Untold Stories of a Galaxy - Kysaek: The Beginning

Rain, rain and more rain. The weather was good and bad for Kysaek, useful and hindering. For almost three hours, the clouds over Auranis had been unloading their water, letting it crash mightily with thunder and lightning during the dawn. A stream of water flowed on the streets, though it was no higher than the sole of a foot, and yet the amount was enough to be turned into fountains by ground vehicles. Hardly a soul was out at the moment and those who were, conditionally protected themselves with umbrellas or sought refuge under house entrances and in open shops. A fact because of which Kysaek did not have to constantly watch out for prying eyes. The rain also formed a small veil around her rather conspicuous PGI equipment. Fortunately, it no longer stank so badly and all the dirt from the sewage system had disappeared, which also applied to Kysaek’s head. She had lost her helmet in the fall into the sewage and had spent some time waiting through the sewers and they were what they were - nasty waters. However, Kysaek’s equipment was slightly damaged in the course of her escape, so the rainwater and the cold that came with it slowly affected her battered body and made her shiver more with each passing minute.

But she was still holding on, and while Kysaek watched the next street from a side alley, she realised anew that she couldn’t just go in anywhere or go home. They had been looking for her for about an hour, and not out of concern for her. The authorities wanted to arrest her, as she had learned from the news. There had been talk of an extremely serious terrorist attack on the PGI premises, with countless dead, and Kysaek had been named by the company as an insider to the attackers. According to PGI, she had manipulated the security systems and given the attackers access. What had she got herself into? That was the most pressing question on Kysaek’s mind, but above all she needed a change of clothes and a warm and safe shelter to rest and think.

What kind of research was this at PGI? How could the company hide it from the galaxy, from the many governments that were all so eager to pursue those who seized the forbidden technology of the First? What was the corporation up to? Was Skarg Peeks about to start the next Solaris-war?

The opportunity was favourable, for not a vehicle or passer-by was in sight. Hastily, Kysaek crossed the road. Her improvised plan had led her here because a good acquaintance of hers, whose name was Daniela Oles, lived in the next tower block. Not that they were the very best of friends or that Kysaek hoped her acquaintance would give her shelter. They knew each other a little through Traffo’s studio and had done things together from time to time. Rather, Kysaek chose this place because Daniela had been on a cross-country trip through the galaxy for a few months and would not be back as soon as. In the meantime, Kysaek was supposed to check on her flat from time to time to see if everything was in order or if the housebots were doing their work. For this reason, she had the security password for Daniela’s house as well as her flat. When Kysaek was sure that no one was following her and there was silence on the other side of the door, she entered.

Inside, Kysaek was overcome with relief as the rain finally stopped falling on her and the air became noticeably warmer, though certainly not heated. She could not let this feeling distract her, however, for even in the lower regions of some residential towers there were a handful of cameras and usually always a house guard. Moreover, Kysaek was aware that some of the residents of the building had already seen her here, and if that occurred to just one person and the thought that she might be seeking shelter here, then her plan would be ruined. Kysaek didn’t believe that any of the residents had really noticed her face or taken an interest in her, but she didn’t want to rely on that. After all, they were everywhere - the constantly peeping, nosy neighbours or those who immediately called the police at every little bit. A hint to the police about Kysaek would be enough for the law enforcers to be on the spot immediately. She had already seen how such things worked in comparable pursuits with the help of the media.

In this tower, however, Kysaek was able to move freely through the corridors without encountering anyone, possibly due to the terrible weather or the dawning hours of the new day. In addition, the cameras were clearly visible; the dimly rotating electronic security eyes mostly hung in front of the lifts and stairs to the next floor. Combined with their inertia, it was easy for even the tired Kysaek to trick the cameras and reach the sixth level.

Daniela’s flat was no longer far away, but Kysaek held back because very loud music was coming from one of the other flats on the way there, and to make matters worse, a Palanese man was sitting on the floor in front of that door. His legs were wide apart and his upper body posture was a kind of half-sleep as he bobbed his head to the beat of the music. The man was probably blotto and muttering unintelligibly to himself.

Kysaek judged the Palanian’s state to be so out of it that he should not be aware of her presence, but she walked cautiously nonetheless.

Nothing changed in the man’s demeanour and the babbling became clearer. “Ceshhhil, oh my Ceshhhil,” he slurred drunkenly, putting his hands over his face. “It´s just a celebration for my friend before he gives his vows. I’m faithful to you after all, shhoooo why are you shhho angry?”

Kysaek loosened up a bit and made an approach to walk past the man normally, but she stopped short of him when he brought his hands down.

The drunk man swung his head back, more out of mirth, and laughed to himself and yet he saw the stranger to him because of it. “Well hey there!” he greeted. “There’s someone, isn’t there?”

Even though Kysaek was standing so close to him, the Palan’s vision was apparently blurred, but she still couldn’t pretend she wasn’t there. “Yes, I’m here.”

“Who are you? I’m Ha..., eh, Ha.... Hassshh... eh,” he kept starting over and could no longer pronounce his own name. “Earlier it was ... Haschor!” he raised his arms. That was a real sense of achievement for him. “I’m Haschor!”

“Hello, Haschor!” nodded Kysaek back cautiously. To her, the Palanese was so intoxicated that he would surely forget her in a moment, but still she used a false name. “My name is Daniela. I live here.”

“Yes? Will you come to the party then? It’s for my best friend. He’s going to bond in two days.”

That expression meant nothing to Kysaek. “Bond? Sounds like marriage,” she guessed. Not that she wanted to pry now, but a drunk like that was a fickle spirit, and if Kysaek just dumped him, he could become aggressive or otherwise attract attention.

“Marriage? Dohn’t knowww. But you? No idea about the bond? You know. Two of my people who want to be together forever and testify to that in front of the spirits.”

“We humans call it marriage, but it’s not quite as spiritual as it is with you. Our spirits, our gods were exposed as lies,” Kysaek said soberly, passing Hashor a little more each time. The longer she stayed with him, the greater the danger that someone else, much more sober, might join her.

On being told, Haschor explained in drunken wisdom. “Ah yes. When you give something to the opinion of others. But if your gods don’t suit you, believe in the spirits. There are spirits for everything.”

“Really for everything?”

“Tzhehe, yeeees. Love, health, happiness, revenge, war, eh ...and a bunch more,” Haschor said, but he was tired of listing them.

“Also for getting drunk?”

Haschor agreed and became more and more silent as he spoke. “Certainly! Definitely even for all kinds of alcohol! Like beer, wine, liquor, shorts, nuraghe...” Finally he nodded away, exhausted, and the opportunity to pass him was given.

Inside Daniela’s flat it was quite a bit warmer, though still dark, which was why Kysaek had to turn on lights. The covered windows prevented the light from leaking out, and behind the closed door she could finally switch off properly.

Security was not the only thing this flat offered, however, as it was more comfortable than Kysaek’s, with separate rooms in a wide area, which was rather unusual for such low-lying conditions and correspondingly expensive. There was a large living room, a kitchen, a bathroom, a narrow balcony and a bedroom. Everything was clean and in the living room the blue potted plants, with the white dust on their leaves, were still in full sap, glowing dully under the overhead light. En’Syl Netha was the name of the plant, and there were other species on the balcony and in the bedroom, because Daniela had a soft spot for exotic plants. It gave the flat more of a feeling of well-being, but Kysaek hastily pushed the thought away.

Now the only thing tormenting her was the choice between falling over tired on the spot or taking a pleasant, hot bath. I can still manage the few metres! I’ve earned it! she decided.

Already walking, Kysaek peeled everything off her body and then didn’t even want to wait until the water had completely run in. She immediately climbed into the tub, which was simple, but just like the flat was not standard. The water was a touch too hot for her hypothermic body, but Kysaek endured it and adapted within a short time. The warmth conquered the cold, and with her head half submerged, Kysaek was finally able to deal with what she had seen.

Had that really been technology of the first? Had she not perhaps been mistaken and it was simply new, secret machinery from PGI? Kysaek wasn’t as sure as she had been in the lab, because after all she only knew all that from stories, films and pictures. Besides, a lot of things looked like abstract and alien technology these days. Maybe she was just the victim of a fucking misunderstanding and could sort it out with PGI! The thought crossed Kysaek’s mind, but the bitter reality shattered it immediately. No, that was wishful thinking. The pigs had deliberately hunted down survivors from the labs and tried to pick them off. And whatever those experiments on the people’s tails were for, they were clearly illegal. Why else was there this super-secret lab underneath the complex? Companies had their secrets and of course you didn’t tell everyone where you were researching your latest prototypes and what made them tick, Kysaek was aware of that. But attacks by terrorists that probably weren’t terrorists at all, and the complete destruction of the complex and the consequent elimination of evidence - that definitely went beyond ordinary secret research.

Kysaek thought about something then. Maybe the terrorists were her salvation! She wasn’t sure if there were any remnants of the attackers and where they were, but if they still existed, the terrorists were certainly more sympathetic to her than PGI, the police or the public. At least the incursion was a start, only now another matter had priority. She desperately needed a break.

Kysaek dried herself and strolled naked into the bedroom, where she fell onto the bed, dead tired, and wrapped herself up like a baby in the comfortingly soft blanket. It was a wonderful feeling where she no longer cared about anything and fell asleep from one second to the next.

Whether it was due to massive exhaustion or that Kysaek was perhaps tougher than she thought, but her sleep was deep and dreamless and lasted for almost a whole day. She was suitably surprised at the sight of the date and time. “Is the alarm clock broken?” she babbled sleepily to herself, and as the tiredness gave way when she got up, she realised it immediately. Kysaek’s body was on fire. Her muscles were sore, the likes of which she had never experienced before, and no part of her was spared. “Ahhh! What the⁈,” came a curse from her lips and she fell back on the bed. This was definitely not something that Estro Light or other ointments could alleviate in a hurry and compared to that, the beating from the night of the party was a joke. Even lying down hurt Kysaek like hell and her unintentional rolling back and forth caused her to slide off the bed. “Nargh!” she gasped, and yet a pleasant thrust went through her body, due to the milder floor temperature. “Ha, nice.”

Kysaek was enjoying this position a lot more, but unlike her body, her brain was functioning properly, and pain or not, it was going to stay for some time, no matter what she did. So she brought herself up, even if even snails were more nimble, and supplied herself first with practical underwear, an odd but inconspicuous coloured shirt and a pair of comfortable blue trousers from Daniela, everything fitting her relatively well.

Diligently, Kysaek scavenged the few long-lasting foods from the kitchen. Dry meat, a tin of vegetables and to her happy surprise, there was a six-pack of eggs from the cryogenic compartment.

With her meal prepared, Kysaek took a seat in the living room and wanted to update herself on her tracking. She did so via Daniela’s holoscreen.

Two technical bars produced an excellent quality digital image between them and brought Lisa Orton into the living room, who was obviously in the middle of a sentence.

" ... No one had, the county administrator affirmed. The investigation into the corruption scandal is still in its early stages, so it’s hard to gauge whether more officials aren’t implicated. The police and Auranis’ security forces have so far not given any other names and declined our request for them. They say they want to avoid media and public pressure on possibly innocent people so that the investigation can proceed as smoothly as possible.”

A skilful pause by Orton occurred and a burning PGI logo shone beside her head.

“The renewed attack on PGI’s headquarters is still keeping the people of Auranis on tenterhooks. The company itself, on the other hand, was very confident in the clean-up and resolution of the incident. Still, board members, and especially company owner Skarg Peeks, were shocked that their new face for security, Elaine Kysaek, has turned out to be a terrorist agitator and leader of the ruthless cell that has now attacked the company twice.”

Kysaek choked and beat her chest repeatedly, coughing. She? Leader of a terrorist cell? In her life, after all, Kysaek had been given many a questionable title, but this was the crowning glory. It fed her suspicions. The bastards from PGI, they wanted to make her a scapegoat and divert attention from themselves!

Lisa Orton further reported.

“In the context of the first attack and analysis of the second, the company’s security experts now suspect that attack number one was intended to deliberately fail. It made Kysaek a hero and gave her increased clearance within the company. She used this to manipulate the systems and enable her cell to carry out this massive attack. PGI can only guess at the purpose so far, as all recording and research material was destroyed by the explosions of the A and B facilities. Only the capture of Elaine Kysaek and the final dismantling of her cell, which has certainly been badly damaged, could bring clarity to the events, which is why the city of Auranis has increased the bounty to 250,000 foreign currency. However, this is only for a live capture. PGI itself has also raised a sum, worth 1,000,000 foreign currency, dead or alive. A spokesperson for the company said that of course they prefer alive, for the sake of the investigation alone. But at the same time, he said, Kysaek posed an enormous threat to public safety, and since she would certainly resist arrest, killing her might be unavoidable. In addition, and at the request of the city’s chief administrator, PGI is deploying its own units to ensure the safety of Auranis, crack down on the terrorist cell and arrest Kysaek. Should our esteemed viewers...”

Angrily, Kysaek switched off the screen and kicked the table. “Can PGI get away with anything? Their own troops? Are we in the maw here or what!” she cursed. “And a million foreign exchange ... everyone is delivering me to the knife for that. That makes it extremely difficult for me to find the cell.” The foreign currency was one thing. Kysaek suspected that more nutters would now contact the police with any curious sightings or theories, which would be a plus for her as the search for her would be further dispersed. On the other hand, she was no longer so sure of her hiding place here and now the police, Auranis security and PGI looking for her - that was quite a lot. Questionable whether she could move around the city. Good, she was basically incapable of it at the moment anyway. She moved her arms a little, which was quite an act. How was she supposed to walk around? Her plan was cracked and she rubbed her forehead thoughtfully. How, indeed, was she going to do it? It might be easier with a source or help, but Kysaek had almost no real acquaintances or friends here whom she trusted completely.

Jim was a good guy, but he wasn’t an option. PGI was probably monitoring him and his knowledge of the underworld was more limited to crime shows. As a small-time crook, Xarus might be more likely to pull it off, except he’d surely rat out Kysaek for 100,000 or even less in foreign currency by now. Ulun was more of an option, because he had enough in his account, except that Kysaek knew him even less than Xarus. Ulun ... now she was making a fool of herself. She probably had no other choice and had to do it herself, even if she had no clue where to start. If only she could call in a favour somewhere ...!

In fact, there was one person from whom she could possibly expect help - Dilén. As absurd as that sounded to Kysaek, it made sense to her. The two of them hardly knew each other, but that was both an advantage and a disadvantage. Dilén was grateful for her rescue and in the conversation she seemed very reasonable, a woman who didn’t prejudge you and made her own decisions. Of course, there was the risk that Dilén saw no reason to help a stranger, rescue or not, and Kysaek may have misjudged her. It was a quandary, but that was true of her whole situation and she remembered Dilén’s words about chains and choice. Kysaek had a choice and she chose to put her trust in Dilén.

Before doing so, however, she started searching Daniela’s flat, whose opinion she did not care about now. Kysaek’s first target was the bedroom, because she hoped that Daniela hid valuable things here, for example foreign currency badges. These were small, silver chip cards on which you could store credit. They were the forerunner of vortex-cuffs, which were used for many things nowadays, including the transfer of wealth. Yet most, and that included Kysaek, still liked the badges. Although the currency was equally digital and stored on the chips, people liked to have solid money in their hands and didn’t want to constantly shuffle invisible currency back and forth between their cuffs. There was also the risk that Kysaek could be traced if she transferred foreign currency via her cuff, even if that didn’t necessarily have to happen.

Unfortunately, however, Kysaek couldn’t find anything in the closet, the visible wall compartments or the two chests of drawers by the bed, and if there were hidden places, it didn’t matter, as Kysaek lacked the skills to track down secret compartments. But there was one more place she could look - under the bed.

The housebots did a great job as Kysaek did not find a single crumb of dust under the bed, but that was equally true for her things she was looking for. For the sake of order, however, she turned onto her back and felt along the bedposts and slatted frame, where she first felt either the soft mattress or solid metal. Suddenly, however, she reached into a hollow space and got hold of something. “What have I got there?” she murmured curiously to herself.

Kysaek came out from under the bed and pulled out a handy safe box. In her own home she owned just case his, a sturdy and password-protected box. With a little noise and force she could crack the thing, but she wanted to avoid that if possible. Was it possible? Kysaek entered the password of Daniela’s flat and, lo and behold, the box was cracked. Unfortunately, she did not find any currency stickers inside. Instead, she was presented with a magnetic pistol. She inspected it carefully, and thanks to her military training, she was relatively well acquainted with this type of weapon and knew how much it was used. It was mainly due to the balance of destructive power, endurance and reliability. Bullets of Eldar-steel, barely larger than a fingertip, were accelerated to an abnormally high speed via an electrified rail in the weapon’s barrel. That was more important than anything else, or as it had been drilled into Kysaek in training, “More speed gives more power, and more power makes more hurt.” Size mattered only secondarily. It was only an amplifier, not a primary attribute. That’s why many magnetic weapons had bulging magazines of tiny bullets, for prolonged firefights, and in Kysaek’s case there were at least two full magazines. The pistol alone was not enough, however, for she needed above all to give her body a bit of a boost.

To this end, Kysaek turned to the bathroom, but she was not concerned with normal products. Since Daniela was a very active and fit woman, Kysaek suspected that she was nurturing or even boosting her body accordingly, and her dedication was rewarded. “This is great!” she marvelled when Kysaek found two ampoules of retroadrenaline in the cupboard above the sink.

Originally, the drug had been developed by Hishek scientists for their soldiers and yet every known species tolerated it, who in turn gave it to their soldiers. However, retroadrenaline had long since found its way into normal hands as well and possessed various properties. Most importantly, it gave the body energy and temporarily healed minor injuries or made pain more bearable. In theory, it could also be used to stay awake at work or to achieve more. A coffee or a tablet, however, was much cheaper, as one ampoule of retroadrenalin could easily cost a thousand foreign currency.

The rest of the search of the flat was unfortunately not so profitable, and after Kysaek had put on new and inconspicuous clothes, in the form of dark trousers and jacket with a high collar, plus a cap, it was time to use Daniela’s kit. Some called such a thing a computer, laptop or terminal, but the regular term was kit: a stationary electronic keypad that, like the holoscreen, produced a digital image over itself.

For a long time, Kysaek saw only a grey background while the kit tried to establish a connection. That Dilén did not answer the call was surely due to the unknown signature of Daniela’s kit or because it was very early morning and she was still asleep. Eventually Kysaek’s request was rejected, but she tried again straight away, only to be stalled again. That’s when she started another attempt, because maybe Dilén would just pick up. Just to see who was bugging her or being so persistent.

When contact was finally made, Dilén looked annoyed. “So whoever is there, you are very ...” More words of displeasure caught in her throat and her face showed surprise.

“I know,” Kysaek greeted uncertainly. “I really have a lot of nerve, don’t I?”

Dilén had to regain her composure and sat down, wrapped in a comfortable house robe. She was obviously alone and in a closed but well-lit room. Considering the early hour, she nevertheless appeared wide awake and wore no headdress. “What have you done?”

“You are still direct,” Kysaek replied. She also took a seat and defended herself calmly. “And I haven’t done anything at all!”

“I find that very hard to believe,” Dilén admitted. If she had already labelled Kysaek a criminal, it didn’t show on her face. “So much death and destruction. You’re in the middle of it, running away. Someone who is innocent doesn’t run.”

“If they wanted to kill you despite your innocence, you would see it differently. ”

Dilén’s attitude was reserved, but not dismissive. “I’m sure you have a long story to tell, but I’m more interested in one thing - why are you contacting me?”

Kysaek played her cards close to her chest and followed the direct approach. “The number of people I know on this planet is limited and you are a face no one knows I know. I need your help, please.”

“Are you counting on the fact that you´ve helped me and expecting me to do the same in return?”

“I put enormous faith in you above all, Dilén,” Kysaek opined. She wanted to show Talin what a risk she was taking with this call. “You could betray me at any time and collect an enormous sum. No matter who came to see me then, I would surely die.”

This did not quite convince Dilén, but she accommodated Kysaek. “If you are indeed innocent, why are so many after you?”

“I can only guess right now why they want to kill me, but I have seen shady things in the secret PGI labs: hideous creatures, disgusting experiments on people, and ... forbidden technology.”

The mention of creatures and test subjects elicited only a stroking of Dilén’s chin. However, when the words forbidden technology came up, she hesitantly checked. “What technology?”

“The First’s.”

“Is that true?”

Kysaek was offended by the demand. “Why else would I say that?”

“To shock me, and you succeeded easily,” Dilén said. Her doubts still hadn’t disappeared. “This could be a ruse, Kysaek. If you really are the mastermind behind this masterful plan of attack, you are certainly a brilliant manipulator.”

“Are you kidding me!“, Kysaek snapped. It was certainly far from wise to lose her temper, but the whole situation was tugging at her nerves tremendously and at the same time it did her good to blow off steam. “If I am the great terror leader, where are my people? Where are my resources? Would I really blow it all on an attack? No! I’m way too smart for that after all!”

“You really need to ...”

“Really what?” raged Kysaek further. “Be calm? Not be rude? In this town right now I have the most right to be pissed off!” She slapped the table and acted all too human. “I’ve slept a whole day and I’m still devastated. I ran away from a huge, bloodthirsty monster and the PGIE tried to kill me! I waded through the waste of the city waters and nearly froze to death in the rain while they chased me on! And you want to tell me now what I must? “Kysaek sank down in front of the kit and breathed quickly. Her pure desperation could not have been clearer.

Dilén kept silent and her expression was iron. Talin’s eyes showed discipline, whereas her expression was encouraging and belittling. “You are a poor fighter.”

Kysaek had not expected that. “What?”

“The night we met,” Dilén recalled, her hesitation disappearing. “You could barely handle those two drunks, which I’m sure was due in part to your carelessness, and that absolutely does not befit a brilliant and calculating terrorist leader.”

“Would be nice if it did. Then I wouldn’t be in so deep a mess right now and I’m sure I’d be richer. But that’s not the case and right now I’m sitting in a borrowed flat where I borrowed some more.”

“Your situation is really not the best,” Dilén nodded. It seemed she now believed Kysaek. “My sister has always told me that PGI does crooked business, and I know the rumours and stories regarding the First’s technology. There have been accusations often enough.”

“Your sister said PGI was criminal?” asked Kysaek. She ignored the rest, since it wasn’t much of a secret.

“Yes ... she knows better in these milieus where you have to be careful, things can be tougher and not everything is completely legal.”

“And how does your sister know these things?”

“I guess you would call her a mercenary,” Dilén opined, discussing one more fact. “And I work for her, but not in the way you must be thinking now, Kysaek.”

“I can’t think of anything about mercenaries that doesn’t involve violence or crime. So where does that leave you?”

“I’m a secretary.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes,” Dilén replied with the utmost matter-of-factness. “Someone has to take the orders, negotiate them, act as a mouthpiece, handle the payments properly ...”

“I believe it,” Kysaek interrupted. Still, she pictured mercenaries as more of a dirty, disorganised and leg-humping bunch, but for the moment she didn’t care what the details were. She wanted to know what was going on. “So ... do you finally believe me now? Will you help me?”

At her answer, Dilén rose. “I am still not completely convinced, but I am clearly leaning towards helping you. Not only because I believe you more than PGI, but because I owe you something, because who knows what could have happened to me that night?”

“Dilén,” Kysaek breathed out in relief, “if you knew what your words meant to me right now! Just thank you!”

“We shall see. I hope you understand, of course, that I make the rules for a meeting?”

“Sure.”

“Then we will come to you, Kysaek,” Dilén said. She was clearly friendly, but not naïve enough to come alone. “I’ll consult my sister and explain the situation to her. If she gives me her consent, I’ll send a message to this kit and we’ll come to your whereabouts to pick you up.”

“That’s how we’ll do it, but I hope it’s quick. Who knows how long my hideout will be safe?”

“I’ll try to make it quick. So long!”

“Goodbye!“, Kysaek said goodbye. The kit’s connection was cut off, and although she had finally received some good news, one fact pained her. Mercenary ... I hope Dilén keeps her word. I’m totally stupid to get involved with mercenaries. People who will do almost anything for foreign currency, and I’m worth quite a lot right now. But if they help me, at least I won’t stand alone against PGI anymore ...