Old Faces and New Secrets

Kal's pulse quickened as he gazed into the eyes of a face he hadn't seen since his childhood—an older man with wise lines etched into his face, wearing the same faint smile Kal remembered from so long ago. The man was Dr. Elias Korrin, a brilliant scientist, and once a close friend to Sara. Memories surged back, flooding Kal's mind, threatening to pull him away from the present. He could almost see himself as a small, frightened boy, Sara and Elias by his side, helping him through a dark time he could never forget.

Dr. Korrin gave a weak chuckle, looking at Kal with a mix of recognition and surprise. "Kal… you've grown up well," he murmured, his voice frail yet carrying a warmth that rekindled old memories.

"Old man," Kal managed, swallowing back a knot in his throat. "What are you doing here? I thought I'd never see you again after all those years. Sara thought the same."

Korrin's eyes softened. "Ah, Sara," he said with a hint of nostalgia. "How is she doing?"

"Still keeping me in line," Kal replied, trying to smile despite the tightness in his chest. "Keeping me alive."

Korrin nodded approvingly, though his smile faded into a more solemn expression. He sighed, his voice heavy with memories. "You know, I owe both of you a debt that can never truly be repaid. Back then, on Althenos—do you remember?"

Althenos. The name echoed in Kal's mind like a thunderclap, rattling memories he'd buried as deep as he could. He was just a boy when he first met Dr. Korrin and Sara on that bleak, war-ravaged planet. He remembered little moments, blurry flashes: the screams, the chaos, the shadows of mercenaries sweeping across his home. He remembered hiding, watching his family torn apart as a nearby blast shook the earth, leaving him with a lingering fear he could never truly shake. And then, after the horror subsided, he remembered a warm hand reaching out to him—a younger Sara, her voice gentle but firm, guiding him out of the darkness.

Together with Dr. Korrin, they had kept him safe. They'd given him a chance to escape, hiding him under cover as they outwitted the mercenaries. It was Sara and Korrin who had given him the means to survive the years that followed, teaching him to be strong, to fight back. His time with them had given him both scars and strength.

Kal blinked, forcing himself to stay present. He looked back at Korrin, who was now watching him with a knowing gaze, as if seeing the memories flicker across Kal's face.

"You saved me that day," Kal murmured. "You and Sara—both of you."

Dr. Korrin's hand reached out, giving Kal's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I only wish the world had been kinder to you, Kal," he replied softly. "But you've become a resilient man. I can see that now."

Their words were tinged with a shared, unspoken understanding. But time was running thin. Kal looked at Korrin's leg, the blood spreading through his pants. "Why are you here, Dr. Korrin? How did you end up on the Federation's wanted list?"

Korrin winced but held Kal's gaze. "They say I stole something—a Federation artifact," he replied, reaching into his coat and pulling out a small, metallic device. "But that's just a smokescreen, Kal. They're after me because of what I know, not what I took."

He held out the artifact, placing it in Kal's hand, then clasped his hand firmly. "This artifact—don't let them have it," he whispered, his eyes intense. "But this isn't the true prize. They want knowledge, Kal. They want power."

Kal was about to ask what he meant when he heard the crunch of footsteps nearby, the low voices of bounty hunters closing in. Dr. Korrin's grip tightened as he slipped a small orb into Kal's other hand, his eyes filled with urgency. He leaned close, his last words barely a whisper. "Protect the orb… they'll come for you now."

And then, in one final breath, he was gone.

Kal felt a cold stillness settle in as he stared down at the man who had saved him, the man who had helped shape who he was today. Dr. Korrin's hand fell limp, and Kal closed his eyes briefly, absorbing the weight of the moment.

"Drop it!" A voice snapped from behind him.

Kal turned slowly to see Lyra, her weapon trained on him, flanked by the bounty hunters he'd met earlier. Lyra's gaze shifted between Kal and the artifact in his hand. Her expression was hardened, resolute.

"Kal, I'm not in the mood for games," she said coldly, her voice edged with impatience. "You know what we came for. Just give me the artifact, and no one else has to get hurt."

Kal held up the artifact, his face emotionless. "This?" he asked, his voice steady. Without a second glance, he tossed the artifact toward her, his mind already turning over the orb hidden in his other hand. He didn't know what it was or what secrets it held, but he knew it was tied to something far larger than a bounty or Federation protocol.

Lyra's eyes flashed as she caught the artifact, a flicker of surprise at his willingness to let it go. But before she could say anything, Kal turned and walked past her, his stride unwavering.

He felt their eyes on him as he disappeared into the shadows. The orb felt like a lead weight in his pocket, a silent reminder of Dr. Korrin's final wish.