Echoes of the Past

Chapter Thirty One - Part One

"He was a natural," Castan said. "I forgot who I was sitting with for a minute."

"What did Jaxx say to you?" Sam asked. "Tell me everything."

Between them, James and Castan explained how their meeting with Jaxx went. Sam was particularly interested to hear of his many transport ships. James soon let Castan finish the recap, and he found himself staring out the window once again, only occasionally adding to the conversation in places.

James's mind was a mess. He couldn't begin to understand what having a Sacre Trigger Switch in his palm could mean. Maybe he wasn't the person everyone thought he was. If the old James was working for a criminal empire, what did that mean? He felt like he was a good and decent person, surely that meant he was inherently good? Could he have been on the wrong side, without even the people closest to him knowing?

A single thought ran through James: he would have to figure out who he once was on his own, rather than relying on other people to tell him. He would have to protect his own secrets.

They parked the craft in a side hanger bay of the Oneron Outpost. Their earlier welcome guide, Corporal Prosgo, was there to greet them.

"It's good to see you back, General Hawkings," the burly man said.

"Did Liana and Evan Goodheart return safely?" Sam asked as they walked through the corridors.

"They did, approximately an hour ago. You are to be debriefed once you are all met."

"Good to hear," Sam said.

James couldn't help but compare Sam and Prosgo. Both soldiers, but with a large difference in their personalities and countenance. Sam had never appeared the type to be a strict and rigid military man like Prosgo was. Or perhaps Sam had been gone from that life for so long that his discipline no longer showed. Liana did say that Sam had turned his back on all this, and wanted to forget about the military life.

They entered the large control room where they had met Jorak and Liana earlier. The raised platform in the centre was empty. They found Jorak to the side, overlooking a work station with a few soldiers.

It was then that James had a good look at the mech that ran along the circular track over the bank of consoles. From the cubed body, two mechanical arms with multiple bends extended down and moved around the consoles, inputting commands with dozens of finger joints. One of the arms protracted liked a telescope as they entered, reaching for a side workstation.

"Ah, they have returned," Jorak said. As he turned to them, he revealed an older man standing beside him. James gasped at the sight.

"Den!"

Den Keenosh's crooked smile was a welcomed surprise, and James couldn't help but laugh in the moment.

"How goes our hero?" Den said. His grey hair still had a dishevelled look, and the stubble on his squared jaw had grown a little since James saw him last. He hobbled closer, the metal brace on his leg impeding his steps, and extended a hand.

James shook it and said, "Better now. I wasn't sure if I'd see you again."

"Neither was I. But I decided to spend some time in this here outpost and get back into the loop of things."

"It's good to see you, General," Sam said, shaking Den's hand.

Den's other hand held a circular device that faced the ground, pressing down as if he were leaning on it. Then James realised Den was leaning on it. A faint blue light emanated from the underside of the device, keeping it hovering in place.

"So that's how you get about?" James asked.

Den gave a slight shrug. "The convenience of technology. I've always preferred it to a walking stick."