SATUS ARC PART II: Sands Of Change

It took two days for them to finally reach Abara, just as the sun found its way to the other side. The darkness suited them.

“See anyone?” Astra asked quietly, as if anyone could hear them from such a distance. Most planets of such size had bays for storage in only the key cities, and with this being the territory of the Vagrants, it was almost a certainty the main bays were heavily guarded and restricted. The only other option seemed to be to land in the outskirts, risk attacks from beasts and cartels too small for the Vagrants to care about.

However, when they had resigned themselves to that fate, they saw it. Unmanned, on the outer edge of the city and completely hidden. Thus, it would be the risk they would take. “We have successfully landed!” Hailey announced, a little too loudly, making both her crewmates shush her frantically.

“We have successfully landed!” She said again, this time a whisper.

“Looks like an old chop shop…” parts of bikes and old engines lay around lazily and old rusted chains hanging from the girders above. Hoshi checked the doors around, most rusted shut and one or two lost their handles as he went to open them. “Doesn’t look like there’s anyone else here.”

“What about that?” Astra asked as she pointed to the very opening they had entered from. There was still a latch that pulled the roof closed, fully covering their prized ship. “Think it’s abandoned?” She asked, wiping away old oil from her hands.

“Looks like it.” He answered

“From my records, it appears it was condemned 10 years ago… the last owner was a Yuri Korolev” Hailey added quietly. “Since then it seems as though it has been unoccupied”.

For the first time in forever, they felt at ease, “Sounds like we’re good.” Hoshi said, his voice relaxing. Another quick glance around he took, only rusted metal and old trash he saw. There was something atop the bags, looking slightly out of place… alas, the sound of rumbles and the feel of all the starvation over the past two days caught up to him in one explosive cry from the pits of his stomach. So strong it was he held his waist and felt sick to the bone. A second strike of thunder, this time it was Astra. She too held her waist with a blush and a glance to see if he had heard.

“Your records got any food places, Hailey? Preferably one with a 100% discount?”

“I don’t believe so? However, if you are low on cash, the locals have taken to hunting the wildlife in the outskirts, would this suffice?”

“Like, roadkill?” He asked feeling sick again

“Like sand hares.” Astra responded. “I’ll go. One of us needs to stay with the ship.”

“Why am I staying?”

“Because your face is known. Any of the Vagrants here spot you and put you in chains well both be dead. That and I doubt you’d catch anything.”

Best not to bite back, he thought, only because he knew it was true.

“Is there anything else I should keep my eye out for?” She asked.

“It is just an estimation, but the ship has only enough energy another day. Perhaps a generator would suffice? Other than that I will be okay!” she responded cheerfully, now able to access some of the sounds of the ship to make a playful accompaniment.

“Another thing to worry about…” Hoshi complained under his breath as she stepped out. They had seen the lights from their landing earlier, the streets were still alive at this hour. With traders up late selling their wares, and vendors filling the air with the smell of spices, enough to bring forth a river from one's mouth. Sense was almost a stranger now, though it still lingered in Astra. With the strength she had left she darted through the streets and onto the wastelands.

Before long she had caught the rabbit, and they had their fill. The night was lively but short lived, and as the sun brought the day, chaos would come with it.

*-*-*

“…”

“…i…”

“Oi…”

The feel of a boot tapping his, and then the cold on his brow… his eyes opened to the same dark they closed to hours ago, only with cracks of light shining through the holes above. When his eyes adjusted, he saw the shadow above, close and unfamiliar.

“Damn it Greaves, how many times I got to tell ye to close the damn hatch at night?!”

“Can it old man, I like seeing the stars as I sleep.”

His eyes adjusted to the light and the two came to clearer vision. One a balding overweight man of around 50-60 years. His shirt dirty with oils. The other, much younger, perhaps the same age as Hoshi. A brown fabric hat that was well worn, a white shirt with splashes of the same oils, but a leather cover just over top. Then Hoshi saw the gun in his hand. Not a standard issue firearm of the modern era. A revolver, grainy from rust but cleaned of it. The arm pulled back and ready to spring forth bringing fire and death.

“Rise and shine.” He spoke. Hoshi slowly put his arms up in the silence. “What’s your business, stranger?”

“Business?” Hoshi responded, still a little dazed.

“Well, you are in our store. Snuck in when I was nappin’ and left your ship in the workshop.”

“We just wanted somewhere to land” Hoshi assured, keeping calm, or as calm as he could be.

“There’s a giant bay not two minutes thataways” The old man explained. “This ‘ere’s private property!”

“I’m sorry, we didn’t know… the other place looked sketchy so when we saw this place…”

“Sketchy?” He laughed, “That’s a Vagrant ship. We see enough of 'em round these parts. They like to pay unexpected visits to shops like ours, shops that exist in spite of em… awfully ironic you’re wearing their symbols in their colours and flying their ship, but you just happened to find your way here for… no reason whatsoever” rather playfully he spoke, like a cat pawing a mouse before tearing it to pieces.

“I’m a deserter. We didn’t go to the lot because we know what’s there, or well, who’s there.”

“Not many deserters get away with a fancy ship like that. Your commander doesn’t seem the type to hand out leaving presents.” Greaves looked like he was tiring of the cat and mouse, his playful tone exchanged for seriousness. “Come on, we both know that’s horse shit. Just admit it, make both our days quicker.”

“I told you. I’m a deserter!”

Just as he finished speaking a bullet ricocheted off the ground, digging deep into the floor as it went, flying past Hoshi’s face. The noise alone hurt, his ears temporarily ringing. Greaves stood over him, fiercer, less patient.

“Oi! Quit marking mah floor!” The old man bellowed but Greaves paid him no mind, instead keeping his glare glued on his new target. “Start talking. Or I make sure the next one don’t miss.”

She had heard the commotion from the bedroom she claimed, still waking from the long night. As quick as a flash she stormed through the hull and out the ship’s entrance, finding the source of the commotion…

Sunflowers in the morning air. Laughter and a slow jazz oh so sweet. The taste of honey and the chill of ice through the chest. Slack-jawed, the gunslinger almost lost his footing when he saw her, seeing a thousand lifetimes in a second. His gun still trained on Hoshi but his eyes on only her, a look of pure bamboozlement. He approached her slowly.

“You okay, Hoshi?” She asked, not really concerning herself with the gawking onlooker until he got too close, so close in fact that had she lifted an arm ever so slightly she’d be able to push him back. “Can I help you?” Stand-offish she was.

Still he stared without a word.

“Ah” Hoshi heard, seeing the old man roll his eyes and throw his arms out, returning to his work. Just as he turned back around he saw Greaves take a knee, holding her hand.

“Ma’am, would you do the honour of marrying me?”

…

“Hah?”

*-*-*

“So…” Greaves said, hunched over a wooden chair. “You were a Vagrant?”

“Yes.” Hoshi responded.

Greaves slightly lifted his gun from its holster, almost robotically. “But now you aren’t?”

“No.”

The gun lowered. “You broke into our shop?”

“…yes?”

The gun raised again. “But it’s because you couldn’t land anywhere else in the city?”

“Correct.”

The gun lowered once more.

“Would you quit it?” Astra barked. They’d been at it for a good half hour already, back and forth between kill and not kill.

“Yeah, drop the gun already.” Hoshi commanded, it only provided the adverse effects.

“Drop it.” This time Astra commanded it… and he complied. She turned to the old man fiddling with a broken down engine. “What’s his deal?”

“He’s hopeless. I used ta play old cowboy movies from my Earth days when he was a kid, now he thinks he’s one. Problem is he’s weak to women.” He explained, sounding annoyed as he reminisced.

“I’m a gunslinger, Yuri! Just you wait for the next tournament, I’ll…”

“You’ll what? Rub ya 2nd place medal in my face?” Yuri laughed.

Greaves hissed at him. “Don’t listen to the old man, when it comes to sharpshootin’, I’m your man!” Looking like he was waiting for approval from his new love but all he got was indifference.

“Look, we’re sorry about landing here. All we want is to get a way past the warp point and away from the Vagrants.” Hoshi explained, keeping an eye on the clingy cowboy eyeing Astra.

Yuri pulled apart a bike chassis, examined the structure and threw away the useless parts, only focussing on his work as the young man spoke to him. “Only way past the point is through it.”

“Exactly. But you can’t use it without approval from the Roses. They make you buy some stupid pass that is extortionate, without it you’re in for hell.”

“Or you could use a fake.” Yuri rebuked.

“...” Hoshi’s response, bamboozlement. Astra even looked surprised, taking her glare away from Greaves.

“One of these” He added, lifting his hand up revealing an elusive pass… or at least a good fake. Hoshi’s face lit up, taking it from the old man’s hand as he worked, and examining each side.

“Where’d you get this?! It’s fake?”

“Only difference is where it’s made and by who, Roses won’t be able to spot it. A buddy of mine makes ‘em as a side hustle, costs a lot but if ya really need one he’s the man to see.” Yuri replied, wiping away the grease on his hands with an old cloth still sodden with oils.

“We don’t have money…” Astra muttered.

“Looks like ya stuck here then.” The old man summarised just before lighting his weld tool and lowering his visor. The tool too loud for him to even listen in anymore but the remaining trio could assume it was what he intended.

Seemed Astra took the hint the fastest as she began returning to the ship. “Come on” she called to Hoshi. “Let’s go.” He could see her disappointment, her head was low but he could also tell she didn’t want to show it. He on the other hand, he was just about over with it.

“Where are we gonna go?”

“Away from here. We’re not welcome, better move out now and hope no one sees us.” She climbed the steps of the ship. “Get us ready Hailey.”

“On it!” It replied as chipper as ever.

“And then where?” Hoshi stopped her. Still below the ship he looked so small to her, so helpless. “We’ve got no money, no warp drive and no pass. This entire planet is overrun with Vagrants… where exactly are we going?”

“I dunno.” She responded. “I guess we were doomed ever since that day in the wastelands, getting off Prota was just delaying the inevitable. Like you said, we’ve got nothing, we can’t even stay here… so what’s left Hoshi? What’s the next step in your master plan?” Every word filled with toxin and fired like darts, unresolved pain and mistrust just oozing from them.

“I don’t have one, Astra. I always used to think I’d leave Prota and then find happiness, everything in between was just a blur. But that doesn’t mean we’re done.” Quickly he turned to Greaves, who was still watching the duo but this time with his gun properly holstered. “You mentioned a competition, right?”

“Huh? Oh yeah. It’s a sharpshooter competition. Winner gets a thousand credits, should be enough for one of those passes, I think.” Greaves explained.

“When is it?” Hoshi asked

“In three days.” Greaves confirmed.

“Three days.” The former Vagrant echoed. “Think we’ve got the time?”

She erred thinking it through for a second. “Maybe, maybe not. But we still need a Tachyon Drive. Even with a pass, if we get to the next galaxy and the closest planet is too far we’ll be caught before you know it.”

Hoshi had forgotten about it, so focused on the Warp Point he was that the Tachyon drive didn’t so much as cross his mind. Worst of all she could see he had no answer… just as she was to speak…

“I’ll set you one up.” Both looked to Yuri, his welding done and his visor raised. “If you win the competition I’ll give you a drive.”

It was a silly thing to say. Drives like that were expensive, you don’t just give those away, certainly not to someone you just met. He could see the suspicion on their faces. “I do have a catch though.”

“This should be good.” Hoshi sighed, preparing for the worst. “What? Sell you the ship? Work here a year? Go take out the Vagrants? What do you want?”

He chuckled. “No, nothing like that. It’s simple really.”

“I want you to take the kid with ya.”