DaR motions around with his hand, “I can tell you approve of the newest addition to my fleet.”
“She is a beauty; if she handles as well as she looks, it must be a dream in open space.”
“The Virulent is as beautiful as she is deadly. She may be small, but she packs quite a punch as she is heavily armed. Not many full-size cruisers could take her down, as they cannot matchher maneuverability. I have enjoyed piloting her tremendously. Makes one my age feel quite youthful when you are behind the controls.
Falon, I need to thank you once again for what you did on Destiny. I understand your original reasoning was to protect Edie, but you saved hundreds of lives by that selfless act.”
“There were no other options. I simply reacted without thoughts of the outcome. I knew I had the ability to fix the issue and did the best I could. I will say thanks to LeX and the advanced medical equipment on Destiny that I have mostly healed. My fingers are still easily overstimulated, but I would love to sink them into this shuttle. New designs always intrigue me.”
“Just let me know when you feel like you are well enough to do so. I would like your input, as you can see the ship in a way none of us can. Your skills will be highly sought out, especially when we cannot figure out what is wrong with any new design.
While the females are distracted, tell me about your family. EvO informed me that you had just been reunited with your mother when they found Deapra. Unfortunately, my knowledge of the Void is practically nonexistent. I know bits and pieces, but I am hoping you can help me with this.”
DaR sits across from me with his massive legs crossed at the ankle, relaxed. I know he is trying to appear less intimidating, but I can see his eyes miss nothing, and the power simmering just beneath the surface is ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
“It is probably easier to start from the beginning, but I will try to shorten it. My people originally came from Uzrul, but the planet was overrun, and there were few opportunities for the lower class. An unknown race called the Aynar sent out anotice offering better housing and well-paying positions, and my parental units were among many who loaded their ships for their world, Viri 9.
Slavic, my oldest brother, was just a youngling, and my mam was expecting Ruarc. From what I understand, the first orbital rotations were fruitful, and the Aynar held true to their word. Sire and mam both spoke highly of the happy first orbital rotations when I was still allowed to come back to our dwelling as a youngling.
As the younglings got older, the Aynar implemented a sorting system. They told our parental units that it was for the good of the community that all younglings had structure and training for the future. Our lifegivers agreed with the plan, seeing no real harm in them gaining knowledge, but they did not realize that the young ones were being selected for cruel experiments. It did not take long before we all started coming home with injuries or parts of our bodies missing. Some could not recall time, nor could they remember what happened during their so-called training.
Slavic, the oldest, was always unruly so he was assigned to the soldier guard division, only to be sent to the mines when he refused to kill one of the males he was training with. Sire was over the mines, and he did his best to take care of all who were in there, but it did not take long before the Aynar started showing their true colors, and the environment became toxic.
Ruarc, being the second oldest, was left to guard mam when the Aynar separated her from sire. This separation deeply affected both of them, nearly killing them because of their mate bond. But soon Ruarc was forced into the mines with Slavic and sire. The Aynar pushed them further down into the shafts as the demand for more output kept rising. When they finallyreappeared in the light, both Slavic and Ruarc had lost their hair, were heavily scarred and their skin had lost the green hue of our people; turning mostly gray where the chemicals in the mine had seeped into their skin.
Einar, the third son, was tested and assigned to the medical division, and that pattern continued with each of us born afterward. I was placed in the electronics infiltration unit. Bikar was in a similar field, but his focus was on piloting and communications. They even gave him wings so he could escape a fallen ship in battle. The four youngest of us were experimented on, had things inserted inside our minds, and our bodies mutilated. However, the one of us who faced the worst torture was Murgul; he was turned into a killing machine. It took several rotations after we broke him out of the containment room where he was held before he even spoke. He still mostly growls, as speaking hurts him, but thankfully, he has become slightly more approachable since finding his mate. But stay away from that tail if you are ever near him; he tends to strike first and think later.
Anyway, back to the beginning. Sire, who was tired of being kept from his mate, started a rebellion. He was determined to free the family he had willingly brought to these monsters. I had no knowledge of what my older brothers or sire were up to until the alarms sounded and Kallen, Ruarc’s mate—which was unknown to us at the time—freed me. I made my way to the shuttle area only to find my older brothers fighting for their lives. Of course, I gladly joined in, but just as we thought we had beaten them, one of the Aynar scientists killed mam, and sire was cut down shortly after. However, he had made a way for me and my brothers to escape, and even though we had to fight against the telekinetic powers the Aynar used to hold us, we managed to launch the battered shuttle sire had provided and free ourselves. Many wereleft behind, though. One thing we did not know was that mam was still alive, along with a baby sister we knew nothing about.
We plundered our way through the Void for orbital rotations before we boarded a Velgriddix ship and found our princess, Kallen. That one moment changed our futures, leading us to where we are now.” I have to fight the urge to get up and pace the room as my emotions are all over the place while I relive the story I just told.
“How many inhabitable planets are there in the Void?”
“Dozens … there are many who would benefit from your presence there, as no one is truly safe. Plundering and slavery run amok as there is always someone stronger with more resources.”
“The Veil is practically impenetrable to get through, as we learned the hard way with Destiny, and that is an error I never want to hear of again. Since its discovery, SCOUT has brought a few ideas to the table about creating an entrance portal that we could monitor. It would also open up that part of the universe to commerce and escape if needed. This would be an elaborately huge working space station where all ships entering and exiting would have to be approved. MeK would oversee the initial design, but I can see no one better qualified than you to oversee it long term. This station’s location would allow you to stay in contact with us as well as your Ruk family at the same time. Would you be interested in representing me and my laws at this port?”
“I will have to discuss this with Edie.”
“Smart male, you have learned that lesson quickly.”
“What are you wanting to talk to me about?” Edie sits down next to me with a huge smile on her face before laying a tray over our laps, covered in odd substances.
“The Commander….”
“Call me DaR, son.”
I nod to him, trying not to be overwhelmed by his acceptance of who I am to him now. “DaR has brought something up that he would like me, us, to do in the future, but I was not willing to commit to it until I talked to you first.”
“Well, don’t keep me waiting.”
“He suggested building a permanent space station to monitor ships entering and leaving the Veil, and thought that, because of my knowledge of the area and its inhabitants, I might like to be in charge of the station.”
“Would we still be able to travel?”
I look over at DaR questioningly.
“Absolutely, you could come and go as you please once the station was stabilized and staffed.”
