Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Elaine

“ Y ou look…fine?” I said, trying not to laugh. Not that Karkonar looked bad with his hair tied back, just ridiculous. It was obvious this wasn’t how he usually wore his magnificent mane, and it fought against its improvised confinement. Though the resulting mess was comical and unflattering, it worked as a disguise. No one would focus on his face.

Which was soon put to the test as Karkonar growled and stalked down the boarding ramp, into the crowds beyond. No one stood in his way, his aura of rage driving everyone back. No one seemed to recognize him, either.

I followed in his wake, glad to see other Arisrans in the crowd. I’d feared the prince would be unique enough to make him unmissable, but Harry’s Moon was still close enough to Aris that he didn’t stand out too much. That let me relax and take in our surroundings. The station was a chaotic mess, as though a market crashed into a nightclub and the owners had shrugged and made the best of it. For all I knew, that was exactly what happened. An anarchic mess of symbols and words covered every surface in an incomprehensible riot of colors. Music blasted from a dozen competing venues, and shops offered everything you could imagine, from rugged fabrics by the meter to holovids which would make a sybarite blush. Several of those were playing outside stores and clubs, serving as advertising for the businesses within. Delicious smells wafted through from the food stalls set up throughout the market, mixing with less pleasant odors I tried to ignore.

It was a dizzying display, and these were the castoffs. Harry’s Moon served as a clearinghouse for pirates, a way to negotiate sales with those far away. Low value goods ended up here, on the market. The real prizes would sell across the galaxy, via the Cirial Nexuses. Which was a reason I’d never been here before — I’d never had a prize worth the effort, or the fees.

Until now. Prince Karkonar walked ahead of me, and I knew that many people in my line of work would see him as a stack of credits on legs. That I didn’t was one reason I never got the juicy jobs.

We passed through the markets unrecognized, dozens of traders trying to grab our attention. I could buy silly hats. Weapons from a dozen worlds. Holoshows from a hundred. Collections of jewelry. Collections of teeth. A market where you could get anything your heart desired, if you didn’t mind the suffering piracy caused.

No one made any effort to hide that suffering. A slave market stood off to one side, unfortunate passengers of hijacked vessels sold to the highest bidder. Holograms advertised particular dealers and their wares, with no fear of retribution.

I looked away, feeling nauseous at the sight. By luck, that movement tugged at my belt in a way it shouldn’t, and I looked down to see a dainty hand plucking at one of my pouches. I followed it up to see a child. In a human, I’d have guessed around twelve years old. She was a Liil, and I had no idea how quickly they matured in comparison to us.

The waif yanked at the pouch, pulling free my spare blaster cartridge. Moving with surprising speed and grace, she stepped smoothly backward, and my hand closed on thin air. Her eyes sparkled, and she grinned at me, displaying needle-sharp pointed teeth, before turning to run.

A giant red hand landed on her shoulder, gripping hard enough that she dropped the cartridge. She hissed, prompting Onyx to do the same from his perch on my shoulder.

Looming over her like a vengeful demon, Karkonar growled. The girl tried to pull free, but I knew she didn’t stand a chance. My alien warrior looked at me as though to ask what to do with the little sneak thief. I didn’t know. Law enforcement was non-existent on Harry’s Moon, and the crowd ignored us completely.

“Let her go,” I said.

“That is unwise,” Karkonar replied, twisting his grip to discourage the girl’s struggles. “We should make sure that everyone knows better than to rob you.”

“I’m not planning on hanging out around here long enough to earn a reputation, Red.” I sighed and dug around in another pouch, pulling out a Food Equivalent Energy Bar (Green Flavor). Not much of a treat, but something. “Right, take this and get out of here.”

I flipped the bar over to the alien girl, who caught it and made it vanish so fast I couldn’t follow. Karkonar grumbled, but let go of her arm, and she scrambled away.

“You will attract every hungry mouth here,” Karkonar said as we watched her run to an older girl, a human, who glared in our direction. I gave her a cheerful wave, she responded by giving me the finger, and then the two of them left. Under the circumstances, I thought that was a pretty good outcome.

Turning back to my alien prince, I smiled. “We aren’t standing around waiting for the news to spread. Let’s go.”

On the far side of the market, we encountered the Siblings of the Nexus, standing aloof from it all. Their blue-gray robes lent them a serious air, and no one invited trouble by bothering them. Even in a nest of gangsters and pirates, some things were off limits — and at the top of that list, you’d find the monks. Without them, the Nexus just put a target on this place.

Beyond them, the deck opened into space, an airshield holding in the precious atmosphere while letting ships through. Seven small shuttles waited here, seven Siblings sitting beside them. They looked out into the void beyond, motionless, meditating or praying or doing whatever else they did in veneration of the Nexus, which covered half the sky. This close up, it looked shaped, though I couldn’t tell what that shape was. My eyes slid off it when I tried to follow its lines.

As we approached, one Sibling stood. Tall and spindly, I recognized him as an Akedian male, but I could tell little else. His robe, the same blue-gray as the Nexus itself, hid all details.

“Travelers,” he intoned, voice solemn and serene. “You wish to use the mystery of the Nexus?”

“We do,” Karkonar said, respectfully. “I need to speak with Princess Arkari of Aris. Inform her it concerns the whereabouts of her brother, and she will take the call.”

“Indeed.” If his request surprised the Sibling, he didn’t show it. He took out a datapad, tapping the interface faster than I could follow. “I must inform you it may take several hours or even days to find your recipient and convey her to the Nexus — oh, I see she’s already responded.”

That did surprise him, though he hid it well. Recovering, he inclined his head and gestured with one too-long arm to the shuttle beside him. “I shall take you across.”

The trip was uneventful, except for my growing unease at my inability to look at the Nexus as we approached it. Something about it made my brain itch and my stomach churn, and I was glad when our pilot flew us into a cavernous opening. Another airshield kept a breathable atmosphere in, so my helmet came off. If I needed to throw up, I would rather not do so inside a helmet.

“Proceed inward, and you will find your conversation partner.” With that, the Sibling sat down beside the shuttle and seemed to switch off.

The space we’d entered was a large, circular tunnel, the blue-gray stone darkening as we walked deeper. The tunnel shrank too, and soon we were in a tunnel of reflective black stone, just wide enough for us to walk side-by-side.

I pressed close to Karkonar, taking his hand. To make sure we didn’t get separated, of course. Nothing romantic about it. Not at all.

Though the heat of his hand engulfing mine ran up my arm like a current, sending tingling sensations throughout my body. It made a welcome distraction from the strange ancient artifact we walked through.

We arrived at our destination without warning. One moment, we were alone in the tunnel. The next, we weren’t. Ahead of us stood an Arisran lady, skin red as Karkonar’s, an understated dress that I guessed cost more than the Dashing Rogue was worth. She looked up from a datapad, an irritated expression on her beautiful face.

She froze mid-motion as she saw Karkonar, the pad falling from her fingers. The irritation faded, replaced with shock and wonder. “Kark?”

“Ark.” I heard the grin in his voice, the joy of the reunion. “I never thought I’d be so glad to see you. Let me introduce my rescuer, Captain Elaine Jessop of the — ”

“Brother! It is you,” the princess interrupted, her burning eyes sparkling. “And at the Harry’s Moon nexus? The Stardust will take half a day to get me there. Just sit tight and don’t get yourself murdered before I get to you.”

She turned to me, and the intensity in those glowing golden eyes was like a kick in the chest. Princess Arkari was magnificent, regal, and had a charming, friendly smile that somehow still reminded me of a shark. I’d seen the same smile on the faces of girls I shouldn’t have called friends at school, and it made me wary of trusting Arkari now.

“Captain Jessop, you’ve done the Royal House of Aris a great service,” she said, and despite my suspicion, my chest filled with pride. Arkari had the bearing of a princess, somehow making her opinion matter. “The animals that kidnapped my dear brother must be fuming at your change of heart! You must let me offer you a reward for your help.”

“Gladly, Your Highness,” I said, smiling back and hoping the expression didn’t look as forced as it felt. “I’m an independent hauler, not one to turn down a fair reward.”

Her laugh was like a chiming bell. “Very well, I shall make certain you get what you’re due. And please, call me Arkari. Why, you’re almost family.”

My cheeks burned at her knowing wink, and Onyx’s claws dug into my shoulder. I reached up to stroke him as the princess turned away, calling to someone out of sight. “Fyntor, get my racing yacht ready, we’re — ”

Her image vanished mid-sentence, leaving us alone in the strange dark chamber. Onyx hissed at the space she’d occupied, spreading his wings wide. “I know, Onyx, I know.”

“That is a relief,” Karkonar said, oblivious to our reactions. “I’d feared the enemy might have attacked my sister, too.”

“They still might,” I pointed out. “She’s turning up here in her racing yacht, not exactly incognito.”

His expression turned grave. “True. She may present an opportunity they cannot pass up, but we shall have to make the best of that. If we position ourselves correctly, we’ll spot anyone who moves to attack her.”

“NoNoNONoNo,” came Onyx’s opinion.

“I’m inclined to agree with my cat. Come on, if we stay out of sight, there’s a good chance no one even knows we’re here till it’s too late to do anything about it. If we get spotted hanging around watching the docks, then things might go sideways before she arrives.”

We walked as we spoke, leaving the impossibly deep chamber to be met by a different Sibling than the one who brought us in, ushering us back aboard a shuttle. We stayed quiet in her presence, not wanting to take any chances with Karkonar’s secret identity. It made for an awkward silence, even more awkward for the way Onyx insisted on taking up several seats, forcing me into the prince’s lap for the flight.

Okay, I didn’t mind that bit so much, but I didn’t plan on admitting it.