Heightened Mystique

Xion's flyer raced to Eden II's private spaceport, heading for a sleek vessel parked just out of one of its radial berths.

His corvette, the Tachytita, Tachy for short, was the embodiment of its name.

A rare time-shifting speedster, it was also one of the fastest ships in the galaxy.

With a tachyon drive interwoven into its manifolds.

Mirage had used quantum computing to integrate Xion's high-velocity noids into the engine. Allowing the ship to time shift one or two minutes back or forward, giving it an advantage in battle and speed.

‘Any more time adjusting than that will upset the time directive. We don't mess with that,' the AI had said to the Riders when presenting them with the tech a few months ago.

What Xion revelled in most, however, was how fast she blew into the skies.

He pulled up next to the sleek machine, initiated an air tunnel connection between both vessels and stalked out of his flyer.

He soon leapt up the steel staircase to saunter into the control room. He dropped into a plush pilot's chair surrounded by a high-end, cutting-edge bridge crowned with a 360-degree plex display.

He patched his neural node into its virtual HUD cockpit.

All around him, the ship radiated with the pride of its owner and his love for racing.

His vessel blended the streamlined mystique of a regatta yacht with segment-leading technology on its dashboard, a prime seat position to poise optimum handling alongside a luxe cabin.

Its exquisite interiors were also mesmerising. He'd added fine detailing to the bulkhead joints and plates and had a team of specialists create leather-seamed panelling.

Despite all the luxe touches, this was a sleek warship with separate shield-control centres in a few locations deep inside the Tachy. This allowed command personnel to continue working even if the hull had been perforated.

The displays were intuitive and accessible at multiple stations by voice or gesture. Crew couches included strengthened restraints, including his own, a custom-designed seat with insets he'd crafted himself. Its headrest was embossed and embroidered with the Sable Group livery.

Several massive multi-dimensional holo screens show various maps, security feeds, and a virtual 3D landscape overlay of the external topography.

The lights transformed into a blue battle mood during combat to maximise vision.

The mechanical speedometer, as were the adroit machined aluminium-built levers and the threat alert toggle button, was a visual feast.

He'd tooled the features for manual piloting, but one of Mirage's quantum nodes was always on hand to help navigate the ship when needed.

‘Permission to come onboard?'

He turned his hazel irises, ringed with glowing jade flecks, tagging the newcomer.

A solid, towering man in a dark-coloured Sable Group suit was taking a final step onto the bridge. ‘Brother.'

His guest was statuesque, as enormous and tall as Xion.

His long mane of ebony and gold locks whipped around his broad shoulders, his presence dominating the gunship.

His tanned skin, from his neck to his upper limbs and hands, was covered by gilded and azure nebula-like tattoos. The same iridescent sapphire and silver hues flashed on his beard, squared jaw, and full moustache. His forehead was a wall unto itself, the dark brows thick and unyielding.

It hid a brilliant mind and keen strategic prowess.

‘Boss khan,' Xion grinned, standing to embrace the newcomer.

As their arms folded around each other, Xion was imbued with profound warmth.

Kainan Sable was Xion's badass leader, close confidant, friend, and formidable protector. This was a man he'd give his life for in an instant and one he knew would do the same for him.

The love and respect between both men was palpable.

Kainan pulled out of the hug and tracked to the ship's console, against which he leaned a muscled hip. ‘Got word you're heading to Enia?'

‘Last minute, but urgent,' Xion confirmed.

His khosi gave a huff. ‘Chasing your tail or chasing tail?'

‘Not you, too?' Xion growled. ‘Why does everyone around here persist in assuming I'm all about tail or keep pushing me towards women and making the worst jokes possible about it? If anything, most of them make me miserable.'

His ire was palpable, and Kainan narrowed his eyes as he contemplated him. ‘We just want you to be as happy as we are. What happened to Lynira?'

Xion's face fell. ‘Old news, kaka.'

His recent relationship had been with a high-maintenance, petulant Falasian beauty who sometimes made up for it in bed.

Until her tantrums and pouting got too much to handle.

He'd ended it and continued with his life, on occasion fooling with random ladies.

Which only heightened the playboy mystique.

He'd honed the persona to a T.

At least, that's what he let others think.

Deep inside, Xion's desire to play was waning.

He was a family man masquerading as a hedonist yearning for the same happiness his brothers had found.

Over the years, one Rider after another had invested in their forever women.

They'd walked away from the short-term, meaningless pleasure of empty sex and met their true loves.

From Kainan to Zane, Kage and Riv, they'd stepped up to raise families with their knockout, sensational and intelligent partners.

They were happier, more chilled, at peace.

It was no wonder Xion wanted some of that they had, too.

‘It takes strength, kaka,' Kainan drawled, his sapphire gold eyes assessing his fellow Rider with compassion and uncanny perception. ‘Self-discipline to hold off your base instincts so you can be the man you must be for your wife and children.'

Xion jolted. ‘Fokk off with that freakish reading mind thing you do.'

‘We're nodally linked, kinai. And that pretty face of yours is an open book to me,' his khosi growled. ‘You want what most of us Riders do, and there's no shame in it. Just chill out on the casual sex and playboy image. It isn't attractive to healthy women, by the way. If you want a kick-ass woman, you'll need to come correct. Otherwise, life for you will resemble a canvas of unfulfilled dreams.'

Xion flinched. ‘Damn, kaka. You're laying it down, thick and hard.'

‘I am. It's time to step up, brother; it's time to respect yourself, the woman you plan to marry and the kids you want to have. That concludes my lecture. Tell me more about this mission.'

Xion sighed.

There was nothing about what Kainan had said that he hadn't mulled over in recent months.

He sensed he'd only find himself unfulfilled long-term without reining his bad habits and one-night shows, which would reduce his chances of attracting a good woman and building the family he desired.

He sucked his teeth and gave his khosi a prolonged look, feeling the burn of his force.

With a deep breath, he nodded, part in understanding and the other in respect to the one man who led the Riders with freakish wisdom.

‘One of the card players at the salon tonight showed up with some major game. She played her hand, won big, and then, without warning, walked away. It seems her agenda was more than winning or losing, and it turns out she hacked us, but Mirage has that in hand. She also encrypted her flight plan out of Eden II. She's headed for Rhesia and burning fast, and I need to catch up.'

Kainan leaned back on the bridge dashboard. ‘If your gut tells you to go after her, go for it. Trust your senses; you've got an exceptional track record of sniffing out the nefarious.'

He straightened, clapped a hand on Xian's shoulder and powered to the stair rails. ‘Travel safe, brother and kick ass on Enia.'

‘Will do,' Xion smirked. ‘It's a fokkin' skillset.'

Before lift-off, Xion made a call.

He tapped on his control console to bring up his holo video.

The link was picked up, and the face of a rakish Ccyth appeared onscreen.

His handsome pirate-like features left women throughout Pegasi breathless. They were enamoured by his lengthy, unruly black hair, long beard, tattoos, gold jewellery embedded above his brow, and more jewels dripping over his neck.

Soren DKRT pronounced ‘Dukarat', was known to most by his moniker ‘Duke'. He was the ‘Don' of the Ccyth on Eden II, a man with no scruples and a stronghold in the city's underbelly.

The Sable Group sought him for any coercive, unavowed action. He was also a telepathic empath, as were some Ccyth of royal descent, and could read minds and interpret intent, which made him excellent at discerning ill motives.

He was among the few men outside the Riders that Xion called friend.

‘Xion, my man.'

The Rider jerked his chin at his mate. ‘Duke, need some intel.'

‘What's with you, Riders, and not caring for common courtesies, like greetings, eh, Sable? Zane does the same thing, launches into demands, bare-faced and fokkin' bold.'

‘You crying over it?'

‘Weeping.'

‘Deal with it. And good evening to you, too.'

‘When will you understand that we, Ccyth, treasure old-fashioned manners and felicitations?' the handsome rogue groaned.

‘Speaking of understanding the Ccyth, I seek a bead on one of your own.'

Duke's eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward. ‘Who?'

With a twist to his lips, Xion flicked his sketchy file on Katya over the holo.

Duke's eyes glazed over as he ran over the data. He whistled under his breath as his eyes fell on the image of the woman that Xion had captured standing at the entry to her ship.

‘She's a beauty.'

‘You don't say. A cool customer as well. With layers, Duke, freakin' secretive layers.'

‘Katya D'Landra. The name is familiar. Give me a sec.'

The Iccythrian fixer glanced offscreen to a secondary screen.

Xion caught the click of rapid typing, followed by Duke's brow shooting up.

‘Fokk,' Duke uttered in a whisper.

‘What?' Xion growled.

Duke sliced his eyes to him. ‘She's not D'Landra. She's a D'Hanna of House DHNA.'

Xion shrugged. ‘And that's significant because?'

‘The D'Hannas are a minor house. A small but well-organised Iccythrian Clique consisting of the patriarch K'Toro and his three sons, Korin, Kiros and K'Zito. Plus, one daughter who, by all accounts, walked away from the family business of drug dealing, petty heists and contraband smuggling. But not before becoming a prolific criminal operator and cat burglar by age 15.'

‘Damn,' Xion murmured.

‘It's claimed that she carried out more than ninety thefts. She was arrested at age 22, but Galician cops who caught her only charged her with eight burglaries. They were shit-faced-embarrassed, but she had managed to defy the law for so long on their watch. She ended up serving six months in jail in Galicia. After she lit out, she changed her surname to D'Landra, then disappeared.'

Xion raised a brow and nodded, impressed. ‘It seems she's reinvented herself as a card shark with this new moniker. Given her jacket, though, she probably also has a few other Sys-IDs floating about with her face on them.'

‘She's a virtuoso at high-end heists. The best in Pegasi if rumours back then are to be believed, so don't put it past her not to keep falling back on her core talent,' Duke warned. ‘Why are you asking?'

‘She touched down on Eden II, played a puzzling baccarat game, then lit out with an encrypted flight plan. Enough to get my attention. I'm chasing after her.'

Duke gave a long whistle. ‘Careful, my friend, she's a smart one from the sounds of it.'

‘Look at you being all reasonable and shit. She doesn't faze me. I'm a freakin' Rider, after all.'

‘Nuff said,' Duke laughed. ‘Just hit me first with the tea when you get back. She's a fokkin' match for you, so I can't wait to hear about your encounters when you return.'

‘Fokk off,' Xion groused before signing out of the call with a small salute to his capricious mate with a devilish grin.