Novels2Search

4. New Rogues

Salia Gray:

We’re here—Loffi’s hideout.

As I approach, the hideout rises from the ground like a metallic dome, its curved surface glinting in the faint light. The silver metal that once covered it has dulled with time, patches of rust creeping along the edges and seams. It gives off an air of abandonment, but I know better. This place has seen years of wear and tear, but it’s still standing strong.

Excitement bubbles up in my chest as we approach. It’s been too long since I’ve seen Lakkel and the others, but a nervous knot forms in my stomach at the same time. Sure, I’m thrilled to see them, but I’m also about to drop the bomb that I’ve brought along five aliens who need a place to crash. Not exactly a casual reunion. It’s funny, in a messed-up sort of way.

I glance back at Barrako, still knocked out and snoring softly. Might as well let him sleep a bit longer—I’ll need all the peace I can get before breaking the news. Suddenly, I hear a loud clunk followed by the unmistakable sound of slurred humming. A grin spreads across my face. There he is.

“What's all this noise?” a familiar, raspy voice calls out. I turn to see him, standing by the entrance. Lakkel. The same grizzled, bloated figure I remember, cheeks flushed with what’s probably his tenth drink of the day. His round belly stretches over his belt, and the bottle in his hand confirms he’s well into his routine.

I step out of the Haven, nerves gnawing at me as I make my way toward him. Before I even get a word out, Lakkel spots me and bursts into a laugh.

"Hey, Salia! Been a while since I’ve seen those bugged eyes of yours! Hahaha!" He stumbles slightly, swaggering over with his usual careless grin.

"I do not have bugged eyes!" I shoot back, rolling mine in mock annoyance, though I can't help but laugh too.

"Still the same old Lakkel, huh?" I shake my head. "And I see you haven’t lost any weight either."

"Weight’s just wisdom in disguise," he says with a snicker, patting his belly like it’s a badge of honor.

His smile falters for a second as he narrows his eyes at me. "Alright, Salia, don’t act like I didn’t notice."

"Notice what?"

"You finally came to have a few drinks with your favorite warrior, Lakkel!" He laughs, loud and carefree, clearly enjoying himself. Is he serious right now?

I raise an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Is that really what you think I’m here for?"

He chuckles, but his eyes sharpen, catching the tension I can’t quite hide. "No, seriously though," he says, voice dropping just enough to show he's paying attention. "You walked out of that vehicle looking like you’ve seen a ghost. What’s going on, Salia?"

"I... have some friends that need a place to crash," I admit, hesitating.

Lakkel sighs heavily, his jovial expression fading. "You know how dangerous bringing new people can be for Finn, Grella, and me. We can’t afford the risk."

"I know, I do," I insist, meeting his eyes. "But these guys... they’re also on the run from the Empire. They won’t tell anyone. They can't afford to."

I can still see the doubt lingering on his face, so I try a different approach. "Look, it’ll be easier if I just show you," I say, hoping he’ll understand once he sees them.

I head to the back of the Haven to wake Barrako, but as I approach, I notice he’s already awake, standing by the pods and ready to go. "Do you want me to carry them in?" he asks. I blink, caught off guard for a moment. I had always heard Veloxians were primitive, so his understanding and initiative are a little surprising.

"Uh, yes. Thank you," I manage to say, shaking off the surprise. I take a deep breath as we start unloading the pods. The air feels heavier with each step, knowing that Barrako’s about to meet Lakkel. As we approach, Lakkel turns around, ready to make some cheeky remark, but the second his eyes land on Barrako, his expression shifts.

His mouth drops open, his usual playful demeanor completely gone, replaced by awe. Lakkel’s eyes bulge as he takes in the sight of Barrako. For the first time in what feels like forever, he’s left speechless, a rare thing for someone with a mouth as reckless as his.

"W-what in the stars...?" Lakkel stammers, pointing incredulously. "How in the hell did you get your hands on a Veloxian? And does it... talk?"

Barrako’s expression tightens, but he remains respectful, bowing his head slightly. "Hello, sir. Nice to meet you."

Lakkel jumps, nearly stumbling backward. "It talks?!"

Barrako’s eyes narrow in irritation. "Why does he keep calling me ‘it’?"

Salia awkwardly chuckles. "Don’t take it personally, Barrako. Lakkel’s an idiot and drunk half the time. It’s just how he is."

Trying to reel things in, Salia turns to Lakkel, all urgency in her tone. “Lakkel, listen. I really need your help. This is serious. I’m in danger—we’re in danger. And these people I’ve brought with me need somewhere safe to stay.”

Lakkel rubs the back of his head, looking torn. "I haven’t seen you in months, Salia, and this is how you show up—dragging danger and a crew of strangers behind you? You really know how to pick your timing, don’t you?"

He sighs, waving his hand dismissively. "Fine, fine... bring your bug-eyed ass and your new friends inside," he grumbles, turning on his heel and heading towards the rusted doorway. "But this better not bring me more trouble than I’m already in."

Salia lets out a relieved breath as they follow him into the hideout, with Barrako trailing behind, still glaring at Lakkel’s back.

The hideout looks just as I remember it—small and unassuming from the outside, but as I step inside, I'm greeted by a familiar sight: a narrow staircase spiraling down into the depths below. Anticipation bubbles within me as I descend, eager to see Finn and Grella again.

Reaching the bottom, I find myself in a vast, rectangular space that feels like a one-person apartment, yet it's far from cozy. Computer screens flicker along the walls, their wires crisscrossing like veins across the floor, creating a chaotic tapestry of technology and innovation. The damn floor is still a mess—blankets and pillows strewn everywhere and three hammocks hang from the ceiling, swaying slightly. I know I hate the room but I still miss spending the night here. It was so fun.

As I scan the room, I spot Grella, utterly absorbed in her work. She’s as captivating as ever, with her smooth jade skin glowing softly in the dim light and dark green hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. Her goggles sit askew on her forehead, and she’s clad in her well-worn brown lab coat, the same one she wore the last time I saw her, as if she never wanted to part with it. Sparks fly from the tweezers she wields, illuminating her focused expression. She’s so engrossed in her project that she hasn’t even noticed my arrival, and a smile creeps across my face at the sight of her. I missed her so much.

“Hey, Grella, over here!” I wave, trying to catch her attention.

“Is that Salia’s voice I hear?” she asks, turning her head slowly. As soon as her eyes land on me, she lets out an ear-splitting scream.

“AHHHHH!!”

We all flinch at the sound. At first, I’m confused, but then I remembered I have an alien standing right behind me. “What the fuck is that?” I glance back at Barrako, who’s nonchalantly picking his ear, clearly unimpressed by the chaos unfolding around him.

“Grella, relax! This is Barrako; he’s a Veloxian, he won’t hurt you.” I realize then that Grella and Finn haven’t had the luxury of traveling through outer space, so seeing anything other than a Mylon in person must be a little jarring for them.

“I get it; he looks a bit intimidating, but he’s not bad at all.”

“A little? The thing is a monster! Look at those eyes! And—wait…”

“What?” I ask, already anticipating the next freakout.

“What’s in those pods?” Lakkel chimes in, his grin stretching impossibly wide. “More of them, Hah!”

Grella grips a sharp tool, her eyes wide with panic. “Get me out of here now! Fuck, you guys are blocking the exit!”

Ugh, this is too much. Lakkel is in the background, practically wheezing with laughter, and Grella won’t stop freaking out.

Barrako steps forward, straightening his posture and giving a bow. “Hello, nice to meet you.”

Grella pauses, her jaw dropping in disbelief. “It talks?”

Barrako rubs his temple in annoyance, clearly fed up with the theatrics.

Lakkel is still laughing, and I can’t help but wish he’d cut back on the drinks. Grella cradles her chin in thought, finally calming down. “Are the rest of them just like him?” she asks, and I can tell Barrako’s attempt at friendliness has put her at ease.

“Well, one of them is his brother, but the others are different species. They’re in a deep sleep right now, but I can let them out and show you.”

“Wait, Salia, that’s a terrible idea! What if they wake up and start attacking us?”

“Good question,” I admit, realizing the potential chaos. “I guess it would be smarter to keep them inside for now.”

“Alright then, bring the pods closer so I can see the rest,” she says, her curiosity piqued.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

We position the pods in the center of the room, and everyone leans in to analyze them. Lakkel can’t resist chiming in again, his voice dripping with mock seriousness. “So, Salia, spill everything. Why are the Enforcers after you and these guys?”

I take a deep breath, collecting my thoughts. “Do you remember why the Council created the Celestial Dome?”

“How could I forget? That’s all our people have been talking about; it’s all over the news.”

“Well, we were unsuccessful in transporting the X-Nature we were after, and instead, these guys showed up. But we later discovered that they have X-Nature inside them. The only way to extract that power is to drain their essence. So, I basically brought them here to prevent that from happening.”

“Salia, I don’t think you understand how serious this is,” Grella says, her tone shifting to one of urgency. “Your life is in actual danger now, not to mention you just brought the universe’s most wanted weapons in our hideout. Why would you save them? Do you have a death wish?”

“I think I know why she did,” Lakkel interjects with a stupid grin. “Salia’s in love! Hah!”

I roll my eyes, determined to ignore the idiot. But as I reflect on my actions, I realize how insane they truly were. I mean I've heard that anybody with this power has the ability to conquer the universe and I have five people like that in front of me. If they turn on us then we're fu-. I’ll stop focusing on the negatives. Glancing to my right, I see Barrako sitting quietly, absorbing everything like a sponge. His expression is one of confusion, and I can tell he has questions bubbling beneath the surface.

He finally looks up, his voice steady. “I have a question.”

Yup, there it is. “Where exactly am I, and what is X-Nature?”

Wait, how the hell does Barrako not know about X-Nature? Didn’t he consume it? Now that I think about it, the odds of a few kids somehow getting their hands on the most elusive and dangerous substance in the universe seem impossibly slim. Maybe I should ask him if he’s ever eaten something weird before... but first, I should answer his question about where he is.

THOCK.

What the hell was that? I stop mid-sentence, scanning the room.

THOCK.

There it is again—coming from one of the pods. Did someone else wake up? Excitement pulses through me, but I’d be lying if I said a surge of fear didn’t follow close behind.

“Ahhhh! The one with the pointy ears is awake! It’s trying to break the glass!” Grella shrieks, her voice high-pitched and panicked.

Lakkel immediately snaps into action, reaching under the table and grabbing a Circuit Saber—a tech sword that hums with raw energy like a lightsaber but deadlier. His whole demeanor shifts from drunken idiot to deadly serious. “It’s the Voltarian. Everyone back up, behind me, now!”

Without hesitation, Grella and I scramble behind him. We don’t feel like dying today.

I glance at Barrako. He’s worried, but his body language says he’s ready to fight if it comes down to it. The tension in the air thickens, and I swear, if these aliens start tearing each other apart in this cramped room, we’re fucked. Part of me wants to bolt outside, but at the same time, I can’t deny the twisted curiosity gnawing at me. I want to see how this plays out.

I glance over at Grella. She’s just as terrified, but there’s that same spark of morbid fascination in her wide eyes. We’re both too scared to stay, but too damn intrigued to leave.

CRASH!

The glass of the pod shatters, and the Voltarians fist punches through the remains. Shards of glass fly in every direction, and the room goes dead silent for a heartbeat. His hand is sleek and deadly, the veins on his arms pulsing through his olive skin, radiating pure strength.

The Voltarians eyes snap open, glowing silver like twin moons in the darkness, locking onto each of us with the cold, calculating precision of a predator. As he rises, his long white hair spills down his back, flowing like liquid silk. The sight of him—his eyes, his movements—sends a chill through the room, a presence so intense it feels like the temperature just dropped. I know I’ll never forget it.

“Shit’s about to go down,” Lakkel mutters, tightening his grip on the Circuit Saber.

Shadow:

What the hell’s going on here? I don’t remember going to sleep in a place like this. Definitely not around these people. Who the fuck are they? My eyes flicker across the room—three green-skinned individuals. Two women huddled behind a big guy gripping a Circuit Saber like he’s ready to use it. Does he think he can take me? Should I kill him first?

I sense something off to my right and snap my head in that direction. Who the hell is that? Some dark-skinned kid with vibrant purple eyes, around my size—looks like we’re about the same age. He’s got a stance like he’s ready to throw down, too. Great, another victim. This just keeps getting better.

I’ve had enough of this bullshit. My patience is thin.

“Where am I?” I snarl, my voice sharp, threatening. “Tell me now, or I’ll kill you.”

“Ahhhh!” The green-skinned girl with the dark hair screams like a banshee, bolting out of the room. “It speaks too!”

Huh? Is she talking about me? Of course, I speak. Am I surrounded by idiots?

The big guy lowers his saber cautiously, stepping forward like he’s trying to calm a wild animal. “Hey, we come in peace, no need to get violent.”

This guy can’t be serious. I glare at him. “Hey, dumbass, that didn’t answer my question.”

The smaller green girl, still hiding behind him, jumps in, her voice trembling. “W-We’re on planet Moppo, the planet of the Mylons.”

Never heard of it, or them. “Why the hell did you bring me here, and how?”

She opens her mouth, looking like she’s about to give me some long-winded bullshit explanation. “Look, my name’s Salia, the big guy is Lakkel, the kid to your right is Barrako, and the girl who ran out is Grella. We’re not—”

Before she can finish, I’m already moving. In a blink, I’m in front of her, pressing a sharp shard of glass against her throat. She didn’t even see me coming. Her eyes go wide with fear, her breath caught in her throat. Now I’ve got her attention.

“I didn’t ask for your goddamn names,” I growl. “I asked for answers. Start talking, or this shit gets bloody.”

"WHAM!" The big man's boot slams into my chest, and I’m sent flying across the room. My body feels weightless as I soar through the air, the shock of the kick still rippling through me. How the hell is he that strong?

I smash into the metal wall with a sickening crack, the impact so hard it leaves a dent in the surface. Pain explodes in my chest as I drop to the floor, landing on my feet, but barely. My breath’s ragged, and I clutch my ribs, trying to steady the pain.

Frustration surges through me as I push myself off the floor, ignoring the dull ache spreading through my chest. My hands begin to tingle, and when I glance down, white sparks crackle across my fingers—perfect timing. The energy coils around my hands like hungry serpents, each flash of lightning brighter than the last.

"Stop! We’re here to help!" the little girl yells, but I block her out, adrenaline sharpening my focus. My body moves on instinct, closing the distance between me and the big guy in an instant. He’s ready this time. His eyes widen for a split second before he swings the saber, aiming straight for my head. The blade whistles past as I duck, the electric hum of the saber missing by inches.

He spins, trying to backhand me with a deadly slice, but I’m faster. I sidestep the attack, closing in tight, the white electricity around my hands intensifying, crackling louder, brighter. It’s time to show them who I am.

Without warning, I lunge forward, my hand charged with lightning, and drive it into his chest. The electricity arcs out with a sharp snap, coursing through him. He’s stunned. His body convulses violently, muscles seizing as the current locks him in place, helpless. I smirk at the sight of him struggling.

Time to kill him.

In one swift motion, I dart behind him, leaping up to his height. My fingers flex, crackling with enough electricity to fry his brain in an instant. I go for his neck, my hand inches from delivering the killing blow.

WHAM!

A brutal fist collides with my face out of nowhere. The impact rattles my skull, knocking me off course. I hit the wall hard, slamming face-first into the mess of electronics, glass shattering beneath me. My vision blurs for a second, but I see him—the purple-eyed freak. He’d moved so fast, I didn’t even hear him coming.

The pain in my face burns, but it’s nothing compared to the rage boiling up inside me.

I charge toward the kid, fists flying, and he meets me blow for blow. We trade rapid punches and kicks, moving in a blur. He blocks and dodges some of my strikes, and I return the favor, barely keeping up. Damn, this kid’s actually skilled—I’ve never fought someone my age who could hold their own like this.

The electricity in my palms pulses harder, lighting up my fists. I lash out, landing a solid hit on his face, watching the white-hot sparks crackle over his skin. He’s stunned—finally—but only for a couple of seconds. My eyes widen in shock as he recovers almost immediately, shaking it off like nothing. We’re back at it, exchanging vicious blows, but now there’s a gnawing sense of confusion deep in my gut. Who the hell is this kid?

I hit him again, harder this time, with more voltage coursing through my hand. He staggers, stunned again. I pause, waiting to see how long it’ll take this time. 1...2...3.

He grabs my arm and slams his fist into my gut, knocking the wind out of me. Three seconds again? What kind of freak bounces back from this shit that fast? Before I can react, the big man I shocked earlier starts moving behind me. He’s back on his feet.

Enough of this. I’m done playing games.

I kick the kid off me, breaking his grip, then duck under a wild kick from the big guy. I dodge like an animal, my body twisting just in time. Just as I’m about to strike, something blurs toward me—a black figure, moving faster than I can track.

CRACK!

It slams into my abdomen like a cannonball. I choke on my breath, saliva flying from my mouth as I’m sent rocketing backward, smashing through furniture and everything in my path. I tumble up the stairs and crash onto the sandy floor outside, gasping for air. My vision spins as I struggle to sit up. What the hell hit me?

I squint through the pain and see him—the purple-eyed freak. I had no idea he could move like that. Fuck, that really hurt.

“Fuck it!” I snarl, pushing myself to my feet, barely able to stand. I can’t afford to take another hit like that. But this time, I’m not holding back.

I charge him again, faster than before, adrenaline surging through my veins. I can tell by the look on his face that he wasn’t expecting me to recover so quickly. Good—because I’m done playing nice.

I strike him with my electricity, each hit faster than the last. Snap! Snap! Snap! White sparks explode off him as I pummel him, my fists crackling with raw energy. He’s stunned with every hit to his face and body, unable to recover—defenseless. He tries to block, but my speed overwhelms him. Blow after blow, I don’t stop.

By the time I’m done, he’s dazed, staggering like a broken toy, before collapsing to the ground.

Time to finish this.

I plant my foot on his chest, pressing down hard as he gasps for air beneath me, his face twisted in pain. My hands crackle with electricity, ready to fry him alive. No more games. I’m going to end him right here.

"Stop, Voltarian!" the man shouts, his voice strained. I glance up to see the two green girls standing in front of me, blasters aimed, their faces tense. The big man to my right holds his own weapon, the Circuit Saber humming as he grips it tightly.

But none of them matter. They're just noise. If they wanted to shoot me they would have already.

I refocus on the boy beneath me, still pinned under my foot, his chest heaving. My fist pulses with electricity as I pull my arm back, ready to deliver the final blow. I always finish my kill.

I swing down with deadly intent—but halfway through, I freeze.

What the hell?

It’s not a conscious choice. My body locks up, seized by a sudden sharp pain shooting through my lower back. The world around me slows as confusion floods my mind. I glance down at the boy under my foot, and he’s grinning, a smug, twisted smile that doesn't make sense.

How is he grinning? He lost.

I whip my head around, feeling something foreign embedded in my back. My eyes widened in shock. Another boy—one that looks exactly like him—stands behind me. Where did he come from? His hand is wrapped around the hilt of a blade, buried deep in my lower back, the point of impact throbbing with searing agony. Blood spills from the wound, soaking my white clothes, turning them a sickening red.

I stagger, instinctively reaching behind me, but the pain keeps me frozen. I lock eyes with him—those same vibrant purple eyes, burning with a vicious, animalistic rage. This one is different. There's no hesitation in his expression, no mercy. He drove that knife in with purpose.

Blood drips from the wound, the warmth of it spreading down my back. My breath hitches, every nerve in my body screaming in shock.

I never saw him coming.