Episode 98, View from Above
08 Sep 2024Ryuko Ntsikana
Episode 98, View from Above
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Of the nearly seventeen hundred crew aboard, only a handful had ventured far beyond the bubble of humanity’s systems. The Veil West nebula wasn’t far by an explorer’s standards, requiring only three carrier jumps to reach. Still, for those born and raised in the bubble, it felt like the edge of the galaxy. Pirates had little use for a place so distant, so unknown. It was too far out to warrant much attention—or care.
Now, every viewport on the ship was crowded with crew, eyes glued to the vast, swirling colors of the nebula. Even the hardest, most battle-worn of them stared in wide-eyed awe at the vivid hues of blue, deep and endless as an ocean, mingling with rich purples and streaks of soft pink, as though the colors were brushed across the fabric of space itself. Wisps of gas drifted like tendrils of smoke, weaving through the void, an intricate web alive with motion.
Meredith stood by one of the large windows, as awe-struck as his daughter, Ashlyn, who sat on a couch in Ryuko’s office, silent with wonder at the scene outside. The nebula’s ethereal beauty had rendered them both speechless.
Tara lounged in a chair before Ryuko’s desk, her booted feet resting casually on its surface. She glanced at Ryuko, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. Ryuko, sporting a grin of his own, tapped a quick command into his forearm computer. A whistle echoed through the ship’s public address system.
“Attention, crew. As you’re all aware, we’ve arrived at our first destination. For most of you, this will be your first trip outside the bubble. The colorful creation we are now in is the Veil West nebula. In coordination with your Division Chiefs, a roster will be created and forwarded to Quartermaster Sharif. At Captain Akio’s discretion, the new Beluga-class luxury liner will be used to offer scenic tours. That is all.”
Meredith, still trying to absorb the beauty surrounding them, furrowed his brow and glanced at Ryuko. Confusion flickered across his face. The grin on Ryuko’s face only widened, like a cat that had just caught the canary.
“Oh,” Ryuko said, leaning back in his chair, amusement dancing in his eyes. “You thought those big fuel tanks were going to be installed now. That comes later. First, we use her for what she was made for.”
“You’re such a smart ass,” Tara teased, shaking her head.
Ryuko held a finger up to his lips as the furrow on Meredith’s brow further deepened as his eyes turned back to the swirling gases outside the window, near enough to almost touch.
“Do I even want to know?”
***
The conference room buzzed with quiet murmurs as Ryuko called for a working meal during the ship’s relative evening period. Android attendants moved efficiently through the room, setting trays of food and drinks in front of the gathered crew. Despite the spread, the atmosphere was far from casual. Eyes flicked toward Ryuko, seated midway along the table, his posture relaxed, but the smirk tugging at his lips betrayed a deeper purpose.
Meredith and Ashlyn sat near one end, more observers than active participants. Meredith hadn’t been this close to the entire Coterie since joining Ryuko’s operation. He recognized Jabir, the Python pilot he’d outmaneuvered before Ryuko had arrived in his Dolphin to turn the tide. Lianna, quiet and enigmatic, sat beside Jabir, offering little of herself in the silence. Lysandra was impossible to ignore, her massive frame dwarfing her seat, with Corvus, equally imposing, seated next to her. Across from Ryuko sat Zaria—calm, detached, but her gaze sharp, taking in everything. Meredith had crossed paths with her a few times but knew she wasn’t part of the Coterie. Her role was still unclear, but her presence was commanding and undeniably influential.
As the meal progressed, Ryuko finally pushed his plate aside, leaning forward. His elbows rested on the table, and the quiet hum of conversation evaporated as everyone turned toward him.
“We’re not here just for the view,” Ryuko said, his voice carrying an edge of amusement. “The Veil West is beautiful, sure, but this stop is strategic. There’s more to gain out here than just plundering a stray ship or two.”
Jabir’s brow furrowed slightly, his inexperience showing through the smallest twitch of his expression. Ryuko noticed, and his smirk widened.
“You’ve all heard the name Ceri floating around by now,” Ryuko continued, leaning back in his chair, casually testing the room’s atmosphere. “She’s not here—still in the medbay—but her situation is part of why we’re out here. This far from the bubble, we have time. Time to teach, time to learn.”
Zaria, poised as always, broke her silence, her voice cutting through the room with authority. “Out here, there isn’t much worth pirating, except for the occasional tourist liner or miner. But we’re not here to just raid them—we’re here to do better than they ever could.”
Lianna, always reserved, gave a small nod, but it was clear the concept was still forming in her mind. Why was Zaria, who wasn’t a pirate, leading this part of the conversation? And why was Ryuko allowing it? Jabir, sitting next to her, seemed more unnerved, his eyes locked onto Zaria, as though waiting for her to make her next move.
Zaria’s voice dropped a degree lower, her eyes cutting through to the heart of the matter. “You think pirates live and die by their raids,” she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. “That’s a small part of it. Real power—what Ryuko has been showing you, Jabir—comes from controlling the flow of goods. Setting the value of resources. Controlling the data. Pirates who thrive understand the economy, and the systems at play. That’s how you win.”
Ryuko’s grin widened at Zaria’s words. He leaned forward, focusing on Jabir. “Credits are credits, Jabir,” Ryuko said, his voice conspiratorial. “You weren’t exactly smooth flying that Python, but by the time we’re done out here, you’ll be damn good at it. You’ll learn to dodge asteroids—or die trying. Once you’ve got that down, the money you’ll make in one day will outshine what you’ve earned in a year.”
Jabir, his pride stung, growled, “You don’t think I can handle it?”
Ryuko’s eyes glinted, his amusement never fading. “You tell me. Last time, a Type-7 got the better of you. Granted, Meredith here is a higher-ranked pilot, but you had every advantage. Stick with me, and we’ll fix that.”
Lianna, quiet until now, leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. “What about exploration?” she asked, her voice carrying curiosity with a sharp edge. “There’s more to this place than we know, isn’t there?”
Zaria’s gaze shifted toward her. “Exploration pays more than you can imagine. The data you collect from places like this—places that have been mapped but not fully explored—can be worth a fortune to the right buyer.”
Ryuko nodded in agreement, the light in his eyes shifting from amusement to something more calculating. “And that data can buy you more than credits. It buys safety, information, and influence. You can pay for weapons, ships, and the people to run them. And with the right data, you can buy time—time that no pirate or bounty hunter can take from you.”
Jabir and Lianna exchanged a look, their expressions starting to shift. This wasn’t just about piracy anymore. This was about something bigger—long-term survival and control over their fate.
The android attendants moved through the room, clearing plates and refilling drinks with quiet efficiency. But there was an unspoken tension hanging in the air. Meredith could feel it even if he didn’t fully understand it. Something larger was at play, something beyond the casual meal.
“What’s next, then?” Corvus rumbled, breaking the silence that had settled over the group. “Are we hitting the mining sites first, or are we taking those passenger liners near the Earth-like world?”
Ryuko chuckled, sharing a quick glance with Zaria, whose face remained impassive. “All in good time,” Ryuko said smoothly. “First, we train. Mining will get you credits fast, and you’ll need those to sustain yourselves. Once we’ve got what we need... well, there’s plenty of liners out there making tourist trips to that Earth-like world. We’ll be ready.”
A ripple of approval moved through the Coterie, though Zaria’s eyes stayed fixed on Ryuko. She hadn’t come this far to babysit pirates, but she had a mission. Jabir and Lianna were part of that mission, and she was watching closely to make sure they learned everything Ryuko had to teach.
Meredith exchanged a look with Ashlyn, who sat quietly beside him. Though young, she understood enough to know this was more than a working dinner. This was about power—about who controlled their future.
Tara, who had remained silent, finally spoke, her eyes sweeping the table. “Zaria taught Ryuko on our way back from Colonia. Now he’s paying that forward by teaching you.”
Raven, one of the Coterie, raised a hand, eyes scanning the room. “Who is she, really?” he asked, voice low and suspicious. “I’ve never seen her pirate anything. What’s her game?”
Tara’s response was measured, and her tone was neutral. “She’s not a pirate. Zaria’s an Imperial hunter. She’s here because Jabir and Lianna are her benefactor’s assets, and Ryuko’s been contracted to teach them.”
The room shifted, Avariel slamming his hands on the table. “What, so they can turn on us later with their own fleet?”
“No,” Lianna’s quiet voice turned sharp as her eyes locked on Avariel. The anger in her voice caught the room off-guard. “Our benefactor is expanding his operations out to Colonia. We’re here to protect that—to feed the people there. Including pirates.”
Ryuko’s chuckle broke the tension, his grin widening as he glanced at each member of the Coterie. “If you want me to teach you too, I’m sure a price can be arranged,” he said, his voice teasing. He waved his hand around the room. “You could even buy a place like this if that’s what you want. Depends on what you’re willing to learn.”
Tara stood, her eyes scanning the room. “We’re not in the bubble anymore. Out here, things work differently. Zaria taught Ryuko how to survive out here and how to mine and explore. That’s how we got here, how we made this place possible. Stick to the old ways if you want, but you’ll just scrape by. Out here, you have the chance to make real credits—credits that will buy you the future you want.”
Meredith let out a chuckle, drawing the attention of the room. “So that’s how you bested me in that Dolphin,” he said, nodding toward Ryuko. “You had an Imperial hunter training you.”
Zaria raised her glass, a smirk playing on her lips. “No, Mr. Sawyer,” she said, her voice light with amusement. “That was all him. Ryuko was already a triple-elite-rated commander before we crossed paths.”
The room filled with murmurs as the Coterie exchanged hushed conversations. Ashlyn, her eyes wide with admiration, leaned forward. “A triple elite?” she whispered in awe. “That’s amazing.”
Ryuko, still grinning, leaned back, his eyes gleaming with mischief as he surveyed the room. “This is just the beginning.”