The Classic C (The 6th)

Charlotte paced nervously, in and out she went, from one room to another. Mathis lay still, anyone would assume him asleep just by looking at him.

“She’s back, can you calm down now?” The low rumble of Mathis’ voice caused Charlotte to skid to a stop. She whipped her head towards the door, holding in her breath.

“This is dangerous, and you know it. We’ve only got maybe a rotation left before he catches up. There was only so many routes I could enter into that computer. Eventually, she’s gonna go off like that, and I don’t want to think of the destruction they’ll cause if he finds her.”

She was clearly worried, the anxiety spilling out of her was almost tangible. Mathis knew the danger, he also knew that you couldn’t change the future by fretting needlessly. Only by staying calm and reacting appropriately to the events happening in the present, could you effect the outcomes of them.

The door opened, Fenrir came walking in, Caprice right behind her. A large trophy gleamed between them. Charlotte was about to start yelling, but noticed something she had never seen on the young girls face before. A smile.

Deflating, Charlotte finally sank down onto the bed she had stopped by. Mathis had raised his head up to see the two girls return. Even he seemed to be cheerful. Something about Fenrir was different, a good different, but Charlotte was unsure why such a dramatic change would have occurred.

All of her anger at Fenrir’s clear lack of discipline, simply faded out. They would have to keep training, and reminding the young alpha. That would be the only way to truly get her to mature. Time was the only issue with that, because they had precious little of it remaining.

“Caprice wants to know if we would join her and her family for a celebration. Their getting together aboard their ship up on the docking platform.”

Charlotte couldn’t hardly believe what she was hearing, a mix of emotion ran over her. First, this girl would get them caught and in more trouble than any other being ever could. Second, Charlotte had never been asked permission before her alpha did anything. It took her a moment to notice everyone in the room had their eyes on her.

“What do you need my permission for? You already seem to be comfortable running off on your own.” The retort bit hard, Fenrir flinched slightly, but pressed her request anyway.

“I’m not asking permission, but I’m checking to make sure your fine with the decision. Your the one who insists we lay low here. I just want to take the chance to see what else is out there.”

A surprisingly deft argument, especially coming from someone whom only a few rotations ago was a prisoner. Fenrir hadn’t even known other worlds existed until after J had abducted her. Now she was setting out, much as any other adventurer or explorer.

“I still don’t think,”

“We need to introduce ourselves if we plan on working with them right? What else are we gonna do? Hide in this hole?” Fenrir had cut her off and forced Charlotte to think a little more about this.

The two female shifters stared intently into each others eyes. The static in the room was growing palpable as the contest elapsed. Charlotte was trying to focus on what she could say to make the girl back down, stay in for the night, play it safe. The look on Fenrir’s face however, became distracting.

The smile that had been there when she walked in, waned. Quickly it was replaced by the near permanent scowl. Only someone with sharp canines and a penchant for growling could make that face. Before the hostility took over and blew this up into an argument, Charlotte faltered.

“Fine.” Throwing a hand up, Charlotte gave her consent. “Will there be proper sleeping arrangements on board?”

Caprice beamed, her smile hadn’t lessened at all since entering the dark room. The joy that was dancing in her eyes now was almost infectious.

“Of course! We have everything you all will need. Beds, separate rooms, showers, more food than I think even your large friend will ever be able to eat.” Fenrir chuckled slightly alongside Caprice, the joke not quite landing home with the other two.

Mathis simply stood, grabbed a bag, and slung it over his shoulder as he walked towards the door. Charlotte let out a long sigh, but was quick to follow when the girls showed no signs of waiting. Within moments, all four of them were walking down the crowded walkway.

“I’m so happy you all decided to come along! Chevella is already cooking up a big dinner, plus she was able to send up a couple taps for drinks. We’ll have plenty to celebrate all night with!” Caprice was so giddy that she bounced with each step.

It was hard for the group to not be influenced by her attitude. Something about her bubblyness made it infectious.

Charlotte could feel Caprice’s aura enveloping them, not in a bad way. It seemed to seep into the seams around them, filling in voids of the other auras around her.

-

Walking up to the ship, I saw hanger after hanger, both occupied and empty. Small ships, large freighters, even a few fighter class styles. Caprice pointed out each one and helped identify the classes and factions.

Some merchants hired out retired military ships, for protection in less developed areas of the galaxy. A lot of close range freighters would bounce between planets in the star system, and a few longer range ones would stretch out to the next systems.

She was in the middle of telling me what the star way was, and how it was connection more and more worlds every cycle, when we reached her ship. The hanger doors wide open, lights flashing and music thumping softly.

“This is ours, between my sister, brother, and the rest of my close family.” Caprice waved happily at a few of the people who noticed our arrival.

I wasn’t sure what to think, the overwhelming vastness of my new life was still a rising wave in front of me. The crest growing taller and taller with each rotation. More and more ready to come crashing down when I finally couldn’t hold it back anymore.

“You ok?” Caprice was waving a hand in front of my face, forcing my attention back to her.

“Uh, yeah. Just, I’ve got a lot coming at me all at once.”

Caprice nodded, smile never faltering. Charlotte set a hand softly down on my left shoulder, the reminder of her presence eased the weight on my mind.

“It is a lot for you, but I know you can handle it.” Her motherly tone was comforting. “One step at a time. One cycle at a time. We’ll get to a point where life returns to a peaceful normal.”

I knew she meant that, I knew that’s what they really wanted. I know I want that too, but I still don’t know how, or where, to start that life.

“I think the next step, is to get a drink.” Caprice said, giggling and pulling on my arm. Three others had walked out to meet them, several drinks in hand.

I nodded, following along. Then looking back at Charlotte, I mouthed thank you.

Eventually, someday, we’d be free of J, and my father. I just need to keep pushing forward with the people around me. I can trust the four of them, I had to.

Caprice was already gossiping with the others, bringing up details of her race, then more about the daily business of the bars they worked at and owned. A few complaints about greedy merchants, one depressing story of massive losses to pirates attacking star way ports.

I half listened, half let my attention wander. There were so many different machines and tools laying about. The ship itself was obviously tore apart for maintenance of some sort.

The drinks were a dark blue mixture of fruits and aged alcohol. I hadn’t had any actual alcohol before, well, other than the first night here. After the third one, Caprice was laughing loudly at everything. Her friend, Kilick, was inflaming the liquid in his glass before downing it all in one shot. His fingers producing small jets of flame that glowed white for a moment. The drink burned with a barely visible flame.

Hours passed, everyone told stories and drank, some even began dancing to the music that played from out of the ships speakers. The starlight coming through the ports bay signaled the end of one, and beginning of the next, cycle.

Charlotte was sitting on a bench, watching the dawn. Mathis was the center of attention for a group of about eight girls. Each of which seemed to be competing to be the closest one too him.

Caprice continued to gossip and joke with a few others, and I kinda made myself a shadow next to her. I didn’t speak up much, laughed softly when everyone else let it out boisterously.

Peaceful normal, is being at ease like this, but all the time.

Charlotte’s voice echoed in my head. I looked over at her, and saw her turn her face away. She was trying to hide it, but I saw the smile on her face, it even lit up her eyes.

“Hey Fen!” Caprice called out.

I blinked, turning back towards her group, I hadn’t realized I had already taken a step away.

“Bring a drink for her.” Her wink was a little confusing, but I guess she was reading into my look at Charlotte too much.

“Yeah,” I laughed it off. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

Caprice went back to talking with her friends, most of whom didn’t even notice as I walked away. The drinks had been going pretty quickly. At least this time I knew better than to have too much to quick.

I didn’t bother grabbing anymore on my way over to Charlotte, she didn’t seem to enjoy it much anyway. As I walked over to her, I realized I didn’t know what to say. So much had happened since I had been taken from my home.

My home? Since when was that how I referred to my foster home? But, it was the place I grew up. I missed the nature more than the people. This realization made my face fall, the last trees I saw were from the alien world where J killed that pup.

I had been stuck in one metal container or another ever since then. Either on J’s ship, being tortured and not knowing what was happening. Or here, inside this space needle that might as well be my next prison.

I knew it really wasn’t, and that I had met someone wonderful here, but the feeling of being trapped inside the city scape here never left me completely.

I sat down next to Charlotte, close, but far enough that we could sit in comfortable silence together. My face must have given away my emotions though, because Charlotte was looking at me with an appraising stare. Her intense amber eyes breaking me down.

“What’s wrong?”

How could I answer that? I looked down, then back up and out into the expanse of space in front of us. My home was out there somewhere. Would I ever see it again?

“It’s nothing, I’m just being a little homesick. Though, I never thought I’d say that.” A shooting star flashed across the right side of the docking bay. It’s bright green trail of light seemed echo the eeriness of my thoughts.

“I wish I could say something to put you at ease, Alpha. This situation we are in is just a temporary one though. If we can survive it, we’ll get to see what the next one is.”

“The next one huh?” I wondered about that. What would the next thing be? “And what do you think that might be?”

Charlotte was quiet for a moment, long enough that I turned to look at her. Our eyes met, and I saw a desire of hers there. She almost seemed to be trying to let me see her dreams through her eyes.

“Do you know why I finally risked everything? It’s because I saw in you a future where I could be free of everyone else. A bit selfish, I know, but, I think you feel the same way. It doesn’t mean we won’t stick together and do what we can to help each other, but if I could just disappear.” Charlotte ended with a whispered howl. I was close enough to see the dampness on her cheeks.

She had been crying, probably this whole time. But she felt the same as I did, like this was the chance to be free. How long had she been waiting?

Was I supposed to say something to comfort her? I didn’t know what to say, I didn’t know what to do. I looked at the half empty glass in my hand, the purple-red liquid bubbling softly against the ice.

I held it out to Charlotte, a smile cracked her face. She took it gingerly, sipping a small amount of the drink. Then she handed it back.

I felt good being able to be there, even in such an insignificant way. I beamed a wide smile, then saw it reflected on Charlottes face. We both started to giggle after that.

It seemed the night could go on forever, if only the nearest stars would point their light elsewhere for the time. The two of us sat watching, seeing a few ships pass by every so often. Charlotte pointed out a small speck, that I at first thought was a distant star, that they were headed to.

“The star way gate, it will launch anything sent through it at near infinite speed on to the next one. A massive key point in how the Federation holds the star systems together under one ruling body.” Her, I’m going to lecture you now, voice had kicked in after she helped me finish a few more of those drinks. “Oh, and of course that’s how militaries, merchants, politicians, adventures, pirates, and pretty much every one else gets around.”

“That’s how we got here?” I asked, a little slurred. Charlotte nodded her head in confirmation.

“We jumped three times to get here.”

“Wouldn’t it be easy for J to search that far?” Concern leaked into me like a running faucet.

“If I wasn’t blocking our signatures, of course he would find us within hours. But he knows what I can do. He’d been relying on me to do it for so long, that I’m sure he’s now running and hiding himself.”

“Really?”

“Your father found us rather quickly, even by what I had guessed he would be capable of. J, is someone your father would want to kill personally. Without my power, J can’t hide his aura in plain sight anymore. He has to actually conceal himself.”

“Why didn’t you spook him out, and leave him before then? Seems like you could’ve gotten away easily enough.”

“I wouldn’t have survived on my own if I tried. I needed someone as strong as you to finally put a physical barrier between he and I. If I had simply tried to run, or refused to use my power, he would’ve have seen me as no more use to him. ‘A corpse is easier to deal with than an non compliant fool’, that was his way of seeing it.”

I just looked down, knowing what she meant. The drinks had made her start talking, I was just trying to remember as much as I could this time. The light was getting brighter, but no one else seemed ready to stop celebrating yet.

I was looking back at the small group now, Charlotte was getting up to get us two more drinks. I wondered what we would do for that job? Up until now, Charlotte and Caprice had paid and provided everything. Mathis hadn’t needed much, but even he waited for Charlottes approval.

Would I even be able to use their magic arm wave way of paying? What if I was the only mortal person here? Suddenly that thought circled around in my head.

I might be the only flesh and blood person in this room. Or, even on this whole space needle…

I thought back to the day I was abducted, not every person killed in that town was mortal. Some had been these immortal vessels, hiding or living life among the normal population. Maybe that meant that not everyone had to be a robot person.

I must’ve been lost in thought longer than I realized, because the next moment Caprice was standing right in front of me. Her face was bowed down to be level with mine.

“What’s with the frown?” Her voice was bubbly, the smell of the drinks she had been throwing back wafted heavily between them.

“Just, having some thoughts.” I tried to brush it off. “How are your friends?”

“Drunk. Most of them are about to leave. Are you and Charlotte ok? I saw her get up and leave…”

“We’re fine, she’s just worried about the situation that brought us here and how we’re going to get out of it.”

“Well you guys are coming with us, right?”

I bit down on my lip, forcing myself not to instantly say yes. Charlotte had said we could, but at the same time she also seemed to not want to. Would it be right for me to just force her into doing something?

Wouldn’t that make me the same as J?

“I know it’s not going to be permanent.” Caprice sounded sad, her smiling face wincing and showing how much she was forcing the expression. “Of all the people I’ve met, the dozens of planets I’ve been too, this one where I met you has been something special. Between winning tracer races, making enough credit to buy this ship outright, and being invited to the Innovarta Tournament. All of that was special. Meeting you was just as special.”

“I, uh, thank you.” I wasn’t sure what to say.

She had been living a fantasy life in my eyes, compared to the last few months of my life anyway. True it had been exactly what I wanted, an escape from my old life. A journey to a new home.

The journey was far from over, but it seemed that I was destined to meet Caprice and her sister. Caprice had been the only one to actually pay attention and care about three cloaked nobody’s.

“Here.” Caprice forced a small pendant into my hand. “Just in case we don’t… well you know.”

Was there a tear forming in her eye? For being a metal vessel, the bodies everyone else had seemed just as real and lifelike as I was. If I didn’t already know, I never would be able to tell the difference.

But why would she cry over this?

I held it pendant up so I could see it better, the silver chain dangling out of my palm. I could see the design of several spirals and elongated swirls intertwining across the pendants face. In the center, glowing with a dull warmth, a bright yellow stone lived.

It wasn’t large, and it didn’t gleam like a gemstone. The warmth it emitted didn’t pass any farther than the spot in my hand where it rested. The oblonged sphere of metal didn’t seem to be special beyond what it’s owner would think of it.

I found myself giving it an extremely high appraisal. Not only did it come from Caprice, someone I found myself becoming more and more attached too, but it was also something that seemed to sing. The voice not an audible one, but a feeling.

This was more than just a cheap gift from a drunk friend. This was a true connection, an item that would remind me whom I could turn to if I needed them.

Caprice was still looking at me, her eyes searching my face for reactions. I hope I hadn’t been obvious in showing my confusion over the gift at first.

“It’s very detailed. Pretty even.” I said slowly, forcing my smile to broaden.

“I’m glad you like it. If it ever happens that we get separated, I hope this reminds you that it’s not for good. Even if we are split apart physically, we can always be there for each other mentally.”

Her smile was growing more sincere, and the begins of her sadness seemed to fade away quickly. I held the chain up, letting the pendant dangle at the end of it now.

“I like that idea. I wish I had something to return back to you.”

“Don’t!” Caprice rushed in, her hug coming faster than I could react. “It’s for you. And I have something from you already.”

She sat down next to me, keeping one arm around my shoulder and using the other to point at her royal blue markings. Looking at her body up and down, I remembered how they were midnight black when I first met her.

“Can’t you change those at will?”

“Nope!” Caprice giggled, causing me to look at her in bewilderment. “That parts a secret, but it was because of you that they changed.”

“I thought…”

“Everyone does. I prefer it that way, and so does my sister.”

“Ok.” I had to smile, and just let her enjoy whatever secret she had.

“I would have brought three drinks if I knew you were joining us.” Charlotte greeted us with a drink in each hand, and a slight scowl on her face.

“Hey!”

Caprice stood, leaving enough space between us for me to feel like something had just been ripped away. Like I had been warm and comfortable under a thick comforter in bed, and then been tossed rudely into the freezing cold. Why did Caprice moving away feel that way?

The pendant hanging from my hand was still beaming softly, the yellow stone flickering at me as the pendant twirled slowly back and forth. Without hesitation I slipped the chain around my neck.

The metal housing was warm against my chest, even through my clothing.

“Thank you, Charlotte.” I took the drink she offered me.

“I’m gonna go say bye to the others.” Caprice waved as she walked back to the group of people, most of whom had already started walking to the hanger door.

“We should head back soon as well. I plan on you training in the morning before we start any job they have set up.”

I just nodded back at her. The cup of water in my hand holding my attention more than her words. My mind was still trying to understand how I had grown so attached to Caprice.

I never had close attachments before, this sensation of being around someone who genuinely enjoyed my company was distractingly nice. If I thought about it, Charlotte had given me the first attachments I wanted to hang onto.

It was her intervention that probably saved my life, in more ways than just me dying. We had joined together to escape J, but would I feel the same sense of loss if she left? Would Caprice leaving be worse for me now that I had grown so close to her?

“Alpha?” Charlotte had seated herself next to me, the tone of her voice was full of concern.

“I’m fine. Just, a lot to take in. I think I was repressing a lot of things I needed to be more aware of. Like I know I need to make decisions that lead us to a free and happy life, but I also know that I don’t know what decisions those are. Something inside me is burning to return to the home I used to know, even though it’s not there anymore. And after so long of wanting to run away from that place. Another is suddenly overcome with a fear of leaving this place, we finally came to somewhere I feel accepted, but it’s also running out of time. J will find us, eventually, if we don’t leave. How do we decide where to go? And for how long to go there? Will there ever be a time when we don’t have to run? And what about the pups? The children? How am I supposed to forget the face of that boy? My heads a mess…” I was rambling now, I knew it, but Charlotte just listened and waited for me to continue. “I just want to know that there is an end somewhere. That one day, J will be gone. His blight on this universe snuffed out. And that we’ll still be together somewhere.”

“There could be a day, you just have to fight for it. No one else has been able to put a dent in J’s forces. Your father tries, but we’ve been hidden from him for so long that the battles don’t happen anymore. If you desire it, and put forth the effort to see it happen, I’m sure you will put an end to him.”

“I’m glad you are, because I’m not so sure I can. Every time I hit him, or blasted him, he would just shrug it off and keep coming back for more.”

“You hurt him more than you know. J never retaliated so aggressively to anyone else’s attempts to overthrow him. That fact that you destroyed his bodies and forced him into the old war vessel, which he hasn’t inhabited for centuries, means you pushed him to the extreme limits of his capabilities. And your just now learning what your base line power is, there is an untold amount of potential still residing within you.” Charlotte leaned in close to whisper. “Plus, your doing it without the benefit of immortality.”

She did have a point there. Though, I thought it just made me more desperate to not get killed.

“Hasn’t anyone been able to stand up to him?”

“One, once. He’s currently trying to remove a few drunken females from his arms.” Charlotte looked pointedly over at Mathis.

Three girls had indeed decided to stay behind as everyone else left, each hanging tightly onto Mathis as if he were a life raft in the middle of an ocean. Mathis was trying to talk them down gently, but it didn’t seem to be working.

It wasn’t until Caprice and Chevella walked over to the small group that the girls reluctantly released Mathis and said their goodbyes. After which, the three walked towards us. Charlotte was still glaring at them.

“Let’s head back as well. It’s time to get some sleep.” I said, rising to meet everyone as they reached where we had been sitting. “Thank you again, Caprice and Chevella. This was a great evening, and it was nice to meet your friends.”

“Of course!” Caprice answered with a bright smile.

“You are most welcome. We have some space available in the ship if you wish to sleep here tonight.” Chevella offered.

“Thank you, but we have a unit down below with our personal items in it. We need to return to it and collect them before we will be ready to leave.” Charlotte returned, obviously not wanting to stay any longer than necessary.

“Of course. Then I will be waiting for your return tomorrow, the ship will start loading around mid morning.”

“We will be sure to return by then.”

“Can I go back down with you?” Caprice cut in before Charlotte could turn to walk away. “I need to grab something from the tavern that I forgot.”

“That would be great.” I replied, my own smile now growing to match Caprice’s.

Charlotte shot a look at me, I could tell she wasn’t happy about Caprice tagging along. I could also see by the way she curled her lips in that she wasn’t about to argue.

“I’ll be back with them in the morning.” Caprice said as she hugged her sister.

Before anyone else could move, I started walking towards the hanger door. Caprice bouncing along beside me, Mathis falling into step behind us wordlessly.

Charlotte paused for only a brief moment, her quiet snarl barely reached my ears. When I turned to look back, she was plain faced and walking about a dozen paces behind us.

Mathis was even looking sidelong between the two of us, almost like he expected a fight to break out. Why couldn’t Charlotte just get along with Caprice?

Was it because they weren’t shifters? Or was it because she didn’t trust new people in general? Did she suspect that Caprice or Chevella wanted to sell us out?

Without asking her outright I might never know. The words were on the top of my tongue, all I had to do was ask. It just didn’t seem appropriate to do at the moment.

Not with Caprice hanging onto my arm. And not with the rail station coming into view. People filled the platforms all around the vertical rails. Privacy was about to become virtually non-existent.

“Put your hood back up, there could be spies up here.” Mathis spoke softly from right behind me.

I nodded, putting my hood up over my ears. The fabric caught on the chain I had hastily put around my neck. I hadn’t even bothered to pull my hair through it.

The pendant flared briefly, it’s warmth coming out slightly hotter for the heartbeat it took to pull the chain back into place around my neck. It was almost like it had sensed the separation from my skin, and had reacted.

Charlotte waved her arm, and in extension our passes, over the monitor. Three beeps let us know it had accepted three passes.

“What about Caprice?” I asked, now having shouldered my drunk friend.

“You should have told her to stay at her ship.”

“Well that didn’t happen. What do we do for her? Can she get on the train with us?”

“Not unless her pass is accepted. Just pass her arm over the monitor and it should automatically read it.”

I helped Caprice over to the monitor. She had closed her eyes and was slumping over on me.

“Hey, wave your arm.”

Caprice responded by enthusiastically flailing both of her arms about. Nearly hitting me several times before passing close enough to the scanner for it to read her pass.

Deciding to expedite the trip to the platform, I hoisted Caprice up on my back. She only squirmed a little as I easily lifted her, I had been expecting her to be heavy but she didn’t weigh more than a large child.

Charlotte had walked off ahead of us, I could see her hooded head weaving between a group of people. Mathis was waiting for me to lead him, at least he didn’t seem pissed off at me.

I was really starting to wonder why Charlotte disliked having Caprice around. Was there something that happened between them that I didn’t know about?

“Hey, Charlotte, wait up.” I called after her, after getting through the people she had split.

She didn’t slow down. Charlotte kept a leading distance, following a path that kept leading right into groups of people waiting for the train.

Not until we reached the far end of the loading platform did she finally stop walking. Before I could say anything as I stopped next to her, the loud echos of the rail cars filled the room.

The massive train whizzed by, slowing as it came into the station. The grey green cars it pulled were dotted with windows, most of which had people in them. It took a few moments before it came to a stop, Caprice had snorted into my ear right as the loud train became silent.

“We might have an issue.” Charlotte said softly, quietly. “I sensed something while we were in the ships hanger. We don’t have much time.”

“You don’t mean…”

She nodded, then pressed a finger to her lips. Mathis was standing behind me, his massive body concealing both me and Caprice from the rest of the platform.

She had lead us this far to set up a defensive position. Was he already here? In the room?

“Where?”

“His aura went dark. I cannot feel his presence accurately.”

So he could be anywhere on this space needle. Suddenly it felt foolish to not have told Caprice to stay in her ship. I fully understood what Charlotte was upset about now.

But she hadn’t told me.

The train doors opened, Charlotte moved towards them, I followed close behind with Mathis acting as my shadow.