JAMES
"The code is incomplete," Aaron remarked as they stood with the projection of Rayan with tangled code running between them. "I noticed a couple of patterns." He pointed at a trail of code. "One word caught my interest: EDEN. I'm wondering if it's some sort of acronym." Aaron folded his arms as the words skittered across the screens.
"Did you break through it?" Rayan questioned.
James twitched at his deviation from priorities. "If you can't get a complete code, I don't see how useful the information would be to finding the vats from a... possible acronym that spells out 'EDEN'."
Aaron studied him. "Is it familiar?"
"No."
"If it's incomplete, that means there's another part to it," Rayan argued and swiped the code in front of him. "We'd just need to find the other half of it. We could break it."
"Can we focus on why we're here?" James interjected the rebels, one who found themselves on his ship; the other, so close, but so far away. Both of them switched their attention to him. "I want the vats so I can send them to the Sanctum and we don't have to deal with this — putting the code to the side for a minute." He waved it out of the center, and Rayan dropped his arms to the side and never wavered. "Here's my plan. I send Keren and Nyra onto the smuggling ship, and they wait to go to their base of operations. I doubt they'll be holding the edevium vats on their ship, it's been too long already. They'll have moved it." He studied the rebel's expressions, though Rayan's was nothing but layered steel. "We interject them when they land, and storm the base."
Rayan closed his eyes and folded his arms again, but then eyed Aaron. "You think they went to one of the outer planets? Someplace like Rekka? Seeto mentioned it once or twice."
James jolted at the observation, but before he could question further, Aaron shrugged. "Maybe? Nowhere else is safe for them since the Sanctum cleaned house on Eteran."
He kept his questions close to his soul as Rayan sighed. "I'll take this code with me. James is right, we need these vats. Odaport is in a rough spot, and we can't afford the Sanctum crushing us further underneath their heel." He rubbed the back of his neck with a stretch. "Have you thought about what happens when we find where they're holding the stolen edevium?" He gazed at him without the fear of death, while Aaron pinched his cheek and poked the code. "They may be scattered, but we should be careful."
James raised an eyebrow. "Never thought I'd hear that from you of all people."
Rayan's lips parted, but he folded his arms with a huff. "I'm just tired of having to deal with them."
"Then what do you suggest?" James pressed.
"You cause a distraction when we intercept them," Rayan pointed out. "I'll send you coordinates to the edevium vats if I find them, whether they're processed or not, and then we get it and ourselves out." He swung his hand forward in one fluid motion. "I have a funny feeling where they're processing it, but..." He shrugged his lean shoulders. "We can't say for sure."
"Captain, the route lit up," Evelyn called from the navigational array. "It's almost time."
Rayan huffed and rolled up his sleeves. "Let's get to work then. I'll be in contact with you once we start."
"Be sure to follow behind," James said as Rayan reached for his prismtooth. "This could get dangerous."
Rayan nodded, and then his pixels fell apart in his hands, nothing more than bloody embers skittering across his skin. He layered steel over his heart, and protected the metal tag which choked his neck. "Is your disconnecter ready, Lexin?"
"It's ready, I'll shoot their communications and get your infiltrators inside."
His guard and tags dropped into his palm as he let them go. "You can wait by the ship for them. I'll have the Northern Wolf on lock somewhere on the route ready for the intercept." He headed past Evelyn's navigational array to leave the bridge behind. "I've got a couple things I need to sort out. Keep us on course."
"Of course, Cap'n."
Aaron shadowed him out of the bridge, and James cupped the infopod in the bridge of his fingers. I'm not free of you yet, am I? His fingers trembled, and he frowned when the infopod squeezed and threatened to break in his strength. He loosened his grip and allowed it space to breathe. Your half of the plan better work, Rayan. James stretched his shoulders to release the tension in his chest. But still... something isn't right. He stopped and faced Aaron, who echoed his motion. Thinly-veiled curiosity filled the Kestran grays.
"You mentioned you were part of Rayan's inner circle?"
"One of them."
"You work closely with him?"
"Yes." Aaron narrowed his eyes. "I do feel like I'm about to be interrogated."
James searched for any hint of his odd feeling, but Aaron tipped his head. "Nothing of the sort," he whispered and glanced down at the infopod. "He told me he couldn't help because he was busy, but turned around and offered his opinion on how to approach this operation when you brought it up to him. What is it he's so busy with? What are your people planning?" James waited for an answer, but when Aaron remained silent, he pressed on, "He mentioned Rekka, it's a planetary research facility, why would the Insurgents have anything to do with that place?"
"Seeto was looking for something."
"What was that?"
"A weapon to shake the core of the Sanctum," Aaron answered with no hesitation. "Until the Sanctum created their own." He stiffened. "Rayan Falae involves himself in a lot of things when it comes to our operations on Kestra. He moves information across the cities, with Odaport as the center. Him and another one of his inner circle create opportunities for those in the lower districts to ease their plights. He spreads his message far across our stars." He pointed at the infopod. "As for his plans, you're holding it. Rayan is about as open-book as people get... most of the time. It's almost upsetting."
James narrowed his eyes at the unheard words in space. "Why would that be?"
"Has he always worn his heart on his sleeve?"
"I don't know, it's been a long time, Lexin."
"He makes it sound like it's been no time at all, actually," Aaron admitted and shuffled past him. "He puts pressure on one of his inner circle with his... out of control tendencies." He switched on his heel with a sad smile. "He's been in this war for a very long time. I'd argue he never left it, but I suppose every man has his vice. He just does nothing to hide his."
A black hole collapsed in his heart. James breathed out a painful sigh. "Then, I suppose he has. His bad habits are recent, but it's not any of my business what he does to himself in his spare time." He led Aaron deeper into the Northern Wolf. "I'm disappointed in the fact he doesn't show some semblance of discipline to the people following his cause." He shook his head at the mental image it gave him. It's going to kick you hard when it catches up to you.
"We followed his passion," Aaron explained. "I doubt many rebels would follow someone apathetic. Of course, there's two extremes to that."
He stopped at the intersection between the weapon control and the freedom and warmth of the crewrooms. Blue lights hummed a deep song in his ears as he listened to the Northern Wolf's voice. "Another thing that hasn't changed." He motioned for Aaron to go ahead of him. "I need to have a chat with my team while you and my mechanic set up the disconnecter. You know how much time it'll give them to settle down?"
"You'll have a few ticks to board them."
James nodded. "I'll cloak the Northern Wolf and follow behind them."
Aaron headed down the hall, deeper to the hangar bay. He forced himself in the other direction and approached the arena doors, which gave a quiet hiss to let him pass. As expected, Keren rested on the edevic laced netting attached to the walls for multi environment training sims. Headphones pressed against Kerne's ears, and he came closer to the platform, testing the motion and his fellow pilot's spatial awareness.
You've still got a lot to learn. James smiled up at the pilot. He headed onto the platform and investigated one of the climbing poles. He turned his back on it for the crossing pipes Keren loved to employ in training simulations against Nyra. James steadied his breaths, and then jumped. Sensations of embers tickled his skin as a burst of edevic stars carried him through the phase, and he balanced on the pipe, quietly inching his way closer to Keren. He hopped up one next level up, then sat down as Keren nodded his head along to the music, eyes shut.
James shook his head and tossed his foot into the netting. Keren snapped open his eyes in one quick instant of reaction, then twisted back and took out his weapon. He smiled, and Keren relaxed.
"If you're going to listen to music, you need to listen with one ear out at all times," James instructed and hauled himself into the safety netting to lounge across from Keren. "I'm assuming Nyra told you your part of the plan?"
Keren leaned back into the netting and placed his headphones in his lap. "She did, but..."
"But?"
Keren brushed the back of his head with a soft huff of frustration.
His hands are shaking. James blinked and listened when Keren shoved his hands into his lap as well.
"It's... nothing." One more moment of silence, and Keren sank deeper into the embrace of the twine. "Okay, it might be something."
"Does it have to do with..." James began, but stopped when Keren shook his head.
"No... Well, not quite. It's about this whole situation with Rayan and the rebellion." Keren twiddled his thumbs and toyed with the headphones.
"I know Rayan's a bit of a wildcard, but once we're done with this operation, we won't have to worry about it," James explained. "I apologize for having to send you down into that Underground ring. I know it must've drudged up some bad memories." He doublechecked the arena crossdoors for moving shadows, but when nothing caught his attention, he returned to Keren. "When you're on the Insurgent Titan, I want you and Nyra to stick by each other. Hide, don't move unless you have to. I know little and less than what I've been told by Rayan and Aaron. He wants the Insurgency, and the Sanctum wants their stolen goods back."
Keren eyed the shadows. "What about Aaron?"
James hesitated at his question. "He works for Rayan. He's got a disconnector that'll give you time to board them. At which point—" James tugged a tracker out of his pocket and tossed it to Keren. "You know what you'll have to do."
Keren pocketed it, but never looked him in the eye. "It's not that."
"What's bothering you?" James settled his arm on his knee and listened.
"I just..." Keren sucked in a breath then winced. "I don't know. I just have a bad feeling. Ignore me."
James frowned at the odd behavior from Keren. Keren has some sort of sixth sense that's borderline terrifying. He has never been wrong before, and if he's asking something specific... "Keren, what is it?"
"Can we trust Aaron Lexin?"
His thoughts pulled back to the words he spoke about Rayan. "No more than we can trust who he's following." He listened to the hum of the Titan. He focused harder, and light footsteps crossed the threshold, but never entered. Nyra, on her way to the crewrooms. "You're going to need to give a signal if there's trouble, or that they've stopped. We'll be following out of their sensors, which might leave you and Nyra in the dark until they've reached their unloading dock. Worse comes to worse, I'm not going to leave you behind."
So many things go wrong, especially when it comes to Rayan or anyone associated with him. Things go upside down, or explode... whichever comes first.
"Back in the Underground, Rayan mentioned finding the root of the Insurgency," Keren spoke up as James hauled himself back onto the pipe. "Captain... he knew the Insurgency was, and still is, on his tail."
"I know," James admitted. "Once you're ready, report to the bridge, and I'll run you through what you're to do once you're on that Titan."
"Will do, Captain." Keren rubbed his knuckles, and James frowned at the motion. "I'll also try to work on my situational awareness next time we run a training sim." He grinned, and all the unease and uncertainty left Keren's expression. James nodded, and slid down the pipe back to the main platform of the arena. He rushed back to the bridge, where Evelyn remained in the navarray. Along the main console, their quadrant of space bleeped warnings.
"How far off are we?" He slipped into the pilot's seat.
"Few clicks off the sensors."
He slid himself to the wheel, and it unlatched from autopilot. It pushed and pulled against his grip, while the Northern Wolf hummed to life in his ears. A few clicks... You better stick to the plan, Rayan Falae. One breath and nodded at Evelyn. "Set our cloak to full strength. I don't want them getting a hint that we're on them when I make the approach."
Evelyn swiped her hands across some of the panels along the array. James followed suit to push buttons and tug down levers on the console. He adjusted the course as the Northern Wolf released a deeper, thundering hum as dark purples replaced the calming greys. He pressed his boot against the lower thrusters, then gave a gentle twist as they floated onto the route of the smuggling Titan. Another quiet beep sounded on the quadrant map. "Got it."
He bit on his tongue as he caught sight of the dark-coloured titan above them in the route. In range of their communications, but hidden from their sensors, he tracked them.
A pair of footsteps came closer, and the bridge doors slid open.
"We're good to go, Captain," Nyra said.
"Good." James pointed at the map as Keren and Nyra drew close. "Remember, if the vats are there, get a tracker on them and watch out for each other. If you think you're compromised, high tail it out of there. Take one of their scouts if you have to. Abort it." I'm not going to sacrifice your lives for a flimsy plan. "Aaron is waiting by his scout. It's hooked with a disconnector." He studied Nyra, who gave him a thoughtful frown. "I don't want any heroics, either."
"Track the vats, and no heroics," Keren echoed.
Nyra pursed her lips in playfulness. "We'd be outnumbered, wouldn't we?"
James fought the smile on his face, but something tugged at the back of his mind. Wherever it came from, he pushed through it. With Meryn recovering, all I can trust is Rayan's word that he'll stick to his part of the plan. I can't predict him. He nodded at Keren and Nyra, who left the bridge with quicker footsteps than they arrived with. Okay, Rayan Falae. If this works out... we'll have a talk about the next steps... but I will no longer fight a war you're so dead set on continuing.
Flames. Blood. Rayan begged for an end to his life as it crashed between his ears.
Never again.