Chapter 4: Searching Stars

By the time Dana, Gregory, and Zet left the apartment complex, it was already the eve of dusk. A grayish light covered the sky, and the temperature began to drop gradually as the minutes rolled on. There were still several good hours of light left in the day, so the trio had plenty of time to get to their destination. On the way, Zet told his traveling companions a little about himself--but just a little. It was the individual he was looking for that intrigued them the most.

“So just who are you looking for anyway?” they asked. Zet smiled, and began his little tale as he led them to the hangar where his ship was stored away.

“Let me just say that she is not like any other normal person,” he replied. Dana’s inquisitive face grew even more so.

“Ahh, so it’s a girlfriend of yours.”

“No, it is not. I have never met her before in my life.”

“Oh? Then how do you know about her? Or how do you even know what she looks like?” Zet pointed to his ears.

“I hear things,” he replied. “She is quite the famous lady--or maybe, the word infamous is better.”

“So she’s not exactly an agreeable woman?” asked Gregory.

“No, she is a very kind young lady,” replied Zet. “At least, that is what I have heard. The fact of the matter is, though, I have also heard some very nasty things about her. I am not quick to judge such accusations unless I know them for certain, so until I meet her, I will not know what type of person she is.”

“Wait a minute, hold on!!” demanded Dana suddenly. Her two companions stopped and focused on her. “Zet, you had better tell us the entire story, from start to finish. We’re not going to get anywhere with the ambiguous answers you’re giving us.”

“My apologies,” he said, bowing low. “I do sometimes give off an aura of mystery, but then again, I am from another reality. I suppose I should tell you my story--but not right now. First, let us find my ship and leave this space station. We shall have plenty of time to talk en route to Earth.”

“Earth?!?!” screeched the two humans. Zet quietly nodded his head, and Gregory groaned out loud.

“Ugh ... I spent sixteen years of my life trying to get away from that planet, and now you want me to go back?!”

“I will not force you to do anything,” replied Zet coolly. “If traveling to Earth makes you uncomfortable, then I would advise you to stay behind. I am sure that Miss Withers’ assistance will be able to suffice.” Gregory let out an exasperated sigh, and hung his head.

“No ... I’ll go with you ... I don’t hate the Earth, I just ... have a lot of bad memories from there...” He trailed off, leaving both Zet and Dana wondering what kind of a history this shifty character had on Earth. The planet Earth, the cradle of civilization in the Sol System, had slowly degenerated over the years, leaving it a general hotspot for trouble and misery. It still boasted the greatest population out of all the planets, moons, colonies, and space stations, but its residents were not the same respected, well-loved people they had once been.

The “Final War” saw to this.

Gregory and Dana mostly kept silent as they passed through the dark streets and steamy alleyways of Saturn Space Station 02. Zet seemed to know the way very well, considering he was neither a native of the station nor even the reality it existed in. He explained this off by claiming to be an exceptional hunter and tracker, among other skills he possessed. The two adventurers quickly learned why Zet had gotten into the business of the bounty hunter, and secretly relayed to each other thoughts of joining up with him. His skills would most certainly come in handy on future missions.

The small gang had to walk about forty-five minutes before they came to the hangar where Zet kept his ship. This one was smaller than the one that Dana and Gregory used, but it boasted much better facilities and even a 24-hour mechanic service, whereas the hangar that held their vessels was just a really big storage area.

“My ship is over there,” pointed Zet. Dana’s eyes shimmered as she got a good look at the vessel, and jogged ahead of the group to get a better view. Since she was so well-versed in the art of interplanetary travel, she could appreciate fine vessels such as this, and being the adopted daughter of a very rich and influential woman didn’t hurt, either.

The vessel itself was not large--it was barely big enough to hold ten people--but from the overall design of it, it didn’t need the size. Its speed and defenses were incredible, and the weapons were so powerful that they could have been considered illegal. Dana fawned over the tiny vessel like a kid drooling over candy, and Gregory got the feeling that if it were possible, she would have made love to the ship.

“This is absolutely amazing!” whispered Dana in amazement. “I’ve only seen this type once! It’s a Sigma-class, isn’t it?”

“You are correct,” said Zet. “I see that you are a connoisseur of fine transportations. Perhaps you can be more of a help to me than I originally thought.”

“(Don’t get too attached, )” warned an unimpressed Gregory. “(Sure Dana’s a genius when it comes to ships and all, but she doesn’t know a thing about the real world. She’s your typical rich little girl who felt too trapped by her family life and wanted to see the universe.)”

“I see,” said Zet with a chuckle. “But is it safe for you to insult her so much?”

“Ahh, don’t worry about it,” assured Gregory. “She rags on me just as much. Besides, she’s proud of who she is, so I guess there’s no harm in stating the truth.”

“No...”