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A Debt Left Unpaid

Drifting in space had never felt so tranquil...

That was what Xsatuki said to himself when he was curling in his room. For a frequent stowaway, it was quite a strange feeling to not having his heart beating like crazy whenever he was on any ships, be it a cargo or a cruise ship. His body wasn't all that suited for stealthy entrance, being half a snake. While his upper body was humanoid and was Saurian, his lower body looked more like a snake: very long, curled up, and ended with a rattle.

That was also the position of him sleeping, with his crewmates teasing him on that matter whenever they saw him curling like a snake in his room. While his body never caused much harm with his crewmates, it was a ridicule since he was basically too long to fit into any room to the point that he needed to let some parts of his body in some rooms, like the kitchen.

He curled inside the room and let his mind wander. The dark room was a great place for him to think for himself and meditate. For a serpentine race like him, the best way to sleep was to use the lower body as pillow, so he curled around like a snake and closed his eyes, before he went to sleep.

In his dreams, he saw a familiar landscape of his homeland. He missed it greatly. Xsatuki wondered how many years since he left his planet and living in the wilderness of a colony. But then, he realized what was wrong in that scenery: there was no destruction as he remembered it.

He remembered his village was burned by an invading Saurian race. Sslathi were not space-dwellers, yet not everyone knew the restriction of colonization. Pirates and slavers were usually the first to raid non-space dwelling species and selling them as exotic alien races in the slave market. Slavery was not something that was entirely outlawed. The Federation was flawed, but that was to prevent another war.

He remembered his friends were killed right in front of his eyes and he was carried away, stripped of his modest clothes and tagged. All the while, memories of his mistreatment and trauma flooded his mind, to the point of waking up. Xsatuki hissed loudly, but all he could see was his dark room.

His loud hiss was heard throughout the small space of the Wind of Change and it woke everyone not already up on the cockpit. Dajar was the first to go into the room and said, "What happened?"

"I, uh...had a nightmare. It's alright. I won't gonna disturb you again. Should've not let the door open."

But as he closed the door, Dajar stopped the door and went into the room. He looked at Xsatuki and said, "Hey, it's alright. We can talk about it. I know you never had nightmares before."

Xsatuki wanted to dismiss the Aquros, but seeing how his eyes were genuinely concerned, the Viper relented. Dajar then sat on the only chair in that room while Xsatuki made himself comfortable over his lower body.

"The others don't seem to care about you," said Dajar. "Well, aside from Dairyu."

"That Terran does have a streak of immoralities," said Xsatuki. "What do you know about him?"

"Seriously?" said Dajar in disbelief.

"I am not a space-faring Saurian Race."

"Well, for starters...his rebellion with his empire started the Federation, and he was also the one who ended the Black Creature Crisis 15 years ago. The reason why people appreciated him was...well, he started the peace. No one respected him before, though."

"Why?"

"While he was quite popular, he does not act that way. I only heard a small portion of it from Capisa, but I have a feeling that he does not want to tarnish his hard-earned reputation."

"I have a little hint for that, given how he knew how Saurian laws works. I may just be this ship's cook, but legally, I'm his slave."

"Slave?"

"One of a handful of choices for a branded criminal like me," said Xsatuki. "In Saurian culture, once you are a criminal, you will forever be one, and with it, you have no privilege. For me, that's quite ironic since I was once a slave for a pirate."

Dajar did not immediately talked, so Xsatuki continued.

"Saurians can be quite harsh for those who had become slaves for others, regardless of race. Once you become one, you lost all privileges, and once you became one of a criminal's, you are also a criminal."

"That's horrible! How can they do that after the Federation had been formed?"

"For a civilization that been around for fifty-thousand years, no wonder they had become hardened and thought that a Federation formed 65 years ago would be a small moment in time for them. That is...before a period where we lost our history."

"How is that possible?"

"Don't ask me. I am not a space-faring race. We are considered tribal, even if we are not from our home planet. Sslathas also have an impractical body, so we are the outcast."

"Huh...but, are you okay with that?"

"I have been in this shit for 3 years now, and I know the suffering of being a slave unprotected by your 'Federation'. It may have ensured peace, but they did not outlaw slavery just so that 'peace' can stay."

"You know that this whole thing does not apply for other races, right? I mean, it's only for you."

"It is, but that means I will not be able to return to my home planet without Dairyu accompanying me."

"Well, that's fine. He can always..."

"If he was a Saurian," said Xsatuki short, which stopped Dajar. "How many reptilian alien lifeforms have you met in your journey? Scyllas, draconians...they have their history intact. The Saurians are trying to reclaim that lost moment in time, and they cannot let the Federation help them. No...the Federation cannot help them."

"Why? Is your race that closed?"

"I don't know. I know you've seen many Saurians that are travelling and they are quite open-minded, but the thing is, their lives have been bound by a single fate. Every newly hatched Saurians are fated to a job. Those who cannot stay on the planet must undergo a 'journey' to find the lost history. Many becomes criminals, many becomes slaves, and others...lost their way."

"Why do you know all about this?"

"Because it's our fate," said Xsatuki short.

"But...there's nothing there that explains your sudden nightmare. I mean, bad memory or not, it does not explain anything about that."

Xsatuki was also wondering about it, then he realized something and his faced turned to horror.

"Impossible...now that every ghost become solid enough to cause harm...then he is coming back."

"He?"

"So that's what the dream was trying to tell me. He is coming back."

"Who is he, Xsatuki? Will you please tell me what's going on?"

"The pirate that was terrorizing the space sector I was in. He was a ruthless pirate who would stop at nothing."

"Why? Who?"

"He's talking about Odkar Trell, otherwise known as 'Dark Veil'."

Dairyu voice came from behind Dajar, who quickly turned and saw the draconian standing by the door carrying a coffee mug. Xsatuki realized that it was coffee, where he said, "Where did you even get coffee seed?"

"Let may forgot about adding a food synthesizer, but I must admit. Having a classic brig is quite amusing. He had some Scyllan coffee seed tucked in a cabinet and a coffee machine. It's quite strong. No wonder."

He then walked inside and properly closed the door. "So, you were running from Trell, didn't you? The good news is, his ship exploded when it came too close to a Federation dreadnought, but the bad news is...he's resurrected."

"I thought that beacon will end him for good...."

"Well, you might get recognition for your support, but now that he's a ghost, he is going to terrorize the shit out of that sector, right? I assume that was a warzone years ago?"

"I don't know. How the hell am I supposed to know?"

"Tuki..."

"I prefer Xsatuki, thank you very much. That's a female's name."

"Okay, Xsatuki...do you remember where they were based? I only knew he was in sector Z, but I don't know where."

"Wait, what are you thinking?"

"What are we thinking? We'll take the fight to them, that's why."

"I know you are capable of it, but they are ghosts! Even if I am not a Terran, I know how a ghost looks like!"

"We'll find a way. We need to do this if we want to end this whole Crisis. Besides, we need everyone's mind towards the same goal."

"But I'm just a cook! I can't fight!"

"Did you mean that?" said Dairyu. "Xsatuki, you may think that you are not important given your status as a criminal, but let me tell you this. For someone who has a price on their head, you cook some of the best meals I've ever tasted."

Xsatuki's eyes brightened. "Really? You mean that?"

"At least my taste buds are not numbed by synthesized foods. You really know how to make food, even if snakes have less taste buds than most other races."

Xsatuki didn't know why Dairyu was being so kind with him despite of him being his master, but he did not want to say this fact, given how he would insist that their relationship wasn't one. However, the Viper also knew that the mission of that ship was far more important than personal matter, and Dairyu's offer to help was something that he would not try to miss.

He then told Dairyu about the pirates and their home base. Dairyu and Dajar only nodded. After Xsatuki finished, Dairyu said, "We'll try to communicate with St. Vincent about this. I'll ask Seiryu about how to take care of them."

"Thank you, Dairyu. It means a lot for me."

"Hey, it's always nice to have a good cook around, right?" said Dairyu with a smile. "Now rest. We'll travel there after some rest."

Xsatuki nodded while Dairyu and Dajar walked outside. After closing the door, Dairyu said, "So how's the engine? Nothing to worry about?"

"I never would've though the Scyllas could retrofit this ship. It's one of those old experimental ships with difficult handling, but they could retrofit it. Isn't this Terran?"

"Terran, with a little Aquran thrown in for good measure. How's Cal?"

"Calventis is...interesting, I suppose. He is young, but as expected of a Scylla, he knows his way around things. I know, it's his people's ship, but...Dairyu, is it alright having a 15-years old kid on this dangerous mission?"

"His dad believes me, so why not? It's not like Scyllas need that much protection, right? Besides, he's an engineer. He does not need to go out of the engine room that often or join in our fight, right?"

"Yes, but...Dairyu, no one told us the danger of this mission, and the consequence. We haven't aged much, but everything's changed. We jumped into two years towards the future."

"Yeah, well...I did not think that would happen. Seiryu never told me about this."

"Is travelling with you always worth the risk?"

Before Dairyu could reply, there was a turbulence that shook the whole ship. Dairyu could hold onto something, but Dajar was not fast enough and he fell towards Xsatuki's room. Dairyu looked towards Dajar, who was staring at Xsatuki and said, "Well, uh...it's soft."

Thinking that the Aquros was alright, the black Orient rushed towards the cockpit. He could see Seiryu and Capisa struggling with the control after they disengaged auto-pilot.

"What happened?!"

"I don't know! The control's fighting against us!" exclaimed Capisa. "Dajar, is there a problem with the engine?!"

Calventis's voice came out of the comm.

"There's nothing wrong here, but stop accelerating! You're straining the engine!"

"So, something is pulling us," said Seiryu. "Traction beam. Nasty thing pirates always use."

"Oh no...only one pirate uses tractor beam around this area," said Xsatuki. "This is bad."

"Could be other pirates, for what I care," said Dairyu. "Xsatuki, is Trell the boarding kind or the scavenge kind?"

"The former."

"Then he is in for a surprise," said Dairyu smiling. Seiryu realized what was happening and sighed.

"Capisa, stop struggling and let them in. Get ready to fight."

Xsatuki could see the ship that was pulling them in, but then realized that something was wrong with the ship. It was damaged, like it was blown from inside. Even if he was once a prisoner of a much bigger ship, he knew that a ship that damaged would not be able to mount an offensive towards them.

That was his thought, until another bump due to connecting bridges got their door. In a moment after, Xsatuki scrambled towards a button, trying to disconnect the airlock and expose everyone to space. Dairyu stopped him.

"Never thought you have that ruthlessness in you," said Dairyu smiling. "But they are ghosts. It won't matter anyway. What matters is our own attempt at boarding them."

"Wait, what?"

"Dairyu's 'dirty trick'," said Seiryu walking in front of them. "When a pirate is trying to board us, we are going to fight back and take their ship. It's an easy way than to mount the defensive. It's not like we are still in golden age of Terran piracy, right? Anyway, Dairyu, now that they can board us, it proves my theory."

"And what is that?"

"Ghosts or not, the moment they become solid, they can be killed."

"It also applies to you."

"I am not planning to die just yet. Here they come."

As the first knock was heard on the door, Dairyu used an emergency release button to forcibly unlock the door. He quickly changed the atmospheric pressure of Wind of Change, creating wind that he could use to blast through a group of pirates of different Federation races.

Seiryu went into the bridge first, killing as many pirates he could find while running towards the damaged ship. Capisa ran behind him carrying the positron gun he got from Dairyu, but the older draconian shouted, "No positron! Are you trying to blast us into space?!"

"That's one way to explain that."

Meanwhile, the rest of the crew just watch as the two fighters fought against a whole ship. Rose, who noticed Dairyu's inaction, said, "We need to help them!"

"No," said Dairyu sternly. "Whatever you do, do not get out of that door. I am the only one keeping you alive in here."

Dajar realized what Dairyu meant. "We are still exposed to space, isn't it?"

"It's not complete decompression, but that ship has holes in parts of it. Even if we can help, this ship will lose pressure and blast us out. I am artificially maintaining this ship's pressure."

"How? That can't be possible, right?"

Dairyu smiled. "Have you forgotten than I'm an air dragon? Besides, Capisa is suited up for this job, and Seiryu is already dead. Although, I'm still not sure why he could survive in there."

It did not take a while before both Capisa and Seiryu managed to 'kill' the ghosts, while leaving some alive for interrogation. Seiryu managed to get some information about the pirate's base before killing the ghosts. Capisa did the same thing on his part. They returned to Wind of Change. Dairyu then closed the door and pressurized the ship's interior. After he undo his atmospheric control, he collapsed to the floor sighing.

"I must be getting old," said Dairyu panting.

"Don't overexert yourself, old drake," said Seiryu grinning. He then turned towards the cockpit and said, "Okay, one of the crewmates is quite cooperative and told me where the pirate base is. Wanna fly there right now? It might take a while."

"Take us there, but don't alert them. We need to go in covertly."

"Alright, then. Engage FTL drive."

They went into FTL while Rose helped Dairyu to sit on a sofa. While she made a cup of tea, Xsatuki slithered nearby and said, "Why did you go such length to help me?"

"If I tell you now, you won't understand. You have a history with them. I suggest finding it yourself."

Xsatuki wanted to know about it. He wanted to know why a former elite soldier of Terra wanted to help a lowly Saurian criminal like him. Not only that, he was the only one in that crew with non-humanoid body and was taking in space. Was Dairyu someone who wanted to help him?

After they went out of FTL, Xsatuki saw the asteroid where the pirates had made their base. It was just like moments before it was destroyed by an ambush from the Federation ship, complete with all the transports. The base was something that even the Federation was reluctant to approach or even approach unless if they managed to find a 'mistake' that forced their hands.

"So that's the pirate base," said Seiryu. "Looks more like an outlaw's base to me."

"Trell wasn't just a small-timer," said Xsatuki. "He was notoriously known as the leader of a lawless state he made himself. Aside from being a pirate, he had a shady business of trafficking and smuggling that connected him to other leaders."

"Except he is far more ruthless than an even shadier broker," said Dairyu. "Trell's influence even got into the scrap planet I lived in, until...well, his death."

"So what's the plan, Ryu?" said Capisa.

"Nothing." When he noticed a surprised look from Dajar, Calventis, and Rose, he said, "What? We are not going to survive going in guns blazing, right? Besides, solids are different than materializing ghosts."

"Aren't they the same thing?" asked Calventis.

"Based on the current news, the solids are capable to dying again, so they are basically resurrected, living flesh."

"Except they aren't," said Seiryu. "Once they died, their connection to this dimension will be severed, and they will be incapable of returning. However, if they are hateful and vengeful, there is a slight chance that they refuse to die. That's why, we need to do something for that. The only way to do that is to make them die peacefully."

"So, we are guiding criminals into heaven?"

"Heaven and hell is just a concept. We simply become different beings of pure spectral energy," said Seiryu. "And yes, you are hearing this from me."

"So, what's the plan, then?"

"Like I said, nothing. Don't do anything that will attract attention to us. Rose, Dajar, Cal...this is a notorious criminal stronghold. Whatever you see here is something you might never saw in your home planet. If there is something that offends you, please, for the love of god, don't react like you're the right one. They hate righteous people. All they want is to drink, fight, and fuck, in no order. Dajar, you go with Xsatuki. Rose, you with me. Cal, go with Capisa."

"How about me?"

"Do the best thing you could do. Sabotage the life support system and take care of anyone you think will become a threat. I hope you know how to kill them covertly."

"Hey, I'm the Crimson Rain. It's not just a name, you know."

"Yes, but do it covertly. Don't spray them."

"I know, I know. Just like you always told me," said Seiryu sighed.

"You never got that 'covert' part right when you were still alive."

"Shit happens, and so does this plan. I hope your mind is as sharp as it was back then, old one."

"Fuck you..."

Seiryu made a chuckle and quickly turned his clothes into that of a Warrior's armor, but concealed under civilian clothes. The rest of the group prepared themselves to go into the base.

Dairyu looked at the base that was slowly covering the whole screen of the cockpit. He could only say, "Whatever happens, the living will survive in the end."

He turned around and readied his sword and gun, prepared for what's coming next.