“I have every trust in Helshred. With Sersi that will still make three of us to go to Outpost 3. Helshred, their safety is with you.”
Helshred clacked his blades together as he nodded sharply. “Those who come will go to Helshred,” he muttered.
“I've rewired the communicators I found,” Reigndale said. “If you need us, you have only to call. They're on a sub frequency that is rarely used or monitored.” He looked to Helshred, “I have faith in you too.”
“Just you see to it you come back for us in one piece,” Lya said.
“Agreed,” Falconer responded, “We leave in the morning. Do your best to rest well. You'll need your strength.”
They ate in silence again. No one needed to state how they felt any further. It was all mutually understood. Each day, resentment of the Chancellor grew as they had worked on their place of safety. Each day gave cause to want justice that much stronger. The more they thought about it, the more wanted to see the Chancellor fall and get what he deserved. Treason was punishable by death, but the situation was complicated. What sort of justice could they apply? First they needed to clear their names. But how to do that eluded them. They had never faced such a twisted situation before. If they mounted an attack, they would be seen as treasonous, just like the Chancellor wanted. They need to get more proof and find out why Amnath was involved. Despite the idea of getting a good nights rest, no one did. They were all up early, before the first rays of sunlight bathed the canopy. Lya prepared an early breakfast and packaged some small provisions. She wouldn't take no for an answer on them either. Helshred watched them go down the hill from the perimeter and then went back to the building. His duty began and he was determined to see it through. The three marched to the ship and stowed their provisions. Reigndale sat at the helm and brought the craft to life. Helshred, Ulaf and Lya could see it rise into the sky through an opening of the trees. As it streaked out of sight, they each prayed in silence for a safe return.
*****
“This is stupid,” grumbled the being in the green and silver containment suit floating in space. All that could be seen of his face was a glowing green light with darker green eyes, nose and mouth floating in the midst. His space suit contained him completely and he never took it off. He couldn't.
“Do we have to go through this every day?” answered the man in yellow, gold and silver armor floating next him holding a brightly colored shield. The shield had a wide border of gold with a center stone of swirled and beautiful colors. Its magical properties allowed Halley to fly in space or anywhere else he wanted to. It was called the Comet shield. While some might see a joke in the name, Halley was very serious about it. He was already named after the actual comet. The artifact was handed down from father to son for generations. “We have to follow orders until we are called back. It's just that simple.”
“What exactly are we doing that protects the King from here again?”
“The Chancellor said a crew of pirates was going to be coming past here with intent on making way to our world. He gave his orders for us to come to Outpost 3 and watch for them. If we see them, we are to make an example of them for other pirates. He said he would send a messenger when we were needed back and could be finished. That is if they don't come by.”
“They aren't going to.”
“You don't know that.”
“Call it a suspicion that we should follow up on. The Queen died and now the Chancellor wants us floating around out here waiting for imaginary pirates. I say imaginary because we've been out here forever and have you seen any pirates?”
“No.”
“Have you seen any ships at all?”
“No.”
“Nor have I. I say we go back and talk with Falconer.”
“Let's just go back down to the surface of our little planetoid and think a little more. I'm not keen on breaking orders.” Halley shook his head.
“I know you aren't but sometimes it's necessary. This is ridiculous and stupid. We are doing nothing here.”
They drifted themselves back toward the surface of the planetoid called Outpost 3. The only life on that barren gray rock consisted of a one small colony. The people monitored the space ways and served travelers on long journeys. But Outpost 3 lay in decay. The supply ships came rarely from other worlds and most of the colonists were more like hermits than anything. The colony they stayed in had all the welcoming charms of an old western ghost town. No one walked around in the road areas or frequented public places. Occasionally you might catch someone staring out of only to have them slam a shutter or dodge away in haste. When Halley and Viro first arrived they met a man in the open and greeted him warmly. He ignored them outright and walked away. He marched right into a building and slammed the door shut behind him. In the days they stayed there, no one ever tried to speak with them. No one would answer their doors either. They found what seemed like a boarding house or inn, but no one was running it. No one stepped out to stop them or tried to make them leave so they just stayed there.
“Well, here we are, back in friendly town,” Viro scoffed as they landed.
“I know, I know. Let's just go inside. I don't want to think about the people here. They creep me out.”
“You wouldn't have to if we could just go home.”
Halley ignored him as he went into the inn and found a chair to plop into. He set his shield next to him on the floor, leaning against his chair. Everything gloomed with shades of depressing gray from the sky to the buildings all around. Even the sands of the desert were gray. When they finally left the forsaken place, he wanted to request that the King ban the color from all of Chyssia. In his gut, Halley knew that Viro was right but he never failed to carry out orders. He felt torn on what exactly the best course of action would be? Halley wondered if one more day was worth the effort? Of course, that meant looking at the morbid gray for one more day. It meant hearing Viro's sarcasm on the matter for one more day. He wasn't sure if he could handle that combination much longer. It all made for a very depressing situation.
His mind traveled back to his green home, the bright sun and glowing grasses. He could almost feel the kind breeze on his face and for a moment he felt better. Then a rapping and tapping outside broke his concentration. Someone outside was banging or knocking on something. That was odd because no one around there made any noise as if the entire population was hiding out from the law in first place.
Halley snatched up his shield, jumped up from the chair, and walked over to the doorway for a look at what had disrupted the colony's unnatural quiet. He hoped for a break in the monotony. Halley’s hopes were raised as he noted the suspicious man’s appearance. Garments were wrapped around the stranger’s face, and he wore ragged clothes and fingerless gloves. He looked like a wandering vagrant who had lived out in the desert for a long time. Halley knew better. No one lived out in those deserts. There was nothing out there worthy of eating or drinking and no animals either. Everything had to be shipped on cargo freighters and everyone had a fully built shelter. Not even the caves were safe or habitable. The fact that this was the only colony further concreted Halley’s interest. Halley couldn’t see the man’s eyes form the angle he stood at. Regardless, in their stay, Halley and Viro had seen almost all of the few occupants of the colony. This man didn’t look like any of them. The man shifted, glanced up and down the road, and knocked hard and loud again. The sound was sharp and echoed through the area. It wasn’t a sound like flesh, more like some kind of armor. Halley and Viro both watched now and they saw someone look out the window. The tenant barely gave the stranger a glance and disappeared. He didn’t answer the door. This was the final sign that this person wasn't from the colony.
