• 1-Beyond the Horizon

Name: H1d3-Z0u

Age: 30

Occupation: Inter-Galactic Special Police Investigative Unit Task Force

Birth-Planet: Planet VS1-4782 (Luxor)

Birth-Year: 5882

Ignoring the glare of the young secretary behind the smoky, cracked glass of the Ysset Security and Customs department, he watched lazily as his data scrolled past on the dusty monitor. It reminded him of the philosophical discussions he once had with a classmate.

Who are we? Can we be so easily bound with plastic? How much right does Central have over our destinies? No. He thought. Not the kind of thing one should consider right now.

The fretful slap of his Inter-Galatic Passbook and IDCard brought him sharply to the regretful present. He knew that her eyes were more trained on his silver tags than on his CredCard now gripped painfully between tacky nails.

"Your CredCard... sir," the young girl shoved his plastic at him and focussed on the paper slowly printing out of a small metallic box. "And your forms. Have a good day."

With that, H1d3-Z0u, the new face for Central in Ysset, stepped out onto the street - more aware than ever of the oppressive hate riding down on him. He wasn't sure if it was the uniform, the tags - or just the fact that he existed. But then, that was no surprise to him. Ysset, just like all the other Outer Region planets of the Galaxy, resented the wealth represented by Central.

Still, he thought. If they only knew the decay within the foundations of Central. Then... perhaps... they would understand...

Making his way to a monorail, H1d3-Z0u followed the detailed instructions of his itinerary. If the directions were right, his hotel was close by. Within minutes, he was safely deposited on a concrete sidewalk - in front of a tall, narrow, slightly-leaning building. The Investigator's eyes narrowed in distaste as he noticed the peeling paint, eroded iron railings, the cracked wood and glass...

No expense spared, eh, Chief? He thought bitterly of his superior's smug face.

Inside, it was a little more comfortable - but equally worn. The secretary was just as rude as the spaceport service - and the elevator smelled rather reminiscently of spiced noodles. His hallway wasn't much more welcoming... H1d3-Z0u decided that he didn't want to know what the dark spots on the carpet were. When he opened the door to his hotel room, the Investigator wasn't surprised at the interior. It was a great surprise when he sunk into the only armchair available.

Relaxing into the comfy pillows, H1d3-Z0u sat back and reviewed the debriefing file. He already knew it's contents like the back of his hand - but rereading it still unsettled his nerves. Perhaps it was the gruesome pictures of the torn corpse of Governor Th30... or the creepy details.

Or rather, H1d3-Z0u sighed. It is the total lack of details that is creepy. As usual... But... Sitting here won't solve this case...

Without a backward glance, he left the room to find out the secrets of Ysset.

-

He sat in the swirling darkness - part of it - watching it... It eddied through the grey planet, ever searching... And once again, he wondered at the irony of his quest.

But he understood now the importance of his journey. The darkness needed it, desired it - and he knew, if the chance be given, the darkness would destroy it... He knew now that only he could ensure that the Awakening would be achieved.

And so he waited. It was so close...

-

Name: Ru1za

Age: 32

Occupation: Pilot - Starship Class I-VI

Birth-Planet: Planet XG10-3894 (Ysset)

Birth-Year: 5880

Funny, he thought as he stared into the new pint of beer set before him - as he casually swiped his CredCard. How life is so easily bound up in bits of plastic. Who you are... where you came from... what you have done - or not done - with your life... And yet, it is unable to foretell where you might be a year from now - or even tomorrow... Such is life. The grand lottery we are all forced to play... Even us - even those in the bar.

He took a drag from his mug before setting the glass down on the cracked counter. In front of him, the bartender slowly and carefully dried a stack of newly washed glasses. Under the dim lighting which emanated from slowly swinging light bulbs hanging precariously from tangled masses of wiring, the smoke of cigs and pipes crept slowly across the room like a fog. In the dark shadows, men sat, silently drunk - and others were gathered around pock-marked tables clutching grubby playing cards. Their eyes were watchful - peering at the occasional obvious tourist, the new and familiar faces of incoming pilots (who were only to ready to leave the grey planet of Ysset).

Two men were loudly laughing down the way - one obviously loaded. Ru1za noticed with a grimace that everyone gave them a wide birth.

Lovely... Crime bosses...

His bright eyes finished its circle around the room, landing on the hunched shoulders of a silently drinking man who sat close to him at the bar. As the drinker looked up, Ru1za shivered.

Familiar... The coat... and the buttons on the coat...

Shaking his head impatiently, forcing old memories away -

Hey! Ru1za... run! Get outta here! I think we really pushed it that time! Old Man's gonna blow a stack!

Ru1za... I can't understand... but... I trust you to take care of yourself! Maybe... maybe we'll meet again... Wait and see -

Ru1za was jostled roughly into the present by the arrival of his co-pilot and gunner. Both men were taller than him, dark-haired and dark-eyed - but as different as night and day. T5un3h1t0 enjoyed charts and navigation while keeping a mirror handy for his coiffure, as Ru1za jokingly called the young man's wild hairstyles. H1r0k1, on the other hand, was the rough and tumble kind of guy who prefered to fight with fists and guns anyday. All three men made up the crew of 5133p3r - bound by a need to make money in the scummy backwater planets of the Outer Region.

"You hear?" his co-pilot was saying loudly to the gunner of 5133p3r.
"Hear what?" asked H1r0k1 laconically, pausing before he took a gulp from his newly ordered glass.
"An Investigator landed this afternoon!"

The Ru1za's gunner just barely sprayed his alcohol all over the barcounter - the rest of the room fell silent at the news. Rough miners, laconic farmers and toughened steelworkers turned to stare at Ru1za's crew members. Ru1za, the short but cocky Captain and pilot of the 5133p3r, sighed.

Great. Attention.

"Why?" H1r0k1 set down his mug roughly. "Central being nosy again for no good reason?"

A grumble around the inn voiced assent at the gunner's words.

"I think we all know the reason," T5un3h1t0 shook his head, eyes wide.
"Governor..."
"Governor Th30," nodded 5133p3r's co-pilot. "What else?"
"Hot damn..." H1r0k1 shook his head. "What is Central thinking?"
"It's the matter of the death," the bartender put in. "- is what I heard."
"The matter?" Ru1za blinked.
"The manner, perhaps," smirked a tall miner who was now carrying away two glasses to another table. He raised his voices. "We all know that the Guv'nor got all tored up ta bits... Stan's to reason Central'd be pokin' their noses where they ain't wanted..."
"As usual," shouted another with a laugh.
"Aye... that be true," a farmer agreed.
"Well," H1r0k1 shrugged. "Not that he didn't deserve it..."
"We weren't surprised, for sure," agreed Ru1za.
"Governor Th30 was... shady?" asked the newcomer in the nice greatcoat at the bar, without looking at anyone.
"Shady doesn't begin to start to describe that piece of scum," Ru1za shook his head. "He was asking for it... Not only was he corrupt, but he was a dirty piece of shit - going after young boys and girls... Anything weird or kinky - you name it - he liked it. Hell, he gave crime a bad name out here..."

The inn clientele all nodded in agreement.

"Why wasn't Central notified of this?" asked the stranger. "I didn't think they'd let stuff like this go -"
"Central ain't big on helpin' the helpless," a farmer snorted. "'Sides, a toff like you wouldn' understand..."
"Sorry..."
"Heh. Well... whatever..."
"You ever met, Governor Th30?" asked one of the crime bosses.
"Why would you think I'd seen him?" asked the well-off man.

The short pug-faced gangster eyed the "toff" and snorted.

"Money is all over ye - and I mind them buttons of yers. And that badge... I know a coppertop when I sees one..."
"Coppertop?" A farmer asked confused.
"That, gennelman, is yer bona fidie Investigator frum Central, that is..." nodded the crime boss, twirling a pistol in his fingers idly. "But I'm ahopin' he's jus' here fer a drink, ri'?"
"Absolutely," smiled H1d3-Z0u, eyeing the suddenly ominously quiet inn clientele. "No desire to kick a fuss here. No sirree!"

His light-hearted manner fell like a ton of bricks on a small stack of feathers. Suspicion was written on the mens' faces.

And no wonder, the Investigator thought. If their Governor was as bad as they say... they can't have a very bright view of Central. No wonder the flak this time around was twice as bad. But then... is it so surprising for Outer Region systems? Probably not... After all, the Governors put out here are the lowest of the low - not wanted in Central... but with enough blackmail material or enough contacts to get a well-paying job that offers opportunity for blackmarket sales and other...

H1d3-Z0u remembered the blonde man's words.

... other... suspicious entertainment-styled pursuits...

"If'n yer meanin' no harm by yer visit," a miner said slowly. "Why are you here?"
"Well, after a long hard days work - a drink is the best thing in order - especially at a bar like this. It was suggested by the girl at the hotel desk..."
"No. We're talking why you are here on the planet at all," H1r0k1 shook his head.
"Ah. That."
"Yeah."
"Well... Central is concerned about the manner of the death -"
"As I said," the bartender interjected.
"None of us coulda done that!" a young miner glared at the Investigator. "All Central wants is to kill us - I say we stop communication here and now!"
"Hm... I wouldn't if I were you," Ru1za shook his head, stepping in front of H1d3-Z0u. "The last thing we need is another reason to bring Central's eyes on us."
"He's speaking the truth," H1d3-Z0u nodded, his eyes bright with glee seemed to undermine his words.

Or perhaps he's mocking us, T5un3h1t0 thought sourly.

"It'd only take a little for Central to justify sending some Class VII starships over here and wiping this block of concrete clean of what they perceive to be pond scum..." H1d3-Z0u ended abruptly.

The grumbling increased within the room, the bartender shifted nervously over to his more expensive liquor bottles, ready to grab them and duck. H1r0k1 and T5un3h1t0, already realizing that a fight was stirring up, lowered their hands to their weapons.

"Come now," Ru1za waved his hands. "I'm sure the last thing we want is something like that happening over the death of some insignificant individual..."
"Hey!" The Investigator squawked. "Look who's talking."
"Shut up, idiot," the captain of 5133p3r snapped. "I'm saving your skin here!"
"I don't need -"
"Yeah - sounds familiar... You always said that - before you were caught by the Old Man - and then - what happens next? You tell me, H1d3-Z0u!"
"Oh yeah? Well - half of the time - it was all your idea! The fault is at least fifty-fifty!"
"Ha! It was all your fault everytime you got caught!"
"I got caught? What about you?"
"Victim."
"What? Victim?" H1d3-Z0u nearly danced in mock rage. "You were there the whole time!"
"Unwilling participant!"
"What about the glue in the shoes stunt? Huh? Huh?"
"That..." Ru1za paused, nettled as he realized that the glue-in-the-shoes-stunt had indeed been his idea.
"Ha! Mr. Perfect admits it!"

The two men were now nose-to-nose, forehead-to-forehead with their fists clenched. Everyone else looked on amused as the two men began to swear and curse each other. The name-calling had reached a new level of inventiveness - when T5un3h1t0 stepped in.

"Yo," he said, standing between the two contestants, arms crossed looking annoyed. "This isn't cool..."

Around the inn, there was soft laughter at the two men who were fighting suddenly began to chuckle.

"Ru1za!"
"H1d3-Z0u!"
"Who'd have thought?"
"You said we'd meet again, H1d3-Z0u... so I guess..."
"It was more than I hoped for, I must admit... What are you up to, shortie?"
"Oh, the usual... cargo running for whoever will give an honest man good pay... what about you, moron?"
"Oh, you know - the usual... saving the galaxy from speed-crazy freaks like you."
"Catch me if you can..."
"Just did," replied H1d3-Z0u smugly.
"True..." Ru1za cocked his head thoughtfully. "Mind if we talk on my ship? We've got a load of talking to do..."
"Sure," the Investigator smiled. "Sounds good to me."

-

His dark eyes wandered over the worn steel of 5133p3r appreciatively - and he whistled. H1d3-Z0u realized he should have known that Ru1za's ride would be carrying more than met the eye. The Class II Starship's exterior hadn't promised much initially. There was something distinctly ancient looking about the framework of the blonde's aircraft - but inside, the real value of the ship could be seen in the elaborate, expensive technological instruments, the navicomputers and the pressure valves. One year out of college, H1d3-Z0u's first detail had been within Investigative Unit charged with Cargo and Ship Management. Many a time, he had left an aircraft feeling more glad than ever to have solid earth beneath his feet.

5133p3r, however, defied easy classification. Although the size was more or less Class II, the technology inside was rarely seen on Class II ships. Riding in 5133p3r wouldn't be high-risk.

"We consider ourselves to be a little set apart from your usual run of Cargo Running," Ru1za nodded, following H1d3-Z0u's approving glances. "No deaths on my ship. And no dropping of cargo for safety sake ever. Good ratios to have in this business..."
"I bet."
"We got a Class III engine below us and our next purchase is going to be Class IV shielding."

The Investigator's eyebrows rose.

"Nice," he looked around. "Great decor too."
"For the odd paying passenger who wants a quite route from planet to planet."
"Ever get to the Inner Region?"
"No..." Ru1za shook his head with a light chuckle. "Shame, but no. Mid-Region, yes. Central, no."

T5un3h1t0 glanced at H1d3-Z0u carefully.

"You need a ride?" He asked. "It might beyond your price range..."
"I don't think so," Ru1za laughed. "He's from Luxor. He can afford."
"Luxor...." H1r0k1 mumured, eyes distant trying to remember his rather poor education about the Central planets.

-

"Luxor, huh?" Ru1za's bright eyes twinkled. "What're you grubbing around the Academy for?"

H1d3-Z0u grinned back, "Piss off my old man, mainly. You?"
"Better life... supposedly..."
"Huh... some confidence you've got there..."
"Well, after a few years - this place starts to pall on you..." Ru1za shrugged idly. "It's your first year here, right? You wait..."
"That's what they say," H1d3-Z0u smirked. "All of them - but... I think... it's just up to you and who you find..." His eyes narrowed mischievously. "What say you - to giving the rest of school hell? Give them something to remember before we leave these, oh so grandiose, halls?"
"I say..." Ru1za smiled his first genuine smile in a long time. "Let's..."

-

"And that's how it all started," sighed H1d3-Z0u after Ru1za finished the rather hilarious story of their first meeting. "From then on, we were partner's in crime."
"Wow..." T5un3h1t0 blinked. "I didn't know that boss had such grand training..."
"Hm well... it was kinda useless..."
"Seriously, Ru1za?"
"Well..." The pilot of 5133p3f paused to consider his past and then shrugged. "I can't say, guys. I guess the best thing that came out of it was H1d3-Z0u. But unlike suck-up here... I just couldn't stand Central politics. So I got out of there while I could... came back to Ysset and just... made a new life, I guess. And H1d3-Z0u... scraped and scrabbled up to a specialized unit and now he's making it hell for us on Ysset..."
"It could've been you," pointed out H1d3-Z0u with fake injury.
"Hardly..."
"Seriously though," the Investigator eased back in his chair. "It wasn't totally my idea to trek out to this planet. I was asking some questions about certain galactic-wide trends - and BAM! I'm here checking out some third-rate corrupt Governor's death..."
"Huh. Governor Th30... he was one of a kind... so evil... he gave crime a bad name..."
"I've heard that somewhere..." grumbled H1d3-Z0u.
"Well, you're gonna hear it again," T5un3h1t0 set down some mugs rather roughly.

Ru1za leaned over to snag the alcohol and pour them all a drink.

"Besides," H1r0k1 shrugged, gulping down the burning ale. "It's not like he was the only one on Ysset."

H1d3-Z0u sat forward suddenly.

"There have been others?"
"Tons," Ru1za nodded. "And not just on Ysset."
"Ysset and a bunch of other planets sent a complaint into Central - for protection and whatnot... but... there was no answer. Not one peep from Central..."
"No Investigators or anything?" H1d3-Z0u shook his head in disbelief.
"None," T5un3h1t0 said emphatically, his lips thinning with anger. "As usual."
"Hmmm... that's odd... we heard nothing about this. Only about the deaths of the Governors."
"Well, Central would be concerned about those..."
"Not really," corrected H1d3-Z0u. "It's taken a while to get people to admit that something really bad is happening galactic-wide. Most are trying to ignore it. Odd, huh?"
"Very...."
"So now what?" H1r0k1 asked. "You're here so... that means..."
"Well, the outcry is getting quite big among the middle classes on Central and in the Inner Regions - so... now the government wants to find the culprit right away. And deal with it in secret."
"I see..."
"But I can't see how. I told Chief. Our informants have warned us about the growing Shadow... but he won't even let me go and look into it." H1d3-Z0u looked disgusted. "Last fight we had, I ended up here... so..."
"So... they may be hiding it..." Ru1za said softly.
"But why?" H1d3-Z0u looked perplexed. "Even favourites of Central are dying..."
"We may never know..."

-

The Investigator from Central rose early the next morning, making his way quickly down to the crime scene in the Governor's buildings on Ysset's main thoroughfare. The quicker he got down to the matter at hand, he figured, the quicker the whole painful episode would be over. Within a half an hour, H1d3-Z0u was wrangling his way past the guards staked out before the large double doors of the Governor's study. Once inside, he breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of a familiar face.

It was the traveling Medical Investigator T355a. Her hard face, narrow chin, thick eyeglasses and scraped back bun of grey-brown hair brought a smile to the Investigator's face. MI T355a shook her head.

"Took you long enough," she said crisply, without a prelude.
"Got sidetracked sampling some of the local flavour," he replied, eyes wandering over the neat, but opulent room. "Yourself?"
"A few interesting things have been posed with this case."
"What's new..." H1d3-Z0u murmured, snapping on some gloves and running his fingers over the items still strewn across the floor.

Several items were still spattered with blood - like the carpet. The desk had once upon a time, he supposed, been waist deep in papers - but now the hard data was scattered through the room.

"Like the others - there was signs of some struggle - but not an extreme amount..." MI T355a was saying calmly, flipping through her pages. "His effects were strewn across the floor in that familiar pattern - almost as if he'd been snatched out of his chair and dragged across his desk..."
"Same MO then," murmured the Investigator.
"Indeed."
"Anything new?"
"Not much. Same closed room-type case... But a few differences..."
"Spill."
"The balcony door was open."
"Hm... so Governor Th30 was a little more accessible?"
"You could say that," nodded the woman. "But... we did pick up a few strange hairs... Which we are trying to match to the body."
"Ah..."
"The other body..."
"The OTHER body? There were two victims?"
"Depends on what you call victim," replied T355a, her thin lips were pressed together in a hard line, disapproval and distaste now clearly revealed on her face. "He had just finished raping a young boy-child..."
"You've done an autopsy on both bodies?"
"Yes. And there was some hair... beside the man... we thought it was the boy... but the boy was fair..."
"You have the hair then?"
"Mhmmm..." T355a tipped her head. "I'm expecting -"

A loud beeping interrupted her. Withdrawing her comm, MI T355a turned away.

"Yes... Yes... No. I'll come and look at it. What? That's... okay..."

H1d3-Z0u looked around the room in distaste. The blood on the couch, the floor - the man's effects... Fingering a bloody timepiece, the Investigator's eyes wandered along torn papers, gold momentos and a few other wood sculptures.

"No... Don't touch it. Yes - keep it there. Alright. It'll be fine..." MI T355a seemed a trifle sharp.

I guess, I'm not the only one spooked, he smiled to himself, sadly, running his thumb absently over the face of the pocket watch. Too many times, you are left feeling like you are nothing - insignificant and powerless against everything else out there...

"Just keep an eye... Okay. Okay. I'll see you in ten minutes." MI T355a whirled around. "Get your things. There's been a development at the lab."

Pocketing the watch, H1d3-Z0u rose and followed the flustered scientist out into the hallway. Behind him, the lavishly painted walls, the bronzed and golden decor fell into darkness. Governor Th30 was gone...

Soon to be forgotten.

H1D3-Z0u hoped.

-

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