Scrapper. Book 1. Parts 1—3
When the video ended, he heard the door sliding open, releasing him from his prison cell.
«Take my advice, Pher.» Lyssa’s voice sounded. «Listen to Cipher. Apologize to Serena.»
Pher pressed his lips together, remaining silent, and then left the cell deep in thought.
He went to the dining area first, allowing himself a meal and some time to think over what Cipher told him and what Lyssa showed. But the more he thought, the more he realised that they were right.
It was his mistakes that led to the pirates knowing about the possible gold hidden on the ship. His actions led to the attack, when Hunter was captured – either to be tortured to find out where the gold is held, or to negotiate his life for the treasure.
Pher left the Company with his friends, and now he was the one to bring trouble to them.
Returning to his quarters, he tried falling asleep. But even the soft cot wasn’t bringing him any relief from the heavy chaos of his thoughts flying about in his head.
When morning came, Pher found himself heading to Serena’s quarters, whispering to himself the possible words he could say. By the time he stopped at her door, he suddenly felt his resolve dissipating and his thoughts scrambling.
«Captain?» he called out, understanding that if he doesn’t do this now, he will never bring himself to trying again. «Serena?»
There was no reply, and the man felt lost about what to do.
«I’m sorry.» he said, hoping that even if Serena was sleeping or elsewhere, the ships AI would record his apology. «I really am. I apologize for what I did. Please, I just… I know I’m an asshole.»
The door suddenly opened and he saw Serena standing there, looking at him coldly, as if waiting for him to continue whatever speech he had prepared. Yet he had none – everything he wanted to say was immediately forgotten. So he tried as best as he could.
«I’m sorry. I got you into all this mess, and you…» the man lowered his gaze, just noticing that the woman wasn’t really clothed, standing in just a bathrobe. «Lyssa showed me what happened. If it weren’t for my stupidity… I… I’m sorry.»
Serena exhaled and shook her head:
«Apology accepted. Anything else?»
Pher raised his eyes to meet her gaze and forced a smile to his lips:
«Perhaps… you can find it in you for us to try and start anew? Let bygones be bygones and all that? Maybe… we could spend some time together, you know? I’m sure if we get to know each other better, we can be friends.»
Serena smirked at his clumsy attempt of a flirt that followed what seemed to be a truly heartfelt apology.
«You just can’t help yourself, can you?» the woman tilted her head.
Pher chuckled, gesturing at her clothes:
«Can you blame me?» he searched her eyes for a single hint of her warming up. «Please? I promise you, you won’t be disappointed again. I promise!»
He pressed his palms together pleadingly and made his best puppy-eye expression.
Serena squinted a bit and shook her head:
«I’m good.»
Pher realised he was being declined and leaned in a bit:
«Come on… don’t brush me off like that.»
The man suddenly noticed Hunter, shirtless, approaching with two cups of coffee in his hands. He offered one to Serena, not taking his eyes off Pher.
«Oh…» Pher straightened. «I’ve seemed to have come at a bad time…»
He glanced at the two, and made his last attempt:
«Maybe… I could join sometime?» he winked at Serena. «Two is better than one.»
The woman chuckled and pushed him away, closing the door in his face. Pher stood there, denied and humbled, then nodded to himself:
«Duly noted…» he glanced over his shoulder, making sure Cipher didn’t see his absolute failure of an apology.
Walking away, he felt jealous to see Hunter getting the woman.
Chapter 14. Bygones be bygones
Pher walked into the dining area and saw Cipher and Hunter sitting behind the table with Serena, laughing at something. The man felt himself walking into something he wasn’t allowed to join, but decided to just grab a meal and sit on the other side of the hall, not interfering with the fun the three were having.
However, as soon as he took a tray with food and was about to pass their table, Serena suddenly stood up, looking at him coldly and not allowing him to pass by. Pher stood there, not knowing what to say, until an irritation rose from within:
«Look, I don’t know what else you want from me!» he said, frustrated. «I already apologised to you, and Cipher and Hunter…»
Serena tilted her head and smirked:
«So now you think that running away and hiding in the corner is going to cut it, huh?»
Pher threw a quick glance at Hunter and Cipher, who looked at this exchange with smiles on their faces, obviously enjoying the show.
«If you want to kick my ass again, you’re welcome to do it.» Pher sighed, looking down onto his tray of food, realising that his appetite was fading. «I deserve it. Just… let me at least have a meal before you make me lose all my teeth, alright?»
Serena cackled, grabbing his tray. Pher reluctantly let go of it and watched as she put it on the table, not taking her eyes off him.
«You really think you deserve a beating, huh?» Serena asked him.
«I do. I shouldn’t have beaten the girl up. I was…» Pher slouched, understanding how drunk he was and incapable of compromising.
«Intoxicated?» the woman proposed the appropriate word.
«That too.»
He saw her raising her hand, offering him a handshake:
«Join us. Let bygones be bygones…» she said.
Pher raised his eyes to her smiling face and saw a change in her gaze, which meant she really meant what she said. However, as soon as he clasped hands with her, she pulled him in and he heard the most intimidating whisper in his ear:
«Do this again and I will cut your balls off.»
When she leaned away, she was already smiling.
Pher stood there, dumbfounded, watching as she sat back down on her seat.
«Sit down.» she said with her voice ringing with steel. «I won’t ask twice.»
The man swallowed a lump in his throat and decided not to argue, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table, where the woman placed his tray. For a few moments he found himself wondering if her heavy gaze meant he was still in trouble, before Hunter whispered something to her ear and she burst out laughing.
Pher looked to his tray and shoved a piece of meat into his mouth, keeping his head low and wishing to become invisible for the first time in his life. For a bit Serena was engaged in nonchalant conversation with Hunter and Cipher, laughing at their jokes and exchanging some stories. But when silence fell between them, Pher looked up and saw Serena watching him attentively. He set aside his fork and straightened, leaning onto the back of his seat, realising she was expecting him to say something.
«You know, Serena…» Pher cleared his throat. «You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. You’re also the most intimidating one I ever knew…»
«Well, then…» Serena leaned over the edge of the table with her elbows. «Grow a pair, because where we’re going, there’s plenty of women just as beautiful and intimidating…»
Pher frowned, confused by her statement.
«So you’d better keep that in mind and know that many of those women are not as forgiving as I am.» Serena chuckled. «So don’t do anything stupid, or you’ll find yourself spayed.»
Cipher and Hunter laughed at Pher’s face becoming pale.
«What’s the matter?» Serena finished her drink. «I thought you were the one who wanted to go to Velutha?!»
Pher felt himself swallowing hard, seeing darkness in Serena’s eyes. He thought, if all the women on Velutha were even distantly as harsh as she was, he will be in great trouble for the slightest mistake.
«Finish up your meal.» Serena stood up, smiling. «We have a jump to make.»
Pher saw Hunter and Cipher following the woman out, cackling at his expression, and decided not to meddle. Quickly shoving the last piece of meat into his mouth, the man hurried after them, not wishing to be left behind in the dining area during a jump.
He knew nothing about the Laithorian space ships, but assumed that they could make interstellar jumps, common in space travel to long distances. However, he never experienced a jump before, so he didn’t know what to expect.
Arriving at the bridge, he watched Serena take the captain’s seat, and Hunter and Cipher – the two chairs that were intended for two pilots. The only seat left was that of a communication officer, so Pher took it, feeling being singled out for his past mistakes.
«Just don’t touch anything, Pher.» Cipher strapped himself with the safety belts.
Hunter and Pher did the same, though noticed Serena stay unstrapped.
The woman cracked her knuckles and her fingers began inputting something on the control panel in front of her. The three men watched as the screen window lit up, showing the route to Velutha, noting that without the jump the road would have taken them a number of weeks. Then they saw a point glowing somewhere ahead on their way, and Serena corrected the course to head towards it, checking calculations and watching the ship’s systems for any faults.
«Commencing wormhole jump.» Lyssa reported. «Please stay in your seats until we are out.»
Something flashed and the ship accelerated, pushing the four into their seats. The stars around slowly grew into streaks of light, which became brighter with each second, and then the ship seemed to have grown longer, extending in space, as if unable to keep up with the speed.
Pher, Hunter and Cipher felt how hard it was to breathe, grasping to their seats in an attempt not to let the tightness in their chests to make them lose consciousness. Serena, however, seemed to enjoy this type of travel, laughing with joy at the sight of her passengers being overwhelmed by the force during the jump.
Finally, they saw a small black spot straight ahead, and as it approached at an immense speed, Serena made a few adjustments on the control panel before the ship flew out of the wormhole, suddenly feeling like it came to a full stop.
The men were thrown forward, contained by the belts, and Serena laughed out, correcting course towards the giant sphere that was located straight ahead.
«Welcome to the Laithorian Empire, boys.» Serena cackled. «We’ll be arriving at Velutha shortly.»
She jumped up from her seat and ran to the screen window, looking at the planet she used to call home a long time ago.
Chapter 15. Velutha
«Captain, we are being hailed by a Veluthian Space Trooper SS Axathaal.» Lyssa reported.
«Put it through.» Serena saw the ship approaching from the side before the screen turned into an image of a handsome blond haired man.
«This is Captain Lindon Dorn Gray-Linn of SS Axathaal. You are entering Veluthian space. State your name and business.» the man sounded collected and harsh.
«Captain Serena Dal Thara-Lyss of SS Lyssandra, and my business is…» Serena suddenly fell silent, not really sure how to explain her return, but quickly collected herself. «I’m returning home.»
The man on the screen frowned a bit, then gave a short gesture aside and looked at Serena again:
«I welcome you home, Lady Thara-Lyss. Allow me to escort you.»
Serena knew that if she refused, it could make the man think she was being secretive, so she nodded:
«Your escort is greatly appreciated, Sir.»
The man nodded and the screen faded, showing the space ship slowly taking its place in front of Serena’s craft. The woman thought if Axathaal’s captain knew how vulnerable of a position he was putting his ship and crew in by this placement, but then saw two other ships on both sides of Lyssandra and smirked at the provocation Captain Lindon made for her.
«Uh…» Pher nervously chuckled. «Are we good?»
«You can take the belts off if that’s what you’re asking…» Serena glanced at the men and Hunter noticed her worried expression. «Other than that, I think we’re fine.»
The ships accelerated a little, descending towards the planet, and the men saw a vast stretch of green lands they were approaching with a giant structure shimmering in the rays of the local sun. This structure seemed to have a very peculiar form that resembled a tight flower bud – the multiple layers wrapping around the soft curves of the tall cone.
«What the fuck is that?» Cipher stepped to the window, enthralled by the amazing sight.
Hunter glanced at Serena and saw her face becoming colder, distant, as if she tried hard to contain her emotions.
«It’s a memorial.» she exhaled, a shiver running down her spine. «For my family and the Bima-Liss family that perished in the massacre fifty years ago…»
The ships landed softly, picking up the dust that surrounded the structure and Serena lowered her gaze, suddenly hesitant.
«Are you alright?» Hunter put his palm onto her back and felt her muscles tensing up.
«I’m… fine.» she gritted her teeth, turned and headed out, ignoring the fact she just threw Hunter’s palm off her back.
The men followed her, trying to keep up, but Serena seemed too determined to get it over with as soon as possible.
«You should stay aboard. But if you decide not to – it is your choice.» Serena said, stepping into the cargo bay and getting ready to walk out of the ship. «But I will say that you will have trouble breathing on Velutha and our gravity is much stronger, so… I’d prefer you stay in the safety of my ship.»
The bay door opened and Serena stepped out, freezing for a few moments to take a very deep breath in.
Pher threw a quick glance at Cipher and Hunter and chuckled, walking over:
«Aw, come on, how hard can it be?» he jumped out and immediately fell to the ground, gasping and wheezing.
«I warned you…» Serena leaned down and grabbed him by the scruff, pulling him back inside. «Stay here.»
The woman walked out once more, heading towards a few men that disembarked from the Space Trooper space ships with Lindon at the front.
«If you wish to follow her, I can offer personal devices to wear to negate the gravitational pull and the atmosphere…» Lyssa said, a couple of drones appearing in the cargo bay and offering the men some type of bracelets.
Hunter and Cipher looked at Pher, who kept trying to catch his breath.
«Nah… I’m good…» Pher coughed. «I’ll stay here.»
Hunter picked up the bracelet and clasped it on his wrist. A thin layer of a blue coloured force field surrounded him and the man cautiously stepped out of the ship. Feeling the gravity a bit stronger than he was used to, he glanced at Cipher and shrugged.
«I’ll stay here, watch the ship.» Cipher exchanged glances with Pher. «And keep Pher some company.»
Hunter nodded and hurried off to catch up with Serena. As he approached, he noticed Lindon greet him with a light bow and then gesture towards the memorial.
Serena tried her best to stay focused and calm, but Hunter noticed her tightening her fists, as she walked over to the bud-shaped structure.
«The law states two witnesses should enter.» Lindon said. «Lady Thara-Lyss, would you allow me to be your second witness?»
Serena glanced at Hunter, swallowing hard, and then met Lindon’s eyes, nodding.
The woman slowed down a little as she approached the memorial, and stopped, once she reached one of the lines that ran up through the structure. As if unsure what to do, she reached out with her hand and touched it. Something lit up, and Serena raised her eyes, looking at the structure coming alive. Bursts of lights began pulsating in the lines and a few orbs disengaged from the base of the structure, flashing the woman with rays of several colours of scanning rays.
«Serena Dal Thara-Lyss, identity confirmed.» the orbs chimed, returning to their places.
The woman flinched as the structure suddenly creaked and cracked, the plates of «petals’ slowly opening up before her.
It took them a bit of time, before a beautiful arch appeared, leading inside the structure. But Serena stood frozen, looking at the dimly lit corridor in front of her.
«Lady Thara-Lyss?» Lindon stepped closer.
Serena took a breath and forced herself to walk inside, followed by the man and Hunter, who seemed more worried about the woman and not the strange memorial that she opened up.
The corridor was short and led them to a round, dome-shaped hall with shimmering walls.
Serena looked around at the seemingly empty room, when suddenly at the other side of it something lit up and she suddenly heard the voice she could never forget.
«Serena!»
The woman froze only for a split second, her eyes growing wide and she slowly turned towards the voice. Hunter saw a man in his forties – tall, proud and with his back straight, standing in a pose typical for a commander of an army.
«F… father…» Serena exhaled, absolutely not expecting to see him there.
It took a moment for Hunter to realise that what they were seeing was a very lifelike hologram. For a second he thought how cruel it was to have an image of anyone dead to be used in some kind of authentication, but the man didn’t say it out loud, understanding that it would be better to keep his mouth shut.
«You were given an order!» the hologram rumbled, its voice loud and powerful.
Serena felt her body beginning to shiver, but straightened and clasped her hands behind her back, becoming a soldier, not a daughter who came to the memorial to honour her fallen relatives.
«It was executed.» she said, her voice audibly shaking.
«You were given an order!» the loud rumbling voice emanated from the hologram once again.
The woman watched as the perfect representation of her father looked at her in anger and disdain and suddenly realised that all of this was more than just his conscience used to get an authentication. It was testing her, just like her father used to test her almost every day of her life when he was alive.
«I don’t take orders from you, you’re long dead!» the woman replied, trying to stay collected.
«How dare you disobey your superior? I gave you an order!»
«You’d like that, wouldn’t you? The blind loyalty, the unwavering trust in you and your orders…» Serena felt anger rising from deep within. «Never compromising, always indifferent to others – this is you in all your arrogance and entitlement! You and your orders took me away, running at your command! Because of your protocol I was left stranded and unable to fight back.»
«My orders are perfectly justified, you little brat!» the hologram shouted, its face contorting in disgust.
«Because of your orders I was stranded for years, not even knowing who I am, too weak to do anything about it! But who am I to question your orders? After all, you’re the one who raised me to never sway from anything you say! I remember perfectly how you cut my finger off when I was five – just for taking a candy before dinner! You said I broke your order!»
«You were raised a warrior!» the hologram growled, depicting her father’s temper perfectly.
«I was raised a follower! And you kept lying to me all the time, making me just a pawn in your political games! Don’t dare give me an order ever again, you Ol’ Fart!»
Serena suddenly fell silent, a harsh realisation washing over her. She felt her hands trembling and understood why she gave this nickname to Captain Summers.
«No wonder I hated the captain I served after my memories were wiped! He reminded me of you!» Serena grabbed her gun and shot the hologram, making its head burst.
It took the hologram only a split second to return its full form and change demeanour. Now the man in it looked softer, more human.
«Your aim is as true as ever, my dear daughter. I am so proud of you. Welcome home.» the man said, and the hologram faded.
Serena felt her knees buckling and fell to the floor, incapable of holding herself up. The sheer shock of the realisation washing over her made her weaker than she ever felt.
She never heard those words from her father. Growing up, she always heard him preaching of strength, loyalty and perseverance. But she never heard a single word of encouragement, or appreciation from her father.
His conscience, copied into this memorial, gave her exactly what she needed. Closure.
Chapter 16. Legacy
She stayed on her knees, shocked and lost from the sudden meeting with what could be called her father’s remnant, until Lindon stepped closer and kneeled next to her.
«Lady Thara-Lyss, allow me to offer you my sincerest condolences to the deaths of your father and your family.» the man said. «And let me be the one to escort you to the authorities to start the necessary proceedings for your inheritance.»
Hunter shook off his stupor and leaned in, offering Serena his hand.
«Thank you, sir Lindon…» Serena replied, grasping at Hunters hand to pull herself up. «I will be honoured, sir.»
When she stood up and looked at Hunter, the man noticed how pained her eyes looked. But a moment passed, she breathed in and forced her posture to reflect the upbringing of her military family. She collected herself and looked at Lindon, who now stood next to them.
«Welcome home, Serena Dal Thara-Lyss.» Lindon bowed to her – this time much lower than before.
He gestured towards the exit and Serena nodded, heading that way. Hunter exchanged glances with the strange commander who accompanied them and saw how a smirk appeared on his lips. He didn’t like this at all, but kept silent, too worried for Serena and her state after this short, but obviously emotional encounter with a hologram representing her father.
As they returned to their respective ships, Lindon briefly ordered the other two ships under his command to return into space for patrol. Serena watched the man with a strange expression on her face – as if looking for any hint of foul play. Hunter touched her wrist again, making her snap out of this, and the woman silently walked onto Lyssa.
Before following her, Hunter glanced over his shoulder at Lindon and saw him smiling. The Veluthian turned and boarded his ship.
Something strange was about this commander, and Hunter understood that he was more than just that – the way he carried himself and gave orders told more about him than just his confident posture and the calm, well-mannered approach towards Serena.
«Hunter?» Cipher’s voice snapped the man out of his thoughts.
Hunter found himself frozen at the entrance and jumped onto the ship, absentmindedly shutting down the bracelet given to him by the ship.
«Everything alright?» Cipher matched his pace to his friend’s.
«I don’t know, this guy…» Hunter shrugged. «He’s… strange.»
«In what way?»
Hunter didn’t know how to answer that question, shaking his head. Cipher didn’t push any further, thinking that, maybe, their short trip caused Hunter to re-evaluate his view on Serena. He saw it coming – the two got along so well on the ship while they were flying through space, that Hunter’s infatuation with the woman was quite apparent to Cipher.
They returned to the bridge in silence, seeing Pher already there, watching the distance through the window and smiling. Serena, a bit frowning and collected, sat at the captain’s seat, doing something behind the thin screens of her control panels.
Passing the woman, Hunter noticed her researching something in the news archives of her home planet. The plethora of articles was vast and her face grew colder with each one she opened and looked through.
As MSS Lyssandra and SS Axathaal ascended into the skies again, heading elsewhere, Serena was still engaged with her reading, as if nothing else mattered at the time.
«When we get to the city, I would advise you to stay on the ship. You might draw unwanted attention.» Serena said a bit later, distracting herself from the screens to look out of the window and seeing the distant skyscrapers and dots of vessels flying between them.
«What, no fun?» Pher turned to her.
«Not just yet, no.» the woman met his gaze. «First, I need to take care of some matters that require me alone. There won’t be any fun in that. Later, when I’ll be done, we can think of something to oblige your insatiable thirst for fun. I’m sure you’ll find Veluthian sports to your liking.»
«Sports?» Pher chuckled. «I like sports. But I was thinking of other kinds of fun.»