The paladin’s armor plates soon warmed to my touch, and despite their unyielding nature I found myself relaxing in their arms. I studied their helmet curiously, noting a vertical line which divided their face into two flat, featureless white sections. The overhead lights cast shadows unevenly across the two halves, giving them definition despite their plainness.

“Absorb the glory of the armor now, mutant,” they growled, keeping their volume low. “This may be your last chance.”

Oh right. Underneath that cool armor there was still an asshole. I turned my focus to the corridor, which was wide enough for the priestess and doctor to walk abreast, but only just. The corners were beveled, creating flat planes for lights to be set in along the ceiling, while along the floor the occasional clear panel showed glimpses of a strange purple glow. I considered asking about it, but fatigue won out over curiosity.

The corridor turned sharply to the left, then after a few meters branched to the right. We continued that way only briefly before stopping; Medina stepped into what looked like a closet in the left wall, and began to drift up off the floor and out of sight. Laurie followed next, and then it was our turn.

“Hold on to me,” Apollyon instructed, then as it stepped into the shaft added “and do not desecrate the armor.” I felt myself drifting from their arms, and quickly grabbed onto their pauldron with my good hand to keep from floating away. Sure enough, what little was in my stomach threatened to come back up, but thankfully Apollyon stepped out onto the fourth floor. Craning my neck to stare back up the shaft, I saw what looked like three more doors above.

We turned to the left, and continued through the deserted hall until we came upon at a reinforced door at a fork in the corridor, above which a block-lettered sign read “Bridge”. Medina pressed her hand to the console beside the door, but it flashed red.

“What is it?” Snapped an irritated voice. I immediately recognized it as the same one from the announcement in the cargo bay: Captain Harlyle.

“Urgent,” the priestess replied flatly. “Let us in.”

The door begrudgingly slid open, revealing a wide-open room made to appear more spacious with twinkling stars decorating the walls. No, not decorating... it was as if we had stepped out onto a balcony overlooking outer space. It was breathtaking. In the center of the room was a platform surrounded by a moat of stars; on the platform were four figures, three in coveralls, and one in a suit and tie. The one in the suit (the captain, I assumed) strode across a narrow bridge to stand before us.

“Yes?” he asked impatiently of Medina, not bothering to look at me or Apollyon.

She took a deep breath. “While going through warp, my charge discovered an intruder in the cargo bay. This ship’s Xenolife representative and I would like to make a case to-”

“Get rid of it,” the captain interrupted. “Anything else, ladies?”

Doctor Laurie visibly twitched. “Sir, I believe the stowaway may be useful to my own work,” they said evenly.

Harlyle scoffed. “Your work? Get it through your head, on my ship you’re not a researcher. Your job is to fix my workers and keep out of the way.” He punctuated each word with a rough poke to their chest.

“I can dispose of it for you, sir,” Apollyon offered helpfully, earning them a vicious glare from the priestess.

“Good to see this one has more initiative in him than the last one!” Harlyle praised. “The rule book is clear, unauthorized passengers are to be ejected.”

My heart sank. Well, at least it would be quick. There are worse fates than death by vacuum.

“Wait!” called one of the figures from the command platform. A young woman with freckled skin and wild, fiery hair sprinted towards us. The sleeves of her green coveralls were rolled, exposing a complex web of black ink interrupted by periodic red splotches. “I can use fresh hands on the reactor crew, captain. We’re shorter-staffed than any other team-”

“A fact which you’ve made clear on many occasions, Beaulier,” he put in.

“Even still,” she persisted. “Sister, when did you find him?”

Medina touched her shoulder fondly before answering. “Just after exiting the gate. Poor thing was in the cargo hold, screaming his lungs out.”

“What does that sound like to you, Captain?” the fiery woman demanded, planting her hands on her hips.

“I swear, you people and your superstitions. I’ve never heard one credible account of a void traveler! This kid probably snuck aboard back at Argus station,” the captain reasoned.

All eyes turned to me. I whimpered.

Harlyle scowled. “Go on then, boy. Tell them where you came from.” The lines of his face showed how practiced he was in scowling

Laurie’s soulless black eyes bore into my skin, probably literally.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Medina nodded encouragingly, her smile begging for it to be true.

Beaulier fidgeted with a ring anxiously, hope in her cherry-red eyes.

“Speak!” Apollyon barked.

“I don’t know!” I shouted. “It... it was cold, and dark, and forever, and then I was here, that’s all! I’m sorry!” Tears streamed down my cheeks, and my broken ribs ached as I sobbed. “I’m sorry...”

The intensity of their stares faded, made uncomfortable by my show of weakness.

Harlyle cleared his throat. “Traveler or not, as captain I’m bound by Federation guidelines. Now obey me, or I’ll have to treat this as a mutiny.”

Apollyon was the only one with his back to the door when it opened. The rest looked up in shock.

“Apologies for my tardiness gentlemen, ladies, doctor,” came a soft, androgynous voice from behind us. “I hope I haven’t missed too much of the meeting.”

“This isn’t a meeting,” Harlyle growled. “No need to leave your cabin.”

“Hm, not a meeting? Odd, considering the current company. Every senior officer in one place and not a meeting, that’s a first for me. That can only mean you’re hanging out and you didn’t invite me. I’m hurt!”

The captain sighed audibly, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’ve made your point.”

Slow, deliberate footsteps echoed in the quiet of the room as the stranger circled around Apollyon’s side. Their face was as soft as their voice, and like Harlyle, they wore a suit, theirs charcoal grey with a black tie. Every aspect of their presence was tidy and neatly groomed, from their closely cropped hair to the pressed lines of their suit. A bulky cybernetic implant protruding from their left temple was the only hint of strangeness in their ordinary appearance.

“Hello there. I see you’re studying me as much as I’m studying you. I like that, not letting your pain interfere with your mission,” they said appreciatively.

“Mission?” I echoed.

They hummed thoughtfully. “Yes, well. Hello, my name is Unity.” They extended their left hand to me, and I shook it awkwardly. “What’s yours?” they continued when I didn’t volunteer the information.

“I...” I looked around at the others, who all looked profoundly uncomfortable in Unity’s presence. “I don’t know,” I lied.

The stranger nodded thoughtfully. “Well, I’m sure your new crewmates will come up with a wonderful nickname for you.”

“New crewmates? Now wait just a damn minute!” Harlyle snapped. “You can’t be serious! You’re supposed to have the most sense of all of us!”

Unity nodded calmly, hands clasped behind their back. “I do. You can charge any training fees to me, and we’ll establish a payment plan.”

“Oh this is just perfect. So he gets special treatment, and my loyal crew turns against me?” the captain lamented.

“No special treatment,” Unity corrected serenely, maintaining uncomfortably steady eye contact with me. His pupils were so big they eclipsed his irises. “He will follow the rules, or he will face the relevant punishments.”

Harlyle opened his mouth to further protest, then nodded thoughtfully. He looked me over, sizing me up, gaze lingering on my injuries. “Fine,” he said with unnerving calmness. “Beaulier, you’re responsible for potty training. Unity, if he defaults, you’re financially liable. You, Paladin Apples-”

“Apollyon, sir.”

“Don’t interrupt me. Paladin Apollo, I’m charging you personally with making sure this lying little shit isn’t a danger to the mission,” he finished.

I wiped my eyes on the back of my hand. “So... I can stay?” I asked timidly.

“You can work!” Harlyle corrected severely. “Nobody’s offering you a free ride!”

“Yes,” Unity replied more gently. “You will help maintain this ship on its way to Rho-86217, where you will aid in the construction of a new warp gate. If your loan to me is paid off in that time, you will be free.”

“And if not?” I ventured anxiously.

They looked away. “Then I will have the discretion to monetize you as I see fit. We can cross that bridge when we come to it, but-”

I shook my head, and firmly declared “No.”

“I’m sorry?” they said.

“I’m not signing away my freedom,” I clarified stubbornly.

Medina and Beaulier whispered to each other quietly, and Apollyon shifted uncomfortably in his stance.

“The alternative is death,” Unity said seriously. “If you don’t sign a contract with me, this paladin will throw you into space. If you do, you have a very real chance to earn your freedom.”

I clenched my fist, my jagged claws nipping into my palm. It was my only chance, and at least it was better to work of my own volition than to be taken away by some mercenary and end up a slave. “Okay. I accept your terms.”

“Good man.” Unity patted my good shoulder happily, then leaned in close and whispered, almost imperceptibly, “You’re doing great. Keep it up.” before waving to the others and strolling back out the door. “Good day, constituents!”

Harlyle swore as soon as the door was shut, then stormed up to me, poking his fat finger in my face. “Listen here you furry little piece of shit. You’re gonna fuck up, and when you do I’m gonna make your life a living hell, right up until I end it. Enjoy the next two revolutions, kid, cuz you’re trespassing on my ship!”

“Two... revolutions?” I whimpered. Five trips around Argus’ star. One third of my life. Half of my living memory.

He showed off an ugly, perfect-toothed grin dripping with malice. “That’s right little stowaway. How old are you anyway? Oh right, you don’t remember, do you?” He shook his head, then as he walked back to his command platform he added over his shoulder “get the recruit to the medical bay. Doc, give him the works. The rest of you, get back to work or get the fuck off my bridge!”

“Well done,” Medina said gently. “Welcome to the Clover.”