Unholy Star, Beyond Faith

New Freedom

[New Freedom Opera House, Dead Space, Norma Arm (unconfirmed)]

The Kingdom's intellectual elite corralled into the lobby of the New Freedom Opera House, a historic platform built in a stunning region of dead space billions of units away from the nearest star system. The location held a rare view of a star generating nebula, similar in composition to the famous Horsehead nebula. The backdrop of the stage was an open vista that would rival the beauty and extravagance of the show itself.

Pongo Pygmaeus, owner and director of the Retro Sparks company, sat nervously watching from his box seat as the opera guests casually took their seats in the main theatre. A waiter brought by a plate of hors d'oeuvre and Pongo grabbed as many as he could with his podgy hands and stuffed them into his overly small mouth one by barely chewing before the next went in.

He had been laying low since the Lynx incident at Skye. He knew that his role as an accomplice in the druid's murderous scheme was going to attract some attention, but hoped that his strategy of reinvesting a good portion of his resulting remuneration into the Church's goodwill account was going to win him special consideration. Indeed, a Cardinal no less had accepted his invitation to his opera, surely this, he thought, was a sign that would give him immunity, at least long enough for him to 'disappear' again until current memory became bored of the whole horrific incident.

* * *

The Ascent phased into New Freedom space. The region was one of the early discoveries on the Galaxy tree being only a short twenty-hour journey from the Cian system, the home of Skye. The exit point of the phase shift was also on an uncommonly stable gravity fold, having shifted only a couple of thousand units in three hundred years; this meant that the colony, or in this case, opera platform, was highly accessible for visitors who did not have to pay for expensive coordinate calculations or bear the boredom of lengthy in-system traversals. The economy of travel, plus the stunning view was no doubt why the rich and powerful claimed the space for their exclusive use.

A beardless Eiko sat in the captain's chair on the bridge of his ship. As was his habit, his hands rested loosely crossed over his two precious pistols holstered under each of his arms. Sam and Honi stood at ease a step behind his chair. In anticipation for their next assignment, the death squad wore their field uniforms with masks deactivated.

"A short jump to the docking yard, Captain and we're there." Reported the auger, Harris from his interface terminal.

"Check for any non-civilian craft in the area."

"One Church cruiser." Came the reply almost before Eiko had asked the question.

"Who's is it?"

"It's the Ptolemy, so, Cardinal Kasper, Sir."

"Good." noted Eiko and then grumbled over his shoulder, "Sam. Join me in the rectory will you?"

"Yes, my Dean."

Eiko rose from his chair and made a line for his cabin not even pausing for the closed hatch which parted just in time for his entry.

He was already seated at this desk when Sam entered the lowly lit room. Large bookcases full of paper-printed canon lined the walls of genuine, fine-grained wood veneer. Eiko motioned for his second to take a seat, and Sam sat.

Sam kicked off her summons with light conversation. "Rumour has it that the druids hired this Pongo character to do the job?"

"Fucking nature cultists." replied Eiko, they've been trying to undermine the Church with their crazy mythos for years; maybe this time they'll busy the wasps out of their nest eh?

"You know I've been ordered to go lightly on the company man. He's been filling local Church coffers every since the execution. Funny, that."

Eiko's mood sobered, "Tell me, how long have we been together? Fifteen years?"

"Yeah, something like that." She said with an uncertain tone, sensing that something was not right with her leader, mentor and friend.

Eiko nodded grimly. "Sam, this is going to be my last assignment."

When she didn't respond, he continued, "You know, I thought -- we both thought -- I'd die in this job. Well, in a way, I have."

She shook her head, "Eiko, I understand what happened with the retribution, but, in time you will heal." She continued her argument, "You're the best--"

The Dean cut her off with a growl, suddenly angry, "Look at me, damn it!" He drew his revolvers and held them out for Sam to see. His normally rock steady hands were shaking. "How, the fuck am I supposed to shoot anyone like this!"

Sam resigned, it was hopeless arguing with him, "So, what's the plan?"

"Arrangements have been made. I have good friends high up; they will ensure that you replace me as Dean and that you will not be held responsible for anything that happens from this point forward.

"You and Honi will bring the suspect here for interrogation. Find out who's behind this mess and kill them.

And remember, no matter what happens out there today, you will not attempt to intervene. Bring the ape here is all. Do you understand?"

Sam nodded.

"And, there's one more thing." Eiko gently placed his guns down on the table. I want you to have these."

Sam stood, "No. This is too much!"

"Don't even try and argue with me you stubborn bitch. I've been worried about that energy crap you've been bearing these last few years. Can't have you out there in my job with that shit. Just keep these beauties clean and don't mix up the names. Eiko touched the revolver on his left, "Hieronymus", and the right, "Bosch."

They both stood. Sam said solemnly, "So this is it then?"

"This is it."

Sam, moved around to Eiko's side of the table, cupped his chin in her hand and pulled him down. Their lips touched softly, and their tongues met for a kiss that would form deep memory.

Sam withdrew, "That was for old times, my Dean. Give 'em Hell."