Prologue
I casually walked through the dense crowd of Corsairs, being careful to dodge any overly aggressive customers. I nudged at the barkeeper.
"Table 21 wants some synth paste!"
"Hmpf," he merely replied.
It was all that I could expect, having known the man for years. He was there when it had happened...
I turned around at the call of yet another Corsair, walking to yet another table. I took his order, said the usual "Thank you for your order" and walked back to the bar.
From the corner of my eye I saw a small figure moving towards me.
"Malam!"
Malam. It was the only name I knew, since...it happened. Not a Corsair name, that's for sure. Yet...my name.
"Oi, Malam!"
I looked at the thirteen years old boy shouting at me. He made quite a bit of money I realized smiling, working in the bar at his age.
"What?"
"There's a man looking for you there."
I raised my eyebrow theatrically.
"A man. There. Gee. If you look around you, you'll find about a hundred "A man" standing "there" you know."
"Oh, you're mean," he said, grinning. Answering his grin, I replied:
"I still haven't a clue which man though."
"The one over there. See him?" He pointed at a man in a black suit sitting at a table in the top right corner of the first floor.
"What, the one in black, talking to that other gentleman?"
"That's the one"
I shrugged and walked towards the man.
Chapter I
When I approached, I noticed he suddenly ceased his whispering conversation with a man at the other table. The only words I'd heard were "Yes, this one does have the motivation."
I had a bad feeling about this.
"Well well, if it isn't the infamous Malam. The fierce, ferocious Corsair who walks around in a bar to take people's orders when not getting drunk."
I was quite sure that wasn't a compliment.
"Yes, that's you I'm talking to. Now then, take a seat."
I looked at him warily.
"If you don't mind sir, I've other customers to help too..."
"I'm sure you'll find this more interesting."
I sat myself down.
"Exactly ten years ago this very day, you were five at the time, your parents were killed by a party of Nomads. Am I correct?"
"Yes..."
"And you have since been living with your uncle, who runs this bar. Correct again?"
I replied him, my voice sharp as a knife: "And exactly what business is this of yours, sir?"
"Oh, not to worry. I believe you'll find this quite my business."
"Might I suggest that you explain? Now?"
This was always the best way to deal with bullies such as himself.
"Well you see...I take it you don't like Nomads very much, do you?"
"No, I do not."
"And I take it you would like to get your revenge on them, eh?"
"What if I did? And how do you know me?"
"I am a researcher you see. You just answered what I needed to know. Now then, if you'll follow us."
It was only then that I realized what a fool I'd been. The man slowly put a gun on the table, pointed towards me. The man at the other table did the same.
Slowly, I got up. I looked for a way of escape, but realized there just wasn't enough room to escape to.
"You there, what do you think you're doing?"
It was my uncle.
"Official Corsair business mate. You may want to get yourself a new employee."
"He's not just an employee, leave him alone will you!"
He grabbed his own gun, not realizing the two Corsairs forcing me to move were also armed. I shook my head at him, with my lips forming the words "Don't provoke them."
I noticed one of the boys working at the bar whispering something into my uncle's ear. No doubt about their guns, seeing as he suddenly put his own away.
"Now then Malam...lets go."
It didn't take long until we undocked from the station in a single Sabre class fighter. I found it easy not to ask questions, seeing as one of the two men was constantly pointing a gun at my nose. The other was piloting the ship.
Chapter II
We spent about thirty minutes flying until we reached an abandoned research station.
We docked and quickly got out of the Sabre. The last thing I remember is a terrible pain in the back of my head.
"Sorry about that," a voice spoke. I looked around, slowly trying to sharpen my vision. I was...on a bed. A medical bed. The thought that I'd been dreaming, as well as that I was drunk, passed my mind. However, I came to the conclusion that this was actually happening!
"Ten years ago, Nomads killed your parents in a skirmish. Since then, they have been getting more and more powerful. That's where you come in.
You will remember nothing of this entire conversation once we are done. We are using certain technology to turn you into a Nomad-human Hybrid. You will lose everything, yet be a hero. You see, we will also infect you with a virus. Lethal to not only yourself, but also any Nomads you come in contact with. However, it will take two months to as much as take effect. We mean to use you to eradicate the Nomad race."
At that moment, he stared at expanding stain between my pants and laughed.
"No matter. Gotta go when you gotta go."
Chapter III
We slowly opened our eyes. Our eyes. We felt differently. Better. We were...light.
"We're done with the first part!"
"What the - He's no longer responding to anything!"
"What do you mean not responding to anything!"
"I mean the virus isn't working, and that he's regaining consciousness despite the sedative being enough to cripple a Bretonian armored transport! "
"The virus not working?"
"Yes! We have to get rid of him before he fully wakes up. God only knows what Nomads are capable of."
"I thought you were the expert!"
"Well, I sort of am, but I've never actually been in the same room with a Nomad!"
So much shouting. They hurt my eyes. Or were it my ears? I, me, we, you, us...such meaningless words.
"Get him into that Nomad ship we found, NOW."
"Yes sir..."
Chapter IV
Drifting. So light. Own potential realized. Enlightened. Mind is powerful. Ship is powerful. We are light.
***We...awake with the Light. The Light...pleasant.***
We receive a comm signal. Are they humans, trying to contact us?
"Nomads again?"
We think of a course, hiding from the Mattership. They are Darkness. The Darkness has to end.
We have to find more of our kind.
We are Light.