The Deal

A room is prepared for us in the back. It was nothing special, in fact it reminded me of the war room. A long table in the center with multiple chairs surrounding it. The only thing different about it was the blue hue carried over from the other room and the large window in the back, pointing out into the barren ocean floor. Everyone takes a seat with the minister standing next to the window looking out into the waters.

"There is not much to say, so I am just going to get to the point. We need your help."

"Help?" Oniv asks. "With what?"

"Our people have been suffering on this planet. Despite its beauty, it is a mad house here."

"What's happening to it?"

"It's dying. Everything here is dying and so far, we have not been able to stop it."

"Well, I don't know what you expect from us. We aren't exactly environmentalists."

"True, however, that's not what I am referring to."

"What do you mean?"

"It's not the environment. You probably haven't seen it in your brief time here, but it's everywhere. In the ground, in the ocean, in the very air we breathe. We want to change that."

"Change what, exactly?" Clara asks.

"The leadership. The planet needs to be cured of the disease inhabiting it."

"That being?"

"The rotten queen that looks over these waters, over this diseased excuse we call a country."

Something opens inside Clara. An anger that I have only witnessed a couple of times in my life, however this is the worst yet. Her fists clinches on the table, hard enough that I start thinking blood is coming out, but all she said was two words, "Queen Adarla."

Oniv puts his hand on Clara shoulder and rubs her back for a moment, probably an attempt at him calming her down, but he realizes it's in vain and returns to the minister.

"You want us to overthrow your queen?" Oniv asks. "Did I understand that right?"

"Yes."

"Do you understand what we do? We are bounty hunters, not assassins."

"I am not asking you to assassinate her?"

"And we don't fight wars."

"I am not asking you to fight a war."

"Then what are you asking?" Rom says, interjecting into the conversation. "Because that sounds exactly what it sounds like."

The minister takes a deep breath and nods his head.

"Fine," he says, "Let me show you then."

We all leave the room and head to the back of the building where a tram system is located. We hope on as the car rolls by and continue into the heart of the underwater city. The city itself is bright and vibrant as the many red and green lights stood out amounts the blue hue that surrounds the city. The tram dips into the ground and we arrive in a large cave system. We exit the tram, massing through a small market under the city. Hundreds of people reach out, showing us the fresh catches of the day and the finest accessories. Angel is left in awe, and I have to pull her along to keep moving. We walk through a small cave in the back and arrive at an encampment. Here the story flips. It's no longer vibrant or bright, it is dull and depressing. Some peoples had this sad look, that all hope was lost, that everything they had was taken from them. Clara looks away, closing her eyes to keep from looking at everyone.

"This is what you are fighting for." The minster says. "These poor people have been displaced by the tyranny of this so-called queen."

Angel's cheery look turns into despair as she observes the rest of the cave.

"All of this came from her?"

He nods his head.

"We'll need some time to talk about this." Oniv says.

"Very well."

The minster takes us back to the main tower. He gives has some rooms for the night. They were modest and nice looking though we don't have any views of the ocean floor from here. We gather together in Oniv's room for our decision. Clara and Angel bring the kid with them but leaves her in the bedroom as we talked.

Something still has Clara bothered and Dern, who had not said a word this entire time, silently leaned against the wall, looking down into the floor. Rom stands near the door, with and open view into the entire room.

Oniv sat on one couch and Angel and I sit on the other side.

"So, what do we think?" Oniv asks.

"I think we should do it." I said. "We have the means, and it will help us with getting off this planet."

"Well, I think it's a stupid idea." Dern says

"Really?"

"This is none of our concern. Why would we interfere in affairs beyond our control?"

"Are you fucking serious?" Clara asks, dumfounded by Dern's response. "You think we don't have the control over this? That we don't have the power to change this?"

"Why are you so worked up about this?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You have been angry toward the queen since we first saw her last mission." I said

"This is not about her. This is more than that!"

"Is that right?" Dern asks

"This is taking down an evil that is terrorizing this planet."

"And have your forgotten about the child in the other room? You want to drag her into this? What has this queen done to you Clara? What has you so angry?"

Clara takes a step back as Dern has stepped over her. She is as quiet as can be.

"I think he's right, Clara." Angel says.

Everyone turns to her at once, shocked of her response.

"You too?" Clara asks.

"We have to think about this practically. Overthrowing a government is not an easy task. Sometimes it's been reported to takes years to accomplish that and we are doing it as an exchange for our ship getting fixed?"

She turns to Rom.

"Leave me out of this. I just fly; I don't fight. We aren't leaving this planet until our ship is fixed, so yeah, there is that." He says.

The vote is still tied 2-2. Clara turns back to Oniv, who hasn't voted yet. He looks around for a moment and sighs, standing to his feet.

"What has you worked up, Clara? What's going on?" he asks

She turns away from everyone and says, "Nothing." Then she storms out of the room.

Oniv returns back to the group.

"Everyone get some sleep. We'll talk about this later."

We all nod and exit out of the room and the door closes behind.