Private Staying Current

[Delila Castillon]

Kallidahin Space | Quarantine World XVI | Aboard the Saegassum
​

Creaking and groaning echoed through the cargo vessel as they crawled through the its of rock and debris surrounding the now defunct moon. It had been made into a type of quarantine world for this sector - technology too valuable to be allowed to exist without lock and key, artifacts from universities or various expeditions, weapons from long-dormant governments and armies. From what she had came to understand, a bit of a high security storage facility.

There was no entry into the world without official business. Working on the edge of Bryn'adual space, they had come across a job on Groth to transport several crates worth of goods to the quarantine world for later retrieval by those who had hired them. Lofty ambition that the Gran who had hired them would be alive to tell the tale or actually retrieve the items. Yet she wasn't get paid to give advice, just fly from one point to another.

Another rock hit the shielding of the Saegassum and she gave an aggravated sigh, worried about damage. Delays could be costly. They were being tailed by the slavery ring goons until Bryn space they had suddenly disappeared. It made her nervous. Even made her more nervous that she was about to tromp through a quarantine world laden down with cameras and security - one breach could spell disaster for the crew.

She had been giving Adric lessons on self-defense over the past couple of weeks. It would give her a bit of comfort that the kid could maybe hold his own for a few minutes, especially now that he had been eating steady meals with the rest of them. Not that he was out of danger by any means. At least they had a name for the kid now thanks to Corek. Also a fresh batch of scavenged weapons to replenish supply.

Adric was in the massive cargohold with her, preparing a blaster. Delila hit the intercomm up to the cockpit where Brak and Xin were (hopefully) doing their best to avoid damage.

"We're in place - not sure whats going to happen once you drop anchor in a few minutes...."

It was their first time to a quarantine world after all. Best be prepared for what could be tossed their way.

 

[Xin Boa]

"No official comma yet," Xin called back. The place had been oddly silent. It was like having a casual observer watch their route in. Perhaps they were placing bets on whether they'd make it through the debris.

"Don't like dis place," said Xin. "Doesn't..."

"It doesn't feel right," Adric completed for Xin. There was more colour to him than for a long time. He'd been malnourished, placed in stasis and then shot.

The young man looked towards the hull, beyond the hull.

"I think they might keep prisoners here too," he continued.

 

[Delila Castillon]

"Both of you are too superstitious. This is why I'm beginning to prefer Brak."

The massive Barabel hissed with laughter from his perch on the co-pilots seat, doing his best to keep the shields up and running. A massive task considering all the debris littering the facility. Delila wasn't sure if it was mere accidents approaching the facility left to turn into orbit, a defense, or a mix of both. There wasn't much to go on, secure storage didn't exactly keep much information on the HoloNet.

Dells reached out and squeezed Adric's shoulder, the boy half turning to look at her.

"Prisoners? Don't worry about that - we've got your back. I mean - a prison inside this place makes sense. Its massive, guarding secrets upon secrets. If you and Xin are worried Brak and I can deliver the cargo crates to the designated floor. A Barabel and a redhead? They wouldn't dare try anything."

 

[Xin Boa]

Adric tried to smile. It was a little weak. He could feel them out there. Anger and despair. Caged. Maybe they did deserve to be kept like that.

"They told me I was dangerous and that's why I had to be put in hibernation," he said quietly. He was looked down at his hands in his lap.

"I think I'll come too," he said more firmly.

 

[Delila Castillon]

"You? Dangerous? I highly doubt that. Sounds like something people say to keep control. Kind of like when I don't want to do something so I tell Xin he's the best at it."

Grin was flashed in Adrics direction.

"While it may not be true it causes a reaction. Kind of like what they did with you."

Delila peered out of the viewport as they drew closer, trying to see if there any outward signs of a prison. Transport vessels or markings.

"Make sure you keep that blaster on you then."

 

[Xin Boa]

Aldric considered this in silence. It was the point he was already thinking about. They'd told him he was a danger to himself and others for control. He still didn't know what they had wanted him for. People here were being kept because they were a danger.

He had to wonder how many lies had been told to put people away because they were a danger. He thought to himself that he was probably just overthinking things. He often did.

"I don't really know how to use it, but maybe it makes me look more dangerous?" He asked. It didn't. He put the tip about getting Xin to do things aside, but imagined it wouldn't work for him.

 

[Delila Castillon]

Delila resisted rolling her eyes - Adric was a kid, one that knew nothing of the outside galaxy. Travelling with the Saegassum crew was the most he had ever spent out of stasis at one time, the most he had seen of the 'verse. He wouldn't understand the reasons behind her skepticism of the Force and what could be considered dangerous or not.

"One thing doesn't make you look more dangerous. I have this blaster" Dells waved it around for a bit of effect. "Does it make me look any more dangerous right now? No. I wouldn't worry about it, besides, in our line of work looking dangerous can be beneficial. Less chance of being caught between a rock and a hardplace."

Delila nodded towards the quarantine world.

"Let's not worry about it right now. We've got some bigger issues, like making sure this goes well. Just make sure your blaster has the safety off."

Adric had false papers thanks to a previous stop - Orron Castillon - a cover story of being a second cousin to herself, traveling the spacelanes to gain knowledge and earn a bit of coin. So far no one had given much of a second glance, a good thing when they had paid a decent amount of credits to guarantee passage.

 

[Xin Boa]

Aldric checked the safety on his blaster as they approached the hangar. It was on. He left it on against her advice, more afraid of shooting himself in the foot than being slow on the draw.

Xin has slowly lowered the ship into the crack running through the partially hollowed out moon. Once upon a time it must have been rich in valuable minerals, but those were long gone. The entire freighter had lowered through a field into a large landing pad.

"We're clear," Xin's voice came over the intercom. The rear doors slowly lowered

Alric followed Dells through the containers secured in the hold.

"What are we dropping off?" he asked.

 

[Delila Castillon]

Dells was more than happy both of the provided crates had repuslar technology. Saved on labor for starters and back pain later in the evening, a win-win. Removing the straps from the two containers, she shrugged a bit at Adric's questioning about what was exactly in the crates. Switches were flipped, the two containers lifting off the ground.

"No idea." She could see his eyes widen. "Thats how we got you.Most folks don't like people asking what you're hauling. I imagine something fairly valuable considering the credits we're making on this. The not knowing doesn't bother me.I could see how it could bother others - come on, guide the second crate out."

Delila walked out, fishing out the datapad manifest for the two containers. Apparently the security here would just automatically know what to do, or so they had been told when they took on the job.

"Feels good to stretch the legs a bit. There are only so many laps I can do on board. Not that I mind."

Two guards shifted up ahead as they guided their wares closer, guarding the entrance into the massive complex.

 

[Xin Boa]

"There's no one inside there," Adric said, sounding distant. He didn't know quite how he knew it. It was an intrinsic fact.

There was a lot that he knew without knowing how. Given how limited his memories were there were a lot of things he could do that he didn't remember learning. It made him think about what he couldn't remember being taught and what might just come naturally.

"You think we're allowed past this guard post to actually walk...anywhere?" Adric asked. "I wouldn't mind stretching my legs either..."

It was more the marginally more open space than any tight muscles. They seemed quite at home in a ship - beyond the occasional beach reference that went over his head - but Adric hadn't got used to the narrow corridors and small cabins yet. Better than a box in hibernation.

 

[Delila Castillon]

"I don't know, we're about to find out."

Containers pushed towards the security guards,coming up short near the gate. The guards shifted their position, moving closer to the both of them, taking in their appearance and the crates.Delila passed over the datapad provided by their employer, along with her and Adric's indentifications. One guard seemed in charge of checking the manifest and the other in charge of the physical items themselves - poking and scanning at the containers. A glance towards herself and Adric before bending over to check the deals.

"Been doing this long?" The other was wandering back towards them, identification in hand.

"Few years now, its been a learning curve. The kid's been with us a few months, nice to have a helping hand."

"Cheap labor is also a blessing." Their indents were returned and she was also handed a small datapad. "Follow the directions on the datapad for delivery, another guard will meet you there."

Another guard? Their employer must be paying an arm and a leg to store these things. A brief nod and they were let through the gate. Delila glanced at the datapad, it was directing them to a bank of turbolifts to head to level thirty.

"Got your wish to stretch your legs."

 

[Xin Boa]

"Cheap labor is also a blessing."

"Oh, she doesn't pay me," Adric said innocently. The guards flashed him a bemused look as he passed beyond them.

It wasn't a bustling place. It wasn't a happy place either. He could feel that. It was still more space. He got the chance to stretch his legs, even if that involved giving the second container a push.

The repulsors meant the container was weightless, but that didn't mean it was massless. They still had to give them enough of a shove to get moving.

"Guess we have to walk it to storage?" he asked.

 

[Delila Castillon]

"We probably should be giving you some cut of the jobs considering you're helping out."

It would only be fair considering Adric was a part of the crew. Not to mention the sheer number of people who had been taking advantage of the kid for who knew how long. Besides if they couldn't find any family members of Adric the kid was going to have to support himself. Realistically, if this was the case, Delila didn't see many options for the boy in the short-term.

Pushing her container, Delila had laid the datapad on top to use for navigation.

"Well, walk slash wait in the turbolift. Then do it all in reverse. We won't linger too long since Brak and Xin are waiting on us. Doesn't seem like this would be an ideal place to linger regardless. Maybe if our friends haven't followed us we can find some land to dock at for a few days. Let you roam around and breathe real air."

 

[Xin Boa]

"Real air would be nice," Adric said thoughtfully. "and I guess some money would be too. I don't really know what I would do with it."

He hadn't had freedom to do as he pleased for as long as he remembered. He went on a little mental journey but found nothing but dead ends.

"What do you spend your money on?" he asked as the lift juddered to a halt.

 

[Delila Castillon]

Looking down at the datapad to see if they stopped at the right area, Delila regarded his question for a moment.

"Whatever I need that isn't covered in the supplies we get for the ship. Mostly caf, hygiene products, something frivolous here and there."

They pushed off the turbo lift and into a massive light filled corridor. The datapad indicated they should end towards the end. She noticed a few random doors.

"You're young. Probably should save most so you can do what you want in the future. I'm sure you don't want to hang out with us forever."

 

[Xin Boa]

"That's probably a good idea," he replied. Adric hadn't ruminated on what his life could actually be. He had been in recovery and most of his idle thoughts were worries about those people that Dells and Xin thought might still be chasing them.

"I think Xin is bored," he announced suddenly. He was more aware of the nautolan's thoughts than the others.

The comm clicked a moment later.

"Ship's all secure," called Xin. "I don't suppose there's anything resembling a bar dockside?"

 

[Delila Castillon]

"Fairly certain Xin was born out of the swamp and immediately bored. Sometimes I wonder how he handles our long haul flights."

Eyes rolled at the chirping of the comm. Delila used her body to push the crate along so she could speak to Xin.

"No I don't think it's that type of place. We're not far from turning these things in. Doesn't look like a place we're going to be hanging out in for long."

Another push.

"Things look quiet down there?"

 

[Xin Boa]

"Other dan the guards starring at us every time we look out a window..." Xin replied. He looked out of the cockpit again. They must have been bored if they were making a game of trying to intimidate the pilots.

"Deflectors are charged up so we can leave whenever," he added. He started mentally preparing himself for the stress that would be navigating back out of the field.

"We picking up any cargo?"

 

[Delila Castillon]

|| Xin Boa ||

"Unless one of these guards want to get off this rock,no. Might want to look and see whats close to us out here. Maybe a trading post or something or decide if we are going to squeeze in some R&R. I'll let you and Brak debate over that one. In the mean time just keep staring out the viewports at the guards."

Adric and herself reached the drop off point, leaving the carts and collecting the credits owed for the job. In the bag with the credits was a small vial filled with green liquid. It sloshed around inside if Dells rocked it back and forth and seemed to give off a weird glow. She wasn't sure if they were meant to have the item but she wasn't saying anything.

She passed the bag to Adric for inspection.

"What is it?"