Suddenly, his call screen blared to life, once again displaying Erica’s make-up drenched face.

  “Captain Ashbell, the king requests your presence at his council meeting immediately.” She said in her usual official tone.

  “I’ll leave immediately.” Vahn replied, giving Brooks an apologetic look as he shut off the view screen and walked out of his office. Brooks left the office right behind him and returned to his guard duties while Vahn walked the other way to fulfil his new role as a member of the council.

  ************************

  The generals already seemed accustomed to Vahn’s presence despite this only being the second meeting he had attended.

  “Take a seat Captain Ashbell.” King Ryker said curtly as Vahn looked around the room.

  “Yes sir!” Vahn replied in the most official military voice he could muster as he took his seat. He was planning on being much more proper in this meeting. He’d spoken out of turn before, but he would not let that happen again. King Ryker promoted him up by four ranks in order for him to attend these meetings, so Vahn would act as if he actually deserved the promotion.

  “Let’s begin.” Ryker announced authoritatively. “Given the circumstances, I think we can all agree there’s no need for time wasting, so I’ll get straight to the point.” Nobody else spoke as they all looked at the serious expression on the king’s face. “Euphodine.” the king said. “That’s what I’ve called you here to discuss.”

  Every other man in the room sat stone faced and calm, but Vahn felt as if he had missed a very important detail. Why was the king talking about an illegal drug? Euphodine hadn’t even been on the streets for nearly ten years. Was this really an important topic to be discussing in the wake of the palace bombing and kidnapping?

  “Euphodine is nearly impossible to manufacture.” The king continued. “Almost all that is currently in existence was manufactured by our own government, and until two days ago was being stored in a warehouse on this very planet.”

  The Human Empire manufactured euphodine? That was new information to Vahn, but the generals around the table seemed untroubled by what the king said. Was that because they already knew about it? Or were they all just very talented at hiding their emotions? Maybe it was both. Either way, Vahn decided it would be best if he reacted the same as the rest of them.

  “Nearly all known euphodine is currently on a freighter called the Caetus, bound for the planet Niflheim to be destroyed.” The king paused for a moment and looked around the room before continuing. “They made every Anti-luck with a dependency on Euphodine. Without it they’ll die.”

  So that’s why the government manufactured a drug. Euphodine was almost impossible to make without an extensive knowledge of chemistry and some incredibly expensive lab equipment. That’s why it had died out as a street drug. Not enough of the dealers were able to figure out how to make more of it, and those who had figured it out made a low quality version. If you wanted to control somebody as powerful as an Anti-Luck through chemical dependency, euphodine was a good way to go, since it would be nearly impossible for them to get it from another source.

  “The anti-luck has been getting it from somewhere up until now,” Ryker continued. “Most likely, he has been robbing the warehouse where it was being stored. It’s a safe bet that he’ll be after the Caetus. I want a battle cruiser sent to escort the Caetus back to New Earth immediately. That Euphodine could be the bargaining chip that will ensure the safety of the empire. Gentlemen, I trust you to get this done. You are all dismissed.” The king stood and turned to leave.

  “Captain Ashbell,” He said, stopping in the exit doorway. “Come with me.” Vahn stood up and quickly followed the king out into the hallway.

  “How is your search going? Any results?” Ryker asked as the door shut behind them.

  “None yet sir.” Vahn replied. “I’ve sent out an order to military and police forces to watch for him; but since he’s probably in Mystic Space or even the Neutral Zone at the moment, I don’t know how much good it will do.”

  “At least it’s a start.” The king said, “Now I have one more question, and I demand your absolute honesty in answering it.”

  “Of course sir.” Vahn replied. “Nothing but the truth.”

  “In the first council meeting you attended, you knew what an Anti-luck was before I told you, didn’t you?”

  Vahn wasn’t sure what to say. How had the king known? Vahn heard that Ryker had a talent for reading others but he hadn’t expected for him to do it from across the room while under so much stress.

  “Yes, sir.” Vahn replied. “I was worried my knowledge on the subject would indicate that I was somehow involved. I apologize for being less than honest.”

  “You’re forgiven, Captain.” The king said. “But if you ever presume to hide the truth from me again then I will see to it that you are stripped of your rank and citizenship and left alone at the mercy of the Hostiles. Are we clear?”

  “Yes, sir.” Vahn managed to choke out.

  Suddenly the king’s expression softened. Something about it somehow put Vahn back at ease. “Your records say you were serving under the command of General Murdock before you were transferred here.”

  Vahn served under General Murdock on the front-lines against the Hostiles for a short time before being promoted to the Palace Guard. It was the most terrifying time of his military career.

  “That’s correct sir,” Vahn replied.

  “Did he show any abnormal behavior during your interactions with him?” Ryker asked.

  “He was the single strangest man I have ever met sir.” Vahn replied. “But his methods of repulsing the Hostiles are unparalleled. Why do you ask?”

  “My reasons are my own, Captain.” Ryker replied. “After we’re done with this Anti-luck business I may ask you more. For now, just focus on finding your brother. You are dismissed.”

  Vahn wanted to ask more questions, but the King was right, his priority was to find Drake. Vahn saluted and then turned away, heading back to his office to continue his search.

  Chapter 6: Drake

  “The target is in sight Captain.” The ship’s navigator, whose name Drake had forgotten, reported loudly so all the crew could hear. “We’ll be within boarding range in the next ten minutes.”

  “Good.” Drake responded looking down at the screen to see the ship they were fast approaching. It was advanced, obviously made within the last eight years, which meant it was coming from human space. However by the complete lack of defensive weapons attached to it; it was clearly a civilian ship.

  Thank goodness. Drake thought. We probably won’t have to kill anyone.

  Despite what he let his crew think about him, Drake detested killing, especially those who were just innocently transporting something. But King Dathan wouldn’t hesitate to kill for it, so Drake needed to get it first.

  “So what do you think they’re carrying?” Drake said as he turned to face Al.

  “There’s no way of knowing until we take it.” Al replied flatly.

  “Good point.” Drake said. “But if Dathan wants it, I want him to not have it. So let’s get in and out quick before whoever he sent to steal it gets here too. Do we have a positive ID on the name of the ship?”

  “Yeah we got one.” replied the crewman overseeing the screens, whose name Drake had also forgotten.

  Most of the crew was comprised transient mercenaries. Dathan relentlessly hunted down any who opposed him, so it was tough to find crew members willing to take the job. It was even harder to find anyone willing to do it more than once. Al was the only crewmember who had taken on more than two jobs with Drake, and, coincidentally, the only one whose name he actually remembered.

  Drake looked down once again at the screens. They were now zoomed in to show where its name lay emblazoned on the side.

  “Caetus.” Drake said. “What a weird name. Are we ready to board?”

  “Yeah, should I fire off the boarding harpoons? Or should I send them a message asking for their surrender?” the crewman replied.

  “What do you think?” Drake said sarcastically.

  “Firing the boarding harpoons.” The crewman said with a grin on his face as he started pushing buttons on his control panel. Drake had actually meant they should send a message asking for surrender, but he didn’t correct the man. He was showing initiative, and that was good. If he stayed on with the crew after this job then Drake would learn his name.

  The sound of small explosions rang through the hallways of the ship as the cannons fired their payloads toward the awaiting Caetus. Drake watched on the screen as the giant harpoons flew through the empty space until they pierced the thick hull of the cargo ship. Each harpoon was hollow, with a door in the tip. After penetrating the outside of the Caetus the head of the harpoon would expand to fill the hole it had created and prevent the insides of the ship from being sucked into the vacuum of outer space. Once the harpoon had broken through and sealed the air in, the door in the tip would open, and Drake and his crew could come through the long tube that trailed out of the back. It was a dangerous method for boarding an enemy ship. Any number of things could go wrong, and even the most minor of them resulted in death. Almost nobody used this method because so much of it relied purely on blind luck. But it was also the fastest way of boarding, and luck was something Drake had always had on his side.

  “Looks like they’re stickin’ just fine.” Said the crewman at the screen.

  “Good,” Drake replied. “You ready to head on with the rest of the crew Al?”

  “If that is what you ask of me.” Al said in an uncaring tone.

  “Seriously Al, I know you don’t like stealing things, but you could at least try to have some fun with this since you’re here.”

  “If that is what you ask of me.” Al repeated.

  “Never mind.” Drake said as he rolled his eyes. “Nobody here is better at fighting than you are, so obviously you’re coming, let’s just go.”

  ***********************************

  I hope this ends quickly and peacefully. Al thought as he strolled down the boarding tube toward the newly made doorway into the Caetus.

  He owed Drake his life, and had sworn to serve him for as long as he lived; so he would fight, and steal whatever this ship was carrying; even though a life as a pirate was the last thing he had ever wanted.

  He was a powerful wielder of Vhy’ Rai and had focused all of his studies toward its medical uses. He was meant to be a healer who used his power to save others; now he used it to hurt innocent people and steal what was rightfully theirs.

  What a pity my life has turned out this way. He thought. It’s shameful having to perform such lawless acts just so Drake can continue his vendetta.

  Al took a deep breath and cleared his mind. He would be right here helping Drake whether he owed a life debt or not, and he knew it.

  Perhaps Drake is right. He thought as he neared the doorway. I should try to enjoy this.

  He was refined and proper on most occasions, but there was a part inside of him that was as bestial as his appearance. For fighting jobs like this, perhaps it would be easier to let it take over for a bit.

  *************************

  The security team was already engaged in swordplay against the pirates emerging from the boarding harpoons when Al came barrelling out of the door toward them with a huge steel ax in each of his clawed hands, and his pointed teeth barred together in a snarl.

  Security officers fell to the ground as Al hacked through their ranks. Every group he passed through was left on the ground, moaning in pain; but not a single one of them was dead. Al’s aim could be deadly if he wanted it to be, but these men did not deserve death for doing their jobs. So Al made sure to spare their lives.

  Al glanced over to see Drake engaged in battle with three of the officers of the Caetus’s security force. Although he relied heavily on his supernatural luck in a three on one battle like this one; Drake’s fighting style was actually quite good. Although he showed little discipline in his conversations, Drake kept perfect form while fighting.

  He turned his attention back to the officers attacking him just in time to see one swinging a sword at his neck. Al caught the man's sword arm by the wrist before the swing made contact.

  “You lack resolve in your attacks.” Al said to his terrified opponent. “You can fight me again one day if you prove yourself worthy.” The man let out a bellow as Al’s huge foot impacted against his chest sending him careening back across the floor toward his other frightened comrades.

  This has gone on for long enough. Al thought as he looked out at the faces of their terribly outmatched opponents.

  He took a deep breath and felt the power of Vhy’ Rai surge up inside his chest. He dropped his axes to the floor and stretched his hand out toward the largest group of security officers. He felt the warmth move from his heart, down his arm, and into his hand. Al smiled to himself as the warmth of the Vhy’ Rai power left his outstretched paw and became a great ball of fire rocketing through the air into the group of unfortunate men. They didn’t have the slightest chance of moving away in time. Their bodies flew through the air like leaves in the wind, tossed in all directions by the force of the impact.

  White foam sprayed down from the ceiling, dousing the flames. Ships from the Human Empire had automatic precautions against anything that threatened to remove oxygen. Every ship had fire extinguishers as well as air sealed doors that would shut in case of a hull breach.

  They’ll survive. Al thought as he observed the charred bodies the guards being covered in fire retardant chemicals. Vhy’ Rai can’t kill.

  However he still felt a slight twinge of guilt as he realized that he had put far too much power into his blast. Some of those men would be dealing with the injuries he’d inflicted for the rest of their lives. Some of them may be crippled, others horribly scarred. Either way, their lives would be changed forever. He would have to take the time to use his Vhy’ Rai to heal them once the fighting ended.

  He had done enough. These men needed to fear him, and now they did. It was time to end this.

  “Surrender now or die!” he bellowed out in his most commanding voice. The hallways echoed with the sounds of clanging metal as the remaining security officers dropped their swords and raised their hands toward the ceiling.

  “Tie em’ up!” Al heard Drake yell to the rest of the crew as he strode over to where Al was standing.

  “You almost looked like you enjoyed that.” Drake said with a grin.

  “Hardly,” Al responded, “Where’s the cargo we’re supposed to be taking?”

  “Should be through that door.” Drake answered, gesturing toward a large metallic sliding door. “Don’t worry Al,” He continued, “I won’t let anybody know you enjoy this so much.”

  Al didn’t answer. He just walked over and opened the door to the Caetus’ cargo hold.

  “Drake.” He called back to the captain, who had moved on to sticking his tongue out and mocking the newly captured prisoners.

  “What?” Drake yelled back to him.

  “We’re in a hurry,” he responded. “Get over here and open this.” Al raised his large furry hand pointing one claw straight toward the large safe in the spacious cargo hold. The safe was enormous. Al wondered what they could possibly be carrying in such a large container. Drake walked up to the digital lock on the front and removed a small piece of paper from his pocket.

  “12, 54, 78, 34, 90.” He read out loud as he punched the numbers in on the keypad. “I thought five numbers sounded like too many for the combination to a lock; but now that I see this thing I think a few extra numbers for security makes sense.”

  A loud clicking sound came from the locking mechanism on the inside of the door. The excited look on Drake’s face was replaced by disappointment as he saw the contents of the safe.

  “Al,” Drake said slowly, “Are they hauling blood?”

  “What?” Al said, his wolf ears perking up in surprise at the question.

  “Look in the safe.” Drake said.

  Al walked around the open door that had been obscuring his view and saw the large stack of transparent plastic containers filling the safe. They were big, each one probably held at least ten gallons of blood-red liquid. Since there were over one hundred of the containers, there must have been at least one thousand gallons in this safe.

  The liquid did look very similar to blood; but that made little sense. Why would the Human Empire bother to ship a safe full of blood? And why would Dathan want it? Al glanced over to see how Drake was reacting. He looked distraught and confused.

  “Why in Knune’s name are they shipping blood? And what in Eijhur are we ever going to do with it?” Drake complained to himself.

  “It’s not blood.” Al said as he walked over to the huge jugs of liquid and read the labels attached to them.

  Drake stopped his whining and looked up at Al. The irritation fled from his expression, instead being replaced by a look of intrigue.

  “What is it?”

  “Euphodine.”

  “Euphodine?” Drake exclaimed. “One ounce of that stuff is worth forty golden ghrars on the black market! It’s worth a fortune!”

  “We can’t sell this.” Al responded. “We’re not drug dealers.”

  Al couldn’t blame Drake for thinking about the money. Their ship was in bad condition, and since Drake refused to steal anything that didn’t somehow hurt Dathan, they had to buy their food just like anybody else; and that required money. Fortunately, Drake and Al agreed mostly on their moral standards. Drake’s desire to pedal addictive drugs was as small as Al’s.

  “I know,” Drake answered, “But that’s so much money!”

  “If you make me help you sell this it will mean the end of our friendship.”

  “So you admit we’re friends then, huh?” Drake said with a grin plastered on his face. “Alright, no need to sell the stuff. But if we leave it here for Dathan to get it, He’ll use it as something much worse than a street drug. Let’s get it loaded onto the ship and get out of here.”