Pit Stop

“Captain, we’re near Toluene. Should we stop to re-supply before leaving the galaxy?” Gallium asked. Kari, sitting in her chair at the helm, shook her head.

“No. I say we have some fun. Prepare an away team. We’re gonna attack that satellite and take what we need,” she proclaimed with spirit.

“Sounds like a plan!” Manriki stated over the radio. However, there were sounds of protest on the other side of that signal but was quickly silenced.

“Are we really going to let him come with us?” Lauren asked.

“We let a pacifist Merp come along with us; we can let an arrogant Demon come with us.”

“You heard her. Prepare a landing party! Fire the anchors into the satellite’s hull! Get us into point blank range! Move it!” Aisha yelled from her seat as she stood up.

Two minor sailors began to activate the firing process while Lauren positioned the ship into firing range. The folks down below began to man the cannons while Luke began making precautions to ensure that the engine didn’t blow up the whole ship if it came to such an event. As Kari prepared herself, Olaf stepped in front of her and shook his head. Kari smiled and patted his chest.

“I know big bro. You can go for me.”

Olaf made a small grin as he pulled out a large handheld canon and placed an eye patch over his left eye. He claims it makes aiming a lot easier, though some question if that’s even true.

“Kari, is there anything you want I should look for?” Olaf asked before he left to join the others.

“Hmm… how about some cookies? The chocolate chip ones in the blue package? See if they have any of those.”

Olaf nodded and just as he was about to leave, Gallium made a startling announcement.

“Everyone, the satellite is empty of all sentient life. The City-state of Toluene has been abandoned.”

“What? When!?” Aisha asked.

“Fairly recently from what it appears. The buildings are still standing for the most part and their signals to Earth are still active on emergency frequency. I’d estimate anywhere from a month to three.”

“Should we go to surface instead? Everything is ripe for the pickings?” Aisha queried. Kari shook her head.

“Not yet. This changes everything. Scan to determine there is no virus or anything infectious, both on the planet and the satellite. If not, we’re going down to the planet.”

“No virus captain.”

“Time to see the legendary home of pirates then.”

As the ship unattached from the satellite and descended to the planet’s surface, the massive port city of Toluene was old looking as they closed in until finally they landed in the center of the public square. There was no rush to the dark blue ship that had the symbol of the Suzuka pirates upon it. Nobody came to the pirates whom exited the ship. Soon the Demon’s vessel came down and landed just to the left of the Cobalt Star. Manriki and Yumi exited from the Mitsuharan along with the entourage of Demons who now wore more respectable clothing.

“Now this is a city I can enjoy. Nice sea breezes, simple buildings of stone, and a blue sky clear to enjoy,” said the Water Demon in a delighted voice.

“Why has it been abandoned? There’s no virus, no ailment, no destruction, near-by to trade routes from Quietus Urbs to Demon’tara and the Federation. There’s no need for a whole nation to have left,” Manriki stated.

Kari turned to Olaf to find him standing still and looking up. She turned her head upwards to see what Olaf found and stood dumbfounded. Her eyes widened and Olaf’s eyes slowly went from a blank stare to a steady and shaking anger in his eyes as his fists clenched. On a flag post atop a government building was a purposely burned Federation flag and above it another flag, a red one with a black unicursal hexagram in its center; it was the standard of the Raygonian Empire.