The sun splashed across the golden rooftops of Vensha and cast the city in a fiery radiance. Hues of yellow and orange filled the sky, a spotlight on the capitol city that could be seen from the furthest reaches of the atmosphere. There was no city like it anywhere in the Atania galaxy. While Flightline was a symbol of change, Vensha was the image of prosperity.
Towering above the city on the one-hundred-and-thirty-second floor of the congressional building, the Alis adjourned their latest meeting. Wyrna stared at her peers from her seat at the front of the chamber with malice in her eyes. Chimes rang around the room to bring an end to the day's deeds, but Wyrna still had more to take care of.
She stood and moved swiftly through the other members of the Alis, ignoring their questions and poorly executed means of conversation. She didn't want to entertain anyone, much less hear their pitiful expressions of sorrow over Diah's disappearance. She had played her cards right so far, but there were still a few she kept close to her chest. The lift in the hallway dinged as she pushed the button and the doors slid open. Wyrna took a step forward but a meaty green arm dropped in front of her.
"Don't think I didn't see you rushing by," Counselor Gallard teased. The boom in his voice was especially robust. "Not even a goodbye for a dear friend?"
Wyrna cringed inside. The idea of Gallard's friendship was sickening. A tingle of irritation crept across her skin and she felt the poison of her Kanushin claw through her veins, begging for a release.
'Soon,' She thought.
Wyrna plastered her usual fake smile across her face and looked up toward the High Prime representative. His toothy grin grated her nerves. That, and his constant self-sacrificing attitude.
"Why Gallard, of course!" She exclaimed. "I've been so wrapped up in Diah's disappearance that my mind is, unfortunately, not quite present."
"Wyrna, please," Gallard said with a hushed tone. "I can't even begin to imagine how you must feel. I'm worried sick every day that passes without any word from her, but that probably isn't even a fraction of your pain."
'I worry more about what happens if that brat gets back home,' Wyrna commented to herself.
"I actually wanted to come by and say that the Alis and I give our regards," He continued. "We are thankful you've managed to lead such productive sessions despite your current concerns. Senator Mazza has also agreed to postpone any new motions or votes until she has been found."
Wyrna gritted her teeth.
"Please tell Councilman Mazza I appreciate the gesture," She forced out. Her cheeks began to hurt from her smile. She wagged her finger to emphasize her point. "This is no time to stop our plans for expansion, however. We must continue pressing forward before Solstice shows itself again."
Gallard took a step back and straightened his posture.
"Yes about that," He responded. "I've had my assistant inform the rest of the Alis that current plans for the expansion of Vensha specifically are halted until further notice. I wanted to notify you personally."
Wyrna dropped her fake smile. Her blood began to boil. The expansion was the last of the efforts she needed to completely remove the Low Marks' presence from their great city.
"May I ask why, exactly?" She seethed.
"I will be traveling back to Flightline immediately to guide discussions on this heinous new act," Gallard revealed. "If we are to truly reshape into three distinct branches, I want to ensure that we align ourselves with the right support. The Uvari, perhaps. Or the Quillan. Regardless, I will be gone for quite some time and would prefer to be present when we resume talks about expansion."
Wyrna processed Gallard's information and weighed it in her mind. Just as quickly as he arrived, she would thankfully be rid of him. No watchful eyes or unnecessary questions would continue to plague her. She supposed that was worth the halt. Wyrna stepped inside the lift and faced Gallard. She forced herself to bow as gracefully as she could.
"I wish you the best of luck, Counselor," She stated sweetly. "We trust you to work out the situation in our favor."
Gallard bowed as well, but Wyrna noticed something was off about his expression. It seemed judgmental. Suspicious, even. She put it to the back of her mind. It was of no importance. She slid her arms back into her robes as the lift shot further up.
A bell rang loudly in her right ear. Wyrna tapped the MenXhip in her palm twice to answer the call. An odd tone drifted from the other end. She waited patiently.
"We're secure now," a chilled voice informed her. "I assume you're still committed to our deal, Speaker Nollak?"
"Absolutely," Wyrna answered. "In fact, I've just been given word that Counselor Gallard will be arriving on Flightline shortly."
"Then I will propose to higher powers that we move on to the next phase," the voice said in return.
"And what exactly is that next phase?" Wyrna questioned. "I need answers, General Ravig. A time frame as well."
Wyrna felt the tips of her nails break through the skin of her arm. She realized she had subconsciously been clawing into herself. She bit her lip instead. The idea of working with the Kunar was loathsome to her, but she needed to ensure that her own goals were achieved. If they could offer her a pathway to success, then she would do anything she needed to. Plus, it helped that Ravig had a similar mindset to her own: no friendship or silly power struggles, only business.
"You will be informed of those details if deemed appropriate," Ravig answered. "There are a lot of gears churning right now. You are only one of them. Patience is key here."
Wyrna began pacing in the lift. Ravig's response made her feel like she was being talked down to, a lesser being in the partnership they currently had. She didn't like it. Wyrna Nollak was always the one in charge. She made sure of it.
"General, the only key here is the one that I have to your very victory," She hissed. "If my end fails, you get nothing but a shove off the top of your precious Privarium. My daughter also continues to be an unknown factor. Find her."
Her demand was met with silence. Wyrna knew that Ravig was probably fuming on the other end. She didn't care. He needed her in order to be successful in all of his carefully formulated plans.
"We've tracked the craft she's on to Locarian," Ravig stated. His voice was devoid of the courteous tone it contained when they first started speaking. "We will intercept her there and remove her from the equation entirely. She will not be a concern."
Wyrna couldn't help but form a massive grin at the situation.
'Diah dying on a planet full of trash?' She thought. 'How perfectly fitting.'
____________________________________
The Aurora Nova gracefully threaded the gap between a pair of destroyed satellites, a fluorescent blue streak lingering in its wake. Its usual roar settled into a low purr as the ship slowed to a crawl. Cracked-apart warships and the dusted debris of what was once a moon scattered across Locarian's exosphere, signs of a war long passed. The planet below was a muddy brown, the surface caked with endless dirt seas and mountains of waste. It was dead as far as the eye could see, nothing but sandstorms and toxic yellow clouds of gas wandering in the breeze.
A small sense of comfort settled in Kirrik's body. It had been a long time since he had last been to Locarian. Maybe even a little too long. He pushed on the yoke of the Nova and guided it between two towering trash piles. Imi swiped her screens next to him and activated the ship's optic sensors. The image of a landing pad slowly came into view between swirls of sand. Kirrik toggled two switches and pulled even further down on the Nova's thrusters. He knew he needed to be careful to prevent further damage. The ship's landing gears clanked out and it gently came to a stop on the pad.
"Great landing!" Zaius complimented from behind them.
Kirrik looked back and saw Zaius was standing between the two extra seats, arms outstretched to hold his balance. Diah was clinging to the armrest of her seat to his left, while Sky was busy decoding Imi's chip on the right. Kirrik stood and grabbed a tiny cylinder from the dash.
"You all stay here," He instructed. "I need to pay our way."
Imi gave him a puzzled look. Kirrik slid past the group and made his way toward the Nova's descending ramp. He placed one end of the clear cylinder against his cheek and rolled it across his nose and mouth. It suctioned itself against his skin with a pop and began to noiselessly filter the lethal fumes around him. Sand whipped roughly against his face as he stepped out of the Nova. Nostalgia and a bit of excitement filled his spirit.
It was good to be home.
###
Diah watched as Kirrik made his way through the blistering winds and dense sands of Locarian. The sound of sand scratching across the Nova's surface filled the silence. Her hand had reached back and interlocked with Zaius'. His skin felt slightly rough and warm against the smooth clamminess of hers. Imi, watching Kirrik through the window, let out a snicker.
"I don't know why he felt this would be a good idea," She thought aloud. "He can barely walk out there."
"I've always heard of Locarian, but only from some of Areshia's..." Zaius paused and thought of the word he wanted to use. "Associates."
Imi whipped around at Areshia's name.
"Rule of thumb here, Veer," She warned. "We don't use that name in the Nova."
"Why not?" Diah asked in turn.
Imi kicked her feet up and looked the other way. She tucked her hands behind her head.
"She's an old friend," Imi answered. "Had a bad parting. I'll leave it at that."
Diah wrinkled her nose at Imi's nonchalant answer. There was something she wasn't telling them and it was obvious.
'Already keeping more secrets,' She thought.
Whatever Imi was hiding, Diah decided not to push any further. Outside, Kirrik had started talking to a single white and brown Terric that had appeared from the sands. She looked out across the towers of waste they were wedged between for others. If there were more Terrics, they were great at hiding.
Kirrik reached into his pocket and pulled something out. The Terric took it from his hand and turned it over twice. He tossed it back at the bounty hunter and shook his head.
"What's going on out there?" Diah asked in Imi's direction. The latter tilted her head and looked out the window.
"Kirrik's trying to bribe the Terric," She explained. "Locarian's a dangerous place. No extradition means lots of scum come from all over Atania to hide here. It's probably a great place to get intel on what the Kunar are up to, if I'm being honest."
Diah rolled her eyes at the irony of Imi's statement. The wind picked up outside and rocked the Nova. Locarian didn't sound like a place she would want to stay for long. She looked back outside but the Terric was gone and Kirrik had started making his way back toward the ship.
The sound of Kirrik's boots thumping up the ramp echoed down the hall, followed by the whirring of the ramp itself closing. Kirrik came through the door shortly after, shaking sand off of his clothes.
"Not on my clean floors!" Imi complained.
Kirrik slid past the group but turned to Diah before sitting.
"I had to give that guy twelve-hundred Quintels to get us inside," He ranted. "I'm going to send you home with a bill for all these costs you keep racking up."
"Not my fault you need to work on your negotiation skills," Diah mumbled under her breath. Zaius gave her hand a tight squeeze.
"Wait," Diah realized. "What do you mean by inside?"
The ground below them shook violently in response. Kirrik swiveled back around and sat, flicking his toggles back into place. Imi tapped her screen to switch the optics off.
"You might want to hold on," Kirrik cautioned.
The Nova's engines kicked on with a sputter and a bang. The ship lurched to the right, then stabilized as circular cracks grew around it. Sand began to sift through the cracks before the ground gave way entirely. Kirrik pulled the landing gears back in and pressed forward on the yoke. The Nova dipped forward and entered a long swirling tunnel. Darkness enveloped them.
Diah's stomach churned. Something about being in a pitch black tunnel running through the ground set her senses into high alert. She felt the acid building.
'What if we crash?' She panicked in her mind. 'What if it caves in?'
Her stomach gurgled in response to her thoughts. The Nova bobbed and slid down the dark pathway, faint yellow lights starting to appear on the walls. Their yellow glow connected and grew into a bright vibrant ball before the Nova shot out into a colossal cavern.
"Welcome to Elontra!" Kirrik announced.
Diah looked around as the Nova chugged and whined. The rustic buildings were small and brass, entangled with thick pipelines that burrowed into the ground around them. A thin haze of smoke and dust drifted to the ceiling, which was illuminated by monstrous yellow disks. Sharp rock formations erupted from the walls above and around them. Diah felt it was an entirely different world.
"Kirrik, one of the left engines is out and the battery's fallen to dangerous levels," Imi reported. She analyzed the diagnostics on her screen. Diah saw a mix of flashing red and yellow lights. Imi pulled on a lever. "Fifteen percent efficiency and dropping fast!"
"I'm going to boost us," Kirrik shouted over the Nova's rattling body. Alarms started to blare in front of him. The shaking made Diah's nausea intensify. Kirrik pulled back the yoke as hard as he could, pressing a green button simultaneously. Exhaust spewed from the engines with a loud bang and the Nova arched into the air.
Imi pulled her yoke to the right and swiped sideways on her screen. Puffs of air released on the Nova's left side as Kirrik lowered the landing gears again. Diah squeezed Zaius' hand with all her might as the ship crashed and skidded along the dirt. She took a labored breath, her chest tight from anxiety. Her heart smashed against her ribcage. A plume of dust encircled them.
Sky looked up from Imi's chip, orange irises spinning back into her usual crystal blue. She looked over at Diah and Zaius. Diah returned her gaze.
"Uh, did I miss something?" Sky said, pointing at their interlocked fingers. She turned her head and stared out the window at the underground city around them.
"Oh yeah, I definitely missed something."
###
Kirrik took a breath and tried to stop the shaking in his hands. The rumble of the yoke during the crash had permeated his body. Still, they were alive and in one piece. He couldn't say the same for the Nova. A tinge of sadness hit as he looked at all the red sensors and alerts screaming at him. The past few hours had really taken a toll on his beloved ship. There was only one person he trusted to fix her back up, though. Someone who knew the Nova's ins and outs as well as he did.
Kirrik hit the switch for the ramp and walked out into the underground city. He and Imi had managed to land exactly where he needed to. Ship parts were haphazardly strewn about the junkyard and the husks of old fighters rose out of the ground. The smell of smoke and grease mixed with the dirt and rust around them. The others trailed behind him.
"Bugu!" Kirrik called out towards a small house at the end of the junkyard. "Come on out, you old scrap stealer!"
The front door of the house flew open with a loud smash. A younger woman with a thin frame stomped out towards the group. Her spiky jet black hair was pulled into a messy bun. Grease stains covered the exposed bronze skin of her arms and face. A black jumper over her yellow shirt gave her the appearance of an angry bee. Brown belts with a variety of tools wrapped around her shoulder and waist, clinking together with every step.
"Just who the hell do you think you're yelling at, dustball?" She shouted at Kirrik in a raspy tone. "Get your clanker of a ship off of my property!"
The back of Kirrik's neck grew hot. It was one thing to insult him and another to insult the Nova. He walked forward to meet the woman, who he noted was younger than he originally thought.
"This so-called clanker is one of the best ships in Atania," He retorted. "Not like I'd expect a half-rate mechanic like you to understand. You look like you're barely out of school."
The woman's face turned scarlet and she raised a gloved finger at Kirrik.
"I know more about ships than you could ever hope to in your miserable bumbling life, you dirt-covered, empty-headed, oil-drinking son of a Vanaxin!"
Whoever this woman was, she was already on his bad side. The heat in his neck spread to his ears and cheeks. Imi stepped in front of Kirrik before he could respond.
"We're looking for the owner of this yard," Imi explained calmly. "My partner here says he's a friend."
"Friend or not, it doesn't matter," the woman asserted. "Bugu's retired. He doesn't want to be bothered."
"Nox!" A hoarse voice chirped from the doorway. "Be nice to our guests."
Kirrik looked up to the door and waved with a wide smile on his face. It had been years since he last saw the old Terric. Bugu's eyes flashed white as he shuffled down the house's steps.
"Kirrik, it's been too long!" Bugu exclaimed. "Welcome home, son."