"So, lil cuz, you have to do something you were already preparing to do when you were on Delisus." Zay's head was down toward his pad in front of him, but his eyes shot up to lock with Rixon.

  "You're going to have to go kill some people." Zay pushed the tablet across the table to Rixon.

  Rixon was confused and pissed. "How, in Galactic stars, does that make sense where I have to kill someone on my FIRST mission? Like, most missions start with reconnaissance or steal something, but my first mission to enter me into this life is to immediately kill someone? Like, why can't I do what you do?" He gestured to his cousin's operation out in the station.

  Zay gave a childish smirk. "Man, I never took you as a scared little boy, but if you can't do it, then you're probably going to die."

  Rixon sat up, and almost his demeanor shifted to a whole other galaxy. "Alright, be real. Why this to start? This just feels like overkill to straight up join."

  "Lil cuz, I see why my auntie always had high hopes for you, because man, you can think on your feet really quickly. And this is definitely something you will need in this business." Zay rubbed his beard and cracked his wrist.

  "Look, you remember how your mother ended the transmission. She said, 'Nephew, I need that favor finally. I hate that my kids have to go this route, but Keso-likakba. Get it done and make up that debt, my first child.' Yeah, that whole spill was about when our boss got caught by your Delisus planetary force and was about to get her family network destroyed. But somehow YOUR crazed mother actually made a friend and chose it to be with the boss. Like, I bet your mother never even told you the real reason why I joined up being a pirate after I turned eighteen years old." Zay dropped his head slightly, trying to see if Rixon had any real clue.

  Rixon answered, unsure. "Was it not because you wanted to become a pirate?"

  "Okay, in simple terms, you're right on the nose. I mean, right on target, like, you can't get any closer. But the real reason why I fell in love with becoming a pirate is because when it was just me in the picture and you were a baby, your mother would take me on base when she had convos with pirates, and she knew I loved hearing the stories. So she took me with her to listen to them. Your mother was the boss's monthly visit. Like, isn't that crazy? The boss chose to speak to your mother over her crime family, the people she literally lives and dies for and helped build their lives. Their connection of friendship was real. It was like two beings who finally met and knew how the other felt." Zay explained with happiness and confusion written all over his overly expressive body language.

  "Not to be inconsiderate, but I get it, my mom found a friend. Get to how that matters in this situation." Rixon said with a face of not caring anymore.

  "Wow. Like mother, like son. Anyway, when your mother was paying attention to crime in the system, it seemed to grow and be worse with the boss locked up. Turns out if you lock up the warden of the free criminals, riots happen every day, everywhere. Your mother realized that even in the Blackhole system of criminals, there has to be someone that no one wants to cross, and low and behold, it was the woman she called friend. So your mother asked her two things before she let her go." Zay's grin came to his face in excitement because it was the climax.

  "One: Don't come back to this solar system.Two: If the time ever comes, you take my children under your wing and protect them under your pirate family."

  "Now, with that said, the boss said she had her own two clauses if she was to give up on this money as well. That her children have to take a life before coming to her, so that she knows they are capable of being in the family and can easily assimilate. And that she will know it is her child when they come to her with the phrase 'Keso-likakba,' which means 'declaration to the family.'" Zay fully extended and stretched out in his chair with the biggest smirk.

  "Okay, well, thank you for the bedtime story, but you could have just told me that it was a deal made between the boss and my mom that I had to take one life to join the crew." Rixon squinted his eyes, looking at Zay.

  "Ahh, that's no fun. But check out the species in front of you. Those poor saps are your targets. Fifteen bodies." Zay lit a smoke.

  "And I thought I just had to kill one, Zay, not fifteen?" Rixon stood up with anger, looking down on his older cousin.

  "Oh, my boy, just because you survived military bootcamp, don't think I can't cave in your shit right now. Standing over me like you got what it takes to even put your hands on me. You know what I used to do when we were kids? I used to beat you every day, and that's probably the only reason why you got the hands and fighting skills you got today." Zay blew smoke into Rixon's face.

  Rixon took a deep breath. "Look, how am I even supposed to do this?"

  "There we go, Mr. Uptake. Now you're asking the right questions and saying the right things. Look, they will all be on this space yacht that is right now currently orbiting the space station. These are not all criminal civilians, some of them are what you would call 'trained pirates.' They can fight, but here is the bright side: I'll be there with a few of the women. That crew has to get wiped from existence because they crossed the boss.”

  He takes a puff of smoke and releases it “ And you just don't do that. We will handle the main decks, and I'll send you to the executive level where they will be holding all the big wigs. You die, your sister has to become a part of this crew. You liv—" Zay arched his brow with the intention of getting a rise out of him.

  "Don't ever have to worry about me dying. As long as she is alive, I'll make sure she sees her forties and nothing less. And with that being said, when do we take off for this mission? I need to handle some things before we go." Rixon started walking toward the door with the pad.

  "You got time. We will leave tomorrow at thirty-four hundred Galactic time. They will be having a party to celebrate their success of getting over on the boss and coming into a new class of wealth. But now it's time to end their heroic movie. They've been living the 'coming from the bottom to the top' storyline too long." Zay said it like he was excited to be a part of a movie, like an evil character.

  "Why must you be so long-winded? Like, just say we leave tomorrow at thirty-four hundred Galactic time. And where do we stay? Keep it short, please." Rixon stood in the doorway.

  "Man, I had a story about that too, but you live on the second floor. It's a big space. You and your sister's room is B-7. Nice suite and comes with two rooms." Zay got up, looking for his pad.

  "Alright, I'll be back then." Rixon walked out.

  "Dang, that's my pad. I needed to do some betting today. That little punk got my stuff. I hope he does what he is supposed to do and not try to go to some incognito holographic social feed. Young men are so scary because I remember when I was that age." Zay said after looking and sitting back in his chair after giving up.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Rixon left the room and went to the festival, searching for a ship-selling stall.

  "Hello, sir. Can I help you?"

  "Yeah, I'm looking to sell my ship. It has fifty cabins and has no modifications. Brand new and not stolen. Completely in my name with all documents that can be proven." Rixon's face was full of anger and seriousness.

  "Young man, are you sure? In the galaxy, that ship itself is something to marvel at when it comes to the beginning of showing wealth. If you are sure, let me know. And do you have a bank?"

  "Yes, I am positive. It's too big for me, and I don't have the crew to fill it, so I think I need to move on from it. And I do not at the moment." Rixon walked to the back with the stall owner.

  They walked into the office, and he offered Rixon a drink.

  "Young man, I will help you. Like, I wish someone would have helped me when I needed someone. My name is Tova. I'm from the planet of Quixler. I don't want you to tell me your name or the planet of your origin. All I want to know is how I can help you right in this moment." The man sat down and started drinking with him.

  Rixon began to name the things. "I just want to know how to open that bank account, the price you're willing to buy the ship for, and..." And almost like a dam breaking, he started to tear up, holding in the water in his eyes. "I want to know if there is a place where I can know peace and not in such a place where the Empire and other empires can easily take over."

  "Weakness—no matter the species, we think at most moments it is a fault. But in reality, the very fact you are in front of me sharing your soul with a random species that has green skin, abs, and a face that is different from your own. This shows me that weakness in this moment is a gift. Because I actually plan on helping you out, young man. Look, I don't know what you may have to do to survive, but I know what I can do to put you in the right space to put yourself forward. Here is a tablet to sign up with Teriscota Banking. They accept all currencies in the galaxy and are trusted by all planets due to their five-step authentication process when it comes to big transactions, as well as the currency of Pinoracs. That is the universal currency that everything gets transferred to. Look, fill that out, and the ship I'll pay you fifty thousand Pinoracs. For most people, that is enough for fifteen years, so spend it wisely. To confirm the purchase, I will get with the festival guards and Minister for me to do a final walk-through. Then I'll send all of your things to your room. Is that fine?" Tova drank from his cup and started typing up some info on a contract.

  Rixon wiped his eyes and looked at Tova with sincerity and thanks. "Done. That's my account info, and I appreciate this, Mr. Tova. I thank you for your kindness, and here is my room number. Can you make sure to drop it off there? I have some more things to get done, but I wanted to know if you have any ships that you just don't use or need heavy repair?"

  Tova smiled. "There is actually this one. It's a twenty-five-man battleship. But it needs EVERYTHING to be worked on. To even get it flying would take a lot of money and time. You sure you want it? I only have it because I had to repo it from an old client who tried to get over on me and business, so we took everything they owned to settle the debt."

  Rixon smirked. "Well, it sounds like my kind of project since I just came into possession of both."

  "Well, I'll make sure to deliver it to where you want it, and I'll put it on the house since it is worth almost nothing compared to what you're selling me." Tova smiled and extended his hand.

  "Thanks again, Mr. Tova. I really appreciate your help." Rixon shook his hand.

  "No problem. You just have to survive your story and be strong for whoever you have to be. Also, I have already sent twenty-five thousand to your account, so you should have money to spend." Tova walked him back to the front of his stall.

  Rixon walked away and continued his journey to other stalls.

  He collected two masks, one for himself and one for his sister. He bought a Xector 54 rifle that shot plasma rays, along with the Xector Tilda plasma ray pistol. He also bought a Nilericy sword, which was the strongest metal in the galaxy.

  He felt ready for war but did not know how he should prepare his mentality, so he went back to the room.

  He put all his weapons and equipment in a case he'd bought for it all. He got on his knees in the middle of his room and just closed his eyes. He tried calming himself down but heart just never could get the tempo he was going after, almost like his brain wouldn't allow his heart to know the calmness it used to know.

  While he was in his own world, Oyric came back with Jenasa, and they were laughing, but none of that Rixon registered.

  Oyric saw him twitching and unsettled and just felt she had to do something.

  Oyric burst into a full sprint and just jumped on him.

  Rixon, getting fully caught off guard, for a moment forgot that it was his sister. Then when he opened his eyes, he just saw her laughing face, and the calmness that he'd asked of his heart found its place due to the laughter of that moment.

  "Yo, monk, not the time to go on your galactic mission around the galaxy. I got training and things to do. So don't go losing your cool so quickly." Oyric play-hit him on the chest while he lay on the ground.

  "Training? When did you get interested in that?" Rixon asked with a playfully confused face.

  "Oh, after hanging with the girls, I saw that fighting ain't that bad, and I heard you're going to have to kill to keep us alive. So I made the decision that you will not walk this journey of getting all the blood on your hands and I just live like a protected princess. That life was a month ago. Now I learn to be a pirate and a warrior so you don't hold everything on your shoulders." Oyric helped him up off the ground.

  "Killing someone takes a toll on your personality, Oyric. It's not a game. I don't want to lose who you are through this process." Rixon said with a serious tone.

  "Yeah, yeah, yeah, but it's okay if you lose, huh? Oh, whatever. They told me that it will not be taken lightly, so I don't need you trying to be our parent. Now what I need is just the leader that leads us to the paradise that was taken away from us. Can you just do that for me? And I'll do what needs to be done to support us. Now rest up. Tomorrow you become a different person, and based on our luggage and things, you had to make another hard decision while I was away." Oyric touched his shoulder, looking him in his eyes.

  "Yeah, I sold the ship. We needed the money." Rixon looked away, feeling like he'd disappointed his little sister.

  "Oh, I know we did. You're fine. I felt that it would hurt, but I'm glad that you did it on your own because I think if I was with you, it would have made it harder. Now I will be going because the ladies will be taking me to do some more festival activities while we are here. We leave in a week, so go become who you need to be." Oyric walked out of the room.

  "You are too wise for your age, and where was this emotional intelligence when I used to eat your food in the fridge?" Rixon came to his doorway.

  "Never mess with a woman's stomach. There is no intelligence in hunger, just emotion, my dear brother. Night." Oyric closed the door, and Jenasa sat in the living room, watching over them, acting as a bodyguard.

  Rixon spent the night getting decent sleep.

  The moment it hit 10:00, he got up and started making his sister breakfast for when she woke up. The energy was a little off, as she knew he would be taking a life today, but she didn't know how many lives.

  Rixon took that time to go to the gym on the station and work out. He went to training simulators to get warmed up in fighting. He had to learn to fight by himself when they'd taught him at bootcamp how to fight with his team.

  He even walked the festival. But being around all the happy species did nothing for him as he drifted through the crowd.

  Children laughed. Couples held hands. Vendors called out about their wares.

  And Rixon felt nothing.

  He stopped at a food stall and ordered something.

  He couldn't even remember what.

  He tried to eat, but it tasted like ash in his mouth. He threw it away after two bites.

  He found himself sitting on a bench overlooking the docking bay where his ship used to be. The empty space stared back at him. His parents had bought him that ship. The last thing they'd ever given him.

  And he'd sold it.

  His hands clenched into fists on his knees. His jaw tightened.

  Ti-uda.

  He whispered it to himself like a prayer. Like a command.

  Be the last to fall.

  He got up and went back to the room. He took a nap, and four hours passed.

  When he got the notification to meet his cousin at the ship dock, all he could think at that moment was:

  Ti-uda.