Rising Ark

The crew of the Rising sat in a booth at Dragged Stone, a bar that many came to, but most struggled to find. The place was run by Krystallia Jonthane, a banished Kronos who maintained enough power to keep the place shifting between the Landless and various predetermined spots on different worlds.

“Have you ever thought about the paperwork?” Noah asked.

“No one but you thinks about paperwork,” Sam answered.

“I mean permits alone would be ridiculous,” she continued, ignoring her brother’s implications.

“Didn’t we say the next two people to speak would have to get drinks?” Senyr asked.

Sam groaned.

“C’mon lightweight,” Noah grabbed his arm, dragging him over to the bar.

“Can’t you do it alone?” he asked, “You started it by asking about paperwork of all things.”

“I’ll get lonely, plus I’ll need your help to hold all the drinks.”

Sam felt too drunk to either be much help or argue further, so he quietly let his sister drag him toward the bar.

“Drinks on the Rising tab,” Noah told the bartender, “Same as last round.”

The bartender gave a nod.

“I’ll pick up that round actually,” the man sitting near them said.

“What job do you want us to do?” Sam asked.

“To the point,” the man said with a slight brogue, “I have an item I need transported, along with myself, with minimal chance of tracking. I hear you work without an AI, or a Kronos.”

“You hear correctly,” Noah said, “Our pilot’s special. How valuable is this discreet transport?”

“Enough to keep a mid-range ship with a crew of five stocked for two months,” he said, “You have six as I understand, but your engineer doesn’t buy as much, so I suspect it should last you about the same.”

Noah nodded. It could last them longer by her estimation, but she didn’t need to reveal her hand like that.

“I think we’ve got a deal,” she gestured at the drinks the bartender had set in front of her, “Or at least enough of one to let you help carry these.”

The client gladly took the two nearest him and followed to the booth. However by the time they arrived, there was one less than there should have been.

“Where’s Blossom?” Sam asked.

“Said she had to get back to the ship,” Senyr explained, “Worried about it starting to dessicate.”

Sam set the drinks he was holding down.

“I’ll go too then, maybe catch up to her.”

“Godspeed,” Avery said.

Sam didn’t bother navigating the crowd, just walking through all of them as a Spirit Mage is wont to do when trying to get somewhere fast.

“Well, shipmates,” Noah said, “Allow me to introduce our client.”

The crew of the Rising gathered, half hungover, as the Widow didn’t partake while Avery and Noah burned through their drinks too fast for the hangover to last, on the deck.

“We’ve got a regular transport mission,” Noah explained louder than some of them liked, “Except that our client insists on joining us.”

“When are they coming?” Sam asked.

“We only have a few minutes.”

The crowd got notably more anxious.

“It took awhile to get you all up,” Noah complained back.

“Any dietary restrictions?” Avery asked, “I didn’t get the opportunity to ask.”

Noah clicked her tongue.

“Forgot to check.”

“If he has any, we’ll have to make sure I can actually work around it.”

“It’s just to Earth, Celtic Isles.”

Blossom’s eyes widened in time with the client walking in through the door left open for him.

More discernible with the day's light, the man was tall, with light brown skin and dreads tied up behind him. He wore a leather jacket and what looked like a silk shirt along with thick pants that were probably more expensive than they had to be, at least by the crew’s estimation.

“He’s paying half upfront,” Noah explained, “So if we need to cancel, now would be the time before we’re stuck in a contract.”

“I want out,” Blossom said, adjusting her position slightly so Sam was between her and the client.

“He’s not mercenary,” Noah said, “I checked.”

After the Regine incident, she checked every potential client against her databases.

“I don’t want him on the ship,” Blossom insisted.

“I’ve heard your voice before,” the client said, trying to get a look at her face, “It’s been a while though. I can’t place it.”

“We’re sorry for the inconvenience,” Sam said, “But we’re probably going to trust our engineer’s judgment on this one.”

“Please,” the man said, “It’s an item of great value. If anyone knows where it is before I get it home, I’ll be screwed over, and anyone who could directly transport me is just as likely to steal it in the shuffle.”

“Why do you think we’re trustworthy?” Senyr asked.

“No one is, but you’re least likely to get attacked.”

Noah and Sam made wincing noises.

“No deal,” Blossom insisted.

“I think we should take it,” The Widow said in one of her rare speaking moments.

The client pointed at her.

“I’ve definitely met you before.”

Blossom made a slight growl.

“If the Widow wants him aboard, then I guess I drop my objections.”

Noah clapped her hands.

“Perfect,” she put a hand on the client’s shoulder as Sam ushered Blossom back to the engine room, “I’m gonna need a name from you.”

“It’s already on the contract.”

Noah shook her head.

“No one here goes by their given name. Senyr and Avery are the closest, but they just go by surnames, so what should we call you?”

He looked around for a minute.

“Katy, call me Katy.”

“Why?” Blossom asked. The Widow had been her companion for most of her life. She knew exactly the history at play.

“If your life is only made of running away, how are you going to find a place to stay?”

Though she never took the veil off, The Widow’s smile was plain to hear.

“We both live on a ship that’s ever-moving,” Blossom answered, “And never stay anywhere for longer than a week.”

“And yet you’ve still been found.”

“This was an accident.”

“But the last one wasn’t.” The Widow moved from her seat to set up the Rising for travel, as was her job.

“Why does it matter?”

“Deception is easier to stomach the sooner it is revealed. Neither of us want our doctor to regret your bond once it is fully binding.”

The Widow enjoyed being cryptic, but she cared more for the crew under her care. The balance between the two was hard to manage.

“So you think it’s better Sam learns about this history before we get married.”

“When did you think he should learn of it?”

“Never! He never needs to know. It is no longer a part of my life!”

“Trust me: Secrets have value, but that value often sours and makes things harder in the long run.”

“How would you know that? You’ve hidden yourself for most of my life. The only reason I know what’s wrong with you is because you needed an engineer to fix you.”

The Widow looked around the room, tapping an old bobblehead with most of its features lost, though the mask, braid and skirt were enough for the Widow to identify it as an old Guild relic.

“My secret festered until I needed help. Yours shouldn’t wait too long when you are planning to commit. I’m not asking you to reveal your whole hand, but I’m not missing this opportunity.”

“I didn’t ask you to do this,” Blossom insisted, “It is not your job to make my secrets known. Do you think it would be better if I told the crew your secret? Do you trust that they wouldn’t turn you in to save their own skin if they found out?”

“I haven’t put the crew at risk.”

“Yet,” Blossom countered, “And at some point someone’s going to ask how a non-Kronos can pilot a ship without an AI, and why you aren’t in the records of any flight academy. He has a better chance of realizing it than anyone else, and you practically invited him aboard.”

“The job pays well.”

“So did Regine, and that didn’t make it any less of a mistake.”

“There you are—” Noah interrupted, Blossom and The Widow both stood at attention. “Good, you’re both here.”

“What did you wish to know?” The Widow asked.

Noah pointed at Blossom.

“You recognized our client, which is why you left the table last night before he could join us, but you,” the finger switch to the Widow, “Wanted him on board. You two are thick as thieves, why start disagreeing now?”

“Respectfully, that’s none of your business, Captain.”

Noah stopped Blossom before she could walk out.

“Respect is appreciated, but honesty would be better. Last time something to do with you came aboard, I risked suffocation to save your ass, so is he going to be a problem?”

Blossom sighed, then shook her head.

“Other than what he’s already warned us about, there shouldn’t be any problems, not as far as I know him.”

“And how far is that?”

“Far enough for me to keep it to myself, captain.”

Noah released her, and she left for her familiar engine room, where no client would be present.

“I apologize for her anger,” The Widow said, “I fear I may have caused it.”

“After vetoing her call to refuse this job?” Noah mustered up all the false incredulity the question required.

“She changed her mind because of me.”

“That’s what I’d say happened too,” Noah said, “But we both know more than we let on.”

They shared an understanding nod.

“Cargo’s been loaded. I expect us to launch within the hour.”

“Aye, captain.”