Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Homeworld - Tales of the Vjel-Amaj: Aira's Quest - Part I ❯ Chapter 7 – Grudge and Hatred ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7 - Grudge and Hatred

- Ray -

Walking through one of the main corridors of the ship, a group of four made their way along. Catching the view of the very unfamiliarly and unexpectedly tall person accompanied by two high-ranking officer women and a kadeshi girl, several operatives and other crewmembers freed the passage as their eyes stared and followed the tall man movement as he passed by.

“Vaygr”, Hailynn asked, gaining his attention as he followed them, “Why is it that you are still wearing full gear. Haven't my men offered you any other clothing?”
"...As is they would have his size...", Kaydaana snitched in between.
“I deny to lay off my gear, Commander Delixa. I must always be ready. I am not used to... being too long onboard a ship.”
“I see.”
“If I may ask. What is the status of my fighter?”

“Your fighter? Well, I am not sure myself, but I can figure that out. Hang on.”.

Adjusting her shoulder-unit, the radio focused on the intercom frequency as Hailynn called, “”Delixa to Cargo Bay II. Please respond.””

Only taking a short moment, a voice replied, “”Technical Engineer Zann responding. How may I help you, ma'am?””
“”I would like to hear a maintenance report. How's the Vaygr fighter? ””
“”Yes, ma'am. Repairs are almost complete.””, the voice explained, “”The Vaygr fighter has sustained heavy damage to two of its four stabilizers and suffered only minor hull damage, but we handled it during the last few hours. Certain components did not match but we still managed to compensate. Flechette rail weaponry and overall propulsion systems have been maintain. According to the maintenance teams, the fighter is soon to be ready for anything again.””
“”Understood. Thank you, T-E. Over and out.””
“”No problem, Ma'am. Over and out.*fsshh-click*””

“Good to know. Thank you for the maintenance.”
“A mighty fighter ya got there. We will some day see if it can take on my Acolyte. But anyways - Ya not plannin' to leave us so soon, are ya, big guy?”, Kaydaana interrupted and approached the man's arm, somewhat hugging it friendly. Hailynn was still surprised to see her being so over-friendly to this man. Somehow, she seemed to have totally forgotten that Hiigaran Empire actually still stood at war against the Vaygr remnants.

He seemed unease, “Staying so long onboard a ship is unusual for me. I prefer to idle aside in space, Colonel Manaan...”

“Hey-hey. We've been through that - Friends call mahself `Kaydy'!”, the manaani woman replied, laying her hand upon herself.
“We... are friends?”, the man asked and looked down at the rather small woman hugging his arm. She did not answer, but her smile on her face and her joy as she accompanied him said it all. The man had no idea why both the manaani and the kadeshi girl were welcoming him. For sure, this was nothing alike before. Whereas extreme dislike, doctrines and hatred ruled the vaygr lifestyle, this was the total opposite. Hailynn already sensed the cultural shock.

Shortly speaking by the manaani language with many lingual mistakes but not understandable by the vaygr and Aira, Hailynn secretly remarked to Kaydaana, <Vaygr he was, Kaydaana. Hiigara you are, why you fool around with him?>
Pinching her eyes together, the manaani woman replied with a suddenly soft and quiet reply in the same language, <To mah bretheren, I am proud. To mah enemy, I am hiigaran... but to those who prove worthy of mah respect, I am manaan.>
“<Hoo-boy>”, Hailynn sighed and took a sip from her `long-life' covered black hot coffee.
“Hey. Are yah gonna drink that thing all day long?!”, Kaydaana snarled as she hugged the arm of her `trophy'.
“Knock it off, Kay'.”
“Maybe I should...!”
“Never mess the coffee of a marine - you should know that.”

“Oh you - ”, Kaydaana was about to say, but then saw one female operative staring at the size of the heavily suited Vaygr pilot. His natural but unintentional and rather intimidating appearance was so astonishing that it merely took her breath as her back gently knocked against the side of the corridor. “-Hey! Wha'cha starin' at! Huh?!”

Dragging the man ahead, Kaydaana started blabbering the hesitant man full with so many things, starting with what to see onboard and bragging about his and her flight skills. With both distracted by Kaydaana's rapid-fire-chatter, Hailynn fell back slightly with a sigh and looked upon Aira, who slowly walked aside of her.

“Hey, Aira...”, Hailynn asked.
“Yes, Hailynn?”
“Back at the brig... Why did you... hug the guy? He is... vaygr... y'know. Vaygr.”

It took several steps until Aira found the courage to answer, “I-I felt sorry for him, my naji...”

“What?”

“We, I mean, the vaygr ...and I...”, the girl replied sorrowly, “We are both... alone... in a way. He may have his people onboard, but they are not alike him. Those to whom he truely belonged - the ones that protected the weak- died among their path for freedom. He is the last defender. He may be... vaygr... but he is quietly suffering of the all losses... More lives were lost besides the lost souls of the freighter. I only felt sorry for him and... wanted to share m-my consideration... Not judging his soul by his past, not as a murderer as those may see him... I embraced him, hoping he would feel being accepted as I was...”

Hailynn had to smile and gently shake her head for moment. She did not see things at all from the perspective of this kadeshi girl. However, Hailynn moved her face to the left, somewhat hiding it from the girl as her odd happiness focused upon the man ahead. There was a disturbing feeling in her... her instincts as a hiigaran shouting of this man's nature - He is vaygr. His heritage, a legacy determined to conquer space through ruthless expansion and war.
But how can you only oversee this and forgive him?You are a strange girl...

Trying to keep a piece of mind, the vaygr man haltingly slowed down from being dragged, trying to focus his attention on Hailynn. Subtly yet obvious, Kaydaana still pulled his arm, trying to keep his attention onto her but she was a weak woman after all...

What an embarrassment and insult for a manaani...

“Commander Delixa. I must say I am *eyes pan back and forth* pleased to be welcomed aboard, but I do insist to be dispatched and to maintain guard formation aside this vessel as soon as possible.”
“I will think about it. However, before we send out anybody, we might be hyperjumping out of this system - so maybe launching now would be unnecessary. That is, as soon as I figure our current status at the bridge.”
“Oh please don't leav'us so soon, Ray...gr”, Kaydaana accidentally pronounced due to her passionate manaani accent.
“R'aygr?”
The manaani woman slapped her hands, “That's it! I think I found'a name for yah, big guy.”
“Manaani, I am not a vaygr lord. I do not possess a title or name. I must deserve it by...”
“Yah have rescued lives nearly with yers nearly being sacrificed. That enough honor for the Kiith Manaani - and with the sake of the divinity and mine of course *smirk*. With yah calling refuge and asylum to the Hiigara Empire, ya'll be needin' one anyways, Ray.”

“-but-”
“No `buts', Ray!”, Kaydaana replied and squeezed his arm more with a somewhat staggering glance... a manaani glance that even `disarmed' this strong man from debating. Not even a vaygr was able to resist.

-Sigh-


- Pethera... -

(narrative voice)
Space... The endless sea... vast... mysterious. Sailing among violent ethereal waves of hyperspace, navigational precision never is precise... Some say meeting an unexpected voyager in the endless sea is impossible...
(end of a smiling narration)

The bridge.
Manned with the primary shift, many of commanding officers and lead operatives of the bridge have already returned, coordinating and maintaining internal interactions of the ship. Serenity seemed to fill Hailynn's soul as she heard and felt the flow of `bridge's atmosphere' upon her.

Entering the bridge, many views turned towards the group as Officer Orelis announced “Commander on deck!”.

Surprised to see a vaygr - in other words, the enemy- many faces turned into astonishment.

“Greetings... Commander... What is -?”, Orelis insisted to ask, but was simply surprised by the appearance of the vaygr man. Approaching Orelis, Hailynn took another sip from her coffee.

“Don't worry, Orelis - Everybody. He's on our side.”, Hailynn announced to everybody throughout the bridge, “Just to make it short: He and his people are requesting asylum and we will accept their plea - That is, at least, it is up to us to return to them to hiigaran space.”

They heard her words, but their eyes seemed to ignore their commander. The stares were signing the vaygr man that this was border. He did not want to put another step closer. Never had they come so close to a vaygr, not to mention... a probable descendant of the Taiidan - They did not know. Nonetheless, a few eyes stared with hatred upon this vaygr man as a possible murderer of the vaygr imaginably stained with hiigaran blood.

Albeit sensing his endeavoring appeal for returning to the cold space, Aira approached his side and offered him an open hand. Observing his reaction, he hesitated as he looked down on the partially beautifully tattooed kadeshi, awaiting him to respond. Making a move, he reacted by laying his rather huge hand upon Aira's open hand, who then guided him further ahead into the bridge.

Leaning over, Officer Orelis whispered into Hailynn's ear from behind, “<The deck is all yours, Hailynn. I'll keep cool - But hey, does the Captain actually know about this?>”

Clenching her teeth suddenly together, Hailynn totally forgot that she was supposed to report to the Captain about her negotiations... not even thinking how relentless it was to actually bring a vaygr to the bridge...

Still biting her teeth, she responded quietly, “<You.Are.Dismissed...!>” , and looked around excitedly with her eyes.

Just as Hailynn was about to say something else, her eyes discovered another `stranger' among the bridge crew at the side, accompanying the operatives overwatching the mining operations and observatory station. Scanning the person with her eyes, the person was a hiigaran woman, a s'jet scientist having a conversation. As usual, those Kiith S'jet always had something technical upon them. A sophisticated single-eye visor set upon her head, forehead implants for communication and many other gadgets hidden under her scientific overall made it easy to distinguish to which kiith this woman truely belonged. Unlike the usual s'jeti women of the kiith, she possessed short, smooth and glossy pale white hair that barely bypassed touched her shoulders. Her age for sure alike Hailynn's.

The edge of Hailynn's mouth frowned slightly... for this woman belonged to the same mining crew of Dr.Asad, that greedy miner of the Kiith Paktu, along other LiirHralis and Nabaalis. Arrogant enough, the s'jeti scientist did not even seem to have interest or concerns of a vaygr breathing the same air. Hailynn had neither the nerve nor the interest and patience to check the records according to Asad's team before the departure of the 'Vjel-Amaj'... another lesson learned.

Though blessing Karan S'jet, the hiigaran `lady-commander' as the vaygr called her was already developing a grudge to nearly all Kiithids serving among the ranks of Kiith Amaj. Those people, though supportive every now and then, had their own intentions and plans... but as for the dreaded team of Dr.Asad, they were independent, taking all events within this system as a chance for gaining wealth, fame and power through knowledge and harvest - even for the cost of falling in danger or worse. For Hailynn, it was unsure if the Captain was forced by Amaji superiors, self-interested or simply was kind to say `yes' to take civilian crewmen with other intentions among a somewhat desperate mission like this one.

Needless to say, a military officer and a civilian scientist stood worlds - if not - galaxies apart.

“So. This is the command citadel of this vessel...”

“...The heart and soul... valiant one.”, Aira added softly, giving him already another name to the Vaygr man for her own. For sure, this kadeshi girl was seeing this man with different eyes.

Approaching the scientist whose awareness only focused on the large screens of the observatory station, Hailynn moved aside to the scientist and asked, “So... You are...?”

The female scientist who for sure had more hair than Karan shortly turned her head and greeted, “Pride, Amaji. I am lead scientist and astronomer Dr. Pethera S'Jet, chief associate of Dr. Asad's research team. ?”, before turning her head back upon the screen - only letting herself being distracted shortly.

Hailynn quietly nodded and crossed her arms, “So you belong to Dr. Asad”, she somewhat stupidly remarked.
"It is... more the other way around, Commander. He may be Chief-Executive-Officer of the mining crew, but that is about it."
“Tell me, what are you doing right now.”

“If I must... I am monitoring Dr. Asad and his mineral extraction team, who have entered the fields, through your observatory station. Both of these operatives have kindly allowed and assisted me in the exploration and discovery of new regions within these fields. We have consulted several deep scans and recorded many unexplored elements amid the deeps of the sector and -”

As she proudly explained further, Hailynn observed her expressions and gestures as the endless streams of words and explanations left her lips. The eyes of the astronomer as she explained revealed her deepest interests, desires and greed into digging and seeking deeper into these dreaded fields of gases, fluent energy fields and minerals. She was merely obsessed by what the divine galaxy was offering, if not even more than Dr.Asad.

“- and with the discovery of these high yields regions beyond, I cannot wait until they return.”

Hailynn became more disgruntled, though silently.

“Excuse me for a moment, Doctor”, Hailynn said and turned herself over to Orelis, who stood further away as he supervised other stations, “Orelis. Can you give me a report on our current position and status?”

Orelis turned himself over, “Yes, ma'am. According to the night shift, cruise flight has been pretty quiet - Nothing to report there. Engineering concentrated on maintaining the hyperspace module systems in the meantime and trying to optimize all propulsion systems the best possible.”

She took another sip from her coffee.

“After reaching our current position, Dr.Asad and several of his team have dispatched three `bees' and the `hive'”, he explained further, referring to the collectors and a mobile cargoship for additional storage, “We have maintained this position for nearly 2 hours and have already filled two of our three mining storages. As far as I can say, all is going smooth. The field ahead is the only thing pretty dense here - but there is some good news to mention, actually.”

“Good news?”

Waving his hand over to Dr. Pethera S'Jet, it seemed as if she could explain more.

“Yes, Commander Delixa. Despite not having the sensory station manned, we discovered a small region - a patch - of stars beyond the enveloping gas shrouds of this star system. Thanks to our astronomical knowledge and the help of these two operatives, we have been able to identify the stars and pinpoint a possible jump point to a safer region in space once our mining efforts are done. All I can say is that jumping this way would primarily require the support of the sensory station. Jumping from a different jumpppoint would distort our navigational discovery and we would be forced to find a different and lesser dense region.”

If it were for Hailynn, she would immediately order a jump out of this place just to leave that Paktu behind. As she listened to their words, Hailynn discovered a large object slowly moving upon the screen, showing that it was not that far away from the position of the `Vjel-Amaj'. Infact, it was a very humongous object.

“- and what is that moving thing? That's a damn large dot on that screen.”

“It is a harmless `class-R' comet, ma'am. It is currently bypassing this sector. Its mass is smaller than any common moon and its exterior mainly consists of frozen water and of unknown solid material beneath, leaving a tail beyond our sensorial reach, but just with a rough guess, I assume it is around 1 HU. With other words, we are witnessing an event that will only take place once, according to its angle towards the central sun that we have estimated. Likely, it will either result in the loss of its exterior or totally be consumed by the sun. Also, judging by its angle, we have discovered that this comet is a `rogue' body according to its major parabolic manor of its path, probably originating from a distant star - maybe a dead star, we do not know. Mr. Quan, could you focus a screen upon it?”

“Sure thing, ma'am”, the operative said and began using his console.

Yeah right, do everything this sexy lady say... Wait a minute - Alike a lightning bolt striking through her mind, Hailynn discovered that she must have been the same woman her former squadmate was talking about at the messhall `last night'. The boring talking - the endless explanations of astronomical things... It had to be her. Within a short moment, one of the main screens revealed a deep blue and frozen object, leaving a trail as it floated ahead throughout the regions of the endless fields.

Hailynn stared upon the screen.

Something affected her... The comet itself, originating from a distant star, while it was for others perhaps alike an `alien' being intruding - for Hailynn however, her deepest feelings told her it was a lost stranger, a foreigner, not knowing where to go. Beyond the reach of its distant home, it flew across the galaxy... only to perhaps die alone.

Ever since Aira told the tale of `Kadesha' and `Rahji', Hailynn seemed to have become affected by the melancholy of those ancient lost wayfarers. Coming closer Aira herself seemed to be affected by the view as well, as Pethera revealed the screen, showing possible originations of the comet - her hand crossing the path of the `Garden of Kadesh'. Truth or not, fact or belief, Hailynn felt somewhat attracted by it - just like the girl. There were so many similarities between Hailynn's past, her former kiith and the way how Aira told the tale.

Turning her head, Pethera immediately focused her view upon Aira, whose eyes sparkled, knowing that she saw a religious meaning to this - again.

“*sigh* - I know what you are thinking, kadeshi. You are probably thinking this must be some kind of `weeping tear of Kadeshia' sent oh-so-far to this `Rahul' or `Rahji'... ”, Pethera suddenly said with a firm voice, “- I heard your story back at the messhall. But keep your foolish kadeshi thoughts of this to yourself. It is pure coincidence that we are witnessing this event.”

Her words were disrespectful. Hailynn really started to hate this woman, for she had absolutely no respect to the thoughts of the others. Staring with hatred, Hailynn pinched her eyes - Pethera's words were truly insulting Aira as well as herself.

“-But let's forget about that comet - It has nothing to do with the birth of this system and before we have to hear more bragging of a child about fanatic tales of kadeshi prophets. I have never heard of such nonsense. Everybody knows this system used to possess a humongous gas giant that just... well... died - we will figure that out soon enough: by the pure facts of science. The reason for the death of this supreme gas giant is within this system and I am sure we will find it - and if we must stay in this system forever, I can order it. And I admit that I am glad these damn vaygr and our people were in distress. Such great opportunity for us to venture into this system and uncover its secrets - its treasure. Once we have gathered enough resources, we will for sure venture deeper into this system. Even the sun is changing its color. We will figure this out, too. Perhaps we will even move closer to the sun to - ”

”SHUT-UP!”, Hailynn's voice thundered throughout the bridge.

All speech and activity seized. Her shout was so loud that it even scared both Aira and Kaydaana, who actually was surprised and bumped against `Ray', the `nameless' Vaygr.
Pethera, at first shocked, subtly straightened her body towards Hailynn, somewhat arrogantly presenting her `beauty' and `intelligence' and showing that Hailynn did not have much `chance' against her.
Tension and anxiety filled the bridge as all operatives, officers and the guest stared upon two women about to stand a verbal fight. They both stood with their faces close to each other.

“Disrespectful targ - How dare you scream at me! Watch your mouth, Delixa, or -”, Pethera argued but then felt a sudden cold object being pushed under her chin. Without a second thought, Hailynn shockingly drew her handgun and held it under Pethera's neck, and slowly spoke: “Listen, Lady. I don't care about you - but I will NOT allow you to insult, desecrate the deaths of the losses we and the vaygr suffered or disrespectfully spit on the belief of Aira and our new ally. Don't even think about making us stay in this system any longer...”

Nobody insisted to interfere, the situation was already out of control. Aira did not know what to do. Making a short head movement, Hailynn signaled Aira and others to stay back and out of this.

“Are you insane?! Y-You are making a grave mistake... Hailey - You and Kiith Delixa will regret - *ngh*”, Pethera aggressively replied but felt the muzzle of Hailynn's side arm being pushed even harder under her head.
“That's... `Hailynn of the Kiith-Amaj'... All complaints to the Captain, fool - and get the frell off my bridge!”

“You'll be SORRY for - ”

The dreaded sound of an armed handgun occurred, “*click* Leave.The.FRAKKING.Bridge.Immediately!”

Several moments passed by.
Not saying another word, it seemed as if Hailynn had success. Disarming her handgun, she shoved the handgun slowly into her hilted holster as the s'jet woman slowly moved herself away from the observatory station. Pethera's eyes flinkered, revealing that she was humiliated... A high-ranking s'jet insulted, humiliated and intimidated by a woman of a minor kiith... She could not believe it.

Many were shocked of Hailynn's aggressive reaction, but there was a slight gratitude in her standing ground as a person whose dignity of others stood above her own. Hailynn took a short sip from her coffee as needed to calm herself down somehow and actually hide a shaky hand that nobody noticed.

Hailynn felt a cold shiver down her back as she still maintained her firm looks upon the dismissed s'jet scientist. With a humiliated face, Pethera gave a last short glare just before the she left the bridge with the gates closing behind. A somewhat murderous relief fell over Hailynn with a sigh.

For once, the vaygr man curiously asked with his deep voice a question to Kaydaana who nervously stood next to his side, “Manaani, is this natural on hiigaran vessels?”

Kaydaana slowly looked up at him, “Ya godda be kiddin', Ray...”

Holding her coffee with her left hand and her right upon the top her waist, Hailynn sighed again with her face looking to the ground and she stared at it several moments. She did lose her mind... She revealed a side of her that everybody witnessed and she would soon be in deep trouble for verbally harrassing a person of a higher kiith... unfortunately one of the most worst laws to break as a military officer.

At first feeling a gentle bump to Hailynn's side, Hailynn additionally felt along a hideous, subtle and `gentle' slap upon her buttock that nobody on the bridge saw. With her back outright straight and amazed, Kaydaana snitched, “Wow. I'ma... impressed, Hailey - Queen of mah dah-vine digniteh. Yah showed `tuff-ness' there, lady - you sure you don't have a `manaani heart', mmmh?”

Orelis, who oversaw the `slap' like everybody else, stared with an astonished face, and slowly said, “-Um... That was... I don't know, but... I'm on your side, Hailey. But I have to admit that that... was not a good idea.”

Hailynn looked away from them with a worried face... Looking back upon his console, Operative Quan heard a sound, a strange reading emitting...

“Uh - Commander. I'm picking up some strange reading here.”
“Hmm? Godda be those mining people”, Kaydaana proposed.
“Maybe... but I don't remember their ships emitting these type of readings -”


“IEEEEEEP!!!!!!”, both Hailynn and Kaydaana suddenly shouted together. The sudden jolt caused Hailynn to squeeze her coffee, causing her hot precious black gold to spill among her uniform. With their hearts skipping beats, both were surprised by the discovery of a sudden event happening VERY...VERY close to the `Vjel-Amaj', seen through the main screen of the observatory.

Again gaining the attention of the whole bridge crew, soon, everybody was soon to understand their sudden shocking reaction.

Appearing only several hundred meters away, a long gigantic object emerged aside the `Vjel-Amaj'... tainted yellow... black... and red among its hull. With the broadside revealing itself as the wavefront slid among its hull, their discovery merely staggered the whole bridge crew. Everybody stared at the screen...

“A... A... a... V-v-vagyr.. B-BATTLECRUISER...?!”, Kaydaana stuttered loudly with wide eyes.

It was breathtaking as it slowly floated aside the rather small and puny cruiser. The Vaygr Battlecruiser, the supreme force of the Vaygr naval forces, levitated as the wavefront field of its hyperspace jump collapsed behind...

“S-Sp-Space... The endless sea... -”, was all Hailynn could say, reminding herself of a notable saying, as she could not calm down at all. Her heart was racing... and she was merely stunned by this sudden event nobody could have ever expected.
“- Vast... mysterious...”, Kaydaana continued, but then shouted thanks to her manaani blood, “- AND A FRACKING BATTLECRUISER COMING OUT NEXT TO US!”

A slightly disorted voice suddenly spoke over all possible frequencies, “”Hive to `Amaj, Hive to Amaj'. This is Dr.Asad calling... <long pause> Hellooo? <Is this thing on?> Hello? This is the Hive calling out to the `Vjel-Amaj'.””

Hailynn turned her head to the speaker above, hoping that person would shut-up immediately.