Galactica, Chapter 1

8/12/2019 Galactica, Chapter 1

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Galactica

Benjamin Mazzara

McCarthy 705, Georgetown University860-659-7343

[email protected]/[email protected]

Georgetown University College, Class of 2015

Entry for The Bernard M . Wagner Medal
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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It was the kind of score that every thief dreamed of: the one that not only made your rich

beyond your wildest dreams, but also made you a legend, a true god among men, elves, dwarves,

and every other race in the universe. The relic of the Shrine of Malkathzar was said to have been

passed down from generation to generation of the Ooshtae Royal Elven Family for close to nine

centuries, but was so highly coveted by the surrounding Elven kingdoms of the planet Galatiel

due to its indescribable beauty and value that it caused a whole series of wars. People were

assassinated; heads were put on spikes, and general unpleasantness was experienced by all on the

planet. But the Shrine was supposed to keep the relic safe and on common ground for all the

Elven kingdoms, so as to keep the peace and to let everyone have claim over it. That is, until

today. As a Satasrillion, Tago Onafore cared little for Elves and their fragile peace. They were

such stuffy, pompous people that the thought of them going to war with themselves actually

amused him; maybe theyd learn some humility. All Tago cared about is getting that relic.

Admittedly, he wasnt sure what hed actually dowith the thing. If he sold it, it would have to

be on a planet so far away from Elven territories that it would cost millions of clarkesto just to

get there. But it would be worth it. At least, he hopedit would. He refused to worry about the

value of the relic and instead tried to convince himself that this was more of a test of his abilities,

rather than a job.

Just the word made his thin nose wrinkle behind his helmet and his ears to

subconsciously twitch. How people settled for boring and menial labor when there were so

many exciting ways to live out ones life never ceased to amaze him. Here he was, swinging and

lunging through the purple branches of an theLegedrieltrees and listening to the ooga-chaka of

the hundreds of Blue Suda birds, on his way to steal a priceless artifact and leave his imprint into

the fabric of Elven history, and other people on this planet and others were content with simply


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survivingin a small store, or a tavern. They probably had a spouse that rarely ever pleased

them, and a few snot-nosed kids that screamed and cried and would grow up to be ungrateful

teens and adults. Tago shuddered at the idea of such a mediocre livelihood. He could never see

himself settling down. He planned to steal and adventure until his back and joints started to

ache, then spend his vast fortunes drinking and culturing himself into the Final Sleep. His Final

Coronation back on his home planet would be absolutely marvelous, full of fireworks, ale, and

music. He pictured the cheering crowds holding up painted pictures of his face as they stared at

his burning corpse on the pyre, weeping tears of joy in celebration of a life lived to its fullest.

Maybe the confetti thrown from the rooftops would stick to their tears, forming an almost ad hoc

face paint of both joy and grieving. Perhaps, on the other side of town, a normal, mediocre

family man would be holding his Coronation as well, but with no one in attendance because his

life had been so dull and unmemorable. Tago chuckled at the idea that maybe the theoretical

mans own wife and kids were at Tagos celebration instead.

But that was so far in the future now. Tago had at leastanother couple centuries left in

him before enjoying his golden years. Right now, he had to focus more on the task at hand.

He sat up in the branches, completely invisible to the naked eye, given the invisibility module of

his titanium sneaking armor. The function was pretty much the only reason he kept the shabby

suit. It was stiflingly hot and rode up on his crotch something fierce, but invisibility modules

were not cheap to install. Bringing a pair of tactical binoculars to his eyes, he scoped out the

situation. The binoculars not only had both heat and x-ray vision, but they could provide

biological statistics of anything examined through them. Tago only noted the two guards at the

front entrance of the shrine, clicking his tongue in thought as he considered what to do with

them. The binoculars claimed they were at least twice his height and weight. It wasnt really


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surprising: Tago was not exactly physically formidable. His body was lean and wiry, but over

time he learned how to be quick and lethal with his movements. It wasnt the size that mattered

when it came to stealth, but how much smarter you were than your targets. Tago was sure he

was smarter than two goons, and he quickly proved it. Pulling out one of his multi-purpose

crossbows (which many, included Tago himself, called the multibow), Tago set the bow to

shoot a grappling bolt that embedded itself in a nearby tree, opposite of his current location.

Attaching the multibow to his belt, he activated the hydraulics and zipped horizontally through

the trees, using the tranquilizer arrow function of his other multibow to shoot both soldiers in the

neck as he whizzed by. As they slumped to the ground, Tago then rappelled his way to the

ground, landing gracefully and acrobatically. He gave a dramatic bow and gave a few kisses to

an imaginary audience before bringing the hook back into the original multibow and deactivating

the invisibility module. As he dragged the two bodies into the Shrine to avoid the obvious signs

of his presence and perhaps delay raising an alarm, Tago grimaced at the throbbing in his legs.

Despite being a spaceship captain for so many years, the robotic legs needed to prevent the blood

rushing to his lower extremities due to the gravitational force of space travel still irritated him.

They itched and throbbed, like a broken bone that refused to heal. He was capable of falling vast

distances and could land on his feet with grace and ease and even walk on walls and ceilings

with them, but they still irked him.

Surprisingly, the rest of the Shrine was easy to navigate. It was an old Shrine and those

battles had taken place quite some time ago. Tago couldnt really say how long; he really wasnt

the best history student. He guessed that he was just amazed that the Elves had not even

bothered to upgrade the security in the centuries since those feuds. The Shrine was comprised of

only a single narrow hallway lined with dark gray, dust-caked stone rather than metal. By means


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of stopping intruders, the Shrine only offered a pit of spikes, a wall that shot darts if you stepped

on the wrong floor panel, and some old, mechanical dogs that were supposed to attack you if you

avoided those other traps. But the pit was easily avoidable with the multibow, the darts easily

bounced off Tagos armor, and the dogs were so rusted that they only took a few loud,

screeching steps before falling over and flailing. Tago felt almost something like pity as he

ripped their mechanical heads off to stop their ear-wrenching movement. Elves were such

callous, thoughtless people. They couldnt even bebothered to fix the mechanical mutts, even if

it meant the protection of their most valuable artifact. Maybe they just didnt care anymore.

Maybe so many centuries had passed that the Elves unity no longer was based on the protection

of the relic. Tago shrugged. He really didnt care that much. If it shone, it was worth something

to somebody. Approaching the final door before the shrine room, Tago noticed that there was a

riddle above the door in Elvish. Now, he could have easily just had blown the door off his

hinges, but where was the fun in that? Such an act did not prove his brilliance. He stared at the

riddle for a few seconds, taking it in:

The man who invented it doesn't want it.

The man who bought it doesn't need it.

The man who needs it doesn't know it.

What is it?

It was childs play. Tago was disappointed and maybe even a little frustrated. For such a

valuable object, it was starting to seem like the Elves were almost askingfor the relic to be

stolen. After taking a few seconds to find the right word in Elvish, Tago stood proudly and

declared: A grave. Perhaps they thought themselves poetic: the Shrine was pretty much a war

memorial, after all. The door slowly slid open, the stone against stone making a grating noise

that irritated Tagospointed ears that again twitched inside his helmet, which was becoming


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almost stifling in the humid heat of the temple. His eyes widened as the door finally opened, but

it was not in joy, but in shock.

It seemed he was not the only one who wanted the relic. Standing at the podium was a

short, stocky woman of indeterminate race holding the relic in her hands. She was wearing robes

over black, flexible star-metal armor. A perfect sneaking suit, Tago noted as he looked down

toward his own relatively substandard armor. He wondered if it had an invisibility module like

his. Her neon blue hair could only be seen by the bangs covering one of her eyes, with the rest

of her head covered by a hood. Her skin, startlingly, was an ashen gray bordering on black. A

drow, perhaps? But her face did not have the Elven shape other drow did. The relic was small,

almost shaped like an oval. It seemed to be a large blue jewel encased at the bottom in a

decorative golden stand that was shaped like a large hand grasping the jewel. Strangely, the

jewel seemed to glow dimly in the womans hands.

Who in Goddesss name are you? the women barked. She seemed just as irritated as

Tago.

Me? Who areyou? What are you doing here? Im here to take the relic of this place.

Tago responded, voice muffled from under his helmet. He had no patience for a battle of the

tongues.

Well, youre too late, the woman smugly snapped, clutching the gem closer to her,

awkwardly pushing it closer to her relatively flat bosom. She quickly pulled her own multibow

and launched herself to a small opening near the top of the room. Given the debris on the floor,

Tago inferred that the woman had cut through the rock and snuck directly into the room, rather

than deal with the guards. Well, Tago thought,shes certainly clever. But that doesnt mean she


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can get away with mytreasure. He quickly launched herself after her, soaring through the

opening and landing gracefully in the purple-leafed trees outside.

Leaping from tree to tree, Tago pursued the woman, who was leaping and ducking

through the woods with an almost fluid ease. It was actually quite admirable, but Tago knew he

had the upper hand. He sped up and then, with a the grace of an Olympian, landed in front of the

running woman, pulling the multibow and pointing its laser arrow right between her eyes, its

faint hum the only noise the two could hear besides their own heavy breathing. The woman

stopped on the spot.

I will not ask again. Tago growled.

You want it? The woman chuckled, smiling and tossing it from her left to her right

hand. Here.

With a quick motion, she smashed the relic against Tagos helmet, cracking the visor. As

the woman tried to run off, Tago extended his arm quickly, clotheslining her and making her fall

on her back. Forced to retract the helmet into the neck plates of his armor, Tago exposed his

face to the harsh sun of Galatiel for a moment before looking down at the female thief, the edge

of his mouth twitching in irritation when she gasped in reflex at his visage. He knew that

Satasrillions were not exactly visually appealing people. Their orange skin and dark red hair

often garnered attention, but their lack of pupils, pointed noises, and sharp, jagged teeth made

them look like demons. It did not help matters that Tagos face was covered with scars from

previous exploits, the biggest of which went from his large forehead to his mouth, just missing

his eye. It almost looked like his skin was stitched together from various other faces, awkwardly

stretched over a long and slender skull with protruding cheekbones. His thinning hair was messy

and unkempt, with a solid line of baldness from front to back where another scar was located.


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Tago stepped on the womans wrist and twisted his foot. She squeaked in pain as her

hand released the jewel, but before Tago could bend down to pick it up, the woman quickly lifted

one of her feet and, in an amazing feat of speed and flexibility, kicked Tago in the groin. For a

moment, everything went white as Tago was the one to fall to the ground this time. He quickly

recovered and gave chase after the woman and the jewel once again. This time, he was in no

mood to bargain, but still opposed to killing her. Admittedly, she did fascinate him with her

resilience and questionable appearance, and he really didnt see much point in killing her. The

best-case scenario was that he could tie her to a tree and leave for any other Elven guards

patrolling the area. Maybe hed cut her tongue to keep her from identifying him. He tackled her

from behind, sending them both tumbling down an unseen sylvan hill. On the way down, they

punched and kicked each other, scratching at each others faces, and attempting to strangle one

another. Tago felt his himself smash against many branches and rocks, but there was also a

moment where his back struck something hard and almost metallic. He cursed in pain, but that

only antagonized his adversary, who took the opportunity to punch him the chin. As they finally

hit the bottom of the hill, Tago opened his eyes to find the woman on top of him, with one of her

knees on his chest and knife pressed against his neck. Tago smiled when he realized that it was

more of a standoff, for he had his own knife at the womans throat. For a long moment, all that

could be heard was their heavy breathing and the sounds of the nature. All they did was stare

each other, wondering what to do next. Tago studied the girls face, since her hood had been

pulled back in the tumble. She was indeed not a drow. She was closer to an Orc than a drow,

really. The short pointed ears and the slight under-bite with two protruding tuskswere there,

but not as prominent as in other Orc women Tago had known. He also had never seen or heard

about any Orcs whose skin was black like this one. Her hair was very short on the sides, and she


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had bangs across her face, all in a bright shade of blue that matched her eyes. Her face was

square and slightly chubby almost boyish.

How do you want to play this? Tago finally said, his voice strained by his attempts to

not move his neck.

The way I see it? Im going to take that jewel, and you are going to stay here, limp back

to your ship and never bother me again. Or, I could just leave you for the other Elven guards

probably snooping around this jungle. Maybe Ill cut your tongue from telling them about me.

Not going to happen, Tago chuckled, but still somewhat shocked that her plan was so

similar to his own. Besides, I took care ofboth the guards outside the shrine, so its not like

anyones going to notice for a while.

Not necessarily, came a third voice from a few feet away. Both Tago and the woman

looked up and both their jaws dropped at what they saw. It was a manmade of rock and metal,

with orange, glowing eyes, the skirt and bead necklace of a monk. His face was unexpressive,

since the facial design was fairly primitive (it featured no nose and seemed to only consist of a

flapping maw and three panels on the side of his head and on his chin of a darker metal), but the

metal mans arms were cross in almost fatherly disapproval. Both a skirt and the beads were

covered in Elvish symbols, of which Tago could not read at the moment, given his awkward

angle. He was a massive presence, standing at almost nine ertanstall. For another long

moment, the two thieves simply froze in their position, now looking at their visitor.

What the Tago started to say before the woman offered a final crack at his jaw before

standing up. She brushed herself off and Tago quickly followed suit, clamoring to his feet while

cursing under his breath. No one seemed to know what to do.

What are you? The woman finally asked the metal behemoth.


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My name is Krahnitel. I am a monk of this temple and a guardian of justice. And I will

ask you to hand that sacred object over to me.

Tago looked around and saw nothing but wilderness. Not being one to beat around the

bush, he simply asked: What temple?

The metal man looked around, with some of leaves and mud slowly falling off him as he

moved. He began to clamor around almost panicked as he looked for his supposed home. Tago

and the woman simply looked at each other; there seemed to be almost pity and sadness in the

womansbright blue eyes, like she was watching an old man remember where he was, or an old

dog struggle to get up some stairs. Tago was only confused. He had so many questions at the

moment. For all the things he had said and done, he had never seen a living metal being before.

What was this creature? How did it work? Furthermore, why did the female thief seem to care

about this Krahnitel? Why didnt she kill Tago when she had the chance? The metal man

quickly interrupted Tagos musingsas he turned back to them and asked in a tone that attempted

to remain calm, but was clearly cracking: What year is it?

No one said a thing, forcing the Blue Sudabirds calls to fill the silence. Ooga-chakka-

ooga-ooga-ooga-chakka-ooga-ooga. The behemoth asked again, but it was louder and angrier

this time, causing a few of the birds in the trees above them to fly off: WHAT YEAR IS IT?

4159, the woman finally uttered. Krahnitel staggered back, almost wounded with her

words. He finally sat down against a rock and placed his head in his hands.

Have I really been asleep for seven hundredyears? he muttered to no one in particular.

Once again, the two thieves were at a loss for words. After a few moments, Krahnitel stood up.

He looked as composed, dignified, and imposing as he did when they had first seen him.


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Very well, he stated. The monks of my temple were trained to be adaptable to any

situation, no matter how traumatic. I will adapt and do justice and good in this era as I had done

in the past. Now, who are you two? I must admit I have not seen the likes of you two before.

You are certainly not elves.

He approached the woman, who quickly pulled her multibow and pointed it at Krahnitel,

only to look on in awe as he crushed it in his hands and threw it to the ground.

Young lady,you look like someone who has experienced a great deal of turmoil and

trauma. Please, let me help you. What is your name?

Xella Tumani,she said, quickly composing herself and putting a distance between

herself and the metal man. And I dont need your help. I am not some little girl looking for

affection and guidance. The only thingyoucan help me with, she barked, poking at Krahnitels

metal chest with a slight tink, is fixing my multibow and getting out of my way.

Once again, Krahnitel looked wounded by her words, placing a trembling hand over the

part of her chest that she had poked. Tago only let lose a loud laugh in response. Oh, he liked

this woman. Krahnitel then turned to him, staring at Tago as if he was trying to look into his

soul. Tago reclined against a nearby tree stump and gave a crooked smile that bared his pointed

teeth at the metal monk. He then shrugged and raised his hands as if to present himself to

Krahnitel for inspection.

Well, Tago said, you want to see if you can help me, big fella? Ill even introduce

myself: Tago Onafore, Satasrillion thief.

Your soul is as scarred as your face, Krahnitel grunted. It is full of pain and longing

for redemption.

Once again, Tago laughed.


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Wrong again. See, like Ms. Tumani over there, I like what I do. AndIlike to think Im

quite handsome, Tago jeered, tracing one of his many facial scars with his thumb. And as

soon as I get that gem that Tumani over there is holding, Ill be happier than ever.

Xella simply pulled her knife and held the gem close to her chest, prepared to fight to the

death. Tago cracked his knuckles and pulled one of his multibow, aiming for her head.

Krahnitel soon stood between them.

Enough, he firmly declared. Neither of you will have the gem. It is a sacred object

belonging to the Elven culture, not some prize to be won. You will return it at once or I will

force you to do so.

Oh yeah? Tago laughed. What are you going to do? Prayreally hard? Give us a

stern talking to? Or how abou-

Unfortunately, Tago was interrupted as he was rocketed towards a nearby tree by a single

punch from the metal creatures giant fist. As he looked down, he noticed a large dent in his

chest plate. As he slowly tried to get up, he was almost certain he felt something inside of him

movearoundand quickly coughed a few spats of blood. Laughing loudly, he hollered over to

Krahnitel: Hey, metal head! What kind of monkpunchesa potential convert? Remind me to

never donate to your little cult.

I would have insisted that anyways, Mr. Tago. We had always held a vow of poverty.

Now, Krahnitel firmly stated. I will not ask again, Ms. Xella. Give me the gem, and I will

offer you a more peaceful resolution to this situation.

Xella was not as foolhardy as her competitor. She quietly handed the gem over to

Krahnitel, merely angrily eyeing the metallic behemoth for taking her prize. But before

Krahnitel was able to say anything else, he simply froze in place. His orange eyes quickly turned


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a pale blue and his jaw hinge slacked open as if in a trance. He offered no sound besides a high-

pitched squeal that started low and soon grew in volume to an almost ear-splitting decibel. After

a few painful seconds, he returned to his normal state, shocked and awed by whatever had

happened.

Ohoh my, II had no idea, he stammered.

What are you talking about? Tago muttered, spitting up a bit more of his green blood.

Its not just a jewel. Its aits a map!

A map? Xella eagerly questioned. To what?

ImIm not sure, Krahnitel responded absent-mindedly as if he was in a daze. I only

sawa vault; what hides behind the doorIcannot say.

A vault? Tago piped in. A vault is good. A vaults a good sign. Vaults usually mean

treasure. Do you know where it is?

II cant really say. There wasso much informationto process. So many clues.

So manyplanets. It truly is amap thatcrosses theuniverse.

Well, do you know where thefirst stop is? Xella asked, taking a step closer. Her ice

blue eyes flickered in intensity and in the prospect of the ultimate payday.

Yesyes Krahnitel droned, his orange eyes pale and dim. The first stop is-

PZNT. Krahnitels words were cut off by the sound of a laser arrow lodging itself in a

nearby tree. The three turned to see a whole platoon of Eleven guards stampeding towards them,

all of them speedily riding on their two legged bird mounts.

Oh, curse it all. Time to go! Tago yelped, instantly taking off in the opposite direction

of the rapidly approaching Elves, taking Krahnitels hand and leading him off. Xella was soon


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neck and neck with them as they pushed and thrust their way further and further into the purple

and pink jungle.

Listen, Tin Man. Tago barked, as he felt a branch scrape his cheek. You are going to

come with me, and well find this treasure together, you got me? I get all the treasure, because,

you know, your vow of poverty and all that, and you get the chance to make me into a child of

light or whatever.

What? What about me? Xella screamed, cursing as she took a thin branch to the face.

You get to stick around here and deal with those Elves, Tago responded, pointing back

at their pursuers. Im sure they just want to ask us a few questions. Youll be fine!

Oh no, no, no! she yelled back. If anyones sticking around here, itsyou! Youwere

the one who messed with the guards!

Yeah, but my ship is just a few hutaris away. Wheres your ship, hmmm?

In the other direction, but I think youre forgetting something!

What? Tago asked, only to look over and see that Xella was holding the keys to his

ship, The Don Flamenco, laughing as she saw the look of pure confusion on his face. Oh, you

BITCH, Tago shouted.Well, guess what? You think this the only time Ive been swiped? I

built my ship so that no one can pilot it but me. Even if you get to my ship before me, youll be

completely lost. You needme.

Xella hissed, Ohyeah, like I need an arrow in the sna-

DontIget a say in the matter? Krahnitel sheepishly murmered, his hand still clutched

the jewel close to his body and orange eyes still dim as if he was still reeling from his contact

with the gem.


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Xella and Tago both roared a firm and decisive NO! that quieted Krahnitel as they

finally approached the clearing in which The Don Flamencowas sitting. Tago pressed a button

on the upper arm of his armor that disabled the ships cloaking device and opened the hull doors.

As the odd group scrambled their way inside, the sounds of footprints and Elven shouting was

growing louder and louder. Tago shoved his way the front, snatching his keys from Xella and

placing himself in front of the control panel. He indeed was not bluffing about his being the only

person to know how to control it. His home planet of Satasrilla was full of thieves and

cutthroats, and it was really a matter of learning how to outsmart everyone else. For some, the

solution was to bury your money under your house and never leave, shooting anyone who

knocked at the door. For others, like Tago, it was about making your goods not worth stealing.

By making a ship with a control scheme that seemed nonsensical at best, you made a ship that no

one wanted to steal. It had worked so far.

But Tago knew the ship and had practiced the liftoff maneuver even blindfolded.

Listening to the sounds of laser arrow bolts graze the hull of his ship, Tago moved his hands

quickly across the cockpits console as he got the ship off ground and soon they were outside the

orbit of Galatiel, and entering Deep Space at breakneck speed. Tago entered the nearby Avidan

Asteroid Belt to create an obstacle course between him and any pursuing Elven ships. Ducking

and weaving through the various rocks and debris, Tago zoned out Xellas constant cursing and

Krahnitels yelps of fear. He could hear nothing but the blood rushing to his ears, feel nothing

but the throbbing in his legs and chest, taste nothing but the blood that filled his mouth from a

questionable cause. Was it the tumble with Xella? Krahnitels rib-breaking punch? Or the fact

that he was currently biting his forked tongue with his sharp teeth? He couldnt think, thinking


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slowed him down. Made you slow to react. And in the Avidan Asteroid Belt, even the slightest

hesitation or mistake only led you to becoming the new debris that filled its graveyard of ships.

It was hours later when Tago came back to his senses. They had avoided any Elven ships

that had been detecting them, and Tago set an autopilot course to the nearest filling station.

Activating the ships cloak, Tago sat up from his chair and left the cockpit. His eyes felt strained

and he was too exhausted to start any arguments with his two guests. He simply sat down in an

open chair in what had been his common room. The room was gaudy and colorful, full of the

souvenirs of Tagos various exploits. The walls were covered with posters of pin-ups of scantily

clad women and planetary landscapes, the latter of which were mainly oceanic planets. Satisrilla

was a desert planet, without much in terms of vegetation or water. This lack of resources, of

course, was the reason for the Satisrillian ways of theft and villainy, but Tago was always

obsessed with the ocean as a child. A planet with something so vast and refreshing was his

original destination when he left Satisrilla. And when he finally swam in the cold waters on a

planet called Zoria, it was just as amazing he imagined. Of course, the Zorian women, who were

definitelyfascinated by his appearance, were a nice bonus. The floor of the room was covered

in a shaggy rug, and the room was lit by a few pale neon lights. The room was surprisingly

clean; Tago highly treasured every object he had, so why not keep it clean and pristine? Around

him was a true menagerie of goods from past jobs, including golden statues, laser cannons,

crowns, ivory chess sets, and some various trinkets he had found in black markets.

As Tago leaned back to close his eyes, he heard the sound of a clearing throat. He

opened his eyes and saw his two guests standing him over him like the birds of prey back on

Satisrilla. After staring at them for a moment, he simply shrugged slightly to provoke a

response.


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As much as I appreciate you getting us out of trouble back there, Xella said, her blue

eyes narrowing in on him, I think we should talk about the game plan here.

Fine, Tago sighed. Well drop you off at the nearest fueling station and head off to

find the treasure. You can take the jewel, I guess. Im sure this one here knows the way.

Oh, so youre going to leave mewith the jewel while you look for a mysterious vault

that can be filled with treasures that makes thispiece of junk, she said, flicking the jewel, which

was still cradled in Krahnitels arms like a newborn, with her armored finger chump change in

comparison.

Tago paused, and sheepishly said, Yes?

No. Either Im coming with you, or I rat you out to the Elves. We can split the reward

50/50. You know, considering Krahnitel wont take any. She looked over at the robot who had

walked over to another reclining chair and sat down in it uncomfortably. He was clearly not

used to such sights and sounds as a monk. At the moment, he was currently staring at a pin up

poster of a skimpily dresses Orc warrior woman lewdly posing with a star metal lance like it

was a stripper pole. Although Krahnitel would have never believed it, Tago honestly just liked

the art.

Make it 60/40, Tago stated, turning his attention back to Xella. Were using my ship,

and the extra ten percent covers any repairs along the way. Ill even pay for a new multibow.

Xella covered her mouth with her right hand in thought, with the pointer finger tapping

one of her protruding teeth. Her eyes constantly flickered and changed, like they were made of

blue fire. Eventually she uttered a grunt of agreement and extended a hand to seal the deal. That

done, she sat down in a chair opposite of Tago and reclined, stretching her arms out over the

sides of the chair, as if to cover more area and appear more confident in herself.


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A worrying though sprang to Tagos mind and he had to ask: What will happen to your

ship? Can they use it to track us?

Nah, Xella sighed. I activated the self-destruct sequence when you were risking our

lives in the Asteroid Belt. And I never keep any super personal information on there, just in

case. Were covered. I assume a new ship will be included in the extra 10 percent as well?

Sure, Tago sighed. Sowho areyou? What are you? A drow? An orc? What?

Both. Mom was an orc. Dad was a drow. They met in one of those Commonwealth

cities. I grew up in poverty and decided that I was pretty good at stealing shit from people.

Decided to make a career out of that.

Your parents OK with that?

Oh yeah. They knew about it for a long time. Eventually decided that a career as a thief

was better than being a nobody or factory worker like my dad. Damn near worked himself to

death making armor for those human Star Knights. You know, those elite force guys that ride

the hologram horses and can tear apart an entire starfleet in minutes? Those. How about you?

Youre one of those Saturn

Satisrillians, Tago corrected.

Right. Bunch of thieves and mercenaries from what Ive heard. See you chose the

former path.

Yes, I have one of those crazy mental disorders where I like living. Stealing seemed

safer, and more likely to bring me places other than Satisrilla.

She laughed, it was an ugly chortle with an occasional snort that made Tagos ears twitch

and him to grimace. It clearly bothered her as well, as she tried to cover her laugh with a cough.

She tried to change the conversation, turning to Krahnitel and saying You hear that, Krahn?


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Neither one of us is some hurt soul looking for friendship and forgiveness. Were just well-

adjusted psychopaths!

Krahnitel, still eyeing the room and awkwardly clutching the jewel, said, Maybe you do

not have serious trauma, but I can clearly sense the potential for something better in both of you.

Surely you do not want to keep living lives that make you hurt others and leave your face

covered in scars. Surely, your souls yearn for a more righteous path.

Alright, Tago said testily, thats the second time you mentioned my face, and its

starting to piss me off. Youre not exactly a looker either. Now cut that shit out. Who are you

to judge me, huh? Some sleeping golem monkthing? What even are you?

I was created by the Monks of Omanis, who came from the Races of Elf, Dwarf,

Gnome, Human, and Orc. I was created to be a guardian of the temple and a disciple of our

peaceful doctrine. I do not know what to call myself, because the monks simply called me a

brother. My synthetic existence did not bother them; they loved me all the same. But I cannot

remember how I was shut off, how I was brought back to life, how I can access the map of this

jewel, or whythe Divine Powers have done this to me. He was quiet for a long time, staring at

the jewel in his gigantic metal hands, which dimly glowed blue light into the room. Do you

think something happened to my creators? Do you think they called my name, and I could not

hear them? Could have I prevented their demise, if they even met one?

Look, Tago muttered, unsure of what to say and simply relying on what he used to say

to the people he called friends on various planets. Im sorry, alright? Im kind of an asshole

like that sometimes. Dont worry about your monk friends, Im sure theyrefineor were

fineorsomething. Youre with her and me and now. How about you tell us where to go

first? Get this treasure hunt started and all that?


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Slowly looking up, the massive metal mans orange eyes became a lighter and calmer

shade of orange. He rose from his chair, walked over to Tago and took Tagos hand in his giant

mitt. Holding it, Krahnitel quietly said Thank you, Mr. Onafore. The first location I can

remember is a planet called Demarius in the Ripley Galaxy.

Uhawesome, Tago awkwardly mumbled, uncomfortable withthe entire current

situation. Well set a course for that after we fuel up.

Krahnitel slowly returned to his seat, and reclined his head onto his chest, his eye lights

slowly dimming.

So, Xella whispered, her square face scrunched in an attempt to comprehend. Iguess

he sleeps.

Youd think he would have had enough sleep after seven hundred years, Tago

murmured.

I do not needsleep. Yet I choose to, Krahnitel said, making the two thieves jump.

Xella turned back to Tago and stared at him intensely, Well, I know he wont double

cross me, and as long as you have my word,I wont crossyou. But how can I know I can trust

you? Whats stopping you from slitting my throat as soon as I fall asleep?

Well, I think he would have some very stern words with me if I did, Tago said,

pointing over to Krahnitels massive form with one hand while feeling the dent in his armor with

the other. And, to be perfectly frank, I dont kill unless I see a point to it. I didnt kill you back

on Galatiel because I thought I could leave you for the Elves. But now? With what Ive seen

from you, I can only see you helping me. No point in killing good help. A sharp smile crossed

his face, and, of course, if we get cornered, I can just go back to the original plan. Maybe make

a deal with the Elves and tell them how you forced me to help you against my will.


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Not if I make one first, her smile was equally crooked and daring.

Tell me then, Tago said, how can I trustyou? How do I know your word is as good as

you say? Should I be sleeping with one eye open?

Well, its like you said, I need you to fly the ship. I got a look at you flying the ship. It

would take me months to figure out to get this heap off the ground. Unless I somehow get my

own shipwhich is going to pretty difficult considering I have no moneyIm stuck with you,

and youre stuck with me. And besides, only one of us gets Krahnitel. I think, considering he

can kill us both relatively easily, trying to get him to side with us or trying to get the information

from him is a lost cause.

Tago murmured in agreement, finding that he was drifting off to sleep. Xella tapped him

again.

You got a shower in this place? And spare clothes? I cant wear this thing forever. Its

starting to chafe.

Yeah, Ill show it to you. I need one too.

The shower was big enough for both of them, and had several showerheads, so they

showered together in silence. They occasionally glanced at each others naked forms, but it felt

more like an attempt to size each other up, as if they were expecting a fight at any moment.

Xellas body was as boyish as her face, short and stocky, with thick legs and powerful arms. Her

breasts were pert, but by no means large. Regardless, she was indeed attractive. Tago would

have taken her then and there if she asked him, but he wasnt at all bothered when she never did .

She occasionally joked with him, tracing the huge bruise on his chest from Krahnitels punch

with her finger, or laughing about how she was expecting the rest of him to be as scarred and

stitched as his face.


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21

Howd you even get all those scars anyways?

Bar fights and previous heists mostly. Except this one, he traced the scar from his

forehead to his mouth. This one was from a time when I was captured by some Orc raiders on

the from desert planet a few galaxies over. They caught me stealing some of their weapons and

tortured me for a few days. Then left me to die in the desert. I guess they forgot Im used to the

climate. I just walked to the nearest town a few miles away and sewed up my face.

Whatd they use?

Hmm?

What did they use to make the scar? Knife, axe, sword?

A stone-spine-boars tusk.

She gasped, Goddess. How do you deal with shit like that?

Not sure. I think I was just so set on pissing them off and making them seem like a

bunch of idiots I tried to block out the pain. I laughed while they did it.

Thats a long way to go to piss people off.

What else was there to do? Scream? Cry? Beg for mercy? I thought I was going to

die, and Satisrillians have a saying: Never give your enemy the satisfaction. He saw the

horrified look in her eyes. What? Are you seriously telling me youve never been captured or

tortured?

She laughed and put her hands on her hips, No, because Im agoodthief.

Tago laughed this time and punched her in the arm as the exited the shower and quickly

dressed themselves. The clothing was Tagos, but recently a new technology came out that

allowed clothes to scan a persons body and perfectly fit them. Both of them attached ammo


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22

belts and picked up pistols that had been lying around the room, just in case they ran into any

scraps at the fueling station. They looked more like smugglers now, rather than master thieves.

As Tago lay on his couch and Xella curled up on one of the recliners, Xella asked when

they would reach the fueling station.

Ive programmed the ship to arrive at the station in about 12 hours. Hopefully, that will

be enough time to sleep. Then, its off to that Demarius planet Krahnitel told us about. Well be

regular treasure hunters tomorrow.

Yep, one big happy, treasuring-hunting family.

Family. The word made Tagos ears twitch. He thought back to his musings that

morning. He looked at his two new companions, both asleep in reclining chairs and, maybe it

was his exhaustion or the potential of the ultimate fortune, but Tago was surprised to find he was

OK with his new family. They were unconventional, unpredictable, and violent, just like him.

He guessed that was good enough. It certainly wouldnt be boring. And, of course, if they ever

pissed him off or asked him to settle down and run a tavern, he could just abandon them at an

Elven planet. As he closed his eyes, he pictured the masses of unimaginable riches lying behind

the vault doors, and once again pictured the colorful celebration of his Final Coronation back in

his hometown on Satisrilla. He fell asleep humming the music he wanted played as they lit the

pyre and released the fireworks.

Unbeknownst to Tago, Xella, and Krahnitel, their journey was not going to be as short

and simple as they had originally conceived. There would be battles with Human Star Knights,

run-ins and possible friendships with Orc Bounty Hunters, Gnome Inventors, and Sorceresses,

and many other exploits. It was going to be a journey that tested their resolve and carried them

across the farthest parts of the known Universe. They would learn the origins of not only their


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universe, but also of each other. But for this one moment, everything seemed simple and

obvious. And those later adventures will have to be covered another time, in another place. Or,

as they used to say so very, very long ago

TO BE CONTINUED

Date post:	03-Jun-2018
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Galactica, Chapter 1

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