What more?
26 Apr 2024Xochitl Khae
What more?
Colonia Region
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The forge of loyalty is heated by what may be gained.
–Unknown Pyrate Lord
Tara read the information on the data tablet laid out on the table in front of her, while Ryuko stared out the Dolphin’s galley window at a moon teeming with alien life. Across from the couple, Zaria sat back, sipping from a zero-g flask of electrolytes, her eyes observant as they processed the information.
They were returning to what humanity called "the bubble"—core worlds spanning several hundred light-years, centered around the Sol system. Those same core systems had outlawed, under penalty of death, sentient AI and evolved synthetic life forms.
The information on the data tablet detailed the complete backstory of one Tara Sha, a human. She was a recognized citizen of the Empire, complete with detailed medical histories and birth records. She was listed as the official mistress of the matriarch of Ebrahim, employed by an Imperial patron, and the governess of a large property on the planet of Orang 2.
“As you can see,” Zaria commented with a content look on her face, continuing to sip from her flask, “Ms. Sha here is human—as far as anyone in Imperial space knows. Subject to all the benefits that provides.”
Ryuko shook his head, staring out at a nearby alien bacteria specimen gracing the surface below them. Zaria had already briefed him on why it was necessary. Though he understood the whys and wherefores, the risk did not weigh equally with him.
“I get it, I really do,” Ryuko commented, continuing to stare out of the galley window. “The rim of the bubble is full of places to learn everything from A to Z about the profession. That same rim doesn’t care what the Empire thinks, or anyone else for that matter. Their benefits don’t extend to the types that call that place home. My benefactor knows this. So why all of the theater?”
Zaria placed her flask down, her expression turning more serious as she considered Ryuko's question. “It’s about more than just hiding in plain sight, Ryuko. This isn’t just theater—it’s strategy. Yes, the rim of the bubble is lawless in many ways, filled with those who wouldn’t bat an eye at the Empire’s decrees. But you’re not just anyone; you’re an asset with potential that extends beyond the fringes.”
Ryuko turned from the window, his gaze matching Zaria’s intensity. “These kids need to toughen up, and fast. They won’t survive the rim. Of the three you've given me, I only hold out hope for Scyles. He lacks empathy, driven by equal parts hate and hunger.”
“Don’t discount Jabir,” Zaria replied, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly. “As a refugee and survivor, he knows what it is to go without. He’s experienced pain, suffering, and survival in hostile environments.”
“But can he look someone in the eyes while watching the life drain from them? Will he freeze when that moment comes? Scyles showed no hesitation. He didn’t blink when it came to taking out those pirates on the moon.”
Zaria nodded, gesturing with her flask. “As I mentioned earlier, he would make a good assistant. He could teach you a few things about nomadic clans and raiding. Once he masters pirating, he’ll be a force to reckon with.”
“Sounds like hunter material to me,” Tara snipped, eyeing Zaria, who returned the gaze with a smile. “As Ryuko pointed out, his reduced capacity for empathy, due to his past, is not a key ingredient in selection.”
Ryuko looked shocked upon hearing this. Imperial hunters were like ghosts. He had heard countless tales of what they were capable of, many of which he dismissed as mere stories. But after witnessing Zaria dispatch a pirate wing with ease, and then seeing how she handled Tara during their first encounter aboard the capital ship, he began to reassess.
Leaning against the galley window, the light reflecting off the lunar surface illuminating his face, Ryuko mused, “So we’re heading to the rim because the grounds are more fertile. Then we reclaim whatever remains?”
Zaria nodded. “That’s the gist of the contract. We could train them to fight in a war, as that singular system always finds itself embroiled in conflict. They need to learn everything from the most basic to the most brutal aspects. They need to understand their trade so thoroughly that thinking like a pirate becomes second nature.”
Ryuko huffed, turning to look back out the window. “And all of this is to teach me to become rich?”
“As you are familiar, different vantages provide for a different way of seeing things. Perhaps this is all part of something more, that can only be seen from another angle?”
Ryuko shook his head as Tara stared at Zaria during a moment of silence. “There are several probabilities I have calculated, but you knew that it would be me to find it... didn’t you?”
Zaria chuckled. “You too should prepare yourself. Not to be rich, like your companion, or a confirmed human of the empire, but for something beyond the synthetic.”