Chapter 7: The Smuggler’s Bargain
Imperius Exile Wastelands, Uncharted System
Year 9783 C.C. – Three Days After the Trial
*****
The faint glow of the holographic transmission flickered in the dark ruins, casting shifting shadows over Kael's bruised face. He studied Juno Reyes' expression on the other end of the call—her amused smirk, the casual way she lounged in her pilot's seat, one boot propped against the dashboard.
'She enjoys this. Playing with power, dangling a lifeline just out of reach.'
He exhaled slowly, keeping his expression unreadable.
"You said you could get me off this planet," Kael said, voice steady. "What's your price?"
Juno leaned back, tapping her fingers against the console. "See, that's the question, isn't it? What is an exiled noble worth these days?"
"I'm not a noble anymore."
Her smirk widened. "To the Dominion? No. But out here?" She gestured vaguely. "People love a good legend. Exiled prince. Betrayed heir. Some rebel faction would pay good credits just to say they rescued you."
Kael's jaw tightened. "I'm not a symbol. I just need a way off this rock."
Juno tilted her head. "Then give me a reason to risk my ship for you."
'She's testing me. Seeing how desperate I am.'
His fingers curled around the Obsidian Shard, the cold metal pressing against his palm. He had one thing of value, but he wasn't about to hand it over without knowing what she really wanted.
"You reached out first," Kael pointed out. "That means you already think I'm worth something."
Juno let out a soft laugh. "I like you, Veyrin. You're sharp."
She leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Alright. Here's the deal—I get you off-world, no questions asked. In return, you owe me a favor."
Kael frowned. "What kind of favor?"
"Doesn't matter yet."
His instincts flared. Deals like this never came without a hidden price.
'A smuggler's debt could be anything—information, weapons, even blood.'
But what choice did he have?
He exhaled, locking eyes with her through the flickering holo-feed. "Fine. You have a deal."
*****
Juno nodded, pleased. "Good. Now, let's talk logistics. I can't land directly on that wasteland—too many Dominion surveillance sweeps."
Kael's chest tightened. "You're saying I need to reach orbit on my own?"
Juno grinned. "Not entirely. There's an old crash site ten clicks east of your location. Some forgotten warship wreck—should still have a functional launch pod if you're lucky. If not…" She shrugged. "Guess we'll improvise."
Kael's mind raced. He had no time to recover, no supplies, and now he had to navigate unknown terrain while being hunted.
"And if I'm not alone?" he asked.
Juno's expression didn't change. "Then don't die before I get there."
The transmission cut off.
Kael let out a slow breath, his fingers tightening at his sides.
'I just traded one set of chains for another. But at least this time, I chose them.'
His system flickered to life, and he pulled up a navigation overlay, scanning the wasteland. The crash site was due east—but it was deep in uncharted territory.
And if Juno had found a way to track him, others could too.
*****
Kael moved fast. Pain burned through his muscles, but he forced his body forward, keeping low as he crossed the ruined landscape. His surroundings blurred into a haze of shattered buildings and metallic debris, remnants of a civilization long forgotten.
The air was thin, stale, making his lungs work harder for every breath. He could already feel the strain setting in.
'I can't keep running like this. I need a weapon. I need an edge.'
The Shard pulsed faintly in his grip. Not enough to unlock anything. Not yet.
A sharp beeping sound echoed in his interface.
[Celestial Archive – Proximity Alert]
► Unknown Signals: [2]
► Threat Level: [Undetermined]
► Distance: 1.3 km & closing
Kael's breath caught. Someone was already tracking him.
His mind raced. Mercenaries? Dominion scouts? Another Enforcer?
He needed cover. Fast.
*****
Kael reached a collapsed transport vehicle, its metal frame rusted and twisted, half-buried in the dust. He slipped inside, keeping his breathing steady.
Footsteps. Slow. Measured.
Two figures approached—their silhouettes barely visible through the dust and fading light. One was tall, bulky, wearing modified combat armor with a scavenger's insignia. The other was leaner, moving with the confidence of someone who had done this many times before.
Kael stayed still, listening.
"The bounty's confirmed," one of them muttered, voice distorted by a helmet filter. "Exiled noble. Alive."
The second figure exhaled a quiet laugh. "Shame. Thought we'd find a corpse by now."
Kael's pulse quickened.
'Bounty hunters. Juno was right—word travels fast.'
He didn't have the weapons or strength for a direct fight. But he had the terrain.
And he had desperation.
As the two hunters stepped closer, Kael shifted his weight against a loose section of the wreckage, pressing his foot against a rusted panel.
The moment they passed his position, he kicked the panel loose.
A sharp metal beam collapsed onto the bulkier mercenary, sending him crashing into the dirt with a grunt.
The second hunter whipped around, reaching for a sidearm—
Kael lunged.
The impact sent both of them tumbling into the dust, Kael locking an arm around the man's throat. He wasn't stronger, but he was faster.
A sharp elbow to the ribs. A twist. A struggle.
Then—silence.
The second bounty hunter slumped forward, unconscious.
Kael staggered up, chest heaving. The first mercenary was already pulling himself free of the wreckage, weapon in hand.
No time to fight. No time to think.
Kael grabbed the fallen hunter's sidearm and ran.
*****
He didn't stop. Didn't look back.
The crash site was close now—he could see the skeletal remains of the ancient warship on the horizon, its wreckage silhouetted against the fading twilight.
Juno's words echoed in his mind.
"Then don't die before I get there."
Kael exhaled sharply, gripping the stolen weapon tighter.
'No promises.'
And then, he ran toward his only chance at freedom.
*****