6y 6m 1w 0d BV
The Lost Minstrel was an hour away from dropping out of FTL. The crew was lounging in the common room. After John’s excursion, Vanima had insisted that the human regularly exercised in Earth gravity. Regalo busied himself with his writing and Vanima with her notes. John had taken to watching a pitifully predictable Vzk’tk drama whose awfulness was entertaining in its own way. The only new addition in the room was a shield made of Vulza scales hanging above the TV with Guardian. John’s original idea was to use the scales to make a full set of armor, as well as a shield, but they only had enough for the shield. John had named the shield Ancil, much to the confusion of the aliens who wanted to name it “Vulza Shield”.
The ship informed them that they were a half hour away from dropping out of FTL. Vanima packed away her notebook in her purse and Regalo turned off the tablet. John paused the drama and rose from his seat, groaning as he stretched. The trio walked to the bridge in silence. When they arrived John sat at the nav unit, Regalo at the coms and Vanima at the captain’s chair.
“Hey Regsy, what kind of place are we dropping off at?” John asked as he cracked his knuckles.
Regalo quirked his head before answering. “We’re dropping at a mining station that doubles as a factory station. It’s a Vzk’tk station if I recall correctly,”
John cocked his head in confusion. “Are the Vzk’tk the blue dumb ones or the smart white ones?”
“The blue dumb ones,” Vanima answered.
Krpt was sitting at his terminal at the control tower. Very few ships came to the station other than the freighters who’d bring in supplies. He was the only one in the control tower. Dumb AIs handled the traffic between the mines below and the station. Since the station was close to the warfront, a contingent of Dominion destroyers was permanently assigned there to guard the station’s operation and, if worst came to worst, help evacuate the inhabitants. His shift was almost at its end before his console let out a blip. An unplanned arrival? He checked the ship’s entry vector and harrumphed as the terminal showed an Alliance vector. He keyed for the terminal to recalculate the entry vector but it still showed that it came from an Alliance vector. Krpt paused in muted terror before following his training and informing the fleet of the unknown ship. He then followed protocol and contacted the ship. He fumbled for the trainee manual and flipped through it quickly to the section about dealing with unknown ships.
“Unknown ship, you have entered from an Alliance vector. State your intentions or risk being eliminated,” Krpt recited. The coms were silent until a male Gaoian voice sounded.
“This is the ship The Lost Minstrel. We are friendly I repeat we are friendly. Do not fire.” Krpt consulted the manual once more about what to do.
“Ship The Lost Minstrel, please state your intentions or you will be eliminated.” The coms were silent for a while before a response came in.
“We are on a mission sanctioned by the head of the Dominion Intelligence Agency. I cannot disclose to you the nature of our mission, but we require supplies and maintenance.” Krpt panicked. DIA! This was far above the poor Vzk’tk pay grade. He quickly told the fleet to hold off on attacking the ship and checked the Dominion ship registrar but found no The Lost Minstrel.
“The Lost Minstrel isn’t on the Dominion registrar. Can you send over your credentials?”
“We do not have our credentials, we had to- one moment, our captain would like to speak with you.” Krpt settled on his chair comfortably.Wonderful! It’ll be much easier to sort this out with the captain.
“Who the copulation is this,” the coms seethed at the poor Vzk’tk. Krpt swallowed and shrank in his seat at the utter rage of the spook.
“Krpt,” he quivered.
“I DON’T GIVE A COPULATION. NOW YOU LISTEN TO ME YOU SORRY EXCUSE FOR EXCREMENT. I DID NOT BREAK INTO A SECURED ALLIANCE BASE, KIDNAP THE DAUGHTER OF THE HEAD OF A KEY QINIS MANUFACTURING CONGLOMERATE, AND SURVIVE A VULZA ATTACK JUST TO BE TOLD BY SOME COPULATING EXCREMENT THAT MY SHIP IS NOT ON THE REGISTRAR,” the coms bellowed. Krpt was hiding behind his chair at this point, shaking even though he knew that the angered captain on the ship was technically at his mercy. He survived a Vulza attack!!
“YOU LISTEN HERE MATERNAL COPULATOR, I WANT THIS SHIP RESTOCKED WITH SUPPLIES AND MAINTAINED. YOU WILL NOT SPEAK OF THIS TO ANYONE OR I WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE A LIVING NIGHTMARE IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?!” roared the coms. Krpt nodded vigorously at the terminal until it thundered once more. “AM I UNDERSTOOD?!” Krpt quickly replied.
“Yes!” he squeaked. He informed the fleet that it was merely a Dominion civilian ship that got lost. “Wh-who should I b-bill the resupply to?” he asked.
“Take a copulating guess,” the voice smoldered quietly. Krpt found that orders of magnitudes more terrifying than the DIA captain shouting at him.
“The Dominion?”
“That’s right, the Dominion. If you breathe a word of this mission to anyone or anything I will find you and I will personally see that you are copulating killed in the most brutal fashion I can imagine.” It took all of Krpt’s willpower to not faint at the threat of the DIA captain brutally raping him to death. The coms line went dead Krpt relaxed in his chair and sighed. It was never a good idea to provoke a Dominion spook.
Vanima had curled up into a little ball on the captain’s chair as she stared at the human with wide eyes. Regalo only fared marginally better. The poor Gaoian as curled up into a defensive position on the chair with his claws unsheathed. The human in question was panting, as summoning up such unimaginable amounts of primordial rage seemed to drain him. After a long moment of terrifying silence John slowly began to chuckle. The chuckle grew into a laugh and the laugh into roaring and rolling on the floor. Slowly the shock of seeing their normally docile and peaceful friend turn into fury incarnate wore off on the aliens and they began to worry. What if they inspect the story? What will we do then? John had managed to calm down enough to instruct the ship to dock with the station but it took a while longer for him to fully stop laughing.
“Uh John?”
“Yeah Vanima?”
“What if they decide to inspect the story that you’re a DIA captain?”
“Well I didn’t exactly lie to them.”
“What do you mean?” Regalo asked as the Gaoian unfurled and retracted his claws.
“Well you and I did manage to infiltrate a heavily defended Alliance world, and we did sign on Vanima there, and your father’s rich right?” John asked. The Qinis nodded. “And I did kill a Vulza, hence Ancil so I didn’t really lie to them I kinda just… dressed up the truth,” the human admitted with a fiendish smile.
“John that was… absolutely brilliant,” she mumbled. “How in all the stars did you come up with it so quickly?”
“Well… When I came home late and my parents would catch me… The candid truth might not have been as nice as what I told them,” he cryptically replied.
“John… I love you, I truly do. You’re like a brother to me but you’re mad… you’re absolutely mad,” Regalo declared, chittering towards the end. John and Vanima shared in the laughter. What peculiar men I find myself with, Vanima thought. The trio rose and walked to the exit of the ship.
“My fellow crewmates. As your captain I feel that I must both provide for you financially and recreationally,” John started. Where is he going with this? “As such I am sanctioning some time to be spent at a bar having fun and drinking away our problems!” The aliens cheered although Vanima had no idea how one would drink problems away.
John merrily strode through the station with his friends. He stopped a random Vzk’tk and asked. “Do you know where the closest restaurant is?” The blue giraffe wiggled its head and pointed to a building near the docks. “Excellent my good fellow!” Many of the inhabitants stared at the odd trio. John arrived at the bar and was somewhat disheartened by the building. It lacked all the charm and ambiance of Revno’s bar at Unto Dawn. The restaurant was an ugly square metallic building with only a sign denoting it was a restaurant. The inside was just as sparse and utilitarian. There were a few Vzk’tks waiters milling about and few patrons.
Everyone stopped and stared at the group, more accurately stared at Vanima. Oh no fuckers, no one messes with Vee but me. He glared at any who dared to so much as think of making a comment about a member of the enemy race being present so close to the warfront.
“Table for 3,” Regalo informed one of the waiters and they were lead to a booth. John and Regalo sat together on one side and Vanima sat opposite them. Another waiter came and gave them menus.
“Alright my alien friends what kind of drinks do you have in space.” Vanima quirked her head and Regalo perked up his ears. “Was it something I said?”
“Well there aren’t any Qini drinks in the menu,” Vanima sighed.
“Well do they have Gaoian drinks?” John asked with a bubbly smile. God knows I need at least a shot of vodka a day to deal with space bullshit.
“Oh, I’m surprised they have Talamay on the menu. Maybe there’s some Gaoians on the station” Regalo replied.
I will hoard all the Talamay.
“Alright I’ll get some Talamay with ya!” The trio continued to make idle chat as the waiter came and took their order. When their drinks came John was excited to say the least.
“Alright I feel like I should say a toast,” John announced to the table as he raised his glass of Talamay. Regalo and Vanima awkwardly mimicked him. “To friends, may we make more as we walk life’s road. To family, the bond that transcends species, and finally, to The Lost Minstrel!” John clinked his glass with Regalo yet pulled it back when Vanima tried to clink it with his. Vanima pouted slightly before he explained. “It’s bad luck to toast with a glass of water! I’m only trying to protect you.” Vanima huffed and rolled her eyes at the human’s superstition. John downed half the glass and coughed slightly.
“Are you alright John?” Vanima asked, slightly worried. John nodded and replied.
“Yeah I’m fine it’s just, wow, didn’t expect it to be this strong. Regalo you little drinker you,” John teased, much to Regalo’s confusion. The Talamay tasted like if orange flavored cider. He was only down half his glass but could already feel the dull glow in his mind. By the time their meal arrived John had drunk 4 more glasses. By then the human was quietly humming to himself with a broad smile. He scarfed down his weird alien salad leaf and washed down the pleasant taste with more Talamay. Space booze is best booze. He leaned back and took in the general atmosphere of the restaurant. He listened in to general conversations but one about a slow moving game.
Hegan made her move. The Rrrrtktktkp’ch administrator she was playing Warrens with struggled to come up with his next move. Hegan was a Rauwryhr who worked at the medical component of the station. She was transferred here after the recent Celzi counter offensive. She treated the wounded that were sometimes brought back to the front if any survived the meat grinder. She stitched soldiers back together and fitted them with prosthetics only to ship them back out to be torn apart again. She had studied psychology and would sometimes be tasked with boosting the moral of the wounded, despite her numerous explanations that that’s not what psychologists did.
She first found her work interesting and challenging, but as more soldiers came and went, the cycle wore her down. She had started playing games as a way to relieve stress. She had taken to playing Warren with whoever would play her, since it was the only game the Vzk’tk knew. She grew slowly improved until even the shrewd Rrrrtktktkp’ch who ran the station couldn’t beat her, so even that grew dull. She heard of a race in the heart of Dominion territory that took their adoration for games to insane levels. Wouldn’t mind playing games with them. The Rrrrtktktkp’ch was about to make a move then retracted his hand. Make your move already, she thought as the Rrrrtktktkp’ch pondered. An odd primate pulled a chair up to the table and sat with them. He had long black curly locks of hair on its head and face and the most peculiar patches above its eyes.
“Do you mind if I watch? I always liked playing these types of games,” he asked in a pleasantly deep gravely voice.
“Sure, I don’t mind,” she sighed. Maybe he plays better, she secretly hoped.
The game lasted a half hour before the Rrrrtktktkp’ch inevitably lost. With a frustrated harrumph he walked out of the restaurant.
“What were you playing?”
“Warren,” she tersely replied.
“Could you teach me how to play? It looks pretty fun.”
She was about to refuse but agreed. Not like I have better things to do.
“Sure why not,” she sighed and restarted the board. She spent a good 10 minutes explaining the various mechanics of the game and the objective. The sapient nodded with fierce, almost predatory eyes. Creeps me out. A Gaoian and, surprisingly, a Qinis joined them.
“John what are you doing?” the Qinis asked.
“I’m playing what sounds like chess for idiots.” Hegan perked up slightly at the comment. He could teach me that game next. The sapient, called John, made the first move. Move after move she grew more interested in him. He utilized the predatory pieces much more effectively than any player she had seen. She could even see the beginnings of basic strategy. John’s attacks were skilled and direct yet it seemed he didn’t quite understand how defense worked and lost the game. He’s got potential.
“Let’s have another game,” she offered as she reset the board. John looked giddy to play again yet his two companions merely resigned themselves to watching and ordered drinks. By the next game John had improved significantly. Hegan had just barely managed to beat him with a cheap trick.
“One more game,” He asked and once more they played. Usually her games would last her a good hour or two yet with John they barely scratched the half hour mark. This game she wasn’t so lucky, and John defeated her with a flurry of attacks. She barely had time to organize a counter offence. Every time she would press an attack John merely attacked another part until she was chasing him all over the board.
John smiled broadly and huffed, clearly pleased with himself. My word… I’ve lost. I’ve actually lost. She looked up at the smiling sapient with a mix of confusion and awe. If he’s this good after three games how good could he be if he practiced? What brilliant strategist is lurking inside that head?
“It was fun playing with ya. Maybe next time we could play some chess,” John suggested with what she assumed was a smile.
“How did you get so good so quickly?” Hegan asked. “I’ve never seen anyone so masterfully employ the offensive pieces. How did you do it?”
“Could be something to do with me being a deathworlder,” John suggested. Hegan froze for a moment and looked at John with abject shock.
“Ok time to go,” the Gaoian quickly announced, pulling at John. They paid for the meal and quickly walking out of the restaurants. You can’t just let him go!
“Wait! What do you mean you’re a deathworlder?” she asked as she jumped from her chair and followed them out of the restaurant.
“Well you see I’m from a-,” John replied.
Vanima slapped John’s open mouth, stunning the human as he slightly stumbled towards the ship.
Hegan struggled to keep up with the long legged species.
“We’re so terribly- John has a habit of saying absurd things. He’s not from a deathworld. He’s actually-” Vanima was interrupted by John stomping his foot on the floor. The resounding boom and vibrations scared most people in a large radius around the group. The trio of aliens shrunk away from the seemingly angered John.
“I will not be silenced,” John growled. Every primal fear surged through Hegan’s mind yet her curiosity kept her rooted to the spot. Hegan looked down and saw a small dent in the floor. Oh my word he is a deathworlder. He is a sapient deathworlder. Vzk’tk nervously shuffled around the group, giving them a wide berth. The Gaoian seemed to recover first and quickly ushered them into a ship. Hegan was much too baffled by the discovery to put up any resistance at being pushed into some random ship. John stumbled into the ship.
He quickly closed the door behind them and breathed a sigh of relief. John steadied himself on a wall and shook his head. He then looked to Hegan with those unsettlingly predatory eyes.
“Y’know. I never learned your name,” he slurred slightly.
“My name is H-Hegan. Hegan Roux,”
“Great! I’m John Ash. This is Regalo and that’s Vanima Dukkoti,” he happily announced.
“How does a Qinis, a Gaoian and a… Deathworlder end up at a warfront… Are you a secret Dominion weapon?!” she exclaimed. He’s the response to Vulza! No he’s better than Vulza. Oh my word he’ll transform warfare as we know it.
“No, John is not a Dominion secret weapon, he’s a peaceful sapient. He’s just a little… different at the moment,” Regalo replied as he led the human farther up the neck of the ship.
“How did you all end up at the warfront?” she asked the Qinis.
“Well Hegan, that is a very long, somewhat unbelievable story and honestly you wouldn’t believe it,” Vanima answered. “It’s best if you come with me. I’ll explain everything.” Vanima led Hegan to what looked like a common room. She sat at the table and Hegan sat before her.
“I’ve only been with them for 4 months and I can hardly believe what I’ve seen,” Vanima admitted as she took her seat. “John is a deathworlder,” she bluntly told her. “No point in hiding it from you, you’ve already seen too much,” she sighed.
Vanima recounted everything John had been up to, from his abduction right up until they dropped out of FTL. She didn’t mention John’s fraud at being a DIA agent. No sense in including high treason and fraud in John’s list of accomplishments. The Rauwryhr’s jaw had dropped to the floor several times during Vanima’s recounting. Poor thing, she probably didn’t expect to have her entire view of the galaxy changed this morning. Regalo joined them at the end of the story.
“Alright John is currently sleeping in the scanner chair in the medical room. We’ll be alerted if his vitals drop,” he informed them as he sat at the head of the table.
“Perfect. I’ve just been informing Miss Roux about John’s… origins.” Regalo duck nodded and joined them at the table.
“Well miss Roux, I just ask that you try and keep John’s origins a secret. Who knows what the Dominion will do when they find out that there is a species far deadlier than Hunters in the galaxy. Maybe they try and enlist them into the war and we end up massacring the Celzi Alliance or we trap them on their planet on the offence of just existing. Frankly, I’m not keen on finding out,” Regalo said. Hegan seemed to be agreeing with the point the Gaoian made. Wonder what we’d do if she spreads the information.
“Well if I can only talk to you two about John then I guess that leaves only one option. I would like to join your crew,” Hegan declared. Vanima smiled, remembering her own decision to join the crew.
“Well what are you skill sets?” Vanima asked.
“I’m a trained medical officer. I specialized in prosthetics and psychology,”
“Oh well we already have a medica-” Vanima interrupted him.
“Just one moment Regalo. Although I am a medical officer, I haven’t specialized in prosthetics. We would be in a very dire situation if that Vulza had torn off John’s arm. Even then that Vulza had probably just reached sexual maturity, how well would John fare against a war trained, fully grown Vulza?” she warned. Vanima sneaked a wink at Hegan. She was just barely able to hear the Rauwryhr let out an ultrasonic squeal. Regalo ducked nodded his head and conceded the point to Vanima. The Qinis smiled and turned to Hegan. “Welcome to the crew of The Lost Minstrel.”