The Sac'a'rith (13 page)

“Still no sign of Narcion,” I said. “We are only a day out from the trading post. I think we should wait here.”

“For how long?” asked Crivreen.

“I don’t know. This has never happened before,” I said. “In the past, when he has left me he has always come back within a day or two.”

“Any idea where he has gone?” asked Felix.

“No,” I said.

“Look, he wanted us to stop at that station and get supplies, right? Why don’t we just do that and then fly back out here if he hasn’t yet returned?” asked Crivreen.

“Because I don’t know what we need,” I said.

“Oh, I am sure we can figure it out. All we have to do is look through the ship’s stores, and buy anything that is low,” said Felix.

I thought about that for a bit, and his idea seemed reasonable. “Okay. I will stop the ship here and we can see what we need. If Narcion is not back by the time we complete that, we will go and get our supplies,” I said. “Oh! You two will have to stay out of sight if we do this. Narcion can’t risk anyone finding out where he is resupplying, so we will need to use alternative IDs for the ship and myself.”

Crivreen looked confused, but Felix said, “I expected as much. Don’t worry. We will not blow your cover.”

“What if he never comes back?” asked Crivreen.

“He will,” I said. I was not sure I believed it myself, but I had to be strong for Crivreen. Narcion left me in charge, so I had to lead.

We spent the next three days cataloging everything on board. Narcion had enough weapons and related equipment to arm a small militia. He had everything from knives and swords to anti-personnel grenades and particle cannons. It was hard to imagine a scenario where he would not have the right weapon on hand with plenty of ammunition and redundant backups.

The one thing I noticed was that all of the gear was highly specific to human and Zalionian. Not only that, anything that was wearable was only in his size or mine. But that would mean he had never expected anyone to join him except me, yet I had thought our encounter to be a chance one. Felix and Crivreen did not notice anything amiss, but from their perspective it would have been completely normal to have clothes and equipment for the two people who lived on the craft and no one else.

Exhausted from our work, I leaned against a cargo container and consulted the datapad I had been using to take notes. “It looks like our main requirements are food, fuel, medical supplies, and raw materials for repairs.”

“Should be a fast, easy stop then,” said Felix. “All of that stuff can be purchased in mainstream stores. I was worried we might need his black-market connections.”

“No, but if you did I would take care of it myself,” I heard a voice say.

I looked up and Narcion was standing there, holding a large cargo container. He looked tired and worn down. I moved quickly to take the container from him and was surprised by its weight. He seemed to be holding it as if it were light, yet I had to strain to carry it.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Yes, it’s just that getting those supplies took longer than I expected. Has all gone well here?” he asked.

“I have learned everything you asked me to do; and we have just finished cataloging all the ship’s supplies, so we now have a shopping list for you,” I said and handed him the datapad.

He looked it over for a minute, then said, “All three of you worked on this?”

“Yes. There is no way I could have done it alone,” I said.

He was quiet for a while, then he turned to Felix and said, “You do not have to worry about Wolf Pack anymore.”

“They’re dead?” he asked.

“No. We have a truce for the present. Someday they will either become great allies or our most deadly enemies, but for the moment they are out of the picture,” he said.

He walked over, sat down on one of the containers, and took a deep breath. I followed him over and waited while he gathered himself. “Zah’rak, I want you to carry on with your plan. Fly us to the station and get the supplies that you have determined we need,” he said, handing me back the datapad.

“Are you leaving again?” I asked.

“No, but I require rest. It may be a few days before I recover from this last trip. Felix, Crivreen, come over here for a minute,” said Narcion. Once they were close he said, “My original thought was to leave you two at this outpost with sufficient money and possessions to start new lives. We are far enough from where Crivreen was arrested that no one should recognize him, and from here transport could be secured to travel to any of several other regions. I can still set you up like that if you prefer, or you can stay and work for me.”

Felix looked over at Crivreen, then said, “Doing what?”

“As you are no doubt aware, the consortiums in this area have no love for the local government and are in a constant battle with them. For the most part an uneasy stalemate exists, and violence only breaks out occasionally. This is all part of the natural rebalance of power that is happening across all known space since the collapse of the Empire, and I have tried to stay out of it. Recently that has all changed,” he said and paused to take a breath.

“How recently?” I asked.

“Maybe five or six years ago now,” he answered. “Someone has started seeding this area with powerful undead creatures and is using them to break down the local power structure. The wraiths we fought on that last station were only the beginning. It is getting worse, much worse, and I intend to stop it.”

“Is that what the Sac’a’rith do?” I asked. “Fight the undead?”

“We are warriors of the natural order. The goal of our brotherhood is to maintain the balance of nature and prevent the supernatural from disrupting the natural cycle of life,” he said.

“By ‘we’, you mean us?” I asked.

“Currently just you and I, Zah’rak,” he said. “I am the last of a dying breed, and you will be the first of the new generation,” he said.

“What about us, then?” asked Crivreen.

“I mean to find out who is behind this and put a stop to it. I am too old to do it alone, and would welcome your help,” he said.

“You want us to become Sac’a’rith also?” asked Felix.

“Maybe in time, but in the meantime I would hire you at the standard mercenary rate,” he said. “Think about it; no need to decide now. Zah’rak, after you have bought our supplies, pull back out to this location and hold here.”

After saying that, he left the cargo hold and headed to his quarters. I looked at Felix, who merely shrugged and said, “I guess you’d better lay in a course and let us get this shopping done.”

Zenfar, the trading outpost that Narcion had chosen, was the major trade hub for the region. It was a massive station near the intersection of several trade routes, and pretty much anything that was for sale could be bought there for a price. Most of what I wanted to buy would be easy to acquire, but I had one special order in mind, rare enough out here that even this station might not have any.

We arrived at Zenfar early in its day; however, most merchants were open around the clock, so I would be able to begin shopping right away. As planned, I boarded the station alone while Crivreen and Felix stayed on the ship to limit the risk that the fake ID I was using would be compromised. After a long morning of haggling and arranging for delivery, I stopped at an eatery to get a quick bite to eat.

While I was reviewing my shopping list to make sure I had purchased everything I needed, a person came over and sat across from me. I was not sure of his race or his gender, as his clothing obscured most details about him. He was taller than an average human, but not quite as tall as a Zalionian. His hood completely obscured his face except for two glowing yellow eyes.

I locked my gaze right into those yellow eyes and said, “Can I help you?”

“No, but I can help you,” he said. Despite the somewhat high pitch of his voice, it was clear and powerful. There was no mistaking it; his voice was the voice of one who commanded respect and was used to getting it.

“I am not looking for anything you have, so just move along,” I said, without breaking his gaze.

“Oh, but you will be soon. I know who you are and whom you are traveling with,” he said.

“So does half the station. As I said, I need nothing from you. Now leave,” I replied with a deliberate edge to my voice. There was something in his tone that worried me. I would have got up and left, but I did not want to risk turning my back on him. Something told me he was very dangerous, but I could not put my finger on where that danger lay.

“I do not mean the fake ID you are currently using. Listen carefully: your boss is getting too close to something that should not be uncovered. If he stays on this path, at best none of you will survive. At worst, he could release something that would be far worse than those wraiths you have been messing with.”

“I do not know what you are talking about. I am only here to get some supplies,” I said. I rose to my full height and looked down to where he was sitting. “I suggest you move along,” I said, my anger rising at his implication that Narcion was not to be trusted.

“Do yourself a favor: ask him how old he is. He is not what he seems, and he is leading you and your new friends into darkness such as you have never seen, not even in your worst nightmares.” After saying that he got up and left without a further word. As he walked away I noticed how smoothly he moved, with a grace I had only ever seen in one other person; a grace and fluidity I was struggling to match. One thing was for sure: whoever he was, he was trouble.

I found somewhere private and called back to Felix via our communicator. “Hey, I just had an odd encounter here. I think the IDs are compromised.”

“Then we’d better get out of here,” he said.

“Right. One more stop, then we leave. Until then, keep your eyes open and the doors sealed,” I said.

“Did you bring your helmet with you?” he asked.

“Of course,” I said.

“If something happens, I will launch the ship. Just find a window and teleport out into space. We will swing by and pick you up.”

“Good plan. I’ll contact you again if anything changes; otherwise, I just need to see one more merchant, and then I will be back. My earlier purchases should be arriving within the hour.”

I left the eatery and headed to a poorer section of the station. I had been given a tip on where to find some very special merchandise. This shop was deep in the less-desirable section of the station, the kind of place that people in top-end expensive armor like myself did not dare to be seen entering. I stopped by a clothier and bought some cheap robes to cover my armor so I would not stand out.

I had no fear of the section, as it was the only place my former boss had ever gone to on stations like these. For the most part, the merchants down here were known for selling the kinds of things that civilized people did not want to be seen buying. Everyone who traveled down here kept their real identity secret and did their best not to notice anyone else around them.

All the large stations in deep space like this one have similar sections, and for the most part they were civil and safe. The larger merchants had a vested interest in keeping them that way, so if any trouble started they sent in hired hands to break it up. All I had to do to blend in was look like I was trying to blend in, just like all the other rich folk did. I would probably never forget how it felt to be a poor, helpless slave, but I was getting used to being rich and respected. I hoped I would never have to return to that former life. Having tasted freedom, I was not sure I could survive captivity again.

I quickly found the shop I was looking for, but something seemed wrong about it. It was a much smaller shop than many of the others, and most of its wares would not be in high demand. It was only very eccentric customers who would shop there. I walked by it once without entering and tried to look in without making it obvious, but I could see nothing wrong. I positioned myself across the street and watched for a bit. No one came or went from the shop, but I did not know if that was normal or not. After about ten minutes I decided I had no more time to waste and entered the shop.

Immediately upon entering I realized my mistake, as it was obvious to me what was going on. Two humans moved to block my exit while two more moved to cut off my path towards a fifth human who appeared to be their leader.

The one that appeared to be their leader said, “Is this some new hired thug to protect you?”

A man whom I presumed to be the shopkeeper said, “No, I assume he is a customer. Just let him go.”

“Right, as if a Zalionian would come here to shop. Boys, show him what we think of someone messing around on our turf,” he said.

“I want no trouble. I will go elsewhere to shop,” I said. It was obvious this was a protection ring, just like the one I used to help run. If I made trouble, the shopkeeper would take the brunt of the fallout after I left. I did not want to make things worse for him.

The two humans behind me did not seem to hear what I said and charged me. I ducked and swung my tail across their path, hitting them both in the knees. They went flying into the wall. As I finished my spin I saw the two in front of me start to swing electrified clubs. I caught one of them by the arm and threw him into the path of the fourth man’s swing. He screamed in pain as the electrified club hit him; then he fell over and did not get back up.

I stood my ground and said, “Look, I don’t want trouble, but if you don’t call off your men I will be forced to cause some trouble for you.”

“Enough games. Kill him,” said the leader.

The men behind me that I had knocked down drew knives and began to circle me. I wished I had my blasters on me to make this a quick victory, but they were forbidden anywhere on the station. The third quickly joined him with his club.

“Last chance. Call them off and walk out of here alive,” I said.

Then as one they moved in on me, but it was as if they were moving in slow-motion compared to me. Training with Narcion for the past few years had really tuned my reflexes and timing. I wondered if this was how Narcion had
felt when he first fought me.