The Endeavour in Sector H

Chapter 7

The room was decorated in the same style but empty. No one was there.

"Motherfucker, you were right. I should have reacted when a Lovac asked me for money. Only beginners do that and no beginner could have such a break. To find a Snajan woman is to perform a miracle" - Ghir turned around to face Lnar. His jaw was set and eyes closed, he was sniffing the air.

"We're in bigger trouble than it looks like."

"Lnar, what do you mean?"

"They robbed us of money and now they're trying to take our lives."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

Lnar's helmet was back on his head. He picked up and threw Ghir over his shoulder. At the same time Ghir started coughing and wheezing, fighting for air. Lnar ran back to the elevator. He called it back down but nothing happened, it was blocked.

Shit, he has a minute at most. And Ana is still not answering my calls. Disabled or communications are down.

The suit helped him to forcibly open the lift's door. He looked up to find the lift still at the basement level.

He had a built-in laser which was a custom addition to his suit, unfound by the robbers. It was almost impossible to trace it. He pointed it to the lift's floor, carving a big hole in it. The part of the floor fell down as he finished the circle, missing him by a second.

Ghir was now unconscious and in his last seconds of life. Lnar picked him up again and started climbing to the basement. He activated gripping properties in his battle armor, letting him easily climb vertically.

I'm coming. Ana's voice finally reached him through a neural connection.

The weight was taken off him and Ana started resuscitating Ghir.

Lnar watched as the yellowish tone of Ghir's skin turned to its normal color. Ghir was gaining back his consciousness, trying to take big breaths.

"I'm gonna get those assholes. This will not just pass by me." - Ghir continued swearing, his swears getting more creative.

"And how will you do that? They're gone."

"All my money is secured, I can trace it anywhere. I'm taking it back and since they pissed me off, I'm taking more than they took from me."

"Shit, Ghir, it seems you know the ropes." He patted him on the back.

"Ana, what happened outside?" - Lnar asked.

"Two guys came out of the house after several minutes. I told them to stop, and they started firing at me. We exchanged fire and then I noticed that Hor was unconscious. I tried to contact you but you were blocked so I gave up pursuing them and instead went into the house.

"Good, thanks. We needed help."

"What now, Ghir?"

"We wake up Hor, find a bar, get hookers and booze or whatever your Ruler's heart wishes for. This endeavour just earned me several trillions. They're amateurs. When did you realize we're deceived?"

"When you opened the door. Something was bugging me since the moment he offered us the gum so I kept replaying my memory over and over again. He had green nails."

"Damn, not even a Lovac. This is a good scam."

"Who wouldn't put an effort to earn a decillion?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They spent a week on Mek, making a lot of its residents happy. Ghir was spending that trillion as it was a doomsday and no point in taking the money to his grave.

They caught the eye of more than one girl so their stay was very pleasant. Also, they were able to find a firm who was willing to clean their spaceship of the terrible smell. They'll get home less stinky.

Lnar waited until the woman's breathing became rhythmic announcing her sleep. They were in a cheap hotel, their evening started in a bar and ended up as a great fuckfest. She was extremely oriented on his fingers, demanding that he fills in any hole she could think of. That's Ferri for you!

It was time to go home, their ship was ready and their departure was scheduled in 4 hours.

Lnar left the hotel and walked the empty streets, passing teenagers who were going home. It was early Sunday morning and 2 hours before artificial morning starts. A hand reached to him and pulled his sleeve. He was stopped by a tall, older man. He looked wild, his hair disheveled, his clothes looked like it had seen better days, his eyes haunted. He also smelled, making Lnar recoil from him. First my ship, now this guy. What's up with the smells?

"She's there. She's waiting. She's waiting. She's all we have. Go to her. Please. I'm begging."

"Old man, what do you want?"

"She's waiting. She's waiting. Pleaaaseee." The man was now clenching at his shirt, rubbing off his smell on him. Lnar tried to push him off.

"Get off. You're drunk."

"No! She's the one. She's there." Lnar finally detached himself from the madman.

"Fine. Where is she?"

"Our twin. Our twin has her. Go, find her."

"Alright. Where do you live?"

An old woman approached them. "He doesn't mean any harm. His mind is gone. The Pink Death took it."

Lnar glanced at the madman. His head was down, muturing words about the last woman. Water dropped on the ground. He was crying.

"Unfortunately many have succumbed to the disease. Our women physically, our men psychologically. What does he mean by 'twin has her'?"

"He's referring to the other moon, we call it a twin as it's so close. Ummm, it has a science station but rumors say that in its wilderness a lonely woman lives. That part might be true but I doubt she's of your race."

"Ok, thank you. Will you take care of him?

"Yes. Thank you for not lashing out at him."

Lnar nodded and left for the ship.