Chapter 11

Space. The final frontier.

God this was boring.

For the past two hours we had been doing nothing but going in a straight line, or at least it felt like it, and all that was filling the quiet between us was whatever weird music Lucas pulled up. He swore a lot of it was actually from Earth, but I didn’t believe him. The fate of eight billion lives was strapped on my wrist, was music really my biggest concern? We didn’t have time to argue, we needed to be through with this as soon as we could.

“Are we there yet?” I said, invoking my inner child.

“No.”

“Are we even in our solar system anymore?”

“No.”

“I see nothing but stars, how are you supposed to know where you’re going without any kind of frame of reference?”

He slapped the dash, “look, just think of it like this: If space were the US, and we were driving from Tulsa to Dallas, this’ll be about as fast as a regular four door vehicle going at a relative doubled speed that’s actually more like five billion times that. And that-” He pointed out to a distant collection of stars, “is Florida. Get it?”

“No.”

“Of course not. Why would you want to try to get anything, you’re just, you know, the most wanted criminal in the Five Galaxies right now!”

“What are the Five Galaxies anyway?”

“Oh right, I haven’t told you about those.” He clicked a button on the dash and a hologram appeared at its center, showing a scaled down map of five clusters of planets and stars, all seeming within moments of each other. “These are what are colloquially known as the Five Galaxies, a group of societies that have all agreed to work together in a united front for the betterment of- it’s a country basically. A fucking big one at that, spans a space the size of, like, three hundred million Earths.”

I sat up in my seat “And this Council, they control it?”

“Yup! And you sent them a bomb! Hooray!”

“Yeah well, this whole situation better be done by tomorrow. I’ve got work.”

He grumbled under his breath. “Sorry what was that?” I said, “Because if you have something to say you can say it to my face.”

“I dunno dude, maybe I’m annoyed that you’re out here in space and your biggest worry is the minimum wage you might miss out on.”

“At least I have a job, what do you even do out here?”

“Catch bad guys. Exhibit A.” He gestured to me, I pushed his hand away.

“So you’re a bounty hunter. Seems a little dark for you.”

“Kind of the only work you can get out here without a home planet.” He stretched and twisted his waist, “So… any good games out lately?” Wow, what a way to avoid the subject. I didn’t even bother responding, so he tried to fill the space. “Because games out here just aren’t like the ones on Earth. I mean, they’re fine I guess, but not every planet has them. Actually they’re kind of a niche thing. I basically have an emulation box set up on my ship but it’s outdated by the past seven years, so I really don’t know what I’m missing.” 

I kept my attention out the window, “I haven’t played a video game since you left.”

“What about movies? I mean, besides the ones I saw.”

“Does it matter? they’re all the same now. Where are we going, anyway?” 

He snapped his fingers and reached across my seat for the glove compartment. I would have been worried about watching the road if there was a road to begin with. He came back with a pair of sunglasses and put them on only to just pull them off again and smirk, “My place.”

“Wow… that was stupid.”

Finally, after an eternity wrapped inside of an hour, we were coming up to what looked like a wreck yard for asteroids. Floating among them was a massive red ship. It was at least the size of three football stadiums layered on top of one another. The red hull reflected the light of the stars, and itself was dotted with various tiny windows, which I assumed were all different rooms.. All of this was encircled by a great ring that had two of the ship’s eight thrusters mounted on either side. I couldn’t even begin to fathom what work might have gone into building something like that.

I didn’t know much about spaceships except for what I saw in movies back home. So I couldn’t help but think of this thing in those terms. Big galaxy class rockets propelled by science so out of my range it might as well have been magic. I wasn’t about to tell Lucas that though, so when he gestured dramatically to the ship looking for wide eyed wonder, I only gave him a modest shrug.

“The Starcrosser!” Lucas gushed, flicking her-his hand like a showman- show person, “isn’t she beautiful?”

“It’s… big.”

“Well yeah, it used to be a cruise ship.” He said, and started pulling the Cruiser around to the backside where a loading dock was waiting. He slapped a button on the roof and the docking bay started opening up like a garage. “We’ve had to make a few modifications for it to work as our base. For one thing, the entire top layer used to be an open ledo deck, but we had to cover it up with armor plating.”

“Wait, hang on.” I said, “you said ‘we’.”

His face got red, “Oh yeah uhm… I guess I forgot to mention- hang on let me focus on landing.”

Landing didn’t seem to take him much more focus at all. It was practically parking, just with larger landing gear. The Cruiser settled in and lowered back down to its more normal car height in a nest of discarded fast food bags. Lucas kicked his door open and the smell of stale fries wafted in, “Ahhhh. Home sweet home.”

I got out on my side. Fluorescent lights buzzed around a room that was way larger than it needed to be for a tiny ship like the Cruiser, especially since it was the only one there. All that really stood out was a worktable in the corner that was devoted to power tools and machine parts, a few large tires I assumed were for the Cruiser itself, and a raised platform that led to a set of double doors just ahead of us.

“We’ll get you settled in your room.” Lucas said.

“My room?”

“Yeah, we need to use the Starcrosser to lightspeed our way to where we’re going, so you’re probably gonna want to take a nap.”

“You keep saying ‘we’.”

“Yeah, me and you, ‘We’.”

I glared, “Lucas.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Who else is on this ship?”

As if answering me, the sound of an elevator ping came from the raised platform. The doors slid open. All possible light from within was covered by a hulking silhouette. Heaving breaths preceded a frothy snarl as the creature slowly stomped out of the doors. As his body came into the light, his red exoskeleton glinted, highlighting the four muscled arms. His front was only covered by a large ammo belt that a rifle dangled from, while his lower body tapered off into a pair of blue jeans. But most imposing of all was his face. Black eyes on top of a mouth full of knives, framed on either side by two thick red mandibles. He stopped just short of us, a rage shook through his body. He traded glances between us until his mouth opened wide, and the knives gave way to a deep growling voice, “There you are! I can’t find my tooth file.”

“Did you look in the kitchen?” Lucas asked.

“Why would I put it in the kitchen?” The monster asked, “It belongs in the bathroom.”

“Yeah but you walk around with it.” They started walking ahead of me, like I didn’t even exist. I had no choice but to follow.

The monster huffed, “last time I had it, it was in the bedroom. I know it was on my side of the bed.”

“Maybe you took it with you when you went for a snack or something.”

I raised my finger, “Lucas.”

“I don’t do that so often I misplace it.”

“Well just go check.”

I tried again, “Lucas.”

“I already checked.”

“Then check again, silly.”

“Hey! Lucas! I’m talking to-”

My words were interrupted by a kiss. He had to get on his tiptoes to even come close to the creature’s cheek. The sound to me was like a shotgun, scattering the memory of our one kiss all over my brain. This thing… it was inhuman.  Four arms. Red bony skin. I couldn’t believe it. Of every chance he hacd with me, he chose this.. This thing?

 “You’re… you’re dating that?!”

The monster whipped around and suddenly I was the center of attention. He stepped over to me. He was way too tall, I had to strain my neck just to look at his face from this angle. He hardly titled his chin in my direction, “Oh yeah. You.”

I tried not to fumble. “Yeah. Me.”

“Where are my manners?” Lucas said, getting between us. “Matt this is Krazmundo. Krazmundo, Matt!”

“This is the guy?” Krazmundo said, “The one everyone is in a fit over?”

“Whatever you’ve heard about that, it’s not true.”

“I know it’s not true. A flealich like you couldn’t stomach a Drex much less operate a crime ring.”

“A what?”

“Kraz he doesn’t know any alien languages.” Lucas said.

“Oh then let me educate him.” Suddenly one of his arms was on my waist, hoisting me up off the ground. I tried to let go but his grip was so tight. He passed me to another arm, then another, analyzing me from every angle he could. “Flealich. You might say it means tiny, useless, pathetic, dirty, lower than the mud at the center of a planet. In other words, you.”

“You don’t know anything about me!” I cried, “Now put me down!”

He raised me to his face, his hot breath almost made me gag, “You now I’ve never tasted human bone. I wonder how it compares to other Kanturians. Tell me, flealich, how much for a taste?”

“Kraz! Drop him!” Lucas scolded. Krazmundo glanced between us.

“If you insist.” He dropped me flat on my ass, laughing as I let the pain rattle through me. Lucas tried to help me up, but I pushed his hand away.

“So this is the kind of asshole you like?” I said. “Maybe it’s a good thing you left.”

“Now there’s something we can agree on.” Krazmundo smiled. “She’s way better off up here. So why don’t you do us all a favor and go back to Earth, flealich?”

“Kraz.” Lucas said, “we have to help him.”

“No.” he let one of his hands drag across his face, “don’t tell me you did Silmon’s Prop.”

“Okay I won’t.” He started for the elevator. Krazmundo grabbed his hand and slung him back over.

“Cassandra, come on, we had plans!”

Lucas wiggled himself free of his grip, “well chain and handcuff  night is going to have to wait.”

“Let’s just drop him off somewhere.” Krazmundo said, “there’s a nice little sanctuary planet not far from here where he can live out his days chasing rabbits and swimming in nice big creeks.”

“He’s a human, not a dog!”

“What’s the difference?”

Lucas responded with a look. A look that made Krazmundo actually reel back a second. “Babe I didn’t mean you- I- Uh-” He seemed to stutter for another argument, but each time a word almost made it through, Lucas would raise a brow or shift his weight. Defeated, Krazmundo trudged toward the elevator. “Fine. Guess we can all just die in three days then.”  

The elevator ride was awkward.  Lucas was glaring at Krazmundo, who seemed to be avoiding eye contact. Maybe they were having that sort of fight only really close couples could have, the kind where you didn't have to say anything, and yet you said it all. That made me even more upset. They could have squabbles? Little fits? Misunderstandings they could patch up later with a- What was I even thinking?!  I couldn’t tell if I was proud or not to have started a fight like that between them or not, or if I wanted that. Finally, we got to an upper floor and Lucas spun on his heel, suddenly back to being chipper and showy.

“Alright! Welcome to the main helm of the Starcrosser, Matt!” He beamed, and the elevator doors opened to a single wide room. Two chairs sat on opposite ends of a massive control console, above which was a monitor that currently showed one of the drifting asteroids nearby. Everything was highlighted by strips of purple light, a motif I noticed seemed mandatory in all spaces of the ship. Lucas was eager to hop into one of the chairs while Krazmundo sluggishly took another. He leaned back on it and reached into a side compartment, which I realized was a cooler. He popped open the drink he got and took a smooth swig, staring up at the computer screen. Lucas tapped a few keys on the console and the monitor blipped out to show an interior view of what I guess was the ship's main ledo deck.

Looking out at it felt unnerving. It was a place that demanded to  have people in it. There should have been kids at the ice cream shop, parents lounging in the empty hot tub spaces, tourists gathered at bars, and lifeguards above the quiet pool. But there wasn’t. The whole place was purple and empty. Calm enough to be peaceful, quiet enough to be weird.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” He said, “We’re in the process of fixing some of it up, but it’s going to take some time so don’t expect a luxury pool anytime soon.”

“Where did you even get this?”

“Found it on our third date.” Lucas said, “Krazmundo took one look at it and called it home. Right hon?”

Krazmundo responded with another drink.

“Alright so… what’s the plan?” I said, tapping my wrist.

“Right.” Lucas typed in a few keys and the monitor blipped back out to space. It zoomed out of our location into a map and another location popped up far away from us. It looked like a pile of trash floating in the middle of space, all roped together by a massive center point of gravity. “We’re going to Critwell. There’s a guy there who can help us out. Lightspeed will take us about three hours.”

“Why didn’t you just dock this Starcrosser thing outside of Earth? We’d be there by now.”

“Can’t have Earth satellites picking up something like the Starcrosser. It would cause a huge problem.”

“I don’t get it. If all these other planets and galaxies have made treaties and are aware of life out here, why is Earth exempt?”

“Because no one wants to ruin the entertainment.” Krazmundo said.

“Kraz, hush.” Lucas said, “he doesn’t need to know about all of that.”

“About what?” I asked. Krazmundo seemed to enjoy my confusion. He sat up in his seat and pressed a few buttons on his side of the console.

“Earth’s main export is entertainment. You guys are a riot!” The monitor switched over to Earth TV. It was a newscast and the weather was just wrapping up.

“...cloudy skies all day with a chance of rain. Back to you, Bev.”

“Thanks Jim.” The newswoman said, “now our top story, the search for missing boy Lucas Lynn continues. Investigators interviewed his friends and family who hope that you can help.” As she spoke an old picture of Lucas faded into the screen, “now missing for two weeks, the Oklahoma State Trooper department is asking for the help of nearby officials and citizens of surrounding states.”

I recognized this report. It was one of the first national headlines we had gotten. But that didn’t make sense. That happened seven years ago. I couldn’t watch as the screen flipped to me talking to a reporter. “We’re hopeful spreading the search will bring Lucas back faster,” the me in the past said, “even if it doesn’t we’re not giving up. We’ll scan the whole planet if we have to.”

Lucas switched it off, “the broadcast is seven years off, but that’s the thing. Earth satellites are strong, and aliens out here have been treating it like entertainment.”

The shock was still peeling off me, “So… we’re just characters to you? that’s it?”

Krazmundo nodded, “Yup. And here you are about to ruin that.”

“That’s fucked up. We’re people dammit, we have lives! You can’t just treat us like we’re fun little toys on a screen!” I went back to Lucas, “and anyway, how did you talk to things up here if our satellites are so slow, huh?!”

“You know the answer to that. My communication program. I was able to cut the bullshit and achieve a constant access signal. The right creatures just happened to be paying attention.”

“Him?” I thumbed to Krazmundo, but Lucas shook his head.

“Actually it was Zwendel.”

The name made Krazmundo sigh. He took another drink.

“You knew all of this and came out here anyway?” I said, “Left me for some freaky aliens that have been watching us without anybody knowing?! Jesus, you’re crazier than I thought, Lucas.”

“Hey!” Krazmundo snapped. He tilted his bottle toward me, “you keep calling her that and you and I are going to have a problem.”

“We already do.” I stormed for the elevator. Lucas grabbed my shoulder but again I shoved him off, “look if you want to hang around here with some voyeuristic freak be my guest. I don’t want any part of it. Just get me when we get to wherever the hell this place is. Alright?”

Without another word I left and pressed a button on the elevator. Any random floor would have done well, it just so happened to take me to the ledo deck. When I stepped outside I realized it was even more bizarre than it looked from the top. Every shop was decked out like it might be open, like people could be there. But no one was. I rolled my eyes when I realized there was music playing, the same stupid music Lucas had been listening to this whole time, except now it was filtered through a tinny speaker system that made every note seem far away.

I took a seat at one of the cafe style tables and stared up at the ceiling. It was a large metal hull that seemed to be above a glass ceiling. I guessed this was the armor plating Lucas had mentioned, and figured maybe before you could actually see outside. My attention went to the empty pool where plastic palm trees stood still at its side. But perhaps most strange about my surroundings was the knife on the table adjacent to me. It was big, really big, and seemed to have strange carvings all around its hilt. I picked it up to examine it. The blade was worn, like it had been used a hundred times. Whatever it was doing out here I had no clue.

 I fiddled with the knife, spun it around on the table and tapped it every now and again. It gave me something to focus on, at least. A quiet little toy that didn’t have to mean anything at all. And as my brain began to process everything that had been happening, it did so in quiet. Everything was finally quiet.