Septinium - A Starbound Story

Chapter 7- Raena's Escape

The Ark, Unknown Planet

Milo works on Ethyl's Manipulator Gauntlet. He sets his multitool down and wipes his forehead. "Hmm..."

He examines the gauntlet, which is missing some pieces for it to retract its blade. "This ere's claw glove is broken... Just where did that brandless fella pick it up from?"

Milo stands up from his chair and walks over to his locker filled with weapon scraps. He points his index, looking for something to use. "Hmm... Ooo! A stun glove!"

He takes the stun glove out of the locker and sets it on his work table. He takes his multitool and opens it. "There's some pieces I need, these should do da trick thi–"

Milo notices an orange key with a lace inside the gauntlet's palm. "What's a key doin' ere?" He takes the key and throws it with the scraps.

He sits down on his chair cracks his knuckles.  "Right, let's get started. Hehe!"

Septinium Ship

Raena was wearing a sweater and shorts, clothes she wears when she sleeps. She leans back on her chair, patting her stomach. "Wow, I'm stuffed! You're really good at cooking Sineeda! Your mushroom stew was delicious!"

"Why thank you." Sineeda continued on cooking mushroom stew for himself.

Milli crosses her arms and smirks. "This better not have those mushrooms from your legs, Sinnie!"

Raena widened her eyes and covered her mouth. "Don't worry, I only put thossse in mine." Sineeda chuckled.

"Thank goodness." Raena sighed in relief, as she looks over at Milli. "Hey Milli?"

"Yea?" Milli tilted her head.

"What's Ethyl's deal with Milo? Why was he suprised that he was brandless as well?"

Milli's smirk fades away. "Well, I did say that I would talk to you about it..."

"What's the matter?" Raena sat up straight and pulled the chair a bit closer to the table.

"Well, you don't really know how Novakids treat theirselves, do ya?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... Ethyl wasn't really accepted back in his home."

Raena w kept listening. "But... He's a novakid, right?"

Milli nodded with a frown. "Yeah, but... He doesn't have a brand like the other novakids do."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Milli sighs. "Guess the Terrene Protectorate didn't really teach ya much about Novakids huh?"

"We didn't really have a big topic about them." Raena replies. "They didn't really have a recorded history, I do know they are judged by their brands so... Wait..."

"Yeah, that's the point..You also do know that novakids aren't really commonly seen to be roamin' around other planets, except the novakids you see that end up as terrorists or somethin' else, right?"

"Well... Y-Yeah."

"The brandless kind, they are the rarest of them all. Since they don't have a brand, sometimes they are being discriminated by the other novakids, or sometimes they want to take care of them."

Raena sat there silently, listening to every word Milli is saying.

"Brandless novakids are like a blank slate. They need someone to teach and help them learn. So most brandless novakids are either taken in by other carin' parents from other races, or learn by just their surrounding."