Drekkan

DREKKAN

“ N ev this nevving place!” I toss the useless piece of junk over my shoulder, not caring where it lands.

The carcass of my ship’s engine stares back at me, as if daring me to do what I did to it three turns ago. Not that any further damage would matter. Without the pulsar drive pin, the one I thought I’d “liberated” from the other vessel, I’m not going anywhere.

And I’ve been stuck on this nevving planetoid for what seems like forever. I hate it. I hate being in one place. I hate the fact all the other lifeforms on Kitchik seem to like it here.

They made the mistake of approaching me after I made my unscheduled landing. The ridiculous mayor, a stupidly cheery purple Honok, all smiles and greetings, wanted to welcome me to this nev-hole.

One sheet of flame sent them all scurrying away. Sometimes, being a Sarkarnii, even when there are no Sarkarnii left, is useful after all.

Regardless, the inhabitants continue to tolerate me for reasons I don’t quite understand. I rarely pay for supplies and regularly steal from them to get the parts I hope might make my ship space worthy again.

Not hope. It will fly, I’m going to make nevving sure of it, even if I have to shut down the whole of Kitchik to make it happen.

It’s been too long. I can’t wait any more.

I scratch at the back of my neck just as my comm chimes. I see from the incoming information it is the last nevver I want to speak to. Except…

“Qrow, you piece of nev, that part was worse than useless!” I spit at him, smoke and embers curling around me.

“Now, , listen.” He waves one set of arms around while the other pair twist in front of him.

“I’m done nevving listening to you, or to anyone. All I want is to be left alone, to fix my ship, and get the nev off this nevving planet,” I roar.

“Are you due to shed?” Qrow asks. “You’re always extra cranky when you’re due a shed.”

“If you”—I lower my voice to its most menacing—“dare to suggest what is and isn’t wrong with me, ancestors help me, I will come down there and rip your head off. Then you’ll know what cranky is,” I finish with a snarl.

Qrow blanches. Or at least his bright skin goes a little paler.

“I think there may be a shipment of parts coming in shortly, but…” He rubs his chin.

“But what?”

“The spaceport’s going to be closed for the solstice celebration.”

I stare at him. He blinks slowly back at me down the comm.

“Solstice celebration?” I repeat. “What the nev is a solstice celebration ?”

“Remind me how long you’ve been on Kitchik?” Qrow asks insolently.

Smoke fires out my nostrils and I go to terminate the comm.

“Wait, wait, !” he calls out. Little nevver doesn’t want to miss out on any credits I might send his way.

“I don’t need you, Qrow. I can get what I want myself. If anyone gets in my way—” I fire out a single burst of flame, setting fire to a bunch of rags next to the comm. “Understand?”

“It’s going to be locked up, . You won’t…” His pleadings are cut off as I end the call and disconnect the comm entirely.

I’ve had enough. For all I hate the little nevver, he is correct. My shed is near and my scales itch like a nevver. There’s only one body of water large enough to take a Sarkarnii on this ancestor-forsaken rock in space and I’m forbidden from entering it, all because I used it that one time and left my shed.

They should have been honored.

So I’m forbidden from the one place which can bring me relief, stopped from taking what I want from the spaceport because of some stupid celebration, and my ship is nowhere near being fixed.

I slam my fist down on the console and it bends, leaving a dent to match all the other ones of my frustration. I add a selection of claw marks in order to vent further. My other option is to go burn something, given I ran out of ammunition before I got to Kitchik.

Another thing to annoy me. Another reason to take out my anger elsewhere. It’s been a while since I shifted, and with a shed imminent, I see no reason not to give the other inhabitants of the planetoid something to think about…while things burn.

Decision made, I leave the cave high above the main settlement and take to the air, filling my accelerant sacs.

Destruction in three…two…one…