Okay, so, I have a quick question. Has anybody else had an issue with uploading stories lately? It seems like the last few chapters have either tried to cut off the first few words of every line, or have submitted as one giant paragraph. I've been able to fix it each time, but I now find myself living in fear of the day when I forget to double check the chapter and accidentally leave it with the errors. It's just frustrating.
But anyways, I am very excited to give you guys this chapter. Last week we got to see Yttri and wheely Lopez, and now you all get to meet Spore! I'm very happy with how he turned out. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter a much as I enjoyed writing it.
We land in a field outside a small town. Dust wafts into the ship when the back opens. This place has a strangely old west feel, despite the space ships parked all around and the aliens running most of the stores. Nick and Tinu head to where they know they can buy food and other necessities in bulk, and I shout out a reminder to get real food. Nick answers with a wave of his hand.
"Yeah, we'll probably be eating Oreos for the next month" I comment, watching them leave.
"At least Grif will be happy" Wash says, standing next to me.
I start to lead him into town, trying to gather as little attention as possible. I notice Wash watching the people we pass. "Something wrong?" I ask.
"No" Wash says, attention snapping back to me. "It's just, there aren't a lot of humans here."
I nod. "Yeah, we do kind of stand out" I admit. "There used to be a lot more humans here, in fact it was a pretty even mix between every species. Things have changed since the attacks, though." A group of Sangheli and Unggoy children are playing in the street ahead of us. When they see Wash and I, they run into a nearby house. I sigh. "A lot of aliens have started to fear humans again, and a lot of humans don't feel comfortable living on planets with aliens anymore. They can all tell we're close to another war, and they don't want to be stuck somewhere where their neighbors today could be their enemies tomorrow."
I wait for a response from Wash, but none comes. We continue to weave through the town. The people we pass give us suspicious and sometimes even fearful looks. I try my best not to make eye contact with them, even though they wouldn't be able to tell with my helmet. I don't want to look like I'm challenging anyone by looking directly at them, and to be honest I feel too guilty to see their faces. I can't help but wonder how many of these people had family or friends that either I or my family killed. My guess would be a lot.
Eventually we stop in front of what looks like a farming supplies store. "This is the place?" Wash asks with surprise.
"You expected it to be obvious?" I say, stepping forward and holding the door open. Wash steps inside and I glance behind me before following him.
The store is dark; the only light in the building filters in through windows caked in dust. Wash bumps into a stand of oddly serrated shovels and I reach out to stop them falling.
"Careful!" an angry voice calls from across the room. I look up and see a familiar face behind a counter. The jackal-like Kig-Yar grumbles as he stands up and slowly makes his way toward us. "I swear, if I had a credit for every time some merc wannabe who didn't know how to clean his own boots came in here and made a mess with their oversized human trash armor, I could close up shop" he grumbles.
"I see you're just as friendly as ever, Spore" I say sarcastically.
Spore stares at me for a moment before recognition flashes in his eyes. "Oh, it's you" he says with contempt.
"Really? That's how you greet all your most loyal customers?" I ask.
"Only the annoying ones" he hisses.
I nod expressively. "I see. So, it's annoying when I happen to see through all the ways you try to cheat us? Is that it?"
"It would certainly be easier if you didn't" he mutters. I stare at him for a moment before he finally smiles mischievously. "Nice to see you again, Sylvia."
Wash turns from where he's been trying to rebalance the shovels and looks at me. "Sylvia?"
"That is your name, isn't it?" Spore asks.
"Sometimes" I say slowly. I shoot Wash a glare that he can't see through the helmet. Spore probably already knew that I used an alias with him, so it's not like the Freelancer really gave anything away. Still, I like to be less obvious about when I lie to people.
Spore rolls his eyes with a huff. "Anyway, I'm assuming you came here for something other than farm supplies" he says as he walks back to the counter. "I think I have some stuff you'll like" he adds. He presses a button on the wall and the top of the counter slides away to reveal a hidden compartment. From this compartment Spore removes a box filled with various devices.
I recognize a few of the devices in the box and immediately decide that most are fakes, the rest are broken, and none of them are the best he has in the store. I also know that Spore is aware I know this. It's like a test for him, a game. If a customer can see past this initial deception, then he'll consider selling them something better. Otherwise, the customer isn't worth the work he went through to acquire the products. Since I've already passed this test before I assume it's meant for Washington this time.
Wash steps toward the counter and peers down into the box. He picks up a small square object that looks like it's designed to clip onto the lower back of the Mjolnir armor. "Speed unit?" he asks, glancing at Spore.
Spore smiles cheerily and nods, the slight crest of feathers on his head bobbing as he does so. "Yep. The very latest in armor upgrading technology, specially formatted to fit all styles of Spartan armor" he brags.
Wash stares at the device for another moment, and I hear a faint chuckle. "You mean an outdated sprint ability that the UNSC hasn't used since the battle of Reach" he says matter-of-factly.
Spore's smile widens further. "You're absolutely right." He turns and hit another button, this one causing a panel in the wall to slide away. He waves for Wash and I to follow as he enters the newly revealed secret hall. "The real stuff's back here."
"Was that a test?" Wash leans toward me and whispers as we walk down the dark hall. I nod.
At the end of the hall Spore turns on a light, illuminating a pristine white room filled with weapons and armor, as well as dozens of other illegal items of both human and alien origin. "Here it is" Spore says proudly. He gestures widely with his arm to indicate the room's collection. "The finest in military technology, without the added hassle of normal legal channels." He stares intently at me and Wash. "Now, what are you looking for?"
I pick up a small speed unit off one of the shelves, noting the distinctive Freelancer design. "Actually, we're looking for information" I say, turning the unit over in my hands.
Spores eyes narrow suspiciously. "What kind of information?"
"We're looking for a woman" Wash begins.
"Aren't we all?" Spore muses wistfully.
"We think" Wash continues as I stifle a laugh, "that she's tracking down equipment salvaged from project Freelancer and shutting down anyone who sells it."
"I figured if anyone would know about smugglers and traders going out of business, it'd be you" I add.
Spore thinks for a moment, then nods. "I have had a few deliveries go missing" he admits slowly. "And now that you mention it, they were all from people who'd sold me Freelancer stuff in the past."
"Are you gonna tell us what you know about it?" I ask.
"That depends" Spore responds, voice and demeanor changing slightly. I recognize this change and know he's preparing to negotiate. "What's in it for me?" he asks, smiling broadly.
I roll my eyes. "How about the fact that we'll be stopping someone who's endangering your business" I suggest.
"You can't expect me to believe that you're searching for this woman because she's been disrupting my business," Spore scoffs. "If I know you, you're looking for her because you need her help, and since you're fairly honest, her helping you will probably benefit her as well. This woman's trying to put me out of business, so anything that's good for her is bad for me." He walks around the room, eyes idly scanning the shelves. "I could help you find her," he says eventually, "but it'll cost you."
"What do you want, Spore?" I say irritably.
Before he has a chance to answer a bell rings at the front of the store, signaling the entrance of new customers. Spore glances down the hall behind me. "I'll be right back" he says, lip twitching slightly. I watch as he sprints down the hall into the regular section of the store, closing the door behind him.
"He's interesting" Wash comments.
"Something's not right" I mutter. I've only ever seen Spore's lip twitch like that twice, once when we first met and he told me this was a regular farming store, and once again when he tried to sell me a healing unit he knew was fake. It's the only tell he has when he lies.
I creep down the hall and listen at the door. A voice whispers excitedly and is answered by a deeper, authoritative voice, but I can't tell what they're saying. I pull the door open a crack to take a peek. Spore is standing near the store's entrance, gesturing excitedly at the door I'm crouched behind as he speaks to two Covenant soldiers. "Oh, crap" I whisper.
Alien names come from Wikipedia, but as a quick note: Unggoys are grunts, Sangheli are elites, and Kig-Yars are jackals. I hope this didn't cause any confusion. I just thought the human terms for them would be considered offensive in their society, and that didn't seem like something Silver would say.