Chapter 6: The Old Days
Tay'jay brought Da'an to a room that reminded Da'an of her own office in the Embassy. There was a black chair at the end of the room with the tools for an energy shower hovering over it. On the walls, Da'an could see several divisions that Da'an knew led to hidden corridors and rooms. To the right of the chair was a black cot with another energy shower over it. To the left of the chair was a transparent blue desk with tiny trinkets and tools.
"So this is where you live?" Da'an asked.
"What do you think?" Tay'jay asked back.
"It is nice. It feels like home," Da'an said.
"Yeah, it's not too elaborate. I've learned that in this line of work, it's best to travel light."
"I understand."
"So…um, I guess we can sit on my cot," Tay'jay said. "It's mainly for when I want to lie down and rest because…my chair doesn't recline."
Da'an laughed. They sat on the cot next to each other.
"So…it's been…a while," Tay'jay said nervously.
"So it has," Da'an agreed.
The two stared off in different directions trying to find something to say to the other.
"I thought I'd have a hundred things to say to you," Tay'jay said to her.
Da'an nodded. "Tay'jay?"
"Yeah?"
"Tell me about myself. What do you remember about me?"
"You were sweet," Tay'jay said simply. "You were really sweet, and I was crazy about you. That's all you need to know."
"What about Ma'el?"
"He was nice, but he got too overprotective sometimes. Sometimes, I'd have trouble understanding what he was saying. I just remember everyone was afraid of him."
"Were you?"
"Sometimes."
Da'an thought for a moment. "Was I?"
"No. You were never afraid of him. That was always the strange thing."
"Tell me about yourself."
"Me? Oh, boy. Where do I start?"
"You could start with the beginning."
"Yeah, funny. Okay. Well, I was born about two years before you from a father that couldn't stand me. The only reason I even got to see you was because my secondary parent barged into your nursery."
Da'an thought for a moment. "You picked me up and gave me a blue crystal."
"Oh man!" Tay'jay laughed. "I so cannot believe you remember that."
"Neither can I," Da'an laughed. "What were you like? What was your caste?"
"Pa'dar warrior…or did you forget? Second best only to Ar'ron?"
"I hated Pa'dar. I considered it an abomination."
"Because it was violent…until it became a ritual."
"Yes. I liked it then."
"Are you still anti-violent?"
"I'd prefer to think of myself as evenhanded."
They burst out laughing.
"So do you remember when you fell off the cliff?" Tay'jay asked.
"Wait. What?"
"There was this cliff out by the Eph'era woods. It was over at this box canyon. Well, Ar'ron dared you to climb it because we didn't think you were gonna do it. You and he were fighting. You made it to the top, of course, and Ma'el and Ar'ron started getting worried, so you climbed back down. You were about halfway down when you slipped. You were hanging up there scared as sha'bra, so Ar'ron climbed up and got you down."
"I…do not remember…"
"Are you serious? Think really hard."
Da'an thought for a long time. She thought for so long that her mind began to drift. The memories reawakened from the ritual returned to her. The lights in the room flickered on and off. All the time that she was searching, Tay'jay began to get worried. The face of a man suddenly came to Da'an. The memory was black and white with no background, like an unfinished photograph. He was holding someone's hand, holding that person close.
"Hey, sis!"
Da'an screamed and the blue crystal piece on Tay'jay's desk skidded across and dropped.
They both looked at the fallen crystal and then at each other. Da'an was ready to apologize to Tay'jay immediately, but all she could do was look away in fear. Tay'jay looked back at the crystal again.
"That…was…awesome!" he cried in surprise. "Do it again!"
Da'an laughed.
Their conversation broke with a large rumble.
"What's going on?" Da'an asked.
"Let's find out," Tay'jay said. He activated the communicator. Report.
Captain, we have an enemy ship pursuing us. It's firing stun missiles. Profile suggests a Jaridian battle cruiser.
Sir, it has opened a channel.
I'm on my way.
Mi'en and Trey were already at the bridge when Da'an and Tay'jay arrived.
"Who is it?" Tay'jay asked. "Where'd it come from?"
"It is the same armada of Jaridians that attacked us on the blue moon," Mi'en said.
"They want the reward for Da'an," Trey said.
"Reward?" Tay'jay asked. He glared at Da'an. "What else aren't you telling me?"
"Why is it that every time new information surfaces that even I never knew, everyone attacks me? I'm not psychic, people!"
Skeptical looks appeared on everyone's faces.
"Stop looking at me like that," Da'an said sternly.
Tay'jay turned to Ar'ron. You know what to do.
Ar'ron nodded and opened the channel. "This is Tay'jay. State your business and do it quickly."
"Ahh, the infamous thief," Dujak said with a grin. "What an honor this is. You must be getting slow to have to show your face to likes of me. You have accumulated a passenger worth a lot of money. We would like for you to turn her over to us, or we will fire photon missiles at you."
Ar'ron looked back at his crew. Even Da'an thought that he was staring at her until she saw Tay'jay nod at the corner of her eye.
"Worth a lot of money, you say," Ar'ron said looking interested. "Well, the way I see it is you are looking to turn in the wench for your own personal gain, yet I am the one who has her."
"Do not try to bargain with me. I will fire!"
"And you'll kill everyone on board, including your precious package. I'm sure she is worth some money dead, but the remains of a dismembered ship are hardly acceptable as proof of death, not so?"
"What are you trying to say?"
"I am a reasonable businessman. After all, look what I do for a living. I propose an exchange."
"I'm listening," Dujak said grimly.
"The Espelon for half of what she's worth alive."
"Not a chance."
"You know, that's what I cannot stand about you people. You are always so quick to judge. If you spent even half of the time you use criticizing others for some beneficial purpose such as—strategizing is a good start—you might actually be an effective army."
"Oh really? And what is that saying about your species since we have had your people on the run for the last thousand years?"
"No, no, no. See, I am an Espelon. You are referring to the Taelons."
"Touché. Well, then, I suppose I will listen to the rest of your so-called bargain."
"You give me half of what she's worth alive up front, and I will turn her over to you, to do whatever unspeakable deeds you deem necessary."
"A reasonable businessman indeed. And why should I believe that this is not some kind of trick?"
"Because, unless you have a very believable look-alike, I'm the one with the girl, not you. No reward without the body."
"I am keeping an eye on you tricksters," Dujak said. "The exchange will be made in six megacycles. I alone shall decide the place."
"Anytime, anywhere," Ar'ron said. "Guards! Seize the Espelon woman!"
A group of men grabbed Da'an and forced her to the ground. Tay'jay was one of them.
"Take her to a secure cell, and imprison her friends as well," Ar'ron ordered.
They hauled Mi'en, Trey, and Da'an out of the bridge, with Mi'en crying traitor all the way.
"A pleasure doing business with you," Ar'ron said to Dujak before cutting the transmission.
The guards immediately released Da'an and the others.
"You know you yell pretty well for an actor," Tay'jay told Mi'en.
"Thank you," Mi'en said sarcastically. "Because that's what I've always wanted to be known for: the way I yell."
"Bitch," Tay'jay scoffed.
"Enough, you two. I suppose you have a plan," Da'an told Tay'jay.
"I didn't get rich just by stealing precious gems," Tay'jay said. "We pull scams like this all the time. We give them a faulty person and take a little something with us as a profit. Half of whatever I make doing jobs goes toward the Espelon smuggling ring."
"Yes, I would know," Trey said. "We did the same thing on the blue moon. That is also why I know this will never work. No Jaridian in the universe is dumb enough to fall for the same thing twice."
"That's why we're not doing the same thing," Tay'jay said. "This time, instead of giving him a decoy, we're giving him the real thing."
"You cannot do that!" Mi'en cried. "The moment we turn her in, we'll never get her back. Those Jaridian ships are giant moving fortresses."
Tay'jay gave her a dirty look. "And that's why you're staying on the ship."