Sins of the Stars

Chapter 4

Icarus glanced one last time at Illara's peaceful, sleeping form. He hovered over her for a moment, savoring the sight, knowing deep down it would likely be the last time he saw her. Without hesitation, he began dressing as quietly as possible, careful not to wake her. The digital clock on the wall glowed faintly—05:21. Showtime.

The station was still quiet at this early hour, and Icarus hoped the noise from the bar last night meant most of the crew would be deep in their slumber, unwilling to rise early on their day off. It was the perfect cover.

After gathering his things, he scanned the room for Illara's badge—his key to completing the heist. He quickly checked his wrist communicator and saw the confirmation from his crew: the charges had been placed under the cover of darkness. As soon as he found her badge nestled near the pile of clothes on the floor, he pocketed it and moved toward the door, casting one final glance back at her before stepping out silently.

He met Dreg at the entrance to the labs. The large, red-skinned Sadaar handed him his gear: a charge and detonator, along with a pistol and a small knife. Dreg was kitted out, ready for a fight. Gone was the charade of harmless traders—they were back in their element.

"Boris's got all the cameras looking at walls," Dreg chuckled, amused at their cleverness.

"Good. Let's get to it, big guy," Icarus replied with a snicker, swiping Illara's badge through the entrance console. The light blinked green, granting them access.

They moved quickly down the sterile, brightly lit halls, following the directions Illara had unknowingly given him the previous day. Icarus swiped her badge at each door they came across, searching for the storage area. Each failed door only increased his irritation. Time was running short, and he was growing more impatient by the second.

"Hey, Blue!" Dreg called from down the hall, excitement lacing his voice. "There's a door behind this shelf!"

Icarus rushed over and found a tall shelf filled with books and files, blocking a hidden door. He loved secrets. With a flick of his wrist, he motioned for Dreg to move it aside. The hulking Sadaar easily slid the shelf out of the way, revealing the locked door behind it.

The lock was stubborn, refusing to yield to Illara's badge. Frustrated, Icarus swiped again, but it stayed red.

"Damn it, this key isn't working! Can you bust it down?"

Dreg laughed, clearly relishing the idea. He backed up a few steps before violently kicking the door. The metal lock groaned under the pressure but held. After a few more solid kicks, it still wasn't budging.

"Red, get this shit open!" Icarus barked.

Dreg paused and, with a mischievous grin, pulled out a plasma pistol. He fired several shots into the door's locking mechanism, superheating the metal until it began to warp. Then, with a final mighty kick, the door gave way, snapping open.

The moment they entered, a chorus of panicked screeches and howls erupted from the room. Icarus blinked in confusion. The walls were lined with cages, each containing a variety of creatures, large and small. They hissed and thrashed at the bars, some gnashing their teeth, others cowering in fear.

"What the fuck is all this?" Dreg asked, staring at the cages in disbelief.

"I don't know... Looks like test subjects?" Icarus muttered, still trying to make sense of it. Ignoring the animals, he focused on their real target. It didn't take long to find a massive, industrial-sized refrigerator tucked into the back corner of the room, next to a cluttered desk illuminated by the glow of a computer monitor.