Septinium - A Starbound Story

Chapter 17 - Brave

Gate, The Ark

"Welcome back!" Said a familiar female, as she turns around with her hovering chair.

"Yeah thanks, I just came to visit and grab some stuff." Ethyl puts his hands behind his head. "Plus we picked up another protector that needs some help, and maybe might be of some help with grabbing the keys." He nods his head over to Asukinai.

Asukinai grew nervous and widened her eyes, looking at the woman who was idolized by many protectors, then she thought "Is that... Mrs. Esther Bright?"

Esther looks over at Asukinai, then smiles as she sees her. "Why hello, dear!"

Asukinai puts her left hand behind her and a clenched right fist on her chest. "Protector Shokosha Asukinai! Mrs. Bright, it's an honor to meet you!" She seems more nervous than excited to meet Esther. 

Ethyl turns his head. "Oh god what an embarassment..." He mumbles, as Milli walks over to him and bonks his head. "OW!"

Esther giggles. "Oh dear, there's no need to be so formal!" She waves her hands, telling Asuki not to treat her formally. "I'm retired after all!"

"Oh, uh I'm sorry." She relaxes a little but as always, still pretty tense and nervous looking.

"We found her during a mission in a floran cannibal camp..." Ethyl said. "Wounded, and probably treated nastily."

"Oh dear... I can't imagine what they would do..." Esther covers her mouth, shocked by what happened to Asukinai. "Floran Cannibals just straight up do anything they want to their prisoners... Especially hylotls."

Asukinai shivered, then Ethyl put his hands down. "The worst part is, they had an intelligent leader." Ethyl added. "He was planning to enslave Asukinai and make his camp... a 'happy' place."

"...Disgusting." Esther shook off the nasty thought of what the cannibals would have done. "But, what has left of the cannibals' camp?"

"Well, I beat all of their asses." Ethyl boastfully replied, as he puts his hands in his pockets, also keeping quiet about how he didn't really spare anyone.

"Don't forget to mention you left the camp burning." Milli added.

"Ah..." Ethyl scratched his head as he turns to Milli.

Esther rolls her eyes and sighs. "Now, tell me Ms. Shokosha..."

"Asuki, please." Asukinai bows her head a bit, as Ethyl and Milli walk back to the crew, leaving the two during their conversation. 

"Then, Asuki..." Esther went closer to her. "What has happened after you escaped Earth?"

Asuki starts explaning. "I-uh- I crashed onto the planet shortly after the attack on Earth. When I woke up there were some people near the ship. Um..." She uncomfortably glances behind her in the directions of Sineeda and Nuru, who are still on the ground.

"Calm down, dear..." Esther pat her shoulder. Asukinai looks back up to her, as Esther puts her hand back down from her shoulder.

Asukinai looks back up to her, as Esther put her hand of her shoulder. 

"I.. shot one of the Floran villagers. I didn't know what I was doing." She starts sweating a bit, remembering what happened in the planet where she crashed. "They chased me for a couple days until I think they gave up and went back to their village. I wandered around the jungle for a long time, hunting and running for survival."

Esther stayed silent, listening to her story. "Then I was kidnapped by a group Floran cannibals in the middle of the night..." She was hesitant to give deeper details, and decided not to mention some parts. "After several hours Milli and Ethyl rescued me and some other captives... and now I'm here, I suppose."