The Art of Piracy

Year 3500 of the standard Leron calendar. A rogue object is discovered drifting in interstellar space ninety light years from an inhabited system. Curious and confused we scramble to send a team to investigate the phenomena. Author, Vergil tasar.

(Taniya)

Taniya was sitting in her little apartment, doing her best to cook something edible. After an hour of cooking, Taniya pulled a pot from the stove, taking in a deep breath of the somewhat pleasant aroma of beans and chicken. She smiled. The chicken noodle soup smelled heavily of thyme and dill, but it lacked something.

It wasn't seasoning, but the company. Her stomach clenched, and tears welled in her eyes. How could Callie do that? Sure, she messed up, but did she need to leave? Well, of course she did, otherwise Veronica would have done bad things to Callie. Taniya loved her mother, but she also knew that Veronica was ruthless.

She sighed. Life without Callie was so dull. Even her cooking was bland in comparison. There was a knock at her front door, startling Taniya from her revery. The old Taniya would have left the door unlocked, but the new Taniya wasn't so naïve.

She pulled up a holographic display on her comm and narrowed her eyes at the man on the other side of the door. This security measure was the only way she could sleep at night after leaving the naval base. Leaving wasn't her choice, but to allow new officers to have quarters.Taniya hit the activation key to the door that would only open from her comm, and the door bussed.

With a pulse of energy, Taniya disabled the energy field, encasing the door in a fine layer mist like a soap bubble. The door swung open, revealing a man around five ten with dishevelled, dirty blond hair and deep brown eyes.

He was in a sensible blue shirt with brown cotton pants and wore a ridiculous ball cap. Dustin strode inside, glancing around the room wearily.. Her older brother was twenty-three, but he already had the worry lines of someone much older around his eyes.

Dustin crossed the living room, giving her travel pack a raised eyebrow. Taniya gave him a smile. "What do you think of my new travel bag? It was a gift from an admirer."Taniya said, placing her spoon in a bowl so it didn't drip all over the counter.

Dustin raised an eyebrow. "And who is this secret admirer?" Dustin asked dubiously, poking the full pack with a toe. She winced, looking away, not wanting him to see her guilty expression. This was bad timing. She was getting ready to leave, and she really didn't want him or anyone to find out.

"So what's up? Do you have news?" Taniya asked, changing the subject.Dustin didn't need to know she was running away or about that cute reporter. Besides, her relationship with the reporter wasn't serious, and Taniya doubted it would last, especially since she was leaving Valia unexpectedly.

"Well, you must have seen the daily brief?" Dustin asked, curiously. "Not yet, I have been busy."Taniya lied. The morning report was why she was leaving in a hurry. "You should check it out. We found out how Callie left the city, and to where she is going."Dustin said, his face a calm mask.

"Is mom sending anyone after her?" Taniya asked, her stomach doing a flip as she tried not to act to suspicious. Dustin narrowed his eyes at her, and she cut vegetables to hide her nervousness.

"No, sadly not. Callie is on a merchant freighter, bound for the Tallax system. Those Foxes are not exactly friends of the empire. We can't afford to strain our relationship with them, especially with the Slax mobilizing their fleet."Dustin said, with a sigh.

"What about you? Are you going to go after her?" Taniya asked. Dustin's face fell. He shook his head, looking away. "I can't. Hunting her down for revenge would be a futile gesture. And besides, the Slax aren't going to just hold off their retaliation."Dustin said, his expression souring.

Taniya gave Dustin a look. Sometimes her older brother was such an idiot. "Going after her for revenge is not what I meant. You have been moping around for the last two weeks since she left. I know you care about Callie. I was asking if you are going to find her for other reasons? "Taniya stated, folding her arms, giving Dustin a stern glare.

"She is Secari Taniya! They are terrorists and assassins."Dustin mumbled, unable to meet her eyes. Taniya, in usual fashion, strode over to him and hugged him tightly. "You don't believe that!? You know Callie, she is our friend, and I know she regrets what she did."Taniya said, confident in her words.

Dustin took a step back from her embrace, his shoulders slumping. "How do you know that, T? She lied to us for weeks! How do you know her trying to help us wasn't a calculated play to make us doubt ourselves?" Dustin asked, his face a mask of doubt.

She scowled at her older brother, noting her mother's stubbornness in him."Callie didn't have to tell you about the attack on the ambassador. She didn't need to risk her life to try stopping that monster. And yet she did it. Callie could have just ran, leaving the empire."Taniya said sternly.

"Why are you so optimistic about this T? Especially after what you have been through. She is one of the Secari. They tried to kidnap you and even torchered you!" Dustin said, looking frustrated.

"Do you honestly believe she is the same as Villus? She didn't need to go out of her way to help me get through my trauma. And yet she did. Because of her, I feel like I can go outside again!" Taniya said, swallowing hard, wiping tears from her eyes.

"I'm sorry T, I didn't mean she was like Villus. I just meant she isn't as good as you think she is. From what we can tell, she has helped kill nearly a dozen people in the empire so far. Even if she didn't pull the trigger, she is partly responsible for their deaths."Dustin said softly.

Taniya swallowed a lump in her throat, biting her lower lip hard. The evidence in the reports was conclusive. One Devali, Dustins rank, a cal in the organization, as well as nearly a dozen enforcers, were dead because of Callie. There was even video still available to the public, despite the Devalis' best efforts to remove it.

The video was of a tall figure in stolen combat armour of the enforcers, using a knife to cut apart a Devali, while a torchered woman sat in a chair. Taniya couldn't discount the evidence. Looking back now, it was obvious that the fighter was Callie.

Using her spatula to scoop her fried fragrant noodles and chicken from the pan onto a plastic plate, Taniya turned back to Dustin. Taniya took in a deep breath, firming her resolve. "I know Callie isn't the best person. It's not like we are any better. I think she deserves a chance to prove herself."Taniya said.

Dustin scowled."She betrayed us, T!" Taniya shook her head."No, we already knew she was lying to us. She even admitted it. And we kept her around anyway."Taniya said calmly.

"That doesn't make the betrayal sting any less."Dustin said sourly. "Is it betrayal when she was never on our side? Look at it from her perspective. We invaded Etria, destroyed her home, captured her people and her friends. Can you blame her for her actions?" Taniya asked gently.

Dustin sighed. "Why do you have to be right all the time? Can't you let me wallow in regret?" Dustin asked with a forced smile.

"That would be irresponsible of me. We are at war, and we need you to be focused."Taniya said with amusement. What she didn't say was the fact that she was going to be leaving soon. Guarding politicians felt like a waste of time, and she wanted to be useful. So with that in mind, she was planning something that her brother and mother wouldn't like.

Dustin, having said his piece, left with a determined look on his face. She smiled, hoping he wouldn't be too upset with her. She took her pack, stocked all the essential items she would need for a long voyage, even her trusty five mil pistol. To avoid the watchful eyes of the enforcers and her mother, Taniya purchased a pass on a cargo ship to the home system of the Tallax.

Finding Callie wouldn't be easy, but Taniya had hope. Callie had a pension for trouble, and so she was counting on that to find her friend. Taniya smiled. She was going to find Callie and bring her back. After all, having someone with Callie's skills on their side could help tip the outcome of the war ever so slightly in the empire's favor.