Sel

I never thought this trip would be something special for me and Kilkaja. I never would've imagined to be falling in love with a Nuoevan who's not only the one who understood my past, but also willing to tell me all about himself and confess his desires to me. It made this trip a whole less of a burden and more of a testament.

Even then, with nothing to do except waiting in a slow-moving ship, we talked and conversed with each other a lot. By the sixth day of our journey, we started to understand each other better and even become friends. Kilkaja and I were no doubt an item. But, talking with Astha made me understand him a bit more, and it also helped me be more comfortable around Saukaurs.

With those talks, I found out that he was not just any Saukauri traditional hunter. Rather, he 'moonlighted' as a bounty hunter.

"You can't get money from trophies alone," said Astha. "It's more of a tradition than a steady income. Sethis worked as an armorer when he wasn't hunting, and even mentors for up and coming hunters, which was very important during the war."

"He is a good strategist," I said, acknowledging the fact that he stood up and save his comrades.

"I'm not that kind of person, I'm afraid," said Astha with a chuckle. "I prefer easy money from hunting down criminals. I could just do a detour and get us some money since we're here, but Sethis's still my top priority. I might return here for a job, but I might need to find other means of getting credits."

"Have you ever hesitated?" asked Kilkaja.

Astha chuckled. "Sometimes, but not always. I don't regret killing many of the worst criminals I've taken a job to apprehend. However, I don't just outright kill them if the bounty is greater with them alive. I only kill if it's impossible to take them in alive or it's better for them to be dead."

"And being a bounty hunter you...?"

"No, never," said Astha, interrupting me. "I don't do jobs for other criminals. The cred's good, but that also put me on the same spot with them."

"At least you still have that kind of honor," I said.

"How about you?" asked Astha. "Got over your apprehension around scalies?"

"Not really. I'm just okay around you since you're gay. I mean, you look like you'll seduce a hapless guy more than someone like me."

"Afraid I might take Kilkaja away from you?" teased Astha, which made Kilkaja gulp. I quickly went into the defensive and covered for Kilkaja.

"Oh, no. Don't push it, Astha," I said. "Don't bend him."

Astha started to laugh. "Oh, come on Sel. I'm just kidding! Besides, I'm only into Saukaurs."

I doubted it, partially due to my problems with Saukaurs and due to how easy Astha was able to seduce the Saukaur on his home planet with a simple 'move closer and sweet talk' kind of thing. It showed with me squinting my eyes towards Astha, to which he quickly found that I might not regard that as a joke, after all.

"I'm serious," he said. "And besides, I know boundaries, okay?"

I guess that helped clarify things. I had not ability to tell lies from the truth like Kilkaja, but I knew Astha had control, and his mannerisms were clearly different from the Saukaurs I met or confronted. Maybe it's because he was a well-educated hunter/bounty hunter, while the Saukaurs I met were assholes.

And that's just one of several of our chats as we continued to follow the tracker. We later realized that the tracker we followed did not use a direct path since we believed they were running from someone. We momentarily got out of the Frontier Region before returning into the systems within. As we travelled on, we finally found a planet, almost ten days after we started following the ship. The tracker ended in the planet, meaning that there was a chance that Sethis was in there somewhere.

I was relieved to know that Sethis ended up on a planet and I felt that it was our biggest break yet. Then, I saw the name of the planet popped up on the Frontier Map, and my heart sunk. Of all the places he ended up...he ended up on that planet.

Sel and Astha were elated to know that we finally got a lead on where Sethis was. But then, their mood changed when they heard what I said.

"Fuck me," I said under my breath. "This can't be fucking real...."

"What is it?" asked Astha. "You swore two times in a row. That cannot be good."

"It's not," I said as I turned to him. "That planet is called Okshosha. It's a colony where they used slaves as workforce, and it's completely governed by pirates. And...not just any pirate. It's Michl Feper's base of operations."

Oh yes, this was the worst outcome I would ever have. I had been declared dead by the kind furless Felinian doctor in the Crossroads, and I was free to travel with everything behind me. The final symbolic moment to sever all my connections to my past was the first time I was killed and given the Choice: to go on living or to give up and die. Now...I was given yet another choice. Go there and brace myself against the pirates that would surely regard me as an enemy or turn my back as the others tried to find Sethis in vain. With the planet being Okshosha, it would be hard either way. The place was a pirate fortress and it was heavily guarded.

"That place used to be your home?" said Kilkaja. He seemed to sense my distress and silently tried to comfort me. He was the only one in the Vyrkaya who never heard about Feper before, for a good reason.

"More or less," I said, indifferent. "Not for long, though. It's only a year or so. Not that I can call it a home. I traveled on a ship most of the time, up until I got thrown out of the airlock and into Vyrkaya's."

"Then, they might not recognize you."

"No, they will. I'm kind of notorious for being a Saukaur hater back then. Any Saukauri crewmember would know me as the gal who's...well, racist."

"Good thing you're not one now," said Astha. "Or that first death of yours won't matter."

"What should we do?" asked Kilkaja. "We might be able to get in, but we won't know where Sethis is without your help. Now that someone's bound to know who you are, then..."

There's...one way to go in," I declared. "We pretend. You two must assume that almost everyone working under Feper knew my face, so I can't do the talking. Astha, I hope I can rely on your sweet talk."

Ideas started rushing into my mind. I knew this would not work as well, but it would if I could just cover my face and stay out of sight as much as I could. Being a pirate meant you've seen a lot of things, and one of them included slavery. I told them what I had in mind, but I had a feeling they would not like it.

"We'll pretend we're a small band of raiders trying to strike a deal after a skirmish," I said. "Feper's base is a safe haven for most pirates and is also a good place for criminals to lay low. I'll hide my face and stay out of sight as much as I can, so I hope you two know what you're doing. We still need to procure some items to make it believable. We'll land on another colony and buy some from the black market. Then, we'll go to Okshosha."

"And do you know where we can find Sethis's tracker?" said Astha.

I wondered where, until I saw where the general area was. It was deep within the Orichalcum mine, so we clearly needed someone to get in there and update the tracker for us. However, the place was off-limits to traders and only slaves and guards were down there. One of us must pretend to be a slave so they could get down there. The rest of us would go to the control room to check on the one pretending to be a slave and possibly help them. I sounded this opinion to everyone, and they agreed to the plan.

"But who's going to be the slave?" said Kilkaja. That's when I realized that there was already someone perfect for the role. We both silently, and rather comically, turned our heads towards Kilkaja, who also realized that he, a former slave, would be very convincing.

Of course, he's rather reluctant doing this. He may have the looks and possibly the manners for the role, but could he pretend to be one? In fact, while he would blend in well, it would be risky for him, because...he's a Nuoevan. And he did tell us the specific way Nuoevan slaves were dressed.

"If you really want to make it convincing," said Kilkaja after we discussed this. "You need to strip me naked and put a dampening collar on me. That's the only way they'll buy it. Buy? Oh...."

He unintentionally made a pun out of it. Astha chuckled while I smiled awkwardly, but also cringed knowing how messed up that was. He tried to make light of it, but...it came out rather awkward. I mean, it wasn't long since he gained his freedom, so the whole thing was still very new to him.

As I directed Astha to fly towards the black-market colony, I looked at Kilkaja. I knew he was tense since this was the most crucial part of the job. He had already gone through the humiliation and suffering of being a slave, only to return to it, even if he was only pretending. Poor Nuoevan. I should've known his travel with us would only open old wounds and subject him to the worst people I've ever known. Even if he had moved on and tried to start a new story with me, that memory would always be in his memory.

Still, he was rather eager to help when we got to the black-market colony. I wore a hood to cover my face, still wary of anyone recognizing me here. Kilkaja directed me to find the things that might make it very convincing, including the dampening collar. I was rather...embarrassed when we found the collar in a 'curiosity shop', which was a tame way to say, 'fetish shop'.

"Oh, this thing doesn't have all the dampening components left," said the Felinian shopkeeper when she showed Kilkaja the white, padded collar. "The lights are usually for authenticity, to things...spicy."

"Spicy?" asked Kilkaja.

"Roleplay," said the shopkeeper with a wink. "You won't believe how many freed Nuoevans out there wanting to role play as a sex slave or something. I thought they'd be traumatized by the ordeals of slavery, from what I heard, but damn. Some four eyes are just masochistic perv."

The shopkeeper then looked at Kilkaja and, realizing what she had just said, shook her head. "Oh, I don't mean you!"

"It's fine," said Kilkaja, who seemed to take it well.

As he asked about the dampening collar (and even trying it himself) I picked up several shackles and cuffs that could be used to make it rather convincing. Believe me when I said I blushed looking at these stuffs. They were not intended to be used to tie up someone like a slave, especially since they looked so clean and polished, unlike the rusted ones I usually associated with slaves. Just to be fair, back then, I did not know there's a whole thing about being tied up and helpless until I visited a colony where this whole thing's a...thing. And yes, I was aware my skin-tight catsuit fit into a specific fetish, and what I did next what a subconscious need to fulfill them.

I did not remember how many I bought, but many of them ended up not being used. I kept them, though. After our little shopping trip, we returned to our ship as we checked on the gears we acquired. I bought a full set of armor that could effectively cover my face and tuck my tail in. I convinced Astha to wear some pants since his hunter look would not be taken seriously. We were concerned that the ship might be hijacked when we were gone, especially since I had seen it happened before, but Astha assured me that the ship could only be activated by his bio imprint, so we're fine on that regard (surprisingly, that's the most advanced addition to his ship). After being assured by the ship's security, I turned to Kilkaja, who looked at all the things I bought. It made it easier to realize that he was blushing despite his ebony-colored skin.

"You...don't need all of these, you know," said Kilkaja when he took a muzzle that fit a Nuoevan's leporine face. "I'm not a dangerous Nuoevan. This will only make them reject me."

"Yeah. I guess I'm...not sure which ones to use," I said. "I was never a slaver, you know. I didn't even bother getting into that mine."

"I understand. It's just..."

I could feel him trembling. I knew what he was afraid of. While he was convincing as a slave, he was still rather...anxious of what happened next. A Nuoevan slave was always naked, and he would be even more vulnerable. If this plan worked...well...

Without knowing what to do, I kissed him in the snout, surprising him. That round, leporine face of his looked very innocent and vulnerable. I smiled, knowing Kilkaja fought the strongest between all of us.

Astha's voice announcing our proximity to Okshosha meant that it was time for us to prepare. It...was rather weird when I asked Kilkaja to strip, something that he reluctantly did. I know we went to date before, and we kissed, but that was it. Given that he wore almost nothing aside from pants and a cloak, he only needed to remove those two items of clothing. Yes, even to my surprise, Kilkaja was not wearing an underwear.

"Living dangerously, eh?" I teased, before he slid down his pants and threw it aside. That's when I let out a gasp and said, "Holy mother of Felici!"

I did not really want to shout that loud, but I did, which drew Astha's attention. He burst into our room and saw Kilkaja all bare and for him to see. I think the proper reaction would be to cover your junk and hide, but maybe he was already conditioned to stand naked most of the time that his only reaction was look away embarassed, especially when Astha commented on the size of his...ten-inch junk.

"Damn," he said with a whistle. "No wonder your pants look so baggy. You're hiding a goddamn beast down there! You could impale someone with that!"

"Please!" cried Kilkaja as he tried to hide it. His embarrassment was great, and his ebony skin flushed a brighter hue of gray. "Stop that! You're not making it easy for me."

"And you're not helping in making me feel small!" He then turned to me. "You know, if you really want to stick that thing in you...think twice. Or thrice. Or..."

"Don't go there," I said, stopping him while glaring at him. "We haven't even got to that point yet."

I never thought I'd be surprised that underneath the humble and innocent looking Kilkaja, he packed one hell of a package. It looked so jarring, big, and long, especially on someone with a lanky physique like Kilkaja! Kilkaja realized what I focused on and he covered his big junk with his hand. His long ears folded in embarrassment as he let out a weird-sounding whine like an extraterrestrial dog. If he still had his possum-like tail, he might even wrap it over to cover it a bit more. It was...a little in vain, though. It was simply too big to hide. Not sure if that's what Nuoevans usually had or it's just Kilkaja.

"You know what," I said with a sigh. "Screw authenticity. You need to cover that thing up."

Kilkaja wanted to protest, but the size of his girth was too distracting. I never thought a Nuoevan would pack something that big. I've never seen him bare naked before, not even back on Lekan. During our raid, I wasn't focusing on him and was too taken in the heat of battle to even notice him. Also, I must remind you that I also considered killing him to ease his pain, so I did not even bother looking down when Arcturus covered him from further indecency and cradled him to sleep.

And by Felici, I missed out on it!

I quickly shook my head, trying not to lose focus. I'd think about it later, but now, we had a job to do.

As we landed near the landing pad, I finished fitting Kilkaja to look like a proper slave. I told him to wear one of Astha's waistcloths to hide that giant thing and a proper underwear. Finally, after putting the chains on him, I put on the fake dampening collar. It was nothing more than a prop as the locking mechanism was replaced with nothing more than a manual latch. I told Kilkaja if he could still sense emotions and he still did, so the collar was fake.

Before we got out, I told everyone what their role was. Astha would be the raider who found Kilkaja trying to escape from a Nuoevan compound we raided and captured him. Wanting some good credits, he resorted to selling his gain here in Okshosha. I told Kilkaja to act like a whimpering, hopeless coward, since he was supposed to act like a captured raider, but he admitted that it was both hard and exaggerated, considering his history, so he decided to just keep silent. I, on the other hand, would be a mute partner of Astha's whose backstory involved getting my face maimed, hence the helmet. With my tail tucked into the suit and the helmet obscuring my face and ears, I could pose as any humanoid races except a Saukaur and a Nuoevan. My digitigrade legs would not be a problem if I disguised them with high heels.

I was still worried that they might not buy it, especially since no Nuoevan slaves wore clothes. I just hoped Astha could spin a good story to explain why when we met with one of the slavemasters.

"Greetings!" said Astha, trying to act like a lively salesperson. "How do you fare?"

"You're a talkative one," he said. He then looked at Kilkaja and said, "He's so scrawny. Not sure if he can actually mine down there."

This was when I realized Astha might get a little bit overboard with his spin story, especially when I saw Kilkaja silently glared at him with his four black eyes.

"Oh, you see, he doesn't need to carry a pickaxe. He's strong enough to carry some foods and be a cook. Or...maybe you want to play with him a little? He looks like he wants to be fucked by those brawns, don't you think?"

Astha, do not make things worse, I thought. I know he was a little too clean and too scrawny to be used for labor but making him a sex slave was even worse! I tried to subtly shake my head for Astha to see, but it's already too late.

"You sure?" said the slavemaster as he looked at Kilkaja's face. "He looks like he's going to bite you for saying that."

"Oh, he won't, not if you pull out his sharp teeth. Oh, and my friend also have a little business to talk with you regarding orichalcum. We can talk in comfort in your office."

The slavemaster seemed rather intrigued by this. "Good thing you come with a good fuck slave and a business. It's getting harder selling these without legal problems. You know how cutthroat this business is...."

I wanted to look at Kilkaja sympathetically, but it was impossible with this helmet obscuring my face. All I could see of him before he was dragged to the elevator was a stern glare towards Astha, who replied with a smug Saukauri smile.

I shook my head. I guess he believed Kilkaja was capable of protecting himself. I wanted to believe that's the case, too. He had shown that he had the resolve to kill only when necessary. I could only hope that he was alright.

As he entered the elevator, we followed the master up to the control room, where I could see several of the cameras, including one inside the elevator. Kilkaja looked calm and collected, which quickly clued me that he was planning something. Knowing that he needed the distraction, I deliberately bumped the one looking at the elevator camera and changed his feed.

"Hey!" he exclaimed rudely. "Do you mind?!"

Astha turned and quickly understood what happened. He quickly said, "Oh, you don't want to anger her, friend. She can make you as much of a mute as she is without any hesitation."

The Felinian seemed to be intimidated by it before he regained his composure and said, "Only if she's quick with her blade, which I doubt it. In fact, you slit my throat, you make sure everyone in this room is dead. No witnesses, or else this whole planet's on you. Wanna bet on that, scalie?"

Well, he's not wrong. He could be acting cool, but slitting his throat like a maniac was the wrong move. I wasn't sure if Astha's story would help, and he clearly realized it when he stopped being smug. I was more concerned with Kilkaja and what he was planning down there, though. As far as I was aware, it was the only camera that showed the elevator.

We walked into the slaver's office. However, I quickly became surprised by the presence of a Felinian I knew: Efelci Ardi. She was Feper's second in command and was the one who usually relayed the messages for her. Feper herself was usually out of the planet journeying, raiding, pillaging, and did her own pirating stuff while Ardi took care of the planet's business. Ardi wasn't as paranoid or as ruthless as Feper, but she was still a pirate. Unlike Feper, she was smart. I knew that, if given the opportunity, she would take over from Feper in a well-prepared mutiny. However, Ardi was a methodological and cold character who did not seem to have an ambition, ruthless or not. She was more concerned with the planet's business.

The master walked into the office talking to her about the mine business. My Felinian ears quickly caught that Ardi was reluctant to continue with the mine business despite of our (fake) business deal.

"We have not even had any more luck with the pirating part ever since Kylas got dumped in space," said Ardi with a sigh. "I know she's a problem kit, but all she did was cover that good-for-nothing Ortez."

Olyanda Ortez was the Felinian I covered for and was the reason why I got myself kicked out of the crew in the first place. I must admit that I was pretty gullible at times and Ortez got into me, especially since she was a Felinian who allegedly understood my hatred towards Saukaurs. But of course, while Ortez could woo Feper, Ardi could've seen through her. I wanted to ask her what happened to Ortez, but that would mean blowing my cover.

"But Ardi," said the slavemaster, "This Saukaur seems to have a proposition. He came here with a slave and is willing to talk about orichalcum."

Ardi looked at Astha and me before she touched her whiskers and said, "Is he?"

"I may not look like it," said Astha. "But it's better than just raiding and end up getting more people chasing my tail."

Ardi seemed to be pondering about Astha's proposal before she turned towards the slavemaster and said, "Leave us."

The slavemaster simply nodded and walked out of the room. Ardi then locked the door and walked back towards her desk.

"Tell me, Saukaur," said Ardi. "What do you know about orichalcum?"

Good thing I told him to research about it before this, so he told Ardi everything he knew on the net and how its metal could be used as a good conductor, but most importantly, a good precious metal as an alternate for credits, especially in the Frontier area where there were no problems making business with non-Spacers.

I listened to Astha carefully and he did tell a lot of well-found facts. Unfortunately, we were dealing with one of the smartest pirates I've ever personally known. After Astha spewed out the facts he read, Ardi chuckled.

"Good job researching about orichalcum before you got here, but you don't need to pretend," said Ardi. "Most of our buyers don't even know orichalcum's conductivity, just its value. I know you two are not raiders or even prospective buyers. You're the distractions, aren't you?"

"Huh?" said Astha, feigning ignorance. "What do you...?"

"Let me give you a proposal instead. I can trip a silent alarm and alert everyone outside that you're undercover agents trying to crack down our operation, or you explain to me who you are and whether your silent hunter behind you is truly silent and truly maimed as you claimed. You can't fool me with those high heels, you know. You tried to disguise your Felinian gait, but you don't bring heels into a fight.."

Realizing that we've been had, the most logical move would be to try and escape. However, Ardi already knew that we were aware of her accusations and approached me. Without even asking or demanding, she took off my helmet, showing my face to her. Her expression was more delighted than surprised.

"Well, well," she said. "Sel Kylas, in the flesh. Never thought you'll work with a Saukaur. And those eye color...you made a Choice, didn't you? Guess that's why your view changed."

I stayed silent, knowing what she meant. A Felinian faced with a Choice and chose to continue living gained and lost something, and they were usually very subtle. Personalities and appearances would inevitably change, but it was so subtle than no one, not even yourself, could be sure. Some aliens who heard about this ability erroneously called it 'regeneration' and thought that we changed to the point of becoming someone else while still the same person.

"Guess staying dead's not something you're good at. If you're here to find Feper, don't bother. She's out there making credits. Or not. Depends on how much luck she has left. That's what you're here for, right? Revenge?"

"No," I said. "It's something less grandiose than that. We're simply here to find some Saukaurs."

"Just that?" said Ardi, cocking her head. "You risked your life to find some Saukaurs, even thought you hate them? Is this part of some elaborate revenge plan with irony sprinkled all over it or am I missing something?"

"I don't plan on revenge, Efelci. And yes, ever since Feper threw me into space, there are things that changed me. The Choice was only part of it. It is only possible because no one knows I'm still alive."

"But I do."

I chuckled. "You're far too smart to work under Feper and her backstabbing crew of misfits. Tell me. When did you suspect it?"

"I'm responsible for this venture's financial reports and I am a very meticulous accountant, Sel. I monitored expenses and incomes and I know the Crossroads charged us. I knew Feper threw you out into space, so it seemed almost like a coincidence that the Crossroads would charge us out of nowhere, unless you somehow survived and got there.

"So, I used my privilege as a second in command to travel to the Crossroads myself and confirm it with Iren. A little persuasion was all I need to make her talk."

Thinking Ardi did something bad to the furless doctor, I said, "Efelci, you didn't..."

Ardi chuckled. "Oh no. No torture or bribing or extortion. That's more Michl's thing. We are old friends...with benefits. Iren knew I could be trusted, so she told me about your survival. I knew you'd be out there finding a new life, so I decided to keep this information for myself. If Michl knew, it would only worsen her paranoia. I could be an evil bitch and made her suffer a breakdown, but I am not."

I already got a suspicion that the doctor would talk. She was not exactly the kind of person who'd have any confidentiality or anything, especially since she clearly asked me who my employer was.

Just then, there was a knock, in which Ardi sighed and returned to her desk. She turned on the intercom and said, "Yes?"

"Ma'am!" shouted a voice. "One of the slaves escaped!"

"Contain him, then."

"We can't! He's a Nuoevan!"

"So?"

"He's knocking people out with their own weapons!"

Instead of alarmed or anything, Ardi sighed and said, "I'll call some Nuoevans." And closed the link. She then turned to us and said, "Your distraction works, then."

"And it's high time we get out of here," said Astha as he walked to a nearby window and prepared to blast it off, before Ardi stopped him.

"Before you do so, let me do something first."

Without warning, she pulled out her own gun and started blasting off her office. Before long, the place looked like as if it was destroyed due to a fight.

"That way, they won't suspect a thing," said Ardi. "Do whatever you need to do."

Astha then nodded and blew the window open, with glass raining down to the pirates below. He simply jumped out. Before I did, however, I turned to Ardi and asked, "Why...did you help us?"

"I have my own reasons, Sel," replied Ardi. "It's a pirate thing."

"Will you be alright?"

"You'll find out soon enough," said Ardi. "Now go and help your friend."

Just before I followed Astha out of the room, Ardi said, "I'm glad you're alive, Sel."

I silently nodded as I followed Astha towards the mine. Her words seemed to indicate that she had a plan and it involved her crew. Was it mutiny? She did have the power to do so and Feper was not really that competent in term of business. But it could be something else. Again, I did not have the privilege to ask.

A pirate's business is a pirate's business, after all.