed to have been cured.
+++++
After their StarBurst inside the Command Carrier they had been flung into the far reaches of the Uncharted Territories, the open wormhole nearby must have either moved them there or had worked as a slingshot. Neither Talyn or Crais had any recollection of that, nor was there any information on that period in the data-logs. When they regained their senses they were unable to identify the constellations.
Talyn had lost part of his tailfin, which made travel difficult. Crais had sustained two broken ribs and minor cuts and bruises but they were alive and that counted for something at least. In time they mended. It had not been easy.
The first two weekens Crais had survived by strictly rationing the food cubes the Techs had left on board while they were working on Talyn. It barely sustained him but at least he didn't starve. By the time Talyn had manoeuvred them in position near a planet, which catered for space-farers, Crais had lost quite a bit of weight from the enforced diet. He would be glad if a Healer could look at his ribs; then he could start workouts again.
Crais was grateful that the Techs had left the transport pod on Talyn, it now enabled him to go down to the planet.
The credits he had secured in the hidden place in his quarters before they reached the Command carrier were enough to find Techs on the planet to help repair Talyn's damage, for him to go to a Healer and to buy supplies to last three monens. After that was gone he had found other ways to sustain them. For the moment he and Talyn had been glad to be alive.
There had been a sliver of a chance that they would survive StarBurst inside the Carrier but it had been remote. They had never really dared hope that they would.
+++++
By the time they reached Kh'a'terek, nine monens had passed since their StarBurst. Talyn had re-grown his armament. It had amazed Crais that he had been able to do so. Crais had picked up the odd trade here and there as a ferryman between planets they visited or as a mercenary, and bartering in any resources he picked up on his travels. It didn't give him many credits to work with but it was enough to survive.
They had finally worked out the constellations and were plotting a slow course back. Neither Crais nor Talyn were in a hurry to get back to known space.
+++++
Nothing had given Crais any indication that there was unrest brewing on Kh'a'terek when he landed his pod in the spaceport or even at the market where he was conducting his business.
He had just concluded his business with one of the traders at the market and had negotiated to have his supplies brought to the spaceport, when the sound of running feet drew his attention.
Shouts and screams erupted in the market-square as a group of about twenty people came running in that direction, closely followed by what Crais believed was the guard.
The market exploded into chaos as the two groups entered the square. Crais was nearly bowled over by the first man.
The chaos became earnest when the guard started shooting at the fleeing group. One shot nearly hit Crais and impacted in the post behind him.
Crais bristled with indignation. This was ridiculous! No matter what the first group had done, it was sheer stupidity to start shooting in a crowded place, at people you might perceive as your enemies and endangering the ones who weren't, yet...
He glanced about him looking for a way out of this madness. He moved quickly away from the main aisle by ducking between two stands. It should get him to the edge of the square.
His goods would be brought to the pod, so there was no reason to tarry.
When he came out of the aisle he noticed a young woman leaving the square too. She must have had the same thought. The only difference was that she was carrying a gun.
She raised it when she saw him appear. Crais kept his hands open by his sides, showing her he meant her no harm and she moved the weapon away. Crais figured that she must have been one of the groups that had been followed onto the square.
He walked towards the buildings, thinking that people running might make a tempting target at the moment. The woman ran past him and he could hear shooting behind him on the square. He flinched. Under normal circumstances he would have stayed and fought but it had been unclear who the instigators were here. Over the cycles he had come to recognise different forms of oppression and not all of them were by the authorities.
Since the goods wouldn't be at his pod for another arn or so he decided to spend a little time in the local inn. He had no idea when he would have the chance to visit another planet and this seemed like a good opportunity. He still had enough credits left not to go through the embarrassment having to carefully count each one.
+++++
"May I join you?"
He looked up and saw the young woman he had seen at the edge of the market-square. He nodded.
When she sat down, he observed her unobtrusively. She was most definitely one of the most striking women he had met. She had moved with the grace of a cat and her black curly hair hung halfway down her back. Her skin-tone was almost like his, a golden brown but a little paler. Her features were much like his own, only gentler, softer. Her nose was beautifully straight and thin. She carried her Sebacean heritage with pride.
There was nothing on Crais' face that gave away what he thought when he watched her.
She looked at the man in front of her and liked what she saw. She had seen him duck out of the market-square too but had not seen him in their group. She wondered about him and that's why she chose to sit with him when she saw him in the inn. She savoured a flagon of Raslak.
"What is your name stranger," her voice was velvety soft and husky.
"Crais, Bialar Crais," answered Crais. He knew that no one this deep in the Uncharted Territories had ever heard his name.
"Nice," she said, "Lyane Karsid."
He inclined his head in greeting.
"What is your business here?"
Crais was uncomfortable with the questioning, "Supplies."
"Space farer?"
"Yes."
"I've never been into space," she sighed. When she looked him in the eyes he saw they were almost as dark brown as his. "Why did you duck out of the square?"
"This was a local affair. I didn't want to be caught in the middle."
"Pity. You look like a soldier. We could..."
Just then a commotion at the front stopped her from continuing. Three guards had entered the establishment and were looking for someone, that much was obvious. Their eyes fell on Lyane and the stranger who was sitting with her.
They moved towards Crais' table. Without saying a word they hauled her up from her seat. Crais didn't like their rough behaviour and stood up.
"If you're not with her, stay seated," the man who had hauled Lyane up barked at Crais.
Crais moved around the table, "Why are you taking her?"
"That's none of your business," the man replied gruffly.
"But I think it is," said Crais smoothly, "You interrupted my conversation."
Later on, he couldn't say why he just didn't let the man take Lyane away.
The other two guards came forward to stop Crais from making a scene. They should have been warned when they saw the smile appear on his face but, of course, nobody knew him and nobody had seen his warning smile yet.
The first went down with a well-placed Panthak-jab to the forehead, the second with a jab to the neck. Crais turned to the one holding Lyane by the arm. His smile had not wavered, "Now will you unhand her and let us continue our conversation?"
The man drew out his pistol. He should not have done that. Crais' hand shot out, flicked the pistol to the side. At the same time, his other hand gripped the wrist of the man and applied pressure to his underarm. With a yelp, the man let the pistol drop. Crais' free hand snaked up to the man's jugular, rendering him instantly unconscious. He dropped like a block.
"Come," said Crais and ran out of the inn, taking her with him, "Do you know the layout of the city? We need to get to the spaceport fast."
"Why? My friends..."
"Do you want to be imprisoned?"
"Follow me," she ran ahead of him. He was impressed with her speed. Under other circumstances, she would have the makings of an elite Peacekeeper. They ran through back streets and alleyways and reached the spaceport in no time. She held back when he ran onto the tarmac.
He stopped and walked back to her, "I understand that you want to stay but maybe it would be better to hide in space for a couple of days."
"Just hide," she said with amusement.
"Yes, just hide, until it is safe for you to return and then I will bring you back."
She pondered it shortly. "All right," she said, "until it is safe."
They ran to the pod. Crais was relieved to see that the supplies had been brought to the pod. He opened the hatch and started loading as fast as he could. Lyane helped him, realising the urgent need for speed. Once loaded, she boarded first. It was none too soon. The guards had gone to the spaceport to check and started shooting at her and Crais.
Crais scrambled in after her but an unlucky shot grazed his temple and he all but fell into the pod. Lyane dragged him in further and closed the hatch.
Crais shook his head and tried to clear the pain. He lurched over to the controls and started the sequence for takeoff. When he touched the side of his head, his hand came away with blood and he winced. Take off was swift and Crais guided the pod quickly to Talyn. Halfway there his vision blurred and he could feel himself starting to lose consciousness.
He closed his eyes and spoke silently to Talyn, "Talyn... employ docking web... take us in... then move away from the planet... passenger on board... do not shoot." He slumped over the controls.
Lyane panicked. She had never flown a pod before and now the only one present who seemed able to fly the pod was unconscious. They were still moving forwards and soon a big dark red ship loomed in front of her. They were on a collision course. She threw her hands in front of her face, as if that would protect her from the inevitable.
She was surprised that the pod had come to an almost complete standstill and was now guided inside the big ship by some unknown force. The pod was brought inside and parked. The power was shut down. She looked over at Crais but he was still unconscious. Who had flown the pod and had brought them in?
He had looked for some spare parts for Talyn. It almost seemed as if this whole cycle had been spent looking for spare parts and eking out a living.
Besides, Talyn and Crais were still recuperating from the StarBurst inside the Command Carrier. The bond between them had become stronger and Crais was happy to note that at last Talyn's violent tendencies seemed to have been cured.
+++++
After their StarBurst inside the Command Carrier they had been flung into the far reaches of the Uncharted Territories, the open wormhole nearby must have either moved them there or had worked as a slingshot. Neither Talyn or Crais had any recollection of that, nor was there any information on that period in the data-logs. When they regained their senses they were unable to identify the constellations.
Talyn had lost part of his tailfin, which made travel difficult. Crais had sustained two broken ribs and minor cuts and bruises but they were alive and that counted for something at least. In time they mended. It had not been easy.
The first two weekens Crais had survived by strictly rationing the food cubes the Techs had left on board while they were working on Talyn. It barely sustained him but at least he didn't starve. By the time Talyn had manoeuvred them in position near a planet, which catered for space-farers, Crais had lost quite a bit of weight from the enforced diet. He would be glad if a Healer could look at his ribs; then he could start workouts again.
Crais was grateful that the Techs had left the transport pod on Talyn, it now enabled him to go down to the planet.
The credits he had secured in the hidden place in his quarters before they reached the Command carrier were enough to find Techs on the planet to help repair Talyn's damage, for him to go to a Healer and to buy supplies to last three monens. After that was gone he had found other ways to sustain them. For the moment he and Talyn had been glad to be alive.
There had been a sliver of a chance that they would survive StarBurst inside the Carrier but it had been remote. They had never really dared hope that they would.
+++++
By the time they reached Kh'a'terek, nine monens had passed since their StarBurst. Talyn had re-grown his armament. It had amazed Crais that he had been able to do so. Crais had picked up the odd trade here and there as a ferryman between planets they visited or as a mercenary, and bartering in any resources he picked up on his travels. It didn't give him many credits to work with but it was enough to survive.
They had finally worked out the constellations and were plotting a slow course back. Neither Crais nor Talyn were in a hurry to get back to known space.
+++++
Nothing had given Crais any indication that there was unrest brewing on Kh'a'terek when he landed his pod in the spaceport or even at the market where he was conducting his business.
He had just concluded his business with one of the traders at the market and had negotiated to have his supplies brought to the spaceport, when the sound of running feet drew his attention.
Shouts and screams erupted in the market-square as a group of about twenty people came running in that direction, closely followed by what Crais believed was the guard.
The market exploded into chaos as the two groups entered the square. Crais was nearly bowled over by the first man.
The chaos became earnest when the guard started shooting at the fleeing group. One shot nearly hit Crais and impacted in the post behind him.
Crais bristled with indignation. This was ridiculous! No matter what the first group had done, it was sheer stupidity to start shooting in a crowded place, at people you might perceive as your enemies and endangering the ones who weren't, yet...
He glanced about him looking for a way out of this madness. He moved quickly away from the main aisle by ducking between two stands. It should get him to the edge of the square.
His goods would be brought to the pod, so there was no reason to tarry.
When he came out of the aisle he noticed a young woman leaving the square too. She must have had the same thought. The only difference was that she was carrying a gun.
She raised it when she saw him appear. Crais kept his hands open by his sides, showing her he meant her no harm and she moved the weapon away. Crais figured that she must have been one of the groups that had been followed onto the square.
He walked towards the buildings, thinking that people running might make a tempting target at the moment. The woman ran past him and he could hear shooting behind him on the square. He flinched. Under normal circumstances he would have stayed and fought but it had been unclear who the instigators were here. Over the cycles he had come to recognise different forms of oppression and not all of them were by the authorities.
Since the goods wouldn't be at his pod for another arn or so he decided to spend a little time in the local inn. He had no idea when he would have the chance to visit another planet and this seemed like a good opportunity. He still had enough credits left not to go through the embarrassment having to carefully count each one.
+++++
"May I join you?"
He looked up and saw the young woman he had seen at the edge of the market-square. He nodded.
When she sat down, he observed her unobtrusively. She was most definitely one of the most striking women he had met. She had moved with the grace of a cat and her black curly hair hung halfway down her back. Her skin-tone was almost like his, a golden brown but a little paler. Her features were much like his own, only gentler, softer. Her nose was beautifully straight and thin. She carried her Sebacean heritage with pride.
There was nothing on Crais' face that gave away what he thought when he watched her.
She looked at the man in front of her and liked what she saw. She had seen him duck out of the market-square too but had not seen him in their group. She wondered about him and that's why she chose to sit with him when she saw him in the inn. She savoured a flagon of Raslak.
"What is your name stranger," her voice was velvety soft and husky.
"Crais, Bialar Crais," answered Crais. He knew that no one this deep in the Uncharted Territories had ever heard his name.
"Nice," she said, "Lyane Karsid."
He inclined his head in greeting.
"What is your business here?"
Crais was uncomfortable with the questioning, "Supplies."
"Space farer?"
"Yes."
"I've never been into space," she sighed. When she looked him in the eyes he saw they were almost as dark brown as his. "Why did you duck out of the square?"
"This was a local affair. I didn't want to be caught in the middle."
"Pity. You look like a soldier. We could..."
Just then a commotion at the front stopped her from continuing. Three guards had entered the establishment and were looking for someone, that much was obvious. Their eyes fell on Lyane and the stranger who was sitting with her.
They moved towards Crais' table. Without saying a word they hauled her up from her seat. Crais didn't like their rough behaviour and stood up.
"If you're not with her, stay seated," the man who had hauled Lyane up barked at Crais.
Crais moved around the table, "Why are you taking her?"
"That's none of your business," the man replied gruffly.
"But I think it is," said Crais smoothly, "You interrupted my conversation."
Later on, he couldn't say why he just didn't let the man take Lyane away.
The other two guards came forward to stop Crais from making a scene. They should have been warned when they saw the smile appear on his face but, of course, nobody knew him and nobody had seen his warning smile yet.
The first went down with a well-placed Panthak-jab to the forehead, the second with a jab to the neck. Crais turned to the one holding Lyane by the arm. His smile had not wavered, "Now will you unhand her and let us continue our conversation?"
The man drew out his pistol. He should not have done that. Crais' hand shot out, flicked the pistol to the side. At the same time, his other hand gripped the wrist of the man and applied pressure to his underarm. With a yelp, the man let the pistol drop. Crais' free hand snaked up to the man's jugular, rendering him instantly unconscious. He dropped like a block.
"Come," said Crais and ran out of the inn, taking her with him, "Do you know the layout of the city? We need to get to the spaceport fast."
"Why? My friends..."
"Do you want to be imprisoned?"
"Follow me," she ran ahead of him. He was impressed with her speed. Under other circumstances, she would have the makings of an elite Peacekeeper. They ran through back streets and alleyways and reached the spaceport in no time. She held back when he ran onto the tarmac.
He stopped and walked back to her, "I understand that you want to stay but maybe it would be better to hide in space for a couple of days."
"Just hide," she said with amusement.
"Yes, just hide, until it is safe for you to return and then I will bring you back."
She pondered it shortly. "All right," she said, "until it is safe."
They ran to the pod. Crais was relieved to see that the supplies had been brought to the pod. He opened the hatch and started loading as fast as he could. Lyane helped him, realising the urgent need for speed. Once loaded, she boarded first. It was none too soon. The guards had gone to the spaceport to check and started shooting at her and Crais.
Crais scrambled in after her but an unlucky shot grazed his temple and he all but fell into the pod. Lyane dragged him in further and closed the hatch.
Crais shook his head and tried to clear the pain. He lurched over to the controls and started the sequence for takeoff. When he touched the side of his head, his hand came away with blood and he winced. Take off was swift and Crais guided the pod quickly to Talyn. Halfway there his vision blurred and he could feel himself starting to lose consciousness.
He closed his eyes and spoke silently to Talyn, "Talyn... employ docking web... take us in... then move away from the planet... passenger on board... do not shoot." He slumped over the controls.
Lyane panicked. She had never flown a pod before and now the only one present who seemed able to fly the pod was unconscious. They were still moving forwards and soon a big dark red ship loomed in front of her. They were on a collision course. She threw her hands in front of her face, as if that would protect her from the inevitable.
She was surprised that the pod had come to an almost complete standstill and was now guided inside the big ship by some unknown force. The pod was brought inside and parked. The power was shut down. She looked over at Crais but he was still unconscious. Who had flown the pod and had brought them in?