Bestial Planet

Chapter 48: Back Water Reconnaissance

Nik and I were silent for a few seconds after Catty left. I spoke without looking his direction.

"I know you've mentioned her but... do you still miss..."

"Jessica? Of course I do. I just know she'd slap me every time I get depressed about something out of my control. I'm honouring her memory living with the tragedy the way I do. Doesn't me I don't cry every once in..."

He was cut off by Mom's voice over the ships speaker system. It startled me but Nik was fine.

"Guys we're here. Docking procedure is underway so grab your stuff and lock up before you come to the docking bay."

"Gotcha Captain." Nik said motioning to me to get going.

The ship was about as tall as a 3 floor house, including the basement and as long as two of those mushed together. It was mainly utilitarian but at the same time, sleek enough to be on some kids bedroom wall. The front end resembled a spade from a playing card with that little flat part at the bottom connected to a short neck, which widened out to two wings that looked like they were pulled out of the side of the ship and curved backward.

Outwhere looked like it had been torn away from a larger space station. It had tendrils of cables and conduits hanging off of it from almost every side and the engines that were attached to it looked like they were slapped on with duct-tape and zip-ties. The outer shell was criss-crossed with support beams holding massive glass panels in place and beneath that layer was another shell with glass panels that were even larger. This was to give the inhabitants a clearer view of the sky while having a safety layer in case one of the shells were broken. Also papered across the surface were sentry guns. It was a tall station and even from outside you could tell it was packed to the brim with stores, homes, clubs, hotels, etc. It looked like three platters stacked on top of each other with large gaps between them and shifted off center. They had a column jutting straight through linking the platters. The lowest portion opened up into a very wide platter which morphed into a thinner section and back into a platter for the second level, but it was way off center from the bottom. The top level, the thinest platter, was just as off center as the middle one and had a massive support beam connecting to the inner dome. Outwhere looked like if it were introduced to an external gravity field it'd buckle under it's own lopsidedness.

Lancieta received the port assignment for the Tavoittelu Lunastus and the ship reversed into port. As soon as the holo-lock clamped down, the docking bay door opened immediately. The port didn't look like your stereotypical seedy space port from movies and shows. Everything was clean... ish. It was the people that looked seedy. None of us left the Tavoittelu Lunastus until Lancieta came through the bulkhead and down the stairs into the cargo bay.

"We're all ready?"

"How strict is this place on fighting? I won't go to prison or some shit right?"

"Uh... no Emmeth, there are no 'police' here but it does have a security force. As long as toes aren't stepped on fights are left alone."

"So what you're saying is if someone gets themselves killed no one will look twice?"

Frantz spoke his mind about Emmeth's raised aggression.

"Dude tone it the hell down, please?"

"All I'm saying is, if someone steps to me like they tough, I'ma put them down."

Frantz looked worried as he, mom and Nik formed a small group.

Yora patted me on the shoulder as Roisin, Emmeth and Catty walked off.

"So I'm getting new interface parts first, then finding a hotel, you wanna come?"

He was speaking in a weird accent and looked at everyone else for what they were gonna do. Nik spat out a small fireball in protest of a strange smell in the air, which startled a few people around us.