FSE

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Among the Stars

Chapter Five

By Roofles

“Wow, someone is really overcompensating for something, huh?” Juke crassly pointed out as the crew stood at the front of the ship as they reached their destination.

Looking out from the cockpit’s window they could see where they had been heading towards for the past Galactic week. A place Isaac had neglected to warn the others about in advance. How would you describe something like this to those you were forced to room and live with? The Terran had been worried about bringing them here and by the time he’d come up with an idea to get rid of the others, it was too late.

They were here.

Outside The Stellar Drift was a ship. A very phallic looking ship. It was long and wide in the front, thinning and curving along it’s length towards a dipping curve where two orb shaped engines were located at. Fins sprouted from the side of the ship giving it, somewhat, of the appearance it had been going for. A whale.

It did not look like a whale. It in fact looked like something else and Isaac was covering his face as the others questioned who in The Void could come up with such a ridiculous idea for a spacecraft.

“Heh, it looks like Mo-,” Sphinx turned his head trying to see it from a different angle. It didn’t help.

“Do not say Moby-Dick!” Isaac warned. The Terran had spent the past several years introducing and showing the others his media and Terran culture. A rich vibrant and very strange collection of things from Earth-One that had been saved for historical purposes.

The others took to it like candy. Watching shows and movies, enjoying the music and various other things that came along with being… human. It was strange. It was odd. As odd as that ship looked. To Isaac, a Terran, these kind of things are what he grew up with.

They were normal.

Be it due to a Terran’s short life span or chaotic nature, Isaac’s entertainment were far more enjoyable than the somber sounds of Samson’s people that sounded like Mongolian throat singers. Or Juke’s bluegrass music that had been straight up stolen from Terran radio and changed to incorporate more growls.

Sphinx was only a program and was limited as such. He only had access to the things his net was linked to, which was Isaac’s tablet. Typhon and Cyclone came from a hostile war planet that didn’t do music or movies. The closest thing they had to entertainment was a war dance that the others tried not to laugh at as the two reenacted it the best they could the other night after getting smashed off Juke’s hidden supply of whiskey he’d snuck on board.

The crew had to do what they could to keep things lively in the empty depths of space.

“Is that a moon? Twin moons,” Typhon butted in, pushing his face directly next to Isaac’s. The Terran would’ve been knocked over by the action if Cyclone hadn’t been next to him, catching Isaac from the other side before the Terran could get ran over by the overexcited Saberwolf.

Typhon didn’t even seem to notice, placing a hand on Isaac’s shoulder, tail wagging, as he gawked at the strange ship.

“So cool…” Typhon grinned, and Isaac sighed. He couldn’t blame him. Most Saberwolves were limited to warfare and knew very little outside their home system.

Typhon didn’t grow up with music. He didn’t grow up with the arts or dance or even things deemed useless as learning about the other races out there. Outside how to kill them…

“It’s not a moon,” Isaac grumbled, covering his face with a hand. “It’s supposed to look like a whale.”

“A sperm whale maybe,” Juke snorted, covering his muzzle with a hand as he tried to stop himself from bursting out into laughter. He failed and his guffaws filled their ship as he tried not to fall over from laughing at the atrocious sight.

“It’s not,” Isaac tried to stop them as Juke held the captain’s chair for support. The ‘Yote was shaking it back and forth and Isaac was trying not to get knocked out of it. A helpful paw from Cyclone kept him from being tossed onto the central console.

“Those are some very big… engines,” Cyclone snorted from Isaac’s left side, helping him back into the chair after kicking Juke away.

“Big, round and very… smooth engines,” Typhon chuckled from Isaac’s right side. The Saberwolf was still resting most of his bulky weight against Isaac. If Typhon had been needy before, it was nothing compared to after the two of them had been together.

The two had sex plenty of times before now, but last time was different… When Isaac tried to ask Typhon about this, the Saberwolf just said they were tied together. And not by his knot, this time. Something Typhon had lewdly pointed to the following morning, even making it spin comically. Isaac was left questioning what the fuck happened as Typhon strutted around the rest of the week looking like the cock of the walk, practically peacocking in front of the others.

“It’s a space station?” Samson stepped up behind them, chewing loudly as he snacked on a bag of rock pops. They crackled loudly as he chewed the rock like candy loudly. It only added to the growing headache Isaac was experiencing from all of this.

“It’s not a station. It’s a ship.” Isaac muttered a bit, dragging his hand down his face. He was uncomfortable about all of this for more reasons than he wanted to count.

First there was Typhon whipping his dick out in front of the others mockingly. Then there was Cyclone, who left Isaac uncomfortably familiar with his silence. Always there, nearby, lurking. Yet, Isaac found his presence a comfort. That only creeped him out more. Juke was drunk half the week. Sphinx had recorded Isaac and Typhon’s entire encounter and was, constantly, threatening to release the candid video if Isaac didn’t place hoardcraft with him. Now Samson, who’d mostly been absent in the engineering bay below deck, was chewing loudly in their already cramp ship.

The entire crew was crowding into his space and the Terran was desperately trying not to initiate the self-destruct sequence in the ship to get some space from the others.

Isaac rubbed his temples, questioning his life choices that brought him here today.

With their depleting funds and the fact their last mission had been a bust, Isaac, as the ship’s captain, needed to reimburse their losses somehow. Isaac hadn’t wanted to stoop to this level but after everything that had happened in the past Galactic year, he needed to swallow his pride and ask for help.

Something he’d never been good at. Let alone from someone like the owner of this peculiar vessel.

“If it’s not a moon or a space station, what is it? It’s huge!” Typhon whistled at the end looking up at the painfully bright white structure floating in the middle of space before them. It stuck out, for more reasons than one.

“That’s what she said,” Juke couldn’t help himself as he got up from the floor where Cyclone had kicked him.

“Shut up, Juke. It’s called The White Pearl,” Isaac said looking at the other ship. “It’s a spacecraft.”

“Heh, it definitely has a pair of white pearls.” Juke snorted.

“Those are supposed to be its tail flippers!” Isaac snapped back nearly losing it at this point. “I think…” He really couldn’t defend the atrocity that was this ship’s design. There was another reason to add to the ever-growing list as to why Isaac hadn’t come here sooner.

“It’s massive. How does it move?” Samson was already trying to figure out the schematics for such a thing. “The design could be very practical, but the fins and, uh, tail structure aren’t.” The Ursa Major rubbed his chin and stardust fell from his fur. A strange trait of his people. While Isaac originally thought it was disgusting, he realized it was both harmless and somewhat beautiful in the right light.

Like specks of twinkling star dust that just happened to be exuded from an alien species. Nature could be so beautifully disgusting sometimes.

“It doesn’t really have engines. Those are just for show…” Isaac had given up at this point. With a shrug and a shake of his head, there was little else he could do.

“Are you telling me someone purposefully asked for them?” Samson gave Isaac a concerned look and the Terran nodded in return.

“How does it fly then?” Typhon, full of questions, asked.

“It’s more like it… drifts, through space. It’s not a spacecraft, but a ship. A yacht, to be more precise…” Isaac rubbed the back of his neck. “Like a boat in the middle of the sea, it drifts and floats along with the waves. It has no clear destination as the owner of it doesn’t either. Just… enjoying the ride. While it lasts.”

“In the middle of nowhere,” Cyclone felt the need to point out.

Sure enough, there wasn’t another planet or star in sight. Just empty space. Like a dark ocean in the middle of the night. Silent waves moving the other ship lazily back and forth as it drifted through the endless… nothingness.

The brightly lit ship was the only source of light in the nigh darkness around them. It left the others speechless, for the most part. For who could react seeing such a sight. From all the worlds they’d visited, to all the sights they’d seen… the emptiness before them was a painful reminded of how very small they were in the grand scheme of things.

How finite they were. Small, insignificant… that no matter what they did, it wouldn’t ever really matter in the end of things. For what lay before them was their end.

Nothing…

At least that’s how Isaac felt about seeing such a sight. But, just like the painfully bright ship before them, Typhon was always the beacon of light within the endless sea of darkness Isaac battled against.

“We’re in space,” Typhon brought up. About to say more, about to do more but his voice alone had snapped Isaac out of his funk and the Terran forgot all the empty thoughts that had come in.

“I know,” Isaac quickly said before Typhon could point out they were in the middle of space and that there were no waves or water or ocean. “I know. The ship was designed based off a watercraft, not a spacecraft. It’s dumb. It’s stupid and it’s a waste of money.” Isaac grumbled. “Look,” he turned to the others. “I didn’t exactly want to come here. Just that, with everything else going on. We needed a place to lay low for a while and sell what we did get… Illegally, keep in mind…” Isaac felt the need to bring up and remind the others. “No one else would dare risk buying such a thing. The Galactic Front is very particular about selling these kind of things…”

“You mean babies,” Typhon, unhelpfully, brought up. Isaac just groaned as the others agreed.

They all nodded at that, understanding their criminal actions at the very least. Or at least understanding enough that they could not afford to get caught by the law. Only those with deep pockets or those with connections would be let go. Very few souls ever had a chance to get out of Space prison. They were more like floating death sentences. Places deep in space that you sent those you never wanted to see again.

Ironically, in another light, the very ship they were going to could’ve been seen as a Space Prison. A structure located in the vast emptiness of space where others went to and never came out of. If it wasn’t so brightly lit and, strangely shaped, Isaac might’ve feared it was one.

“Lay low in that?” Juke snorted, resting back against the captain’s chair and cocked an eyebrow at said captain. “That thing stands out like a sore thumb! I’ve never seen a ship so… clean before,” he scoffed, shaking his head. “Or bright. Who flies a giant glowing dildo?” The ‘Yote shook his head in a mixture of disgusted disappointment. “What a waste of money.” Juke had to agree. “Booze money.”

The Ex-marshal had come from a mining planet. Something so brightly lit as The White Pearl must’ve been an eyesore for the ‘Yote. He came from grit and dirt, where grime on your hands meant you had a good day of work.

Not like…

“These people.” Isaac groaned as he noticed they were being hailed by the other ship as they drew closer. “This place isn’t… like the other places we’ve been to so far.” Isaac reached over, his finger hovering over the lit button. Afraid to push it and open the communication link between the two vessels. He couldn’t help but wonder if it was too late to flee. “Nor are the people here. You’ve been warned,” Isaac said, giving everyone else there a look.

“Relax, we’re a master at blending in.” Typhon assured Isaac as he stepped back and posed. Grinning toothily at him, Typhon placed his fingers over his chin in an L shape he’d seen in an anime Isaac and him had watched together one night. His teeth sparkled, but that was only because of the bright light emitting from the other ship. “No one will even notice we hadn’t always been there.”

“Just shut up and let me do all the talking.” Isaac snorted a laugh though, despite his dismal hopes for this trip he couldn’t help but laugh and smile when Typhon was around.

His chest hummed softly, and he felt a warmth glow within it at the thought.

“Get a room.” Sphinx shouted from the side at the two.

“We will!” Typhon grinned.

“I’ll make sure to get the cameras ready!” Sphinx jumped in and the two mocked high-five as Isaac groaned at their idiotic display of comradery.

“I miss the days you two were at each other’s throats.” Isaac sighed.

With a loud snort, Cyclone stepped aside to give the two plenty of space. His heavy mechanical steps thudded against the carpeted floor before a piston released and with a squeak, he rested against the far wall with his head down. Just out of sight from the commlink in the hallway.

“Typhon. Keep an eye on him,” Isaac whispered. He needed some space from the clinging Saberwolf as it was and jumped on the first opportunity that presented itself. Besides, it was best not to give the other captain any more ammunition to use against Isaac than they already had.

“Yes, sir!” Typhon saluted, stuck his tongue out and crossed his eyes. “You can trust me, captain.”

“Good. You’re my only hope,” Isaac batted his eyes at him before shooing him off. “Away with you.” Isaac wanted to grab a broom to shoo Typhon off with. Thankfully it didn’t come to that as the Saberwolf chased after Cyclone hurriedly.

“That boy is so whipped,” Samson shook his head in pity as he watched Typhon follow Isaac’s orders.

“He loves it,” Isaac shrugged, only to turn into a brightly red mess as the others teased him further.

“Yeah, in the bedroom.” Samson smirked and Juke gave him a high-five for that one, the two teaming up on their captain.

“I’m pushing the damn button!” Isaac shouted and did just that.

“I’m going to hate this, aren’t I?” Juke asked and Isaac was already saying an apology as he pushed the communication button, opening up the channels between their two ships.

Instantly, everyone was covering their ears as a high pitch squeal filled The Stellar Drift’s cabin. The bright light from the other side of the channel burned Isaac’s eye and he cursed, dimming the light of the video quickly.

“My eyes!” Juke was already falling to the floor, barely able to keep a firm clasp on his flask. The ‘Yote had half a mind to empty its contents on his burning eyes after that. “It’s like looking into a sun!”

“Isaac, darling, I was wondering when you would call!” A flamboyant moth appeared on the front screen, filling it up with their fuzzy, furry white face and overly large black eyes. Above each were feathery gold antennae that Isaac hated getting butterfly kisses from. “I thought you forgot about little ol’ me.” The moth giggled, moving back from the camera from where they had crawled up on the console. Just waiting for Isaac to open the video call and give him a jump scare.

It never failed to work. Raphael might’ve thought he was cute and adorable, Isaac saw him for the strange insect like alien race he was. Those eyes creeped him the hell out. And those grabby little hands, and that fuzzy little body and…

“I could never forget someone like you, Raph.” Isaac voice was cloyingly sweet as he tried to keep the forced smile on his face, looking like a used car salesman that desperately needed to sell a vehicle to a costumer they despised. Isaac was even rubbing his hands together greedily.

“Oh, darling, I’m so glad.” The moth flapped their white wings, sending powdery white scales in all directions and making his guards cough and sputter from the smell. The two guards behind the moth wore ceramic masks over their face, hiding their identity. The white masks looked as if they were made of ceramic, hand carved with gold and blues shaping them into unsettlingly smiling faces with blank and empty eyes. “It’s been so long since we had a chance to catch up. I’ve missed our ten-hour long sessions,” Raphael rubbed their furry grabby little black three fingered hands togethers excitedly as they bounced on the spot. “And I see you’ve brought some handsome boys along with you. You shouldn’t have,” he giggled saccharinely sweet.

Isaac tried not to gag.

“Raph,” Isaac warned, and the moth only giggled, a strange sound that was more like chittering. “Behave yourself or I won’t introduce you to the others.”

“Oh, Isaac, you know I’m always on my best behavior!” Raph kicked up a spindly black leg, “I’ll behave to enjoy that eye candy. Until I get a few of those, what did you call them? Man-hat-tans in me, that is.” Raphael’s eyes twinkled mischievously, and Isaac rolled his eye at the way they said the word. “You’re the one holding out on me,” Raph brought up. Flicking the fuzzy hair from their face dramatically. “After all I’ve done for you,” they looked at Isaac. Or rather over Isaac’s shoulders at the big, muscular men he had in his crew. “Just look at you. Practically swimming with men.” Raph’s antennae wiggled excitedly. “You must let me dress them!”

“Raph,” Isaac steered the conversation back to why they had come here. “Do you want the pearls or not?”

“Yes, yes,” Raphael sighed dramatically, practically melting against the console in front of them. Looking like a moth suffering from heatstroke. “You always poke a hole in my bubble of fun. Let all the fungasm out,” they tsked, getting angry about it and showing their true colors for a brief second. It vanished as quickly as it came as their wandering eye spotted a flash of blue in the background. “Oh, oh! Is that a Saberwolf? Isaac… you didn’t!” Raph’s eyes, even devoid of any white, managed to sparkle. “I want to know all the details. Size. Positions. Consistency and-,”

“Raph!” Isaac shouted at the scream, covering his face with a hand after. He was doing his best to keep it together. “Not without a couple dozen drinks, at least.” Isaac finally admitted.

“Yes, yes.” Raphael pressed a button on the console. “Your security clearance has, of course, passed, darling. Like I wouldn’t let you and those tasty men in... You naughty thing,” the moth’s antennae wiggled. “I can’t wait to hear all the scandalous and salacious activities you’ve been up to! It’s been so boring without you around,” Raph nearly fainted and one of the muscular guards caught him from hitting the ground. “Oh, thank you, Alajandro. Ala is such a dear,” the moth patted their massive arm several times, groping it before finally, reluctantly, letting go of them.

It was strange to see a Tigeron working for a Motha. Something Isaac could never get a clear answer from Raph about.

“See you soon, Raph.” Isaac gave a forced smile, trying not to grind his teeth. He was going to hate this so much. He hadn’t been joking about the drinks.

“Toodles!” With a wiggle of their disturbingly soft white fuzzy black fingered hands, the line cut off and Isaac collapsed back into his chair with a low groan feeling five years older after that conversation.

“Let’s not.” Isaac said to no one in particular. “Is it me? Have I changed? I just don’t have the energy to handle him for an entire month. I’m not the spry bar hopping Flight student any longer,” Isaac sighed thinking of the past.

He couldn’t remember much of it as if a dark stain was over the photograph in his mind.

“A month?” The thudding sound of heavy footsteps announced Cyclone’s return.

Spinning in the chair to face the others, Isaac let Sphinx take control of the ship. Not that it was needed. He was sure Raphael had already gotten them in a tractor beam and was guiding their ship, willingly or not, into the gaping maw of the disturbingly shaped ship.

“Raph wouldn’t accept the… request unless I came for a ‘visit,’ sorry.” Isaac forced his tired eye open to look at the cyborg Saberwolf standing there before him.

Cyclone didn’t look pleased, though Isaac wasn’t sure why that was. He was the one who had stowed away on his ship. Typhon followed behind Cyclone, apologizing.

“He kicked me in the nuts,” Typhon whined. Isaac recalled the many times he and his brothers had done such things in the past and didn’t question it. Brotherly love was a good kick to the nuts.

“He’s going to drain me dry, and not with that little sucker at the end of his face,” Isaac cringed, shivering at the disturbing thought. “He is a social butterfly! Uh, moth. Raph loves drama and talking… so much talking,” Isaac nearly collapsed into his chair. Exhausted even before they landed.

“It can’t be that bad,” Cyclone’s joints creaked as he slowly knelt down on one knee in front of Isaac so the two were on even heights with one another. Reaching out a hand, Cyclone placed it over Isaac’s. “If need be, we can just get out of there. It’s not like it’s the first time we’ve been through this.”

“Heh, true.” Isaac felt the need to agree, as if he’d known Cyclone all his life.

“Besides,” Cyclone handed him a small device. “If you ever need me? Just call. I’ll come running. I’d do anything for you.”

“Thanks, Cyclone, that’s sweet.” Isaac said as the two had their moment.

“A-fucking-hem!” Typhon growl grew behind the other Saberwolf. “I’m standing right here! Don’t you ignore me.” The two did. “You can see me right?” Typhon turned to look at the others. Sphinx laughed; Juke lifted his hands not wanting to get involved as Samson patted Typhon on the back.

“This is why threesomes just don’t work out,” Samson began to sagely advice Typhon about. “There is always some underlying jealousy involved.”

“I’m not jealous.” Typhon said as he roughly pulled Cyclone away from Isaac. “He’s mine!” Typhon snarled.

“Ah, I remember my last threesome. Mari and Kal. One in the front. One behind. Unfortunately, I’m not as young as I used to be!” Samson chortled, holding his belly as he laughed as he reminisced on the thoughts and Juke looked at him with ever growing concern. “My legs gave out half way in and then I ended up falling back on Mari, but Kal was doing such a good job I didn’t even notice until after!” Samson shook his head. Juke took a weary step away from the large Ursa. “A couple inches lower, and she’d have become my-,”

“Stop!” Juke and Sphinx begged him together.

“Jealous much?” Cyclone smirked at Typhon, shoving the other Saberwolf off. “Isaac understands a real man.” He said turning to face towards the Terran once more. “After we’re done with this job, we’ll go somewhere nice. Just the two of us.”

“Urgh, sounds nice.” Isaac didn’t even argue against the tempting thought.

“Hey, that’s my line, bub. So, step off!” Typhon tried to judo chop the other Saberwolf but, with startling speed, Cyclone caught his wrist with his other hand. The clamp locked around the wrist; the arm twisted at an unnatural angle to catch the attack.

Glancing back at Typhon, Cyclone began to rise without letting go. The action forced Typhon, slowly, to his knees before the other Saberwolf as Cyclone bent his wrist backwards.

“Going to do something?” Juke asked watching the exchange with bored amusement, ignoring Samson who was still rambling on about past exploits and “the days of my youth.”

Juke was busy contemplating if it would be worth heading into that hell hold that place was sure to be for the exotic drinks. A guy like Raph would most likely have every fruity flavored cocktail in the universe available. It was a very tempting offer, depending on the alcohol content to the drinks.

“If I do step in, he’ll never learn.” Isaac wasn’t in the mood for this. Getting up, he stepped around the two Saberwolves who’d been at each other throat ever since Cyclone had stowed away on their vessel. “Don’t overdo it,” he sighed, patting Cyclone on the arm as he stepped by.

“Understood,” Cyclone winked at Isaac before snarling down at Typhon. “Submit to me like the little dog you are.”

Typhon refused to beg for Isaac’s help, not wanting to seem weak in front of the Terran who went to get a drink. The Saberwolf’s fur sparked, and he growled.

“Gonna’ drain you dry, pup, if you keep that up.” Cyclone’s arm was already charging from the energy Typhon was releasing. “IF you beg, I might stop. Maybe…” Cyclone lip lifted, and he bared a metal fang at the other Saberwolf.

“I’ll just overload the battery and you’ll be the one left begging.” Typhon tried to increase the voltage and ended up nearly passing out as Cyclone let him go.

“That only works in anime, dumbass.” Cyclone rolled his eye. “Can’t wait to get off this damned vessel…”

Throwing Typhon back against the floor, Cyclone stepped over the panting Saberwolf to walk over and join Isaac on the sofa in the middle of the room. The Terran had gotten an early Manhattan while their ship was agonizingly slowly pulled into the other ship.

“You’re the one who hitched a ride with us,” Juke said from behind. Resting against the back of the sofa, the two males glared at each other. “If the captain wasn’t so forgiving we’d have shot you into space.”

“If that could kill me, I might’ve let you try.” Cyclone let out a growl of a breath. Juke matched the volume with his own growl and the two butted heads, refusing to break eye contact with the other until they blinked.

“And here I thought I was the one everyone hated,” Sphinx’s hologram appeared next to Isaac who was trying to ignore the life he was in.

“You are!” Several of the others shouted at him making the holographic lion’s body turn a dark red as he flipped them off.

“Want a piece of this?” Sphinx gladly joined into the fight as they argued with one another.

“You want to go!” Typhon jumped back in, threatening to wrestle the hologram. The Saberwolf slipped through his body and smacked his chin on the floor much to Sphinx’s amusement, who laughed down at him from above.

“How do you keep forgetting that I’m not here?” Sphinx chortled.

“If there is a god or deity out there, please take me now.” Isaac muttered aloud, looking up at the ceiling. His view was blocked out as Samson leaned over him, most likely to check on him. As the ship’s pseudo-dad, their engineer took it on himself to at least check on the others.

Most the time, though, Isaac was the one wanting to check on him. Samson often locked himself down in the engineering bay and days could go by without the Terran seeing the Ursa.

“You gonna’ be alright kid?” Samson’s deep voice growled from his lips as the translator around Isaac’s neck did most the work for the alien ursine. Star dust fell from above and Isaac didn’t mind. Something he’d quickly learned that a lot of other races out there in the galaxy hated and despised the Ursa Major’s for.

It was simply part of who and what they were. There was no changing that.

“Yeah. I’ll get through this. Like everything else. Somehow.” Isaac groaned as he sat up. He was shoved from the other side as Cyclone was forced to get to his feet as someone else had shoved them. Not wanting to get caught in the feud, Isaac moved to the far side of the curved sofa.

Samson heavy steps thumped against the ground before he took an equally heavy seat on the sofa, forcing Isaac to slide closer to the deep indentation Samson made in it.

“It’ll do all of us some good to get out of here for a month,” Samson words were slow and steady, much like the bear was. He would get to his destination at his own pace, no one else’s. Something Isaac was still trying to get used to. “What is this place like?” Samson asked the question on everyone’s mind.

Despite the other crewmembers refusing to back down, they were all ears to listen in on what Isaac had to say.

“Raphael is a collector, of sorts.” Isaac started up and Samson’s lip pulled up in a soft smile. The Ursa Major was good at distracting Isaac from his worries and concerns as if he truly saw and understood Isaac to be his kid. Pulling out his tablet, Isaac connected to the main screen and put up a few pictures for the others to get a feel for the place.

With a flick of his wrist, Isaac swiped the pictures from the tablet upwards and off it. They appeared on the main screen.

“Is that marble?” Juke frowned seeing the elaborate hallways.

Each picture looked like a work of art. Stone columns rose from the sides of the hallways, decorated with elaborate filigree of silver and gold. They looked like leaves and vines crawling up the pillars. Though not alive, it was hard to tell with the great care and detail that went into making them.

The picture changed and the next one was no less impressive than the last.

“Raphael took several notes from Tigeron culture, despite being a Motha,” Isaac went on as he went through the pictures on his tablet that the others saw on the big screen. “Tigeron’s are known to… simulate or copy the culture of others, practically stealing it for themselves. It allows them to adapt and fit in with various alien races around the universe more so than others. Raphael decided to return the favor and do the same thing to them. The ship has undergone countless redesigns. Changing every couple of cycles depending on Raph’s mood or what he’s come across.”

“Impressive.” Samson mused looking at the architecture on display.

“How is that impressive? Anyone can remodel.” Typhon was confused and lost to this. Saberwolf culture was brutal and harsh. Living on a near barren planet, all he knew was the jagged rocks jutting out of the ground and the twisted metals his people used to build their war machines and structures with. Saberwolves were known as barbaric metal shapers for a reason.

“Boy,” Samson gave Typhon a stern look. He was never impressed by Typhon no matter how hard the Saberwolf tried. Isaac liked to joke that it was because Dad-Samson disapproved of Typhon being his boyfriend. “They’re in the middle of space. You can’t go and get supplies all willy-nilly like’n you can back on a planet, see here.” Samson pointed at the screen.

The next picture was that of a very impressive looking bath. Unlike the Greek inspired hallways, the bath looked far more eastern in style. A divider separated the open-air bath, allowing men on one side and woman on the other… and then whatever else various alien species came in to have private baths as needed.

Not all races, after all, had genders as Terran’s and Saberwolves did. It was another reason why most alien didn’t interact with those outside their own kind.

“Raphael would, of course, have a public bath.” Isaac cursed, flipping through fifteen other pictures of the bath that Raph had sent him. All of different angles and with people in them. Men. All men. There was zero pictures of the woman side of the baths. “He must’ve just redesigned it, again.” Isaac quickly scrolled down the list before opening up one not bath related.

“Where does he get the supplies from?” Juke asked, getting curious as Samson was.

“Compressor crystals,” Cyclone was the one to say getting a few looks from the others. “Hey,” he shrugged. “I used to run shipments to him sometimes.”

“Aren’t those… illegal?” Typhon had to think about it. He only remembered them several years ago on the Tigeron trading post they had visited.

“Technically…. No?” Isaac stretched the word out, unsure if that was fully true or not. “Depends on the sector of the universe you are in. I think? All they do,” Isaac explained before Typhon could ask, “is, well, compress space. Shrink it down into a more portable form. It doesn’t work on organic matter, though. That is illegal.” He made sure to point out.

“How does that work?” Typhon followed up with and no one there was fully sure how to answer that question.

“Think of it like a balloon,” Sphinx reappeared. The AI was the only one who fully understood the Tigeron tech and still had to dumb it down for the others. Holding up a hand, a holographic picture of a filled air balloon appeared. “Now, the outer side of the balloon is the crystal, right? The inside is mostly empty air. Replace the air with space. Now, when you let the space out…” The balloon shrunk for them all to witness. “It gets smaller, right? Well, compressor crystals do something similar. It shrinks down the space inside to make things far more easier to transport. They’re very rare and can only be found in certain quadrants of the universe… if you’re lucky.” Sphinx shrugged. “You could look your entire life and still never even see one.”

“And we saw an entire crate of those things!” Typhon’s tail wagged, excited they had seen something most people never could.

One day, when Isaac got the time, he would show Typhon as many things as they physically could see. To have the Saberwolf see all the sights, smell all the worlds, hear the sound of the ocean… To experience all he had been denied for being born on Saber.

“Damn, I should’ve swiped a couple.” Juke cursed at his bad luck.

“No,” Isaac warned him and then looked at Typhon who was thinking something similar. “Bad. NO, Typhon. Compressor crystals are extremely dangerous. Do you know how many lives are lost a Galactic year because of those things?”

“Huh?” Typhon diamond shaped ears perked up before his head tilted to the side. “How so?”

“Uh, getting compressed kills most races. Dumbass,” Cyclone snorted, shaking his head. “Let’s put you into a hydraulic press and see what happens!” Cyclone grinned at the idea. Most his teeth were made of metal, just like his saber fangs were.

“Nu uh!” Typhon growled back. “Isaac said, he said, that you can’t use it on organic matter. So there,” Typhon stuck his tongue out, folding his arms and turning his body away from the other Saberwolf. For some reason, he seemed to act like a child again around the other Saberwolf.

“Just because it doesn’t work, doesn’t mean people haven’t tried…” Isaac brought up. He let those words linger before looking down at the tablet. “Say if you are connected,” he motioned between himself, and the tablet and the wire plugged into the side of his head. “If you were to try and compress this tablet into one of those crystals with me connected to it? You’d get very… gruesome results.”

Typhon cringed at the thought.

“Exactly,” Cyclone huffed. He lifted up his arm. The clamp at the end snapped together several times as he looked at it. “Yet, accidents still happen…”

Typhon was the one to snort, laughing at Cyclone’s misfortune. The other Saberwolf lowered his arm down, staring at Typhon, grinding his teeth. The sound of metal against metal began to fill the room and Isaac stepped in before things got bloody.

“The point is, it’s one way to transport things. Illegally.” Isaac decided that it was best to call it what it was. “Just don’t let Raphael hear that. He claims everything he does is on the board. On the up and up,” Isaac rolled his eyes. “He gets very… emotional when he’s called out on his wrongdoings.”

Isaac understood that. No one likes their failures and mistakes rubbed in their face. Despite his words, Isaac did understand Raph. His race was similar to a Terran’s in one way. They both were looked down on by all the others in the universe.

“Where does he get all the money to do all this?” Samson changed the subject, focusing on another important topic they needed to know. “If we’re going to be putting up with him for a full month, best know what he’s dealing in.”

“What isn’t he dealing in.” Isaac laughed, before apologizing. “Sorry, sorry. It’s just… there is a reason why we can stay here safely without concern for the law.”

“Are they not aware of what he’s doing?” Samson frowned, mulling that over as he rubbed his chin.

“Oh no, they’re all very aware of it. And I mean everyone. Raphael doesn’t even really try to hide it. It’s just…” Isaac grimaced a bit.

“They benefit from it as well,” Juke was the one to deduce first, understanding the criminal mind far more than the others would being an ex-marshal. Half his job had been trying to get into the mind of the perp he was hunting. Profiling them so he could figure out where they might strike next.

“Exactly. All the Celestial Nations are aware of what he does. They are even for it, just on the downlow. Raphael is mostly known for his title, than his name. The Curator. A man, uh, moth that collects things from around the universe and holds them, safely, on display in his grandiose yacht.” Isaac said before getting rudely interrupted.

“Right, the penis ship.” Juke said after taking a drink. “So, what you’re saying is this prissy little moth man has priceless works of art on that ship?” Isaac could see dollar signs in Juke’s eyes.

“Not just art. He has documents of lost worlds, scientific discoveries and even what he calls the ‘true history’ of the universe.” Isaac shrugged. “Mostly, though, anything shiny. He loves bright, colorful, extravagant things. Gems, jewelry, you name it. This also includes illegal things like bombs or weaponry,” Isaac face turned to one of worry and concern. “Don’t let his personality distract you. He is a very dangerous individual that even the Celestial Nations acknowledge and are willing to work with.”

“Secrets of the universe.” Cyclone laughed. “No big secret in that.”

“Well, weaponry and technology are also things of his trade.” Isaac stressed. “His guards are trained mercenaries that are disturbingly loyal to him. Even the Celestial Nation can’t bribe information from them. I’ve even heard they captured a few of them and tortured them endlessly… no matter what they did, they got nothing out of them. They refused to say a single word against Raph or his business.”

“Creepy.” Juke frowned. “I rather put a bullet in my skull than let those bastards catch me.” Juke took a drink to that. “Not that those prissy, stuffy, bastards would care about a real man like me.” The ‘Yote added on, making Isaac wonder how much he’d drunk. “They only care about their wealth, reputation and appearance… No. No, no, no.” It finally clicked and he looked at Isaac who shrugged in apology. “You don’t mean…? Please tell me we won’t have to deal with those arrogant sons of-,”

“Uh, yeah, so Raphael’s main clientele are in fact, Celestials. Sorry.” Isaac said. “That’s why I didn’t want to come here unless we absolutely had to. After all our mishaps and failures along the way, well… we don’t have much of a choice anymore.”

“Damn,” Juke took a drink. “Damnit, damnit, damnit!” He cursed loudly, stomping as he paced back and forth. “Anyone but them!”

“Maybe it’d be best if we just stayed on the ship.” Samson offered and Isaac was tempted to take him up on it.

“Uh,” Typhon lifted a hand until Isaac noticed him. “Who exactly are the Celestials?”

The others just gave him a look.

“You don’t know? Were you born under a rock? Even the fringe system knows of those pricks.” Juke stared at Typhon.

“Yeah, I was born under a rock. Thanks for reminding me,” Typhon glared at the ‘Yote. Then he turned to Isaac with pleading eyes.

“Are all Saberwolves this dumb?” Juke thumbed over at Typhon as he asked Cyclone.

“Pretty much, yeah. They’re a barbaric race that believes dying in glorious battle is the greatest of rewards,” Cyclone rolled his eye. “And that any kind of medical tech, such as implants, are unnatural and should be forcibly removed. It only goes downhill from there.”

“Shit.” Juke almost felt sorry for Typhon now.

“The Celestial Bodies, or Nations as they are now known as, are some of the first alien races to colonize the universe. Each one of these groups thought that not only were they the center of the universe, but that they were the only ones with intelligence. Until they bumped into each other.” Isaac frowned. “Then war broke out. All across the universe these different groups fought each other. All claiming they were the first or some such thing. Eventually, when other races were discovered, they decided that they were the chosen ones and that everyone else were second. Taking pieces of space for themselves, they banded together under one name planning to… help… educate the other races they discovered.”

“Educate… how?” Juke frowned, not liking where this was going.

“Education camps,” Isaac was growing ever more uncomfortable about this history lesson. “Most don’t know or, rather, don’t like to talk about it. They, uh, tried to… domesticate several other races. Which led to the next great universal war.” Isaac had to think about it. “I think it was one of the Celestial races, the Tigeron, that began the peace talks. They took advantage of the war to expand their power and influence across the universe. They are known as one of the Greater Celestial Empires with the Immortal Emperor as their ruler…”

“Immortal?” Typhon’s jaw dropped.

“No one is actually immortal,” Cyclone shook his head again. “Their advance medical technology has allowed their Emperor to live far past his years. Preventing him from dying of natural causes. A bullet in the head will still kill the prick.”

“Good.” Juke said as if they were planning to face the Tigeron in the future someday. Isaac didn’t even bother bringing that up.

“Rakastan and his draconic brethren are another Celestial group, just a heads up.” Cyclone spoke up, reminding the others of their current threat. The Tigeron’s weren’t the only power in the universe after all. “They might have scale guards here.” Cyclone didn’t like the sound of that after ditching Rakastan.

In his defense, Rakastan was trying to destroy the station he was on, and Cyclone only viable escape route was to use Isaac’s ship.

“That’s fine,” Isaac waved it off. “As long as we have The Stellar Drift, we can escape if things get hairy. It’s saved our skins numerous times already in the past. Plus, we’re the only ones with the key to drive the thing,” Isaac thumbed over to Sphinx.

“What if they try something on the ship while we are away?” Typhon growled, punching a fist into his other hand rearing up for a fight.

“Don’t.” Isaac warned. “Raphael is very open to those who come onto his ship. He does not, however, condone violence. He’s a pacifist, oddly enough. He has several security drones and dampening fields around the ship that… suppress violent tendencies. One way or another.” Isaac grimaced having once witness such a sight.

It was hard to say when that was and Isaac shook the thought away, focusing what was at hand.

“He’s going to drug us, isn’t he?” Juke groaned, not liking any of this. “Things just keep getting worse.”

“The entire ship is under a suppression field that prevents hostile intent towards others. Or, at least, dampens it.” Cyclone spoke up. “It feels… itchy.” He growled. “Makes you not want to fight. It isn’t a drug and is otherwise harmless. At least, according to what I was told about it.”

“Correct,” Isaac clapped his hands together. “Glad we’re all on the same page. This will fucking suck.”

“What about his security officers?” Samson inquired. “Outside the drones,” the engineer understood why a machine wouldn’t be effected.

“I’m not really sure… all I know is that I’ve seen a security guard pummel someone to death,” Isaac muttered, trying to recall specifics. “They can do as they please even within the field. I’m not fully sure how that is physically possible, though. The rest of us won’t be able to lift up a single fist in retaliation,” Isaac noted Typhon. “Well, most of us shouldn’t.” He had a strong feeling that it wouldn’t effect Typhon like it would him. “It’s best just to play along with what Raph has in mind.”

Typhon was special, not like Isaac and the others. In any other universe, Typhon would’ve been captain of this ship and Isaac…

Swallowing down the dark thoughts, Isaac got up.

“What’s the game plan?” Typhon jumped on over to join him, nuzzling Isaac’s face.

“Nothing. We just give him the pearls, crash on his ship for a month and then get back here.” Isaac shrugged. “I know all this stuff I’ve mentioned so far sounds like this will be our hardest mission. Raphael isn’t like that. This will be extremely easy and nigh impossible to fail.”

“Oh, I like that. I like that!” Typhon wagged. “That’s good!”

“Just very taxing and draining mentally and spiritually,” Isaac groaned at the thought of staying up all day and night having what Raphael called girl talk with them. The moth having taken several things from the Terran over the years together.

Year together… time… ti..me.. together.

“That’s bad.” Typhon whined.

“They’ll have plenty of drinks and food for free.” Isaac added on.

“That’s good!” Typhon wagged.

“But we’ll have to participate in some… events while we are here. I’m sure that Raph has numerous things planned already,” Isaac slumped against Typhon’s front.

“Oh, that’s bad.” Typhon just went on.

“Then-,” Isaac was about to continue until the others had enough of their back and forth together.

“Okay, okay. Enough.” Cyclone stepped in before the two continued this charade any further. “We’ve landed.”

Sure enough, as the others looked towards the front they could finally see the port they had been pulled into. The front of the massive whale shaped ship closed behind them, and they were trapped inside it. Lights flicked on overhead and another row of lights guided their way, leading them ever further into the belly of the beast…