PSO2: Legend of Aki: REBIRTH

[yoshiblue]

Spoiler!

I've been doing some thinking and what if it was just a simulation of the galaxy? What if it's also an archive of record events, some which may lead you to a live recording treasure behind hidden if you know where and when to look. Would be an interesting reason to mark up the price past being able to see history events replayed.

[stukasa]

@yoshiblue:

Spoiler!

That would definitely be impressive if they could pull it off. But how would they get a recording of the entire galaxy? Wouldn't they have to have a camera somewhere far away, outside the galaxy, to make it work?

Like I said, I left some details of the sculpture vague. The only other clue I gave was its title: "Infinity." To me, that implies it's slowly changing with the passage of time, infinitely. Which could explain why it's so valuable, because it's always changing and never the same from one minute to the next.

[stukasa]

CHRONICLE 03.4 [5/19/18]

Spoiler!

CRUISE SHIP CELESTIAL PRINCESS

It felt strange playing detective again.

Strange, but also familiar. In her career as an ARKS soldier, Aki01 had hunted her share of criminals. Never a thief, but she imagined the principle was still the same. It was just a matter of following the clues and applying the proper logic. To that end, she had obtained a list of the thief’s victims from Captain Orville. The next step was the most tedious but probably also the most important: questioning them for information.

Spoiler!

First up was Mr. Geordon Neeley, a scholarly man in his mid-fifties with graying hair and a little paunch in his belly. He was more than happy to help. Unfortunately, he wasn’t very helpful. His conversation with Aki amounted to the following: On the first night of the cruise, Neeley went out to dinner at the Main Dining Hall. Several alcoholic beverages later, he stumbled back to his cabin and went straight to bed. The next morning he woke up to discover that his collection of ornamental rugs—a priceless family heirloom—had gone missing. He contacted the security staff, who came and searched his cabin, but they were unable to turn up any evidence of forced entry. They even had the nerve—the nerve!—to suggest he might have misplaced the rugs. A ten-minute rant about the competence of the cruise staff ensued.

Aki thanked the man for his time and moved on to the second name on the list, a Mr. Sai Terazawa. The man turned out to be a thirty-something-year-old Newman with an aristocratic bearing and serious face. He looked like he came from old money. Maybe even one of the elite families on Feoh or Melchior. When Aki first arrived, Terazawa nearly turned her away. Said he’d already given his statement to the first pair of clowns who came by. They hadn’t caught the thief, so how could she? Aki pointed out her extensive experience in dealing with criminals (which was true) and said she was well on her way to nabbing the thief (not true, but close enough). Hesitantly, the man relented offered up his story.

According to Terazawa, he had attended an important business meeting the second night of the cruise. He was trying to make a deal with a potential client for the sale of some rare weapon camo devices. Things went well and the client tentatively agreed to the deal. They made plans to meet the following day to perform the exchange. However, when the appointed time arrived, Terazawa realized the camo devices were gone. The locked safe he kept them in was empty, and he possessed the only key. Given its importance, he kept the key on him at all times. Never left his pocket, he said.

The rest of the story went much the same as the first guy’s. Terazawa reported the stolen goods, but the cruise staff—in their great incompetence—hadn’t found any evidence of foul play. It was as if the devices had simply vanished into thin air. Aki promised to do her best to recover them, then excused herself from the cabin.

Finally she came to the third and final name, listed as a Ms. Miren Fanale. She turned out to be a blonde middle-aged woman who favored the color blue. She was also the same person Aki saw shouting hysterically at Captain Orville a day earlier, demanding he catch the thief or compensate her appropriately. Aki introduced herself and asked if Fanale could spare a few minutes to talk. Though cautious at first, the woman quickly agreed.

She led Aki into her cabin and they sat down in the only two chairs available. Fanale didn’t stay seated for long, however. As her story progressed, her level of agitation grew. Soon she was pacing back and forth, gesturing wildly, and nearly on the verge of tears.

Her reason for booking the cruise was not dissimilar from Aki’s. She was also suffering from a trauma and needed to “get away from it all.” In Fanale’s case, though, the trauma in question was a split from her wife of ten years. They had planned to go on the cruise together. But after the breakup, Fanale was too distraught to cancel her ticket. Eventually she decided to take the trip alone as a way of clearing her head.

Everything was going fine until the fourth day. Fanale returned from lunch to find her jewelry box open—and empty. Someone had completely cleaned it out. It was impossible, she said, because the box could only be opened by fingerprint verification, and she distinctly remembered locking it the night before. Yet somehow, the thief had found a way.

The jewelry itself was worth a small fortune—a million meseta, at least. Rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings, each one studded with diamonds and emeralds and sapphires and a dozen other types of valuable gems. Fanale was a woman of wealth and taste, and wouldn’t dream of going out without the “appropriate level” of accoutrements.

“You must help me,” Fanale insisted frantically. “Find my missing jewelry! Bring this vile thief to justice!”

As Aki listened, she was also thinking. Analyzing the facts of the case. There were plenty of well-to-do passengers aboard the Celestial Princess, so why had these particular three been targeted? What set them apart from the rest? They had different backgrounds, different occupations, different personalities. They came from different colony ships. They were different races, different genders. But what did they have in common? Aki thought hard about it.

At first, nothing came to mind. And then, like a light bulb turning on, it hit her. The answer was so obvious. So simple. Why hadn’t she realized it sooner?

They were all traveling alone.

“Ms. Fanale. I’m sorry to interrupt, but there’s something I need to know. During your stay aboard the Celestial Princess, did you spend time with anyone?”

“I…,” the woman began, then stopped. Her eyes darted down and away. “No, no one.”

She’s lying, thought Aki. But why? There was no reason to conceal such a benign detail.

Unless…

“May I see the jewelry box?” asked Aki.

Fanale walked to the closet and returned with a metallic silver box. It was the size of a small briefcase and had the woman’s initials, M.F., engraved on the lid. She handed it to Aki, who brought the box next to her face and sniffed it. Then she sniffed it again, deeper that time.

“What are you doing?” asked Fanale, confused.

Aki’s nose was better than any bloodhound’s. Her olfactory sensor could accurately distinguish between thousands of odors, several of which were present on the jewelry box. The largest concentration belonged to a floral perfume—likely Fanale’s. There were also traces of carpet cleaner, probably due to the fact that the box had been sitting on the closet floor for the past few days.

Mixed in among the many odors was one that stood out to Aki. An unusual, yet, familiar, scent. It can’t be, she thought. No, no, no. That didn’t make any sense. Yet there it was, as plain as day.

A faint whiff of cinnamon.

Aki jumped to her feet, startling the other woman. “Thank you for your time, Ms. Fanale. It has been most illuminating.”

* * * * * * * * *

The pieces were falling into place, but there was still one mystery Aki hadn’t solved: the theft of the “Infinity” sculpture. She accessed her memories of the Cosmic Ball. Scrutinized every detail top to bottom. The sights, the sounds, the smells, everything. She recalled a gold-plated CAST, his armor sparkling with reflected light. A regal-looking Newearl with half a dozen attendants catering to her every whim. Aki recalled the black and purple drapes adorning the walls. The kaleidoscope of holographic images—planets, stars, nebulae, and more—projected around the room, giving the impression that the ball was somehow suspended in space.

She recalled seeing Évangelique for the first time that evening, wearing that stunning purple dress and a playful smile. And she recalled her conversation with Captain Orville about the “Infinity” sculpture. He had been so confident about catching the thief that night. “I’ve got security guards stationed at every entrance and exit, and half a dozen more posing as guests,” he had said. “They’re mixed in with the crowd behind us. On top of that, this glass case is protected by a triple-layered alarm system. No way anyone’s getting past us, not this time. If he’s stupid enough to try, we’ll nab him for sure.”

Orville’s precautions should have been adequate. His security guys said the case hadn’t been touched. So how was the sculpture stolen from right under their noses?

Maybe it wasn’t, she realized, the spark of an idea taking shape. With images of planets and stars swirling through her head, Aki dashed back to the Grand Ballroom.

* * * * * * * * *

“Back again?” asked one of the guys guarding the empty display case.

“I need to check something,” she replied.

“Like I told you earlier, the alarm was active the whole time. If the thief so much as touched this case, we’d know about it.”

“Humor me.”

The two guys looked at each other. The guy on the left shrugged. “Suit yourself,” he said.

Aki got down on her hands and knees and crawled underneath the stand supporting the display case. She ran her fingers along the underside of the stand until she found the edge of a maintenance panel. It was secured by four tiny pan head screws. Aki deftly removed each one, then pulled the panel off and set it on the floor. She reached up into the open underbelly of the stand and felt around. A minute later, she pulled out what she’d been looking for. It was a flat metallic disc, matte black, about the size of a drink coaster.

“A portable holo-emitter,” Aki explained to the bewildered security guards.

“How’d that get in there?” the guy on the right asked.

“Simple,” she replied. “Someone put it there before the alarm was turned on.”

* * * * * * * * *

Aki had one last stop to make: the bridge. She handed the small black device to Captain Orville, who held it up and examined it.

“Clever,” he said, referring to the thief. “How’d you find it?”

Spoiler!

“Process of elimination, and some deductive reasoning. Your security precautions at the Cosmic Ball were adequate. And your men confirmed that the alarm was never triggered. There was simply no way the sculpture could have been stolen in such a short period of time without touching the display case. That got me thinking… Maybe our entire premise was wrong. Maybe the thief didn’t steal the sculpture during the ball. Maybe it was stolen earlier, before it was even put in the case. All the thief had to do was install a holo-emitter in the stand—”

“And we’d be fooled into thinking it was there the whole time,” said Orville, finishing the thought. He shook his head. Partly in amazement, partly at how easily they’d been duped. “This is high-end tech. The hologram of the sculpture was completely convincing, down to the smallest detail. And who knows how long the real sculpture’s been missing? It could be halfway across the galaxy by now.”

“I don’t think so. I think it’s still here, aboard the Celestial Princess.”

“What makes you say that? Have you got a lead on the thief?”

Aki didn’t answer that. Instead she said, “I need two things from you, Captain. The room number of a certain passenger… and something else.”

* * * * * * * * *

Twenty minutes later she was on Deck Four, standing in the hallway where the first-class cabins were located. She was right at the corner of an L-shaped junction where the hall made an abrupt ninety-degree turn. The elevators were close behind her.

Aki peered around the corner. On the opposite wall, three doors down, was Room 173. According to Orville, it belonged to a Mr. Renhold Augustin. A quick search through public records hadn’t turned up much useful information. Augustin was a rich old businessman who made his fortune in the stock market, but had largely remained out of the spotlight in recent years.

If Aki was right, he was about to be the thief’s next target.

She watched and waited, trying to remain inconspicuous. Just passing the time. Twice she was approached by random passersby asking if she was lost. Aki shook her head and told them she was waiting for someone. Which was true, in a way. She was waiting to catch the thief in the act.

An hour passed. Then two. Aki decided to change tactics. She headed for the closest public visiphone, which happened to be next to the elevators. A single button press dialed the operator.

“How may I assist you?” asked the woman on the other end of the line.

Aki kept the call on voice-only mode. She didn’t know what Augustin sounded like, so she modulated her vocal processor to sound like a generic seventy-year-old man. “I’d like to order room service,” she replied.

“Of course. One moment, sir.”

The call was put on hold while Aki was transferred to another department. A male voice answered after three rings. “Room service. What can we get for you this evening?”

“This is Renhold Augustin in Room 173,” said Aki. “I’m feeling rather parched and thought I might order a bottle of wine.”

“No problem, Mr. Augustin. What kind would you like?”

Aki hesitated. She was no kind of wine expert. As a CAST, she had no reason to drink the stuff—so she improvised. “I’m feeling adventurous. Surprise me.”

“Very good, sir. We’ll send someone right away.”

Aki ended the call and returned to her post at the corner of the L-junction. Nothing had changed. The door to Room 173 was still closed. No one was around.

Five minutes later, the elevator chimed behind her. Aki turned and saw a delivery boy headed her way carrying a bottle of wine. As he passed by, Aki nodded at him. He nodded back, like there was some kind of secret understanding between them, even though he had no idea who she was and wasn’t in on her plan.

The delivery boy stopped in front of Room 173. He pressed the doorbell and stood there, waiting. No one answered. He tried the bell again. Still nothing. Next he tried knocking, in case the bell was out of service. “Room service!” he called. No reply. Eventually he gave up and returned the way he came. The elevator door shut behind him and Aki was left alone in the hall once more.

Well, that answers that question. Aki turned the corner and walked over to Room 173. She glanced down the hall to her left, then to her right. Both directions were deserted. Aki put her ear piece next to the door to see if she could hear anything inside.

Nothing. Pure silence.

Aki’s hearing was much better than a human’s. She was confident she would have picked up any sounds coming from inside the cabin—breathing, footsteps, snoring, whatever. The fact that she couldn’t hear anything meant exactly what it sounded like: the place was empty.

She was about to leave when her auditory sensor picked up something. Movement, inside Room 173. Aki froze. She listened harder, dialing up the volume of her ear piece. What was that sound? It was like a shuffling or a sliding noise, low and steady. Aki performed a cross-comparison against all known sounds. The most likely match was… a sliding door opening.

Wait, a door? That was when Aki realized her mistake. Her own cabin was located on the interior of the vessel, so it only had a single entrance door. Mr. Augustin’s cabin, on the other hand, was on the exterior, meaning it had a second door leading to a balcony.

Normally, balconies on a starship would seem like a strange proposition, but the Celestial Princess had found a way to make them work. The transparent dome that covered the aft dorsal hull wrapped around the sides of the vessel as well, essentially creating a “bubble” eight meters wide. This allowed first-class passengers to enjoy an unobstructed view of space from their own private balconies.

It also meant Aki had been watching the wrong door. The thief was most likely inside the cabin at that very moment… and there was nothing Aki could do about it. The door was sealed and locked from the other side. She could ask Orville for a key, but by then it would be too late. She could pound on the door, but that would only send the thief running. So what could she do?

Aki considered her options for six-tenths of a second. A long time, for a CAST. Then she made her decision. She dashed to the end of the hall, rounded the corner, and entered the nearest elevator. She hit the button for Deck One—the Starlight Deck. The elevator doors closed and the lift began its ascent.

It would take approximately seven seconds to reach Deck One. Aki used that time to check the pistol tucked into the back of her skirt, safely hidden from view by her red jacket. She hadn't brought any weapons with her on the cruise. Generally speaking, firearms weren’t allowed on board. That was why she had requested one from Captain Orville, who borrowed it from his security team. Aki just hoped she wouldn’t need to use it.

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Aki bolted through the doorway, nearly bowling over a family of four in the process. She sprinted to the port side of the ship, to the railing at the very edge. The transparent outer hull was eight meters in front of her. Beyond it was a wall of stars as far as the eye could see.

Aki mentally calculated the location of Room 173 and stepped several paces to the right, until she was directly above the cabin in question. She leaned forward over the railing and looked down. Several rows of balconies were visible. Due to the curvature of the ship, each level down stuck out a little further than the one above it.

She was on Deck One. Room 173 was on Deck Four. Aki counted down three rows of balconies. There. That’s the one.

She hopped over the railing… and let go. The artificial gravity sent her sliding down the side of the Celestial Princess. It looked like she was out in space, though of course that was only an illusion carefully crafted by the ship’s designers.

The first row of balconies came rushing up at her. Aki extended her feet just in time to stick the landing. A move like that probably would’ve strained a human, but not a CAST like Aki. It didn’t slow her down, not even a bit. She immediately hopped the balcony railing and did it again. Then again, a third time.

Finally, Aki was there. She spun around to face the cabin. The sliding door was wide open. The bedroom inside was dark. Aki started to reach for the pistol tucked into her skirt, then decided against it. That would be her last resort, if and when necessary. She crept forward, cautiously, until she reached the doorway. Aki peered inside—

—and came face-to-face with the thief.



TO BE CONTINUED

[yoshiblue]

Spoiler!

Funny that the things I think of is, "I wonder how far the space illusion wraps around the ship?", "I wonder how well protected that illusion surface is?", and "I wonder if it also replicates Hogwarts's great hall ceiling?"

Would also be interesting if you could take a tour in that void in little boats but I wouldn't know how much space would be given to people. Would also be cool if one side was space and the other was a tropical seaside. "Its like the seagulls are actually crashing into my face and eating that guy's vomit."

If the dude was from the Melchior, Aki was treated much better or reasonable than I would have expected.

[stukasa]

@yoshiblue:

Spoiler!

It's not an illusion of space, it's actually space. It's a transparent hull covering the top part of the ship, similar to the Great Dome in the colony ships. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. Did you ever see that episode of Futurama where they ride the Space Titanic? See how there's a big bubble covering the top of the ship? Think of it like that, except a bit more elegant. As for what it's made of, probably a super-strong transparent material. Obviously it's a lot stronger than normal glass, otherwise that would be a big hazard! Anyway, I was imagining that giant bubble stretching out about 25 feet around the top of the ship. That's the area Aki was in at the end of the chapter.

Your idea of a screen that could show images of other places is pretty cool, though! As for the Melchior thing, that was just a little wink, wink to the audience, since at least you and Zorafim would get the reference.

[stukasa]

CHRONICLE 03.5 [5/26/18]

Spoiler!

CRUISE SHIP CELESTIAL PRINCESS

With feline grace, Aki01 dropped down onto the balcony of Room 173. She quickly spun around to face the cabin behind her. The sliding door was wide open. The bedroom inside was dark. Aki started to reach for the pistol tucked into her skirt, then decided against it. That would be her last resort, if and when necessary. She crept forward, cautiously, until she reached the doorway. Aki peered inside—

—and came face-to-face with the thief.

Even in the dark, Aki could make out the woman clearly. She was about average height, with fair skin and short purple hair. A black mask covered her nose and mouth. Tinted glasses shrouded her eyes. She was wearing a showy skin-tight ninja outfit with a rose symbol prominently emblazoned on the left breast. The outfit accentuated her already curvy figure—curves that could’ve belonged to only one person aboard the ship.

Spoiler!

But Aki had guessed that much already. And while the identity of the thief didn’t come as a total shock, it did come as a rather painful disappointment. Just that once, she had hoped her deductive reasoning would turn out to be wrong.

The two women stared each other down, frozen like statues, each one waiting for the other to make a move. Then they both moved at once. Aki rushed forward, the thief dodged sideways. A narrow miss. Aki pivoted, swung a wide right hook, and missed again.

The thief was fast. At least as fast as Aki, maybe even a little faster. And she managed that while carrying a sack in one hand—a sack full of stolen valuables, no doubt.

Aki knew the thief wouldn’t risk leaving through the front door. The hallway out there was too public. No, she would try to escape the same way she came in—from the balcony. In that case, all Aki needed to do was guard the sliding door behind her.

The thief knew that too, of course. But she didn’t make a move. Instead she waited for Aki to come at her again. Which Aki eventually did, unleashing a flurry of rapid-fire strikes calculated to keep the woman off-balance. It didn’t work. The thief managed to block or parry each one. And single-handed, no less! A rather impressive feat.

They were in the space between the room’s only table and the king-sized bed. Nowhere for the thief to run. Aki lunged forward, right arm coming in for a jab—

The thief somersaulted clear over the bed, deftly avoiding the blow. Aki, however, hadn’t been aiming for the thief at all. She was after the sack of stolen valuables. Grabbing hold of the fabric, Aki yanked the sack right out of the thief’s hand.

The other woman decided not to fight over the lost goods. She had a clear path to the balcony door, and she took it. When she reached the open doorway, however, she paused to look back. At first Aki thought she was going to say something.

Instead, she tossed a smoke bomb.

It exploded on the floor with a poof and the bedroom instantly filled with thick gray fumes. Normally smoke wouldn’t be a problem for Aki, but this smoke was special. It was laced with something that interfered with her optical sensors, rendering her temporarily blind. Aki heard footsteps as the thief ran off, but she couldn't risk following until the smoke had dissipated.

“Éva, wait!” she called.

But by that time, the woman was already long gone.

* * * * * * * * *

Aki left Augustin’s cabin through the front door and headed up to the Starlight Deck. With any luck, she might get there in time to nab the thief. A futile effort, probably, but she had to try.

Ten minutes later she accepted defeat. The woman was nowhere to be found. The trail had gone cold.

Aki solemnly trudged back to the bridge. Captain Orville was still there, still looking as grim as usual. She asked him for Évangelique’s room number and a key. Didn’t say why. Orville obliged without asking.

Spoiler!

Ten minutes after that she was on Deck Five standing outside Room 209. Éva’s room, according to the captain. Aki glanced in both directions to make sure the coast was clear. It was. She reached under her jacket and pulled out the handgun stowed in the back of her skirt. Swiped the keycard in front of the reader and let the automated door slide open. Then she stepped inside.

The lights were off. The cabin was quiet. Aki could tell right away that Éva wasn’t there. Still, she kept her guard up until she was certain: the place was empty.

Aki lowered her gun. She turned the weapon over in her hands as if seeing it for the first time. What am I doing? she wondered. Suddenly she wasn’t so sure anymore.

A quick search of the cabin turned up nothing of value. Éva’s clothing and a few essential items, but that was it. No stolen goods. No “Infinity” sculpture. And definitely no Éva.

Reluctantly, Aki gave up and left.

* * * * * * * * *

With no new leads to go on, Aki decided to return to her own cabin. She rode the elevator up one deck and walked down the long hallway. When she got to Room 124, she fished around in her jacket pocket for her room key. It wasn’t there. She checked the other pocket. Same result. Aki frowned. Did it fall out during all the excitement earlier? Was it lying on the floor of Augustin’s cabin, waiting to be discovered? Or maybe—

That was when she heard it: singing, from inside her cabin! Aki recognized the voice right away. It belonged to Éva.

“La mer / Qu'on voit danser le long des golfes clairs / A des reflets d'argent…”

It was a lovely song, gentle and calming, though Aki couldn’t understand its meaning. She activated her language subroutine, which scanned the words and translated them in real time:

”The sea / Dancing along the shores of clear-water bays / Shimmers with silver…”

At that point Aki noticed the status light on her door was green, which meant it was unlocked. She reached out and pressed the button, cautiously, not quite trusting her own eyes.

The door slid open right away. Éva’s song, which sounded muffled before, suddenly rang out loud and clear:

“La mer / Des reflets changeants / Sous la pluie…”

“The sea / Changing reflections / Under the rain…”

Aki stepped into the cabin. The door softly hissed shut behind her. She stood there for a moment, hesitant, then took three long paces forward. Down the hall, past the restroom, into the bedroom proper.

Everything looked the same as it had when she left it. The table, the chairs, the desk. Her suitcase resting in the corner. All of it, completely untouched. The only thing different was the beautiful woman reclining on the bed.

Évangelique was lying on her side, head propped up with one hand, a cat-like smile adorning her face. Her appearance was exactly as it had been the previous night during the Cosmic Ball. The same low-cut dress, the same high-heeled shoes, the same side-slit white stockings.

Aki’s room key was resting comfortably on the nightstand beside her. Not lost, as Aki had presumed, but stolen.

“Ah, mon chéri!” Éva exclaimed with delight. “What took you so long? I was getting lonely here waiting for you.”

Spoiler!

There was no guilt on her face. No trace of anger, or remorse, or resentment. It was like their scuffle in Room 173 never happened.

So that’s how she wants to play this, thought Aki. “I was out—looking for you, actually. I had hoped I might catch you this evening. It would seem we have much to discuss.”

Éva pushed herself up into a sitting position at the edge of the bed. Her violet eyes twinkled with amusement. “Truer words were never spoken, love. But look! Here I am, and here you are. So, let us discuss.”

“How was your day?” Aki asked mildly. “Productive?”

“In some ways, yes. In others, not as much. But in all the ways that matter, very much so.”

“You had an appointment with Mr. Augustin today, didn’t you? How did it go?”

“Not to worry, Monsieur Augustin had a wonderful evening. I made sure of that. After dinner he ran into some former business associates. A regular old boys’ club. They decided to have a smoke and reminisce about the ‘good old days,’ so naturally I excused myself. The last I saw of him, he was still there, talking and smoking and having a grand old time.”

They were dancing around the real issue. Skirting it with small talk. It was only a matter of time before they ran out of pleasantries, so Aki decided to drop the act and get straight to the point. She asked, “Was that before or after you snuck into his cabin to steal his things?”

“Ah.” The word escaped Éva’s lips like a satisfied sigh. Yet there was a hint of disappointment in it, too. “We come to the heart of it at last. And I was so enjoying the foreplay.”

“You lied to me. And you used me as an alibi at the Cosmic Ball.”

“Forgive me, mon chéri. That was, as they say, ‘only business.’ An unfortunate crossing of work and pleasure. But the words I spoke to you last night, they were the honest truth. Each and every one. I would never intentionally harm a beautiful flower such as yourself. Whatever else you believe, please believe that much.”

Aki searched for any hint of deceit in the woman’s words. She couldn’t find any. Then again, Éva seemed to have made a career out of lying and stealing. A professional swindler. Could Aki really trust anything she said?

“I… don’t know what to believe right now. You’re a thief. A criminal! You stole Mr. Neeley’s ornamental rugs. Mr. Terazawa’s weapon camo devices, and Ms. Fanale’s jewelry, probably using the same trick you used to swipe my room key. That’s why the security staff couldn’t find evidence of any break-ins, because there weren’t any. You stole their keys, then returned them without their ever noticing.”

Éva smiled sweetly. “Go on.”

“I talked to all three victims. None of them mentioned you. I even asked Ms. Fanale directly if she spent time with anyone during the cruise, but she told me no. I knew she was lying but didn’t understand why. That’s when it dawned on me—they didn’t mention you because they were embarrassed. These are some of the wealthiest, most privileged people aboard the Celestial Princess. To hire an escort for company, whether from loneliness or other reasons, was degrading to them. Your role was the perfect camouflage—because no one wanted to admit hiring you.”

“Bingo!” the other Caseal exclaimed with a snap of her fingers. “That’s two for two. Would you care to make it a perfect three?”

Aki continued, “The last piece of the puzzle was the theft of the ‘Infinity’ sculpture from the Grand Ballroom. I couldn’t figure out how you did it. At least, not right away. When the lights went out you were standing next to me. I was holding your hand the entire time, so I know you never left my side. It didn’t make sense to me. At first I thought you might have had an accomplice, but then I realized the truth was a lot simpler.”

She pulled the portable holo-emitter out of her pocket and tossed it to Éva. “This is how you did it—with a full-scale holographic replica. You must have stolen the real sculpture sometime earlier that day, before you sent Orville the message about stealing it. It was like a magician’s sleight of hand. The sculpture was gone before the captain was even worried about it. When the lights went out, you shut down the emitter remotely. Orville and his men assumed the theft took place during the ball, but it was all a big misdirect. Smoke and mirrors, to keep them off balance.”

The purple-haired woman applauded, quite happily. “Bravo, darling! You’ve exceeded my every expectation. Très bien!”

“There is still something I don’t understand, however.”

“Ah! You are wondering about my short hair during our ‘encounter’ in Monsieur Augustin’s cabin? That is a question with an easy answer.” Éva patted the top of her head. “This is a wig, darling. I prefer my hair short, but many of my clients prefer it long. Hence the compromise.”

“Not that,” Aki replied. “I want to know why. You were the one who encouraged me to catch the thief. You practically pushed me into it. But why? Why take that chance, if it meant I would be coming after you?”

“I told you already, mon chéri. It’s what you needed, to prove to yourself that you could. And look! Now you have.”

“You’re saying you put yourself at risk… for my sake?”

“Of course. And I would gladly do so again. And again, and again, if need be. That is the nature of love, is it not?”

Aki didn’t know how to respond to that. She had never been good at understanding emotions, even—and sometimes especially—her own. But this? It was almost beyond comprehension. Layers upon layers, the good mixed with the bad. A spider web tangled up in the circuits of her mind. She said, “You keep talking about love, but how can that be? We only met yesterday. You hardly know anything about me.”

“Love cannot always be measured in linear time. Sometimes it springs forth in the most unusual places, in the most unusual ways. Like a violet in a rose garden. But once formed, it takes on a life of its own. That is what gives it power, and what makes it so mysterious. Especially, I think, to CASTs like you and I. Because it is something that cannot be quantified. We possess no sensor that can accurately measure it. And yet it exists, and it is wonderful, and I would not trade it for anything in the world.”

Aki’s gaze dropped to the floor. “You don’t know the things I’ve done,” she said quietly. The words tasted like acid in her mouth. “The things he made me do. If you knew… If you knew, then…”

Éva got up off the bed and walked over to where Aki was standing. With one hand, she lifted Aki’s chin until their eyes met once more. Then she took Aki’s hands in her own and started gently massaging them between her fingers.

“Then what? Do you think I scare away so easily? I promise you, mon chéri, my feelings are not so shallow. Give me a chance and I will gladly prove it to you.”

She guided Aki’s hands to her mouth and began kissing them, slowly. Tenderly. Her knuckles, her fingers, her palms. No spot was left unattended.

Aki let it go on for a few seconds, but eventually she pulled away. “This isn’t the best time,” she explained, a little apologetically.

Éva nodded in understanding. “Some things cannot be rushed, I suppose. Very well. Take some time to recharge your mind and body. We’ll speak again in the morning.”

The buxom Caseal headed down the short hallway to the room’s only door. With a playful little wave of her fingers she said, “Until tomorrow, I bid you adieu.”

“Éva, wait. There are still things we need to discuss.”

“Tomorrow, darling. We’ll have plenty of time to talk then.”

Éva reached out to hit the door switch. Her fingers were on the button, but she hadn’t pressed it yet.

Click. The sound of a gun safety being switched off behind her.

Éva turned around. There was a pistol in Aki’s hand. A little black boxy weapon, standard issue for security guards aboard the ship. It was aimed directly at her chest.

“Are you planning to shoot me, love?”

Aki held the gun steady. “You were the one who told me to catch the thief. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I let you go, now would I?”

Éva approached the red-haired woman, seemingly unafraid. She walked right up to Aki until the barrel of the gun was pressed into her left breast. Practically daring her to do it. “If you’re going to shoot, then shoot. I can think of worse fates than dying in your arms, staring up into that beautiful face.”

As Aki stood there, her resolve started to waver. Then her gun started to waver. Finally, she lowered the pistol to her side in resignation. She wasn’t going to shoot Éva. Moreover, she didn’t want to shoot Éva. The woman had called her bluff, and they both knew it.

“Can I take that as a confession?”

“A confession?” Aki asked blankly.

Éva grinned. “Of your feelings for me.”

“To be honest, I’m not sure how I feel right now.”

“Would you… care to find out?”

Éva leaned in. After a moment, Aki did the same. Their faces were mere centimeters apart. Their eyes, a handspan apart. Their lips, a handspan apart. Aki could feel the warmth radiating off the other woman. “Yes,” she said, “I would.”

Click.

Éva glanced down. Aki had just finished snapping a pair of handcuffs around her wrists. Apart from the gun, that was the other item she had procured from Captain Orville. The cuffs were heavy duty. Magnetically sealed. Definitely strong enough to restrain a CAST.

“My, my, darling,” Éva exclaimed in mild surprise. “I didn’t know you were into that sort of thing. Usually I prefer to be the one tying up my partners, but I suppose a change of pace can be nice from time to time.”

Aki cocked her head slightly to one side. “That’s not quite what I had in mind.”

“Planning to turn me in, then?”

“I… haven’t decided yet. Right now I have questions that need answers. Until then, I can’t have you running off on me.”

“A strange tactic, seeing as you’ve bound my hands and not my feet.”

Aki smiled a little at that comment. “Do I need to bind your feet as well?”

“I’m tempted to say yes, just to make you do it. But in this case—”

Ding-dong. The doorbell chimed, cutting their conversation short.

“Expecting company?” asked Éva, eyebrows raised.

“No.”

Aki stowed her pistol under her jacket and went to answer the door. She put an eye to the peephole and looked through it. Standing in the hallway outside was a familiar bearded man in a navy-blue uniform.

Captain Orville.

Aki glanced behind her. Éva already had the good sense to hide around the corner. She wouldn’t be visible unless Orville entered the cabin. Aki pressed the switch and the door slid open.

“Captain Orville. Is there something you need?” Aki stood in the doorway, blocking his view. She didn’t offer to let him come in.

“I’m sorry to bother you this evening, Colonel, but I’m here to ask about the investigation. It seemed like you had a lead earlier. I came to see if it panned out. Have you caught the thief?”

Aki glanced behind her, then turned back to Orville. What could she say? What should she do?

And where exactly did her loyalties lie?

“I…”



TO BE CONTINUED



Author’s Notes:

Spoiler!

FYI, here is the song Éva was singing. I’m sure you’ve heard it before, or at least the English remake “Beyond the Sea” by Jack Lawrence:

[yoshiblue]

Aw yis, that Miles Davis.

Spoiler!

Funny to see the strict no nonsense robot be swayed around so easily. Its very human. Time to find a reaction video for the eventual grand finale.

[stukasa]

@yoshiblue:

Spoiler!

Sometimes it just takes the right person to break someone out of their shell. Oh, got the ending figured out already, have you? xD

[yoshiblue]

A guess at best.

[stukasa]

@yoshiblue: You'll have to let me know if your guess turns out to be right or not.

CHRONICLE 03.6 [6/2/18]

Spoiler!

CRUISE SHIP CELESTIAL PRINCESS

Aki01 pressed a switch on the wall. In response, her cabin door slid open with a gentle hiss. Standing outside in the hallway was a familiar bearded man in a navy-blue uniform. His face was lined from worry. His eyes looked tired and his clothes were slightly rumpled, the result of long work hours and too much stress.

“Captain Orville. Is there something you need?”

Spoiler!

Aki stood in the doorway, blocking his view. She didn’t offer to let him come inside. After all, there was a handcuffed visitor in her cabin hidden just out of sight, one she would rather not have to explain to the captain.

The man cleared his throat. “I’m sorry to bother you this evening, Colonel, but I’m here to ask about the investigation. It seemed like you had a lead earlier. I came to see if it panned out. Have you caught the thief?”

Aki glanced behind her, then turned back to Orville. There was such desperation in his eyes. If he didn’t recover the stolen “Infinity” sculpture, and soon, his career was over. That much was certain. The sculpture was worth millions, and its loss would be a major embarrassment to the cruise line. It would be a shameful end for a man who didn’t deserve it.

On the other hand, Aki could turn in Évangelique and probably save Orville. But…

…But what? She didn’t owe Éva anything. The woman was a criminal and a liar. She deserved whatever punishment she got, which would probably amount to decades of imprisonment in a penal colony somewhere.

And yet, for some reason, Aki hesitated. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come out.

Captain Orville stood there, patiently, waiting for her answer.

“I… wasn’t able to catch the thief,” Aki said at last. “I’m sorry, Captain.”

Orville’s shoulders slumped. The last light of hope left his eyes.

“I do have some good news, however,” Aki added hastily. “I was able to recover the ‘Infinity’ sculpture for you.”

The man looked like he’d just seen a ghost and won the lottery at the same time. All the energy that had drained out of him was suddenly pumped back in, ten times over. “What?! Seriously?” he exclaimed. “That’s incredible news! Is it still intact? Can I see it?”

Aki put up her hands to calm him down. “The sculpture is fine, but I don’t have it with me. Not to worry—it’s in a safe location. I’ll return it to you shortly. I just… need to take care of something first.”

Orville clapped her on the shoulder. He was as giddy as a schoolboy. “Fantastic! I knew I could count on you. You’ve saved my career, Colonel. I can’t thank you enough.”

She merely smiled. “Go get some rest, Captain. You look like you need it. I’ll bring you the sculpture in the morning.”

The captain practically skipped away and Aki closed the door behind him. She locked it for good measure, then returned to the bedroom portion of her cabin—and the guest waiting for her.

Évangelique was still there. Still smiling, still wearing that low-cut purple dress, and still handcuffed. She said, “I don’t want to sound ungrateful, darling—because believe me, I am exceptionally grateful you didn’t turn me in just now—but I would like to point out that I never agreed to return the sculpture.”

Spoiler!

“You’re going to return it,” Aki said flatly, like the matter had already been settled.

“Or what?” Éva teased. “What will you do if I refuse?”

Aki got right up in her face. “I’ll do whatever it takes,” she answered, her eyes burning with a cold intensity.

“Ooh, bad girl,” the other woman cooed. “I like it.”

“I’m serious, Éva. Captain Orville is a good man. I won’t allow his career to be ruined because of your greed.”

Éva was taken aback. She actually looked like her feelings had been hurt. “Greed? Is that what you think? That I’m drunk on meseta like some common thief? Non, non, not at all. I fear you have misjudged me, mon chéri. I am not here on a lark. I am doing this because I must. That sculpture alone is enough to fund our operation for the next three cycles.”

Aki frowned. “‘Our operation’? What are you talking about?”

“My group,” the woman explained. “We are a small but growing enterprise. Our goal is to completely eradicate the Darker threat. We have made some progress—several victories thus far—but we are badly in need of resources. Unlike your ARKS, we do not receive any cushy support from the Oracle government. We must earn what we need to survive.”

“Earn? Don’t you mean ‘steal’?” Aki countered.

“Semantics, my dear. Thievery is not without its share of planning, effort, and risk.”

“If you’re that concerned with fighting Darkers, why not join the ARKS? They can provide the gear you need, and the training to use it properly.”

“Join the ARKS?” Éva scoffed. “The ARKS have grown complacent. Lazy. They are little better than hired mercenaries, taking client orders for menial tasks instead of focusing on the real threat. No, the ARKS don’t have what it takes to win this war. But we do. All we lack is the proper funding. Weapons, ammunition, vehicles, these things cost money.”

“And that justifies stealing from innocent people?”

“Come now, these people do not deserve your pity. They are wealthy aristocrats with more meseta than they know what to do with. They come from well-to-do ships, places like Feoh and Melchior. Surely they can afford to part with a few trinkets. It’s nothing but pocket change to them. The truth of the matter is this: When this cruise is over, they will go home to their families and whine about how unfair and unjust it all was. ‘How could this happen to me?,’ they’ll cry. But at the end of the day they’ll accept it and move on. Why? Because as I said, this is nothing to them. Yet it means everything to us.”

“Wealthy or not, they are still victims here. And regardless of how noble your goals may be, you are still stealing.”

Éva shrugged, a gesture of indifference. “So what now, mon chéri? Will you turn me in after all? Lock me up and throw away the key?”

“I… don’t know,” said Aki. “I don’t want to.”

“Then don’t. Why not come with me? Join my group. Forget about the ARKS and make a real difference in this war.”

“And become a criminal like you, you mean?”

“We’d make marvelous partners in crime,” Éva replied with a wink and a grin.

Aki smiled at that. “The best, I’m sure,” she said. “But…”

“But you’ve always fancied yourself a proper law-abiding citizen, and you’re not ready to give up that self-image yet.”

“Something like that.”

“Give it time, darling. I’ll win you over yet.”

“You sound rather confident.”

Éva took a small step forward. “I know what I want, that’s all.”

Aki didn’t back away. “And you… always get what you want?”

“Without exception,” Éva affirmed, her voice deep and sultry. “Eventually, anyway.”

And then they were kissing, suddenly and furiously, even though Éva was still in handcuffs, and even though Aki hadn’t completely forgiven her yet. It was spontaneous, more an impulse than a decision. Aki couldn’t say for sure how it happened, or why, but she didn’t fight it. Not that time.

The sensation was incredible. It was different than the other kisses she had experienced. Different than her kiss with Éva the night before. This was passionate and impulsive and intoxicating, in a way Aki had never felt before. It was a lot of things, but mostly it just felt good.

At some point Aki found herself pressed up against the wall of the cabin. Éva was leaning in, one leg pushed between Aki’s thighs. They were both lost in the heat of the moment. For CASTs, often programmed to be logical, rational creatures, such moments were hard to come by.

That was when it happened.

Out of the blue, a massive tremor rocked the Celestial Princess. It felt like an earthquake—which was impossible, considering they were on a starship flying through space. Éva was thrown backwards onto the bed. Aki landed directly on top of her, propped up by both hands.

“How bold of you, mon chéri, advancing the plot so quickly,” teased Éva. “Not that I’m complaining.”

But Aki wasn’t paying attention. She was busy analyzing the tremor, trying to determine its cause. There were only a limited number of possibilities. Either something on board had exploded—a fuel line, perhaps, or else the ship had struck an uncharted asteroid. Or, more likely…

“That felt like an energy blast. I think the Celestial Princess is under attack,” said Aki.

“I’m sure le capitaine can handle it. You and I have more pressing concerns. Right here, on this bed.”

“Éva, this is serious. I can’t just ignore it. I have to go check it out.”

The other woman sighed in resignation. The moment was lost, and she knew it. “Always the dutiful soldier, hm? Very well. If we must, then we must.”

“There’s no ‘we’ here. I’m going up to Deck One to check on things. You’re going to remain in this cabin and wait for me to return.”

“I could do that. But if you are right and we are indeed under attack, I would be much more valuable at your side, no? Let me help and I promise you won’t regret it.”

Aki considered it. She hadn’t forgotten that Éva was a criminal, but right then she had bigger things to worry about. “Alright,” she replied. “Here, let me get those handcuffs off you. I can’t send you out there in such a defenseless state.”

She started to reach for the key, but Éva waved her off. “That won’t be necessary,” said the purple-haired Caseal.

To Aki’s astonishment, the handcuffs dropped off Éva’s wrists and landed with a plop on the bed. Catching her bewildered expression, Éva added, “I am a professional thief, after all. Surely you’re not surprised I can pick a lock or two?”

“That’s true, I suppose. But when…?”

“When you were talking to le capitaine earlier. I needed some way to occupy my time while I was waiting. A productive diversion, let’s call it.”

“The cuffs were unlocked the whole time, yet you never tried to escape.” A question, phrased as a statement.

“Escape is not my plan. I told you before, darling, I know what I want. And what I want is right here.”

Aki felt flustered. If she were capable of blushing, she was fairly certain her face would have been bright red. “Yes, well, we can talk about that later. Right now we need to get going.”

Éva smiled. “Lead the way.”

* * * * * * * * *

They left Aki’s cabin and headed down the hall towards the elevator. Along the way they spotted a few inquisitive heads poking out of open doorways. Apparently other people were curious—and a little nervous—about the tremor as well. Aki told them to remain in their cabins, saying they would be safe there for now. Everyone complied without question. No one asked for her qualifications. In times of crisis, Aki had found that people usually listened to a voice of authority, even if that authority was merely imagined or implied.

Eventually they reached the elevator. Aki pressed the button for Deck One, the Starlight Deck. The doors closed and the lift began its ascent. Seven seconds later it reached its destination. There was a chime and the twin doors slid open. Cautiously, Aki stepped out. Éva followed close behind.

The first thing they noticed was the lack of people. Not a good sign. The second thing they noticed was the large, boxy freighter parked above the Celestial Princess’s stern. It was an ugly brownish color, covered in battle scars and bristling with weapon emplacements. Heavily modified cannons, by the look of them. There was a large white skull painted on the upper hull—a universal symbol, recognizable to anyone.

“Pirates,” said Éva.

Aki raised an eyebrow. “Friends of yours?”

“Come now, darling. My friends have much better taste. After all, what self-respecting pirate paints an actual skull on their ship?”

“I’d say we’re about to find out,” Aki replied. She pointed to a docking tube connecting the pirate vessel to the Celestial Princess. “It would seem we’ve been boarded.”

Her statement was validated a moment later when they heard a commotion off in the distance. It sounded like shouting, gruff and masculine, accompanied by a few nervous shrieks.

Aki and Éva headed in that direction. They stepped quickly but lightly, staying as close to the wall as possible. When they got close, Aki motioned Éva to wait. Then, her back to the wall, Aki peeked around the corner.

Ten meters away, a cluster of people had gathered together. They were standing halfway between a juice bar and the entrance to a gym. Most of them looked frightened.

Three men stood apart from the others. Aki could tell right away they weren’t passengers. They were big, musclebound brutes covered in vicious-looking tattoos. Their posture was confident but relaxed, like they owned the place. Which made sense, considering they all carried submachine guns.

One of the men was gesturing. He was telling the group of passengers to hand over their valuables. Then he was telling them what he would do to them if they didn’t. Pirates, indeed.

Éva nudged Aki from behind. “Don’t keep me in suspense, darling. What do you see?” she whispered.

“Men with guns,” Aki whispered back.

“Oh, is that all?” There was no sarcasm in her voice. Éva sounded totally serious, like it was no big deal. If Aki had said there were Rappies eating ice cream around the corner, she would have gotten the same reaction.

Then, to Aki’s horror, Éva stepped away from the wall and moved past her—directly towards the pirates. Aki caught her by the arm and hissed, “What are you doing? There are three of them, and you don’t even have a weapon!”

“Nonsense,” Éva replied. “When dealing with men, a beautiful woman is never without a weapon.”

She winked and rounded the corner before Aki could protest further. Aki considered following after her, but quickly decided against it. She didn’t have a plan and couldn’t risk endangering the passengers any further. Instead she drew her pistol and waited, hoping Éva knew what she was doing.

The pirates spotted Éva right away. With those curves, in that dress, she was pretty hard to miss. She sauntered straight over to them, making no effort to hide. At first the pirates pointed their guns at her. When they saw she was unarmed, however, they lowered their weapons and grinned wolfishly.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” one of them asked his buddies.

“Looks like a little lamb has lost her way,” joked another.

“What should we do with her?” asked the third. “Rob her, like the others?”

“She’s a pretty fine woman. The boss might want to keep her around as a prize.”

“Hey, ya think we could take a turn before handing her over to the boss?”

“The boss gets first dibs, you know that. If he finds out you went first, he’ll have your head on a platter.”

“Aw, c’mon, the boss don’t have to know. How often does a piece of tail this fine come along, huh?”

“Don’t even think about it, moron. If you go and do something stupid, I ain’t covering for your sorry ass later.”

“Hmph.” The man looked unhappy, but his fear of disobedience must have been greater, because he gave up trying to persuade his friend.

That was Éva’s cue to cut in. “Why hello there, boys,” she smiled sweetly, completely ignoring their previous exchange. “I seem to have a bit of a problem, and was wondering if three strapping gentlemen such as yourselves might be able to… lend me a hand?” She leaned forward slightly, letting her cleavage add extra weight to the request.

It worked like a charm. The pirates closed in around Éva, practically surrounding her. They were chuckling and smirking to each other. They didn’t consider her any kind of threat.

“And what seems to be the problem, exactly?” the first guy sneered.

She beckoned him closer. Despite being the smallest of the trio, the man stood nearly a head taller than her. He bent down so Éva could whisper in his ear.

“You’re still standing,” she replied. “I think we need to fix that.”

Before he could process what she meant, Éva drove a fist deep into his gut. The man’s eyes rolled back into his head and his body went slack. He dropped like a sack of potatoes, out cold before he even hit the floor.

The second guy took a full second to react, which was a second longer than Éva needed. She plucked the machinegun right out of his hands, then shoved him hard in the chest. He flew back five meters and collided with the bulkhead behind him. The impact knocked him out instantly, his limp body sliding unceremoniously to the ground.

By that time, the third guy was bringing his weapon to bear. The muzzle of his gun was already tracking towards Éva. “The bitch is a damn CAST—,” the man started to shout.

He never got the chance to finish. Éva hurled the second guy’s machinegun at him. Chucked it like she was pitching a large, awkwardly-shaped baseball. The weapon struck him in the forehead, a solid blow. The man fell flat on his back and didn’t get up again.

With all three pirates down, Aki had no reason to remain hidden. Still gripping her borrowed pistol, she rounded the corner. Éva waved her over with a smile and a “yoo-hoo!” The woman brushed her palms together as if pretending to clean them and said, “You see? No problem at all. I didn’t even have to kill them.”

Aki nudged the first guy’s head with her shoe. No reaction. He was unconscious but still breathing. “Tie them up if you can,” she said.

Aki stepped past Éva to address the crowd. The dozen or so passengers had witnessed the entire thing, all three knockouts. They looked like they didn’t know whether to be frightened or impressed.

“Everyone, return to your cabins and remain there until it’s safe,” Aki told them. “Someone from the cruise staff will contact you through the ship’s speaker system when this is over. Until then, do not open your door for anyone.”

The passengers nodded their acceptance. They quietly shuffled off towards the nearest elevator, leaving Aki and Éva alone with the unconscious pirates. Éva had just finished binding the last one’s hands and feet with duct tape.

“Where did you get that?” asked Aki, referring to the roll of tape.

“One of these gentlemen was kind enough to ‘loan’ it to me,” Éva grinned. “Though, he didn’t have much say in the matter.”

The pirates were carrying duct tape? Aki considered that. Chances were, they had planned to use it to tie up any disobedient passengers. That meant their goal was merely armed robbery, not outright murder. Still, in a volatile situation like this, things had a way of escalating quickly. The pirates would need to be dealt with. And the quicker, the better.

“What now, mon chéri?”

“I think it’s time we go pirate hunting,” Aki replied.

* * * * * * * * *

Five minutes later, a different trio of pirates stumbled across the first three. The guy in the lead was a little bolder and more ambitious than his buddies. He took the initiative and opened a comm channel directly to his boss.

“We’ve got a problem,” he said. “Someone took out three of our guys. Whoever did it is good. No blood, no bullet holes. No signs of a fight.”

A pause.

“No, our guys are still alive. Just out cold. Their hands and feet are bound with duct tape. And their weapons are missing.”

Another pause.

“You got it, boss.” The man switched off the comm channel.

“Well?” asked one of the other pirates. “What does he want us to do?”

“Nothing,” replied the first guy. “He said he’ll take care of it himself.”



TO BE CONTINUED