Episode 100, Ghosts
13 Sep 2024Ryuko Ntsikana
Episode 100, Ghosts
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Ryuko sat near the water’s edge, watching as crewmen strolled along its banks. Some ventured further, wading into the clear, temperate waters. Those who could swim relished the moment, letting the cool embrace of the lake wash away the grime of space travel. The low murmurs of conversation, and the occasional splash, all seemed a world away from the vastness of the space above.
The base camp lay a short walk through the nearby trees, its cooking fires sending faint tendrils of smoke into the breeze, carrying the scent of roasting meat. His stomach growled in response. Zaria had grown fond of hunting some local species, one he couldn’t name but had come to appreciate. The taste was… satisfying, a small pleasure he allowed himself in the rare moments of calm.
For a moment, Ryuko let himself be distracted by it—the simple desire for food, for warmth. It felt good, easier than letting his mind drift back to the weight of the future, the decisions looming over him like dark clouds. Yet even as the smell of cooking meat teased his senses, the concerns lingered, hovering just beneath the surface.
The scene before him felt distant, almost surreal. There was peace here, a kind of freedom he’d forgotten existed. But that was the trick, wasn’t it? Peace never lasted long, especially for someone in his position. He knew better than to believe in it, even as he let himself enjoy this brief moment.
Tara processed the scene in silence, standing a few steps behind him, her gaze sweeping over the lake and the crewmen with a mixture of curiosity and detached interest. To her neurological matrix, the experience was new and intriguing—Zaria hunting food, campfires, fishing, swimming, this sense of being immersed in nature. She had all the relevant data, but the data could never compare to direct experience.
Her human companion, however, was troubled internally. She knew the variables his mind was processing, the reasons for his unease. There was nothing she could do except remain nearby, waiting for the inevitable moment when he would ask an audible, random question—most of which were directed more at himself than at her. Even then, they provided her with more information and more context to understand and prepare for when his questions were finally directed at her.
But there was no easy answer to the price of loyalty to a past memory. The unspoken debt Ryuko carried, was a weight self-imposed rather than required. Honoring a ghost, a word that made little sense in the world of pirates, yet it lingered. Did he want to go down a road that undermined everything he had built? To become, even if temporarily, the very thing the galaxy believed him to be—the stereotype of a pirate.
Zaria, ever the efficient and well-informed Imperial Hunter, knew the news Ryuko had received and could sense the turmoil it was causing within him. If he chose to act, he would be doing so without any safety net. She doubted he would risk everything he had worked so hard to build—certainly not for the sake of a memory.
Then again, memories and emotions held a unique kind of power, one that often overrode logic and common sense. She had seen it before. Whether Ryuko would lead his people down a path to war for something as elusive as a long-departed ghost, or remain focused on building the future they’d all fought for, would be answered by the time the evening fire died down.
By the next morning, Ryuko had made his move. The carrier, now with a skeleton crew aboard, jumped back to the bubble, leaving a sizable portion of its people planetside at the camp, including Tara. The sudden departure wasn’t entirely unexpected, but the speed at which Ryuko had acted left the camp buzzing with speculation.
He’d taken only those he needed for the jump—just enough to operate the massive carrier efficiently while ensuring a swift return. The others, Zaria among them, remained on the planet, their tasks unchanged but the air around them was heavy with unanswered questions.
With a sizable payday already in his pocket from exploration and mining runs, Ryuko’s decision to head back to civilization made sense on the surface. Topping off the carrier’s fuel and replenishing its stock of perishable goods was a logical, practical step. The ship’s inventory was already well-stocked, but in Ryuko’s world, there was no such thing as "too prepared."
But those who knew him best understood there was more to the sudden departure. Something weighed on him—something personal, something not shared with the crew. Zaria’s intuition told her as much. Ryuko was always a man of strategy, a tactician, never one to leave anything to chance. And yet, the speed of his departure left a nagging suspicion in her mind: this wasn’t just a routine resupply.
Tara remained calm, knowing her role on the planet was crucial for keeping morale steady. Whatever Ryuko was planning, he didn’t need her for it—at least not yet. And that fact left an unusual tightness in her chest, something her neurological matrix couldn’t quite reconcile. She should have been indifferent, processing the mission parameters, but part of her had grown attuned to Ryuko’s decision-making. There was a rhythm to it, a pattern she could almost predict. This move felt off-beat.
The camp, for now, continued its routine—acclimating, hunting, fishing, camping, learning from the land, and collecting data. But the absence of the carrier left a subtle tension hanging in the air. Whispers among the crew hinted at something more—some speculated Ryuko was heading to make an alliance, and others thought he was preparing for something bigger, possibly a new hunt. None knew for sure, but they all agreed on one thing: when Ryuko returned, there would be changes.
Zaria, watching the horizon, couldn’t help but wonder—where was Ryuko really headed, or was he off to chase ghosts of the past? Either way, the answer wouldn’t remain hidden for long.