8• The Broadcast: "Today marks the 100th Anniversary of the Terran Empire. When all humanoids were united under a single banner. 42 years after the defeat of the Reapers-"
• Blue Heaven Station:
"Shut that crap off, would ya?" a Krogan grumbled to the sangheili bartender.
Gene could understand were he was coming from. The Terran Empire might be a utopia for Humanoids, but not for Aliens.
Not wanting to get involved with politics, despite actually liking watching the festivities on the Citadel, Gene just drank his third glass of Twi'lek Spirits.
It tasted like some kinda sweet berry, and hardly had any bite too it. He suppose he should feel insulted, the bartender suggested this. Although the bartender was an Asari. So it's possible they genuinely enjoyed the fruity drink.
Gene allowed his mind to wander. This space station, Blue Heaven, seemed to be a collection of the less reputable species of the universe.
There were several of the small, green, and completely mad, Irkens. A group of the war hungry Klingons were gathered around one of the tables. Some Ctarl-Ctarl a few tables down from them.
Although those Tiger people were technically classified as humanoid, and as a result were given more rights and even a seat on the Terran Empire's Senate.
But there was no shortage of humans, as there never was. Blue Heaven really did seem like a haven for the most unsavory people.
Gene smiled, this was his kind of town. After being stuck on that ship, for nearly a week, this was so much better. He used to love flying, as a kid, but now just being on a ship made him nauseous.
He didn't remember coming down with any kind of space sickness his first time out, but he'd been so young then, too young. It was just supposed to be some fun little adventure every kid dreams about. He had been helping his dad fly his ship, on a journey that was supposed to take over a month... just him and his dad, enjoying the stars.
Gene didn't even know what it was they were transporting. His father was a simple merchant, so it couldn't have been overly valuable... someone thought otherwise.
When Pirates attacked their ship, Gene was thrown inside an escape pod, by his dad, and launched towards the closest planet... which was near a month away.
He landed on a backwater, named Sentinel 3, and was taken in by a hacker. The man was a good guy, a single father, but that didn't stop the police from arresting him a few years later.
Ever since Gene had been taking care of his son, Jim. Waiting for the guy to bust out of prison... he hadn't told Jim yet, kept putting it off... the man died in a prison riot nearly a year ago. Gene took another drink. Jim still occasionally asked to visit him.
Now they were out in space, helping some outlaw that tried to kill them. This wasn't the smartest play, but it was his only chance. He wanted to get off Sentinel. He wanted to be a spacer, like his father. He wanted to get back at those pirates for what they took from him. He wanted to be an outlaw... and this was his only chance.
For some reason this woman offered him, and Jim, a place on her crew, even a decent cut of the profits. This was his one and only chance... and he was sitting here wallowing because he had a tummy ache... Even on this space station he was a bit nauseous.
• Elsewhere: On the Station.
James Hawking, Jim to his friends, enemies, and everyone else in the galaxy, walked along side Melfina. He had been helping her pick out clothes most of the day, on Hilda's orders. Gene was supposed to do it, but the scrawny man managed to talk Hilda into letting him go with her, and sending Jim to do the work, while they got drunk at a bar.
Jim really didn't mind, since that meant he got to spend time with Melfina. He'd never seen an android like her before. She was amazing! Organic tissue over a metal skeleton, processing speeds at trillions of terabytes per second. Not to mention, she was the prettiest girl Jim had ever seen.
She didn't appear to be all that strong though. Usually androids were strong enough to bend steel, but she didn't seem any stronger then you're average 90 pound woman. That was so weird. Why build an android that couldn't do manual labor?
It's not like AIs were illegal, or used as slave labor, but they tended to be built with a specific purpose in mind... Jim couldn't help but wonder what her's was.
Was she some kind of infiltration droid? That would explain why someone would go to all the trouble, of growing flesh around her structure, and making her physically no stronger then a real person would be, but giving her an incredible mind.
Jim walked along side her staring, trying to figure out how she worked just by looking at her. He loved machines, computers, virtual intelligence, and even Artificial intelligence. Despite that research being highly regulated.
An Artificial Lifeform like Melfina, on the other hand? Jim couldn't see the purpose behind the AIs' building her... or even if they built her. He heard rumors of some human companies trying to get around the Synthetic Rights Treaty. By mixing organic tissue, and thereby having the lifeforms qualify in that morally grey zone of Cyborgs.
After all, Cyborgs needed partially self aware subroutines, to control their bodies. So technically, a synthetic mind, with a metal skeleton, was legal so long as it had organic flesh... but that would require billions of credits, just to make one.
So how did an Outlaw, like Hilda, get a hold of one. Hilda said she stole Melfina from pirates, but how could THEY even get their hands on such advanced technology.
There was something going on. Jim was sure.
• Back with Gene and Hilda:
Gene got up, taking his bottle, and sat at Hilda's table.
Hilda looked up at him, studying him closely, with a smirk plastered on her face. She was dressed in brownish purple armor and an eyepatch. Which Gene could only assume wasn't there for a fashion statement, but who knows with this woman.
Gene chugged down his glass. Then refilled it with the bottle. Before passing it to her, "So what's the deal? We must have passed a dozen stations on the way here. If all you wanted to do was refuel there were cheaper places."
Hilda shrugged, smirk still in place. "I know I can trust Swanzo. Besides I have business here."
"Which would be?" Gene eyed.
"Not much really. Blue Heaven is an outlaw station, I'm in the need of a crew to pull off a job."
"A job?" Gene blinked, thinking it over. "So it's not something you can pull off by yourself... I think it's time you told me just what this job is, enough with the secrets!" he glared.
Hilda rolled her drink around in her glass, the gears in her head obviously turning, before answering, "Alright, I'm going after a certain ship."
"A certain ship?" Gene blinked.
"It's a very special ship, one with enough power to dive into an Ether Stream. It's called a Grappler."
"A Grappler spaceship!?" Gene's eyes widened, remembering the ship that killed his father.
Grappler ships were originally designed to do construction work in space. It was basically just attaching arms to a starship, but pirates tweaked the idea. Reinforcing them with stronger metals, and making them more quick and agile.
Grappler ships were used for combat now. They helped tear open a shuttle and could keep hold of it for boarding. Some pirates even added weapons for the arms to hold, such as swords and guns.
"If you're interested think it over, but make sure it's what you really want," Hilda grinned. "Cause it sounds to me like you're a bit of a space hater."
"Just mind your own business!" Gene snapped, perhaps a bit too defensively.
The last thing he considered himself was a 'space hater'. He loved space. He dreamed about coming out here, and living as a spacer, ever since he was a little boy.
Back then he dreamed about living life out here with his dad, only landing on planets to pick up cargo. His childhood dream, of inheriting his father's cargo business, had morphed into being an outlaw, and hunting pirates, but it still involved living on a ship out in space.
He loved space, he'd get over this little phobia he seemed to have developed, once he got used to being out here again.
• Back with Jim and Melfina:
"Can I help you with something, Jim?" Melfina smiled, after catching him looking.
"Errr, no I'm good, just thinking," Jim assured.
"About what," she probed.
"Oh nothing important, just letting my mind wander... hey Melfina, can you eat?" Jim asked.
She smiled, "Good idea Jim, I am a little hungry. Do you see a place you'd like?"
'Hungry?' she could actually feel hunger to? Being able to eat and needing to were two completely different things. It wasn't something he thought an android could do.
Regardless, Jim looked around for a place to eat. "Hummmm... why not that Sangheili place? They usually got some interesting burritos."
"Sounds great," Melfina smiled, allowing him to guild her to the restaurant.
• Back with Gene and Hilda.
Once they finished their drinks, Hilda checked her watch, before leading him out of the Pub.
"So whatever happened to your old crew, anyway?" Gene asked, as they walked down the busy path. Shops and vendors were set up everywhere... not all of them selling... legal things.
"They died," Hilda calmly informed.
Gene blanched.
"Don't worry," Hilda smirked. "They'll get better... I'll see to that."
• Back with Jim and Melfina:
They went inside the restaurant. Where the hostess brought them to their table, giving them their menus before wandering off.
"Let's see what's good," Jim grinned opening the menu.
Like he thought, there was a long list of various things inside tortillas. Sangheili had oddly shaped mouths, with four small piercer like things, with teeth and powerful muscles. So when they learned about humans burritos, that seemed specially designed for them, they went crazy over the food.
They loved human burritos but they also gave it a flare of their own culture. The meals on the menu had meats commonly found from their own planet's animals. With exotic fruits and vegetables but, since Sangheili are absolutely in love with all things human, they also served common human dishes involving tortillas.
Breakfast burritos with sausage, egg, cheese, and hash browns. A delicious beef supreme with beans and yummy Earth plants. Even ice cream wrapped up in a tortilla, with chocolate fudge and little pieces of cookie dough. Sangheili didn't have tongues, or even a jaw bone, but they had taste buds going down their throats. So they could still enjoy the dishes.
"See anything you like Melfina?" Jim grinned.
"I'm not sure," she confessed. "I've never eaten like this before."
Jim's eyes widened. That's right, she had been kept in cryo until a week ago. This must be her first time in a restaurant. Everything must be really new to her.
"Well you better avoid any of the spicy stuff. I don't think that would be a good first experience with food... hmmm... You should go for the Breakfast supreme. It's like the breakfast burrito but it says it comes wrapped up in a syrupy infused pancake and it comes with both sausage and bacon. You'll absolutely love that," Jim licked his lips, "Yeah I'm getting one to, and then we can have their ice cream wrap for dessert."
When the waitress came back they ordered, before the horrible waiting period for food occurred. Jim didn't realize how hungry he was, and munched on the bread sticks on the table. Another tube like food that was easy for Sangheili to eat. It tasted a bit of cinnamon and a lot of butter. If their bread was this good he couldn't wait to get to the real food.
"Wow Jim," Melfina chuckled, very impressed with the boy's bread gobbling skills. "You sure you'll be able to eat all your dinner, after filling up on bread."
Jim blinked, staring at her, "That's a very mom thing to say."
"Is that a good thing?" She asked nervously, really not knowing the answer.
"I guess," Jim shrugged putting his fourth stick of bread down, now half eaten.
She brightened a good deal at his comment.
• Back with Hilda and Gene.
They approached a shabby restaurant. Although all shops looked dirty and shabby, on this station. The notable thing, about this restaurant, was they made them stuff their weapons in a locker. Taking the key with them.
Gene was hesitant to give up his Caster, but a look from Hilda was all he needed to convince him.
Walking down the stairs, to the main floor, Hilda approached a large booth... with a notable man sitting there.
"You're Malcolm Reynolds!" Gene couldn't stop himself from exclaiming. Even Gene had heard of this guy.
Public Schools covered how Captain Reynolds exposed the corruption within the Terran Empire. With the Emperor responding, by executing the entire Parliament. Before taking a more active role in ruling.
Unfortunately, Reynolds just rolled his eyes at Gene. Followed by saying to Hilda, "It's not like you to tolerate green horns."
Hilda shrugged, taking a seat. "He's got a few hidden tricks, makes it worth the effort of teaching him."
There were a few other men sitting with him. Such as a tall/skinny man, in a pinstripe suit... and a balding, even skinnier man, in archaeologist attire.
Jean Luc Picard, former Starfleet officer... and current freelance explorer... could only sigh, as he looked at the "young" woman. "I was sorry to hear about your crew," He acknowledged... "But do you really think this is the way?"
"Wouldn't you do the same for any of yours?" Hilda gave her usual smirk... but this time, it didn't reach her eyes.
"That's not it," The Doctor sighed. "Hilda, they're happy, in their afterlife. You need to accept they are gone."
Hilda suddenly wished Gene wasn't here. These men had raised her... they were some of the few people she could allow herself to feel vulnerable with.
"None of the eternal dragons had any luck. The Galactic Layline will be no different," The Doctor insisted. "Wishing magic has limits."
Gene blinked. "Wishing Magic?" he asked. "I thought the Galactic Layline was just some kind of treasure vault?"
Hilda eyed him, "Wanna back out?"
Gene smirked, "I wouldn't mind a few wishes, but are you sure this thing is benevolent, and not some kind of monkey's paw."
A messy haired teenager, suddenly took a seat. As he explained, "It works like the Dragon Balls, through keylines. Meaning it's very nature is morally neutral. But it will give you what you want, exactly as you want it."
"Harry," Hilda nodded at the young man.
"And how would you know?" Gene glared.
The young man just smiled, "Because I helped build it. Over 200,000 years ago. Around the time I trapped the Leviathans in the power batteries, and invented the Lantern core to defend from the Reapers... never worked but I tried my best, to right those buggers off."
Gene blinked, staring at the boy. "You really think I'm THAT gullible?"
Hilda laughed. While Harry just shrugged.
The boy then explained, "I've been out of the Galactic scene for a spell. The Leviathans sealed the Rift into this Dimension, and I got trapped on the other side."
Gene could only stare at the kid... a sense of terror coursing through him... "You're a pony?" He dared asked. But before the boy could deny it, and explain himself...
"Hilda!"
Gene gaped as something equally terrifying entered the room. A tiny Equine charged through the bar. Coming straight towards their table.
The young ginger almost grabbed his gun, purely on reflex, only to find it wasn't there.
Suppose it was a good thing he didn't have his gun. It wouldn't do to break the only rule in a free town. A stray bullet could crack a seal of the space station they were on.
Hilda seemed to notice how tense the "space cherry" was, and placed a hand on his shoulder. Obviously to reassure Gene they weren't in danger.
The pony continued to run over to them. An infectious smile on it's face.
It was a pastel orange, with small wings, and a purple mane. She was only a little bigger then Jim, yet was clearly fully grown. These types of ponies never did grow any bigger then a great dane.
Gene gulped. He had heard about these creatures. Supposedly they were overpowered war machines, with the awareness of young children. Because of this, the Space Forces tended to treat them with kid gloves, made of titanium.
A single civilian pony, could easily best a platoon of highly trained space marines, with minimal effort. However, even more terrifying, they couldn't comprehend how powerful they were, nor why other creatures were wary around them...
Although, from what Gene had heard, they were also extremely cuddly, living plush toys. Wanting to "be friends" with everyone they met. With boundary issues that rival a Silgrian.
Ponies were a prey race, that were living in a universe were barely anything could rival them, much less hurt them. Yet they were still jumpy and naive.
Jim would probably jump for joy, if he met this little filly. But Gene was worried letting him near the mare. Ponies were danger wrapped in cutesy floof.
"Scootaloo," Hilda acknowledged. As the pony reached them, and immediately started nuzzling the more seasoned outlaw.
"Hilda!" Exclaimed the pony, again. Before looking at Reynolds. "Mal!" giving him a nuzzle as well. Then moving into the Harry's personal space. Giving him a full-on kiss.
Then just looked at Gene, offering him no nuzzles. "Who the buck are you?" asked the pony.
But before Gene could answer, the gods damned Lord Marshal stepped into the bar. Emperor of that wacked out group of murdering cultists.
Richard B. Riddick, took a seat at the table. He had revamped the religion, to work in cooperation with the god of destruction, Beerus... they mostly targetted threats to the universe... but many of the planets they destroyed, weren't that bad... they just had the potential to go bad. His trade was still genocide, masked behind "God's Plan".
"Riddick!" Mal smiled, as if the killer of trillions was an old friend. "How's Jack?"
"Upset I wouldn't let her come to this meeting... Speaking of..." The mass murderer's glowing eyes turned to Gene.
The youngest Outlaw, at least present, did his best not to cower away. "Hilda wants to make sure her new Technomancer, doesn't wander off. So she's keeping his nanny close."
"Technomancer, huh?" Riddick smiled... a grin that made Gene wanna keep Jim as far away from this psycho as possible.
Hilda eyed Gene a moment, as if he wasn't supposed to know that was the reason, but it was kinda obvious.
Whatever Hilda wanted. It involved Jim. He was the reason she first tried to kill Gene, and kidnap the boy. And only after that didn't work, did she try to make them both crew... Gene had to admit, he was a liability. His only use was as Jim's nanny. While I wanna make sure she doesn't try to kidnap him, again."
Harry frowned, "You collecting Quirks again?" He asked, with a good deal of concern. "Thought you would have learned to stay away from that kinda shite."
Hilda eyed Gene, "I need a Technomancer, to keep the Bio-Android in repair."
Harry sighed, "I suppose, but still, taking on someone like that will get you noticed. There are enough mortals trying to kill you. Do you really wanna take on gods? And people, with quirks, always attract others with odd magical Super powers."
"That's what I have you for," Hilda smirked.
Harry groaned, "I don't exactly have time to run interference, between you and whatever deity you piss off. I came here out of respect for our friendship."
Harry Continued, "But I'm not willing to go with you. You're hunting for one of the most powerful wish granting artifacts in existence. You have any idea how dangerous it be, for someone of my power level, to accompany you? My benefactor, sure as his hell, wouldn't tolerate it."
"Harry..." Hilda sighed. "I need this... my crew... their your friends to."
Harry groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, in a manner similar to his Magical Guardian. Before insisting, while his eyes where screwed shut. "I'm sorry Hilda, but not even the Leyline can bring back a soul, that doesn't want to return. I know the limits of my device. At most it give you a construct, with all their memories and how you want them to act... but it won't be them."
Hilda looked down.
"It's a machine," Harry insisted. "Might be the most powerful piece of techno magic, I ever built, but it's just a tool. Bloody thing was even made with a VI, not a true AI. The maiden program, was supposed to find worthy people to grant wishes to. and that's been corrupted beyond recognition, due to so many millenia of people hacking it."
Hilda said nothing merely processing this.
"Ignoring that for the moment," Riddick spoke up. "We now have access to the XGP, the coordinates to the Leyline, and most importantly, The Bio-Android navigation system. We've come too far, to stop now."
Scootaloo agreed, "The Space Forces are already cross with us. Even if they haven't put out any warrants for our arrest, that's only because they don't want a connection between them, and the pirates."
"Wait a Minute," Gene eyed Hilda. "It's a Space Forces ship you were talking about."
"No," Hilda neutrally informed. But said nothing else.
So the Pony took it on herself to explain. "It was built by the pirates, with funding from Starfleet. On the condition they received the blue prints to build more. The ship is such a powerful piece of Technomagic, it requires an Android to act as the Navigation computer... or, at least, a decently skilled Technomancer."
Gene eyed Hilda, "That's why you wanted Jim, to act as some secondary computer."
Hilda shrugged, "There are few reasons. But it doesn't hurt to have a backup." showing no regret. "Regardless, the Space forces still have the first XGP model. They merely gave the pirates the second. That's the one I stole."
Riddick explained, as he did like explaining things. "The pirates constructed, Malfina's secondary programming, in secret. The Space Forces only became aware of the Galactic Leyline, after we stole the ship. It had already been handed over, to a pirate Starship Carrier. It was rather fun storming it."
"Starfleet gave it to the pirates," Hilda assured Gene. "So the Space Forces won't be obligated to reclaim it."
Harry suddenly roared. "The bloody Catrl-Catrl, the Frost Demons, and a bakers dozen other Inter-Galactic governments, are now after the Leyline! This little pleasure cruise of yours, could risk plunging the entire universe into War.
"And now you ask me, no EXPECT ME, to accompany you on some hair brain scheme! That won't even do what you originally wanted it to!"
"Yes Harry... that's exactly what I expect," Hilda calmly informed.
Harry groaned, ruffling his own hair, in agitation.
"Fine! You gods damn bitch! I'll help. Bloody saving people compulsion." Harry grumbled.
"Once we make our wishes," Hilda reminded. "The Leyline will return to subspace, for another thousand years. There will be nothing to fight over. No one WANTS a war."
"Hum," Everyone turned to Scootaloo. "Why don't we just work together?" The Outlaws just looked at her. "I'm serious. We invite the leaders, of every Government, and we make our wishes, along with them. This way, no government gains an advantage over the other. We can even wish all the pirates into the penny colonies."
"Wishing them dead would be easier." Hilda sneered.
Harry glared, "The Ponies don't condone the Death Penalty, outside the most extreme cases. I'm talking genocide, and nothing short of that."
Riddick finally spoke up. "Even the planets I destroy, are the more dangerous ones. The civilizations that threaten the rest of the universe."
Mal snorted, "Even the bloody Irkens wrote out a peace treaty, out of fear of the Necromangers."
• Hours Later, With Jim and Melfina.
Jim yawned as they once again walked off Hilda's ship. Dinner had been as tasty as he imagined but Melfina had been right. He hadn't been able to finish all of it, and put most of his dessert in a to-go box. Along with all the bread they had at the table.
Melfina had put Jim's food away, in the ship's kitchen for later, and put her new clothes in the Storage room as Hilda ordered. They were going to move all their supplies off ship soon, so there was no point picking out quarters. It was just easier to have everything in one area.
However the ice cream would melt if they didn't store it in the freezer, and besides he would probably get the chance to eat that before they unloaded. Not that he knew when that would be, or even what they would be moving everything on.
Jim grinned looking down at his new Omni-tool. Hilda had told them to charge everything they got to her ship, and even told him to get the most top of the line equipment, he could get for himself.
This thing was tricked out by outlaws to be the absolute best at hacking computers, along with having Yotabytes of memory space and processing speed... and it was really great for gaming to. He hadn't actually bought games, cause he didn't think he could get away with it, but Hilda promised him a large cut of the profits. So he could buy stuff like that for himself, later.
"Maybe we should go to the hotel if your tired," Melfina suggested, apparently having caught his yawn.
"Yeah, okay" he didn't put up a fight. Even though he probably would have if Gene had made a comment like that. Though Melfina obviously wasn't teasing him... it was just so... motherly...
• Back with Gene and Hilda:
Gene... felt numb... as he left the restaurant with Hilda. "...Did I just meet the God Emperor of Mankind?"
"I was wondering why you suddenly shut up," Hilda smirked. "No, Harry isn't the Emperor. But he is something close to him. Don't worry. He won't smite you... just... try not to irritate him. He's got a hell of a temper."
Gene shook his head, "So what now?"
"Now?" Hilda eyed him. "While my friends are getting ready, we'll expand my crew." it be the first step in admitting my friends are truly gone.