The System

Prologue Ō - Part VI --> Kal = Bad Choices (Part 01)

    Crook casts his gaze once more upon the ship's mainmast, observing its gradual descent by another foot, as though dissolving into thin air without disrupting the surrounding elements. Engaging in rapid mental calculations, he assures himself, "Should last us." For a second opinion, he directs his attention to the elephant, observing its indifferent shrug. "Eh! She will get us there," he concludes, directing his attention back to the mainmast, meticulously verifying his estimations, when he suddenly spots an eccentric creature perched atop it. With a swift motion, he commands, "Hold this," as his hand swishes, propelling the vessel's wheel toward the elephant.

    In a flash, Crook teleports to the pinnacle of the mainmast, precluding any opportunity for protest. "No free rides, mate," he declares to the intruder. The creature's head rotates a complete 180 degrees while its torso remains steadfast, fixating its gaze upon Crook, yet offering no verbal response. Undeterred, Crook issues a cautionary admonition, "Pay up or buzz off, I don't care if you understand me or not."

    Kal broke his silence, aware that feigning ignorance would prove futile with the notorious captain. "Ah, the infamous pirate Hawthorne Crook," he remarked, a crooked grin adorning his countenance. "At long last, our paths intertwine."

    "Please, Call me Crook. Captain Crook." He insisted, not even phased by Kal's smile. "Now, ordinarily, a ride from one planet to another in our sewage suit would cost a thousand Crede. However," he continued, taking a step closer to Kal, "for someone of your ilk, I wouldn't mind providing a few extra amenities." Towering over Kal, Crook cast his gaze downward, asserting his dominance.

Kal raises his eyebrow. "Is that so?" he inquired, his tone hinting at a challenge.

Crook crouched down, bringing his face to a level with Kal's, staring straight into his eyes. "Aye! So, for the nearest planet, the cost would be..." Crook rolls his eyes as he calculated in his head. "Ten million Crede."

"That's a lot for one ticket-"

"For every planet, we cross." Crook interjects and points at an inhabited planet across from the ship. "Oops."

Crook looks back at Kal. "Looks like you missed your stop." Crook gets upright and stretches his hand forward. "For the next planet..." He points at another planet approaching the ship. "It will be twenty million."

Kal's internal fire blazed with an intense dark blue hue as he elevated himself. His lower half spirals off into two makeshift legs, granting him an imposing presence over Crook. Now, Kal stood tall, casting a daunting shadow over Crook. "Those sound-like made-up prices." He fixed a piercing gaze upon Crook, looking down at him with an air of authority.

Crook emitted a faint crackling noise as he flexed his wing shells, generating a buzzing sound that encircled him. He ascended above Kal to reclaim the high ground. "What can I say..." Crook responded, a tinge of amusement in his voice, "Prices have a tendency to fluctuate when one attempts to intimidate the captain."

Kal retreats a step and grins. "My bad! I didn't mean to intimidate you."

Crook chuckles in response. "You ought to invest more points in your sense of hearing, mate... I said 'Try too'," he quips while giving Kal a piercing glare.

Down on the deck, Priestess and Minotaur notice Kal's presence only once Crook confronts him. Momentarily frozen in fear by Kal's disconcerting smile, they contemplate whether they should intervene.

"The Void Makers," the Priestess exclaimed, taking a cautious step backward. "What dreadful fortune."

Minotaur transitions from a balanced sensory system to relying solely on primal animal instincts. In the case of a minotaur, this amplifies his pride-based senses, enabling him to confront every aspect that lies ahead with heightened intensity. No longer plagued by indecision to either attack or flee, he meets Crook atop the mainmast to face off against Kal, only halting when Crook discreetly signals him to wait.