Chapter 3: The Favor
Da'an and Mi'en followed the vendor to a very old, dilapidated, and rusted arena.
"I remember that arena," Mi'en said. "My friends used to tell me all about the hand-to-hand combats held there."
"It was also a stronghold for crime, gambling, and every other thing wrong with this universe," Da'an said.
"Yeah, well, the crime lords own this city now," the vendor said. "After all the dying started, the residents fled to the other territories where the law still has power. The profits, inevitably, started dropping and…well, you're looking at it. People only come here now to make deals, illegal trades, and have gang wars."
"So we can count on everyone in this city to be a criminal," Mi'en surmised. "I am surprised we were not mugged on the way to the bar."
"We have nothing of value," Da'an said. "There is no reason to attack us."
"Trey's in there," the vendor said pointing to a very dilapidated entrance. "I'll have to ask for your weapons, though."
Mi'en jerked away when he tried to take her energy pistol, but Da'an calmed her and took the gun, handing it and hers to the vendor. The vendor gave them one last nod and ran from the arena.
Very cautiously, the two Taelons walked towards the arena's center. Their only source of light came from their own bodies.
"It is way too quiet here," Mi'en whispered. "Were all your meetings with mercenaries like this?"
"Not all of them," Da'an said, "but a great many were. Just keep walking towards the center as if nothing is wrong. Keep your hands at the level of your eyes."
A large spotlight hit the both of them once they got to the center. That was when four Shape-Shifters came at them from nowhere and put guns in their faces. Mi'en and Da'an were forced to put their hands up. The four stripped them of their long robes revealing the full of their forms. They began checking all of the pockets, looking for something. One of the guards pulled out the silver charm.
"Yes, it's Trey's all right," he said. "Stand down men. They're legit."
Another spotlight came on to reveal Trey standing with his weapon ready. The four guards backed away and let him assess them. Trey pointed the gun at Da'an, but Mi'en darted in the way of his line of fire.
"Tell your friend to clear my line of fire or I'll have my guards slag you both," Trey warned.
"Do as he says, Mi'en," Da'an said.
Mi'en sighed and stood aside. Trey continued towards Da'an until the nozzle of his gun was right against her chest. He began to examine her very closely. When he appeared to be satisfied, he began to circle her, assessing her entire figure. After pacing around her several times, Mi'en became frustrated.
"Are you going to speak, or are you just going to keep circling and leering at my companion?" she asked sternly.
"I don't answer to para'shims," Trey shot back, just as sternly.
"You take that back, you renegade!" Mi'en said lowly.
"And what will you do if I don't?" Trey asked. When Mi'en could not come up with an answer, Trey said, "That's what I thought."
"Why are you doing this?" Da'an asked. "You know who I am."
"Not so," Trey said. "The Da'an I know has no gender. You look quite feminine."
Da'an sighed. "If it was my façade you were waiting for, you should have said so." Da'an's human façade reappeared with her white dress. Trey nodded and began to examine her face very closely. Da'an could tell his focus was mainly on her eyes. For several tense minutes, they both just stared at each other with their eyes until Trey suddenly dropped his pistol and bowed to Da'an.
"Yes, you are the real thing," Trey said with a smirk. "Forgive my…leering, but I had to be certain. As a mercenary, you get many fakers trying to impersonate important people for a freebie assignment."
"I imagine that you have met many strange and unusual characters," Da'an said.
"So you survived the ritual and are as free as a bird," Trey said changing the subject. "I never knew you had it in you or that you would come all this way just to tell me all about it."
"I will tell you anything you want to hear," Da'an said, "but that is not the purpose of my visit. You do not charge for information, do you?"
"Depends on the nature of that information," Trey replied.
"I have heard rumors of Taelons in the Haru System. I am looking for one. I thought with your experience, you may be able to provide me with some vital and reliable information on his whereabouts."
"Taelons…be more specific. Do you refer to Taelons like your Synod, or Taelons like yourself?"
"Myself."
"Ah, yes. The Espelons. The Lost Ones. They are the descendants of Taelons who refused to journey to Earth. Apparently, they have taken a different path of evolution, so much so that the Priests refuse to accept them as part of the species."
"They were banished from the Commonality," Mi'en recalled. "The Priests thought that they would devolve, but instead they changed. They evolved into people like Da'an. It was what inspired Nye to start her sect. She wanted to help Taelons who were still part of the Commonality looking for freedom."
"Evolution is a vicious cycle, not so?" Trey asked.
"Indeed," Da'an agreed. "I cannot be certain whether or not the one I am looking for is an Espelon. When I knew him, he was quite Taelon. I doubt he even goes by his real name anymore, but when I knew him, he was called Tay'jay."
"Tay'jay?" Trey said in a startled tone.
The guards all looked at each other with wide eyes. Mi'en's reaction was eerily similar.
"I take it you know him," Da'an said.
"It must have been a long time since you came to the Ma'hatu Galaxy, or else you would know of the reputation of one of the most wanted thieves in the galaxy."
"Tay'jay?" Mi'en gasped. "That is who we are searching for! He is your brother?"
"Am I missing something?" Da'an asked.
"Tay'jay is one of the most elusive criminals that has ever graced the Ma'hatu Galaxy," Mi'en said. "He's never been caught and few have seen his face. They say that he doesn't steal for the money. He does it for the thrill. He's very high profile, and not once has he failed at a job."
"He only takes on assignments that interest him," Trey said. "He's wanted in more areas than anyone, and the reward for him is worth the purchase of your own planet."
"And that's only if captured dead," Mi'en said. "You don't want to know what he's worth alive."
"And you say that he is your brother," Trey said to himself. "It seems that your entire family is a spectacle of fame."
"Only what's left of it," Da'an said. "I would very much like a meeting with him, but I do not expect you to aid me seeing as I have no money to offer you. Therefore, I can only ask for any information you may have leading to his whereabouts."
"If you are searching for the infamous thief Tay'jay," Trey said, "my assistance is imperative, and as for a fee: a chance to meet Tay'jay is plenty for my services." However, the whole time he said that, he was eyeing the charm that was now in the hands of the guard.
"Then, I may count on your services?" Da'an asked.
Trey nodded. "Now, follow me to my ship. In Xanatu City, it's never a good idea to stay in one place too long."
"What about our shuttle?" Mi'en asked.
"It's a big ship, para'shim," Trey said. "We'll pick it up on the way."
Mi'en and Da'an's shuttle was removed from customs and placed on Trey's launch pad. Trey had offered to remove their supplies, but Mi'en insisted that they do it on their own. She had no intentions of trusting Trey.
"You knew all along that Trey would help you," Mi'en said, loading the cargo boxes on a large conveyor. "Why didn't you just outright ask him?"
"When Trey gave me his charm, it was in anticipation of one favor," Da'an explained. "It's an old custom of his species. The charm represents the luck of an individual. If a man has a great deal of luck and comes across a friend less fortunate than him, he has the option of passing his luck on to that friend in the form of the charm. If the receiver has a streak of good luck afterwards, he then has the option of passing on the charm to someone else or of giving it back to the giver. If he does offer the charm back to the giver, the giver has to earn it—or rather, his luck—back in the form of one favor. For one favor as payment, the giver takes back the charm, and the charm's luck is renewed to the giver."
"Then, what happens to the charm?" Mi'en asked.
"The giver then has the option of keeping the charm, thereby keeping his luck, or he may pass his luck and the charm once more."
"Interesting custom, but it does not answer my question."
"The charm is only for one favor," Da'an said. "I do not like to use one of anything unless I absolutely must. I did not compel Trey to help me in the first place because I wanted to see if he would do it without the need to take the charm as his fee."
"So I guess this doesn't count as the favor then," Mi'en surmised.
"No, it does," Da'an said. "But it's rude to outright force someone to assist you."
Mi'en laughed. "You're weird."
"Diplomacy is weird sometimes," Da'an said.
When they finished unloading the supplies, a group of soldiers were ready to aid Mi'en in taking the supplies to their quarters. An officer was waiting to take Da'an to Trey's quarters to come up with a plan to find Tay'jay.
Trey's lodgings were just as Da'an had expected them to be: large and elaborate. It was actually two rooms, both the size of a hotel suite. One was in the form of an office complete with fine-crafted furniture, shelves containing cases full of information disks, and a large crystal desk. His bedroom was even more elaborate with soft, newly polished carpeting, a bed bigger than a king-sized bed with covers made from only the finest materials, and a large bathroom made entirely of a mineral as hard as marble and as white as ivory. That was all Da'an saw just by looking in from his office, but she had an elaborate imagination of what composed the rest of the room.
"You certainly know how to live for a mercenary," Da'an commented taking a seat in a chair as dark as the black abyss outside his window.
"My ship is my home, and as the owner, it's my right to make it look as beautiful as I can," Trey said.
"No objections," Da'an said. "But then your cover is that you are a 'respected' businessman. I am sure your investors would expect something amiss if you did not adapt to their luxurious lifestyle."
"What cover? This is a business. I am selling favors in exchange for a sum that I believe will make up for my expenses and then add a profit. Just because I choose to spend that profit more luxuriously than most mercenaries doesn't mean that I need to cover for it. Speaking of business…" Trey said. He placed his hand on a blue screen imbedded on his desk. The lights dimmed and a holographic image of a large gaseous planet came into view. With his hands as a guide, Trey spun the planet until he came to a set of moons. He placed his finger on the blue moon farthest from the planet's gravitational pull. It zoomed in to reveal a city. "Tay'jay's associates move around often for obvious reasons. They work in a network of planets and moons all over the Haru System. The only way to get to Tay'jay is to get to them, and the only way to get to them is inside the network. Due to our long-standing relationship of working for Taelons, the Shape-Shifters are well acquainted with these associates. From what my agents they have told me, an associate of Tay'jay's is working on this moon.
"Tay'jay never makes a deal face-to-face. It's always done through his associates. That way, any undercover officer, bounty hunter, or simple law-abiding citizen looking for Tay'jay has little to no chance of capturing him. They usually capture the associates thinking that one is Tay'jay, but it never is."
"So what do we do?" Da'an asked.
"I'll have my agent set up a meeting with one of these associates asking for a job," Trey explained. "You'll come with me under the guise of my wife."
"Why a wife?"
"A wife has nothing to gain from the business deal and, in this part of the universe, a good wife knows when to keep her mouth shut. They'll be more inclined to allow a wife to come with me."
"What then?" Da'an asked.
"The associates won't be so apt to tell us the whereabouts of their boss," Trey said. "But with the right tactics, they can be persuaded."
Da'an smiled wryly.
"Do I sense a recollection of the old days?" Trey asked.
"A little," Da'an said. "Of course I, as the respectable diplomat, did not engage in the dirty work."
"Then, this will be a unique situation," Trey said. "We'll have to be watchful of soldiers and officers, though. If there is one thing the quarreling lords do agree on in Haru, it's that Tay'jay the thief must be captured at all costs. Anyone caught in association with him falls into that 'costs' category."
"I understand," Da'an said. "What of my own friend, Mi'en?"
"The para'shim will have to remain here," Trey said.
"Yes, about that…" Da'an said, "while that is the technical name for what she is, the many years of its use have turned it into a very derogatory term for her kind. Therefore, as her friend and a fellow outcast such as herself, I must ask that you refrain from using that term to describe her. Para'shim or not, she is still a Taelon and therefore she must be called one and treated like one."
"Have it your way. I just hope you realize exactly why she's so protective of you."
"I am fully aware of her…condition. Her own sibling has disowned her for that very reason. Still, it is no reason to offend her."
"I understand," Trey said. "We should get ready. If you are going as my wife, you'll require a better dress."
What is that brat doing here?
Silence Bel'lie. He is here to see his siblings.
Half-siblings, or have you forgotten?
I have not. I never will, but you cannot deny us the right to see our family.
…A moment. That is all. Understand?
Yes…for now. Go Tay'jay.
The boy ran to the blue cribs to see his newborn siblings. Both of them were asleep, but as he got closer, the twins awoke. Tay'jay gazed at the one to the left. He could tell the baby was leering at him, inquiring who he was and what he wanted. The one on the right seemed more curious than stern.
Can I hold them?
No!
Bel'lie!
…Fine. You may hold…one. Only one!
Why one?
Because he lacks the strength to hold them both, and I will not risk him harming them.
Fine. Tay'jay, you may pick one of them up.
Tay'jay pulled out a blue crystal and held it over the baby on the right. It seemed curious and reached out to touch it. That was when Tay'jay picked the baby up.
Be careful, Tay'jay. The baby is very fragile.
I will, Tam'bi. He carefully cradled the baby in his right arm and then he used his left hand to hold the crystal over the baby. The baby began to whine when it could not reach the crystal, so Tay'jay let it take the crystal. The baby began fiddling with it, trying to get a good grip on it. Suddenly, it slipped from its grip and fell. The baby whimpered, but Tay'jay pulled its eyes away from the dropped crystal and started playing with his sibling. The baby cooed and smiled. As Tay'jay carefully propped it on the floor and started bouncing it, the baby reached for his face trying to touch it.
Well, they seem to be getting along just fine.
I do not believe it. He's done nothing but cry ever since he was born. I barely recognize him.
Tay'jay always had a certain charm with people.
Do not expect these visits to become routine.
Tay'jay knew that an argument was about to start, so he tried to take the baby to another room. However, the baby's focus returned to the blue crystal. It reached for it and whimpered more trying to grab a hold of it. Tay'jay bent down with the baby so that he could return it to his sibling and then walk out of the room. Suddenly, the crystal began shaking on its own. Tay'jay assumed that a small animal had crawled under it, but he became alarmed when it began to float. It levitated upwards and then floated right into the hands of the whimpering baby. It grabbed the crystal and began to coo gleefully again.
Tay'jay immediately turned to his parents to try and tell them of the amazing thing he had just seen, but the parents had started arguing already. Instead, he just smiled in wonder at his younger sibling, took her into another room, sat down and playing with the baby once more.
"Da'an! Are you all right?" Mi'en asked.
"Oh, sorry," Da'an said shaking her head from the vision. "I was miles away."
Trey had his people fashion a new dress for Da'an. It was extremely elaborate just like all his possessions. The bodice was black with golden weavings all along the front end. The sleeves were long and thin made of a fabric as soft as silk, but as durable as denim. The gown of the dress was long and elegant with black mesh covering it in a tapestry of design. Over the dress itself, Trey had them pull out a thick blue robe made of the finest materials with a barrage of weaving so fine and elaborate that they could have been mistaken for an artist's painting.
"I guess this is the part where we separate," Mi'en said.
"It will not be that long," Da'an promised.
"Well, I just hope you find what you are looking for," Mi'en said eyeing the workings of Da'an's apparel.
"I can barely find my own hands in this forest of clothing," Da'an joked.
"It is a lot more than we are used to," Mi'en chuckled. "It is still very beautiful, though. I just do not understand why Trey insisted on so much."
"Trophy wives are galore in this system," Da'an explained, "and each high society elitist has to have the best. Plus, this clothing gives the benefit of concealing any…accessories we may need."
Mi'en shook her head. "Well then, I will be here when you return. Say hello to the infamous Tay'jay for me."
"I will do that," Da'an said. They both exchanged the Taelon greeting. Then Da'an was on her way to the launch bay.
Trey awaited her in an elaborate blue suit. He led Da'an to the weapons pad.
"Open your robe," Trey ordered.
Da'an complied.
"Here, take this," Trey said handing her a large shotgun. He helped her fasten it under the back of the robe. "And this." The next item was a belt of pistols and energy cartridges for ammo. She fastened it around her waist. "And this" He strapped another large gun next to the shotgun, but this time it was a machine gun. "And these." He strapped several explosive devices around Da'an's arms and around her upper chest along with a load of ammo for the shotgun and the machine gun.
"Do you honestly think that they will not uncover all of this?" Da'an asked pragmatically.
"They know it's socially unacceptable to strip-search another man's woman. Reason number three of why you're pretending to be my wife. How do you think we conduct business deals without getting shot?"
"Things sure have changed out here," Da'an said. "When I conducted the deals we all carried knives and prayed that no one found them and that we would never have to use them."
"Did you?" Trey asked concealing several knives under his pant leg and putting an energy pistol under his belt.
"Nope, but my protectors usually did," Da'an retorted. "For some reason, these people have a hard time excepting the word 'no.'"
"That's one thing that'll never change," Trey said. "Finally…" he pulled her hair back into a bun and held it in place with two very sharp hairpieces, "…an old crime boss taught me this trick when my mercenaries helped him smuggle counterfeit currency to the lord of Erdos."
"Interesting," Da'an said. "Are we ready now?"
"As ready as we'll ever be. Let's go."