The Tales of the Silver Wind Pt. 01

"You're a handsome man Sebastian," Akasha said in the Candarian language hoping that he knew it, which would confirm that he had indeed studied amongst her people. Only to be interrupted once again by Lulu's voice over the intercom. Akasha huffed irritably causing her claws to instinctively extend piercing his skin.

"Hey, hey, awe!" Sebastian said looking down at his ruined shirt as her claws cut clean through the fabric. Akasha arched an eyebrow when he wasn't surprised by the pain; more of the fact of his shirt was ruin than her nails cutting into his body. Inhaling the scent of his blood, something was strange about it, something that told her he wasn't entirely human. "I liked this shirt too," Sebastian said pulling his shirt away from his chest so he could study the damage better.

"Then I'll buy you a new one," Akasha said licking his blood clean from her claws before they retracted back into her fingers. "Or I could come back and repay you in other ways," she whispered into his ear as her cheek brushed against his. Hoping that he knew the ways of Candary female courting, "Once I'm done that is," Akasha said stilling her body as his cheek rubbed against hers, giving her the signal that she didn't expect to experience that far from her home. Cursing to herself inside her head wondering if her friend was watching her since that was the second time she had interfered in the mating attempts.

"And you're a beautiful woman, Akasha." Akasha's head snapped around as she stood in the doorway as she heard fluent Candarian. A wicked smile graced her lips as he waved her goodbye from his hammock. "I hate for you to go, however, I do enjoy watching you leave." Akasha heard him say as the engine room doors rolled closed. Placing her hand over her heart, she hadn't felt its frantic beat in so long she wondered if it was even possible any more. That, however, wasn't all she felt as her cheeks heated to a crimson hue on her alabaster pale skin. Her mind raced wondering if he had indeed caught on to her subtle mating rituals she had started since the encounter with the Macko brothers.

"Akasha!" Adriana howled in joy as her legs propelled her four foot tall body down the length of the corridor as the air lock rolled open. Akasha braced herself for the inevitable collision. Akasha could never understand why the teenage girl always threw herself at her, yet when she and Lulu had rescued her three years ago from slave traders. She didn't think the child would come to play a role in her warrior heart. However, as her arms wrapped around her, Akasha knew one thing her sister was home.

"Hello Adriana, I hope you're staying longer than a month this time," Akasha said softly as she stroked Adriana's hair.

"Most definitely," Adriana giggled as she smiled warmly up at her friend.

"I know how the two of you want to get caught up," Lulu said smiling at the two. "Akasha, why don't you show Adriana to the guest quarters while I fetch our engineer," she said patting her shoulder as she headed towards the engine compartment.

"Sebastian," Lulu said as she leaned against the door frame as she watched him working over the control panel.

"Something I can help you with Captain?" Sebastian asked over his shoulder while his eyes scanned the equation. If they were dead set on this foolishness in Sebastian's opinion, then he was to ensure they at least got there in one piece just in case.

"Adriana, is here and I need you up top," Lulu said studying Sebastian, the way he moved and the way he carried himself, it seemed forced. She wondered just when he had heard her.

"Oh, twice in a month, I'm going to have to renegotiate my contract," Sebastian chuckled as he peered over his shoulder eyeing her wearily. "I doubt I be of any use fairytale hunting."

"Oh, you never know what surprises await," Lulu said; she needed to throw him off. "Tell you what ten percent on top of what your cut is if you help pull this off. Plus you have a better grasp of physics than I do," Lulu said shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh, is that all," Sebastian said wondering what she was playing at.

"All right, I can see my bluntness earlier caused you to be suspicious of me," Lulu said as Akasha whispered over the private com. Lulu watched as Sebastian's mind raced, then she saw it, the man she saw on that day, that sleeping soldier, something she had seen far too often. Then his demeanor changed in an instant, his head was on a swivel.

"Captain, are you feeling well?" Sebastian asked wondering when he had fallen into their snare and how close the noose was. He had once seen a female Candarian fight, while their men showed off their skills, their females honed them for the kill. They were the true rulers of the Candary. Sebastian knew the attack was coming he could feel it on his skin. He just had to survive the first two attacks.

Lulu stood in awe; she had never seen anyone block Akasha's first attack let alone her second if it ever came to that. If the look she saw on Akasha's face she too was surprised by what had happened as well.

"Wake him, Amanda," Lulu ordered as her fingers skimmed along Sebastian's plasma pistol. When she first picked up the weapon she was surprised by how much it weighed. If she had to guess it weighed roughly around fifteen pounds. Not something she was expecting given that it was the same size as her own laser pistol. She wasn't going to steal his weapon, no, at least not if he'd told her what she wanted to know. Then Sebastian could keep his pistol, if not then well she'll just have to get used to using his gun. Lulu watched as the blonde hair bounced on Amanda's shoulders as she approached Sebastian's side. Watching his head jerk as Amanda injected the neutralizing agent into him. Richard stood against the wall his hand rested on his weapon should Sebastian pose a threat to them or his wife.

"What...I always forget about the tail," Sebastian said groggily as he rubbed the back of his neck. Taking note of how his wrists were bound by the steel links of the cuffs. His eyes scanned the room noting how they eyed him suspiciously except for Akasha. "Excellent take down Akasha, you bring the Nithina tribe great honor, if that had been real I would be dead, Yoruba," Sebastian said bowing to her as was the custom of the defeated, using the Candary word for warrior as he spoke to Akasha before anyone else.

"You know of my people? Where did you train? Who taught you our ways? Was it an outcast or did someone take you in?" Akasha asked rapidly, yet she was only met with a smirk. Lulu was in shock no one outside of the Candary could speak their strange language. The computer translators were the only why they could speak to Akasha's people, even then that was tantamount to fail as often as it succeeded.

"You're indeed a strange man Sebastian," Lulu said watching how those eyes of his finally centered on her. "To be able to speak Candarian, fight a Candary on equal footing, and carry this strange weapon, you must tell me just who are you?"

"What I was and what I am, are in my past, not something to be placed underneath a microscope," Sebastian said smirking if they thought to interrogate him they would learn the error of their ways. It wouldn't take much for his enhanced strength to free him from the cuffs.

"Oh, you think we're going to interrogate you?" Lulu said with a sinister smirk. "No, that takes too long and I'm sure whatever you once were, they trained you to withstand interrogation. That's not what I'm going to do Sebastian," she said leaning forward allowing her bosom to draw his gaze and to throw him off. Yet it seemed to her, her efforts were in vein as he remained unaffected. "If you don't tell me what I want to know then I'll have Richard here," Lulu said pushing Sebastian's pistol towards Richard, "shoot you with your own pistol. I wonder how you would look like as a pile of goo?"

"Go ahead," Sebastian said nodding to his weapon. "I wouldn't if I were you though," he said ominously.

"Oh, yeah," Richard said arrogantly. Richard wasn't known for his intelligence; he acted far too quickly and was prone to being baited with ease, at least among his crew members. Sebastian smirked as Richard jerked sideways at the sudden weight of his weapon.

"Having trouble there sparky," Sebastian taunted.

"Fuck you, asshole," Richard said his hands shaking as he used his other to steady Sebastian's gun as he looked down the sights.

"Here, this might be easier for you," Sebastian said leaning forward pressing his forehead against the barrel. "Well, I'm waiting..."

"Wait! Stop! Don't shoot!" Adriana screamed out as she raced down from the bridge.

"Adriana, do you care to explain?" Lulu asked a little uneasy about Sebastian's ease of death.

"That's an X-014-D plasma pistol," Adriana said in awe as her eyes ran down the weapon.

"Yes, I know it's a plasma pistol Adriana that is why I'm asking our friend here where we can get more," Lulu said waving over at the gun.

"We're wasting time," Richard growled as his finger squeezed the trigger. Lulu jumped from her seat as an electric shock sent Richard flying back into the wall.

"Well, I did try to warn you," Adriana sighed as her foot nudged Richard's leg. "Heavier than I thought it would be, and I was wrong," she said as her eyes examined the relic of another age. "This is a model X-17," Adriana said her hands began to tremble at the realization of what she held.

"What did you do to him?!" Amanda screeched as she rushed to her husband's side.

"I did nothing, I warned you didn't I, even the child warned you," Sebastian said leaning back in his seat scratching his chin.

"This gun is encoded isn't it?" Adriana asked as she set the gun on the table.

"Well, answer her," Lulu said darkly as her weapon slid effortlessly out of its holster pointing it right at his head. "This one will fire, Sebastian," she said holding up her hand as Akasha started to move towards her.

"Yes," Sebastian said plainly.

"Enlighten me Sebastian what does that mean?" Lulu said wondering how he could wield such a weapon.

"It means Captain," Sebastian said using the word loosely. "From the moment I was born that weapon was mine and mine alone."

"You're a Nephelian aren't you?" Adriana asked as she pushed Lulu out of the way, flashing a small x-ray pen light on his left cheek. A gasp escaped her lips as his rank, unit number and his insignia appeared, "Imperialist," Adriana said fearfully as she ducked behind Lulu.

"Sebastian, care to fill us in?" Lulu asked trying not to allow her gun to shake. Her grandfather use to tell her stories about the time when black armor troopers would rain from the sky bringing death with them. He also told her that all of them were gone. "The Venus Oculari Empire fell a hundred and fifty years ago. Tell me how is it that a relic of that age can be sitting before me?"

"Because I only age less than a tenth of what you do, just because the war ended badly for both sides doesn't mean my people are gone," Sebastian said matter-of-fact.

"That's impossible," Amanda said over her shoulder as her husband came to.

"For you maybe, not to my people," Sebastian said wondering how long was he going to let this charade go on for.

"You can break those chains can't you?" Lulu asked pushing Adriana further behind her.

"Yes."

"How? How can that be possible?" Lulu asked wondering if she just doomed her and her crew for pushing Sebastian into corner.

"Because I was altered in vitro while I was growing inside the woman that gave me up," Sebastian said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Plus the nanites help too."

"Nanites?! You have nanites, can I see them?" Adriana asked sticking her head out from around Lulu.

"No," Sebastian said narrowing his eyes at the girl. "So tell me why am I chained up?"

"Because Sebastian I thought you were too dangerous to leave you free," Lulu said taking a dry swallow.

"Me! Dangerous," Sebastian doubled over in laughter. "Akasha is far more dangerous than I am and hot too," he said directing the last part only to Akasha. Lulu looked to her friend she was about to ask what he had said, yet if her ruby cheeks were any indication she didn't need to ask. "So Captain how's this going to go?"

"Well, that's the thing Sebastian, if that is indeed your name," Lulu said sinking back down into her seat pondering if she could salvage the situation.

"Good a name as any," Sebastian said shrugging his shoulders.

"Sebastian what does that mean?" Akasha asked taking a step forward, she didn't know if she wanted to spar with him or ravage him.

"It means bel," Sebastian said smirking as he watched as Akasha's ears twitched, her nose wiggled, her cheeks heated. He wondered if he had caught her in his snare with his own forwardness. "I was never given a name only a rank when I was inducted into this life."

"Explain that to me Sebastian," Lulu said ignoring Richard's groans.

"We were the vanguard for the Venus Oculari Empire. It had been that way, up until the last two decades of the Symphax war. Those that were born unwanted were given to the state while still in the womb. Where the state would genetically alter us to suit whatever they needed at the time. I, however, was slated for the Imperialist, where my already altered body underwent further alterations, improving my speed, strength, stamina, and senses, among other things. Names mean nothing in the Imperialist, only your rank did, hence I was never given a name, until well that's another story," Sebastian said looking right at Akasha.

"Tell me Sebastian! Tell me that story!" Akasha said she needed to hear it; she needed to know if he was indeed a worthy mate.

"Another time Akasha," Lulu said she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end as she peered back to her friend. If she didn't know better she could have sworn she was about to be mauled.

"Fine," Akasha grumbled turning away from her friend; walking over to the wall peeking out of the corner of her eye as she leaned against it.

"So you were an Imperialist, impressive given what I heard that they could do," Lulu said crossing her legs. "Tell me why you weren't at the final battle?"

"Because we were labeled as obsolete to the androids my people made in the waning years of the war. Our discharge was a firing squad," Sebastian spat. If he could, he would have raided the central world and ended the lives that were in cryo-sleep. "After that well I got around," he said offhandedly.

"I see," Lulu said eyeing the man before her. She knew he wasn't telling her everything, however, she wasn't about to push him further.

"Did you enjoy your nap?" Sebastian chuckled as Richard shook off the effects of the safety mechanism of his gun.

"Lay still Richard," Amanda said examining her husband, telling him to stay there a little longer as she got to her feet. "What is wrong with you?!" Amanda shouted as she approached Sebastian. A chill crept down her spine as those cold eyes glanced at her. "That thing could have killed him!" Amanda growled pointing at his gun.

"Twice he was warned; twice he failed to heed that warning. Is it my fault your husband never thinks to listen to said advice," Sebastian said rattling the chains of his cuffs. "Maybe now you all will think before touching my things or examining me without my consent," he said his eyes drilling into Lulu and the doctor. "Please, my nanites neutralized that sedative two minutes after Akasha struck," Sebastian said rolling his eyes at their shocked looks.

"So what happened in the engine room wasn't your real fighting skill, just you laying a trap within ours?" Akasha asked as she watched as Sebastian tapped his nose.

"Pretty much," Sebastian said apologetically to Akasha. "Only way to find out what you were up to. So Captain, do you want to take these off or should I?" Sebastian asked holding out his hands.

"No!" Akasha said pushing Lulu back into her seat. "You do it!" she said her eyes narrowed dangerously. If he had spoken one falsehood she would end Sebastian right then and there. Akasha watched as he sighed, she heard the strain the metal was under even if no one else heard it.

"Got fancy toys but you can't free yourself..." Richard's mouth hung agape as the broken link bounced along the gravity plating.

"Satisfied?" Sebastian asked in a mischievous light as he looked up at Akasha.

"Not entirely," Akasha said taking him by the arm dragging Sebastian behind her as she led him towards the cargo hold.

"Akasha! I'm not done questioning him!" Lulu called out as she rushed to catch up with her Candary friend.

"You can question him more later," Akasha said her voice echoing off the metal walls as she opened the side door to the cargo hold. "If he survives that is," she said over her shoulder noticing his amused smirk. Telling Sebastian not to move as she went to unpack the items she had paid to get made for her. She knew they weren't proper inca fighting sticks, yet they would do outside of her people's territory. "Here, catch," Akasha said tossing Sebastian the six foot long staff on their ends wicked curved blades mirroring each other.

"Akasha, stop this!" Lulu ordered from the safety of the walkway above them. "What good will it do if he's dead?!" she asked beating her hand against the railing. Lulu took a dry swallow as she peered down at her friend's face telling her one thing - it can't be stopped!

"The Captain and I have seemed to have underestimated you," Akasha said watching as Sebastian spun the staff around his hand before catching it in both hands testing out the balance. Her heart fluttered as he spun it once again in his right hand before placing it diagonally from his right shoulder to his left hip behind his back; her hand went to her lips as Sebastian preformed the greeting all Candary warriors give before they dueled.

"It seems you have Yoruba," Sebastian said as he held the position waiting for Akasha to return the gesture.

"Then forgive my ignorance it won't happen again Yoruba," Akasha said puffing out her chest in pride performing the same gesture only till then did Sebastian rise to meet her eye to eye. "It seems you know how to use an inca stick," she mused as she walked around him studying him for any weakness. Yet after five years thinking he was only a simple engineer, he never once lowered his guard around her.

"So it seems," Sebastian said with a coy smirk as he peered at her from the corner of his eye.

"Then you know how to Bardagi?" Akasha asked studying his face as her claws skimmed through his hair.

"I've seen it done before, but they wanted to see me in Stjrid more than anything else," Sebastian said enjoying how he could light those violet eyes of hers in genuine surprise. "So what are the prizes?"

"Wait! There's money involved," Nathan said leaning over the railing his eyes darted between the two calculating the odds.

"Have you ever heard of Manājl?" Akasha asked as she stalked around Sebastian's back.

"Yes... are you asking if I know how to perform it?" Sebastian said cocking his head to the side, "then yes, I'm fluent in Manājl," he said with a sly smile.

"Then that's what I want," Akasha said seductively as her tongue ran her fang. "Have you chosen your prize yet?"

"That I have, if I draw first blood then as my prize," Sebastian said beckoning her forward his cheek brushed against hers, "I want a kiss," he whispered into her ear.

"Umm..." Akasha stammered as she felt her cheeks heating. Her mind raced trying to pose a question he had to answer without exposing who his master was. "Before I answer, I'd like to know how you knew I was Nithina?" Lulu's ears perked when Akasha's question reached her.