Searching for A Smuggler's Space Cruiser

James didn't know how long he passed out, but once he regained his consciousness, he straightened up and looked around him in daze. The events that just happened which ended by that huge explosion was still fresh in his memory.

He checked his body for any injuries, to find to his surprise that he had none, even his clothes were intact with no evidence of any damage to it.

That was strange, but what made him feel weirder was his place right now, he was still in that forest, but the place he was at right now wasn't near that explosion.

The forests here were all the same, so he didn't recognize his location from all those similar looking trees, but from that high towering huge base up front. He returned back to the base he set off from.

That was unexplainable for him, just like that unique experience he just passed through. He was just trying to collect his scattered thoughts when his ears detected the high pitched war alarm that was echoing loudly in the whole base.

It hit him hard, as this alarm must be related to the explosion that just happened. As he stood there in his location in daze, he managed to spot countless floaters moving fast from the base towards the horizon.

'That's bad, my floater had a place detector. It would be so easy for them to spot my floater and track it. I would get caught and undergo trial, and trials here aren't that pleasant of an experience at all. I have to run.'

James began to be afraid of the dark fate that awaited him if he stayed here in this world. there was only one option left for him, he had to run. Just as he was starting to feel despair, as his plans weren't yet complete, he recalled the words Forilak just before he was attacked by him.

Hope ignited again inside him, so he didn't waste any more second standing there as he moved as fast as he could towards the facility.

He passed easily from the front door to enter the huge base which he knew each part of. if that Forilak was right, then this Gotar must be in the waiting area.

James moved in a pace that he tried not to attract any suspicion with to finally enter the huge open banker that had many cruises in it. the crises that finished emptying its load would all move here waiting either for their money or for another cargo to be loaded on board.

James stood there looking in daze towards this huge bunker, while his mind started to act fast. He stopped one of the workers here as he asked:

"Have you seen Gotar?"

"Gotar? Ah, you mean the big Gotar, yes I just saw him heading towards his cruise preparing to leave."

James' heart started to beat madly as he asked again:

"Can you tell me his cruise location? I have a message to tell him from the supply facility."

The supply facility was the one responsible for handling any incoming or outgoing cargos from this planet. Usually when this name was used it meant something important to be done, so that worker replied instantly:

"His cruise is just at the north side from here. you just pass 20 cruisers and then turn left, where you can find him easily."

"Thanks mate."

James then moved towards the location that the worker had just provided him with. When he just passed the 20th cruiser, he turned right where he saw a group of cruisers landed on the ground without any order.

James was familiar with this, as this was the usual formation rogue cruisers tend to take. Rogue space adventurers were famous for their cruelty and their dirty business, so it made sense for Gotar to be there. James blamed his nervousness as he forgot such a basic knowledge.

The area of those rogue space adventures was always free from any workers unless necessary. So, as James moved towards that place, he started to move anything that his hand could reach to inside his storage device.

He didn't have only the bracelet, he also had two other bracelets, one neck collar and one belt.

The way to the rogue area was full, like any other place in this bunker, with sealed boxes which contained various war items and rare materials, so James moved all of these huge boxes with a wave of his hand like a magician without any doubt about their value.

Just as he reached the rogue area, he had already filled most of the space in the five storage devices that he had.

If he knew he would move on a hurry like this, he would have made more devices and taken much more boxes, but he wasn't that regretful as he already got so many boxes in his possession.

"Hi, where can I find Mr. Gotar, please."

James was still wearing the worker uniform, so those rogue space adventures didn't dare to treat him lightly, so one of them answered:

"What can I do for you Mr. worker?"

Gotar was really worthy to be called the big Gotar as he was literally a giant. James felt he wasn't a pure giant as his size was somehow smaller than the giants he met before, so James guessed Gotar might be the result of a marriage between giants and humans.

"I want to run a rapid check over your cruiser."

"A check? Bloody checks over and over again. fine, follow me. I hope this will be the last check before I take off."

James followed him towards a small cruiser that had some paintings over its surface.

Rogue space adventurers liked to add their style to the classic form of the cruisers, as this became one of their famous signatures all over the universe. Once the two reached the cruiser, James stopped Gorat with a sign of his hand as he whispered:

"I was sent here by Forilak."

"Forilak? That bloody cunning Royan, did he send you to pay his debt?"

James didn't know if this smuggler was bluffing with him or saying the truth, but he stuck with the plan as he said in a low voice:

"He sent me to tell you this, black fog."

Gotar faked ignorance and confusion as he asked:

"Black fog? What is black fog?"

James didn't have much info about this deal between the two gangsters, but he guessed what it was, so he said:

"He sent me to board your cruiser in return for the black fog."

James didn't know what black fog even meant, but he knew that black market dealers used some code names to call some important prohibited stuff, so black fog could literally mean anything, and James didn't care about its identity as long as it gave him the ticket to escape from here.

"Are you sure he told you so?"

"Yes."

"And you were sent by him under the name black fog?"

James didn't get the meaning behind this giant question but he replied instantly:

"Yes, he sent me here and asked me to tell you this."

Gotar looked for a moment towards James before saying:

"You can be on board, but I won't allow you to walk there with your unique uniform. You need to find some clothes for you, and I'm telling you none of my crew will help you with anything."

James finally was relieved when he heard these words from Gotar, as he replied:

"No problem with me."

"Welcome on board, black fog ambassador."

James' relief didn't last long, as this word was strangely familiar to his ears, but he couldn't remember where he heard or read it. nonetheless he boarded the cruiser, as this was his only way to live.