Toilet full of dreams.
24 Apr 2024Xochitl Khae
Toilet full of dreams.
Colonia Region
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Ryuko leaned against the table in the dimly lit conference room, his gaze fixed on Zaria. She lounged back in her chair, booted feet thrown carelessly on the table.
"Why the sudden callback?" Ryuko’s voice was calm but edged with tension. "What’s this about, Zaria? I thought we had a deal—I train these kids in piracy to protect your assets, not venture out into the void where profit dwindles."
Silently, Tara paced behind Ryuko, her presence a silent echo of the brewing storm.
Zaria met Ryuko's gaze with a sly smile. "Didn't we make it clear? Your talents, though vast, have limits. We’re steering towards greater gains, Ryuko, the kind that could teach you skills beyond the reach of any pirate."
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Ryuko’s voice was a growl now. "I showed these kids how to turn a decent profit flipping power regulators. They learned the trade, but nothing about the art of acquisition."
Zaria leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Think, Ryuko. What's always lined your pockets the most reliably?"
Ryuko shook his head, throwing his arms wide in frustration. "Enlighten me."
With a chuckle, Zaria stood, pushing her chair back with a clatter. "It’s always been the high-stakes hauls, hasn’t it? The rare cargo from raided haulers or those deserted planetary depots stuffed with meds."
She leaned in, hands spread wide as if unveiling a grand secret. "You make millions on those rare chances, but imagine a game where billions are the stakes, with none of the usual risks."
Tara slammed her palms on the table, leaning towards Zaria with a fierce glare. "Stop playing games. Speak plainly or we walk."
Zaria’s smile didn’t waver. "Here’s the plain truth—we’re going to teach you how to explore. How to chart unclaimed worlds, collect rare biological samples, and sell the data for sums no haul of diamonds or tritium could match. And all without firing a single shot."
She gestured grandly to the walls of the ship. "You think this vessel was funded by shady deals or secret donors? Think bigger, Ryuko. Pirates dwell in the shallows while we swim in the deep. We rake in billions just from exploration data. When have you ever seen that in a pirate’s cache?"
Tara huffed. "A zero-g toilet full of dreams. Better to flush it and be done with these people."
The smile on Zaria's face faded as her eyes narrowed at Tara. "Download the information and find the truth out for yourself." She turned her eyes back to Ryuko. "Give it a week and if you don't like it, we can drop you back where we found you. We will even pay you the paltry sum you would have made from selling the occupants of cheap escape pods, worthless power regulators, and laughable bounties. A sum easily made from one small moon."
Tara tensed, about to rush Zaria as Ryuko put his hand on her arm, halting her.
"Being your captives here, we don’t have much of a choice, do we?"
Zaria laughed. "You are not captives, but we knew that you would not do this as long as you had options." She moved her hand over the surface of the polished table. "But, what I said about the profit was real. You are about to become filthy rich... you should prepare yourself for that."