The Orb of the Conceiver

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. The silence of space has always been out of human ears, but within the silence is the sound of signals untraceable to human ears. On the signals are faint rumblings of stars and ship engines. The dark void of space is still a dangerous expanse in the year 3127, just as it was over 1000 years ago when humans began to walk among the stars.

Lance knew this extremely well. His group of mercenaries traveled the galaxy to help those who will pay for the extra muscle. At least they used to. Their last mission went sideways and many of them were killed. Their leader and over half the crew were slaughtered on a planet they were helping clear of rebels for the human Republic.

Lance looks at what is left of this group. Now he leads them. There is also Michael, the scientist who likes to tinker with machines. Dirk is their main muscle being he is extremely tall and built like a rock. And there is lastly June. She is a fierce warrior, and also a skilled speaker. Sometimes Lance notices her and Dirk running away together, but he keeps it to himself.

As the ship sped through space, Lance stared through the window and began to wonder about the last mission. Their ship used to have a dozen mercenary. That mission was their second from the republic that seemed to put them in too much of harms way. Maybe that is why the pay is so good.

The Republic has always offered better pay than the other human group who called themselves the Constellation. It seems to be a group who had a family as their leader. They control much of the far ends of the galaxy, but they also raid Republic ships that venture close to their territory. Lance knows this solar system is in contest between the two powers.

Soon Lance sees the planet in this solar system his crew need to land on. It is Burresa. The lush green land is a bright contrast from deep blue oceans. The Clear skies around their landing pad are almost constant this time of the planet’s year.

Lance gets the four-man crew all together, and they land the ship on the platform. He says he wants to find one more person willing to join their group before venturing back out. June asks to join, looking for some spices and also a breath of air. Lance knows he isn’t going to stop her. She will run out whether he says yes or no. he just nods and allows what will happen to happen.

After walking down, a short ramp out of the ship, his feet touch the solid ground. The platform has some dirt on it. A nice change of texture from bare metal. The trees spiraling trunks reach up to large leaves all around. Small bushes and flowering plants cover the ground around the landing pad.

Taking a look back, he inspects his ship. The silver and purple painted vessel had a few scratches, but up on the top near the front the window showed the bridge. The fin on the top protruding up towards the star above. The sides of the ship had most of the damage. The two engines on the side humming quietly while the ship sits, still giving it a small amount of power.

Dirk appears out the vessel and said he was going to go get a drink. Lance says “I’ll join you. We need to try and recruit one more for our group, maybe a translator.”

Dirk looks at Lance puzzled. “Why do we need a translator?” he asks.

“You know in this area of the galaxy there are a couple other space faring beings. In case we run across one we may need the help in communicating.” Lance ends with a serious tone. The past couple months had been hell, and now a drink and another crew member may help. Dirk picks up on this and motions Lance to follow to a bar.

Up off the main street they find it in just a few minutes. Walking in Lance checks for his plasma pistol. It is still holstered. Thank the Profound Conceiver, he thinks.

Although small, the bar has enough people to ask around for their potential addition. A few tables on the wall to the left of Lance, the bar lights up bright to the right. Some tables are occupied with strong looking men. Lance continues knowing if anything starts up, they may be involved.

Walking up to the beautiful redhead behind the bar, Dirk gets excited. He looks at the woman with lust filled eyes. Lance notices small details of cybernetics within her, specifically on her arms and face. There are a small blue tinted lines and dots on her skin.

“Evening.” she says. “What may I get you?”

Dirk moves in to speak, grinning ear to ear, but Lance speaks up first. “We’ll take a couple beers, and maybe some information. He slides over a small data card, and the woman checks it on her terminal. It has much more money on it than for just a couple beers.

Turning around quickly she asks how much of it they want to tip, and lance replies to keep the change. She nods and leans in real close to the men. Lance sees a small Heads-Up-Display on her left eye. Dirk focuses more on what he can see further down. She looks at Dirk but turns her attention back to Lance.

“What do you need to know?” she asks seductively, gently touching his hand.

Lance answers her, knowing the tricks she is trying to use. He gets straight to the point, “My crew need at least one more crew member. We make money well, but we need to go to a part of space where a translator may be helpful.” Lance knew the part of making money was at best once every now and then, but he needed her help. “Would you know anyone or a place we could look for someone?”

Peering into his eyes, she hesitates but then she simply says “No.”

“Are you sure there is no one here? I am sure you get many guys to tell you things in this bar.” Lance says suggesting his intuition’s warning.

Seeing she has been thwarted, redhead woman pulls back a little. She puts on a stern face. “Okay, yeah. I know someone who can help you. They have a way to know the other beings’ languages. But they are expensive.”

“I bet we could make it worth their time” Lance interjects. He looks at Dirk, but he is now looking at other women as he sips his drink.

“Well then why don’t you start with what it is?”

“There is some sensitive information we want to keep hidden until we have them on our crew fully.” The woman does not seem so happy with that response. She stands up straight and puts her hair behind her ear.

After a moment of them looking at each other, Lance starts to get up, but the woman yells “Wait!”

This stops the captain, and he looks intently at the woman’s eyes. She starts up again by telling the men her name is Priea. As she continues to talk, she reveals too the person who could help. When lance hears this information, his eyebrow raises up in intrigue. Priea states the person who could help them is her. Her cybernetics help her see different things, her fighting abilities, and she has a built-in translator.

This surprises even Dirk, who turns his attention back to this woman. Hearing this he looks at Lance and tells him “We should bring her along. We can give her a cut and it would also be fun to have her around.” Dirk winks at Priea flirtatiously.

“All right,” Lance grumbles. “Do you want to get paid to go on a lucrative mission with our mercenary group? You only get details if you agree and meet us back on the ship. It is the Silver and purple one. “

She takes a few moments to think about before excitedly agreeing to join them and meet them on the ship. She tells them she will go to them after her shift finishes.

On the ship everyone is in the bridge when Priea walks in. “Who the hell is that?” June yells.

Lance quicky interjects, “Sorry guys. I forgot we picked up a fifth member to join us.” Priea looks around and sees a bride with a few computers available.

Priea asks Lance “What is this mission I decided to join for?”

Lance scans the room. Dirk is cleaning his plasma pistol. Michael looks at the new woman and starts to write something down. June is fixated on this person. She loudly says, “Are we now picking up anyone for this?”

“Yes” Lance barks. He is thinking to himself how June should know they need people. “Listen, we need to go get something that was taken from us. We finally had the Conceiving Orb. But on our last mission the Republic betrayed us and took it for themselves. It is ours, not theirs.”

Priea Shakes her head and puts her arms out in front of her. “Wait… wait, wait. Are you saying you guys found and had the Conceiving Orb but now the Republic took it? How?”

This time June answered, “We did our last mission with them, they hired us, but it was just a ploy to take out a group of the Constellation and to kill us for the Orb. We need to know where they have a secret post in another solar system, but the beings we call the Cryptos are there.”

“And we are going to find the place and break in and take it back” Dirk adds, still wiping off his pistol.

Lance looks around. His five-crew mercenary crew was still low on people, but he knew he had to get there soon. Maybe on the solar systems between them and the Orb they can get some more people. He walks over to Priea. Sticking his arm out he demands her answer one more question. “Are you ready to go?”

Grinning Priea grabs his arm, and they shake in an agreement. “My planet was ravaged by the Constellation. Then the Republic came in and wiped them out, only to do the same thing. I would have no more pleasure than to help you take away the one thing that could give them immense power.”

Priea sits down at a station where she starts watching communications. Michael and June both start up the engines and proceed to engage their warp core drive. The humming becomes a more pronounced buzzing, then a loud explosion is heard to engage the fusion drive system. With a forceful jump they shoot forward towards the next solar system.

Lance is nervous. They are going up against the strongest army with a powerful weapon. At least the crew are calm and ready for the near suicidal mission.