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2022-03-19 01:21:00"My dear, I'm so glad you're here," the king said. Shayla's expression didn't change, but the king continued. "Your presence will make this meeting more exciting."
King Gurst stopped next to Shayla and placed a hand over her shoulder. C1313 saw her shudder, but just for a moment.
“As you can see, the mission I tasked the Black Onyx with is over. I’ve found my daughter.”
“Father,” Shayla said, her piercing dark green eyes measuring Cato and C1313, “these two aren’t here for the task. They’ve come to take me back on their ship.”
Cato remained there, staring. C1313, on the other hand, was not surprised. Shayla's decision to return home on her own had always been a possibility, just as Jackeye had suggested. The rest of t
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The Space Spoon 76. Follow the Voice
After stashing the bodies of the two incapacitated guards under the table, C1313 draped the clothing over the edges, creating a fine curtain to hide them. She barely had time to finish this task before cheerful voices approached.A door opened, revealing smiling women who gossiped and giggled. They stopped for a moment, looking at C1313."You must be the newest member of the harem. We've been instructed to meet you." One of the ladies emerged. "We'll go to supper soon. Would you like to eat?"The woman was dressed in a transparent, bright yellow robe that matched her hair. Her smile seemed genuine, but C1313 knew that many people wore fake smiles.“I don’t require food.” She kept her voice steady and her face impassive without any effort.
The Space Spoon 77. You May Kill the Groom
After the guards took Cato and C1313 out of the throne room and the doors closed behind them, Shayla turned her furious gaze upon her father.“You told me no harm will come to Tejeda and his crew. I played my part even now in front of them.”King Gurst sighed as he plunged into his cushioned seat. "Oh, Shayla, I feel like you have completely forgotten your training. Lies and deceit are the best ways to get what you want. I wanted you here, and look at you shining on my red carpet. If I couldn’t make a great assassin out of you, a pretty puppet should do the trick for now."Shayla's breath remained trapped for a split second as her heart clenched. She glanced at the man she despised and dreaded the most, the man who had her on the run and devastated her life. Clutching her hands, she recalled how he
The Space Spoon 78. Kicking the Crown
Shayla started to touch the walls in search of a hidden control panel. “What about the kiss? I thought we settled upon keeping things at a professional level.”“Yeah, I know.” Tejeda scratched his head, and the golden crown fell on the floor. He didn’t spare it a single glance. “I was just immersed into my role. You know, your husband and stuff like that.”From behind the door, outside in the corridor, came the shouts of soldiers. The unmistakable ring and clang of guns being pulled out, the clickity-clack of boots marching on the marble floor.There could be only one explanation for this: C1313 and Cato managed to run. For them, this was good, but for Shayla and Tejeda, quite the opposite. Their chances of escaping dwindled if the entire force was on high alert.
The Space Spoon 79. You Might Be Me
Tejeda ditched his personal guards when he took off with the shuttle. They weren’t his anyway. Shayla was piloting the craft as he took out a small device from his pocket. Smiling, he felt pleased with himself for stealing one of the holographic hubs. With the skilled individuals in his crew, he should be able to have a running system on the Space Spoon in no time. He even giggled, thinking of how much fun he would have.The ship rose up into the air and flew away from the palace. The city lights blinked out, leaving only the stars.“He’ll still come after me–after us,” Shayla said as the shuttle reached Beridian’s outer atmosphere.“He won’t. I’ll make sure of it.” Tejeda put the device back into his pocket and turned to her. “Do you trust me?&
The Space Spoon 80. On Vacation?
Sun, water, and fun. These were the three ingredients for which Tejeda brought his crew to Genoria Prime. When things got tough for his psyche, he liked to take a vacation in an exotic place every now and then. He inhaled deeply and gently exhaled. The air from the never-ending ocean brought the scent of freedom. He took another long breath in. While Tejeda stood there, inhaling the fresh, salty air, he forgot all about the tensions accumulated and the tasks that were waiting for him. Since it was over a thousand years since he last visited Genoria Prime, a bountiful water world with just a few stretches of land, Tejeda considered it the perfect place for relaxation. Leaving the Space Spoon on high orbit with E00 and Hanga, he dragged the rest of the crew on the planet. Seeing that every part of the land was a be
The Space Spoon 81. Glass Cage
Instead of getting up, Tejeda rolled over on his back, spitting the sand from his mouth. With his hands under his head, he stared at the ceiling above. Hardened sand neatly pressed against something that looked like glass at about twenty times his height.“So, what now? We wait for someone to come and rescue us?” Jackeye asked.Tejeda chuckled. "No, no. We are somewhere in the grand ocean that covers the entire Genoria Prime. Anyone who gets here will be as trapped as we are."A smooth breeze came out of various tubes that descended from above. A closed hatch stood just above Tejeda in the ceiling, adjacent to where the ducts slithered within. That had to be the location where they fell through. Fortunately, the sand cushioned their fall, and no one was wounded.
The Space Spoon 82. Gamble with the Ocean
Most believe that going up the food chain has only advantages, but being a mere insect can have unexpected quirks. Evolution comes with limitations, and Tejeda knew all about them. He had tiny hooks and barbs on his legs that helped him grip the duct's inside walls.He had to modify the original form of the body, making it unusually long for its size to be able to engulf his core. This was the smallest thing he had ever been.From his new viewpoint, he didn't shrink. The world around him became so huge that additional details were apparent, much like when you magnify a photograph and start seeing its pixels. But, instead of pixels, there were even more intricacies, like a world inside a world.The interior walls of the duct would have seemed level and smooth to a normal-sized person. Tejeda used every microscopic no
The Space Spoon 83. Fish in a Tank
"My name is Firion," the elderly guy stated as he stood up. His back was somewhat bent, but he was still very tall.“I’m Shayla.” She nodded and then pointed toward the members of her crew. “They are C1313, Cato, and Jackeye.”“Hmm, maybe you all really are real. Let me show you something.”They followed him as he walked between the houses. The old man turned around and outstretched his arms as they approached the opposite side of the fictitious settlement.“Behold the view that the Fishmen love so much!”On this side, all the dwellings had no walls. Anyone could see inside the houses. Each had only three walls and a roof, and just a few of them had some wooden planks plac
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104. Meat Suit Part 2
The door closes after the last man leaves the pub. Tejeda resumes his previous position and finishes his drink. By now, we are both soaking wet, but neither of us seems to care. My reason is the seven beers. I wonder what his is."Apparently, you're not leaving, and we've run out of time," he says as he turns to face me. His purple eyes sparkle. A chill goes down my spine. "These guys aren't going down without a fight. I might have to die to quench their hunger for vengeance. But the crystal I took is far more significant. It must be safeguarded."Tejeda leans forward, his hand reaching over the bar for the knife the bartender uses for the lemons. He sits again in his chair, gripping the handle with both of his hands, the pointy tip toward his stomach. I have seen this stance before in movies when someone performs seppuku.Filling his lungs with air, his chest expands, and he thrusts the knife right into his belly. I cover my mouth with a hand but not my eyes. I need to see what happe
- The Space Spoon
103. Meat Suit Part 1
A/N: A Halloween special side story, Meat Suit shows the events through the eyes of a normal, human nerd. Enjoy!***Halloween, the greatest night of the year. The time when I can go out with friends and be awkward as usual without getting a stare.I look in the mirror and see the dashing vampire I transform into every time I put on this ancient outfit. With extreme care, I place a black handkerchief in my pocket, covering the hole that reveals the lining. This year, I intended to get a new costume, but the latest game in the R****** E*** franchise and H***** 3 prevented me from doing so. They were released this year, and I had to get them, and then some.Sorry for not disclosing their names, but even in my diary, I avoid needless advertising. And don't make fun of me for keeping a diary in my thirties. Many people keep diaries, but they call them journals to appear more sophisticated and mature.The black costume’s collar is up to my ears, letting everyone see the red embroidered int
- The Space Spoon
102. Monster Within Part 2
Rayna followed him through dark alleys, avoiding the city's main thoroughfares and heading for the city's outskirts. There weren't many other people around since it was late and freezing. The two veiled shadows of the night were easy to miss. Illuminated figures appeared randomly through the windows of dimly lit houses.He stopped in front of a derelict house. The sculpted archway stood crooked above the entrance, but he went beneath it without a second thought.Rayna stared at the white structure enveloped in moss to make sure it wouldn’t fall on her head. When the Bralxoid disappeared inside, she swallowed hard and followed him.Doctor Iadfoc invited her into a small, dark room with a single goose-neck lamp illuminating the top of a large table filled with glass vials. He gestured toward a threadbare sofa against the wall. He grabbed a simple wooden chair and sat facing her. For once, someone wasn't looking at her with meaningless pity, for which she was grateful.Iadfoc had a scann
- The Space Spoon
101. Monster Within Part 1
A/N: Monster Within is a side story taking place about a thousand years or more before the action in the novel. Enjoy!***Rayna sat in front of the mirror, removing her makeup. Who would she discover underneath? Foundation applied in triple layers, contact lenses, even a wig to make certain no one would see her change.Skin patches of different complexions stretched across her face like puzzle pieces jammed together into a chaotic pattern. Some parts of the jigsaw had wrinkles, while others were as smooth as a baby’s skin.Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the edge of the mirror. Her heterochromatic eyes were both different colors than before she wore contact lenses. And her hair... Well, the hair looked more like a wig than the one she threw on the floor. Honey-blonde hair tumbled in waves over her right shoulder. Ruby-red hair, spikey like a hedgehog’s, pointed toward the ceiling from the top of her head. Black, curly strands went down to her chin from her left.She was a mo
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100. Sunsetrise Part 4
Time passes differently on Yacleemb. I can’t say it’s the 56 hours days, the peacefulness of the Spreahs, or Lyam’s company. What I do know is that I’ve lost track of time. Every day, he builds things for the village; he’s happy, full of smiles, and I’m drunk with his genuine blissfulness.Unfortunately, I still have memories and can’t help but feel guilty for not contacting our friends. Wanting to know how things are working out for our crew, I stroll through the forest to the shuttle. After it powers up, a small blinking red light appears on the console. A message from E00.“Shayla, I hope you’ve found Tejeda by now. More than two months have passed, and no news from you. In the time you've been gone, things got worse around here.“Since the day you left, Jackeye has been trapped inside his virtual reality. I can’t say if it’s a voluntary decision or not. He cut me off completely.“Cato took a shuttle and left the Space Spoon about a month ago. The Interplanetary Police files show t
- The Space Spoon
99. Sunsetrise Part 3
Shayla Bale's POVOnly Tejeda Hajar is capable of disappearing and leaving me with an ambassador’s corpse. Once again, I had to assume the role of acting captain and evade the Interplanetary Police. We are all renegades once more, as we were before Tejeda found us.The crew needs me to steer the ship in the right direction, but my thoughts are far away, following the faceless Nubilae who left us. I lean against the wall and stare at his empty chair, wishing he will appear there, smiling without giving me any explanation as he always does.“Thinking about him won’t bring him back,” E00’s voice echoes from the ceiling speakers. “If you want him here again, you must go after him.”“Don’t get me wrong, E00, I want to. But it was his choice. He left us. Even if I go after him, he may not come back.”“If there’s anyone who can shake him out of the state he’s in, you’re the one.”“Why must you torment me?” I slump in Tejeda’s chair, rubbing my eyes to forestall crying. The gesture is pointle
- The Space Spoon
98. Sunsetrise Part 2
Reaching out, Carmen’s hand brushes against mine. Even though I’m mad as hell, a rush of electrical discharges takes over my core. That happened every time she touched me since the moment we’d met. Every fiber of my body, carbon and silica alike, crave to have her again by my side.“I tested the spoon. All the results said the same thing: it’s Nubilae. Who was it?”“My sister, Celia.” For the first time, a vein throbs on Carmen’s forehead. But she regains the glazed look. “She died during Iadfoc’s experiment. Many did. The rest went insane. Only I, you, and Rahul remained true Nubilae. Well, now only you and I since you killed Rahul.”“He had multiple run-ins with me and my crew. If I let him continue, surely one of my men would have died. I had to do something.”“No,” Carmen shouts, showing the anger hidden behind her previous blank expression. “I sent him to see how you are and test you. Well, you failed. No Nubilae should value the life of a lesser being over one of his brethren.”
- The Space Spoon
97. Sunsetrise Part 1
A/N: Sunsetrise is a short story I've written before even starting the novel. It holds the ending of the first volume and is made up of 4 parts. The first 2 parts are from Tejeda's POV and the last 2 parts from Shayla's. Enjoy!***Tejeda Hajar's POV“Happy birthday, Shayla!” I invite her to sit on the blanket next to me with a pat.It took me about a week to create a perfect replica of Genoria Prime inside Jackeye's world.Once every two thousand years, Genoria Prime, a water planet with just a few stretches of land covered in sand, is perfectly aligned to get the ultimate romantic view. One of its suns sets while the other rises, a phenomenon called sunsetrise.To recreate it from my memories inside Jackeye's virtual world involved a few setbacks. But that isn't important anymore.Shayla takes one of the glasses of red wine and fixes her dark green eyes on me. “Whose body are you wearing now?”“You know bodies are just meat suits for me.” I give a sly smirk, looking her over. “Well,
- The Space Spoon
96. His Blade
Tejeda's lips moved as though they were not his own. “Who’s she?”Shayla placed a hand on his back, touching for the first time the sludgy skin he had in this form. “Tejeda, stop. He’s dead.”Tejeda lifted his head to look at the sky. He remained like that for a long while before murmuring, “Why did you kill him?”"Sorry! Next time," Shayla murmured, sheathing her scimitar, "I'll kill the other guy after he kills you."“How did you know which one was me?”“Really? Is there another idiot who would risk dying for a spoon?”She observed how he flinched but said nothing. There was something wrong with him. Nonetheless, Shayla didn't believe she had the authority to inquire. In any case, she didn't expect a fair answer from him."Did you bring any DNA for me?" Tejeda asked without turning around. "As you can see, I’m in bad shape."Shayla hurled a vial toward him, and he grabbed it with one of his two remaining tentacles.“This is the last one holding the blood of King Astin. Enjoy!”Tejed
