Untold Stories of a Galaxy - Kysaek: The Beginning

Act 2 - Kysaek: The Disciples of Dealith

Now it was just a matter of waiting for Kysaek. Half an hour ago, Dilén had given her feedback and Talin, her sister and some mercenaries were on their way to Daniela’s flat. It would take about an hour, Dilén had estimated. While waiting, Kysaek noticed what she had repressed while running through the sewers and city and recovering in Daniela’s flat - smoking. Oh how sweet a cigarette would be now, if only to calm her nerves! Unfortunately, however, Daniela was truly a healthy woman and Kysaek had not found one glow stick in her search. Although there were still sedative tablets in the bathroom, she didn’t want to fill herself up with drugs. After all, she hadn’t even used the retroadrenaline yet and that could be needed at any time. Fifteen minutes before the scheduled arrival, Kysaek was supposed to leave the flat anyway, and since it was almost time, she put the ampoule of retroadrenaline on the artery of her wrist. Basically, the drug could be injected anywhere, as it took effect after five minutes on average. However, it went through Kysaek’s wrist in one breath, as the arteries distributed the oxygen-rich blood all over her body, delivering the drug right along with it. A lesson she had retained from the military, just like picking up the empty vial.

Kysaek felt her overheated muscles relax and a freshness, a surge of energy flowed through her. Her mobility returned completely and she disappeared from her hiding place.

As with her arrival in this residential tower, the early morning made everything easier and on Kysaek’s way up through the building to an intermediate bridge, she walked normally. She relied on her discreet camouflage, the high collar and the cap, and didn’t even avoid the cameras because she thought it was less conspicuous that way. Even when someone came towards her from time to time, they did not make an effort to look at Kysaek, nor did they appear to recognise the woman.

It was only just before the exit that a Calanian approached her, an octopus on two legs, two mechanical legs, with six thick, floppy tentacles dangling down beside them, not touching the ground. “Excuse me,” he addressed Kysaek.

Kysaek almost forgot that these creatures could not walk themselves, since she had otherwise only seen the torso of Skarg Peeksin the advertisements and there were not that many Calanians in Auranis. “What is it?” she replied, unconcerned.

On top, the Calanian wore a light brown delivery uniform, which flattered his blue complexion. “Can you tell me which ...” he interrupted himself and pulled a data log from his shirt pocket, “which Mr Enosto here in the house ordered this package?” He showed his back where he was carrying a small box. “You see, I have the name twice in this tower, with no exact floor or flat ID. One lives lower and one lives higher.”

Kysaek played the role of the visitor. “I’d love to help you out, but I was just staying with a friend here and I don’t know anyone else in this building.”

“But today I have no luck at all.”

“You’re not alone there,” Kysaek said encouragingly as she passed the messenger. “But why don’t you look in the directory and just select the kit of both names. That way you’ll save yourself unnecessary walking.”

“I hadn’t even thought of that! Thank you!” the Calanian man rejoiced.

Even outside, on the outer platform in front of the intermediate bridge, Kysaek had no problems with the people she encountered or stood around. Nevertheless, away from the hustle and bustle, between two parked hoverwheels, she sought out a spot at the edge of the area.

The platform was one of many places in the higher reaches of this tower building or the others. At the building itself, the area was a little more spacious, which was also true of the opposite building, and there was a narrower connection between the two areas, a good twenty metres long. Hoverwheels flew over it and under it, but they were considerably fewer than on the route, which was some distance away.

Kysaek was surprised that it was going so smoothly, camouflage or not. Perhaps she had merely let herself be overtaken by the initial panic and this proclaimed hunt did not affect the majority of the population at all. People were busy with themselves and went about their business - that’s how it had to be. After all, there was a lot of riffraff in the galaxy and one constantly heard of names of people here and there who were desperately wanted to be caught, and yet they were still on the loose. At least Kysaek didn’t know if some of them were dead or in custody, and all the criminals from the Maw were still there too, an army of crooks. The galaxy was simply huge and home to such an unimaginable number of faces that it was no wonder if you weren’t recognised there, unless you were someone really well known. And despite the propaganda, Kysaek was perhaps still far from that - lucky her! The thought relieved her, but she said to herself: I haven’t made it yet. Don’t get cocky! Hopefully, when Dilén and her sister are here, I can breathe a sigh of relief.

Time, however, was Kysaek’s opponent in more ways than one. The longer she waited, the greater the danger of attracting attention. Besides, the aforementioned hour, estimation or not, had been reached and every minute over it drove the worry in Kysaek. Where are they? Are they stuck in traffic? Have they changed their minds? Those questions were soon joined by suspicion. Or are they preparing a trap here? Her apprehension grew stronger as her trust in Dilén shrank, and Kysaek remembered once more why she had left the military. She had never been able to cope with such pressure and delicate situations in the end, no matter how hard she tried.

To make matters worse, a policewoman, a Galig, came out of the tower on the other side of the bridge. “This is not good!” groaned Kysaek quietly. She leaned against one of the hoverwheels with her back to the bridge and pretended to be busy with her vortex cuff, but she still saw what was happening.

The policewoman stayed on the other side for the time being and searched the sky, where the object of interest was quickly found. A police hoverwheel came towards her and landed at her feet before a tall, human policeman got out. He crossed the bridge with the Galig and stopped in front of the entrance to Kysaek’s tower. “Where did the tip come from?” the man asked.

It sounded like the galig was talking about Dilén and Daniela’s flat. “I think from a woman, but who cares? Anyway, they want us to check out the flat. Two other units are coming too - one from the bottom and one from the top of the tower so there’s no way out.”

Flat and woman, that stuck in Kysaek’s mind. She didn’t like it, but the combination unfortunately suited her hideout and Dilén too well - her trust had been betrayed.

Strangely, however, the policemen did not fixate on the platform but entered the building, and this despite the fact that Dilén explicitly wanted Kysaek on the platform.

Did Kysaek have to row back? Was she wrong? She herself did not like how violently and rapidly her emotional world and opinion constantly fluctuated. It was wearing her down. I’m afraid I don’t have time for long contemplations. So she told herself, and from now on she assumed that Dilén had ratted her out. That meant she had to leave, and she literally saw her chance coming.

A jaunty hoverwheel headed for an empty space next to Kysaek and landed there. Out of the vehicle stepped a Davoc with greying fur, smaller than the average of his kind and slow in his gait. He was an elderly man.

Kysaek approached the vehicle. “That’s a fancy model,” she said appreciatively.

The Davoc wondered. “Yes, it is. Can I help you?”

“You can!” nodded Kysaek, wanting to keep it short. She reluctantly took the attachment of her pistol from her jacket. “The ignition key, please.”

Quietly, but no less angrily, the Davoc’s nostrils flared. “How dare you!” he asked, showing his incomplete set of teeth.

Kysaek had not the slightest intention of harming him, and was even surprised that the Davoc did not immediately give in. Nevertheless, she threatened him softly. “One last time I say it, give me the ignition key or there will be trouble!”

The Davoc took out the requested object, a flat, long stick that fit in his large palm. However, he did not hand it over. “No!” he refused aloud.

The sounds inevitably drew glances at Kysaek and she could already hear the whispering of observers. “Then I am truly sorry,” she said, pointing the pistol at the old man. She saw his buckling defensive posture, exactly what Kysaek wanted. She would never have shot, but she had another, painless method of getting her way, and since the Davoc was on the defensive, that gave her enough time. She gathered her strength and with the help of her prismatics she froze the old man’s body in an energy field.

The Davoc stood there with his mouth wide open, still able to breathe, and was robbed of the stick without a chance to fight back. He couldn’t even make a peep at that, but he was undoubtedly pissed.

Kysaek took his leave, as a couple of passers-by hastily approached. “I’m really sorry!” she repeated her apology and got into the hoverwheel.

“Hey you there!” shouted a Talin among the passers-by. “What are you doing there⁈”

At the question, Kysaek remained silent and hammered the door shut from above. In addition, she immediately locked the vehicle while starting it and immediately after, several passers-by knocked indignantly on the bonnet and window. “You’re breaking the car!” said Kysaek exasperatedly and took off, which put an end to the people’s attacks, but not to their shouts.

“What a rude thing to say!”

“Thief!”

“I’m calling the police!”

“She attacked the poor man!”

For safety’s sake and her guilty conscience, Kysaek looked out the window again. He´s doing splendidly. She quickly realised that and the crippling energy field disappeared as Kysaek’s control was absent and the prismatic energy dissipated on its own because of it. She swung the hoverwheel into the so-called aero zone, the skyway for flying vehicles and smaller planes, and zoomed off.

Kysaeks wanted to get into the busier city traffic, where she could blend in thanks to the abundance of hoverwheels, and even if her stolen vehicle had a tracking function, it would take time to spot her in the heavy traffic. She didn’t think for a second about slowing down, as it might be necessary to react quickly for once, rather than slowly, according to events. Does this amount to a lone-wolf act? Me against everyone? Well, if it is, I need to get out of the trap. I need to get out of Auranis, or at least into the denser housing areas. Or straight off to the unsafe corners, to the outer space ports. Not exactly safe with all the scum around there, but there are certainly more ways....

Suddenly, the PGI logo emblazoned on the bonnet of an approaching transport hoverwheel caught Kysaek’s eye in the rearview mirror. “Crap!”

The doors of the transport opened at full speed and out of each side came the head of a soldier, complete with a barrel of weapons. The pursuers had quickly tracked down their target and attacked.

Apparently Kysaek’s hoverwheel actually had a tracking function, but even for that her captors had found her suspiciously quickly, and without police. “As if you would catch up with me!”

Kysaek’s vehicle was truly a rocket compared to the pursuers’ machines. However, the traffic made it very difficult for her to use her full speed, and PGI’s plasma shots, which constantly missed her, sometimes hit other road users.

It became clear that the soldiers had no regard for bystanders, and it was not long before the first accident happened when a vehicle swerved because of the gunfire and flew into an oncoming one.

The explosion flung Kysaek’s hoverwheel to the side and she had every effort not to crash herself. “You bastards!” she growled, bringing the car back under control. The manoeuvre had slowed her down considerably, however, and one of the vans was catching up menacingly alongside.

The pursuer was almost on the same line, with three driving gaps between them, and had an ideal shooting position. This allowed the soldiers to hit the side rear of Kysaek’s vehicle and the hot plasma melted the bodywork in pieces.

“Come on!” shouted Kysaek, jerking the steering wheel around. Her hoverwheel spun around several times and flew close to the nose of the pursuer, causing it to brake hard. “That was number one! Where’s the other one?” asked Kysaek excitedly, seeing no sign of the second van in the rear-view mirror. There was only the one she had slowed down.

To the left and right, Kysaek found no trace either. “Where did they go?” she grumbled, just then her car was hit from above. Luckily for her, however, there was no serious damage apart from holes and Kysaek zigzagged out of the way. The missing transporter was an aero-zone above her and had a slight, shrinking lead. “Eyes closed and through!” said Kysaek, steering her vehicle into oncoming traffic, which she avoided as best she could.

The new location of its target meant that the transporter’s attacks were no longer possible before it made the same trajectory change. However, it was less manoeuvrable and hard pressed not to crash into any hoverwheel. The manoeuvres gave the soldiers in the van a good shake and for them, aiming became a real art, as was pulling the trigger, and their few shots missed completely.

On a sharper turn, however, Kysaek steered herself into a plasma charge and it ate into the engine. Instantly, the on-board systems of her hoverwheel sounded the alarm and a pitch-black cloud poured out of the right front of the car before the vehicle began to drift to the left and Kysaek could barely hold the flight line.

It was a chance for the pursuers and they sank lower, right next to their target. They braced themselves for the killing blow, but what followed now was unexpected for them.

Kysaek kept one hand on the steering wheel and used the second for her pistol. Her shots were poor and inaccurate, but the shooting alone was enough.

The van flew away spooked, right into the side of a long truck, sending it into a spin until the van dragged the nearest hoverwheel and crashed.

Kysaek didn’t have time to cheer, however, because her van wouldn’t take it anymore and began an unstoppable nosedive. She saw only one salvation and that was to jump as her hoverwheel flew a hair’s breadth over the outside platform of a building.

Desperate, Kysaek scrambled out of the car and landed very close to the precipice of the platform, where she rolled off more badly than good. Her body slammed into a glass parapet and a sickening crack spread, but the thick glass withstood the force.

What was not spared was the driverless hoverwheel, which went up in a fireball at the nearest tower and became a shower of debris.

Kysaek’s landing was hard, but she was able to get up without any problems and from cover she saw the second, intact transporter rush to the accident site and remain there in limbo. Maybe they think I’ve been hit, she thought. But it won’t stay that way for long. I keep running.