Gallarion (working title) part two

When the lift came to a halt once more Kal found himself on the lower levels of his ship. Opposite the lift was a set of massive double doors concealing the entrance hall with the outer gates and the access ramp. On his right the walkway let to the front which held the cargo bay. Kal thought he heard Pollus’ frantic muttering coming from that direction, but he might just be imagining it. Kal took the left turn leading to the engine room in the rear of the ship. When a door blocked his way Kal turned the heavy handle and pushed it open into the fore chamber, which was mainly used for storage, before entering the engine room.

It was strangely quiet down there; normally it would be loud and rumbling and thick with heat and steam at the effort of keeping the ship in the sky. Now, however, the only sound was Thess working quietly at bolts and pipes and cylinders.

He didn’t notice Kal at first. He was too engulfed in his work; his face covered in engine grease and screwed up in concentration. He had an open toolbox at his feet and his hands, gone rough from all the burns and cuts, were working with deft precision.

 Kal watched him for a moment. He was a youth of seventeen years his baby brother, more than half his age and not uncomely, Kal reflected, letting his thoughts linger on what Saanjae had said. Thessander’s hair was chestnut brown and fell to his shoulders where his own was shaggy and black and his face was smooth where his was starting to line with age. A dark shadow of a beard was starting to show on his jaw, and he was growing leaner beneath his plain gray garb.

Kal cleared his throat to let him know he was there and Thess’s face jerked around and grinned widely at him.

Our eyes are the same, though, Kal thought.  Round and blue.

Thess wiped his hands and face in an already greasy handkerchief from his back pocket and stepped over to Kal.

“I fixed up the gearbox and tightened all the loose bolts. I think I’m going to clean out the turbines too and she’ll be at full speed for departure”

Thess eyed the engine and gleamed with pride. Kal smiled:

“You keep her nice and tidy. That’s good”

“I just don’t want her to grow slow while not in the air. If the mission should end in pursuit”

Kal drew in breath:

“Listen, Thess…”

Thess interrupted him before he could finish:

“I know what you want to say, but I can do it, I want to. I won’t get in the way, I swear it, and I can fight if I have to, Scully says I’m good with a bow”

Thess was talking really fast his eyes shining with something that looked like determination.

He is eager my little brother, Kal thought, eager to prove himself. The notion made him smile, half proud and half scared.  

“Let’s hope it won’t come to that. I would hate to see my baby brother get hurt”

Kal caught his brother’s head under one arm and tousled up his hair while he tried to fight him off. By the time Kal let him go they were both laughing. It felt good to laugh, like everything else mattered a little less. He could do that with Thess. Laughter came easily on him.

“But honestly, Thess”, Kal began as he composed himself. “I wouldn’t have asked you to come if you could be spared, but you are the best hacker I know… ”

“I know, Kal”, Thess said, “I won’t let you down”

Suddenly a static sound was coming from the communicator on the wall next to the door. It was coming from the bridge, Kal knew, and it was Vespa’s muffled voice he heard when he pressed the button:

“Kal? Kal? Do you copy?”

He pressed the speaker button tense with anticipation:

“Yes, I hear you. What is it?”  

“We just got the signal. They’re on their way back!”,Vespa said with as much relief as Kal felt rushing through him.

“Good. I’ll let them in on my way up”

“Roger that”

Kal opened the door and looked back at Thess:

“Are you coming?”

Thess had his eyes back on the engine

“You go ahead. I’ll just finish up here”

Kal hesitated for a moment before leaving the engine room and his brother behind.

As he made his way back a knot of apprehension was still writhing in his gut. He was no fierce fighter his little brother, Kal knew that well enough.

He will be guarded, though, he reminded himself. Scully will do. He will keep him safe…  

Sweet Thessander. So young and bright and ever too gentle.

 

Kal stopped at the sealed double doors and pressed the access code on the panel beside. The doors slid apart and he entered the entrance hall where he pressed another code to make the massive metal gate slide upwards, slowly, while the small elevation in the floor that was the access ramp came forward and started descending to the ground. It was full dark outside, but the faint gleam of the nearby inns and cantinas made it possible to make out the outlines of the other spaceships at port in Straal Moxly. They all looked deserted their owners probably spending the night before heading off to other destinations, searching for passengers to take on or waiting on a cargo unregistered with the trading companies.

Kal had commanded everyone to stay on the ship unless they were off for scoutings or to get fresh supplies. It was better not to risk being asked inconvenient questions or running into the wrong people.

 This was to Saanjae’s great disdain of course. He should have liked to visit ‘The Femmes’ women’s lodge, Kal imagined.   

Suddenly he thought he saw two dark figures moving in the distance and he moved closer to the entrance to see if they were approaching. As the two shapes came closer Kal recognized the swift silent movements of Xasha Quinn and Scully Jax.  

 “What kept you so long?” Kal asked sternly when they had both ascended the access ramp and entered the hall.

“Apologies captain, but we got held up”, Scully said. The grin on his face was extremely suggestive and the blood soaked arrow in his hand even more so. He had his longbow slung over his back. The one crafted from a light metal that made it easy to carry and fast to wield.   

“I said no casualties. It might raise suspicion if all the guards start dropping off”

Kal had to act the captain, but it was always hard with Scully. Scully only shrugged and said:

“Well that lot certainly won’t be raising alarm anytime soon”

“I regret the delay captain, but as we were finishing up our round five guards were on us and I saw no other option in the situation than to put them down. We got the last uniforms, though, as you asked for”

Xasha let a large burlap sack fall to the ground in front of Kal. He regarded his first mate for a moment.

“And you are certain no one else heard or saw you?” Kal asked vigilantly.

Xasha looked at him with a stern face and those fierce black eyes of hers:

“Affirmative. No witnesses and no pursuers, captain”

Xasha was from The Mountain Planets like Brontus and she had the same dark skin, black eyes and bare head. Hers was tattooed, though, with queer symbols of the old tongue of Krosnos. She was not overly large like Brontus, but she was tall and lean and hard as rock, and oft times had a facial expression to go with it.

Scully might be rash, Kal thougt, but if Xasha deemed it necessary to kill the guards it must have been so.

“Well I suppose there is nothing to be done for it now. Scully you get Pollus from the cargo bay, Xasha get Thess and the rest of the uniforms. We meet in the crew lounge in ten minutes”

“Aye Captain!”, they both answered, and back on the walkway they went off in opposite directions while Kal took the lift to the middle levels where he quickly gathered up the plans sprawled on his desk before heading back to the upper levels to meet with his whole crew.

They were already gathered and turned their attention to Kal as he entered the lounge. He placed himself at the end of the long table, standing, so that everyone could see him. Seated on one side were Scully, Pollus, Vespa and Saanjae and on the other Xasha, Thess and Brontus. Pollus was wringing his hands together his cloudy eyes moving rapidly behind his large goggles and Saanjae still wore a sour expression, but the rest only regarded him in quiet anticipation.

“Alright crew I know we’ve been through it, but we haven’t done anything at this scale before so I believe we should go over it one last time”

He spread out the plans of a significantly large building on the table for everyone to see before he continued:

“The Macumbus Trade Company cargo unit, largest unit in Kooth, and heavily guarded as you know”

Kal stole a quick glance at Saanjae and saw the most spiteful expression he thought possible for a man to have.

Kal pointed to a section on the plans unfolded before him where he knew the control room to be:  

“Our first goal is here. Thanks to Bron and Saanjae we have come by the information that two massive cargo ships are to be off with a shipment of weaponry and other military supply to The Inner Planets to equip the federation’s military forces”

Bron looked pleased flexing his wounded hand and Saanjae’s features had settled back into that sleek grin of his.

“Our mission is to infiltrate the unit, place the timed explosives and be off without getting identified or captured. Unfortunately we haven’t been able to locate the ships, but if we can get Thess into the control room he can hack into the system and should be able to guide the rest of us there”

Eyes started turning toward Thess and he looked shy from the sudden attention.

“As we know the unit is heavily guarded with approximately two hundred guards on each of the twenty seven levels. We will all be wearing their uniforms and hopefully their numbers and the unit’s size will play out to our advantage. Do not kill any guards unless it is absolutely necessary and if you do, do it as quietly as possible which means no powdered weapons. Make sure to dispose of the body afterwards. Stumbling upon a dead guard might raise awkward questions”

Kal turned his attention towards Scully:

“Please tell me that something useful came of tonight’s little slip up”

Scully straightened in his seat:

“Their helmets and breastplates are close to impenetrable, but their armor is weak at the joints. You best aim for the neck for the cleanest kill”

Scully’s attitude towards killing was so casual that he might as well have been talking about the weather.

“Right. The guards have a full placement shift an hour after first light. We strike then and try to fall into the drill as far as possible, but we have to find the control room quickly. When Thess is placed inside Saanjae and Scully will remain outside the doors to stand guard”

Kal caught Scully’s eyes and he gave the slightest of nods. A silent promise that he would keep his little brother safe.

“Xasha, Bron, Pollus and I will find the cargo ships and place the explosives. When it’s done we all meet at this exit”

Kal placed it on the plans with his finger.

“It is quite possible that something might go wrong during this mission. In any case we will need to be off immediately when we’re back on the ship”

He turned his attention to Vespa:

“I have taught you what you need to know to get her in the air. I will take the helm as soon as I can. Thess has completely fixed up the engine so it should go smoothly”

“Aye captain”, Vespa said and sent Thess a quick smile. Kal thought he saw red patches flush up on his neck.

“Alright crew there might be some obstacles, but with precision and discipline I believe we should be able to pull it off.  Be sure to grab a uniform and get some rest. We meet in the entrance hall at first light”         

 Kal McCannen watched his crew scramble to their feet to grab one of the black uniforms from the sacks before heading back to the sleeping quarters. Suddenly he felt how tired he was, but he straightened his back, grabbed a uniform for himself and marched to the lift with his swift determined strides.

If they see me uncertain we have already lost.