Two Runaways

Jinxx’s POV (cont.)
And yeah, that’s how I ended up in the filthy hull of a smuggling vessel with about a hundred other refugees and outlaws. I leaned my head back, careful not to disturb the sleeping Borgerian next to me, and let my mind wander. However, the only thing my mind wanted to focus on was how shitty this entire situation was. It’s just, when you do something nice like help someone who’s getting the snot kicked out of them by a bunch of thugs for no particular reason, you kind of expect a little gratitude, you know? Maybe a ‘Thank you’, a pat on the back, or hell, even a gold star sticker, but no, I get chased off the planet like some kind of animal and get a twenty thousand unit bounty put on my head (Literally, just my head. You could bring them every other part of my body, but no head, no deal). How the fuck is what I did worth spending twenty thousand units? This was all such fucking bullshit! God, I’m salty!

“It is not wise to dwell on such negativity, child, lest it consume you.” Said the Eoweian refugee across from me as the large, jet black eye in the center of her forehead blinked at me while her other two eyes remained closed. I shifted in my seat uneasily, telepathic races always seemed to make me nervous, like, you never know what they’re going to find in your head. God forbid she finds out about that one time I found a snake in my room and screamed like a little girl. Or even worse, the time that I was talking to my crush and suddenly had the urge to fart, but it turned out to be more than just a fart. She laughed, revealing her silver teeth and white luminescent tongue. “You have no need to worry, child, I am a mere empath, full telepaths rarely reach my age on Eowei, especially since the Shuna raids began.” She assured me. I had to remind myself that even though she looks like an eight year old, she probably had about twenty years on me. “I’m sixty-five, since you were wondering.” I narrowed my eyes at her.

“I thought you said you were an empath.” I said

“Child, when you’ve lived as long as I have, you begin to notice that everyone has the same questions.” She replied before she closed her third eye and leaned her head against her sleeping partner, whose mouth fell open just as a spider began to dangle above him . I suppose she does have a point, also, I hope that spider doesn’t drop into his mouth.

With no one to talk to anymore, I decided to take a look around at my fellow passengers. There was the group of Borger warriors next to me who, judging by the various missing fingers, probably escaped from an internment camp on Amerath (I should try not to piss them off), there was the Eoweian and her Namaran partner sitting across from me, next to them was a Talsian priestess reading stories to a horde of young ones of various species (Most likely orphans) of which a few were sleeping in the lap of the man next to her who I immediately recognized as Sossios Qualik, one of the most feared bounty hunters this side of the galaxy. I sank down in my seat and pulled my hood up further to cover more of my face, hoping he hadn’t heard about the bounty on me or at least hadn’t recognized me yet.

I continued glancing around to see if there was anyone else I needed to be wary of, but the only other people I could see was a group of rebellious teenagers that ran away from home but would probably call their parents and beg for a transport back after spending five minutes on their own on whatever planet we were headed to. Been there, done that, and got the T-shirt to prove it. Only difference is, their parents will most likely want them back.

Well, that’s not entirely true, to be honest, mine probably did want me back, but only if I agreed to live the life they had planned out for me. Even before I was born, they had decided that I was to take over my father’s trade business, marry into a more established upper class family, bring honor to my family, etcetera, etcetera, ad nauseum. Suffice to say it didn’t go according to plan, and let’s leave it at that for now, m’kay? I closed my eyes. No more thinking about that Jeremy, you’ve left that life behind, time to focus on the present.

“Hello there, I’m the captain of this lovely spacecraft. It has come to my attention that there is a search barricade a couple lightyears ahead so we’ll be needing to make a quick pit stop on Earth so we can secure you into a more secretive seating arrangement.” Said the captain through an old fashioned intercom system “It is also at this time that we will have to insist all high-risk passengers and passengers travelling with younglings to disembark to ensure a smooth passage for everyone else on board. Another transport will be arranged for you once the barricade is down. Thank you!” The priestess immediately began putting jackets, shoes, and backpacks on the young ones as the ship entered its decent cycle while other passengers began gathering their belongings. Hmmm, Earth…I always did want to visit that planet…The ship rumbled as it entered the atmosphere. Many of the greatest musicians in the galaxy started out on Earth…perhaps a short stay wouldn’t hurt…besides, I hear the relations between Beutera and Earth are rocky at best. The ship’s landing gear clanked down just in time to make contact with the ground. “Haha! Another five star landing! Well, here we are! Please remember to hold on to your personal belongings and all disembarking passengers are asked to check-in at a holding shelter if they plan to continue their journeys with us.” Announced the captain as the cargo doors creaked open and a few passengers walked out. After a few minutes of watching passengers leave, I made up my mind. I stood and grabbed my one bag, which contained one of the last things I had left of my old life, my violin, and walked off the ship.

Notes

Okay, here's chapter 2 (finally). My original co-author quit on me, so now my absolute best friend is writing this with me (yay)! She wrote 99% of this chapter because I was being kinda lazy and busy. Anyways! Hope you like it and show us some love by subscribing and commenting and such.