What Dreams may come
16 Apr 2024Ryuko Ntsikana
What Dreams may come
Colonia Region
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Sakura Tanaka stood outside the monitored hangar that housed the newly arrived wing of ships. The battle-armored figure crossed the vast space with the grace of a cat on the prowl, their face obscured by the dark faceplate of their helmet. Behind them, similar figures lingered at the entrances to their ships, observing their leader.
These were the silent hunters Kagehiro favored for missions requiring a special touch—a touch Sakura also found beneficial for her own purposes when they were available.
Sakura’s massive, tattoo-covered guard positioned himself protectively in front of her as the figure halted before them, looking up at the towering guard. A mechanical sound altered the voice from the suit’s modulator, concealing the wearer's sex and race.
“Whom do you seek?” the mechanically altered voice inquired, maintaining its gaze upward.
Stepping around her guard, Sakura extended a hand that held a holographic disk. “A pirate and his companion. Bring me his hide, and do as you please with the rest. Kagehiro wants the female unharmed—he has plans for her.”
The figure took the disk, examining it briefly in its armored glove before bowing respectfully. Without another word or waiting for Sakura’s dismissal—a break from customary decorum—the figure turned sharply and strode away.
“Are you certain this is wise?” Sakura’s guard murmured as she placed a hand on his large forearm.
“They have a history of proven efficiency,” she replied, her eyes tracking the group converging at the center of the hangar around their leader. Pressing a button on the hangar’s entrance panel, Sakura initiated the closing sequence, sealing the doors.
***
Ryuko stared at the lady sitting across from him, inside his conference room, adjacent to his and Tara’s suite. Not too distant he was a warden of the courts, under the supervision of his benefactor, exiled to the hinter regions of the galaxy. The other day he was raiding a pirated pirate facility. Today he was a contractor and teacher for pirating, smuggling, and all other nefarious activities.
“Greetings, Mr. Ryuko Ntsikana and Miss Tara Sha. I will be your processor today. My name is not important for this procedure, which should be brief. For starters, do you wish to keep your names, or do either of you require another?”
Ryuko, familiar with the benefits of aliases in his line of work, responded thoughtfully. “I’ll keep my name, but it’s better to have and not need than to need and not have.”
The woman typed briefly on her tablet.
“Will either of you require a residence other than this platform?”
“Again, options are always better,” Ryuko replied.
The woman continued typing, her smile unwavering. “Understood, Mr. Ntsikana. Other arrangements will be provided along with aliases.”
Tara leaned forward. “What about my status?”
The woman paused, meeting Tara’s gaze. “A complete background is being generated for you, along with several identities. You may choose from them or use all, as you desire.”
Ryuko, still puzzled by the proceedings, frowned. “I don’t understand any of this. Why us? You know who we are, or were?”
“Yes,” the woman nodded, her smile persistent. “But soon, there will be few who do, and even fewer once we are finished here.”
“That answers the question I asked but not the one on my mind,” Ryuko admitted, struggling to articulate his deeper doubts.
“I apologize, Mr. Ntsikana, but you are trying to understand why, which has already been addressed by another,” the woman replied gently.
Tara leaned in, her tone skeptical. “How are you screwing us over?”
The woman nodded understandingly. “No one is being exploited here, but it all seems too surreal, correct? That's the beauty of this system.”
Ryuko mirrored Tara’s posture, leaning forward. “Explain again.”
“The process is simple,” the woman began. “We integrate individuals identified, rescued, or secured by your benefactor into new lives, if they desire, or they remain as they are. They then have the option of direct employment, or, like yourselves, be listed as contractors, or can enter the private sector, which compensates us for our initial investment. Some establish their own services, which we support for a modest fee until they become self-sufficient.”
“And as contractors, do we forfeit a percentage?” Ryuko asked.
“Not at all. All bounties, goods, and data you obtain are yours to keep. Your accommodations, including the suite, galley access, reloads, refuels, and repairs, are covered. All we ask is that you mentor others in your area of expertise as outlined in your contract. Outside of that, you’re free to learn other skills that might be of interest to you. For instance, your file indicates a lack of deep-space exploration skills—a highly lucrative field.”
“And these other skilled individuals, they are here on this ship too?” Ryuko inquired further.
“Yes, a few are,” the woman confirmed. “We have astrogrophers, xenogeneticists, navigators, engineers, and Miss Zaria, whom you’ve met, along with several others.”
Leaning forward, her smile broadening, the woman added, “We even have a leading expert in synthetic biological integration, responsible for enabling our benefactor’s wife to conceive and carry their child to term.”
Tara eyed the lady cautiously, her synthetic adaptive intelligence swiftly calculating the underlying implications of their conversation.
"You're factoring in that this contract applies to a biomorphic entity, which could face termination if its existence were made public," Tara stated, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and caution.
The lady nodded, her expression composed. "My awareness only extends to Tara Sha, the human."
Ryuko cocked his head, seeking further clarity. "Clarify that for me."
With a calm smile, the lady closed her data tablet. "Except for deep, intrusive scans, Miss Sha will pass as human to any casual observer. To ensure her safety, we are crafting several robust backstories for the various identities we are establishing for both of you."
Tara processed this new information. "And if the true nature of your operations, and by extension, our roles, are discovered?"
The woman’s smile reached her eyes, shimmering with a confident amusement. "Such concerns, while valid, are trivial."
Ryuko leaned back, his arms crossed, a realization dawning on him. He chuckled, a sound tinged with both irony and understanding. "It's all starting to come together now. The Imperial trappings, the presence of a hunter, the shell games with high-level assets," he mused aloud, his gaze lifting to the ceiling. "The raids along the bordering expanse; like strikes by unknown factions against dubious installations. Individuals with specific talents and training seemed to disappear, swallowed by some cosmic anomaly, never to be heard from again."
The lady's smile remained, though her eyes narrowed slightly, a sharp glint betraying her intrigue. "The galaxy is vast and full of secrets. Who can truly say what happens, at the edge of human space?"
Tara glanced at Ryuko, who scoffed with amusement. “The Empire in Colonia? Pfft. I’m not about to start wearing any emblem.”
The glint in the lady's eyes sparkled as she let out a soft chuckle. “No, Mr. Ntsikana, there is no empire here, nor are there any emblems required. This is a place for those who have fled the core systems, dreaming of a new beginning. What better place than here to make everyone’s dreams come true?”