Ch. 2

Ominously, the door to the cargo slowly slid open. In there a single large incubator pod that welcomed the two men. On the exterior cover the fiery emblem of the Eternal Fire was curved in below a glass window. On the bottom of the machine, multiple electric cords grew out.

Nothing else was in the room. Not even lights. The room was luminated by the innards of the incubator and the opened door that lead to the corridor.

"You.. should have the honor of opening the pod" Spencer was first to open his mouth but remained frozen on the spot. He had a bad feeling about this.

Gabriel moved towards the pod, Spencer was saying something next to him but he couldn't hear what. He was too preoccupied with the pod.

He softly strokes his hand down the emblem feeling each curve as he did. It was so familiar that Gabriel's jaws clenched. With a deep breath he looked into the glass.

In the pod was a pale girl sleeping. Dressed in pure white silk, her slightly curly black hair draped down like ink in water. She looked young, physically perhaps less than 20, and yet there was an aura of benevolence to her. Her beauty was preterhuman to the point it portrayed a hint of foreboding. Her skin flawless and face perfectly sculpted in every inch. Completed with tattoos on her forehead and shoulder of a burning fire in a black circle. Gabriel knew what she was, no what it was. He knew it all too well.

"A Saint... A bloody fucking Saint of all the other shits possible." He whispered out loud. Both his hands automatically reach for his temples. This had to be some horrible dream.

To his side, Spencer was standing with his mouth gaping open. He had reach there without Gabriel's noticing. His face also in horror.

"Saint? Those things that fucking soar across the sky with wings and halos, and fire laser beams from their mouth?"

"Yes"

"Those things that cost more than 3 space stations?"

"Yes"

"The same Saints that are considered one of the 'main' symbols of their religion and are used for every single propaganda?"

"Yes, One and fucking only"

"Then we are all fucked, aren't we?

Probably

The two stood in silence.

"How in ever loving fuck does this make any sense?" Spencer suddenly made an outburst. "Saint? In here? Out of nowhere? What the fuck!"

"I am well aware of this ridiculously." Gabriel was trying to maintain his calm but he could hear his voice slightly shaking.

"Can we.. can we even sell something like this?" Spencer asked. It didn't sound like an honest question. More of a desperate plea.

"You can try. The eternal fire will likely hunt you down within a month and spread your guts throughout the galaxy." Oh, how well Gabriel knew of that.

"Then should we leave it and just make a run for it?"

Gabriel's thoughts answered for him, that could never work, not for something like this. Instead he said "That is an option. But they find out that we were somehow involved..."

"Well fuck, then what? Could you start sharing some ideas instead of just standing there with your eyebrows knitted? This whole thing was your plan to begin with." As if anxious from Gabriel's lack of opinion Spencer began pressing the matter on Gabriel. To which Gabriel said nothing.

"Gabriel!" Spencer shouted for attention.

"We should contact Vela." Gabriel said. It came out so much more peacefully than Gabriel thought it would.

"Will that even make a difference?" Spencer looked doubtful, already aware of the answer to come.

Gabriel replied with his eyes fixed on the Saint. "We should, even if it doesn't." He pressed the earpiece in his ear.

"We have an issue. You have to come." He stated shortly.

[The engines are telling me the same thing, can we have this later?]

"It's important."

[Hmm, when we make a jump and realize that there is a ship missing, you might also agree that fixing the engine is important.]

He did not have time for this. "There's a saint in the cargo room" He finished impatiently.

There was a second of silence.

[That's not even funny, don't even try to pull shits like that. I'm hanging up.] She dismissed.

"I swear. Get over here." Words left his clenched teeth.

There was a short sigh from the other side. [Wait there] Vela said before cutting the connection.

When Gabriel turned he saw that Spencer was still staring at the Saint.

"You don't think she will wake up, do you?" Spencer asked uneasily.

"Most likely not. That pod keeps the inhabitant almost comatose while it's closed. But I cannot guarantee it will have the same effect on a saint." He truly wasn't.

"Fuck" Spencer spat in a soft voice. Perhaps in fear that sound could awake the Saint. "She should be at Terra, or a cathedral, hell even a war front is more sensible than here. Why the fuck is she in here in one of these anyway."

"I would like to know the same." With that, silence took over the room again. For maybe a minute, or more. It was hard to keep track of time when a saint sleeping by.

Then from behind Vela entered through the open door. Her expression turned scowl the moment she saw the pod. She took large strides to it, pushing Spencer aside, she gazed in to check the content. Spencer didn't say a word of protest.

"..That's a Saint alright." She reflected coolly.

"That's it? 'That's a Saint'? It's a Saint! A bloody fucking Saint! Fuck!" Spencer's slammed on the wall with his fist creating a dent. His tantrum was yet to be finished. "Do you even know what happen last time someone kidnapped a Saint? The Eternal Fire carved a planet to look like their Cross!!"

"Shut up. Nothing changes even if you make a fuss." Her statement only aggravated Spencer.

"Am I the only one going crazy right now?! Am I the only one who realize what kind of fucking bullshit situation we are in?!" He yelled flailing his arms.

"No, you are the only one was isn't helpful." Vela remained completely composed, her hand over her ears from Spencer's shouts as if it was an annoying fit. Gabriel wondered how she could. However, regardless of how, it helped. Gabriel felt much more in control than before.

"Fucking-" Spencer was about to scream again but Gabriel stopped him by placing an arm on his shoulder.

"Then what do you think we should do?" He asked Vela.

There was a short nasal sound. Not a snort or a sniff, something closer to the sound of anticipation. "I think we should deliver the Saint to wherever this ship was supposed to take her."

"Deliver? Are you out of your fucking mind? We should be keeping as much distance as we can from the Saint. Not go a fucking picnic with it!"

"Spencer.." Gabriel solemnly stared at Spencer but with almost a hint of meekness that made Spencer close his mouth. He turned to Vela. "Please Vela, continue."

"We're already past the turning point. Whatever we do now, there will be a chase for us. Running won't help, selling is impossible, and killing her is far beyond our capability. Then there's only one choice left. We take this ship and pretend we were the delivery."

She touched the pod. Her face hidden from the other two.

"You're crazier than me if you think that would work." Spencer huffed.

"Why won't it. Goldquick is known for using employee's without proper identification. Accidents aren't rare in space travel, especially for non-regulated paths. We can pretend to be the substitute for the dead employees. For the priest, we can claim there was an unfortunate turn of events."

Spencer stared at Vela with an incredulous look while Gabriel was soberly considering the suggestion. "You also have a plan in case whoever receives her contact's Goldquick?" Gabriel finally asked.

"Temporary network jacking is my specialty. As long as it isn't for long, I can redirect any phone line or web search made from one party to my own network. We could be the confirmation and the delivery."

"It may be possible..." Gabriel quietly mused.

"You're crazy, you are all crazy" Spencer mumbled to no one in particular.

"It isn't a may be with me. Unless you'd like to spend the rest of your life as a fugitive, this is the only option." Her face was an expressionless abstruse as she talked. "Now if that is all, I will be back at the engine. Have fun while the engine is being fixed" Vela left the room leaving the two.

After a second of contemplation, Gabriel followed Vela's steps out of the room. "I will be check if the other rooms have anything else." He said to Spencer as he left.

Spencer now alone in the room, stood motionlessly staring at the Saint.

* * * * * *

Vela was sitting on the cockpit of Spencer's spaceship staring at the Goldquick's ship in front of the window and to the hologram extending from her wrist.

"Install it yet Gabriel?" She asked to the microphone.

[No, not yet] The speaker replied.

"Then you should hurry, nobody likes a late deliver."

Some sounds of heavy machinery moving came from the speaker. [Never tried installing this at a completely trashed control room. The wires are burnt, and half the system is non-responsive. Have patience.]

"Come now, don't take it personally. I just want to make it before Delton's lockdown."

[Why are we heading for Delton anyway? Should Crownshaw be better?] Sounds of spark came this time.

"For what? Long overdue confession for absolution?" She giggled at the last part.

[We could visit Eternal Fire's cathedral to ask for help or establish that we are the Goldquick early.]

"We could, if we didn't have a destroyed control room and corpses lying around. We should take care of that first before anything."

[I reckon that's true.]

Vela hummed in concurrence, which was when the hologram blinked blue.

[It's done.]

"I know" She said as she tapped the hologram. The engines on both ships came to life at her fingers. With a few more taps, the engines started to glow yellow.

"We are about to jump. Brace yourselves. In 5, 4, .. 1"

As if forcefully pulled from each end, both the ships stretched. The surroundings turned deep color of purple and the celestial all around turned to blurred clouds. The ships traveled without making a noise in the state before coming abruptly to a stop. The surrounding space had already returned to their normal dark empty state. But now, a grey planet and a large hollow hexagon floating between the planet at the two ships could be seen from the mirror.

[I never like jumping] Gabriel's strained voice suddenly came from the speaker.

"It's that or 1500 years of traveling in space. You can always take latter." She replied casually.

[I would take 1500 years if I wasn't already 83]

"Sure, you will." She chuckled as she touched the earpiece to end the call. And to make a call.

-

The two ships slowly approached the hexagon. When they entered the hexagon, a loud announcement came from the hexagon.

"Welcome to Delton of planet Seitari-11B. Atmospheric entry will be commencing shortly, please turn off your engine and make certain that all heavy objects have been safely stowed away. All personnel should remain seated." Beeping sound followed the announcement. And slowly, the ship in front was being pulled toward the hexagon. The pull accelerated into a suction in minutes.

With screeching roar and trailing light, the ship soared across the planet's sky in an ark. The ship flew for few minutes when a second hexagon appeared. When the ship passed through the second hexagon when it flipped a complete 180 degree, it's tail now the head. The engine blasted on at the moment slowing the ship drastically. The ship still spiraled towards the ground but was losing velocity by the seconds. It was when the buildings of the planet became visible from the ship that the third hexagon appeared. The third hexagon, unlike the previous two was connected to a canal. The ship slowly slide into the canal and made a soft landing on are support plank prepared at the bottom of the canal. Coolant sprayed from all sides when the ship was secured. Once the ship and the engine were fully cooled, the support plank moved the ship towards an aviation port. Finding an empty space, it gently placed the ship on the ground.

Finally, the front door of the ship opened, releasing Spencer and Gabriel. Spencer was back wearing clothes and Gabriel had a large luggage flung over his shoulder. As they descended down the ship, a small drone approached the two of them.

[Welcome to Delton. We Deltian Aviation port pride ourselves in providing the best service with the lowest price in the galaxy. For today's service, the total fee will be 5,000 enzos.]

A pda payment page came down from the drone. Displaying 5,000 and a question on method of payment to be used.

"More expensive by each visit." Gabriel grumbled in complaint but pressed bank transfer and entered a series of numbers. The machine beep in confirmation of transfer.

[We thank you for you patronize and hope you have an enjoyable visit.] The drone disappeared quickly as it came.

"You gonna wait for Vela?" Gabriel asked.

"I'm sure she would love it if I did, but I gotta go see the doc" Spencer drew up his shirt to reveal a tightly bandaged back. Where small bulges were dispersed all over. "The wound healed before I managed to take the bits out."

"Alright then I will stay. You go on ahead." Gabriel nodded and waved Spencer off. Who took to the gates to the aviation port.

Gabriel waited a for a bit less than 5 minutes when a familiar spaceship came down from the grey canal and parked next to the ship he came from. Vela came down from the ship and raised her hand at the drone that was flying hurried towards her to collect its overpriced fee. The drone stopped immediately. Vela pointed at the drone and turned her index finger counterclockwise, after which the drone returned to where it came from.

"Did you hack the thing?" Gabriel questioned uncertainly. He didn't expect she would do such thing at now of all times, but he was learning to expect the unexpectable.

"Hacking? At here and with what we have in ship? Please, that won't be worth the money saved. I paid it remotely; didn't need it flying around my face."

"I reckon that's a thing now? Sounds too convenient." Gabriel said massaging his neck in embarrassment.

"Or you're too old to fit in." Vela laugh as she opened and closed her holograms with a swirl of her wrist.

Gabriel grunted dismissably. "Whatever. So, which one do you want to take." He gave the luggage on his shoulders a good shake. "Fencing off the guns to Tulio or fixing the ship at the Warehouse?"

Vela tapper her lips as if she was contemplating the choice. "I'll take the ship." She said after a moment.

"Fine" Gabriel said and left with the luggage to the gates. Vela keep her eyes on Gabriel until he disappeared out of sight. Only when he was completely out of her sight, she entered the Goldquick ship.

* * * * * *

Building stretch tall enough to cover the sky and neon signs beamed with enough self-asserting lights to drown out the buildings in the heart of Delton. People crawled around the city streets like ants in the presence of shatter sugar drops. Spencer pushed pass the crowds to delve deeper into the city streets. The deeper he traversed the fewer there were the neon signs and pissants. When there were only faceless hoodlums and light barely laced on the ground, Spencer spotted the signboard he was searching. The bouncer guarding the entrance noticed Spencer and shifted to the side to allow his entry. Taking the stairs down to the entrance, Spencer found the opaque glass door. He pulled it open, it gave resisted at first but was yanked open under Spencer's force.

The facility inside smelled weakly of cresol and formaldehyde. The interior was hidden behind layers of white curtains that were dark at the bottom side like breads infected with mold. Behind one of the curtains can a slow beeping sound of hospital machinery and grumbling.

"on duty... yesterday... and tonight... then tomorrow... every-freaking-day..."

Spencer pushed aside the curtains and entered the cubicle. In there was a woman around her late twenties wearing a doctor's gown and a medical mask and gloves. She was sewing back up a heavily tattooed man's chest. She gave no notice Spencer and continued her operation.

Spencer's faked a dry cough and purposely leaned bent on the operation table. "Well hello there Adrian. I had thought I heard the shuffling of the angels somewhere." He said.

Adriana raised her head to stare at Spencer with her eyebags hanging sunken eyes. "Get out and get lost." She snapped and returned to the sewing.

"But doctor, I'm sick and in need of attention." He said as slide around the table to stand next to her. Her reply was a scoff.

From her neck that was exposed by her ponytailed blonde hair, he saw intravenous cannula plucked on her vein. The bag linked to the needle was attached to her back, unlabeled. He pulled on the tube slightly and asked. "Saline?"

"Methamphetamine" She replied nonchalantly and rapidly finished the stitches.

"Yikes" Spencer let go of the tube.

Finishing the last stich, she cut offed the string and took off her gloves. She left the operation table yawning widely and she moved to the further into the clinic where her desk was. She faintishly fell on the chair and ripped of her mask to replace it with a cigarette from her gown's inner pocket. She lit it and took in a deep drag.

"What do you want" She exhaled the smoke on Spencer who had followed her there.

"Oh, there's a lot I'd want, first being dinner with you tonight" Spencer said and playfully snatched the cigarette from Adriana's hand.

The replied can in form of a swift low kick from Adriana which buckled Spencer down to his knees. She reclaimed the cigarette back from Spencer's hand and was about to inhale when she looked at the cigarette and then at Spencer in disgust. She threw the bud down and stomped on it.

She swept up her hair. "And I want you to drop dead. So before at least one of us gets what they want, what brought u here."

"Is that an implied yes for the dinner?" Spencer grinned.

"It's an explicit yes for my scalpel in your throat."

"Kinky, I like it."

"I will have your head as trophy for my garbage can if you say anything stupid one more time."

Spencer dramatically pulled at his hair pretending to be in anguish then shrugged as if nothing mattered. He turned his back to Adriana and pulled up his shirt. He unraveled the bloodied bandages to reveal his bumpy back. There wasn't a single wound of scar but rugged back proved that there was something under the skin. Adriana felt them mover with her hand.

"I know; I do have a killer bod and flawless skin."

She carried on pretending he hadn't spoken a word. "It's in deep. The skin has completely formed around whatever you rammed up there. It must almost be touching the spin."

"Oh, my superior healing abilities. It is much of a curse as it is a blessing." Spencer placed the back of his hand on his forehead as if he was a heroine in a tragic play.

Adriana said nothing and instead took out a large sadiron like object. She placed the metal side in on Spencer's back. Noticing the coolness, Spencer turned just his head to look behind. Which was when Adriana turned on the switch.

"Wait a minute. Isn't that the---eguh!!" His teeth clenched from the pain of metal bits tearing out from his back. Sound of metal clamoring to metal came from behind. Once there were no more sound, Adriana dumped the device on her table and turned off the switch. The bullets clattered on the desk.

"I always thought you liked it rough." Spencer coughed as he pulled his shirt back down. The freshly re-opened wounds on Spencer's back from the 'surgery' were already starting to close. Although the blood remained.

"What were you doing to get shot by something like this?" Adriana asked examining the bullets carefully.

First time since Spencer marched into the hospital, his expression turned grim. "Don't ask. I'm trying to conceal not feel the whole deal."

"Fine. I was regretting that I asked anyway." Adriana frowned for a moment but then put away the device and the metal scraps as if she could not care less.

Spencer recovered quickly, already beaming, which made Adriana's hand almost go back for the device. "So, for the bill, I hear there's a restaurant that specializes in menu that can match any surgical fee." Spencer said unrelenting.

"No, I didn't even operate. Your bill will be you leaving. So, get out." Adriana shoved him away warily and headed into another cubicle in white curtains.

With no one to bother, Spencer left the clinic to find Gabriel waiting for him outside.

"Done?" Gabriel asked

"Done." Spencer said while showing his bloodied shirt.

"Then we are going back to the ship." Gabriel started walking without waiting for Spencer's response.

"On second thought, I think the racetrack and casino need my help. Oh, and also some of the ladies in brothel are in dire need of money for their college tuition." Spencer quickly ran up to Gabriel in protest.

"Your bullshits are amusing as ever, but we are returning. We can't stay here long. Not when we have then...'cargo'." Gabriel spoke without slowing down for a second. "

Spencer groaned in distress. "You have to talk about that now? I'm more in the mood for stuffs about money and chicks."

Gabriel roughly pushed aside a shady figure in long trench coat who had approached them and continued. "No. We find when the ship will be available, and we leave when it is. Delton isn't known for any religion, but it's got enough scumbags for us to be sold off. If anything about the 'cargo' gets know, a good deal of people in the city will want our head. So lay low and don't do anything stupid." Gabriel glared down at Spencer with glare that spoke 'Don't-you-fucking dare'.

Spencer rolled his eyes and pouted. "Way to pull the plug out of an already dying mood. Now, really I'm depressed; with the only remedy being the racetracks." However, he did not oppose Gabriel's ideas, silently implying that he will behave.

"Don't bother. Most racetracks in Delton are rigged, you'd be better avoiding them." Still doubtful, Gabriel made a futile effort to discourage Spencer. Which naturally did not work. Rather it almost seemed to encourage him.

"Ha! Rigged, like anyone cares if it is. Ya see, it doesn't matter if the matches are rigged. There still's gonna be a winning horse and I just need to pick it out. Rigged or not's got nothing to do with it. Even better, I'll probably land on a bigger win with all the other loser-ass bastards getting rigged."

Gabriel shook his head. This was impossible. "Crazy bastard."

"Shit, who told you my codename?" Spencer mocked.

They exited from the narrow back streets and into the neon blime filled main streets. Huddling closer to avoiding unnecessary contacts and eavesdropping from strangers, they continued in a lower voice.

"How much did you get for our lootings anyway? I want my share before I get time for the racetracks."

"They are not lootings. They are unclaimed properties."

"If you picked 'em up from a still warm corpse, they're qualified as loots. But if it makes you happy, I will bend over backwards. So how much did we get?"

"740 enzos." Gabriel said slightly annoyed. The amount wouldn't even cover the expenses.

"What the fuck? There was at least 20 guns and there were complimentary bullets." Spencer argued in disbelief and bumped into a pedestrian by accident. Both Spencer and the pedestrian did not bother to look back.

"Most damaged and bloodied." Gabriel said pulling Spencer in closer to avoid any more unnecessary contact.

"Fucking Tulio." Spencer cursed. "Now I don't even have money to gamble."

* * * * * *

Vela was outside the control room of the Goldquick ship waiting, tapping impatiently at her elbow.

"Hey boss, come in here for a sec'." The engineer finally called her in after an hour of wait. She sharply entered the room to see a middle-aged man with mechanic augmentation all across his face leaning on a half-opened machinery.

"The whole control panel is busted." He said pointing his thumb at what he was sitting. "The system still works, but your gonna need new hardware in place."

Vela approach the machinery and gazed in it. The circuits had been fried and torn out of place. She could she some parts of it had melted. "I expected as much, leave it at that then. Then I want a new control equipment and a new serial code to be registered for the ship."

"Gotcha boss." The engineer stood up and popped his neck bones. "Then I will round up the boys, and I'm thinking around 8,500 enzos for the whole package so have it ready in cash around..." His augmentations flashed and numbers scrolled across. "8:27" He finished.

Vela mused for a moment, pretending to contemplate her options even though she had none but to accept. "Hm, a bit on the overpriced side. I am willing to agree to it, but I also want the location log restored from the control panel."

The engineer scratches his chin uncertainly before saying. "Not sure if I can, but I will see what I can do."

Vela nodded in acceptance at the engineer's poor response. She was about to exist the room when she turned to face the engineer again. "Oh, and I forgot to mention. You shouldn't bother with the cargo room. It's where I keep my secrets." She said smiling slyly.

The engineer got the hint and also nodded in agreement. "Alright, I will tell the boys to stay out of there."

Vela smiled stretched wider and she left the room. Walking past the corridor painted with now dry blood, she was about to leave the ship as well when she nearly ran into Gabriel and Spencer entering the ship.

"Finished with you small businesses?" She managed to stop herself from colliding and asked as if she had anticipated their emergence.

"Yes", "Except for my trip to the casino." Gabriel and Spencer answered differently in unison.

"Is that so? Here take this and leave." She said to Spencer and threw him a card. Spencer caught it in midair and quickly skimmed over the numbers. It was a precharged cash card. He beamed. "Oh darling, I always knew that deep down in your heart, you loved me dearest." He walked towards Vela trying to give her a hug. Vela promptly kicked him away.

"I am tempted to take the card back." Vela's words had immediate effect like no other.

"My lips and arms are sealed." Spencer pulled an imaginary zipper across his mouth then place both hands on the back of his head.

"Good boy, now be back by 8." Vela said. Spencer barked a reply and ran back out of the ship on all four.

Gabriel made a short grunt in discontent but did not file a complaint. "How's the ship?" He asked instead.

"Recoverable but control room needs some remodeling. They also want 8,500 enzos."

"Expensive." Gabriel commented, his arms folded. He was reminded of how little he had earned from fencing.

"Very; consider it the price of overlooking a registered ship with corpses and blood. Don't worry about the money, I'm paying." Vela said casually, tapping on Gabriel's shoulder to make him relaxed.

Gabriel shifted in discomfort. "Ya sure? I can also pay." He did not expect Vela to be any much better off than him finance-wise. And he wasn't in a good position.

"Yeah it's fine. I'm taking it back when we sell off the ship."

"If it's like that...." Gabriel scratched his head, still not fully convinced

"How's the guns?" Vela forcefully switch the subject.

"740 in total." Gabriel said gloomily.

"Not the most profitable work." Vela on the other hand did not seem to be bother by the loss.

"Take out 'the most'. 86,000 expense for 1,740 earned ain't called profit." Gabriel grumbled.

"Aww someone's in a bad mood today. Don't go pouting like that. You miss some, you hit some." Vela punched him lightly on the forearm, only to click her tongue and massage her hand in pain from hitting metal.

"Hard to look on the bright future with what's drop on our laps." Gabriel gazed warily at the spaceship.

Vela followed the look without saying a word. She read the mood.

The moment of silence ended with Gabriel. "I'll go get some supplies. Got a feeling that our next trip might be longer than we wish it to be"

"Oh you will? Then I think I will catch on my beauty sleep. Ciao" Vela yawned and exited the Goldquick ship. From where she headed towards Spencer's ship.