Chapter 8: Chapter 7 – Suit of Ares

Back on the Dawn, they could feel the ship shaking once in a while, when a smaller vessel docked to its belly and automatons rolled out on their magnetized tracks. They were like ants, small yet strong, multi-armed drones, emptying out the scraps from the Dawn’s belly that Miyon had sold on the Flash Market. For the more valuable cargo, people would arrive, coming directly to the Dawn, meeting with its captain and finalizing the transaction. Yet at that moment Miyon had no mind to pay attention to any of that or get ready for their arrival. 

 

“You want to tour our sectors?” put Miyon his hands on the round table that they were sitting at, in the kitchen area of the ship. The force of his palms shook the metal table even as it was bolted to the floor, spilling out a little bit of coffee from the cups before them.

 

“Yes.” nodded Omega, sitting there calmly and looking into his eyes with a sincere gaze. “I need to see the world. Worlds. The doctor was right, if I want to remember who I am, I have to unlock those memories. I would do it… in another way, but I can’t. I’m sorry.” shook his head. 

 

“Why is that a problem, Pa?” took Omega’s side Sylen immediately, feeling sorry for him. “If we want to venture out, we would need to go through Saphir anyway! Why not show him around?”

 

“Is there an Astropath, leading outwards from Saphir?” asked Omega, turning towards her but she just shook her head.

 

“No, it is a sealed system, the Astropaths from there lead to different subsystems! All of those are under our control of course, they are like extensions of Saphir! The mines, the shipyards, the research stations,” explained quickly, counting on her fingers “they are the engines of our empire! We are going to travel through them anyway as only from those places can we travel to the outside world!”

 

“I see.” leaned back on his chair Omega.

 

“...” for now, Miyon did not cut in again, but his face was telling. He was not happy.

 

“Give up, Pa!” looked into his eyes Sylen “He has free passage anyway! If we won’t take him with us, he can still go by himself!”

 

“I am willing to be monitored, or wear some device that can track my location.” added Omega, trying to show his sincerity. 

 

“No way!” protested Sylen immediately, shooting his suggestion down. “We won’t do something like that! That would be awful!” 

 

“I don’t like this.” opened his mouth Miyon after a long silence. “Not. One. Bit.”

 

“I know you don’t trust me-” sighed Omega but Miyon leaned forward, continuing. 

 

“It is not about trust!” raised his voice “I just feel like you are going to pull us into trouble! My instincts tell me, if we stick to you, we are going to be put into danger! I don’t want to put Sylen into danger, do you understand me?”

 

“I can promise you, if that ever happens, I am going to protect her.” leaned forward Omega too, while answering.

 

“We put ourselves into danger every time we venture out, Pa!” rolled her eyes Sylen “When was the Galaxy ever a safe space?”

 

“If something happens, can you really… protect her?” asked Miyon, not blinking, watching his eyes constantly. 

 

“I will utilize my full powers to do so.” nodded Omega.

 

“I still don’t like it!” leaned back with a heavy sigh, raising his cup, drinking it in one go. “After the cargo holds of the Dawn are emptied out and our supplies are refilled, we are going to move on! We are going to go by Saphir but we won’t stop nor would we dock into its spaceport!”

 

“Pa!” protested Sylen but Omega just nodded with a smile.

 

“That is fine, there will be time in the future to do that.” said gently, not insisting on anything. “You are the captain of this ship, I am just a passenger, I will do as you say.”

 

“At least you are cooperative.” rubbed his eyes, finally blinking them, groaning with a tired voice, licking off the residue of coffee from his lips. “We are going to travel to Ushitar, it's the main shipyard of the Neo-Hegemony.” continued and even Sylen fell silent, listening to her grandfather. “The old girl is in need of a general overhaul. I also want them to take a look at the core systems, who knows what happened to them after your ‘little’ stunt!” shook his head, while Omega just nodded at his words. “While we are there, I am going to commission them to alter one of the empty rooms to act as yours in the future! You can make a list of what you want in it, but do it before we reach Ushitar!”

 

“Pa! Thank you!” smiled Sylen, happy that her grandfather finally caved in, wagging her tail happily behind herself like a metronome. 

 

“Then I will register myself as the third crew member of the Dawn.” spoke up Omega, making Miyon flinch but in the end he just grumbled something under his beard but didn’t refuse the notion.

 

“When the Dawn is fixed up, we are going to travel outside once again!” finished speaking Miyon.

 

“Scavenging?” asked Omega as he was familiar with their profession by now.

 

“Of course!” scoffed Miyon “Do you think money grows by itself in the belly of my ship? Adding you to the crew, a general overhaul of the ship, all this costs money! The profit from this trip is already gone by the time we leave the borders!”

 

“It is an investment Pa, aren’t you always told me that?” countered Sylen, once again taking Omega’s side when her grandfather was raising his voice.

 

“You only scavenge derelict ships?” asked Omega suddenly.

 

“Hm?” raised his eyebrows Miyon as Sylen quickly started to explain.

 

“No! We scavenge everything!” pressed her fingers out, showing a V sign. “Ships, stations, lost colonies, debree, we once even found an asteroid that was rich in minerals! Towed it to a place where nobody could find it easily! After that we sold its location to the highest bidder!” 

 

“Oh, I see!” clapped Omega, getting a better picture in his head about the ins and outs of their scavenger runs. “Then I can do some work myself, earning my place as your new crew member!” stood up, fixing his jacket. 

 

“What are you planning to do?” watched him Miyon with a cautious gaze. 

 

“Gather information!” replied with a clap and a determined gaze “While we are docked here and finishing the exchange of cargo and supplies, I am going to go out and gather clues as to where we could find something valuable!” said with a smile Omega.

 

“I’m coming with you!” stood up Sylen too, already excited. “I am the best when it comes to that!”

 

“Just try to not cause trouble!” shook his head Miyon “Sylen, this is also true for you!” 

 

“Worry not Pa, I’ll keep an eye on the rookie!” giggled, slapping the back of Omega multiple times “I’ll show you the ropes, how it is done!” pointed her thumb at him.

 

“Please, I would appreciate that!” nodded back with a kind smile.

 

“Nyahaha! Let us go then!” stormed out, almost hovering above the ground with how quickly her dog-like tail was wagging behind her. 

 

“Remember what you said!” raised his voice Miyon, when Omega was almost out of the room.

 

“Worry not, she won’t be harmed as long as I am with her!” waved his hand Omega, following the energetic Sylen to the station. 

 

…

….

…..

 

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Sylen was familiar with the layout of the station, it was not her first time touring it without her grandfather. 

 

“This is the Free Market!” said proudly as they were stepping out from the lift, walking towards the metal railing, looking down at a giant space, where thousands of little stalls were erected. Behind them a variety of people were standing, displaying their products, findings, offers, ready to trade with anyone interested. It was reminiscent of old, human bazaars from the embellished tales of antiquity. 

 

“I assume this is different from the Flash Market?” asked Omega, leaning forward, running his eyes through the anthill-like scenery below them. He couldn’t see guards down there at all, only up on the walkways, patrolling with their hands behind their backs. “No wonder…” thought to himself as descending down a level would make it impossible to spot anyone specific or react to trouble in time. Stepping into the sea of stalls would be like traveling to a completely different world.

 

“Of course!” laughed Sylen “It's called ‘Free’ because there are no rules!”

 

“No laws are enforced down there?” asked Omega, surprised at the notion.

 

“No, no! I said no rules! Not laws!” chuckled, leading him down one of the many stairways “Laws are laws,you still can’t steal, kill and the like… but here… the rules of trading do not apply! There is no guarantee if you buy something it won’t turn out to be nothing but scrap! If you are not sharp enough, you are going to be easily scammed out of your money!” 

 

“Oh. That still sounds lawless.” followed her closely. 

 

“Ahaha, maybe~ But those who come here, know the risks! There are many, unknown trinkets and objects up for sale here!” raised her voice as it was hard to hear each other with the sea of people constantly talking, barking, chirping or slurping around them “Also, not everyone wants money for their stuff! Some want to barter for something else! Or exchange information!”

 

“That is why we are here? To find some info for Miyon? Where to go next?” caught on quickly Omega.

 

“Yep! Hehe, you are not a hopeless rookie it seems! That is good!” turned towards him, winking at him playfully. “But for now just watch and learn! Let me do the talking, okay?”

 

“Sure.” nodded, seeing it as only logical as she was truly more experienced with something like this, than he was. 

 

Wandering around the stalls he saw many interesting things on display. Old, still functioning tablet-like devices, antique vases or boxes, decorative pieces for bedrooms or for one’s cockpit, to bring some color to the metallic boxes most of the ships were by design. Some didn’t sell anything physical, only intel, rumors or supposedly access codes to some forgotten station who knows where. Sylen stopped at some of those stalls, inquiring calmly, easily pulling out some crumbs of information from the sellers, without them ever realizing. Omega just looked on curiously, studying her from the side, surprised with how glib her tongue could be. When she met with someone who was much more focused, his lips sealed, she even managed to use her body, seductively posing, flirting a little to get what she wanted, before leaving them stumped, backing out of the deal instantly. 

 

“Haah! Nothing so far! Most of those were clearly just bulshitting!” complained, twirling her red hair around her fingers. 

 

“Are you sure?” asked Omega, curious and also impressed by her. 

 

“Yeah, my hearing is great, my nose is sharp! I can tell if they are lying!” stuck her tongue out, turning towards him “Well, whatever! There are a lot of people here, we ought to find something! So far I never went back empty handed!” laughed, grabbing his hand to pull him forward with a renewed zeal in her eyes.

 

She was scanning the stalls, eyes sharp and focused, trying to catch a glimpse at anything that may also hide clues to something worthwhile to explore. Sylen just turned towards the left when she was yanked so hard, she almost fell backwards.

 

“Kyah?!” screamed out, stumbling, barely finding her balance, with one leg held high up in the air. “What?!” snapped backwards but it was her who was still holding onto Omega’s arm… and he was standing in place. Trying again, pulling on him, he was like an immovable object, no matter how hard she pulled, only the fabric on his arms moved, his arm and body remained fixed in place. “Damn, you are strong!” whispered, gulping, looking up at his face “Omega?” asked, tilting her head as she did not see him act like this yet. His eyes were fixated on one thing, looking forward, without blinking, not even his chest moved, as if he was not breathing at all, just frozen in place. 

 

“...” he did not react to her words, looking at the shabby, rusty, metal stall before him. On it were a few trinkets, some worthless doodads and pretty scratched up data disks. 

 

“What is it?” walked next to him, aligning herself with Omega’s body, trying to find out which one he was looking at so intensely that he fell into a trance. “That?” asked, whispering, quickly turning her head back and forth between the stall and him. 

 

“Your boyfriend has a good eye!” chuckled the man behind the stall. He was a very short and stocky man, aged somewhere between 40 and 50, it was hard to tell. He looked like a human, only one that was compressed down by heavy machinery, until he was only a meter in height and the rest pushed out horizontally. Standing on a separate box, to reach his own stall, he was wearing a heavy jumpsuit, filled with hundreds of pockets, his bald head also showcased multiple scars, looking like zippers, giving the impression that he even stored “things” inside his skull. 

 

“Ah, yeah, he has an eye for spending money needlessly!” switched her stance Sylen immediately, getting into the role of bartering for a good price. Boyfriend? Why not? She could work with that!

 

“Ahaha, don’t say that, missy! This bracelet is from ancient times! From a human colony nonetheless! You two look human enough, I am sure the ancestors would be happy if you would wear their jewelry!” laughed, raising a dark green, somewhat thick bracelet towards them and Omega’s eyes just followed it without a word, drawing an even bigger smile onto the stocky man’s face. 

 

“Fuck… amateur!” grumbled inside of herself Sylen, but she couldn’t bring herself to scold Omega. He was still new to this, he had to learn to mask his feelings a bit more. At that moment she already decided she is going to train him before coming out again! “This garbage?” tilted her head left to right as she flicked it with his fingers “And it is solid metal? Pft… it would wear out any wrist you thread through it!” scoffed, uninterested. “Don’t want it! Come babe!” pulled on Omega, but she almost fell over once again as he was unmovable. 

 

“Ahaha, he really wants it~ But… is he okay?” asked even the stall owner, feeling a bit weirded out by how silent he was, unmoving and just looked at the worthless doodad in his hands. It was making him creeped out a little. 

 

“Yeah, he is good, he just… you know, a bit slow! His species are not the brightest out there!” chuckled Sylen, trying to pinch him in the back, something, just to make him move or react once again. “It is easier to keep track of him and you know, he is… blessed!” laughed playfully while stomping on his feet in the cover of the stall, but no reaction came from Omega. “You are killing me here!” whined deep inside herself, wanting to tear out her hair. Or Omega’s. 

 

“Ahahaha, I see, I see!” laughed the stocky man.

 

As the two were talking, inside of Omega’s mind a different scene was playing out. It was hazy, colorless… distant. A memory was trying to resurface in his brain with little success. He was hearing voices, talking to him, but right now they were as if he was trying to listen to a conversation through a concrete wall. He couldn’t make sense of what they were saying yet they were definitely talking to him. There were… two figures before him. Humans? They… they were, at least his mind was sure they were humans. But… who? He couldn’t recall. Nor could he determine if they were man or woman, everything was way too hazy. What he could tell, looking down at himself, the same looking bracelet was on his right hand… and it was that moment when Omega finally opened his mouth.

 

“How much?” asked, flinching a little, blinking his eyes, as he snapped out from it, returning to the present. 

 

“Oh, so he could talk!” grinned the merchant with strong pity in his voice. “I don’t want money for it, I need an energy cell for a plasma thrower!”

 

“And I want my own ship for smiling sweetly!” harrumphed Sylen, outraged by his demand. “Are you here to rip us off or rape our wallets?! No way that worthless piece of junk is worth that much!”

 

“It is from an era when Humans ruled the Galaxy! It survived that much time into the future, unbroken! That alone makes it into something worthy of belonging to the National Museum on Saphir!” countered the stall owner but even he knew he was asking a ridiculous price for it. What he wanted was worth all the scraps that Miyon sold recently.

 

“We don’t need it! Too much!” shook her head Sylen, pulling at Omega again, finally being able to move him, sighing a breath of relief. “Act with me, please!” whispered so only he could hear it. After she saw him nod, she finally felt like there was a chance to get it cheap.

 

The stocky man seeing them truly leaving got panicked a little. He was sitting here for days by now and nobody even stopped to do business! Losing the only ones who even looked at his literal trash, he shouted after them. Sylen just smirked a little before turning back, replacing the grin with a frustrated look. For the next half an hour she was either bargaining with the merchant, scolding Omega as her “slow” and “unreliable” boyfriend, a role which Omega quickly adapted to and played along with her perfectly. It even surprised Sylen how quickly he came up with sentences that made her part easier, using them as reasons why she won’t buy anything, pushing the price lower and lower. When they finally left, bracelet in hand, the man was happy that he received a few credits for his trash, convinced he was the lucky one here to get rid of something that should land in the trash compactor instead on someone’s wrist. 

 

“Haaaah! I need to drink something after this!” moaned Sylen, quickly leading him out from the Free Market to find a place to sit down and just relax, alongside some drinks and snacks. “What the hell is it, anyway?” asked, looking at it in Omega’s hand who was gently caressing it, his eyes surprisingly gentle yet distant.

 

“A control device…” murmured.

 

“Controlling what?” tilted her head, his ears trembling as she was thinking “Mood lighting in your room?”

 

“A Suit of Ares.” answered, tapping on the top of it twice and it just snapped, straightening out so he could put it on his wrist while they stepped into a lift. For their luck, they were the only ones who were going upwards, being alone in it…. Because what happened next would have quickly drawn some unwanted attention. When Omega ran his index finger along its smooth surface a holographic image rose up from it, projected into the air above it. Sylen’s mouth opened wide as her eyes popped forward, watching the spinning image of a suit of armor before her. It was humanoid, reminiscent of ancient knights with spiky, folded ‘wings’ on its back. 

 

“What… the… fuck…?!” gawked Sylen, slurping back her saliva, quickly looking around, and clawing at Omega’s wrist hurriedly. “Turn it off! Quickly! Before anyone sees it! Damn it!”

 

“S-sorry…!” nodded, surprised, sending the device into slumber once again with a swipe of his index finger.

 

“That… that… is that… a…” tried to speak Sylen but she was shaking from pure excitement, biting onto her own tongue. 

 

“This is just the control device for it… the suit is not here.” shook his head “But…”

 

“But? Don’t just ‘but’ me! Say it! Quickly!” grabbed onto his arm with two hands, jumping in place, her eyes sparkling like newborn stars.

 

“It can take us to it.”

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