Chapter 17 Even Space Ships Have Fuel Lights

"Alright, computer, get ready to jump us back home."

"We don't have enough fuel to make the jump. More is required for a jump of that distance."

Dustin shook his head, thinking hard.

"How close can we get?"

"Half way."

"There is a planet about that distance, that has the required materials we need to make more fuel. Do you have it in your database?"

He had connected his PED to it, but it didn't have enough space to allow the PED to completely access it. After a moment of speaking to his PED, the computer had the coordinates, and prepared to make the jump.

"So, PED," he said, through the computer so Cybele could hear and listen in, "tell me what you found out from the alien hard drives."

"According to what little I was able to extract, and the information that I have been able to compile from other sources, I have been able to determine that the Uz'En used to be at war with the Xalkak, a long time ago. Except, some of what I found points to the Xalkak being a robotic race."

"Well, all of them that I have encountered so far, have had implants," said Dustin, as the ship began to prepare to jump. They had left the aliens back on the planet. They didn't follow him when he left the atmosphere, so he assumed they missed him.

"No, it's more than that. The AI seems to be the last surviving member, and it looks like the race it uses is enslaved to do its bidding. As in they are innocent people being controlled."

"They aren't Uz'En, so why should I care?"

"They are being forced to hunt the Uz'En down, and kill them all. Some of the locations listed on the ships, are the same as some of the places that used to have Uz'En, and now don't."

"You mean the ones that I was going to go to, and didn't need to because they were no longer there?" he asked, starting to get angry. Those were his people! Most of them were no more than slaves, so why kill them?

"Correct," said the PED.

"Are you sure they aren't going to follow us back to your home world?" asked Cybele, looking at him. "If I was hunting something, I would want to know where more are, so as to be able to hunt many at once, instead of only one."

Dustin turned to her, amazed. Olivia would never have thought of that, only come up with ways to hunt them back. "You're right. I'll have to get a lot of fuel and take my time before returning home, when we're at the next planet."

"Dustin," said the PED, "You will need to create a suit for Cybele to survive on the planet we are heading to. Its atmosphere is not compatible with her physiology."

"There should be plenty of materials for the nanobots to make her a suit, as soon as we land," said Dustin.

"Thank you," Cybele said with a smile. "I would like to be able to breathe."

The ship went through the jump, and Cybele grabbed his hand.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I…I feel alone…"

"You probably had some kind of connection to your people, that was cut when we jumped."

"Is this how you normally feel?" she asked, looking at him.

"Kind of? I have the PED in my head all of the time, I guess, but otherwise, yeah."

Dustin steered the ship towards the planet that had appeared below them. He had used it multiple times, to grab fuel for jumps over the past fifteen years. Keeping an eye on the limited sensors this ship had, he watched for anyone following them, but knew the chances were slim. It was impossible to follow him when he jumped. As far as he knew, he was the only one, apart from the nanobot hive, that had the technology.

If they were tracking him, somehow, it would take them several days to warp here. He planned to stay at least that long, updating the ship, collecting fuel and building Cybele a power suit. He wanted to make absolutely certain they didn't follow him back to his home world. The thought unsettled him.

Finding a suitable valley, where a recent rockslide had uncovered the necessary minerals he needed, Dustin guided the ship in to land. He then sent the nanobots out to start collecting the materials to start Cybele's suit, so he could leave the ship without risking her health to the atmosphere.

"This looks like a nice planet. Are there any other people here?" asked Cybele, looking out the window.

"No, but there's plenty of plant and animal life. Honestly, this planet isn't that bad. I just like to come here for fuel whenever I need it."

"Tell me more about this Olivia you have, and your child with her."

Dustin chuckled. She didn't beat around the bush when she wanted to know something. While it was refreshing, he wondered if it would get annoying in the future.

For the next couple of hours, Dustin told her about how he and Olivia had escaped from the death planet, and conceived Kit. Cybele seemed very interested when he told her about how Kit had become the king of their people, freeing him from having to put up with everyone's crap. The concept of being the king had appealed to him, until he was actually the king. The moment he realized that the people actually needed him to provide for them and solve all of their problems, he was done.

"And your child grew up alone?"

"Oh, no! There were plenty of other kids for him to play with, especially Jake. He's become one of Kit's top generals. Helps with crowd control and whenever there's fighting among the people, he loves to wade right in. I worried about him a lot, but he seems to love it, so I let him keep it up."

"It's almost like Jake is another of your children."

"Well, the kid lost both of his parents, so I guess. He was the one that made Olivia alright with having kids."

"Why did the two of you separate? The memory in your head was stained with anger and pain."

"She left me. I didn't want her to, but she did. Kit didn't need her anymore, he was almost full grown, physically. I think something in her head drove her to find something that wasn't there anymore. No matter how I tried to fix it, she finally left me to try and find it anyway. She only came back when Kit told her I was leaving, damn tattle-tale."

"But you were happy to have her back? I remember that memory, because it confused me."

Dustin looked down at his hands. He had been happy. He had thought it was because she cared. He guessed she did in a way, but it didn't matter.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't pry as much as I have. You don't like that I saw into your head as much as I did."

"Why are you so interested in me, Cybele? I'm a mess. I can't be what I was supposed to be, and half the time, I'm wondering if what I am doing, isn't causing more problems."

"Only you can decide what you are. And you are trying to do something to help others. Sometimes, people don't know that they need help, and nothing you do, will change their opinion. I like the fact that you are trying, despite the feeling of doubt. You have a strength of character that I have never seen in any of my people, and I like it. I would very much like it, if I had children with that strength."

Dustin glanced at her, then shook his head. Her suit was ready, and he was ready to get out of this tiny ship.