Outsider

[Laowai]

That night Laowai sat in his cavern and tried to tune his communicator into any local comm traffic. After an hour of fruitless tinkering and tuning he gave up. It was exactly as Ernesto Crusellas had said. These caves did block transmissions and scans, he could barely register anything outside the room he was in. There was no local traffic either, if the Tangier Corsairs used any form of standard comm equipment there was no trace of it on the airwaves.

There was a soft knock at his door. He looked up surprised and answered “Come in?” The door opened and Zarita Crusellas entered, he was surprised to see her here at this hour.
“Zarita!” he said, standing quickly and moving a chair out for her, “please, come in, sit down!”
She smiled and did so, “I hope I’m not disturbing you” she said, eying his comm device on his bed. He brushed it aside quickly and sat on the bed in front of her. “No not at all, I was just seeing if I could actually pick up anything, though it seems you don’t get anything in the way of communications down here”
Zarita smiled again “well no, not really, at least, not anything you would pick up with that” She left that remark hanging and paused for a moment, hesitating. "There are things i wish to talk you you about" she said. Her brow creased and then suddenly she leaned forward, taking Laowai’s hand. He was surprised, but didn’t move away, rather he held her hand and waited for her to go on.
“There is more to us here Ben Laowai than meets the eye” she said, “More to us than there was when my father’s generation landed here all those years ago.”

She leaned in closer, “They wouldn’t tell you these things in the council because they are afraid of you”
“Afraid?” He asked, raising his eyebrow slightly, he was not sure what she meant, though he sensed an earnestness in her eyes, and an honesty that somehow stifled the many questions now forming in his mind and silenced him. “Yes afraid” she went on, “You are the first Corsair to set foot on Tangier for many, many years, and they are afraid you will tell others that we are here” She stroked his hand in hers, looking him in the eye as she did so “And they do not want the others to know of us, they don’t want to leave, they don’t want to go back to Crete”.
She looked away suddenly and indicated to the walls, mysteriously emitting light as all the walls in this place did. “But I am not afraid of you, I believe that you, because of who you are and where you come from, understand what it is to be apart, and I believe you are truly what you seem to be, and that is a man of honour”.

He felt himself unable to answer her, for he did not comprehend how these Corsairs could not want to rejoin their brothers and sisters. He understood that they had forged a strong community here, but that community could only benefit the Corsairs as a whole, a viable base of operations on Tangier would alter the balance of power in this system considerably and be a definite hindrance to the Hessians. However Zarita continued; “I told you before that we found things here” she said cryptically. Laowai nodded, this fact had intrigued him. Zarita reached into her tunic with one hand and withdrew a small bluish purple crystal. It emitted a faint glow, illuminating what seemed to be etchings along its surface.

He recognized its design, it had the appearance of some kind of artifact, the like of which the Corsairs of Crete found in their tonnes floating in the mass of rocks of the Malvada cloud. “Is that a…. “He began, but she cut him off. “Yes, its similar to what you think it is, but no, it’s not like what you found in your initiation, nor what the Corsairs still ply all over Sirius no doubt”

The artifact glowed slightly in her hand. “It’s active?” he asked. Zarita nodded, “Active, yes, but harmful… no”
“I don’t understand” Laowai stated, “How is this related to you not wanting to come home?”
Zarita placed the artifact in his hand and then placed her own above it, a gentle warmth emitted from it and he looked at her, more than a little perplexed.
“We are home Ben” she said, using his first name in a familiar and informal way for the first time, “Our home is here, our family is here, our hopes and dreams…..” she paused and smiled at him “….are here.”
He stared into her eyes, feeling himself confused, but somehow trusting of this woman, how she disarmed him!? She leaned forward and kissed him gently, a kiss he returned with equal softness.

“Will you let me show you?” she asked simply. He did not know what she meant, but nodded.
She placed her hand over the artifact again, this time holding it more firmly, its glow increased slightly and he could feel its warmth grow in his hand. He stared at it, hesitant when suddenly a voice, her voice, whispered in his head *Let me show you* she said again, he looked up, startled to find her mouth had not moved; once more, her voice appeared in his mind, like a thought would, except that it was not his own *Trust me*.

Such a simple request, yet one that was not something he ever did lightly, however he looked into her eyes once more, seeing the bluish purple glow of the artifact, now glowing more brightly, reflected within them. He somehow knew how to answer, though his conscious mind would ponder just how he knew for years afterward *I trust you* he thought.
She smiled at him, her eyes showing nothing but honesty.

Suddenly, he felt himself jolted as if lifted by a million tonnes of rocket thrust. The walls of the cave around him suddenly joined with his flesh and he found himself lifting skywards at an unbelievable pace. He stared wide eyed, for he had not flown through the rock, for a split second he WAS the rock. As soon as it started he found himself free and in the night air, the bright stars above him and the sky opening up. He looked down, and saw the darkened grass covered hills below him vanishing quickly, up and up he went until reaching the first hint of cloud he came to a gentle standstill.
He was in the air, in the low atmosphere to be exact, miles and miles of planet stretched out below him and around him, feint wisps of cloud rolled gently by.

“What in the name of Hispania?!” he exclaimed. Terror suddenly gripped him when he realized, despite the impossibility of his being here, he was here, and was about to go into free fall at any moment. He panicked and looked down, only then realising, that he had no feet.

In fact, as he looked around him, he had no body at all. And he wasn’t falling.

***It’s ok*** he heard Zarita’s voice in his mind once more, and he could suddenly feel her hand in his again, he looked, and saw her beside him. Though, as he studied it, realized that beside him he actually saw nothing, save clouds and stars, and yet, he knew she was there.
***What the hell was that?!*** he thought to her, ***What the hell is going on??!***
But as much as his questions demanded answers he felt emanating from her a feeling of overwhelming peace, of calm and reassurance. He breathed, or thought that he breathed, and looked down again. Yes, he was in the air.

***Actually Ben, we’re still in the cave, a few miles below us*** He knew what she said was true, though again, he had no idea how it was true. ***As I said*** her voice continued ***we found things here, things that have bound us to this place, and bound us together*** He realized as he heard this that below him, and nearby, he could see, or sense others, though they had no bodies to speak of, yet they were there all the same.
*** I can talk to you, as I am now*** she continued, ***though I can talk to you in a way words could never do***
And as she said that he felt a wave of warmth overcome him, and suddenly he saw her, but not as a shape or form that you could see, touch or feel, but as thoughts, feelings, emotions and dreams, a billion billion moments of time, of space and of life all joining his mind at once and suddenly he knew her, as if he had known her his entire life, but more so, as if he has witnessed everything she was through her eyes, in a single moment.
***My god….*** he thought, ***Zarita…. Why are you…***
Her calmness and honesty warmed him again and suddenly he felt her within him as she had just been to him, but far from pushing her out he found himself allowing it, everything he was suddenly shone within her in milliseconds and then as soon as it had begun he jolted and found himself back in the cavern, her hand still in his and the artifact now quiet and cold, still in their hands.

His body suddenly felt clumsy and heavy, he tried to speak but for a moment it was as if his body had forgotten how and nothing happened.
Zarita leaned forward again and kissed him once more, “I know you” she said simply, “and you now know me, you see this is our home, this is the bond we Corsairs of Tangier share, we are all one in some kind of way, and this is where we belong”
He felt himself regaining mastery of his own senses and he withdrew his hand and shook his head, he felt dizzy, as if he had swilled a gallon of Baijiu and then stood up too suddenly.
“You do that” he gasped, “with everybody here?!” the sheer intimacy of what had just happened started to dawn on his physical mind and it was more than a little overwhelming. Zarita giggled “Well, not like that, we share with each other but not that much, not like that…”. For the first time, he saw her blush slightly “But you... Well, that’s different, that was more because… well... you know why”.

And he did, Laowai lunged forward and kissed her passionately, pulling her close to him and she met his kiss with equal urgency, he turned and threw her down onto the bed. “But you still share the traditional way I hope?” he said as he hurriedly unclasped her tunic’s shoulder strap, she reached up and began to undo his robe; “you already know the answer to that” she gasped hungrily.

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He awoke the next morning, Zarita lying still beside him, her arm draped around his chest and her face nuzzled into his shoulder. He thought about the events of the night before, and understood why he could never tell anyone else about this place. Zarita had shared everything with him, and he knew that these people would never willingly leave this place, and he understood why.
She stirred, her eyes opening slightly “”good morning” she yawned, rolling over and stretching her arms. “Good morning to you Senora Crusellas” he smiled at her. She returned his smile and leaned over, kissing him.
Suddenly there was a loud banging on the door, “Senor” a voice called out, “get up, make ready, we have salvaged your vessel but we have a problem”.

Zarita jumped up suddenly and he followed her, dressing quickly, he ran to the door and opened it, a guard stood sternly outside, his sidearm drawn. A sinking feeling hit him; he had just bedded an Elder’s daughter…but the guard continued and addressed him “Two Hessian vessels entered orbit moments ago and are scanning the area where your Titan is sitting”.
Laowai stood shocked and Zarita pushed past him, seemingly not caring whether the guard saw her there or not “Where are they?” she said, “What has been done?” The guard snapped to attention at her words, “Still out of range Senora but it’s only a matter of time before they locate the ship, we need Senor Laowai there, now.”
She turned quickly and he rushed to gather his things. He understood her urgency, the Hessians could not be allowed to know that there were others on Tangier; they could not risk a transmission getting out.
“Don’t worry” Ben said, “I know what I have to do.”

Dashing from the caves, now fully dressed once more in his flight combat uniform, Laowai, Zarita and several Tangier corsair guards darted up the hill away from the main settlement entrance, reaching the crest they found Ernesto and several more guards awaiting them. “They have found the vessel” Ernesto said sternly, “But as yet have sent no transmissions, there are only two of them”. Laowai nodded, “Fine, if there is two I can take them” but Ernesto shook his head, “Only one of them is on the ground, the other is hovering overheard covering”
Laowai scowled, without waiting he dashed ahead. “Ben!” Zarita called out, running after him. Ernesto gestured to the guards, “Go!…. Go!” he said.

He heard the whine of the Hessian vessel before he reached the crest, and looking over he hill he saw; sure enough, a single Hessian fighter hovered overhead and the other was parked some distance away, its pilot making his way carefully towards the now righted Titan. “Damn” Laowai growled, unholstering his blaster and weighing up his options. “Wait” Zarita said, “there is something I can do, I can distract one of them” She reached into her tunic and produced the artifact, “what are you…?” Laowai began but she silenced him quickly, “Don’t worry about that, you deal with the one of the ground”
She sat down and cradled the artifact in her hands, it began to glow once more. Not knowing what she had in mind Ben turned to the guards, “Cover her” she said quickly and crawled from their position making his way towards the Titan.

He did not know how do approach the situation, for he was sure their life signs would have already shown up on the Hessian fighters' screens, and yet it still hovered, facing away from their position, shimmering jet wash rippling the air beneath it and all sound drowned out by the whine of its engines.
He crept quickly through the long grass, using the Titans bulk to hide him from view of the Hessian on the ground.
Suddenly the ship in the air lurched forward and its engines revved up with increased thrust, without warning it fired its weapons into the forest in the distance, the ordinance exploding several trees with a tremendous explosion which for a second drowned out the wail of the engines. Laowai didn’t know what had happened but he seized the opportunity. Breaking the cover of the grass he ran forward towards the Titan. The Hessian fighter overhead now wheeled around again and fired its weapons seemingly at random now into the air, twisting suddenly as if to avoid something and accelerating over the forest before turning again. Laowai dashed out from behind the Titan to find the other Hessian pilot screaming into his comm system. He looked up and saw the Corsair appear as if from nowhere and reached for his weapon, but Laowai fired first, the bolt hitting the Hessian square in the chest and exploding, sending his body flying, doll-like backwards into the air.

Suddenly the air around him exploded as the Hessian ship passed over head, its weapons firing continually, peppering the ground with high energy fire. Laowai dived aside, narrowly missing being hit. The ship wheeled around above him now and began to fire onto the hill from which he had just came.

Suddenly he realized what must be happening. Zarita was somehow distracting the pilot, he wasn’t sure how but whatever she had been doing had confused him and he was now firing blind at whatever it was he thought he was seeing. His fire now was however getting dangerously close to where Zarita and the guards were hiding. The ships engines screamed in a breaking thrust and its weapons now traced an arc of fire directly up the hill. He saw blaster bolts shooting up from the ground on the crest, the corsair guards; they had been seen. “NO!!!” he screamed, Darting back up the hill towards the fighter he fired his own blaster at its underbelly, the rounds deflecting harmlessly off its shields.
The Hessians weapons tore a path of destruction up the hill and then suddenly without warning the ship thrust forward, its afterburners engaging and it wheeled vertically, looping in the air and then almost as if in slow motion plummeted nose first into the ground a few hundred meters away. Ben threw himself to the ground as the ships reactor exploded, the shock wave buffeting around him and its force momentarily deafening, chunks of metal and burned fuselage showering around him and smoldering on the ground.

He stood up, looking towards the wreckage and seeing no sign of survival, he looked back up the hill, wisps of smoke rising up from it crest; “Zarita!” he whispered. He ran up the hill, quickly covering the distance, a sinking feeling in his chest hitting him until he reached the top. The area was charred and torn from weapons fire, one of the Corsair guards lay dead, the other cradling his shattered leg was on his back.
Zarita lay motionless in between them, the lower half of her body charred and burned, smoke rising from her garments.
“NO!” Laowai shouted again, he dashed towards her, kneeling beside her he quickly surveyed her wounds. She had been hit badly, probably by a smaller blast which was why she had not been vaporized, but she had taken fire in her stomach and chest, the wounds smouldering and her eyes were wide as she gasped for air.
“Oh god, Zarita!” he said, cradling her head and trying to hold her steady to allow her to breathe. Her eyes wide locked on his, staring from her blacked charred face and she tried to mouth some words, looking away; she was reaching for something.
He saw it, the artifact was lying beside her, just out of reach, “This?” he said picking it up and putting it in her hand “you want this?” She coughed, flecks of blood on her lips and she grasped the crystal in her hand. She thrust it into his and it glowed suddenly, but its heat and glow hit him faster and more intensely than last time.

Suddenly her voice was in his head again, and she stood beside him, somehow outside the broken and dying body he now cradled in his lap.
***Did you get them?*** she said *did I get the ship?*
Ben found himself choked with emotion, A Corsair till the end this woman, he struggled to hold in his grief and try to answer her in his thoughts.
***Yes, we got them, you got him, he’s gone, crashed into the ground***. He felt a sense of relief, hers, not his, enter his mind ***ahhhhh, good*** her voice said ***I wasn’t sure if that would work, I’ve never done that before*** He felt her looking at herself in his arms and her emotions; Loss… entered his mind. ***Oh… I wasn’t that successful it seems, he definitely found me***

He reached out for her, not the body he held, but the Zarita he could feel beside him, and he felt her reach back, he felt his grief now, but he tried to hold it back from her again, ***I’m sorry*** he said *** You shouldn’t have done….*** but once again he felt her calm within him. ***Its allright, I had to, they would have told about us otherwise, and besides, you couldn’t have taken them on your own***
He couldn’t argue with her, and he knew that she could feel his grief, he couldn’t hide it anymore, but he felt something else from her; sadness, loss, but also peace. ***Don’t worry Ben, my body is dying, but im not*** He felt hope within him rise and he wanted to ask her how, but he felt her body, her physical body in his arms begin to shudder and she was gasping for air, choking. He felt his link to her wane as he was momentarily distracted,. However her voice spoke in his mind once more ***Don’t worry Ben Laowai, im not afraid, and we will speak again***
Suddenly he was jolted back into his own body and like the last time he felt a wave of dizziness hit him, he slipped backwards and the artifact slipped from his hands. Zarita’s body went limp in his arms as her last gasp of air escaped her lips. He leant over her, his face against hers as he held her. He was still crouched that way, weeping, when Ernesto Crusellas and the other corsair guards found him.

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