The Chronicles of Lich King's Landing

The Founding Part 4

"How is it going, Gabs?"

Joanna stepped up to the railing next to Ga'bjshik and rested her forearms on the metal. She let her gaze drift over one of the many bustling commercial areas of the station. Beneath them, dozens of different species mingled, sold, bought and bartered legal wares, spices and probably a significantly larger amount of illegal wares, drugs and other components that bordered in the Grey-zone between the two categories, depending on involved species and legislation of their home planet.

"Can't complain!" Ga'bjshik recited the standardized human greeting formula and shook her hand with one of his own, while continuing to work with a digital stylus on two tablets with his other arms. He really had come to cherish having significantly more arms and a large peripheral vision than most species.

"You know, I'm still pissed that you passed on the opportunity of staying my co-pilot." Joanna said.

"Yeah. Well, you know... bureaucracy is more my thing than shooting at things. Or being shot at, to be more precise. Also, having a background of living in a huge hive comes with advanced management skills, it seems. And those are very much-needed here on Drynari Alpha Four."

Joanna laughed.

"The station is called 'Lich King's Landing' now, Gabs. Remember that or people will think you're a Drynari sympathizer."

"Of course. I still struggle with idiomatic names. Numbers and designations come more naturally to me."

"Well, there's worse. Judging by what the clan leaders say, you've done a damned good job in the last months. Commerce is up to pre-war levels and last thing I heard, the Drynari lost the case at the galactic council they filed for theft of a space station. Something about outstanding reparations because of attempted genocide by planet devouring eighty years ago."

"Yes, I also heard. Good news for humanity indeed!"

Both of them watched a short and violent brawl between two muscle-packed, horned species called Tsarvk on the concourse beneath them. After one of the fighters took a deep flesh wound, that obviously fixed the price, because they both stopped fighting in an instant, laughed, slapped each other's back and finalized the trade.

Joanna sighed.

"A Skreelith hive ship is coming in for refill and repairs in a couple of days. I guess you'll take the opportunity to return home?"

Ga'bjshik thought about it for a while. Then he shook his head, a human gesture for disagreement, which meanwhile came almost naturally.

"No. I wouldn't fit in anymore into the swarm. I guess I am now... different. The swarm doesn't feel like home anymore."

"I am sorry, Gabs."

This time, Ga'bjshik didn't have to think for long for an answer.

"You don't need to be. Yes, I am frightened. Frightened of being different. But stranding on a human ship was the best thing that ever happened to me."

Joanna laughed and slapped his thickly armored back.

"The best thing that happened to you so far!"