《Vanum》Intermission II-V

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„Are you some kind of mass-murderer?“, Felrani asks once they have left the solar system of K441 — with the Jäger running on half its top speed they have only needed about two minutes to do so.

„How else do you think I managed to become a Captain in the Imperial Fleet?“, he asks annoyed before he can keep himself from doing so.

„You’re a Captain?“, she asks surprised. „Then where’s your ship? Where’s your crew? Or are you a fraud?“

„I’m not a fraud you moronic mudswimmer!“

„Call me mudswimmer one more time and I’ll zap you“, she replies deadly cold while pointing her index finger at his cheek.

Small electrical discharges fizzle between him and her fingertip. Remembering the way he got apprehended by the K-People, he isn‘t very keen on getting zapped again. Growling, he refrains from antagonising her further.

„How does your psychic ability work?“, asks Slicer once the tension between him and Felrani has eased a bit.

„Simple!“, she replies all bubbly again. „I just need to concentrate on anything electric to take the energy and reroute it.“

„So you can’t generate it by yourself then.“

„Not directly at least, but I can use the electricity created by friction. My clothes, for example, generate a bit of electricity by rubbing against me and each other. My second ability is to find things and people by concentrating on them. What’s your ability?“

„None of your business“, he grumbles.

„Ah, I understand. Your ability is to be grumpy. And what about you?“, she says and turns to Lappor.

„I can separate every substance into its components,“ he replies shy. „And use telekinesis.“

„Cool! And I bet Mister Growls-A-Lot’s second ability is to pop his arteries.“

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„I can plant intentions into other people’s minds,“ he says in an insulted tone.

„That explains your shitty attitude!”

„I could force you to kill yourself!”

„Then I make sure I'll zap you while I'm at it!“

Suddenly, the communication device of the Jäger cracks to life. First there is only static, but after a few moments the chaotic static starts to pulsate in a definitive rhythm.

„What is this?”, asks Lappor visibly and audibly frightened.

„I don't know…”, Slicer replies frowning.

His ears prick up for a moment as he thinks to hear a strange voice calling his name. Before he can be really sure he hasn’t imagined it, it stops with a loud crack. Still, it leaves his heart pounding in his gills. Almost coincidental he looks at Felrani who smiles at him in a way that doesn‘t feel right.

„You know what this was?”, he asks her without bothering to hide his suspicious tone.

„Never heard anything like this in my whole life!”, she replies carefree.

—

The flight to the remains of the Starblazer takes them around five hours at top speed. During the flight no other interruptions happen and the conversation stalls into short-lived smalltalk. That is until they reach the wreckage.

The larger pieces of the former cruiser are surrounded by smaller debris and corpses as if they’re moons orbiting an exploded planet. Some debris floats slowly away while some other parts have already departed for their never-ending journey through the vacuum of space. Yet, the wreckage remains where it is as the Creature of the Void seems to have taken all its momentum away with the attack.

Slicer can’t help but feel a minor spark of regret and loss. Despite how he got transferred to the Starblazer and despite how useless the crew has been, it has been still his ship. His vessel to command.

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„What's happened here?”, Felrani asks and pulls Slicer out of his stupor. „Isn't this a cruiser of the Starblazer-Class?“

„It was the Starblazer herself”, he tells in a much softer tone than he intended.

„What the… You were the Captain of the old Empress's flagship?”

This time there seems to be genuine respect in her voice.

„I was before it got blown up by a Creature of the Void.”

For a moment Slicer expects her to remark how rare it is to be attack by such a creature, but she keeps silent. Instead, he notices the somewhat triumphant look in her eyes, which she hides immediately by turning away from him. You're keeping secrets…, he thinks and tenses up. This isn't a coincidence that you're with us now, is it? Surely, it isn't. But what could you want? What's out here except the weapon to be of interest to someone like you? And if it's the weapon you're after… How in the Void do you know about it?

„I've the detector ready” says Lappor and holds a small black square in his hands. „I should be able to get a good reading of the sender I implanted into 'er skin once we're about one to two clicks close.”

„You're looking for someone important?”, Felrani asks innocently.

„That's none of your concern”, Slicer replies and slows the Jäger down. „I'm going to fly in a spiral towards the wreckage.”

As he switches the autopilot off he gets the feeling that someone or something is watching him. Curious he looks over to Felrani who has fallen suspiciously silent. Her face seems placid, and her attention seems to be drawn to the wreckage of the Starblazer. Yet Slicer notices that there is more to her than she lets on. The urge to grab her and throw her out becomes almost unbearable. No. If I open the hull I kill myself in the process, he warns himself and tightens his grip around the controller. I'll get rid of her soon enough… I can wait for now.

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