The Sovereign never misses out on any information, as the usual mantra there are over 200 combined centers across the galaxy and 16 planets orbit the white sun, each passing two years, 8 planets are picked with an assigned profession and take is away like we're taxes, and right now I feel no different from that.
I'm feeling a lot of regret right now, maybe I really should've just stayed home and do my job till I die but who on earth would just sit around knowing they'll croak in a year or less!? So now I'm here, in this Increaser going somewhere I'm not sure I'll come back from. I was only bluffing when I said I'll come back, during the previous years, many innovators died in their expedition, and I seriously don't want to think how, but despite that, a part of me hopes I'll come back, alive and well, or maybe just the alive part will be great.
I felt a pair of eyes digging a hole through my head, I looked around and saw that Shiobhan has been staring at me since I don't know when "What is it?" I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Thanks kid" he finally said. What is this guy getting at?
"For what?"
"For volunteering" he stretched his hand, lying comfortably on the couch "I was expecting to stay there evaluating you guys for hours but gladly you stepped in and now I'm getting back to HQ early"
"You're welcome I guess"
"No kid, I really mean it. Thank you" he insisted, to which I replied with an awkward smile.
Thankfully, he didn't ask any more questions so I drew my attention to the green aquatank in the corner which I find very nice. Everything about it is made of machines—the fishes, the sea grass and even the corals are shining metal and glass painted with colours.
"—you volunteer?"
"Huh?" I turned back to him.
"Why did you volunteer?" unlike earlier, he's holding a stern serious expression in his face. I really want to avoid this question but what if he already figured it out??
"Why would you wanna know?" I asked back, hoping it would divert his attention.
"Well every volunteer has their own story, and it's always the most interesting ones" is he saying this because he was a volunteer?
I paused, "So you're nosy?"
"No kid, I'm curious" he smiled to himself, looking smug "Now tell me"
So much for diverting his attention "Personal health reasons"
"Ohhh" he said with a that's-right tone "Figures. Brave of you to join, especially since you're dying" he has no filter at all does he?
"Will that stop me from going to the expedition?"
"You volunteered kid so you're a special case, no turning back and no regretting it" only when he shrugs do I notice my breath steadying which I'm surprised of because no one in their right mind would be relieved when heading towards death, but I guess desperation does things to people. "Besides, We're already halfway through the galaxy, I ain't going back to your planet just to send you home because you have something wrong with you, it's just not worth it"
Thank the stars this guy is lazy.
"Wait, you can still do your job properly right?" he shot straight up from the couch, biting his nails.
"Yes I can still do it, I'm not as gifted as the others in my department but I'm reliable"
"Oh that's good, I don't want to lose my job" he muttered and went back to lying on the couch.
"What about you then? What's your story?" I shot his question back to him. I would be lying when I say that I'm curious about him at all. His story was by far the most intriguing one in the galaxy.
I remember very well that Shiobhan was also a volunteer from an expedition ten years ago, the most bloody expedition, as they say. When they're ship landed, people were expecting the whole crew but much to their surprise he's the only one who showed up, adding to the tension was that his whole body was covered in fresh blood while carrying a dead colleague by his arm. There were a lot of rumours about him back then, one was when they said that he never stopped hugging his dead colleague even after a few days of his return, the directors eventually found out that they were slaughtered on their way back.
"Getting nosy kid?" I saw his face soften almost instantly before he put back up that lazy smug expression.
"No, just curious" I shrugged "I mean, you were the center of gossip back then."
He broke into a loud laugh which made me think that he's crazy or just a crazy good actor. He sat up slowly from the couch and I noticed that he has a black compass tattoo on his ankle. Ohhh that's right he was in the command center.
"Where are you going?" he's walking straight to the door barefoot, not even bothering to wear his slippers.
"To the driver, I want to know if we're almost there, my tummy can't take much more of this waiting. Go and have a look around if you like" he left the room with a wink, leaving me hanging.
That's one nice way to dodge a question.
Though opposite to what he said, I moved down to the metal ground and my eyes instantly got caught by the view outside the thick diamond glass window showing stars stretching for hundreds of light-years and the galaxy disc that looks so amazing from this range, funny how something so beautiful can still kill you.
I rested my head on the seat of the couch and, heaving out a deep sigh, I took out the portable chip in my pocket, pressing the black dot on its body, a collage of small holographic images shot straight up from the dot.
Among the engineers on my planet, EJ was often called gifted, most likely because he's smart and I know that very well by experience but right now I'm starting to question whether that's true because what on earth is this project!? The installer's memory is filled with jigsaw puzzles like a game. I swiped left and right but not a single section was done. He can't even finish the machine's internal settings and his mind is already drifting to whatever nonsense he thinks he can do, no wonder he can't finish this.
"Poor thing, he didn't give you a single ounce of respect huh?" I murmured to the chip "Don't worry, I'll be done with you in a few weeks and once we get back, be sure to kick his ass"
I tucked the installer back into my pocket and stood up but I stumbled roughly into the couch because the ground just shook… or more like, the ship shook, wait, the ship is shaking!?!?
I stood back up while the ship's rocking back and forth, my eyes caught sight of what's happening outside and by the looks of it, the ship just entered an asteroid belt, I can't walk properly to the door, since each step lifted me from the floor before I can even finish it, that much impact must've fluctuated the ship's gravity system. As I take every move I can feel my senses numbing, the sounds of metal rattling are becoming distant, I can't feel my surroundings any longer and my eyesight is getting blurry, I can feel my black out attacking me.
"Five" the familiar voice replaced the noise of the ship, I already know what's going to come next.
"Five" please just not now.
"Fi—Kid!" I heard Shiobhan's voice calling me and my senses slowly came back, I could make out his silhouette that's approaching me "What happened to you?" I could hear a faint tone of concern in his house as he lifted me up and it was only then did I notice that I actually slumped to the ground before reaching the door.
I was able to gather strength to force my words out "The ship. Hit" were the only words I could manage before my voice croaked.
Like the idiot he is, Shiobhan laughed before answering me "Yeah, this is the artificial asteroid belt that the Sovereign made as a barrier"
That's why, I did hear that the Sovereign were creating megastructures to protect them, I guess the asteroid belt was one of them, so the thin ring between the rocks earlier wasn't an illusion after all.
"Were you nervous kid?" he asked with that smug look of his, when I looked at him to give a hard glare I could see a faint look of worry in his face.
I shook my head as an answer.
"Then why did you slumped to the ground? The ship wasn't even shaking that much" not shaking that much? So this is what the expedition can do to a person, pretty scary.
"Don't be afraid to admit that you were scared, that's a normal response for beginners" okay old guy.
"Can you walk though?" I looked back at him and nodded "Really?" I nodded again "Okay then."
He gently put me down so I can stand on my own but he adjusted his grip in case I might stumble.
"We're almost there, just two more barriers to go" he explained the remaining barriers as we're walking down the hall onto the command station of the ship, I'm interested in listening to him since I want to know where does the Sovereign spend all our leaves on, these barriers are a go to topic to tell EJ, when hopefully I come back.
We passed on the other barrier which Shiobhan calls the Water section—it's abrasive water jets encircling around the Sovereign, anyone who passes through this will get sliced up for sure. We passed through the last one, the Defense platform. It's where they handle everything, where they handle the stability of the barriers and operate them to be active 20/5. Shiobhan told me that the founder of the barriers was a nameless femme fatale, nobody knows her but it's funny how they know her inventions. They're lying to us but believe what you believe.
"Oh and the seven barriers have a good story behind them too" Really now? Keep yapping "The seven barriers were based on the seven energy levels of an atom, and the four main ones that are closest to the planet, are the four quantum numbers. Interesting right?"
I nodded. That is interesting, nice concept femme fatale.
The ship has finally entered the Sovereign's orbit and we've been met with a lot of fluffy clouds.
"We've finally arrived" Shiobhan commented when a view of a shabby wooden house showed up on a mountaintop"Thanks Stark" he patted the back of our ship captain.
I looked at him all confused "In case you're wondering, that's my house" he answered as the increaser landed "Come on"
What are we even doing here, I thought he wanted to head to HQ? Okay at this point I am just absolutely confused.
"Don't look at me like that, I'm just gonna get a few things" he said and went out on a slightly skimpy walk.
I followed after him and went inside his house and of course you'll expect nothing less from a guy like Shiobhan—clothes are scattered on the couch to the floor, unwashed dishes on the sink, dust everywhere, and it smells like rotten eggs in every corner. I wonder how he can even sleep here.
As I'm busy judging his house, Shiobhan's in his room digging through a pile of bags which I hope aren't filled garbage "Gotcha!" he raised a black bag and the things inside clanged.
I raised a brow.
He picked something inside the bag and showed it to me, a small square metal object with three tiny stems on its feet glowed in his hand "My babies" so he's been collecting transistors.
I've tolerated you enough, now let's go! I pointed at the door, signalling for us to get back on the ship.
"Yeah you're right. Let's go" he carried the bag and honestly the scent came with it and we walked back into the ship.
The ship flew up out of the orbit so I'm guessing HQ is somewhere in the defense platform. As we rich the defense ring, a huge metallic tongue went out from one of the huge doors outside and we landed the increaser there.
"We're finally here kid, I hope you're excited" he grabbed me by the arm and I almost vomited so I pushed him away, covering my nose. I trailed my attention away from his all his yapping with only one thought in mind, I really can't go back now, can I?