Stargazers

Hades

Hades has always been a ball of dust with little to recommend it. Colonization was slow. It was difficult to sell an arduous life spent eking out a harsh life on a barren wasteland. There was mineral wealth but little else. The atmosphere was caustic. Cities were built inside of bubbles, and on the edges, vacuum sealed trailers never meant for lifetime habitation.

The population grew, at first, due to proximity. Existing at the far rim of the Olympic Republic, it was a refuge for those seeking a life outside of Olympian rule. When the Federation formed, and the Alliance came into being Hades grew more popular because it existed between the three. It became not only an escape from all three but also the only common ground found between. Though officially a part of the Republic, republic law never seems to last long there.

In time, Hades grew, and as it grew, so did its troubles. Criminals from all three governments and all of the worlds within them built thrones here. From this ball of dust they built empires that spanned star systems. Decades passed, and Hades was cultivated not for its mineral wealth but for its promise of freedom. No one comes here that can't defend themselves, and there is only one real law on Hades—don't shoot first if you can't kill.

None of the governments can lay actual claim to Hades anymore, and Olympus only pretends at having control over it. Military ships stop briefly and never see the planet's surface. Slavers, gangsters, and para-military mercenaries make their homes here, eating away at the rich mineral innards that once held the planet together and coring it to a husk. From their hollow thrones, they run the galaxy's blackest markets without fear of reprisal. In Hades, everyone is safe until they aren't.

Arthur knows this and walks like he knows it. He uses his training to move with authority, meeting people with a hard stare and ask no question. He keeps both the Lady and Chastity at his side, leading them by hands as if he owns them and betraying no fear of what will happen if people find out that he doesn't.

The elevator down is crowded and stinks of heat and perspiration. It takes hours. Holographic displays playelies about the paradise awaiting them on the surface. Chastity sits despondent. The Lady watches the lies absently, her eyes glowing. Arthur ignores the videos and watches the people instead.

The elevator opens to another bazaar very much like the one they had left. A winding labyrinth of stalls greets them. Arthur drags the Lady and Chastity with him, leading them through the narrow allies and carefully avoiding dead ends. They move quietly but with purpose, drawing as little attention as possible. When he can, Arthur stops to gain his bearings, using the elevator column to navigate by. The farther away he gets, the better. There is no escape, but distance makes them more likely to give up the search.

In the military they trained him to fight pragmatically. In the Centurion Program they made him apply that training every day. Even now, years after his military service, Arthur still thinks like a soldier. He assesses each new day carefully and critically, weighing his advantages and finding solutions for his disadvantages simultaneously.

On Hades, they are just another number. Without a proper military to back them, they are left to their own devices and to solve their problems in their own ways. This leaves him with limitless creativity but also means that the enemy can bear down on them with all of their resources. In a war, the crew of Achilles has them outgunned and with Lancelot at their head, they have him outmatched.

Arthur, however, does have one advantage: the Lady. In combat, she is unknown. Though she shows a physical prowess exceeding conventional means, she is worth more to him as a bargaining chip than anything else. Guide technology is in high demand all around the universe and is best kept secret. That is why Canaan was a black site, and that is why Achilles could attack without reprisal. It is also why Arthur needs only to shout to find shelter.