I could get in another post today. I just didn't want to flood the IC.
King Kindred
Member
STATUS:
Happy Birthday to me!
1 day ago
- Last Seen: 10 hrs ago
- Joined: 11 yrs ago
- Posts: 2490 (0.61 / day)
- VMs: 1
-
Username history
- King Kindred 11 yrs ago
-
Latest 10 profile visitors:
-
Most recent →
Cyrania,
Azure Bubbles,
Fingal,
ZwagXerathYT,
Morden Man,
Dane,
Pascal,
Ashifa ASMR YT,
Sadu,
Krasnaya
Status
Recent Statuses
1 day ago
Current
Happy Birthday to me!
11
likes
7 days ago
I always miss the fun stuff and references. Now I'll be wondering what 2011 was referring to.
1
like
8 days ago
What kind of powers do the donuts have?
2
likes
9 days ago
Nope. Reboot away.
2
likes
20 days ago
That'll be Gatorade's slogan once Data Centers drink up all the water.
1
like
Bio
User has no bio, yet
Most Recent Posts
Lyris’ eyes widened and ears raised with an excited twitch when she heard Kir's proclamation. She had just met her today and at the mention of the prophecy said they'd start with the freeing of Serenfolia. She hadn't even asked her to do so. She took it upon herself with no hesitation. Lyris held back the tears starting to form in her ducts. She could finally go home. Her people could finally be free.
Lyris was glad when the conversation transitioned to the sleeping arrangement. She wasn't sure how long she could contain the emotions that were boiling to the surface. She gave Kir a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, sister.” Was all she said before disappearing from her side in a blur making a dash to the crew bunk. Once inside, she closed the door behind her and began to pray.
Kir barely had a moment to process before Lyris was gone from sight. That did at least clear up the question she’d forgotten to ask about her gift from Serenfolia. So, she was a speedster and a thief. That might just come in handy in the future, if she chose to stay on for the real rebellion beyond liberating her home planet. Though, all things considered, Kir wouldn’t have blamed her if she chose to stay on Serenfolia and help rebuild once the empire’s grip on the planet was gone.
Prophecy aside, liberating Serenfolia was a somewhat selfish endeavour. As X’hondria’s sister planet, she hoped the Serennians might be willing to provide sanctuary to any X’hondrians their rebellion managed to free. Even if they ultimately failed to overthrow the empire, freeing even a handful of X’hondrians would still be worth whatever came of their failure. It would be a chance to rebuild, and perhaps offer the kind of hope that would spark courage in those still shackled. If they knew there was somewhere safe they could go, maybe they would jump at the chance to escape just as she had. That would be enough.
“I don't think you ever could.” Harrison said instinctively to Kir's remark about not losing her touch. He turned away nervously before looking back when she asked him what was on his mind. “We can do the debrief before we all call it a night. If it even is night right now. Anyway, we still need to tell them what our plan is so they could sleep on their options. Both literally and figuratively. But that's not what I called you back here to talk about. I wanted to give you this.”
Even if they hadn’t been bonded, Kir could have felt the nervousness rolling off him in waves. Still, she sensed nothing negative from him. If anything, he seemed almost joyful under it. Or maybe that was excitement? He was quickly learning to mask his thoughts, and while she could still read his emotional state quite easily, she would have had to press harder to get any more than that. Given the open connection between them, she tried her best not to pry and invade his mental space.
Harrison reached into his pocket and pulled out the obsidian diamond bracelet that Lyris had snatched for him earlier. “I saw this and thought of you. I wanted you to have jewelry that represented your freedom and complemented how beautiful you are.”
And even with the bond, he still surprised her. It was, in a way, part of the upside of not pushing further into his mind than what was on the surface. He was genuine enough that she could trust what floated to the top without thinking too hard about what he might be masking.
Kir smiled softly, colour rising in her cheeks as she ducked her head for a moment in embarrassment. She took the bracelet gently, holding it up and turning it to see all sides of it in the light. It was beautiful, to say the least. Possibly more beautiful than anything she’d ever worn before, though perhaps that was more a fact that it came with no weight of oppression. This was a gift given with genuine affection and seemingly no expectations. In the palace, a gift was never just a gift; there was always a caveat to any favouritism.
“This is… I don’t even know what word to use,” Kir chuckled to herself at her loss for words. “Beautiful doesn’t seem to encapsulate it. Yes, it is gorgeous, but it’s…meaningful, too. There’s not a word for that in Genspeak or English. There’s a word in my mother tongue, but it doesn’t translate very well; it’s too nuanced. You know my history, and you already keep finding ways to try to undo the damage. I don’t know what our future holds, but I hope one day I get to repay that favour because it hardly feels like enough to just say ‘thank you’.”
Harrison was hit with a wave of relief. He was worried she wouldn't like it or that it might remind her of her time with the empire. But instead she loved it in ways she couldn't completely express. He wasn't sure himself if there was more to it than a gesture of friendship and freedom. He couldn't deny that he was mesmerized by her the moment their eyes met. And their connection was already something greater and more profound than he had experienced on Earth. But Kir didn't owe him anything. Not her love and certainly not a thank you. Even if she hadn't promised to help him remove this armor he would've freed her regardless. Everyone deserved to have their own free will and autonomy and he'd never take either from her.
“You don't owe me anything.” He finally said, approaching her to help her put the bracelet on. “You've already opened my eyes to a whole galaxy I wouldn't have gotten to know without you. I'm living mine and every archeologist and explorer's dream. You've already given me the gift of a lifetime.”
Kir’s heart fluttered as he wrapped the bracelet around her wrist. The care with which he handled the bracelet as he gently steadied her wrist while he clasped it. Whatever this feeling was, she wasn’t ready to name it, but she did trust him with it. He’d done nothing but treat her with kindness and respect, and had given no indication that it was disingenuous.
Holding her wrist to her chest, she looked at him affectionately, “Well then, at the very least I want to make the galaxy safely traversable for you to explore to your heart’s delight.”
No. Harrison was wrong. Her words confirmed it. He had deep romantic feelings for her. It wasn't even the X'honnar that did it. It was just who she was as a person. Their connection went deeper than their minds. The moment those words crossed her lips all he could think about was exploring the galaxy with her. But for now he'd hold those feelings within. He refused to force his own feelings onto her.
She glanced around, but the others were both busy with their own things. Lyris was, presumably, still in her room and Zev was still in the cockpit probably going over the navigation chart before he handed the guidance off to the ship’s autopilot for the night. A timekeeper on the wall in the kitchen showed it was getting late by the standard of universal time.
“We should talk to the others,” Kir suggested. “It’s late, and you and I have already had a long enough day. We both need a chance to process…well, everything. I’ll get Zev if you get Lyris.”
Harrison nodded and left the kitchen with a smile. He was walking on air, almost literally. He made his way to the crew bunk and knocked on the door to get Lyris’ attention.
Lyris had just finished her prayer when Harrison knocked on the door. “Coming!” She called before standing up from her kneeling position. “Thank you.” she whispered to herself before walking to the door and opening it.
“I was starting to get worried. It took you a while to open the door.” Harrison teased.
“Ha ha.” Lyris laughed sarcastically. “I don't run all the time. But you needed something, Captain?”
Captain. Yes, he had taken the Captain's Quarters but it never really set in that he might be looked at by the others as the captain. The only place he's been a leader in was the classroom and people did try to look at him as one when he became a hero on Earth, but he was really just helping when people needed him. But he had to accept the fact that he was about to be a leader of a rebellion that he decided he wanted. “Yeah, Kir and I want to talk to you and Zev about something before we all rest for the night.”
Lyris looked down to see that Harrison was already comfortable and ready for bed. “Well, let's not keep your sleep waiting.” she said, following him to the meeting area.
Meanwhile, Kir had lingered behind just to take in the moment for a little longer. She looked down at her wrist, the dark stone of the bracelet standing out in such stark contrast to her pale skin. She still couldn’t quite wrap her mind around it, around him. With a sigh, she dropped her arm again and went to find Zev in the cockpit. Pausing in the open doorway, she knocked lightly on the wall just inside.
”Hey. Got a sec?” Kir asked.
”Yeah, of course. What’s up?” Zev turned away from the console to give her his full attention.
“Harrison and I are gathering everyone in the kitchen. Just wanna run some stuff by you before we all call it a night,” she explained.
“Well, the autopilot’s set, so there’s nothing keeping me here.”
The two of them made their way back into the kitchen, the only real communal communal space on the ship. Kir looked to Harrison, nodding as Zev got settled.
“Do you want to do this or do you want me?” She asked, offering to take the lead if he didn’t want it. So far, they’d done everything together, and she wasn’t going to immediately dump the leadership position solely on his shoulders.
“I'll take it.” Harrison said, stepping forward and clearing his throat. “First, we want to thank you for jumping on a stolen ship with a couple of strangers and trusting me, especially, with this armor. Second, before we met you two Kir and I decided on starting a rebellion and bringing down the Empire. Honestly, the moment I learned about what's going on out here I knew I needed to do something to stop it. I know it’s risky and probably a suicide mission from Hell, that's the Earth's final destination for bad people, but we're doing it and we're giving you the option of joining us or parting ways with us once we finish the drop. You don't have to answer now. Sleep on it if you need to.”
Harrison stepped back and almost reached for Kir's hand for comfort, but stopped himself. He was nervous, but he reminded himself that he couldn't just touch her whenever he wanted. He tried to watch the expressions on their faces to get an idea of what they were going to decide.
Lyris couldn't believe her ears. First Kir offered to liberate Serenfolia and now Harrison, the human, was saying the words she never expected to hear in her lifetime. A rebellion. The fall of the empire. The prophecy. The galaxy would know peace again. So many thoughts were running through her mind and hearts. She fell to her knees in tears of joy and gratitude. Her prayers were answered quicker than she imagined. “The Galaxy will know Peace again.” But instead of saying it Genspeak she said it in the language of the old tribe, in the language of the prophecy.
Zev was wholly unsurprised. He wasn’t expecting it to come out five minutes after they took off, but a free X’hondrian toting around a broken enforcer from Earth was just too weird. He knew they were trouble, but then again he liked trouble. He’d told Kir flat out he didn’t like easy women. Still, his self-preservation instinct was screaming to cut his losses and run. No one just decided to go toe-to-toe with the empire, and those two had barely been off Earth for five minutes. Neither of them had any idea what things were like in the empire. But, he had a growing fondness for the X’hondrian, and if she believed in the human who freed her, what was stopping him? It’s not like he had much sense of direction before. He was just trying to make ends meet and stay off the empire’s radar.
Kir stepped away from Harrison immediately, drawn not only by Lyris’ outburst, but also the sound of words in a language that should have been long dead given the empire’s quest for complete control. Either Lyris was older than she thought, or she was exactly as important as Kir thought she was. The only reason Kir herself knew it was because she’d been tracking to be a historian of cultures and languages, and one of her specialties was the origins of their two tribes. X’hondrian history was long, though, and it took decades to become an expert. She never finished her education track before the empire invaded…
Turning quickly to look at Harrison apologetically and then back to Zev as she admitted, “I may have also unilaterally decided we would start with liberating Serenfolia when Lyris and I talked. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, Harrison.”
She dropped down to her knees in front of Lyris, gently gathering her into her arms to just hold her through it. Kir had to imagine there was so much unexpressed grief pent up, and the dam had finally broken to let it all come flooding out. She just sat there on the floor with her, rocking gently.
“Well, that might be the most normal thing that has happened today,” Zev shrugged, watching Kir and Lyris. “Look, I’m just a pilot. I go where the money is and the empire isn’t. Trying to overthrow a well-established empire wasn’t exactly on my to-do list. That said… Who knows? Maybe you two are the thing that’s been missing from every other attempt. You’re either cleverer than you look, or you dumber than a drunk Nosfarian. Maybe a little of both. Either way, I’m curious.”
Harrison wasn't expecting either of their reactions, especially Lyris’. This was not the same woman he met on the station. So confident and strong, but now looking at her like this had him realizing how much she and everyone else in the galaxy were holding inside. Just the smallest glimmer of hope was enough for it all to come out. He watched as Kir went to comfort her and turned his attention to Zev. “I'm glad to have your curiosity and we don't really have the need for credits unless we're buying something for the crew so you can have what we get from the drop. I can't guarantee a rebellion would line your pockets, but back on Earth war is the most profitable business. As it grows, who knows what we'll be paid to do.” He decided not to let Zev know just how much money he and Kir had on them yet. With money being his primary motive he could easily rob them and leave them on their mission of doom.
Zev scoffed, muttering to himself, “Well, money isn’t the only thing of value in the universe.”
Friendship didn’t pay the bills, and certainly being part of the core team behind a rebellion wasn’t going to make the empire any easier to traverse, but the value of the people right there on that ship was beyond quantifiable. Any one of them alone was worth more money than he could ever hope to make in a lifetime, but together? Working and collaborating and functioning as a team, there was safety in that. Harrison and Kir had made it through the station entirely under the guise of being an enforcer and an accompanying slave with little information to accurately base their farce upon - impressive to say the least, so who knew what they might be capable of once they got their legs under them? And Lyris? A Serennian? That went without saying. Maybe he was usually in it for the money, but this little endeavour might well just prove itself worth more than all the coin in an imperial vault. A free galaxy meant he was free to do as he pleased again without constantly looking over his shoulder. And maybe he’d make it out the other side with a proper ship he could call his own, and that was worth a bit of risk. He’d sleep on it before he gave a final answer, but he was leaning toward sticking around. He could always bail if things got too hairy.
Harrison then knelt down next to Kir and Lyris. “You helped me put a smile on Kir's face today, Lyris. We'll definitely save your home first.”
Lyris lifted her head to look at both of them. She couldn't believe the blessing she received today. Just when she was ready to give up on a search many believed was foolish, they came to her. She wiped her tears with her shirt and stood up to give them her official answer. “Thank you, Harrison and Kir. I'm with you til the end.”
Kir picked herself up off the floor again, looking at Zev, “I hope you’ll stick around for more than the money.”
”Well, if you’re the one asking, how can I say no?” Zev flashed her a playful smirk. “I’ll give you a real answer in the morning. I’m gonna sleep on it, and if that little crying jag is any evidence I think we all need some shut eye.”
”Agreed,” Kir nodded. “I’m bunking up with Lyris. I left you the first officer’s quarters, Zev. Figured you’d be more comfortable with a little extra space to move around.”
”Pretty and thoughtful. You’re a keeper, KK,” Zev said as he stood and departed.
“I’m going to take that as my cue. Good night, Harrison,” Kir said. She hesitated a moment before pulling him into a hug, relaxing into it and whispering just to him, “Thank you for everything today.”
Out of all of the unexpected things to happen to him today, Kir hugging him was the most unexpected and most welcomed. It was the perfect end to a perfect day. He gained three new friends and possibly family. A hastily assembled crew of Galaxy Liberators. Harrison finally responded to her thank you with a whispered, “You're welcome and thank you for the adventure.”
Harrison pulled back from the hug and headed to the Captain's Quarters to get adjusted to his new room.
Lyris stood there as a third wheel as Kir and Harrison hugged each other. Once Harrison left she locked her arm into Kir's and gave her a smile. “You ready?”
”Yeah,” Kir nodded, returning her smile.
Lyris was glad when the conversation transitioned to the sleeping arrangement. She wasn't sure how long she could contain the emotions that were boiling to the surface. She gave Kir a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, sister.” Was all she said before disappearing from her side in a blur making a dash to the crew bunk. Once inside, she closed the door behind her and began to pray.
Kir barely had a moment to process before Lyris was gone from sight. That did at least clear up the question she’d forgotten to ask about her gift from Serenfolia. So, she was a speedster and a thief. That might just come in handy in the future, if she chose to stay on for the real rebellion beyond liberating her home planet. Though, all things considered, Kir wouldn’t have blamed her if she chose to stay on Serenfolia and help rebuild once the empire’s grip on the planet was gone.
Prophecy aside, liberating Serenfolia was a somewhat selfish endeavour. As X’hondria’s sister planet, she hoped the Serennians might be willing to provide sanctuary to any X’hondrians their rebellion managed to free. Even if they ultimately failed to overthrow the empire, freeing even a handful of X’hondrians would still be worth whatever came of their failure. It would be a chance to rebuild, and perhaps offer the kind of hope that would spark courage in those still shackled. If they knew there was somewhere safe they could go, maybe they would jump at the chance to escape just as she had. That would be enough.
“I don't think you ever could.” Harrison said instinctively to Kir's remark about not losing her touch. He turned away nervously before looking back when she asked him what was on his mind. “We can do the debrief before we all call it a night. If it even is night right now. Anyway, we still need to tell them what our plan is so they could sleep on their options. Both literally and figuratively. But that's not what I called you back here to talk about. I wanted to give you this.”
Even if they hadn’t been bonded, Kir could have felt the nervousness rolling off him in waves. Still, she sensed nothing negative from him. If anything, he seemed almost joyful under it. Or maybe that was excitement? He was quickly learning to mask his thoughts, and while she could still read his emotional state quite easily, she would have had to press harder to get any more than that. Given the open connection between them, she tried her best not to pry and invade his mental space.
Harrison reached into his pocket and pulled out the obsidian diamond bracelet that Lyris had snatched for him earlier. “I saw this and thought of you. I wanted you to have jewelry that represented your freedom and complemented how beautiful you are.”
And even with the bond, he still surprised her. It was, in a way, part of the upside of not pushing further into his mind than what was on the surface. He was genuine enough that she could trust what floated to the top without thinking too hard about what he might be masking.
Kir smiled softly, colour rising in her cheeks as she ducked her head for a moment in embarrassment. She took the bracelet gently, holding it up and turning it to see all sides of it in the light. It was beautiful, to say the least. Possibly more beautiful than anything she’d ever worn before, though perhaps that was more a fact that it came with no weight of oppression. This was a gift given with genuine affection and seemingly no expectations. In the palace, a gift was never just a gift; there was always a caveat to any favouritism.
“This is… I don’t even know what word to use,” Kir chuckled to herself at her loss for words. “Beautiful doesn’t seem to encapsulate it. Yes, it is gorgeous, but it’s…meaningful, too. There’s not a word for that in Genspeak or English. There’s a word in my mother tongue, but it doesn’t translate very well; it’s too nuanced. You know my history, and you already keep finding ways to try to undo the damage. I don’t know what our future holds, but I hope one day I get to repay that favour because it hardly feels like enough to just say ‘thank you’.”
Harrison was hit with a wave of relief. He was worried she wouldn't like it or that it might remind her of her time with the empire. But instead she loved it in ways she couldn't completely express. He wasn't sure himself if there was more to it than a gesture of friendship and freedom. He couldn't deny that he was mesmerized by her the moment their eyes met. And their connection was already something greater and more profound than he had experienced on Earth. But Kir didn't owe him anything. Not her love and certainly not a thank you. Even if she hadn't promised to help him remove this armor he would've freed her regardless. Everyone deserved to have their own free will and autonomy and he'd never take either from her.
“You don't owe me anything.” He finally said, approaching her to help her put the bracelet on. “You've already opened my eyes to a whole galaxy I wouldn't have gotten to know without you. I'm living mine and every archeologist and explorer's dream. You've already given me the gift of a lifetime.”
Kir’s heart fluttered as he wrapped the bracelet around her wrist. The care with which he handled the bracelet as he gently steadied her wrist while he clasped it. Whatever this feeling was, she wasn’t ready to name it, but she did trust him with it. He’d done nothing but treat her with kindness and respect, and had given no indication that it was disingenuous.
Holding her wrist to her chest, she looked at him affectionately, “Well then, at the very least I want to make the galaxy safely traversable for you to explore to your heart’s delight.”
No. Harrison was wrong. Her words confirmed it. He had deep romantic feelings for her. It wasn't even the X'honnar that did it. It was just who she was as a person. Their connection went deeper than their minds. The moment those words crossed her lips all he could think about was exploring the galaxy with her. But for now he'd hold those feelings within. He refused to force his own feelings onto her.
She glanced around, but the others were both busy with their own things. Lyris was, presumably, still in her room and Zev was still in the cockpit probably going over the navigation chart before he handed the guidance off to the ship’s autopilot for the night. A timekeeper on the wall in the kitchen showed it was getting late by the standard of universal time.
“We should talk to the others,” Kir suggested. “It’s late, and you and I have already had a long enough day. We both need a chance to process…well, everything. I’ll get Zev if you get Lyris.”
Harrison nodded and left the kitchen with a smile. He was walking on air, almost literally. He made his way to the crew bunk and knocked on the door to get Lyris’ attention.
Lyris had just finished her prayer when Harrison knocked on the door. “Coming!” She called before standing up from her kneeling position. “Thank you.” she whispered to herself before walking to the door and opening it.
“I was starting to get worried. It took you a while to open the door.” Harrison teased.
“Ha ha.” Lyris laughed sarcastically. “I don't run all the time. But you needed something, Captain?”
Captain. Yes, he had taken the Captain's Quarters but it never really set in that he might be looked at by the others as the captain. The only place he's been a leader in was the classroom and people did try to look at him as one when he became a hero on Earth, but he was really just helping when people needed him. But he had to accept the fact that he was about to be a leader of a rebellion that he decided he wanted. “Yeah, Kir and I want to talk to you and Zev about something before we all rest for the night.”
Lyris looked down to see that Harrison was already comfortable and ready for bed. “Well, let's not keep your sleep waiting.” she said, following him to the meeting area.
Meanwhile, Kir had lingered behind just to take in the moment for a little longer. She looked down at her wrist, the dark stone of the bracelet standing out in such stark contrast to her pale skin. She still couldn’t quite wrap her mind around it, around him. With a sigh, she dropped her arm again and went to find Zev in the cockpit. Pausing in the open doorway, she knocked lightly on the wall just inside.
”Hey. Got a sec?” Kir asked.
”Yeah, of course. What’s up?” Zev turned away from the console to give her his full attention.
“Harrison and I are gathering everyone in the kitchen. Just wanna run some stuff by you before we all call it a night,” she explained.
“Well, the autopilot’s set, so there’s nothing keeping me here.”
The two of them made their way back into the kitchen, the only real communal communal space on the ship. Kir looked to Harrison, nodding as Zev got settled.
“Do you want to do this or do you want me?” She asked, offering to take the lead if he didn’t want it. So far, they’d done everything together, and she wasn’t going to immediately dump the leadership position solely on his shoulders.
“I'll take it.” Harrison said, stepping forward and clearing his throat. “First, we want to thank you for jumping on a stolen ship with a couple of strangers and trusting me, especially, with this armor. Second, before we met you two Kir and I decided on starting a rebellion and bringing down the Empire. Honestly, the moment I learned about what's going on out here I knew I needed to do something to stop it. I know it’s risky and probably a suicide mission from Hell, that's the Earth's final destination for bad people, but we're doing it and we're giving you the option of joining us or parting ways with us once we finish the drop. You don't have to answer now. Sleep on it if you need to.”
Harrison stepped back and almost reached for Kir's hand for comfort, but stopped himself. He was nervous, but he reminded himself that he couldn't just touch her whenever he wanted. He tried to watch the expressions on their faces to get an idea of what they were going to decide.
Lyris couldn't believe her ears. First Kir offered to liberate Serenfolia and now Harrison, the human, was saying the words she never expected to hear in her lifetime. A rebellion. The fall of the empire. The prophecy. The galaxy would know peace again. So many thoughts were running through her mind and hearts. She fell to her knees in tears of joy and gratitude. Her prayers were answered quicker than she imagined. “The Galaxy will know Peace again.” But instead of saying it Genspeak she said it in the language of the old tribe, in the language of the prophecy.
Zev was wholly unsurprised. He wasn’t expecting it to come out five minutes after they took off, but a free X’hondrian toting around a broken enforcer from Earth was just too weird. He knew they were trouble, but then again he liked trouble. He’d told Kir flat out he didn’t like easy women. Still, his self-preservation instinct was screaming to cut his losses and run. No one just decided to go toe-to-toe with the empire, and those two had barely been off Earth for five minutes. Neither of them had any idea what things were like in the empire. But, he had a growing fondness for the X’hondrian, and if she believed in the human who freed her, what was stopping him? It’s not like he had much sense of direction before. He was just trying to make ends meet and stay off the empire’s radar.
Kir stepped away from Harrison immediately, drawn not only by Lyris’ outburst, but also the sound of words in a language that should have been long dead given the empire’s quest for complete control. Either Lyris was older than she thought, or she was exactly as important as Kir thought she was. The only reason Kir herself knew it was because she’d been tracking to be a historian of cultures and languages, and one of her specialties was the origins of their two tribes. X’hondrian history was long, though, and it took decades to become an expert. She never finished her education track before the empire invaded…
Turning quickly to look at Harrison apologetically and then back to Zev as she admitted, “I may have also unilaterally decided we would start with liberating Serenfolia when Lyris and I talked. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, Harrison.”
She dropped down to her knees in front of Lyris, gently gathering her into her arms to just hold her through it. Kir had to imagine there was so much unexpressed grief pent up, and the dam had finally broken to let it all come flooding out. She just sat there on the floor with her, rocking gently.
“Well, that might be the most normal thing that has happened today,” Zev shrugged, watching Kir and Lyris. “Look, I’m just a pilot. I go where the money is and the empire isn’t. Trying to overthrow a well-established empire wasn’t exactly on my to-do list. That said… Who knows? Maybe you two are the thing that’s been missing from every other attempt. You’re either cleverer than you look, or you dumber than a drunk Nosfarian. Maybe a little of both. Either way, I’m curious.”
Harrison wasn't expecting either of their reactions, especially Lyris’. This was not the same woman he met on the station. So confident and strong, but now looking at her like this had him realizing how much she and everyone else in the galaxy were holding inside. Just the smallest glimmer of hope was enough for it all to come out. He watched as Kir went to comfort her and turned his attention to Zev. “I'm glad to have your curiosity and we don't really have the need for credits unless we're buying something for the crew so you can have what we get from the drop. I can't guarantee a rebellion would line your pockets, but back on Earth war is the most profitable business. As it grows, who knows what we'll be paid to do.” He decided not to let Zev know just how much money he and Kir had on them yet. With money being his primary motive he could easily rob them and leave them on their mission of doom.
Zev scoffed, muttering to himself, “Well, money isn’t the only thing of value in the universe.”
Friendship didn’t pay the bills, and certainly being part of the core team behind a rebellion wasn’t going to make the empire any easier to traverse, but the value of the people right there on that ship was beyond quantifiable. Any one of them alone was worth more money than he could ever hope to make in a lifetime, but together? Working and collaborating and functioning as a team, there was safety in that. Harrison and Kir had made it through the station entirely under the guise of being an enforcer and an accompanying slave with little information to accurately base their farce upon - impressive to say the least, so who knew what they might be capable of once they got their legs under them? And Lyris? A Serennian? That went without saying. Maybe he was usually in it for the money, but this little endeavour might well just prove itself worth more than all the coin in an imperial vault. A free galaxy meant he was free to do as he pleased again without constantly looking over his shoulder. And maybe he’d make it out the other side with a proper ship he could call his own, and that was worth a bit of risk. He’d sleep on it before he gave a final answer, but he was leaning toward sticking around. He could always bail if things got too hairy.
Harrison then knelt down next to Kir and Lyris. “You helped me put a smile on Kir's face today, Lyris. We'll definitely save your home first.”
Lyris lifted her head to look at both of them. She couldn't believe the blessing she received today. Just when she was ready to give up on a search many believed was foolish, they came to her. She wiped her tears with her shirt and stood up to give them her official answer. “Thank you, Harrison and Kir. I'm with you til the end.”
Kir picked herself up off the floor again, looking at Zev, “I hope you’ll stick around for more than the money.”
”Well, if you’re the one asking, how can I say no?” Zev flashed her a playful smirk. “I’ll give you a real answer in the morning. I’m gonna sleep on it, and if that little crying jag is any evidence I think we all need some shut eye.”
”Agreed,” Kir nodded. “I’m bunking up with Lyris. I left you the first officer’s quarters, Zev. Figured you’d be more comfortable with a little extra space to move around.”
”Pretty and thoughtful. You’re a keeper, KK,” Zev said as he stood and departed.
“I’m going to take that as my cue. Good night, Harrison,” Kir said. She hesitated a moment before pulling him into a hug, relaxing into it and whispering just to him, “Thank you for everything today.”
Out of all of the unexpected things to happen to him today, Kir hugging him was the most unexpected and most welcomed. It was the perfect end to a perfect day. He gained three new friends and possibly family. A hastily assembled crew of Galaxy Liberators. Harrison finally responded to her thank you with a whispered, “You're welcome and thank you for the adventure.”
Harrison pulled back from the hug and headed to the Captain's Quarters to get adjusted to his new room.
Lyris stood there as a third wheel as Kir and Harrison hugged each other. Once Harrison left she locked her arm into Kir's and gave her a smile. “You ready?”
”Yeah,” Kir nodded, returning her smile.
Lyris smiled, enjoying watching Kir get flustered over her and Harrison's obvious feelings towards each other. Compared to X'hondrians and humans, Serenians didn't typically believe in the idea of soulmates. They initially all mated for life, but they also felt that everyone's souls were connected to everyone's. Not just on Serenfolia or in the galaxy, but in the entire universe. But if soulmates were real, it was very clear that those two were. She had a knack for reading people and it went beyond even their physical expressions.
Her smile turned upside down when Kir mentioned disengaging Harrison's enforcer bracelet. She understood their concern about him being controlled, she had it as well. But she knew removing it would be even worse. "I don't think you should get his hopes up. The Emperor made them that way because he didn't want them having their freedom. I get your concern, I really do, but honestly he might be better off with it out here. Humans are as rare as they are fragile. He'll need it to survive out here."
Once the ship took off Lyris felt her heart skip a beat. She had been on that station for a while, having stowed away on a cargo ship on one of her many walkabouts around the galaxy. She didn't think she'd ever get off it, but in one day she met two people she never thought she'd meet. Two people that gave her a sense of hope that she was starting to lose.
Lyris was pulled from her happy thoughts once Kir asked about Serenfolia. She dropped her head solemnly. She gathered herself before looking up again. "I haven't been home in a while. But... They're wellish. The Empire treads softly on our world. They destroy our history so they can destroy us without physically doing so, but they've failed to destroy it all. Our spirits are strong and we're still hopeful that the prophecy will come true and that the galaxy will know peace once again." Her last sentence was a bit of a test. She hoped Kir or at least her parents knew of the prophecy and that's why they gave her, her name. If she did, her journey may not have been for nought after all.
Meanwhile Harrison was changing his clothes. He thought about immediately getting into the casual clothes that Kir got him, but instead decided on getting into his loungewear. He needed to sleep once they all got situated. He wore a basic t-shirt and some woolish pajama pants. He took the rest of his clothes to the Captain's Quarters of the ship and placed them in a chair for now. He'd still have to get rid of the original Captain's clothes. He then returned to the kitchen to wait for Kir so he could give her, her surprise.
Her smile turned upside down when Kir mentioned disengaging Harrison's enforcer bracelet. She understood their concern about him being controlled, she had it as well. But she knew removing it would be even worse. "I don't think you should get his hopes up. The Emperor made them that way because he didn't want them having their freedom. I get your concern, I really do, but honestly he might be better off with it out here. Humans are as rare as they are fragile. He'll need it to survive out here."
Once the ship took off Lyris felt her heart skip a beat. She had been on that station for a while, having stowed away on a cargo ship on one of her many walkabouts around the galaxy. She didn't think she'd ever get off it, but in one day she met two people she never thought she'd meet. Two people that gave her a sense of hope that she was starting to lose.
Lyris was pulled from her happy thoughts once Kir asked about Serenfolia. She dropped her head solemnly. She gathered herself before looking up again. "I haven't been home in a while. But... They're wellish. The Empire treads softly on our world. They destroy our history so they can destroy us without physically doing so, but they've failed to destroy it all. Our spirits are strong and we're still hopeful that the prophecy will come true and that the galaxy will know peace once again." Her last sentence was a bit of a test. She hoped Kir or at least her parents knew of the prophecy and that's why they gave her, her name. If she did, her journey may not have been for nought after all.
Meanwhile Harrison was changing his clothes. He thought about immediately getting into the casual clothes that Kir got him, but instead decided on getting into his loungewear. He needed to sleep once they all got situated. He wore a basic t-shirt and some woolish pajama pants. He took the rest of his clothes to the Captain's Quarters of the ship and placed them in a chair for now. He'd still have to get rid of the original Captain's clothes. He then returned to the kitchen to wait for Kir so he could give her, her surprise.
"Tell me about it, Zev. This is the craziest day of my life and I've had a lot of crazy days." His new friend was right. This was not what he was expecting when he woke up this morning back on Earth. But in a strange way, it just felt right. That they were all meant to meet today. It seemed like the galaxy, no the universe was bringing them together for a reason. But with things starting off so sweet and smooth now how long would that last? Will the story of this motley crew of thieves and explorers end in tragedy or joy? He hoped for the latter, but decided not to give into the fear the thoughts tried to form.
Harrison's attention was drawn to Kir when Zev stepped out of the way and walked to the cockpit. He immediately noticed her new outfit. The clothes fit her and who she was. He found himself staring for a bit. "Wow. You look beautiful, Kir. I'm glad you were able to find clothes that you like. And thank you. I'll go look and change. Can you join me when you're done? I have something I want to give you." He said before heading to the kitchen to look at the clothes she got him.
Lyris eyed the two after their exchange. Oh, they had it bad for each other. It was honestly so cute. Lyris returned the greeting to Kir, circling her two hearts and offering them to her new X'hondrian sister. "And my heart to yours, my sister. Daughter of Hope. I'm Lyris... Just Lyris." She decided not to give her, her full name. If she did there was no way she wouldn't have known who or what she was. Her name in itself was already a dead giveaway if she knew much of the Serenian culture, but if she did she hoped that she took the hint and wouldn't press the issue. She was more interested in her name than anything. Her mind was racing with the implications. Could the prophecy of their two people be coming true? "We have a lot to talk about. First being, how'd you snag yourself a human hottie?"
Harrison's attention was drawn to Kir when Zev stepped out of the way and walked to the cockpit. He immediately noticed her new outfit. The clothes fit her and who she was. He found himself staring for a bit. "Wow. You look beautiful, Kir. I'm glad you were able to find clothes that you like. And thank you. I'll go look and change. Can you join me when you're done? I have something I want to give you." He said before heading to the kitchen to look at the clothes she got him.
Lyris eyed the two after their exchange. Oh, they had it bad for each other. It was honestly so cute. Lyris returned the greeting to Kir, circling her two hearts and offering them to her new X'hondrian sister. "And my heart to yours, my sister. Daughter of Hope. I'm Lyris... Just Lyris." She decided not to give her, her full name. If she did there was no way she wouldn't have known who or what she was. Her name in itself was already a dead giveaway if she knew much of the Serenian culture, but if she did she hoped that she took the hint and wouldn't press the issue. She was more interested in her name than anything. Her mind was racing with the implications. Could the prophecy of their two people be coming true? "We have a lot to talk about. First being, how'd you snag yourself a human hottie?"
Harrison told Lyris where they were going and she took them on a route she personally knew would be free of prying eyes and ears. There's so much she wanted to know and hear. I mean, she was walking with a human! From Earth! Just this morning they weren't even real to her. Now here she was walking with one that was an enforcer free from the Empire's control. If the Elders of Serenfolia knew about this they would freak! Now that she thought about it, they needed to get out of here as soon as possible. If anyone were to find out that he exists the Empire would stop at nothing to capture him. She had no intentions of returning home before, but she definitely couldn't now. There was too much of an imperial presence on her world. It's where their soldiers and enforcers went to vacation. The empire's brainwashing methods were strange. It was like the enforcer armor became the hosts themselves. They retained their personalities and desires but they were twisted and corrupted tools of the empires. The emperor said move, you move. Kill, you kill. She couldn't let them do that to Harrison. He trusted her immediately despite her being a thief. Heck, when she gave him the bracelet back he offered her 5,000 credits just for the trouble of getting it. Someone like this was too pure for the galaxy. She really couldn't believe he was human.
"Okay, tell me about Earth, because you are not what we picture. I mean, physically, yes. You're a handsome, but odd freak of nature."
"Thank you?" Harrison answered confusedly. "I guess humans and Earth itself isn't a monolith. Even our cities and towns are different from each other. But it's a world separated by water and invisible borders. We don't get along as much as we should. Especially if someone's different from us."
"Different? You're all humans, aren't you? All from Earth?" Lyris asked. She didn't understand it. Even the different tribes on Serenfolia were connected. They all came from the same ancestors and were all connected to the nature of their planet. They held regular tribunals and celebrations together. Though much of it has been tainted since the empire turned their planet into a tourist destination and propaganda machine for the empire. But Earth didn't seem to be big enough to be divided like the galaxy was. Was water all it took for people to not see each other as people?
"Yes, we're all humans. But we all have different skin complexions and physical characteristics. On top of those divisions we have different countries that can't agree on rules or a way of life to follow. Then there's a group of humans who are born with the ability to use extraordinary powers, like your speed. There's been some progress in the fight for their acceptance. Is everyone on Serenfolia as fast as you or do you also have a rare gift?"
"Harrison of Earth, do not take this the wrong way. You humans are stupid. Skin complexions and physical characteristics? Your species sounds vain and ignorant as a whole but I prefer to believe there's more like you there. Someone who'd free a woman he just met and doesn't seem to freak out about any of the people he's come across since he's been in space. But to answer your question, no and yes? Yes and no? Every Serenian has a special gift bestowed upon them by the spirits of nature. Your gift fits you. That's why it's unique to each person. It's possible, but rare for more than one to have the same gift in a generation. I'm guessing you didn't have powers before you got your enforcer armor. It's still crazy to think it'd be used to protect anything. How did people react to an armored man flying through the sky?"
Harrison was amazed to hear about Serenians and their abilities. They reminded him a lot of the enhanced humans back home. Especially with their powers fitting who they are. Maybe the universe was more connected than they thought. "No offense taken, you're right. And thank you. They surprisingly took it pretty well. We have these things called comics on Earth. They're picture stories about superheroes fighting for truth and justice."
"And the moment you got your armor that's the first thing you did? Became one of those superheroes who fought for truth and justice? If you're not careful I might fall for you." Lyris said with a wink, but she honestly meant it. Love was the very last thing on her mind, but she might have just found someone to believe in.
"Justice? Yeah. Truth was a lot harder than the stories made it look. But I tried." Harrison said looking down.
Lyris placed her fingers underneath his chin to lift his head and kissed him on the cheek of his helmet. "You can finish if you ever go back."
Harrison blushed underneath his helmet and walked up the ramp of their new ship to see a hulking, yet lean, one-eyed figure standing before him. If it wasn't for Kir's voice reassuring him that he was at the right ship he would've freaked. He powered down his armor revealing the human and his Earth clothes underneath. "So we both seemed to pick up something not on the shopping list. Nice to meet you. I'm Harrison from Earth."
"Okay, tell me about Earth, because you are not what we picture. I mean, physically, yes. You're a handsome, but odd freak of nature."
"Thank you?" Harrison answered confusedly. "I guess humans and Earth itself isn't a monolith. Even our cities and towns are different from each other. But it's a world separated by water and invisible borders. We don't get along as much as we should. Especially if someone's different from us."
"Different? You're all humans, aren't you? All from Earth?" Lyris asked. She didn't understand it. Even the different tribes on Serenfolia were connected. They all came from the same ancestors and were all connected to the nature of their planet. They held regular tribunals and celebrations together. Though much of it has been tainted since the empire turned their planet into a tourist destination and propaganda machine for the empire. But Earth didn't seem to be big enough to be divided like the galaxy was. Was water all it took for people to not see each other as people?
"Yes, we're all humans. But we all have different skin complexions and physical characteristics. On top of those divisions we have different countries that can't agree on rules or a way of life to follow. Then there's a group of humans who are born with the ability to use extraordinary powers, like your speed. There's been some progress in the fight for their acceptance. Is everyone on Serenfolia as fast as you or do you also have a rare gift?"
"Harrison of Earth, do not take this the wrong way. You humans are stupid. Skin complexions and physical characteristics? Your species sounds vain and ignorant as a whole but I prefer to believe there's more like you there. Someone who'd free a woman he just met and doesn't seem to freak out about any of the people he's come across since he's been in space. But to answer your question, no and yes? Yes and no? Every Serenian has a special gift bestowed upon them by the spirits of nature. Your gift fits you. That's why it's unique to each person. It's possible, but rare for more than one to have the same gift in a generation. I'm guessing you didn't have powers before you got your enforcer armor. It's still crazy to think it'd be used to protect anything. How did people react to an armored man flying through the sky?"
Harrison was amazed to hear about Serenians and their abilities. They reminded him a lot of the enhanced humans back home. Especially with their powers fitting who they are. Maybe the universe was more connected than they thought. "No offense taken, you're right. And thank you. They surprisingly took it pretty well. We have these things called comics on Earth. They're picture stories about superheroes fighting for truth and justice."
"And the moment you got your armor that's the first thing you did? Became one of those superheroes who fought for truth and justice? If you're not careful I might fall for you." Lyris said with a wink, but she honestly meant it. Love was the very last thing on her mind, but she might have just found someone to believe in.
"Justice? Yeah. Truth was a lot harder than the stories made it look. But I tried." Harrison said looking down.
Lyris placed her fingers underneath his chin to lift his head and kissed him on the cheek of his helmet. "You can finish if you ever go back."
Harrison blushed underneath his helmet and walked up the ramp of their new ship to see a hulking, yet lean, one-eyed figure standing before him. If it wasn't for Kir's voice reassuring him that he was at the right ship he would've freaked. He powered down his armor revealing the human and his Earth clothes underneath. "So we both seemed to pick up something not on the shopping list. Nice to meet you. I'm Harrison from Earth."
@mattmanganon You can acquire the other two in Kingdom Hearts II and DDD(or 3 since Dotty isn't a keyblade wielder). Zen-Aku's technically a summon himself and a powerful one at that so I think having the Zords be acquired like that will be okay.
If it wasn't for the translation function of his armor Harrison would not have been able to find his way around this labyrinth of a place. He thought the Mall of America or Singapore Chang Airport were complicated. This place was on a totally different level. He was glad that he ended up giving Kir the full ten thousand that they got from the scrapper or else he would've spent quite some time impulse buying and probably blowing his cover. He remained focused on his way to Dello's.
He knew immediately that he found his man when he saw the flamboyant merchant trying to draw people's attention to his wares. Harrison approached the storefront and stood in front of Dello silently. He was right. He was aware that he'd be coming this way. The scrapper was at least good for something.
Dello eyed Harrison curiously. "You can't be the enforcer I was warned of. I don't see your X'hondrian pet."
Harrison grunted. "I don't need her here to help me with someone who should know better than to short me. But you know she exists and that's all that matters for this." Harrison pulled out Kir's slave bands. He couldn't wait to get these things out of his possession. He dropped them on the counter in front for Dello to inspect while he inspected the arrayed artefacts and antiquities. "As you're aware, she was an imperial slave, but I have no need for such constraints. But I expect to not be cheated." Two treasures in particular caught his eye. One was a dagger. It reminded him of one of the ancient weapons he found in one of the tombs he excavated. He wanted it and almost wished he didn't give Kir all of the money. But he wanted what he saw beneath it even more. A black obsidian bracelet with diamonds placed strategically around it to resemble the asteroids that bedazzled the galaxy. Kir would love it. With jewelry being tainted for her this was perfect.
Dello finished inspecting every single centimeter of his soon to be new and shiny toy. It was in such wonderful shape. Perhaps the story of its origins were true, though he had no way of truly verifying it. He decided to take the enforcer's word for it. He looked up and noticed Harrison's wandering eyes and looked at the knife. "Ah. A beautiful weapon, isn't it?"
Harrison was surprised, but refused to show it. "Yes. Amazing craftmanship. Excellent blade and seems strong enough to not be destroyed by my armor." He turned his head back to Dello to see him smiling coyly. He didn't trust him, but he didn't need to. He just needed to get through this exchange. He turned his attention back to the knife and noticed that the bracelet beneath it was gone. He scanned the area to see if he could see anything or anyone to explain how it disappeared, but everyone seemed to be acting inconspicuously.
"A good eye, my friend. Well, I have a deal for you. I'll give you 25,000 and I'll toss in the dagger. When people see an enforcer wielding one of my blades it'll drum up good business." Dello said reaching for the dagger and the sheath that came with it. He then went under his counter to collect some imperial credits from his safe. They were sorted enough to where he was just able to reach in and grab the amount he needed. He handed everything to Harrison and Harrison placed the credits in his utility belt and the dagger attached itself to the hip of his armor like a magnet.
Harrison stood in front of a Station Directory to find the different hangars. He didn't know which one he was supposed to meet Kir in yet, but he might as well know how to get to each of them. He committed each route to memory and turned to walk to one, but was immediately hit in his torso by someone's body. He looked down to see a blue-skinned girl with furry-elf like ears. Her hair was white and her eyes seemed to stare into his soul. He reminded her a bit of Kir.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Enforcer, sir!" She said with a tone as innocent as her appearance. But she was anything, but.
Harrison grabbed her hand as it pulled out some of the imperial credits he just acquired. "Not so fast." He said, intending the pun. He didn't see her move for his belt. He just knew she was. He could tell she was a thief and he was her mark. He was actually setting her up for this very moment. He knew someone used super speed to steal the bracelet and figured that if he gave them the chance they'd try to steal from him, too. He was right. He brought her into an alley so they could talk without any prying eyes.
"Please don't hurt me, I'll scream!" The yellow-eyed girl said using them to try and gain sympathy.
"And? No one here will stop an enforcer from disciplining a thief." Harrison said still trying to maintain cover. He didn't actually plan on doing anything with her besides getting the bracelet she stole.
"You're not an enforcer." She said, giving up all pretenses and showing her true colors.
Harrison stepped back, but still held onto her hand. "How'd you know?" He asked, genuinely curious. If someone could figure out he wasn't who he said he was his first day out into the galaxy then their mission of rebellion was screwed.
"You don't walk like one and you try too hard when you talk like one. Plus, any enforcer with a X'hondrian would know what a Serennian is. The other most coveted species in the galaxy. Yours truly is one."
"Okay, you got me. I'm not an enforcer. I'm a human from Earth. I used this armor to become a superhero until I found out my government held Kir, my new X'hondrian friend, prisoner."
The Serennian girl held her hands to her mouth to contain her laughter. For one this guy expected her to believe that he was a human and that someone would use the enforcer's armor for good. She looked at him over her hands and none of his body language gave that he was lying or joking. No. He was serious. "Let me see your face."
Harrison was hesitant. "Why should I? You're a thief and I don't even know your name."
"From my point of view you're probably a plunderer who stole that suit and slave bands. But fine. I'm Lyris of Serenfolia."
Harrison willed for the helmet of his armor to open and peel back to reveal his face and hair. "I'm Harrison of Earth. But they called me Aegis, the world's shield. A pleasure to meet you."
Lyris couldn't believe it. A real deal human. She thought they were just rumors, myths, nightmarish stories that you told kids. But here was one and not only was he really handsome, but apparently he was some kind of hero and shield for his world. And wait. If he was actually a human and was being honest about his X'hondrian friend, then there was a free X'hondrian roaming the galaxy. Could it really be happening? No. She shouldn't get her hopes up. "Okay. I still don't truly believe you. If your X'hondrian is really your friend then why were you eyeing this?" Lyris asked pulling out the diamond obsidian bracelet with her free hand.
"I knew you took it. That's why I set my trap." Harrison said feeling confident.
"Actually, you fell for mine. I saw you wanted it and I was curious as to why." Lyris said with a smile. "But now I do. You like her, don't you?"
Harrison lowered his gaze and looked the other way. "No, I mean, she's pretty. I mean, she hasn't had anything nice in a long time and I thought she'd like to."
"Okay. It's official, I have to meet her. Where's your ship?" Lyris asked ready to join them.
"She's stealing one for us now. Hold on. That's her now. It looks like she found us one and a friend." Harrison said, finally letting go of her hand. He activated his helmet and projected a response to Ikir. "Yeah. And you're not the only one who picked up a friend. We'll meet you there. What do you know about Serenfolia?"
He knew immediately that he found his man when he saw the flamboyant merchant trying to draw people's attention to his wares. Harrison approached the storefront and stood in front of Dello silently. He was right. He was aware that he'd be coming this way. The scrapper was at least good for something.
Dello eyed Harrison curiously. "You can't be the enforcer I was warned of. I don't see your X'hondrian pet."
Harrison grunted. "I don't need her here to help me with someone who should know better than to short me. But you know she exists and that's all that matters for this." Harrison pulled out Kir's slave bands. He couldn't wait to get these things out of his possession. He dropped them on the counter in front for Dello to inspect while he inspected the arrayed artefacts and antiquities. "As you're aware, she was an imperial slave, but I have no need for such constraints. But I expect to not be cheated." Two treasures in particular caught his eye. One was a dagger. It reminded him of one of the ancient weapons he found in one of the tombs he excavated. He wanted it and almost wished he didn't give Kir all of the money. But he wanted what he saw beneath it even more. A black obsidian bracelet with diamonds placed strategically around it to resemble the asteroids that bedazzled the galaxy. Kir would love it. With jewelry being tainted for her this was perfect.
Dello finished inspecting every single centimeter of his soon to be new and shiny toy. It was in such wonderful shape. Perhaps the story of its origins were true, though he had no way of truly verifying it. He decided to take the enforcer's word for it. He looked up and noticed Harrison's wandering eyes and looked at the knife. "Ah. A beautiful weapon, isn't it?"
Harrison was surprised, but refused to show it. "Yes. Amazing craftmanship. Excellent blade and seems strong enough to not be destroyed by my armor." He turned his head back to Dello to see him smiling coyly. He didn't trust him, but he didn't need to. He just needed to get through this exchange. He turned his attention back to the knife and noticed that the bracelet beneath it was gone. He scanned the area to see if he could see anything or anyone to explain how it disappeared, but everyone seemed to be acting inconspicuously.
"A good eye, my friend. Well, I have a deal for you. I'll give you 25,000 and I'll toss in the dagger. When people see an enforcer wielding one of my blades it'll drum up good business." Dello said reaching for the dagger and the sheath that came with it. He then went under his counter to collect some imperial credits from his safe. They were sorted enough to where he was just able to reach in and grab the amount he needed. He handed everything to Harrison and Harrison placed the credits in his utility belt and the dagger attached itself to the hip of his armor like a magnet.
Harrison stood in front of a Station Directory to find the different hangars. He didn't know which one he was supposed to meet Kir in yet, but he might as well know how to get to each of them. He committed each route to memory and turned to walk to one, but was immediately hit in his torso by someone's body. He looked down to see a blue-skinned girl with furry-elf like ears. Her hair was white and her eyes seemed to stare into his soul. He reminded her a bit of Kir.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Enforcer, sir!" She said with a tone as innocent as her appearance. But she was anything, but.
Harrison grabbed her hand as it pulled out some of the imperial credits he just acquired. "Not so fast." He said, intending the pun. He didn't see her move for his belt. He just knew she was. He could tell she was a thief and he was her mark. He was actually setting her up for this very moment. He knew someone used super speed to steal the bracelet and figured that if he gave them the chance they'd try to steal from him, too. He was right. He brought her into an alley so they could talk without any prying eyes.
"Please don't hurt me, I'll scream!" The yellow-eyed girl said using them to try and gain sympathy.
"And? No one here will stop an enforcer from disciplining a thief." Harrison said still trying to maintain cover. He didn't actually plan on doing anything with her besides getting the bracelet she stole.
"You're not an enforcer." She said, giving up all pretenses and showing her true colors.
Harrison stepped back, but still held onto her hand. "How'd you know?" He asked, genuinely curious. If someone could figure out he wasn't who he said he was his first day out into the galaxy then their mission of rebellion was screwed.
"You don't walk like one and you try too hard when you talk like one. Plus, any enforcer with a X'hondrian would know what a Serennian is. The other most coveted species in the galaxy. Yours truly is one."
"Okay, you got me. I'm not an enforcer. I'm a human from Earth. I used this armor to become a superhero until I found out my government held Kir, my new X'hondrian friend, prisoner."
The Serennian girl held her hands to her mouth to contain her laughter. For one this guy expected her to believe that he was a human and that someone would use the enforcer's armor for good. She looked at him over her hands and none of his body language gave that he was lying or joking. No. He was serious. "Let me see your face."
Harrison was hesitant. "Why should I? You're a thief and I don't even know your name."
"From my point of view you're probably a plunderer who stole that suit and slave bands. But fine. I'm Lyris of Serenfolia."
Harrison willed for the helmet of his armor to open and peel back to reveal his face and hair. "I'm Harrison of Earth. But they called me Aegis, the world's shield. A pleasure to meet you."
Lyris couldn't believe it. A real deal human. She thought they were just rumors, myths, nightmarish stories that you told kids. But here was one and not only was he really handsome, but apparently he was some kind of hero and shield for his world. And wait. If he was actually a human and was being honest about his X'hondrian friend, then there was a free X'hondrian roaming the galaxy. Could it really be happening? No. She shouldn't get her hopes up. "Okay. I still don't truly believe you. If your X'hondrian is really your friend then why were you eyeing this?" Lyris asked pulling out the diamond obsidian bracelet with her free hand.
"I knew you took it. That's why I set my trap." Harrison said feeling confident.
"Actually, you fell for mine. I saw you wanted it and I was curious as to why." Lyris said with a smile. "But now I do. You like her, don't you?"
Harrison lowered his gaze and looked the other way. "No, I mean, she's pretty. I mean, she hasn't had anything nice in a long time and I thought she'd like to."
"Okay. It's official, I have to meet her. Where's your ship?" Lyris asked ready to join them.
"She's stealing one for us now. Hold on. That's her now. It looks like she found us one and a friend." Harrison said, finally letting go of her hand. He activated his helmet and projected a response to Ikir. "Yeah. And you're not the only one who picked up a friend. We'll meet you there. What do you know about Serenfolia?"
@mattmanganon At the moment I'm only comfortable with allowing them to recover one of the Dark Wildzords because a dark Metazord is just too OP, especially for a character as young as Dotty to be able to summon. To continue with the character's theme would you just be okay with the Wolf Wildzord?
Harrison was disappointed in himself for letting his guard down once the scrapper gave him the information he needed. It turned out he was a bit more rusty than he thought. It was the oldest trick in the book. Gain your mark's trust before you rip them off. Unfortunately for them an enforcer wouldn't let the slight go so easily unanswered. He remained quiet while Kir spoke on his behalf. He stood tall and with body language that expressed he was displeased with their host. He took the imperial credits once the exchange was over and placed them in the utility belt that his armor strangely provided. So much space and practicality with this thing.
He pretended to walk out with Kir, but he closed the door behind her before turning back to the slimy scrapper. He didn't need Kir's telepathy to feel the fear and nervousness seeping from the bug's pores. He could honestly smell it. Still, he approached him. The insect scuttered back and stuttered trying to say something. Harrison cut him off. "You had me believing I could trust you. Then you tried to cheat me, with my X'hondrian right next to me, no less. You insulted me. You insulted the empire and I know you're not a fool."
Harrison made his way around the counter and lifted the bug up by his collar. He instinctively cut off his thoughts to Kir at this point. "I didn't want her to see this. You see, she went through a lot. They all do, but the ones in the palace? Well, I'll leave it to your imagination. I don't have the time to waste tending to a flare up or being cheated by someone who I know knows better. I'll chalk it up to being part of the fabric of your DNA. You can't help but cheat people and someone who can't help but cheat people likely has a few bounties or enemies."
Harrison gave the scrapper time to think about what he was saying as he reached back with his free arm to smash open the drawer that held the imperial credits and took about two thousand more. "It'd be unfortunate if your face was plastered across the empire for them to find you. Consider it a gesture of good faith." He said with a smile behind his armored face, but conveyed it with his tone. He dropped the scrapper on the floor and walked out of the door to rejoin Kir.
"Sorry, I took so long." He thought to her. "Thank you for the help back there. I convinced him to give us ten in total. I'll be able to handle Dello's. If they're close he'll probably warn him not to mess with me. You should buy a cloak to wear around the station to not draw attention to yourself and some clothes for the ship. You deserve to dress as pretty as you are." He didn't mean to think the last part out loud, but it was true. He was glad she couldn't see how goofy he looked under his armor. He took this as the opportunity for them to go their separate ways. He had to go to deck sixteen.
He pretended to walk out with Kir, but he closed the door behind her before turning back to the slimy scrapper. He didn't need Kir's telepathy to feel the fear and nervousness seeping from the bug's pores. He could honestly smell it. Still, he approached him. The insect scuttered back and stuttered trying to say something. Harrison cut him off. "You had me believing I could trust you. Then you tried to cheat me, with my X'hondrian right next to me, no less. You insulted me. You insulted the empire and I know you're not a fool."
Harrison made his way around the counter and lifted the bug up by his collar. He instinctively cut off his thoughts to Kir at this point. "I didn't want her to see this. You see, she went through a lot. They all do, but the ones in the palace? Well, I'll leave it to your imagination. I don't have the time to waste tending to a flare up or being cheated by someone who I know knows better. I'll chalk it up to being part of the fabric of your DNA. You can't help but cheat people and someone who can't help but cheat people likely has a few bounties or enemies."
Harrison gave the scrapper time to think about what he was saying as he reached back with his free arm to smash open the drawer that held the imperial credits and took about two thousand more. "It'd be unfortunate if your face was plastered across the empire for them to find you. Consider it a gesture of good faith." He said with a smile behind his armored face, but conveyed it with his tone. He dropped the scrapper on the floor and walked out of the door to rejoin Kir.
"Sorry, I took so long." He thought to her. "Thank you for the help back there. I convinced him to give us ten in total. I'll be able to handle Dello's. If they're close he'll probably warn him not to mess with me. You should buy a cloak to wear around the station to not draw attention to yourself and some clothes for the ship. You deserve to dress as pretty as you are." He didn't mean to think the last part out loud, but it was true. He was glad she couldn't see how goofy he looked under his armor. He took this as the opportunity for them to go their separate ways. He had to go to deck sixteen.
© 2007-2026