Chapter 16 - Part I.

(Maestro)

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The bustle of activity didn’t last long and died down within minutes.

This was because my crew and I had prepared for the possibility of abandoning the Pantra at the drop of a hat.

Assembled in the Pantra’s airlock anteroom situated in the ship’s neck, I swept my gaze over the seven members of my crew.

They carried what they needed and nothing more. In simple terms, the bare essentials. We would resupply later, but for now, we needed to scuttle the ship and make our escape into the Habitat One.

Farson, a tall, lanky man in his late twenties, and gifted with a Kataphract Type Artifact that turned him into a running tank, hefted his rucksack’s straps over his right shoulder. “Maestro, what about Sofia?”

I shook my head tightly. “Nothing. I’ve lost the link to her which means it was forcibly broken on her end.”

Razor, a young brunette woman with short hair, and one too many piercings, folded her arms, her carry-bag at her feet. “She was a liability from the start.”

“Yes,” I agreed. “But she was also my responsibility and I failed to manage her.”

She looked over at me. “Then we’d better get her back or you’re going to lose your head.”

I flinched inwardly, then noticed I was being observed intently by my crew.

I cleared my throat quietly. “I’ll take responsibility for her. No matter what, I won’t allow Crescent to hold you to blame.”

A large man in his early thirties picked up the duffle bag at his feet. “So you think you can get her back on your own?”

“If need be,” I replied.

Elexis, a young petite woman with auburn hair and pixie features, laughed mockingly. “Like that will ever happen.”

“What was that?” I questioned her.

Razor sighed loudly. “She means that despite our individual differences we’re not going to run and abandon you. We’re your crew, and together we’ll get her back and complete the mission.”

Fair-haired, tall, and handsome, Dominic Vermont straightened the straps on his shoulder belonging to his expensive travel bag. He was dressed in smart casual wear though his clothes undoubtedly cost a pretty penny.

He opinioned in a polished accent. “Besides, the Kin Slayer did us a favor, did she not?”

There were times his accent annoyed me, and this was one of them. It was something I couldn’t express in words. I was just annoyed by it and that was all I could say.

Nonetheless, I did agree with his assessment.

“Yes, she did. With her presence here on Pharos, it’s obvious Public Security Section Zero will put one and one together and come up with two.”

“So the focus won’t be on our quarry,” Dominic state unnecessarily.

I chose not to add anything to the tail end of that observation. Instead, I swept my gaze over them all, then focused on Elexis. “Are you ready?”

“Yep.”

Her response didn’t inspire me with confidence. “You have our destination clearly in mind?”

She grinned perhaps a little too nervously. “Well, I won’t be dropping us into the middle of a busy street, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Razor snorted. “Don’t drop us out into a vacuum either.”

Elexis smirked. “As though a vacuum would bother you and your Artifact….”

“Enough,” I said sharply. “Just tell me if you can do it.”

“Relax. I’ll get us there.”

Again, not exactly confidence inspiring.

Elexis clapped her hands. “Well then, gather round. Remember to stay within the transport field at all times.”

After we all stepped a little closer to each other, Elexis summoned her Artifact.

Opening a breach in the confined space, the black mist spread throughout the airlock anteroom, and into the adjoining areas of the ship. When it faded away, I observed eight diamonds the size of beach balls floating around the huddled group.

Dominic asked affably, “Shall we hold hands and sing a song?”

The fair-haired young man beside Dominic who happened to bear a striking resemblance to him, folded his arms across his chest with visible disgust on his face. “You’re the last person I’d ever hold hands with.”

“Oh brother dear,” Dominic lamented. “Why do you reject me so much? Do we not share the same blood?”

“Half-brother, you ass,” Damien Vermont retorted. “And the only thing we share is a philandering father.”

Dominic raised two fingers of a hand. “Well, it does take two to tango.”

“What was that?” Damien snapped.

Dominic brought his two fingers together. “In order to have an illegitimate child, you need a man and a woman.”

Damien squinted at his half-brother. “You can say what you want about my mother. I have no problem with that.”

“Oh really? But I haven’t said anything.”

“Besides, she ran off soon after I was born. I have no memories of her.”

“Yes, apparently she was only after the money our family paid her for you.”

Damien stiffened for a moment. “As I said, it doesn’t bother me in the least.”

“Well, I for one am happy to have a younger brother. It's miserably being an only child.”

Razor tossed her hands into the air. “Would the two of you shut up!”

“Agreed,” Elexis added. “These family bonding moments are insulting to us orphans.”

“I’m not an orphan,” Razor corrected sharply, “so speak for yourself.”

Elexis sneered faintly. “Oh, that’s right. I forgot. You were tossed out of your home by your Aventis parents when you became a Familiar—gah!”

Razor grabbed Elexis by the throat with her left hand, and drew back her right hand, her fingers bent like claws. “Have you forgotten why they call me Razor?”

Elexis smiled at the young woman despite having her throat clamped. “Do you want me to toss you into solid rock, kitty cat?”

“Trying doing that while my hand is wrapped around your neck.”

“That’s enough!” I yelled at them. “Both of you stop wasting time.”

I watched Razor reluctantly release Elexis and then take a step back.

Elexis reached up and straightened her black jacket and top, all while smiling fearlessly at Razor.

With a heavy breath, I turned my head and looked at the man standing silently at the entrance to the airlock antechamber and addressed him. “Captain, please confirm your orders.

“Yes, sir. After you depart we fly the ship out into the harbor tunnel and attempt to make our way out of Island One.”

“And then?”

“We self-destruct the ship, killing all aboard. The explosion should destroy all evidence of your involvement.”

I nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Well, Captain, enjoy the journey to the afterlife.”

The man nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“You may go now.”

The man bowed slightly, then turned and walked away from the entrance and thus out of sight.

Farson sounded regretful. “Such a waste to lose a good ship and good crew. Especially after it took weeks to remold their minds to suit our purposes.”

I held back a shrug. “Can’t be helped. Besides, both they and this ship were smugglers to begin with. They made the mistake of crossing Crimson Crescent by selling information to the Enforcer Fleet—information that allowed those imbeciles to target two of our facilities in the nebula. It’s only fitting they atone for their betrayal by sacrificing themselves for us and the mission.”

Razor muttered loud enough to be heard. “Even so, I can’t believe how easily your Artifact works on their minds. It’s simply beyond Influence and beyond Imprinting.”

I pursed my lips for a moment, before releasing a faint shrug. “That’s precisely why I don’t accept living under the rule of the Aventis. Their minds are too weak for my taste.”

Razor glanced at me. “But he’s not an Aventis, and neither are his crew.”

Again, I shrugged faintly. “Aventis or Regulars. My Artifact does not discriminate.”

“And Familiars?” she asked.

I broke into a thin smile. “Care to find out?”

“Not unless you wish to lose an arm or two in the process.”

My smile grew in magnitude. “Razor, I’m glad you never change. Your responses are as predictable as ever.”

“If they weren’t you wouldn’t be able to manage me.”

“So true,” I agreed.

A gentle feminine voice sounded softly into the air. “How indecent….”

Razor faced the young slender blond woman standing beside Dominic.

As stunning as she was to look upon, Isolde’s pale white skin contrasted sharply with her crimson lips, lending her the appearance of a beautiful Vampiress freshly risen from her coffin and hungry for warm blood. Wearing a long frilly white dress under a black cloak with the hood thrown over her head, Isolde looked incongruous within the grey-white interior of the starship. Her appearance was more befitting an ancient age when humankind relied upon horse and carriage to travel across the countryside.

But for now, her ruby red irises were locked upon Razor, who’s golden irises met Isolde’s stare with a cutting glare.

I sighed heavily, and broke into the silent standoff. “Ladies…please…tick tock….”

Wearing a smirk, Elexis reached out to Razor beside her. “Alright. Alright. No more wasting time.”

She flinched when Razor grabbed her right hand in a bone-crushing grip, the latter smiling coldly at Elexis. “Don’t you dare try anything with me.”

As the two women regarded each other icily, the eight diamonds moved and then encircled our group.

“Let’s get going,” Elexis remarked with surprising calm as she held Razor’s stare, her smile failing to reach her eyes. “Oh, and I would do as Dominic suggested.”

“Oh,” the handsome man intoned. “You mean—?”

“We have to hold hands?” Damien blurted out in dismay.

Elexis broke eye contact with Razor, and nodded at the two brothers. “Yes.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“No way—” Damien started to complain, but stopped abruptly when Isolde stepped between him and Dominic.

She offered them each one of her hands. “Boys. Behave.”

Damien averted his gaze away, but I saw his hand tremble a little as he hesitantly wrapped it around Isolde’s slender hand.

Dominic chuckled, offered her a gentlemanly bow, before accepting her hand into his.

Razor sneered and mockingly hissed, “How indecent.”

Isolde smiled brightly at her with canines extended for effect. “You think so? Well, having two brothers share my bed is a pleasure a virgin like you could hardly imagine.”

“Huh!” Damien yelled out in horror. “What the Hell are you talking about?”

Even Dominic looked faintly disturbed. “Really now, Isolde,” he muttered while staring up at the ceiling. “Such lies are unbecoming of a lady….”

Elexis reminded everyone with a sing-song voice, “Hold hands or you’ll get left behind.”

Razor took a firm grip of my left hand, and I held onto Damien Vermont’s hand since the young man was standing to my right.

Farson shrugged and cast a sidelong look at the stocky man with shoulder length dark reddish hair standing between him and Elexis. Having kept his silence the whole time, Rygart responded with a curt nod, and joined hands with his immediate neighbors.

Elexis swept her gaze over the circle of joined hands, and grinned at no one in particular.

“Remember to keep your minds clear,” she advised us. “At the very least, think happy thoughts.”

Within seconds, the diamonds began to spin like tops and radiate a piercing emerald light.

I closed my eyes, unwilling to be blinded, though the bright light soon broke through my eyelids, and turned the dim darkness behind them into day. A short while later, I felt as though I’d entered into a bright tunnel with a deafening roaring wind that pulled at my hair, skin, and clothes. The experience didn’t last long, quickly transforming into the sensation of falling from a great height.

However, opening my eyes I observed that I wasn’t falling but floating through the air, high above the skyline of a vast city entombed in a giant cavern a dozen kilometers long.

My crew and I, all eight of us, continued to hold hands like skydivers in formation, as we drifted in the sky a thousand feet above the tallest buildings. Our belongings also drifted along with us, and the eight diamonds formed a large circle around us. This high up from the buildings and floor of the habitat, the artificial gravity generated by effect-field emitters was non-existent, so there was no risk of us falling to our doom.

Twisting my neck as I peered around us, I noticed the habitat possessed an artificial sky-field projecting a starry night sky.

I see. We’re still at night time. The Habitat is observing a night cycle.

“What the Hell is going on?” Damien cursed.

Dominic laughed. “Hey, I’m as surprised as you are.”

Elexis giggled loudly earning herself an angrily yell from Razor. “You stupid bitch—you dropped us into a habitat!”

I swallowed to clear my throat before ordering them, “Be quiet, all of you!” Craning my head toward Elexis, I addressed her forcefully above the sound of the wind around us. “This isn’t our destination.”

Elexis looked unconcerned. “Of course it is. This is Island Three, Habitat Two.”

“Yes, but this isn’t the apartment complex.”

Releasing her left hand from Rygart’s grip, Elexis pointed down at one of the building far below us. “That’s the complex right there. And that’s the penthouse suite we took over from the owner. See, it even has a big pool.”

“What?” Razor cried out. “You mean that small building in the distance?”

Elexis managed to retake hold of Rygart’s hand. “Okay, everybody. Leave everything to me. Just hold on tight to your partners.”

The diamonds had grown dark since we emerged into the Habitat, but now they began to glow quite strongly. I felt the air harden, pressing upon my body as effect-fields emanating from the diamonds worked in concert to coral us all together, including our belongings. Elexis used them to push us downward in the direction of the pyramid shaped apartment complex.

Soon we were descending swiftly as a group toward the building.

Within a minute, the penthouse suite and its large pool had grown to concerning proportions.

Dominic asked, “Aren’t we falling a little too fast?”

Razor snapped harshly, “Bitch, what are you doing?”

“Shut up,” Elexis demanded, “and let me concentrate.”

The diamonds circled quickly around us, and our rate of descend eased up. However, we were still on course for a watery landing.

Quite abruptly the eight diamonds lost their glow.

“Ah damn it,” Elexis complained loudly. “My Artifact’s out of juice.”

“What was that?” Razor nearly screamed at her.

Elexis scowled at her. “Hey, it takes a lot of juice to make the jump between asteroids into a habitat surrounded by kilometers of solid rock!”

Damien said, “Summon your Artifacts.”

“No!” I countermanded hastily. “We’ll be seen.”

“But her diamonds have been shining in the sky—”

“People will mistake them for drones,” I stated firmly. “We have no choice but to splashdown.”

I heard laughter, and was surprised to hear it came from Rygart.

“Sorry!” Elexis apologized, then released hands with Rygart and Razor, quickly wrapping her arms about her chest as she aimed her legs downward at the large pool.

In heartbeats, everyone pretty much followed suit.

A short scream escaped Isolde when her dress and cloak fluttered upwards exposing her slender legs and frilly white underwear.

Dominic and Damien suffered instant nosebleeds, while Rygart broke into more uncharacteristic laughter.

Screaming again in shame, Isolde clutched at her dress and coat, struggling to keep them down.

With everyone distracted by the show Isolde was putting on, we all forgot about the pool until we splashed down into the cold water.

Sinking quickly, I flailed about for a heartbeat, then gained my bearings and kicked off for the surface. As I broke through the water, I inhaled deeply while taking a hurried looking around me.

In rapid order the heads of my companions emerged above the pool.

As I turned about while treading water, I looked to the penthouse with its glass patio windows, and saw a handful of women dressed in maid uniforms standing by the edge of the pool, with towels in hand. An elderly gentleman with a distinguished ambience stood beside them, hands behind his back. I didn’t remember seeing them beside the pool during our rapid descent, so I was surprised by how quickly they arrived on the scene.

I swam to the edge of the pool where they waited patiently for us. With the pool being shallower at this end, I was able to stand on the floor with my head and shoulders above water.

The gentleman looked down at me, bending only his neck in the process. “Are you Maestro Montague Del Castillo?”

I gave him a short nod. “That I am.”

He nodded back down at me, then bowed with one arm behind his back and one across his chest. “In that case, allow me to welcome you to my master’s abode.”

Through my Awareness-field, I sensed Razor, Elexis, and the others swim to the edge of the pool.

Razor remarked in awe, “Wow. They really are well prepared.” Catching my sidelong glance, she tapped her right temple and quickly added, “I meant their minds. You did a good job on them. They’re not even bothered by our watery landing.”

I refrained from telling her this wasn’t my handiwork.

These Aventis and Regulars had been prepared for us by an advance party in the event we had to abandon ship and seek refuge within the asteroid Islands of Pharos. Unfortunately, I had little information on the nature and composition of the advanced party. However, as part of the details of the preparations they made for us, I knew that someone in that group had an Artifact that was as undiscriminating as mine – an Artifact capable of bending and reshaping Aventis and Regular minds to the will of its Meister.

This was but one of three safe havens, and I’d chosen it because of its proximity to the quarry. I also felt it would be easier for Elexis to transport the group to an open location such as a penthouse patio, rather than an enclosed region such a narrow warehouse or hangar. However, for our return trip, she would need to transport us into the belly hangar of a starship. If today’s result was anything to go by, I would need to work on a Plan Cee and Dee.

The elderly man, whom my Awareness-field determined was a Regular, pointed to a nearby corner of the pool where steps lead up to the patio grounds. “You may take the stairs and…do watch your step.”

Elexis laughed softly. “See. I told you I’d get us here—”

Razor reached out and grabbed Elexis’ head, plunging her underwater. “Drown!”

I watched the two women scuffle for a short while, then swam around them on my way to the steps leading up and out of the pool.

Somewhere behind me, I heard Isolde whine about her wet hair, and Dominic remark of the waterproof nature of his watch.

With an inward sigh, I affirmed my decision to work on Plan Cee, Dee, and if I had the time and resources, a Plan E. And while I was at it, I needed to find a way to get Sofia back, or there would be no point leaving Pharos for Crimson Crescent as they would hardly welcome our return with open arms.

Not for the first time, or the last time today, I cursed that girl’s stupidity and my irresponsibility.