[Ooookay! The mustache guy is definitely some kind of godfather or mob boss,] I commented with a grimace after reading through the message.

[I don’t think we can be sure it’s from Roka Beferent.]

[Who else then? He even mentioned his ‘associates’ and the guys that came after me literally said that they were with him,] I argued.

[Exactly! If they already told you whom they work for then why did the message sender put so much effort into hiding his identity?] She continued with, [The message also implied that the sender most likely operates far away from here and they had to track down both the anomaly and you. Roka was one of the first people that you met. He would have noticed a variety of problems with you, and even if he later found out about the anomaly, you should have been his first suspect. It just doesn’t add up.]

[You have a point there,] I said with narrowed eyes.

[Moreover, from the message it’s clear that they operate separately from the Empire. If they are criminals, I suggest we take information from them carefully. Just because those guys said that they were Roka’s associates we shouldn’t take it as fact. But as I said, we shouldn’t believe them so it might just be a clever plan to draw suspicion away from Roka. They might have thought that they could catch you with the connection and when you slipped away, they realized that you are a loose end with dangerous information. The entire message might just be a clever ruse to cover up their slip up.]

[Ugh… That’s enough for now. We could sit here and analyze our situation for days, but the end solution will be the same no matter what. We are leaving! Fast and far!]

[I approve!]

I got up from my bed and did a little jiggle to feel my knees. They weren’t hurting anymore, so I picked up my helmet and with quick steps, I exited the facility. Genna already paid for the services, and she also suggested that I didn’t waste time explaining the situation to the wide-eyed girls at the reception. She also warned me about the lack of time for my usual ogling.

On my way here I was preoccupied with too many bodily problems to properly look around, but this time I was able to take a good look at the street.

There was no ceiling. The walls were slanted slightly, and they joined together at the top making the street into a triangle shaped tunnel. I was in the services and goods part of this sector of the station. There were 14 sectors, and this was the 9th.

The street was full of all kinds of entrances. I could have spent hours or even days looking around here. There was one shop which walls were flowing and waving around like the sea. Another one’s entrance looked like a dark blue rainforest with densely packed vegetation. Right next to the Health Center there was a huge monster head that seemed alive. With a rumbling growl, it opened its maw and people exited through it. At first, I thought it couldn’t be real but then again what if it was? My expectations got outdated thousand of years ago.

I would have loved to spend time around here, but it would have to wait. I looked down at my filthy clothes and frowned. I also noticed that my arms weren’t covered in oil and grime anymore. Luckily, the miracle bed also cleaned my body since it considered my dirty state unhygienic and thus unhealthy. Not my clothes though. I had a little extra time, so I decided to get something new before looking for a ride off of this place. In these clothes, people might refuse to even talk to me.

After a quick consultation with my lovely assistant, we decided on a small detour to a clothes shop nearby. She warned me though that I might not be a fan of the style but due to being in a hurry I couldn't be picky.

On the way, I couldn’t stop gazing at the variety of places and people walking around. I saw a huge sphere that was spinning at breakneck speed where a building should have been. I saw a shop decorated by the same dark green goo that was in that mushroom person’s room. In one of the shop’s people were walking around on the walls instead of the floor.

There were a few of those transparent headed people and some swirling nothingnesses too in red dresses. The goofy looking Linbogs, the colorful mushroom people, the tall and stout yellowed eyed emotion vampires, the fish people with their breathers and of course the Humans too were all represented here. It was a lively and crowded place with far too many things to see and do. I felt frustrated just rushing by all of this, but I knew my current priorities were elsewhere.

Our destination’s entrance wasn’t normal either. Its walls reminded me of a huge theatre curtain, but it was made up of densely packed metal scales that pulsed rigidly and mechanically. Inside the little Linbog girl helped me to a booth where I could choose what I’d like privately.

Inside there was a console and a big open area around chest level behind it. I tapped on the machine to see what they’ve got. All of their clothes were made from the same metallic scale material. Most likely it was a brand thing. As I was swiping through the different clothes, they continuously appeared on the platform in front of me. Tapping around gave me a strange question.

[Why isn’t there thought controlled stuff?] I asked Genna.

[Intention reading is a sensitive topic. It’s dangerous since it can be considered to be the little sister of mind reading. While the latter gets out everything from your head, intention reading just takes out your intentions as its name suggests. Still, it’s only a restricted technology and not highly restricted like mind reading. It’s something that the general public rarely has access to.]

I listened to her explanation while watching the clothes switch around in front of me. They looked… different than the holograms I’ve seen on the planet. They looked more real somehow. I tried reaching out towards the shirt that was currently on the platform, and when my fingers reached it, I felt it and the fabric also moved with my fingers. It was real!

“Holy shit, this is real!” I exclaimed while grabbing it.

[No it’s not. You just feel like it,] Genna said with a bored tone.

[Don’t shit with me! I’m holding it in my hand!] I argued while tugging at the bottom of the shirt.

[Switch to a different one while you are ‘holding’ it.]

I narrowed my eyes and tapped the console with my other hand. The shirt disappeared from my grasp, and another one appeared on the platform in its place.

“The fuck?!“

[See? You just felt like touching it. There was nothing.]

[But I felt it!]

[It’s just a clever trick of perception enhanced holographs and sense simulators in the booth.]

[Se-]

[Sense simulators give you the false sense of touch. There’s one in every booth here,] she predicted my question and interrupted me right away with the explanation.

[Erm...] I started. [So… this thing can give people the feeling that they are touching something or being touched?] I asked with a cocked eyebrow.

[Exactly.]

[So…. In theory, there could be a sick fuck who walks around with this on the street and randomly jerks off people and gropes women from the distance without them even knowing who did that?]

…

…

[You are not answering because in ‘theory’ it could be possible but you don’t want to say yes to avoid acknowledging what I just said?] I asked.

[Yes,] she answered flatly.

I was laughing like a stupid hyena for the rest of my shopping. When I selected a set of dark gray metal scale cloth set Genna paid for it and a small box elevated out of the platform in front of me. It was real this time, and it contained my new clothes. I changed right away and left my stinky old clothes in the box. I knew it was a scumbag move to leave my dirty laundry here, but I didn’t have the patience now to throw them away somewhere. I put on my mask with the red grinning image turned on before leaving. I was already pushing it when I took it off earlier.

I wanted to hurry back to the docking bay, but somebody called from behind.

“Sir, please!” said the weak female voice.

I turned around and saw a small, female yellowed eyed alien looking at me with a wary expression.

“Me?” I asked while pointing at my chest.

She eagerly nodded and said, “My boss sent me to look for you.”

I immediately got tense and asked with a low voice, “Why?!”

“Ugh,” she moaned and took a step back. “He-he has someone that would like to talk to you concerning your ship,” she said with a quiet voice.

“What?!” I growled through my teeth while taking a step back readying myself for running.

“Aaaah,” she moaned again and backed away further. “Sir, please don’t feel like that,” she pleaded with a pained expression.

[You idiot! You are making the poor child feel bad with your shitty emotions! Start thinking something happy right this moment!]

I knew they could feel my emotions, but it didn’t occur to me that I would make a little girl feel bad with my feelings. I didn’t want to be a scumbag; it was an accident. It wasn’t like I could freely control my emotions. Anyway, I tried thinking about something happy, and my thoughts wandered to golden retriever puppies immediately. Those adorable yellow fluffballs full of love. I always wanted one, but the apartment I was living in didn’t allow pets. Little fat vanilla puddings. Maybe after I found a place to settle down, I would finally get one… Then the realization hit me that they were most likely all gone just like everything else from Earth other than the Humans.

I heard sobbing, and when I looked at the little girl, I saw her crying.

[You are a real asshole, you know that right?]

[God damn it… I swear I didn’t want to make her cry,] I said with a grimace.

Ice cream! Aston Martin! Dancing cockatoo videos! Double episodes of shows I liked! Joga pan… NO, NO, NO… Not those! Cheesecake! A drawer full of snacks!

I glanced up, and the girl wasn’t crying anymore. She had a small smile on her face now. She was way to influenceable...

“So, what was that you were talking about?”

“There’s someone that would be interested in buying your ship,” she said with a stable voice now.

I stared at her for a few moments.

[Is this a trap?] I asked Genna.

[I don’t think, but it’s better to be careful. I say you just leave the ship behind like we agreed and get a ride to somewhere else from here.]

She was right. It was an unnecessary risk but then again… If I could just sell the ship.

“I’m willing to talk, but I’m tight on time. I’m heading to the docking bay. If the guy wants to talk, he better be there. I’ll give him 10 minutes tops,” I said to the girl.

She nodded and spaced out for a few moments before continuing, “My boss said his contact would be there to meet you when you get back.”

“Okay. Let’s go,” I said and started to move to the docking bay.

[Seriously? You’ll want to sell the stolen ship? You said we’ll ditch it! There was no discussion about selling it!]

[I’m not a fan of the idea either, but we need money to get away to the other side of the whatever.]

[You always have a convenient explanation, haven’t you?]

[I’m just factual.]

[Yeah, sure… If we manage to get to safety, we’ll have a long discussion about your moral compass.]

I shuddered at the thought of that.

The little girl was closely following me. I took a quick glance at her and saw a strange expression on her face. Shit… She could still feel my emotions. I should try to stay emotionally neutral around her. Anyway, I had a question or two for her.

“Who’s your boss?”

“A 9th sector dock supervisor, Sir!”

I hummed in acknowledgment and questioned her further, “How did you know who I was? I changed clothes in the shop and even put on my helmet.”

“You feel distinctive, Sir,” she answered with her head tilted to the side.

Duh… Was that a compliment or an insult?

[Distinctive…,] Genna chuckled in my head.

As we got closer to the docking bay, the triangular tunnel street got increasingly wider and ended in a huge entrance to the bay. I stopped and looked at the girl.

She looked back at me and just stared. I did the same, but after a few moments she asked, “Yes?”

“Where are they?”

“Oh, yes! My boss is right there, Sir,” she answered and pointed to the side where three people were chatting.

As I walked over, I had time to carefully observe them. One of them was an older Human guy with a manly beard and short, blonde hair. The other two were little goblins… I meant Linbogs! I finally learned their name because they had damn good food. The female one with the indifferent expression was wearing plain clothes and quietly stood behind the other, completely different Linbog. He was animatedly conversing with the Human guy while his sparkly robe flew all over the place like it was underwater.

When we got close to them, they stopped talking, and they both measured me up.

“Greetings! I’m Rahad one of the supervisors of the 9th sector’s dock. I have to say you look a lot better than when you arrived,” the Human guy said with a smile.

“Yeah… My ship’s old and sometimes she gets moody,” I answered after eyeing him for a few seconds.

His smiling face didn’t flinch, but it was noticeably stiff.

“I’d like to introduce you to a friend of mine who collects rare ships,” he continued and looked at the flashy looking Linbog by his side.

The little green creature had white hair that reached for the sky and a sparkly smile just like Randall had on Hatuu.

“My humblest greetings! I’m Magnificent!” he said with a mad grin.

I looked at him in a daze and asked with a scowl, “Was that a title or you are just boasting?”

His answer was a boisterous laughter that nearly made me step back.

“That’s my famous name!” he whispered while leaning closer. “It’s my great pleasure meeting you ...” he didn’t finish but looked at me expectantly.

“I’m Rabunde Jalaqua. Can we get on? I’m in a hurry.”

My comment broke the little guy’s performance a bit but not enough to stop him for too long.

“Yes! Business! I’m a collector of the rare and unique. My interest concerns ships of remarkable origins. I saw the one that you arrived with, is it in your possession perhaps?”

“Yeah, it’s mine,” I answered flatly.

“Splendid!” he exclaimed with sparkling eyes. “It’s an extraordinary ship! An ancient Terran Scouting Vessel in excellent quality by the looks of it. There aren’t many of those around anymore. I heard that recently a small museum on Hatuu managed to acquire and restore one of these beauties. It’s such a coincidence that not far from there another appears of these rare treasures!” he said with his snobbish style while eyeing me with a sly expression.