Remnants of the Earth
OUTER SPACE => Open Space => Topic started by: Lloyd Orodelo on March 23, 2016, 08:29:45 am
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Long, dark and damp alleyways. His breath, short, panting. Sweat in his eyes. Dan never had to ran like this before.
His last attempt on robbing dock F-39 failed miserably, ending on the massacre of his gang. The Red Shirts were waiting for them, proving that a mole had to be sniffing in his affairs. God, he hated those kind of traitors.
Dan had a lucky get away. Marcus, his right hand man, offered him a small window of opportunity by covering him until they parted in a small alley. He was sure Marcus wasn't dead, that old bastard couldn't die. Dan had seen him eat more lead and lasers then a dose to kill a Space Kraken.
Dan had finally ran away from these obnoxious Red Shirts, or at least momentarily... He had reached a unusual ship on the docks and boarded it. He sat at the ship's pilot seat and tried to take off.
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Maya had been sleeping in her bunk, comfortably nestled below the bridge of her small Ala'oran ship- a ship that was almost as intuitive as the race that had built it, and when the controls were touched by someone other than its registered pilot, the DNA sensors started going off, buzzing and beeping and flashing.
The pilot jolted awake, eyes wide and clothes askew. She stumbled from her bunk and bolted for the ladder that led up to the main deck, hair a wild mess of braids around her face.
There was a human sitting in the captain's chair. He appeared to be trying to take off. Unable to shout at him, Maya slammed her flat palm against the wall to create a loud clanging sound in an attempt to get his attention.
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Dan's attempts were getting more and more frantic with each second passing. Flicking switches and pulling lever, pressing all the rather colorful buttons. Nothing. He was about to take the helm when he herd a rather loud noise.
He jumped and drew his only pistol. He held it in his right hand at waist height, ready to shoot at any sudden aggression. Dan was standing in front of a women, albeit very colorful. He lowered his gun but didn't holstered it. He tried to smile but his face showed an awkward grin.
"This is not what...hem.. this is not what you think it is!"
He readjusted his black neck tie and ran his hand in his hair before raising his pistol once again. "I don't want to harm you, we have to take off now!... Please..."
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Maya stared at him for a long moment, silent- of course. Then she moved forward, hands raised peaceably as she eyed the gun he still held.
Her eyes flicked to the pilot's chair and she jerked her head at him, indicating that he should move out of the way. One of her hands reached out to brush his arm lightly, conveying a sense of understanding at his urgency.
She really wasn't sure if taking off was a good idea, but he was the one with the weapon. She'd just have to think of something...
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Dan fallowed her every movement. "Oh right!" he stepped aside. Her silence was unusual. Though he felt something when she touched him, like she was understanding. He lowered his pistol again, he wasn't here to make useless threats, she was complying anyway. He looked by the large porthole next to him, searching for signs of the coats.
Dan felt his nervousness swell and his fear runs over him as honey. There was no sign of a patrol nearby but there was a certain tension out there on the docks. "Can you go any faster?" He ask calmly.
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Glancing over her shoulder at him as she took the controls, Maya arched an eyebrow and shook her head. She was going as fast as the ship operated, she needed to actually get in the air before she could accelerate.
Which really didn't take all that long, but Maya was getting tenser the longer it took. She didn't love the idea of this strange man on her ship, ordering her to take off.
She flicked a few switches once they were airborne, then leaned over and pressed her hand over a pad that registered her DNA and had to be activated to initiate the thrusters so they could break out of orbit.
That done, Maya swiveled around in the chair and frowned at her unexpected passenger. Reaching a hand out, she wrapped her fingers lightly around his wrist, projecting a sense of confusion, a little bit of irritation, and the words, Who are you and why are you on my ship?
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Dan stress dropped drastically when they started to take off and he became calm once again when they got out of orbit. As the woman turned toward him he leaned on the nearest surface and sighed out of relief.
Dan began to understand her abilities. But why did she kept silent was starting to unsettle him. But he had to play along, he was her guest even though he invited himself.
"I'm Dan. Sorry to barge in like this but I needed your help... You see, I ran into trouble with the Reds down on Cancer and I had to get out of there.It's just for a couple of hour though." He tried to smile again. "Now that you know my name, can you give me yours."
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She tilted her head at him, then squeezed his wrist lightly. She projected her Ala'oran name first, that sense of serenity and a sunset over calm waters.
Maya, she supplied after a moment. You can call me Maya. Easier for humans. She drew her hand back, folding her arms on the back of her chair and arching an eyebrow at him.
Pointing at the space station, she looked at him and then shrugged, showing she wasn't sure if he wanted her to bring him back.
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Dan stood there, on a seemingly solid ocean. He gazed at the sun, the wind in his hair. It might have been only for a moment, but the image lasted for what seemed a blissful and serene eternity. He was brought back by the echo of a voice in his head.
Dan's mind was simply blown away by the scenery and abilities of the newly acquainted Maya. He held silent for a long time before coming back to his senses. "WOW! Ok. Well, Maya, nice to meet you."
"Please don't bring me back there. Or at least not now." He stared at the station, only a few clicks away. "It's so beautiful and peaceful from up here, no one would guess the misery and suffering that lingers and prowl in the streets. It's my home. And yours, where is it?"
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Maya nodded to show she would respect his wish and keep them flying.
Eyes brightening a bit, she held up a finger to tell him to wait a moment and disappeared down into her bunk, then quickly climbed back up the ladder, a book clutched under one arm.
Smiling, she held it out to him, opened to a page that depicted her home planet, followed by an entry of the Ala'ora people. She'd learned through trial and error that this was the easiest way to explain what she was rather than trying to mind-speak an explanation.
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Dan held the book in his hands carefully. It wasn't his and books were so rare on Cancer. He took a moment to form the syllables in his head to be sure not to massacre the pronunciation. "A.. Ala'ora. That's the name of your kind, right?" He looked at her then back at the book. "and that picture is your planet. It's beautiful! Your people is even more." He read a little more. "Now I understand. At first i thought you were mute. But now, it makes sense."
He handed back the book with a smile. "I'm sorry i held you at gunpoint earlier."
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She waved the apology off, quite willing to forgive a first offense easily. Taking the book with a smile, she slipped into onto the seat of the pilot's chair and held her hand out to him, touching his arm lightly.
Take you somewhere? she projected, giving him a questioning look and tilting her head to one side. She offered a few pictures into the projection- Libra and Edanith mainly, as they were the places she was most familiar with.
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The touch of her skin against him was rather pleasant. Her lavender coloration stood out next to his almost albino coloration.
Dan took a moment to think about what he wanted to go. Coming with no good answer, he simply returned "I don't know. Take me where you would like to be." He smiled. "I never went to those places you showed me. I never even got out of Cancer's controlled space."
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Maya raised an eyebrow, reaching up with her other hand to brush some of the powder blue braids out of her face. Why not? she asked, letting her fingers trail down to just barely brush the back of his hand. She'd noticed that some humans grew uncomfortable with prolonged contact, but she didn't have another way to communicate with him.
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"I had a lot of people counting on me, looking up to me. I was their leader and they needed me, I couldn't just get up and leave. They did until three hours ago." Tears flooded his eyes and rained down his cheeks. "But now... they're all dead..." He began to sob uncontrollably. "They where my friends..."
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Her eyes widened and her hand went to cover her mouth. Without thinking she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him. Maya didn't realize she was crying- it was an instinctive reaction, an Ala'ora reflex to someone else's pain.
In times of emotional stress, actual words became harder for her to project, they weren't her natural form of communication. A sense of sorrow and regret pulsed from her, followed by an image of rain, then the most soothing calm she could manage.
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Dan had wrapped his arms gently around Maya and held her. His tears were heavy and burning. He hated crying, and even more in from of someone else. He finally felt calm again, his sobbing slowly receding. Dan realized that Maya smelled nice but kept himself to let it show.
He gently stroke her back twice then took a deep breath before pulling back. He looked up to her, in her eyes. His cheeks still glimmering with tears, he gave a childish smile before wiping his face with his sleeve. "It's been a rather emotional day, I'm sorry."
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Maya reached out to touch his shoulder, smiling softly and absently wiping at her own eyes. Don't be sorry.
She tilted her head at him slightly, eyes questioning. She projected the image of the rations available on board, then a gently steaming kettle. The kitchen may not be incredibly high tech, but she could at least manage a cup of tea or something.
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Dan faintly nodded, fixing his eyes at the end of his boots. "Yeah tea, sounds good." And then remained silent.
After a few minutes, he asked. "Why where you on Cancer? It might be the most dangerous place in the galaxy..."
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Gesturing for him to follow her, Maya clicked the ship into autopilot and started making her way to the galley.
Exploring, she projected, reaching back to brush her fingers against his arm. Like seeing new places.
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Being obedient, Dan followed. As she reached to touch his arms, he pressed his hand on hers once she finished transmitting and said. "You don't have to worry about touching me. I know it might sounds weird but I don't mind."
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Oh. Well that would actually make things easier. Giving him a nod and a small smile, she gently took his hand as she guided him into the galley.
Gesturing with her free hand to a stool pulled up to a table built into the wall of the ship, she said, Sit. I'l make something. She let go of him to moved toward her little stove, clicking a few buttons to get things running as she searched for tea leaves.
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Dan readjusted his heavy brown leather belt and sat where indicated. He rested his arms on the table already preparing for the next discussion and, for a reason still unknown to him, looked forward to the contact. He waited for her to come back before asking. "How long has it been since you left the Ala'ora Homeworld?"
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Maya turned to him and smiled, holding up ten fingers. Setting the water to heat, she perched on a stool beside her odd guest and touched his hand.
Ten years. Just about. She sighed a bit, smiling wistfully, and before she could quite stop it a small pulse of homesickness passed through the contact.
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Is she missing her home? Now I kinda feel bad for asking. Don't be boy, you didn't knew... He sighed.
Dan smiled and brushed Maya's hand. "It's ok to miss your home at times, and if you go back there from time to time, it should help. No?" He looked at her, "Don't you have folks back home?"
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She nodded quickly, smiling. She did miss her home, but she lived the experiences she had traveling, and she wouldn't trade it in.
Family, she said simply, projecting a memory of sitting on one large armchair with three of her sisters while their mothers and fathers took turns reading from a book, her other siblings scattered around the floor or furniture.
Miss them,[ she admitted with a shrug, but like this. Being out here. She waved a hand to indicated "out here."
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The man kept brushing Maya's hand trying to formulate a proper answer. He couldn't come up with one so he kept silent. "Is your way of communicating one way or two way?" Dan had an idea, he wanted to show her his family. His friends. His crew.
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She frowned a bit, tilting her head as she thought. Don't know, she told him, shrugging. Never tried it before.
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Dan rapidly dismissed the idea by shacking his head. "It was stupid anyway." He held silent but didn't let go of her hand. Dan thought about all the members, their smiling faces. The feeling of family and belonging. The families that joined him and his cause. All those people were his family.
He smiled with again as he remembered all this. Dan tried to convey it and reach her.
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Maya blinked, tilting her head and looking at their joined hands curiously. Felt something, she told him, looking back up to his face. Did you try to do that?
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"Yes, but I didn't thought that it would work. What did you felt?"
Dan tried again. He now focused on trying to convey his feelings and the images through his entire being.
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She smiled and nodded at him. Stronger that time. Affection, family. Is that what you were trying for?
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"Yes, but it seems harder to share from me to you." nodded Dan, his green eyes locking themselves into hers. He held silent, staring.
The silence was could only be disturbed by the scream of the kettle. Surprise, the man jumped and fell from his stool. A loud metallic thud filled the air and echoed through the ship. "Ow ow ow ow ow!" He rubbed the back of his head with his left bandaged hand. "The stool was higher then expected." He said laughing and embarrassed.
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Maya jumped up as well, startled, and turned between Dan and the kettle a few times. Quickly, she moved to turn the heat off and then turned back to her guest, holding her hand out.
She reached to pat his head absently, frowning and giving off a pulse of concern.
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After a minute or two, Dan tried to get up. He kept rubbing his head and used his stool, now upright again, to help himself. "I'm ok. I think..." He said, rising his invalid hand to show a thumbs up. He took the opportunity to inspect his bandages. Slack again.
Climbing on his stool again, he began to unwrap the bandages. "You might want to look away for a bit, it's a horror show in there."
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Maya frowned and shook her head. She touched his shoulder. What happened? Can I help?
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"I had to deal with a bunch of mage trying to play on my turf. I only lost a hand to the spell one of 'hem threw at me." He shook his head."Apparently you can't heal that. If you know a way to heal a spellscar, sure! But even the best medical team in this system hasn't figured anything out. They said I was lucky they didn't had to amputate it."
He finally unwrapped enough cloth to show part of his skin. It was in a shades of bright red and blood red. It was warped in such a way that it looked more like a talons than fingers. With a little more unwrapping, the texture of the skin showed scales like those of a snake, small and smooth, almost iridescent. The nails were black, long and sharp. The skin was a little see-through, showing black veins running under it.
The damaged skin ran under the shirt's sleeve, which he unbuttoned and rolled back. The burn ended on his forearm, right under the elbow. Dan lightly brushed the tip of his finger on the skin, causing a shiver to make the forearm contract. "The skin still dispense a searing heat, but it's not hurting anymore."
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She frowned, biting her lip. Holding up a finger again in a gesture for him to wait, Maya turned and started rummaging through drawers and cabinets.
Apparently finding what she was looking for, she turned and held out a small, square jar to him. Taking a few steps closer, she laid her hand on his uninjured arm. Don't know if it will help, but it's supposed to soothe burns. She held the jar up higher with a smile.
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Dan accepted the jar and opened it. He wasn't sure if it would really help but, at least he had to try. He tried not to take in to much of the smell since it usually made him sick. Dipping a finger in the mixture, he began to apply it on his forearm. It immediately felt fresh on his skin, almost cold.
Dan clenched his hand into a fist, trying to maintain the fingers and muscles to convulse. His wrist made a loud crack and the tendons shifted. Once the shacking subsided, he closed back the jar and handed it to Maya with his right hand, the other arm against his chest and hooked to his right shoulder. He had a grateful smile on his face.
"Thanks, it feel a bit cooler. I'm not sure it will come back to a normal look ever though." He waited for her to turn around before hugging her gently.
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Maya paused as she moved to put the jar away, surprised by the touch. She glanced over her shoulder at him and touched his hand lightly. Okay? she asked with a pulse of concern. she'd never known a human to grow so used to her so quickly, he must have been feeling quite emotional.
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"Yes, I am. I just wanted to show you my gratitude for your help and I only felt that this could say enough." He took a step back, letting her go. "Maybe I should wrap this up again." He massaged his left hand's palm.
He took the strip of bandages on the table and started to wrap his hand once again with it.
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She threw him a small smile over her shoulder and nodded, moving to put the jar away. She reached up to brush a few braids out of her face and turned to face him.
Gesturing to the door of the galley, she tilted her head a bit at him and started to leave, beckoning for him to follow.
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Dan nodded and simplu fallowed. He was absorbed by the bandages. "Where are you tackimg me?" He asked.
Dan ram his right hand in his hair once he was done, his hair wasn't cooperating today.
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Maya just smiled as she led him back onto the bridge and took the pilot's chair. She gestured to the smaller seat set a little back and beside hers, usually meant for a copilot. Then she tapped the navigational system.
"Input destination," a mechanical voice whirred to life and Maya looked up at her passenger expectantly.
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Dan's eyes widened, realizing what the gesture implied. He wanted to go every where, explore the depth of space. He gave a smile that went from ear to ear. "You want me to decide?!" He said, excited like a kid the morning of Christmas. He took a comical pose of reflection, deep in his thoughts. He looked like that bear in a book for kids.
A light bulb must have lit in his head because he almost yelled. "But I can't go! We have to go back to Cancer! I don't have my clothes nor my toothbrush! I can't just go like this!"
He took his comlink out of his pocket and put it on, sliding it on top of his right ear. "Marcus? Can you ear me?" Silence, Dan listened attentively."You're back at the base? That's great! Hey can you do me a favor and prepare dock 96 for me? Yeah, I'm coming back. I was in orbit for a bit." Silence again. "Thanks Marcus! See you in a bit!" He took his comlink off and turned to Maya.
"Head toward the dock D-96. I need to get some things before we go." He was smilling.
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She listened intently, deciding this Marcus person must be one of the "family" he'd mentioned before. Then she smiled, nodding and tapping a few keys to turn off the navigation system. If they were just docking again, she could fly manually.
Reaching out with one hand to brush his arm for a moment as she took the controls, she asked, Will you stay on Cancer, then? assuming that's what he wanted since he wanted her to return to the station.
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"I think Marcus can take care of the operations while I'm gone." He said, winking. "I just need my bag and a few things."
They heard a loud metallic sound and the ship came to a halt. "Magnetic anchors on; Landing procedure completed. Welcome on Cancer orbital Station, we hope you will enjoy your stay!" Said the dock's automated voice through coms. "Come with me." Said Dan. "We'll be here for a few hours, I think. Do you need anything while we are here? I can ask Marcus to patch things up for us."
Once on the docks, a rugged voice was herd next to Dan. "Welcome home Boss!"
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Locking up the ship, Maya shook her head to tell Dan she didn't need anything from Cancer as she followed after him.
She gave the stranger- Marcus, she assumed- a small nod and a smile.
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Marcus was a stocky and stout man. He had a handlebar mustache and bushy brows. He also was bald. Dan shook his hand vigorously and gave him a pat on his shoulder. "How's it unfolding? Are the Reds on us, did they fallowed you here?" Marcus assured that no, he gave them the slip right after Dan had left him. "I'm proud of you Marcus."
Dan gesture at Maya, showing her the way. They entered a hangar, went all the way to the back and opened a manual airlock -A heavy metal door, like the ones on a submarine- which he closed behind them. They ended up in a room with a heavy wooden table surrounded by chairs. In a corner was a mantle, lazily burning its embers. A picture of the whole gang was hung above it. He crossed the room hastily, passing another door way. Apart from the airlock, no other doors were to be found.
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Maya followed where she was led, looking around curiously. Not seeing any harm in doing so, she meandered her way around the room, brushing her fingers lightly over different odds and ends as she explored.
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Dan ran from room two room, a duffle bag in his arms, getting bigger and bigger with each new room. After a few minutes, he took it to the table and left it there.
He walked by Maya, taking the time to brush his fingers against her hand and arm to see if she had something to say. He continue to walk towards a massive bookshelf by the mantle. He took a few books out then pulled a lever hidden behind them.
Klunk
The bookshelf rotated. On the back of the shelf was a large array of weapons. Dan took a gun and holstered it.
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She didn't say anything, exactly, just gave him a smile and a pulse of contented curiosity when his fingers brushed her arm.
When the bookshelf turned around her eyes widened and she skipped closer, peering over his shoulder.
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He zipped the bag after packing a few other things (Books, ammo,
Dan took another weapon in his hand and offered it to Maya. it was a pistol, lighter and smaller than his. "I don't know if you had some on your ship or not, but I want you to take this. it's nothing more than a light pistol but it packs a punch. And with the break in you had earlier, sorry about that by the way,I want you to be able to protect yourself too. People around tends to die more often for some reason. If you don't want though... It's ok too ya' know!"
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Maya took the weapon warily, frowning. She nodded once. She didn't much hold with guns, but she appreciated the gesture.
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Dan smiled only a little before throwing the bag on his shoulder. He didn't felt at ease anymore, something gripping his guts. He had the bad feeling that you get when you know something is off and that something terrible was about to happen.
"We... -he cleared his throat- We should go..."
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Maya nodded again, smoothing her expression into a smile. She holstered the gun and gestured for Dan to smile her as she turned to leave, intending to make her way back to her ship.
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"WAIT!" Dan yelled, gripping Maya's wrist with his bandaged hand. The room fell in silence, the scene still like frozen. Dan walked to the women. "Thank you again." He kissed her hand. "I think there is people outside waiting for us... Or at least me. Be careful and keep your head down. When i say don't look, please don't and listen to me."
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Maya jerked to a stop, eyes wide as she stared at the man. She nodded slowly, showing she would do as he said.
Biting her lip, she shifted a bit to walk a little behind and beside him, fingers curling around the gun she had just promised herself she wouldn't use.
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"Alright, let's go" He said with a smile. "Marcus, be good alright? See you around, man!"
"You got it hoss!" said Marcus with a smile.
On that note, Dan smiled again. He was trying to reassure himself. If there was something he didn't want was running into those Reds once again. He opened the hatch and invited Maya to go through it, gallantry was still something a criminal could hold dear to. He drew his weapons and whispered:
"Run to your ship and engage the procedures to get us outta here. I'll stay back and cover you if something goes wrong!"
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Maya nodded again, her mouth set in a hard, determined line. She reached out to touch his cheek lightly, eyes very somber.
Be safe
Then she was gone, racing back to her ship and throwing herself through the hatch so she could clamber up to te bridge, hitting buttons as she flew for he pilot's chair.
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Dan buried his hand in his pocket and took out a small robot shaped like a fly. Raising his hand in the air, he released it. "I'll make sure to be careful, I have an extra pair of eyes now." He said winking, letting her go. Dan never mentioned it. but he always wore a pair of contacts linked to his robot, ready to stream what the Fly-bot was seeing.
The dock was clear, no patrols. Nothing. He made his way to the ship when he heard the engine revving up. He climbed on board, the little fly-bot landing on his shoulder as he did. "Let's go!"
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She didn't need more than that, gunning the throttle and banking a hard left so the ship spun rather wildly away from the dock, then rocketed away.
She punched in the first coordinates that came to mind, reaching out with her other hand to touch Dan's arm. I'm heading into open space. We can't come back here for a while, my ship will be recognized. You sure about this?