041: Outrageous Fortune – One
The sounds of singing weren't what Elytra expected to find when she entered the mess hall the next morning, but there Rhea and Malakh were, the pair of them preparing breakfast while the former was loudly belting out at her partner.
"Oooh those waves baby, they got me knowin',
That the motion of your ocean will soon be showin',
Together you and me, we've got it goin',
I'm caught in your flow, got me undertowin'!"
"Stop." Malakh said sternly, though her smile gave away how she really felt about being serenaded. Elytra couldn't help the laugh that escaped her at the sight of it all.
Hearing the sound, Rhea grinned over her shoulder at her, saying, "Mornin'! Glad to see you aren't too mangled from last night's revelries."
"Hangovers aren't my favourite, so I try to avoid them when I can," she replied, "What was that you were singing?"
"A human pop song from a couple decades ago," Rhea told her, "I've been out of the loop for nearly a century, so I'm trying to catch up on what I missed."
In a stage whisper, Malakh muttered, "If that's the quality, I don't think you missed much."
Grinning, Rhea whacked her in the arm for that.
Nevara walked in, then, announcing, "We're about an half day away from our destination, Amanhecer Station."
"Thank the spirits," Malakh breathed, all mock annoyance as she nodded towards Rhea, "I need to get away from the noises coming out of her."
Smirking like a hunter who'd spotted her quarry, Rhea replied, "That's funny, you seemed happy with the noises coming out of me last night."
Malakh closed her eyes and turned away from Rhea like she was grappling with some higher power for strength in the face of what she was being subjected to.
"Anyway, breakfast's done," Rhea said, grinning at Malakh's behaviour, "Does someone wanna go rouse our slumbering captain?"
"No need, I have joined you in the waking world," Pryseia said as she entered the room, looking a little worse for wear, "Though I humbly request something to quell the orbital bombardment my cranium is undergoing."
"Already made a batch for Malakh and me, it's in the fridge." Rhea said, nodding over at the appliance in question. Pryseia went over to pour herself a glass of the chalky concoction before joining the rest of them at the table as platters were brought to the table.
The five of them made short work of the meal, and by the time Viatrix popped up on a nearby screen, Pryseia was looking more like her regular self as she said, "Elytra, if at all possible, I'd like for the recording of our heist to go up before we reach our destination. I'd like there to be proof of our success before we attempt to reap the benefits of it."
Elytra shot her an embarrassed grin, saying, "I can probably have something ready to upload within the hour. I may have stayed up later than I should have in editing together our footage. From what I've put together so far, I think Bathory and the Hand are going to do well with the relayers."
"Relayers?" Nevara repeated the unfamiliar word.
"Oh, that's people who enjoy seeing romances play out in fiction." Elytra explained, "The 'rela' comes from 'relationship'. Rhea and I figured it would be easiest to include that kind of thing in the narrative we're setting up, for the sake of popularity sure, but mostly because there's no way the two of them aren't going to gravitate towards one another anyway, so may as well set something up between the Chancellor and the Hand."
"No doubt that will save us from having to edit around them in the long run." Pryseia teased, to which Malakh whipped her with her tail.
"If you're free, I'd like your input on the musical score. That's something I'm not as confident about." Elytra asked Nevara.
"Of course." Was her immediate reply.
"Fantastic, I look forward to seeing the exploits of our crew without having to worry about zymeth eyes upon us," Pryseia said, turning to Rhea, "Once we arrive at the station, Nevara and I can see to the retrieval of the bounties for the items we liberated. I'd like for you to take care of topping up the supplies for our ship, as well as the acquisition of anything that would be too costly to fabricate ourselves."
"You got it." Rhea said with a little salute, "Elytra, you wanna tag along? Knowing Malakh, she's going to be neck deep in retrofits as soon as we dock."
Malakh just shrugged, seeing no point in denying this while Elytra said, "I'd be happy to."
"And while you're all off doing that, I'm going to see if I can get a signal on the next Storlayacas unit we seek," Viatrix announced, "I'm going to pair that with combing the network as well, just in case there are any tucked away in public access places like the Bakiz Institute again."
"A sound plan. We should take a pause in our flight to link you up to Castore, in that case." Pryseia said.
Nevara stood, grabbing up her empty plate as she said, "I can have us out of subspace in minutes."
Against a wash of a pale green nebula, the massive Hyttan mech came to rest, kneeling down upon the hull of an impossibly black ship.
A hatch on the side of this vessel swung open, and Queen Kaizoku glided out into zero G. A cable unspooled behind her as her thrusters maneuvered her up to the mech, her controlled movements making it clear that this was not her first space walk.
Once she was near enough, the mech's cockpit swung open, harnesses and controls retreating from the Hand's form.
"The power of this machine… it's something else." The Queen's Red Left Hand said as she stood, taking the cable that her Queen handed her.
"It is at that," Kaizoku agreed, hands behind her back as her boots anchored her in place on the cockpit's open hatch, "Which is more than I can say of what we encountered of the Zymeth. But their inattention will only serve to further our ends. The Chancellor and her ilk proved themselves competent when it came to the retrieval of those artifacts, and our willingness to restore the relics of their people seems to have engendered within them a loyalty to our cause. But, my loyal Hand, I would hear your take on these individuals."
The Hand, who had been attaching the cable to the back of the mech's pilot seat, finished what she was doing before she turned to her Queen. "Of Madame Augury, I am the least sure of. Not just her species, but her motives. I can't tell if she's loyal to us, loyal to just the Chancellor, or loyal to these machines themselves. As for General Grim? Harsh, yet honourable. So long as we stay true to her, she will stay true to us. Chancellor Bathory, like Augury, I can't say for certain. She has her own goals, and I believe that so long as they align with ours, so too will she remain an ally. She is an intelligent woman, to be sure, and I do believe she is attempting to sway me from your side."
Cocking her head to one side, her tail giving one sinuous flick, the Queen said, "Oh?"
"She was quite… forward, during our leg of the mission. I believe she was trying to seduce me."
The Queen let out a single laugh at that. "Perhaps we can use this to our advantage. She wishes to get closer to you in order to wring information out? In such proximity, what is to stop you from doing the very same?"
The Hand gave a short bow, saying, "The Queen demands, the Hand complies."
"But speaking of the wringing of information… Program, have you gained access to this machine?" Kaizoku called out.
Glitching, jubilant, the Program's voice rang through the voice as it announced, "I have, my Queen, its circuits lay bare before me. It won't take long to find our next target."
"See to it, then. I'll not have our enemies snatch what is rightfully ours."
Amanhecer Station, unlike the Kith fleet in the galactic core, was patently average in appearance. Constructed from prefabricated modules easily purchased from anywhere in the galaxy, nothing about it made it stand out more than any other average deep space trading outpost.
And for any wandering civilian vessels who happened upon the station, an average outpost was all that they would see. A few berths to refuel at, facilities to purchase raw matter for either the organic or inorganic fabricators, and little else.
But for those broadcasting the Kith IFF frequency, it was an entirely different story.
"Reading you loud and clear, Pelekys," one of the docking personnel called over the comms once they'd announced their presence, and their affiliation, "Swing around to the aft docking bay, we'll have you tucked safely away in no time."
Following the coordinates broadcast to them, Nevara brought them around to the designate spot, and the moment they came to a halt, the expanse of stars before the view screen was swapped for the interior of a folded cargo hold as the Pelekys was dematted inside.
Far larger than their own hold, there was room enough within the space to hold several ships much larger than theirs, and so they were able to find an open berth without issue.
"Have fun!" Viatrix called as they headed out to conduct their business on the station, "I'll alert you if I get a signal."
Retrieving payment for the goods they liberated from the Bakiz Institute proved to be easier done than said. Once they brought their platform laden with goods to the Avvisi associate aboard, and the team of appraisers had carefully extracted the artifacts from the protective foam they'd transported them in, they'd only needed to wait for the verification on each item to pass before funds were wired to their account.
"And you say this was your first Kith mission?" The fiskaz Avvisi agent said, giving a low burbling hum, "Impressive work! Some of these items have been in our systems for centuries, so they've accrued a hefty payout!"
"Then we are very happy to see them returned to their rightful homes." Pryseia said with a slight bow.
The Avvisi agent guffawed at that before sending them on their way.
Once they'd left the Avvisi agency, Nevara turned to Pryseia and said, "I've confirmed the updated balance to our account, and alerted the others to the same. We've time before Malakh completes her modifications, so did you wish to see what this station has to offer?"
"I do indeed, my friend," Pryseia grinned, looping her arm through Nevara's, "It has been quite some time since we've gotten to have a gallivant across a brand new station."
"Far too long." Nevara agreed with her own slight smile, allowing herself to be tugged along to who knew where.
~Approximately 92 Galactic Standard Cycles Ago~
The Deupazing Monarchy and Apiarius Aristocracy both lay outside the borders of Thalatte space, and so had become allies in the face of their same conquering foe. As such, the trade routes between their territories (often intersecting with Human controlled space, another ally with a common enemy) required the best of the best when it came to pilots, both those getting the ships to and from their destinations, as well as those who flew the mechs that defended them.So it was that Pryseia and Nevara fell into each other's lives.
A mech and ship pilot of singular ability within their fields, they were often assigned to the most high risk missions. And for a time, they were untouchable.
"I take it you're to be the pilot of the Keskason?" Pryseia had asked as she swung herself into the stool next to Nevara at the canteen in one of the many trade outposts that dotted the Apiarius border.
"And you are to be one of the pilots defending me." Nevara replied, sliding over the drink she'd ordered for Pryseia ahead of time.
Clinking their cups together, they enjoyed their beverages in silence for a few moments before Pryseia asked, "Have you any clue as to what lies in the hold of your charge?"
Frowning, Nevara shook her head. "No, and oddly so. Some of the crew have tried to get a reading, but whatever the cargo is, it's sealed up in containers that allow for no such scans."
"I will admit, this mission has me on high alert." Pryseia spoke quiet enough for only Nevara to hear her over the din of the canteen, "There's been a higher than average military presence for this, a civilian venture. Along with myself, the other mech pilots are all combatants of high skill and renown. And like you, the pilots set to guide these vessels are known for their ability to get into and out of impossible situation. Secrecy in these endeavours is to be expected, but the scuttlebutt surrounding this particular mission has been more vociferous than is the norm. Advertisingly so."
Leaning in closer, Nevara whispered, "You have suspicions?"
"I don't believe were are to be sent on a simple delivery," Pryseia replied, "The complete moratorium on information regarding what cargo we will be defending? Our superiors don't want anyone to know. And they want everyone insatiably curious as to why."
Nevara's mandibles clicked together in agitation. She had come to space to fly, had specifically joined up with civilian traders rather than the military in order to avoid the bureaucracy of their constant war with the Thalatte.
And if Pryseia was to be believed, the military was about to bring trouble to their door.
"What shall we do?" She asked after a moment.
Pryseia tipped her head to the side, a slight frown on her face. "We stay alert for trouble, and perform to the utmost of our abilities. I have no desire to die in the course of my duties, especially when they are being kept obscured from me on purpose. If things turn as poorly as I fear they will, then we remove ourselves from the equation."
"Agreed." Nevara said, slamming back the remnants of her drink.
By the next day, their caravan was ready to depart from Apiarius space, their route cresting them around the outer edge of the galaxy, completely avoiding Human space for a destination in Deupazing territory.
Normally, the entire journey would be spent in subspace, but the military commanders who were in control of this particular run had them dropping into normal FTL at regular intervals. And as they had back on the station, they would answer none of the inquiries brought to them.
On the third day of the trip, halfway to their destination, they dropped out of subspace and into the waiting maw of a Thalatte heavy fleet. Hundreds of ships, from one person fighters to heavy destroyers capable of glassing the surface of a world in minutes, it was a complete bloodbath.
And not because of the enemy.
As soon as their own fighters and mechs were launched to run defence, the Apiarian commanders ordered the ship pilots to fly straight for the heart of the Thalatte fleet. Those who disobeyed were executed, the commanders themselves piloting their own ships into the enemy's clutches.
Nevara only avoided this fate due to the fact that it was not her shift, or her story would have come to an end with a bullet in her head.
As it was, she was part of a contingent of her crew who fought their way through the scant military force on their ship, wresting control from the officers in order to prevent what had clearly been set up as a suicide mission.
Unfortunately, their efforts were of little use, as the cargo they'd been saddled with had been explosives enough to destroy the bulk of this particular Thalatte fleet.
In the ensuing aftermath, what Apiarius and Deupazing vessels could escape, did.
Her own mech badly damaged from the force that had blown apart the Thalatte fleet, Pryseia lingered on the battlefield, her comms blaring out for a response from her friend.
Losing power with every second, a quiet call came in from a badly damaged escape pod, Nevara and what few of her crew managed to escape the destruction brought about by her own people.
"Neither of our vessels are going to last long," Nevara had gasped over the comms, clutching the wound on her side, "But your mech should be able to get you to safety."
"I'll not leave you here to die!" Pryseia snapped, "If I cannot escape with you, I will escape!"
Nevara had intended to argue further, but she was cut off when something jostled her escape pod. A moment later, gas began hissing in through a puncture in the escape pod's hull, and she and her crew were unconscious before they hit the ground.
She would learn, once she came to, that the mission had been a success, as far as the Apiarius were concerned. Falling for the trap laid out for them, a particularly deadly fleet within the Thalatte navy had been eradicated, while the majority of the surviving civilian personnel had managed to escape.
As for Pryseia and herself, along with the others who could not do the same, they had been rounded up by a Thalatte clean up crew. Those who lacked the skills to serve in the military were either killed if they proved to be too willful, or sent off to be slaves in more civilian sectors.
But for those with the skills that would see them as assets for the military? They were forcefully conscripted, bomb laced Longan Units strapped to their skulls to ensure loyalty, no matter how willful they may have been.
And so it was that Killzar and vel-Ahllan found themselves inducted into the Thalatte Stratocracy's servitude.