"Alright, just walk in, grab some Phase Quartz, walk out. Piece of cake." Kaden said out loud to himself in his ship, en route to Blizar Prime. "What can go wrong?"
"Seriously?" Mags' voice speaks through the ship's communicator, along with the sound of some tools. "Because a lot can go wrong. Most importantly, you getting caught and subsequently left to rot in prison for the rest of your life."
Kaden rolls his eyes. "Wow, you know, Mags, that never once occurred to me when I started building that highly-illegal Dimensionator you're working on right now. I'm glad you're here to tell me that yes, things can in fact go wrong. Thanks for enlightening me from this magical world where everything just goes off without a hitch when you're committing a crime of the highest offense."
Mags sighs. "I just hate the idea of you jinxing yourself when you're doing something so risky." He replies, unamused.
"Mags, I was in the Praetorian Guard. Going to a mining planet to take some purple crystals is not even in the top 100 risky things I've had to do in my life." Kaden tells him plainly. "Hell, I don't even need a gun for this, so I think I'll be fine."
"I'm not so much concerned for you as I am for Kieran." Mags replies, shortly before the sound of a drill is heard for a moment. "Because we really only get one shot at this, Kaden. If you're caught, there's no way in hell that the Council is going to let you think about building another Dimensionator behind their backs if you somehow don't end up in prison. And without a Dimensionator, the only way we're getting your son back is if the Council passes your appeal to save him, and I doubt they'll want to listen to you after you get arrested. So, you'll have to excuse me if I'm being a little cautious about what we're doing… right… now!" He finishes with strain in his voice.
He grunts for a few moments before the sound of clanging metal rings through the communicator. "Phew, finally got that manifold cover off." Mags mutters to himself.
Kaden doesn't respond, however, flying with a grave look on his face as the sounds of Mags' tools continues to fill the otherwise silent cockpit. But after a few seconds, the sound of a ratchet screwing something stops, and Mags speaks up again.
"Kaden? You still there?" He asks.
Kaden takes a breath. "Yeah, I am. Don't worry."
"Look, we don't have to do this, you know. We can stop right now and trash this thing so that we don't jeopardize Kieran like that." He says, accompanied with a small metallic thud that Kaden assumed was Mags slapping his hand on the Dimensionator. "If you're having second thoughts, it's alright if—"
"I'm not having second thoughts." Kaden answers back firmly. "I've been working on this non-stop for three weeks already before I came to you, Mags. I've had plenty of time to perfectly understand the consequences of what I'm doing. The way I see it, if the Council hasn't been listening to me even though I'm a 'Protector of the People' that fought Tachyon and lived, then having a criminal record under my belt won't matter either way." He explains sourly.
He then waves his hand, even knowing it was an audio-only call. "And, sure, if I get caught, it'll screw over any little chance I have now, but I'm not going to get caught. Not before I get my son back, that is. And even if I do fail—which I won't—then I can at least sleep a little better knowing that I did something to try and save him instead of just groveling before a bunch of spineless pricks for the privilege to see him again."
He grips onto the steering wheel again. "So, once I get to Blizar Prime, then whatever happens, happens. Just let me worry about that while you worry about building that Dimensionator."
He hears Mags give a sigh before he hears him tinkering on it again. "Alright. I was just making sure that you didn't decide to get all cocky without being aware of what's at stake here."
"Thanks. And by the way, I wasn't getting cocky back there, just so you know." Kaden replies with some doubt.
"Oh, yeah, sure you weren't." Mags replies sarcastically as another drill is heard. "'I'll totally just walk into this place and smuggle out one of the most restricted materials in the entire galaxy. It'll be a piece of cake.'" He says in a mocking tone of Kaden's voice. "Totally not cocky at all."
"It will be a piece of cake because Blizar Prime is littered with Phase Quartz, Mags, and I just need a single crystal." Kaden retorts.
"A single refined crystal, Kaden." Mags corrects him. "And Blizar isn't littered with Phase Quartz, it's littered with Blizon. To get Phase Quartz, you have to put Blizon through one of those ridiculously gigantic drills they have at the mines, which I don't think you can just casually turn on without getting some attention on you, and that's also assuming that they haven't just shut down Phase Quartz production entirely after the ban."
"And your point is?" Kaden asks tiredly.
"My point is that you can't just land on the planet and pick up the first shiny rock you see and call it a day. There's a reason Phase Quartz is so hard to come by, even under normal circumstances, so it's not going to be as easy as 'getting a single crystal'."
Kaden gives a small groan. "I'm not a dumbass, Mags, I know how to get Phase Quartz! This isn't the first Dimensionator I've had to build before, you know!"
"Could've had me fooled with the way you had this thing hooked up." Mags replies as he sounds to be tapping on it with something metal, probably a screwdriver. "I'm glad you had me take a look at it first, because I think it would've just plain exploded if you tried to use it."
Kaden scoffs. "Screw you, it wasn't that bad. I guarantee Julie's was worse if it stopped working after just one use."
"Hmm… yeah, you're probably right." Mags says. "But then again, we made that one in like, three days, but you had three weeks for this one, so I'm not sure what your excuse is."
"My excuse is that I had to do it from memory after three years, because I can't just look up the blueprints of an insanely illegal device if they're under lock and key in the Center's archives. And the only reason you managed to build a halfway decent one with Julie is because you practically memorized the design from having to constantly tinker and modify the original while you were out mapping the dimensions."
"…Alright, good excuse, then." Mags concedes, making Kaden smirk. "But while I'm here, you mind telling me where you keep all your washers? I tried to find some earlier, but your workshop's a mess!"
"Hey, it's not like your lab's any tidier." Kaden argues.
"Yeah, but that's all papers and notes and stuff, not power tools and scrap metal and… just what even is some of this stuff?" Mags asks as his voice becomes a little quieter from turning away from the communicator. "Is that a bomb?"
Kaden tilts his head at that statement, but then his eyes widen in realization. "Wait, is it a medium-sized box with a button on top, sitting on the workbench to your left?"
"Erm, yeah?" He answers a little apprehensively.
"Yeah, don't worry, that's just a portable cot I made last month as a side-project." Kaden reassures him. "It doesn't explode, it just unfolds into a half-decent bed."
"Oh, well, that's a relief."
"But that cube sitting on the shelf right above it? That is a bomb, so try not to bump into it. The detonators I used for it have a bit of a hair trigger, which I guess explains why they were on clearance when I bought them, now that I think about it." Kaden says casually.
"Wait, seriously?!" Mags asks worriedly.
Kaden laughs. "Hell no, I'm just messing with you. It's just a box I keep my washers in."
He groans. "Dammit, screw you, Kaden." His voice trails off slightly as he moves away from the communicator, followed shortly by the sound of jingling metal as he takes the box before returning to his original spot.
But as Kaden chuckles, he is snapped out of their conversation as the onboard AI speaks up.
"Arriving at your destination." It announces.
He returns his attention up front and sees Blizar Prime coming into view before him. And as he looked at it, he had to admit that despite being covered in industrial mining operations, the purple hue coloring the planet from its natural supply of Blizon gave it a certain ethereal beauty.
But looking at it also filled him with hope, because in that purple hue lied his ticket in finally reuniting with his son again. He had everything he needed to construct a Dimensionator, and with Mags' extensive knowledge and know-how back in his workshop making certain everything's in all the right places, then the only thing he needed left was the Phase Quartz to power it up.
Just a single crystal, and he'll get to hold Kieran in his arms again after an excruciatingly long year. There will be no more worrying if Tachyon got to him like he promised, and no more begging in front of the Council for their approval.
Just one small crystal, and he'll finally get to be a father again.
"Kaden, you there?" Mags asks, snapping Kaden out of his thoughts.
"Yeah, but I've gotta go, Mags. I'm at Blizar Prime right now." He says, gripping the steering wheel with a renewed vigor.
"Alright, but makes sure to call me back in an hour, tops, so I know that you're alright, you hear me?"
"Loud and clear."
"Good. Be careful, Kaden, and good luck."
"Thanks, Mags. I'll talk to you soon." Kaden says as he ends the call.
He stares at the planet for a few more moments, watching the small handful of freighters come and go from the various mines on the planet before taking a small breath and accelerating towards the planet once more.
Mags was right in saying that getting his hands on some Phase Quartz is more complicated than just waltzing in and grabbing some, but no matter how nitty-gritty you get into the details, that's what it boils down to. And if undertaking dozens of missions in the Praetorian Guard have taught Kaden anything, then it's that you only focus on the broad strokes of a plan and improvise the rest, a skill that he has luckily gained an affinity for. If you plan any further, then you're only setting yourself up for failure when a previously unknown problem inevitably shows up and throws everything out the window.
Alister never did approve of his reasoning, but hey, he's made it this far, and it has yet to fail him. It's easier to be prepared for literally anything than it is to be prepared for a single scenario and having to ditch it completely when—not if—when it all falls apart. And Alister couldn't doubt that unlike the plans he made that took five minutes to run through, Kaden's were far easier to remember, just like the one he was running through his head right now.
Get in, grab the Phase Quartz, get out, go home, get Kieran.
Some of those steps were definitely easier than the others, but like he said, he'll figure out everything in between when he gets to it. At least the first one should be easy, seeing that this is just a mining planet and not a heavily fortified enemy compound. And once he gets onto the planet, then getting some Phase Quartz should be just as easy as asking around the miners for—
"Attention unidentified aircraft, Identify yourself." A harsh voice suddenly announces from the ship's communicator, making Kaden jumps slightly.
"Erm, sorry, who's this?" He answers back, perplexed.
"This is a squadron of the Lombax Praetorian Guard designated to question any and all non-authorized aircraft attempting to land on Blizar Prime and to take appropriate action if deemed necessary." The man answers back callously. "Identify yourself so that we may verify your business here."
"Shit." Kaden quietly mutters to himself. He didn't think that the Council would go so far as to blockade the entire planet just to enforce their stupid ban. He was expecting some resistance when he decided to come here, there was no question, but he thought he could at least land on the planet before he had to worry about any questions.
"I repeat, identify yourself, or we may be forced to intercept you."
Well, whatever the case, now wasn't the time to worry about this hiccup. Now was time to follow his own advice, and to improvise on this unexpected problem.
"Please don't, officer, there's no need to do that." Kaden reassures him. "My name is… Kieran. I'm a Lombax, too." He answers.
He was about to give his own name, but there was no doubt that the Council gave these guys a list of people who were likely to try and smuggle Phase Quartz, and Kaden wouldn't be surprised if he was right behind Julie and Mags on that list.
"Why did you hesitate?" The man asks suspiciously.
"I'm sorry, I'm just a little nervous. I've never had to talk with the military before, much less be threatened by them." Kaden replies, trying his best to muster a bit of fear in his inflection. A little difficult, honestly, seeing how he probably used to be this guy's General.
"Don't worry, as long as you do nothing to make us think you're a threat, we won't have to do anything more than talk with you." The man assures him, Kaden noting that his voice was ever so slightly softer than what he greeted with. "But what business brings you to Blizar Prime, sir?"
"Oh, well, I remember Blizar in the original dimension having some beautiful scenery, and now that we've got everything settled down after the Exodus, I wanted to check and see if it was just as pretty in this dimension." Kaden explains. "You see, I've got a little boy back home, and he was too young to bring with me during my trips, but he always pestered me about wanting to see all the shiny purple crystals I've seen. So, I promised that I'll be sure to take some pictures, and maybe a few souvenirs for him, too."
"Wait, you came to Blizar Prime for… pictures?" The man questions. "How could a planet chock-full of dirty, industrial mines be pretty enough to warrant a trip just to see it?"
Kaden chuckles. "I know it sounds ridiculous, officer, but there's more to the planet than just mines. I mean, you can see how pretty it is from up here, right?"
"Well… I guess I see your point." He responds after a brief moment, probably to look back at the planet as Kaden suggested. "But I'm afraid I cannot let you land."
"Huh? But why?" Kaden asks in a dramatically disappointed tone. "My little boy's counting on me!"
"I'm sorry, sir, but as you know, the Council of the Center for Advanced Lombax Research established a prohibition on Dimensionators after the Exodus. And to prevent any possible counterfeiting, they have instituted our squadron to ensure no one tries to smuggle any Phase Quartz off planet."
"But I'm not trying to do anything like that, I'm just here to take some pictures!" Kaden lies through his teeth.
"I know, sir, but unless you have the proper authorization, you are not permitted to land on Blizar Prime." He repeats, albeit in an apologetic tone. "Maybe you can find another planet and just tell your son it was Blizar?"
"But then my wife's going to kill me for breaking my promise! Can't you make a tiny exception for me?"
"No, I have orders, sir." He replies firmly. "The only way you'll be able to pass is if you have explicit permission from the Council or any of the mining corporations on the planet allowing you to do so, so they're the ones you're going to have to ask."
Kaden scowls. The Council's done nothing but disregard his pleas to save Kieran, and he knew the only way one of the mining corps would let him land would be if he was there to work after signing his soul away on their notoriously harsh contracts.
So, in other words, getting onto Blizar Prime legally would be a no-go.
"Are you sure there isn't anything else I can do? I really don't want to let my boy down, much less my wife." He asks, not needing to fake his disappointment this time.
"I'm sorry, sir, but no. And trust me, if there was, I'd tell you, because I know how it feels to suffer the wife's wrath, too. Maybe try Zanifar, instead? I think that's probably the closest thing to Blizar." The man suggests.
Kaden gives a sigh. "I guess that's what I'm going to have to do, then. Thanks for your help, officer."
"You're welcome. Have a great day, now, and good luck with your kid." He bids farewell, before Kaden sees that the channel closes with a growing frown on his face.
"Goddammit!" He cries out while he pounds a fist into the side of the cockpit.
If he wasn't going to be able to even land on the planet, then getting Phase Quartz just become a hell of a lot more complicated than he would have liked. With a huff, he begrudgingly turns around, and starts flying away from Blizar Prime, sending a call back to Mags as he does so.
After only a few moments, he picks up. "Kaden? Did you grab the Phase Quartz already?!" He asks in surprise.
"No." Kaden answers irritably. "Turns out, the Praetorian Guard is blockading the entire planet, so I can't even land without the Council's say-so."
"Wow, they really weren't kidding when they said they'd make sure no one would be able to build another Dimensionator again." He mutters. "But… how are we going to get Phase Quartz if you can't actually get to the mines?"
"Getting to the mines would be no problem, actually, I could just smuggle myself onto one of those freighters constantly coming in and out from the mines, or I could modify some cloaking device onto my ship to get past their sensors." He corrects him. "But managing to get the Phase Quartz without gaining the Guard's attention is the tricky part. I have no idea if they're also stationed at the mines themselves, or if there's some other countermeasure the Council put in place against would-be thieves like me."
"I mean… couldn't you just ignore all of that and bust in there to take the Phase Quartz by force?" Mags suggests as the sound of a ratchet screwing something is heard. "Having a bunch of guards between you and your mission hasn't stopped you before, and if you take the Dimensionator with you, you can grab the Phase Quartz, pop it in, and jump into the other dimension in one fell swoop."
"Yeah, but even I admit that's too risky, Mags." Kaden argues. "The Dimensionator could get damaged or broken in the chaos, which throws everything out the window. And then there's the fact that even if I do manage to get Kieran, I'm still going to be a wanted man when I come back, and I'll get thrown in prison for the rest of my life for fighting the Praetorians on top of using the Dimensionator."
"But weren't you telling me that you'd gladly rot in prison for Kieran when you started doing this?"
He sighs. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean I want to do that if I can avoid it, Mags, I still want to raise Kieran myself. And besides, there are other options we haven't explored, so there's no need to get that desperate just yet."
"What do you mean? If you can't get into the mines, then what other options are there?" Mags asks, who is heard drilling into something again.
"The black market." Kaden answers astutely.
The drilling immediately stops. "Woah, woah, woah, that's a whole other level of criminal activity that we're delving into right now, are you sure you want to mess with that, Kaden?" Mags says worriedly.
Kaden raises an eyebrow as he looks at the communicator. "Mags, you literally just suggested I fight the Praetorian Guard head-on to get Phase Quartz, but buying some off a smuggler is where you draw the line?"
"That's because you and I both know that the Praetorians would try to capture you, not kill you, but you can't say the same thing about criminals!"
"And why would they try to kill me, Mags?"
"I don't know, maybe so they could harvest your organs, or something?!"
Kaden rolls his eyes. "Don't be so paranoid, Mags. I'm going to be dealing with a smuggler, and they're businessmen, first and foremost. It's bad practice to kill your customers. And besides, they're usually the least dangerous kind of criminal to interact with, as long as you got the bolts, so I'll be fine."
"And how are you so sure of that?" Mags asks in a slightly scolding tone.
"Because I actually had to deal with one in the old dimension during the Exodus. My ship ran out of fuel on Rykan V, and he was willing to top me up in exchange for my Gyro-Cycle." He explains. "Bastard was lucky I didn't need it anymore if I thought I was gonna die fighting Tachyon, because with that terrathruster I had on it, it was worth way more than just some Gelatonium, but whatever." He mutters irritably.
"That's…" Mags trails off with his thought before he simply sighs. "Alright, even if this Phase Quartz smuggler or whatever doesn't try to kill you, just how are you going to find them in the first place?"
"That's nothing some good ol' recon can't solve. I just need to scope out Blizar Prime for anything out of the ordinary, ask around some unsavory bars for info, and maybe pay a few people to grease the wheel. If I want the services of a smuggler, then I'll be able to find a smuggler. It'll be a piece of cake." He says confidently.
"Uh-huh." Mags replies in a doubting tone before he's heard working on the Dimensionator again. "Just like how it was going to be a piece of cake to just walk onto Blizar Prime before we had to ditch that idea entirely. You've really got to stop jinxing yourself like this, Kaden."
"And you've got to be less superstitious, Mags." Kaden fires back. "Hell, if we're going down this route, it'll be easier than if I tried to smuggle the Phase Quartz myself. More expensive, sure, but easier."
He sighs. "Just be careful, Kaden. I'd prefer it that you make it to the end of this without having a new scar and one less kidney."
"Don't be ridiculous, Mags, they're not going to take my kidneys. I'm sure a Lombax tail is worth more anyways, especially mine. It's my best feature, after all." He replies amusedly.
"Kaden, just try to not let any part of you get cut out, then, alright?" Mags answers back tiredly. "Unless it's your vocal cords, that is. Maybe then you'll learn how to not be such a smartass all the time."
Kaden chuckles. "Don't worry, that wouldn't stop me. I'd just come up with some kind of implant that'd let me talk for even longer without making my throat sore."
"Of course you would." Mags replies dryly. "So, are you heading off to some underground bar right now to find your imminent organ thief?"
"No, unfortunately, because I still need to do some research of where I can find these hangouts, so I'm heading back to Fastoon now. I'll help you finish up building the Dimensionator, then we can swing by the Center and pick up Julie so we can go out for pizza like I promised. I'm starting to get a bit hungry."
"Alright, sounds good to me." Mags replies. "But just so you know, I could've finished this thing an hour ago easy if I didn't have to look all over your workshop for parts. Just how do you work in this mess?"
"Because it's not a mess, it's an organized chaos." Kaden corrects him. "I know exactly where everything is."
"Oh yeah? Then where's the 2 centicubit durasteel mounting bracket for the primary reflux coil?" Mags asks smugly.
"On the shelf right behind you, third one from the bottom, behind the box of broken thrusters I use for scrap parts." Kaden answers without skipping a beat.
There is silence for a few moments, but Kaden can hear the distant sound of some minor shuffling, before hearing Mags speak up once again. "Goddammit."
"Oh? What's that?" Kaden asks dramatically with a grin. "I know my own workshop like the back of my hand?"
"Shut up, it still doesn't excuse the fact that all these parts you have lying around on the floor are tripping hazards." He sulks.
"Then just make sure to watch your step, then. I'll see you soon, Mags, and remember; we do not say a word about any of this to Julie. We don't want her to get implicated in all of this."
"Don't worry, I can at least agree with you on that. See you soon, Kaden." Mags says as he ends the call.
And as Kaden fully returns his attention back to his flying, en route to Fastoon, he starts trying to come up with good places to start looking for a smuggler, with 'good' being an entirely relative term.
Did he really want to get tangled up in this extremely shady business that is the black market? No, obviously not. But if this is what he has to do for Kieran, then he'll gladly risk his kidneys (and possibly tail) to make sure he gets back home.
After all, he wasn't lying to that officer when he said he made a promise to his family, and he was damned if he was going to break it.
Sorry, seems like my initial prediction of this being a quick two-parter was a little pessimistic, so there's going to be one more coming soon. Hopefully, it'll be the last, but I guess I'll have to see if that's the case once I actually write it down.