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KALON
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Chapter Sixty-Seven: Yutta Notta Umak
Galactic Quadrant: Darna Quadrant
Ruling Government: Talum Merchant Federation
Solar System: D-447
Planet: Ora
Location: Above the planet's surface, approaching Tarvashal
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We have been flying for many hours now, despite the occasional protests from the engines, somehow the craft has held together. Few words have parted between us, she is worried still. She found an old holopad, similar to her broken one, but the design is less sleek and more cumbersome, she has been sending communications to someone on it. A look of irritation flashing on her face from time to time between the worry.
Seeing a massive structure looming on the horizon, Luna turns to me now.
“Do you trust me?” she asks, pulling my gaze into hers.
“Yutta Notta Umak,” I say, looking away from her back towards the horizon.
“Meaning?” she asks, a faint tone of irritation.
“The irony is not lost on me.”
***
There is uneasiness in me. When she asked of trust, I was not expecting… this.
My eyes look down at my hands, shackled. We are in the city of Tarvashal, a mountain of metal that defied my imagination. Concentric rings move from the edges of it, creating a barrier of Etheric Maka to fight back the horde of Shulka that dare not move toward it. I did not know such technology even existed, these must be similar to the Etheric amplifiers that she spoke of before. When we were descending I counted hundreds of shuttles of varying sizes and shapes. Parts of the city look patched together, as though it was severely damaged once. It reminds me of the images the being swathed in darkness from the black box showed me. I wonder if there was truth in it. The Sage had told Arrum and me as children that this world was not always barren. We did not fully believe him. Now I am made to wonder as I look upon the city. What other things did the Sage say that were true…
“I really am sorry.” She says, her eyes barely meeting mine.
“You already said that,” I reply, though it does not make her less uneasy.
In truth, I am not sure if it is a ruse to get past the guard or if she means to sell me. She saw what my body did to the Netherium when she tended my wounds. Perhaps she will use that to gain an advantage given her situation. Nekam did, and I knew him for years. I was loyal to him, respected him, and gave him all… No, I should not dwell on such things. I should focus on my current situation. Glean what I can of the city and escape the woman if needed. That should be my plan.
The shuttle’s loading bay door opens, and smells of the city fill the cabin, strange and unusual smells. Though not all unpleasant. It reminds me of the special market weeks. The Inner Clans were allowed to purchase spiced meats and something they called fruit. The Sage often spoke fondly of such things. Describing sweetness to me and Arrum in the same way that the girl Riza did. Pain stings my chest thinking about her. We do not know if her body was among the hundreds that we returned to the flame. Defiant hope in me wonders if she did survive, and what life of pain she must have led after. If she were alive, she would be twenty-four now. Only a few years older than Luna, and four years older than me, having turned twenty while we were in Daska city. In my heart, I know she is likely dead. It is unhealthy to dwell on it. Focus on what you can do… find those responsible.
Two Federation soldiers board the craft, wearing light armor, the edges of it polished, a thin composite material that glints at the light. Grey in color like most of their uniforms, it is the primary coloring of the Federation, grey and gold. Their eyes are covered by some kind of visors that display information across them.
They give a lazy greeting to Luna who wears now the garb of the Arasha woman, taken from the shuttle’s storage area. Furs that are significantly cleaner and full, not made from patchwork like the Kuwathi ones. Her head is wrapped tightly to hide her pointed ears. She wears some kind of colored glasses over her eyes now, ones that strangely obscure the color, making them appear blue instead of purple.
“This ship’s permits are ten years old.” The first soldier says.
“Apologies for that, my craft broke down and I borrowed this one from a friend.” She lies, badly too.
The second soldier raises his visor, I can see he gives her a look of disbelief. His eyes trace over to me, my gaze hits the floor, my shoulders slouched to look weaker than I am.
“We’re going to need you to come in for questioning.” The second soldier says, his hand ready to draw from the attachment on his armor's waist.
The sound of three sets of footsteps outside the ship draws my attention and the others. A man walks up now. His gait, there is something strange about it. As though his pace is meant to be misleading, for some reason it makes me wary of him. It is strangely familiar too. I don’t yet know why. At his side are two women, they wear smiles that hide their intentions. For some reason, I am watchful of them too. The women who stand next to him have hairstyles I do not understand, they flow like smoke over their heads and their bodies are adorned with glittering fabrics. They look like twins, the only difference is their eyes, one’s left eye is blue, the other green. The other’s eyes are the inverse of that. The man is similarly dressed, his clothes so extravagant and clean, that I feel my staring will make them dirty. He does not wear furs like the Arasha typically do except around the collar of his shirt and the cuffs of his sleeves. The three of them wear some kind of fabric that reminds me of thermosuits, yet heavily altered and stylized. The purpose of doing such a thing is lost on me. The many colors seem… excessive.
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“Ah, my dear, you have arrived.” The man says, stepping on board and leaving the women at the entrance, passing the men without regard.
“Fennec.” She says, breathing a sigh of relief, pointing at me now she says “I have brought him as you requested.”
My chest tightens… requested? Does she really sell me? Uneasiness grows in me again. The man she called Fennec looks at me now, his gaze is unnerving but something about it, something in his eyes makes me less cautious of him. A flash of bioluminescence rises for but a split second in the iris of each eye as he lowers his tinted glasses. He is Kuwathi, and he wants me to know that, but not them. Is he going to help me? Being Kuwathi does not instantly make one an ally. Still, among a sea of strangers, the glow of his eyes did bring some comfort. I will try to play along with whatever game he is playing, I think that was his intention by showing me his eyes.
Fennec turns to the soldiers, pretending to only have just seen them now. He leans back putting a hand on his chest, twirling an elaborate cane that I do not think he needs to walk. Everything about his attire is flashy and distracting, though as I dissect his appearance, I see many places to conceal weapons easily.
“Gentlemen, is there some kind of issue?” Fennec asks.
“Her papers aren’t in order, she’ll need to…” the first soldier begins.
“What do you make a year?” Fennec asks, rolling the cane in his hand, looking down his tinted glasses at them “Maybe twenty thousand?”
“I don’t see how that has anything to do with…” the second says, moving to grab his weapon.
Fennec moves his finger back and forth at the movement.
“How much to avoid the annoyance of all the boring paperwork?” Fennec asks.
“Are you trying to…” the first soldier begins.
“Bribe you?” Fennec asks with a laugh, then tapping the cane in his other hand “Why yes, I am.”
“Sir, I don’t know who you think you are, but bribing an official of the Federation is illegal.” The second soldier says.
Fennec laughs heartily, Luna looks over at me tensely, her hands fiddling nervously behind her back.
“So, you’re saying it's higher than the going rate?” Fennec asks.
“Her papers are ten years old to be fair, Sir.” The first soldier says, looking out the backside of the shuttle “Double the normal rate wouldn’t hurt.”
The second soldier nudges the first, giving him a look.
“Triple I meant.” The first says.
Fennec sighs, snapping his fingers at the two women who come aboard, placing the devices on their wrists against the soldiers, swiping with their fingers on the holo display that comes from it. I have seen Arasha doing this before. It is how they pay each other usually.
“Looks like everything is in order, sir.” The second says to Fennec.
“Cleared from inspection, ma’am.” the first says to Luna.
With that, they both leave, as though they were never here before. So, even the Arasha cities are corrupt. Finally, something familiar. However, the way Fennec interacted with them was strange, like they were doing some kind of dance with their words and expressions.
“Fennec, thank…” she begins.
“Not here,” Fennec says, looking out the back of the shuttle, his expression has changed again, less happy, more wary. He motions for her to follow.
“And how many times do I have to say call me Archie in public.”
Archie… I remember she said that name in the markets. This man, Fennec, he is the one who was with her before. His stride, that is why I recognized it. That is why I am guarded around him.
She rolls her eyes at his remarks and grabs me up, giving me a strange look.
“Not him.” Fennec says, looking at me “Leave him.”
“No,” she says, crossing her arms, now giving him a look.
“No?” he asks.
So she did not sell me to him, why else would he wish me discarded? Then perhaps he does not know my truth. Perhaps she has kept it from him. Their dynamic is confusing, I can’t tell which one of them is in charge. There seems to be some kind of power struggle between them.
“As you wish.” He says after a few moments, giving me a look, one that says, behave.
Luna motions for me to walk in front of her. There is no point in resisting her now. Besides, there is little I know of this city. Where would I even go? For better or worse, she is the only one I know here. Following her command, I walk in front of her with the two women who came with Fennec, they both smile at me before turning to lead the way now. Fennec and Luna walk behind, and though neither speaks, many looks are being exchanged.
They lead us to a glass-domed pod of some kind, the makings I have never seen before. The sides of it slide open, and the base of it is metal, there are spots of rust and stains that give Fennec pause as he sighs, stepping around them.
“Did you have to land here? This area is a slaghole.” He gripes.
“Well, if you had…” Luna begins, but Fennec holds a hand up.
“Not now.” He says, shooting her a glance.
She lets out an irritated laugh, rolling her jaw and shaking her head, muttering to herself quietly. The pod moves upward as though being powered magnetically, and then shoots sideways down a tunnel made of glass and metal. My eyes look at the wonders of the sprawling city around me. A person could easily get lost here. It is more than one hundred times the size of my city. I cannot even begin to guess how many lives call it home.
***
“The stench of you two is atrocious,” Fennec says, crossing his arms and tapping his foot loudly.
“Well, if you had…” she begins.
“Not now.” He says.
A vein on Luna’s forehead bulges as she gives him a look. Her face is blushing profusely as she shoots me a glance. Again she mutters under her breath. I can’t make out what she says, but it sounds like she is cursing.
***
We move now on another pod, after transferring at some kind of junction station. Luna and Fennec do not speak openly, but the looks are intensifying. The new pod is freshly polished and the glass is so clean I can see my reflection at certain angles. My hair looks matted and my skin is covered in dark smudges from working on the shuttle. Looking at Fennec and the two women he travels with, I can tell they take personal hygiene seriously. My arm lifts to smell myself. My jaw flexes. Not as bad as Betran’s pilot, but there is definitely a stench about me. Luna does not look much different. We were very busy over the last month and we made little time for bathing the last three days.
“Finally.” Fennec sighs.
The pod opens to a corridor, it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to what they see. Silver paint lines the walls making shapes of vegetation and animals I have only ever seen in holos. We stand in front of a grand door, as large as my Clan’s hall door. Gold-painted hands hang from the middle. The women each grab one and swing the doors open after scanning their wrist devices and punching in some codes on the holo display that popped up.
“Welcome home, Sir Fennec.” a voice says over some kind of sound system that I can’t find the source of.
“Execute shutter protocol,” Fennec says, placing his cane upon a marble table as he walks by it.
“As you wish, Sir Fennec.” The voice says.
The front doors slam closed, large metal rods shoot up from the ground securing them. Metal rolls down from the windows, darkening the room of natural light, before artificial ones turn on. A humming noise hits the air, Maka swelling softly around us, as though making some kind of distortion. My ears become used to it after only a few moments. Fennec turns and faces Luna.
“What the hells were you…” he shouts, but she shouts louder.
“How dare you…” she begins, but he raises his voice louder still.
“How dare I?” he asks, slamming his finger against his chest, pointing to himself “Oh, I’m sorry. I completely forgot that you’re entirely incompetent, my lady.”
My lady? The way he says it, almost like he feigns she is superior but really, he means to insult. Luna gives me a worried glance. Grabbing Fennec roughly, pulling him into another room and slamming the door shut.
The twins across from me give a shallow smile, pretending to not have seen the exchange.
What am I missing?