Incident at Saris

Chapter One

QUOTE

"In everyone's life there is a time to break away, to start your own journey, to become your own person, and it is time to take ours!"
Ren

Saris 3-Used Shipyards- 2952

Rik and his brother Ren were wandering through the used shipyards on Saris 3, which although one of the less pleasant moons of Saris Prime which was a gas giant, it was the ideal location to build and sell spaceships and that was why they were both there trying to find themselves a reasonably priced, second-hand freighter or cruiser which could be piloted by the two of them and that they could call their own, and use to travel around, go on missions and to help people and planets.
Especially with a war currently raging across the universe and on all four dimensions, Rik had pointed out, that there was plenty of opportunity for a resourceful person, especially for two members of the Adept Order and their apprentice, who was also medically trained.
On that note Rik and Ren had risked it all, and resigned from their comfortable and safe life as members of the Starship 'Justice' and gone freelance, both deciding that it was time to do so, to find their way through life and start their own journey, Ren still wasn't sure if it had been the right thing to do.
"We need one that is big enough to store my Starfighter or your Shuttle on if need be," Rik said to Ren as his brother checked what was available and in their decided price range.
Ren said, " Hmm, there are a few possibilities, and a couple say that they need some minor repairs and maintenance".
Rik nodded " we can handle that".
"The best thing we can do is look at all of them," Ren said, " and I guess we can always use your starfighter or my shuttle as extra collateral if we need too".
"Or both," said Rik, he loved his Starfighter and Ren his Shuttle, Rik barely let anyone else fly his starfighter, it had been attuned to both him and Ren and altered to suit, Ren could fly it as well, but due to his brothers generally peaceful nature, he generally didn't and preferred his shuttle, Ren loved his shuttle more, and like Rik neither of them was fond of using Teleporters much, they had gotten split up enough already they felt! They had been one being once called RikRen, but a freak accident had forced them to be split apart, into two separate beings, but it had left their soul linked, and although both of them preferred the way they were now, it had hurt and they didn't like the idea of their molecules, been split up and reformed again, portals were fine, as well Gates but Teleporters; just NO! Besides they could use their Psionic translocation ability to teleport from place to place (they 'Orbed' basically) if they knew their destination! It seemed to be an offshoot of their original power as one being. Also, they could float rather than walk at times if they needed to; it just took some concentration.
Ren nodded "yes."
Rik said, "so what're our options?"
Ren handed him the catalogue he'd been given, Rik looked it over and nodded "Hmm".
"The Crasolian Light Freighter seems to be the best option, can be flown by two, but can crew six, we need room for Kayla to remember?" she was their apprentice, well she was more Ren's, who was the stronger one out of the two of them when it came to the Way, not to mention he was a trained Medical Doctor and naturally a Healer (which was what they both were) whereas Rik was more of a Paramedic, and they had been recently assigned Kayla Doonsing a young Gorta-Trellian Healer who was currently a student in the Way to train, they both had had their eye on her for a couple of years and when asked whom they had wanted to train, they had both voted her.
"Point," he said "Ok, we'll look at that one first".
Ren nodded and adjusted his robes, like Rik he was dressed as a member of the Adept Order, his robes also like Riks were altered to suit his oddly shaped form, although you couldn't see it due to his robes, he was also really tall at 6.2 or more so he usually hunched a bit.
Ren was more humanoid in build, but like Rik, it was clear that neither of them was 'near-human', humanoid maybe but not 'near-human', they both looked more Saurian than human.
Rik was angular, built for speed and looked like a mix of bird and dragon, Ren was more Draconic looking, with a long narrow face, a mane of reddish-brown hair that matched Riks in colouring, with two long arms and a heavy tail, and although he stood up straight he tended to hunch when walking and wasn't that fast, built more for endurance rather than speed, he was as taller than Rik and longer and bigger and in many ways physically stronger, but despite all that he was fairly lean and agile, much moreso than people gave him credit for, but where Rik was more action-orientated, Ren was the quieter, steadier one, they complimented each other and always had.
Rik often said he would be lost without Ren by his side and he knew Ren thought the same, they drove each other nuts at times and had had some spectacular arguments at times, and they often had vastly different opinions, but they always came through for one another.
Rik knew that he and Ren would disagree over the choice of ship, but they would find one, they both liked and work out a compromise, Rik wanted speed, Ren wanted reliability, he wouldn't care if it was slow and it be largely him who would make the final choice.
They had decided together to get their own ship that they could call their own, one that would be 'theirs' that they could use for missions and other things without having to rely on others, it's just that finding the perfect ship would be the fun part!
"We need a decent ship, one that will suit our purposes, " said Ren " and is reliable".
"Yeah" agreed Rik, they walked together through the shipyard, looking at some of the slightly higher priced ones as well.
"Shame that is way out of our price range," said Rik indicating a Cruiser.
Ren nodded "one day maybe" he continued " we wouldn't be able to afford that, even with the collateral we have" he and Rik then paused for a long moment looking at the ship, their hair blowing in the wind, Saris Three was one of the less pleasant moons of Saris Prime's four moons, all four moons were capable of sustaining life, and did, but not all of them had an ideal climate, Saris 4 was the jewel of the four moons, it was the biggest and it was where most of the population lived, it had a warm temperate climate nearly all year round, Saris 3 was a wild, rocky, windswept world, but provided the ideal conditions, and resources for shipbuilding, Saris 1 was the other more pleasant moon although it was heavily forested, and Saris 2 was mostly covered by snow and ice, it was beautiful but cold.
Rik and Ren had found themselves alone and newly separated on Saris 4 it was where they had a residence and the Moon held a special significance to them both, it was their home.
"Suppose we could also offer up our Villa for collateral as well if we need to as well," said Ren thoughtfully "but that one is way beyond our price range Rik and you know that!"
"Nice ship, though," said Rik.
"Yes," said Ren "but no, not this time".
"I just hope we don't end up with a clapped out ship that is badly in need of repair and maintenance, because it is all we can afford at the moment though" Rik grumbled, " a little bit of luxury would be nice....!"
Ren chuckled "we have been spending way too much time on the Justice! But you do have a point. I hope we don't either".
For so many years, he and Rik had thought they'd been the only ones like their kind, but Fate had made them recently cross paths with others of a similar kind, and finally, they both felt that they had belonged somewhere, Ren had even agreed to become CMO on their ship for a while but seeing he was no longer needed in that role, that was one of the reasons why they were out ship hunting. Also, they were getting an Apprentice, they needed to make their living somehow!
"How about this one?" said Rik pointing to another a little while later after walking around a bit more "I know it's a little above what we intended to pay....but".
Ren looked at it "that one is a possibility, five years old, crews up to 8, can be piloted by two but it's also seen some action, definitely a possibility....well spotted Rik!"
" I know it is slightly out of our...." He paused in mid-sentence then suddenly, seeming to see something and then without another word took off at a run.
"Rik!" said Ren "where you going? And wait for me!", cursing under his breath, Ren sighed and ran after his brother; he was slower than Rik.