The Celestial Way

Chapter 8.5 - Haven by the Way

He prepared to go outside. He paused before the mirror in the hycab. His face and body had no visible scars from radiation burns, and he felt in fine health. He was grimly impressed. Medical aid in the field – and in general – had definitely advanced in the past seven centuries.

Airo donned the power armor, took his katana and the veronite blaster, and left the room.

The cavern was well lit by glowing crystals and bioluminescent panels, and daylight poured from the entrance. Airo took the stepped walkways which led to the ground level, and went outside. It was early morning and people strolled leisurely around, each on their way to their daily routine. Dragon Retreat had an environmental shield stretching across the entire mesa, and as a result the air was pleasantly warm, and the canyons were free of snow and ice. Airo set out to search for Kiana, and his intentions were immediately rewarded – she and Zuckeroff were sitting at a stone table on one of the wide terraces at the cliffside.

He approached and sat at the table without waiting for an invitation. Kiana made a face as soon as she saw him, but Zuckeroff smiled broadly. "Morning, Boss!" he said, raising a beer can in his hand. "Wanna drink?" He jerked his thumb at a nearby food maker, styled as an open-air minibar.

Airo shook his head. "I will pass." He noticed both officers had discarded their Consortium uniforms: Zuckeroff wore a colorful local garment which was already rumpled and looked out of place on him, while Kiana had put on some kind of ultra-stylish clothing, all sleek edges and flowing cut, and where her wardrobe exposed russet skin, subdermal tattoos pulsed with neon light.

She folded her arms. "What do you want?"

"I need your assistance," Airo said.

"Oh? What happened with the military tribunal and not being part of Sol Force anymore?"

"Sol Force?" Airo asked.

"The official name of the Galactic Stellar Consortium's suprastellar administrative organization governing the armed forces, Commander," Yeoman Cloud chimed in helpfully.

"You know, for an official who claims to be from the upper echelons of the Paladin Division, you seem strangely clueless," Kiana said. "Probably no one at the office told you where you work?"

"I have both identification and clearance," Airo said coldly.

"Yes, you do," Kiana said. "Which makes it so inexplicable. I've tried hacking into Sol Force in the past; I wanted to strut around as a Paladin, too. Instead I was thrown into interrogation simulspace, and given a one-sided deal: work for the system, or face rehabilitative psychosurgery. So how did you do it?"

"Is that why you did not contact the Consortium?" Airo asked. "You wanted to get away from them?"

Zuckeroff slurped from his beer can. "Well, actually we–"

"Quiet, gamebrain!" Kiana cut in. She turned to Airo, arms still tightly crossed. "You're an enigma, Commander. I don't think you're from Sol Force at all. In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd say you're a time traveler, or an alien from another galaxy. Void it, you could be a H'raal agent, for all we know."

"Or perhaps he is a Templar who pretends to be a Paladin!" Zuckeroff burst out, worry and amazement written on his face.

"It's possible. A bit far-fetched, but not any more so compared to the other options," Kiana said conversationally, as if Airo wasn't there.

"Boss, are you a Templar in disguise?"

"Honestly, gamebrain, you're dumber than anyone expects."

"Look," Airo said, trying to be patient, "think what you want. However, I need to contact the Consortium."