Untold Stories of a Galaxy - Kysaek: The Beginning

Now the tide had turned, to a hitherto unfamiliar situation. There would be no more false lies about terrorism, no nasty monsters and no PGI Elite Command to intervene in the interrogation. The criminals had become the good guys and the former good guys were sitting where the criminals were before. At least here in the Consulate.

‘Your name is Brandon Lone,’ Ulth read from a data log in the interrogation room. He also showed himself in full size to the human prisoner of PGI. ’You are under contract to Peeks Galactic Industries as a Lieutenant Commander. Is this information correct so far?’

‘Yes, and that’s all I’m going to tell you,’ Brandon replied petulantly, but it wasn’t so much because of Overeye One. ‘And what’s the little bitch doing here?’

‘I’m the moral support of the Overeye,’ Kysaek replied calmly. ’That’s not a problem for you, is it? Or is it?’

’You’re not part of the Consulate. So what are you doing here?’

‘Actually, it’s a trade secret, but heroism has its advantages.’

‘That’s true,’ Ulth said, although he remained professional and monotone. ’Elaine Kysaek has earned a respectful status. In addition, your arrest indirectly affects her, and both she and we hope to gain more insight into certain PGI machinations so that this situation can be resolved.’

’Machinations, tz. You talk too much, tree stump,’ Brandon insulted. A co-operative prisoner looked different. ’What’s all this about anyway! We were boarded and detained without justification!’

’You have violated the sovereign right of the Consulate, which we let you get away with. But now you’ve also used highly illegal technology and seriously interfered with public safety. All extreme capital offences for which you would have had far less chance of survival elsewhere.’

Brandon was very sure of himself. ‘Apart from taking part in the interrogation of that terrorist, we’ve been hanging out on our ship the whole time,’ he murmured, bored. ’What do you want from me? Arent you better of talking to Commander Phonor or do you not know the hierarchy? He’s responsible for all relevant actions and I’m just an ignorant employee.’

‘And yet you earn almost four times his salary,’ Kysaek interjected. She had been shown the rest of the information. ’Even though you’re only a lieutenant commander. A good rank, but not at that salary. Not even in the private sector.’

’If you’re wondering about PGI’s pay system, call headquarters or talk to Mr Peeks directly. After all, it’s his foreign currency. You don’t need to ask me.’

‘We don’t see it that way,’ Ulth countered and didn’t hold back for long. He showed the prisoner the decrypted recording without ever deviating from his analytical manner. ‘The quicker and smoother your cooperation, the more will speak in your favour in a court case.’

Brandon’s yapping mouth was suddenly less caustic, but the lieutenant commander persisted. ’So I’ve spoken to the owner of PGI. What next?’

‘An abnormality, described to us previously by several sources, attacked our planet, and that was after you received an order for an assassination.’

’No, an order for neutralisation. Elaine Kysaek is cleared for killing in multiple galactic spaces. Quite legally.’

‘Not with us.’

Brandon’s excuse couldn’t be any cheaper. ’I do what I’m told. I fulfil my duties, even if I might piss someone off.’

‘Duty,’ Kysaek chortled questioningly. ’Duty to what and to whom? To the foreign currency you’re paid? To law and order? Skarg? He’s free and you’re in prison now, and probably for a long, long time if you don’t talk.’

’Talk? About what?’ Brandon rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. ’So far, all I’ve seen here is a video and I’ve heard some conjecture. I haven’t seen any specific questions or evidence.’

‘Because we were hoping that you would be smarter and not let us drill you,’ Kysaek said frankly and lit a cigarette, as this would probably take longer. ’If it were up to me, you’d be finished now, no matter what else you say. However, the Consulate is more accommodating and gives you a fair chance. So let me ask you some clearer questions - what was your function on Phonor’s ship? Were you Skarg’s confidant? What’s with the separate missions?! And what illegal dealings are you aware of?’

‘That’s all right,’ Brandon replied with a mischievous grin. ‘Here’s my clear answer, which solves all the questions at once - I’m not crazy and stupid enough to betray one of the most powerful men in the galaxy.’

‘That was an apt answer,’ Ulth said, retreating into his echoes. He deduced a simple fact from the sentence. ‘So Skarg Peeks is involved in everything and that’s why he’s paying you handsomely.’

‘I didn’t say anything about invol-’

’All the questions were about Skarg and you said that your answer counted for all the questions. Besides, your choice of words was telling: arrogance, emotionality or denial can lead to the revelation of information without anyone wanting it. Betrayal is different from ignorance or duty. Those who can reveal things know things.’

‘Are you trying to twist my arm out of this?’

’No. I’m just investigating and asking you: what information do you have for me? What construct does your answer provide?’

‘I have a no for you,’ Brandon defied. As he had said himself, it was probably not profound loyalty or the payoff that made him so taciturn. Rather, he feared Skarg’s revenge. ’And I can keep doing this for quite a while. It’s your time you’re wasting.’

‘But our advantage is that we can leave at the end of the conversation,’ Kysaek interjected. She could enjoy all the amenities outside the prison. ’Free exercise, fresh air, a good meal and no one around to shoot us or keep us in a cramped cell and I know what I’m talking about. I was recently behind bars and who knows how many, many years you’ll be in for.’

’Ha! Are you bitch telling me now that I could leave if I told you anything?’

’If it sounds good, who knows. Deals are usually made before the negotiation and as Ulth said - the faster and smoother the co-operation...’

‘Are we talking about freedom?’

Kysaek didn’t want to venture that far, so she looked at the Overeye. He couldn’t nod, in the classic sense, but the scarf lifted a little. For Kysaek, that was a yes. ‘Sounds like we have a price you’d talk for.’

‘Hardly,’ the lieutenant commander replied dismissively. ’I just wanted to make sure what you were talking about, and it’s laughable, Freedom. If I blow the whistle on PGI, what would I have left of my freedom if I lose my life?’

‘You chose your path, not us,’ Kysaek stated plainly. She finally wanted to know more, but from her own experience, she had no illusions for the prisoner. ‘You have to come to terms with this problem and it won’t be easy, but it can be done.’

‘And you know that how?’

’Who have you, PGI and others been chasing for months without success? My people and I are still alive and we have no intention of changing that.’

‘Pure luck,’ Brandon puffed. However, he could tell that the prospect of freedom and the argument he had just made were slowly drawing him out of his shell. ’I’m not a gambler who wants to bet on a life like that. Hiding somewhere in the dirt of the streets with one eye constantly over my shoulder.’

’You know, you don’t really have many better alternatives. We’re your best chance of surviving and living.’

This was getting too colourful for Brandon. ’Oh yeah?! Where does this excessive wisdom come from?’

‘From the same source as from you,’ Kysaek replied more pessimistically. Her first-hand experiences flowed from her mouth and, especially for Brandon, they shouldn’t be secrets. ’We both know what PGI is capable of. I’ve seen how the company covers its tracks. My colleague Jim Baker and his entire family were murdered after the incident at Facility B. PGI rampaged through Auranis looking for me, and I bet you’ve also contributed to many a cover-up in recent months by going unscrupulous, or Skarg himself by letting Project SZ run rampant just for testing, against the competition or loose ends - so what do you think your life is worth to him? Do you think you’re the exception just because you’re silent now?’ That was Kysaek’s crucial question, and she didn’t believe for a second that the prisoner wasn’t doomed. ’Like me and others who have worked for PGI, you are now one of many, expendable and fit for the firing line. A new hit squad will arrive or your food will be poisoned before Skarg will let you live. With your capture, you’ve become a security risk.’

Every single word had hit Brandon hard, because he knew only too well how PGI dealt with enemies and potential dangers. After all, he had been hunting a potential threat for months. ‘Shit,’ he cursed, wiping a drop of sweat from his forehead. ’I’m just a small wheel! I know next to nothing! Why should Skarg bother?’

‘Yes, I’ve been asking myself that for a long time.’

‘You had to bring it now, didn’t you?’ Brandon asked, more annoyed than scared.

‘True, that was a little too easy, but that’s the way things are,’ said Kysaek. She saw the moment had come to break the prisoner. She took the chair opposite him and sat down on the piece of furniture. ’But if you help us, we might be able to turn the tables. When Skarg is gone, and with him all the evils of PGI, your life, mine and many others will be much more pleasant.’

‘You really want to go through with this, don’t you?’ marvelled Brandon, driven by disbelief. ‘What makes you think you can do what no one has ever done before?’

‘It’s the only real option and we’ve been looking for alternatives since the beginning, but the truth is - only one can win,’ Kysaek said firmly. ‘It’s either PGI or us, and I’m certainly not going to let my people and I accept a grim fate without a fight.’

‘Then you’re either pretty stupid or brave, and I don’t care which, because I don’t want to be there, but I want to increase my chances of getting there.’

‘And how do you envisage that?’

’By telling you where it might hurt Skarg. Just like Trayden. That hit him really hard. Before I do that, though, I want certain assurances.’

For the last few minutes, Kysaek had held the power of speech, but now she came to her senses and looked at Ulth.

The Overeye made no promises. ’If your information proves helpful, we’ll see what we can do. I give you my word on that,’ he said. ’But those who make wishes must earn wishes. Do that, now.’

‘Shit, okay,’ Brandon grated. He would have preferred it the other way round, but he gave in to the demands. ‘Up front - I don’t know much,’ he asserted after a slow inhale. ’Skarg paid me handsomely to keep an eye on Phonor. He was unsure about the old man, for his record and past life spoke in favour of someone who followed justice. Strictly and without exception. Skarg used this to his advantage, but at the same time he was protecting himself.’

‘A decent start,’ Ulth said, rising from his echo once more. Did he want to show the prisoner some respect? ’You have confirmed our suspicions. But that’s not enough. What’s with these separate missions?’

’They’re no longer of any use to you. They often involved the liquidation of targets or collection of goods whose contents we didn’t know and which were then taken over by other ships. On two occasions, however, I got my hands on small data carriers and had to deliver them to Skarg in person. I don’t know what the contents were, though.’

‘I agree with you about the one thing,’ Ulth replied. ’It was impossible to trace the goods. They could be anywhere now and the data carriers were in Skarg’s hands. ’The liquidations could give us some information, though. Perhaps a pattern that will give us an idea of Skarg’s next move.’

‘A pattern?’ Brandon laughed politely. ‘I think half the galaxy is the enemy for this Calanian, and we didn’t even know the names of our targets for half of our missions.’

‘That doesn’t add up,’ Kysaek said doubtfully, conceding one thing. ’If Phonor is such a good bloke, why would he kill people he knows nothing about? Surely there were enough innocents in there.’

Brandon lifted his shoulders. ‘They were often well-protected and well-defended targets,’ he said. ‘It wasn’t like we were murdering mothers with babies.’

‘Mr Lone is telling the truth,’ Ulth asserted, handing over the data log. ’Douglas Phonor has never committed a crime in civilian life, but he fought in the Solaris War and his record speaks volumes. At one point he was considered a soldier for whom the mission took priority. He often had to make tough and sometimes reckless decisions. So it’s not so unlikely that he eliminated even nameless victims as long as he believed that everything served the actual mission or a greater goal.’

‘And I just had a spark of sympathy for SC1,’ Kysaek sighed and read through the file in the data log. She widened her eyes at all the deeds and honours of her former superior. ’Holy shit, a real war hero. I didn’t know that.’

Ulth didn’t dwell on it. ‘Your answers go in the right direction,’ the Fugian said, but he wanted more. ’I’m just asking you - can you reveal anything of real value? We need to work with relevant clues that will give us, the Kysaeks’ people and the galaxy a chance of success.’

‘I can,’ Brandon said seriously, leaning forward. He crossed his arms on the table and set his pledge. ’As soon as we were done here on Anuket, our ship should be heading to the Krenn system. Skarg is expecting a very important delivery there soon from a business partner on Arche and we should join the transporter picking up the shipment.’

‘An escort mission?’

‘Exactly, and Skarg had emphasised several times how important the task was and that I should make sure the old soldier didn’t cause any problems.’

Kysaek rolled her eyes. ‘What’s not important to that slippery Calanian?’ she murmured rhetorically, but still gave the momentous information the relevance it deserved. ’But that does sound like a hot lead. I just don’t know what Arche is.’

‘A mercenary stronghold on the planet Zorak,’ Ulth explained. He really knew his stuff and was the head of the intel for a reason. ’A very well-known and sought-after meeting point in the underworld. If you want particularly tricky jobs done, you can sometimes find the best of the best there. Of course, you can find even more there or do dodgy business.’

‘Underworld?’ Kysaek listened and combined. ‘Maybe it has something to do with Roskor Reed.’

‘Yes, exactly!’ Brandon mentioned freely. ’He mentioned the name Reed! He told me to watch out for signs of an ambush because his business partner Reed has been unreliable lately!’

‘There must be trouble in paradise.’

‘Skarg Peeks’ paranoia must be immense,’ Ulth surmised. ’Or it’s simply the result of enormous pressure. Whatever the reason, it’s irrelevant right now.’

‘How much time do we have left?’ Kysaek asked purposefully, coming quite close to the prisoner. ‘When exactly does the transporter arrive?’

‘It’s waiting for our ship!’ Brandon affirmed. ’PGI has a small but sizeable private fleet. But Skarg said that most of it is currently unavailable and the loss of his ships over Trayden has also caused him enormous damage, as has the loss of the facility on the planet.’

‘So your ship is the only protection for the transport?’

’No. There should be another cruiser. That’s all he can provide at the moment, but he wants to be as sure as possible about the integrity of the transport.’

‘Mhh, but why an extra transport ship,’ Kysaek puzzled to himself. ‘A cruiser could also serve as a freighter.’

‘It depends on the volume,’ Ulth interjected. ‘Warships rarely have large cargo holds and a hangar, if there is one, is usually meticulously designed for attack and fighter squadrons.’

‘So you suspect something big that requires a transporter?’

‘Yes.’

‘That could cause a stir,’ Kysaek said. The Group Leader´s drawl sounded a little desperate. ’Skarg’s taking some risks. The question remains how he’ll react when he hears that Phonor’s ship has been confiscated and the crew captured.’

Ulth already had something in mind. ‘This interrogation is secret,’ he said. ’So he doesn’t know that Brandon tipped us off. But I predict that Skarg will soon report back in anger. Then we will explain the situation to him without details and he will first demand a release through official channels. This will give the Consulate the opportunity to distract him and gain time for your group. Would that be in your interest?’

‘You would do that for us?’ asked Kysaek out of habit. ‘That would be really great.’

’Arche is in foreign territory, lawless at that, and as an independent government we unfortunately can’t just march off as we please. That’s why it’s the least we can do for you.’

‘Thank you very much.’

‘I’m glad you’ve sorted that out,’ Brandon said. He stood up and pressed his hands to his chest. ‘Now how about we talk about what can be done for me?’

Kysaek had absolutely nothing to do with that. She had what she needed and Ulth dismissed her. ‘I’ll take it from here,’ the Fugian said, a noose growing from his body. ‘You’ve been a great help again, and I hope you find what you desire.’

‘And I hope the Consulate really is at peace for now,’ Kysaek replied honestly. She wasn’t sure what Ulth was planning to do with the tentacle.

But the Fugian made it clear to her. ‘Please hold out your palm and don’t grab it,’ Ulth asked. As he instructed, the woman opened her palm and he placed the snare tip on top of it. ’My people are in the habit of joining together when we say goodbye. But since you or other species can’t do that, we have this alternative method, similar to your handshake.’

Once again, Kysaek had learnt something about another species and although it felt strange at first because the Fugian’s hand felt extremely warm, almost too hot, she appreciated the gesture. ‘It was an honour, Ulth,’ she said goodbye. ’I may have PGI on my back, but if I see Neo Solari’s scum anywhere and I can, I’ll kick their arse hard. With best regards from the Consulate.’

‘It’ll only do the galaxy good,’ Ulth replied, slowly disappearing into his echoes. ‘And if we hear more from PGI, we’ll let you know.’