Corto watched the stars slowly pass by over the plants he worked hard to cultivate. The 'sky' was a holo-feed being put into his little section of the station, sure, but it made for a tranquil view all the same. Here, he could forget about everything that bothered him and give himself a little taste of freedom.

Everyone deserved that, right?

His Kali kept flying from plant to plant, as it was wont to do in open spaces like this. The Ares was sleeping on a nearby rock, comfortable enough in this place to let its guard down. Moments like these were fleeting, but for Corto? It almost felt like they lasted forever in this place. There were few things he was proud of, but having made this place with his own hands? Knowing it was his work that surrounded him? That made it feel so much better. His only regret was that he couldn't share it with anyone else just yet. It was hard to tell who was friend and who was foe nowadays.

The comms panel on the wall beeped, as if in response to his thoughts. His mood darkened. If it was Fangli trying to rope him into another mission just as he got done with his last one, there would be words. He got up and slowly walked over to the wall, careful with his steps as to not awake the Ares. He liked how peaceful the creature was during slumber, it helped keep him relaxed during moments like this.

Corto breathed a sigh of relief when he read the message:

Request: Accepted
Location: Dock G4
ETA: 37 minutes
Caution: Vessel is of Xenos make
Activate comms in event of snag
[Frequency Attached]

He had a ride. There was no need to constantly travel with Fangli operatives anymore and be stuck with the feeling of an invisible collar around his neck. This was a major step in finding a way to break free.

Still... an alien ship in the hands of a human. That was a rarity, even among S.C.R.A.P.P.E.R. units. It whittled down the number of pilots considerably, and one who was willing to brave Saeturna? Only one pilot came to mind. Someone who wasn't afraid to go wherever she wanted, and had a vessel capable of punching above its weight class: Spinner.

Taking on crew members was a little out of character for her. She usually preferred to work alone, acting as a force multiplier or hitting someone so hard they didn't notice anyone going behind their backs. It was a tactic most used as a blunt object, but Spinner utilized it with the precision of a scalpel... a talent that was abused by Catherine de' Medici more than once. The idea that he could be walking into the fold of the Order kept him from celebrating early.

So that was his immediate situation: If Spinner was an actual member of the Order of Sacred Ascension, then he'd have to use her as a temporary measure until he could find something more suitable. If she proved to be less pious than her most frequent employer, then maybe he would have found his ticket after all.

But that required seeing things first-hand. After all, he had been wrong before.

---

His intuition was right on the money. The Neophron was there, docked and waiting for him.

It felt slightly uncomfortable to look at; he couldn't even begin to figure out which species the vessel originated from, much less figure out what it was originally meant to be capable of. The fact that someone had managed to figure out enough of it to get it working for them was so far above him that he was beginning to feel self-conscious. Was traveling aboard this ship really worth it?

Yes. Yes it was. He just had to stay stern. Stay professional. It will work out.

His augmetic hand let out a frequency as the Koli landed on his back and the Ares quickly went to his side. He stood tall as he did a slow talk to the ship itself, putting on his best 'stern agent' expression to make sure he came across as a gruff agent. Less chance of being screwed with.

As he approached the ship, a part of its hull opened up. It wasn't a standard airlock, but more like a part of the hull peeled itself back to make a doorway. But what really surprised him was another man waiting by the door. Glasses. A labcoat... great. A science type. As if he wasn't nervous enough about taking this chance.

The man didn't seem to notice Corto's nervousness or shock as he gave a wave. "Welcome, welcome! You're the last one in our merry little bunch. I'm Doctor Isar Archer, and it's wonderful to meet someone of refined taste. Impeccable choice in companions."

Corto just gave a nod as he stepped aboard, the Ares sticking close by. "They're loyal, and keep an eye out for you. That's worth more than their weight in credits." He reached to pat the Ares on the head softly, getting a low shrill in response. "So Spinner gathered more than the two of us, doc? Didn't take her to be the type."

"Oh yes, two more. It would seem Spinner's taking in strays. Some out of the kindness of her heart, and some out of recognition of their unparalleled skill." He could tell Dr. Archer was clearly talking about himself there, with that smile that radiated smugness. "I'm assuming you're in the latter category, Mr. Case."

Corto raised an eyebrow at that. "She told you I was coming?"

"She told everyone on board. Spinner's not a fan of surprising anyone traveling with her."

"That's... good. Very good. She's as precise as people say she is." He simply gave another nod. "Who else is traveling with us, then? I heard rumors she acquired a massive automaton to be her muscle, but 'bunch' implies more than three living people."

He saw concern flash across Isar's face for a moment before it was replaced with that same smug smile. "Oh, well Pyotyr isn't an automaton. He's a person inside very old augmetic equipment! It's actually fascinating to-"

"Doctor Archer, you should have told me that our new addition was here already."

That prior concern creeped back on Isar's face with a vengeance. When Corto looked toward where the young voice came from, he immediately understood why. A young girl with short brown hair, and a silken dress of pink and white. Compared to him, she was practically a child. But far more distressingly were the visible slave marks on her, and that all-too-familiar smile of subservience as she gave a curtsy. "Mr. Case, I bid you welcome to the Neophron. My deepest apologies, I would have greeted you myself but Doctor Archer had sent me on an errand."

Corto gave Isar an especially dirty glare, which only caused the doctor to shrink away a moment. "Okay- okay listen. It's not what you think. None of us here have her contract, she's here of her own will." The child simply gave a nod as her smile grew a little wider. "Doctor Archer is right. I made a request to travel aboard a ship for my work, and Spinner answered. My contract is held by the Rownett Association, and for the time being Spinner insists that we are equals."

Rownett. That was a name that left a vile taste in Corto's mouth. The Rownett Association were just as bad as the Fangli, but they had the disgusting habit of glossing over their cruelty with glamour and images of high society. Letting a girl this young be branded was offensive in of itself, but to then give her such a long leash? It made him worry that there was some longer game they were playing. Best to keep an eye on-

Wait. That feeling.

Judging by the way the girl's eyes lit up, she noticed it too. "Oh my. I should introduce myself to a fellow psion. I am Sophia Trepan. You may also call me 'Reef' if that is better for you." She gave a deeper bow to him, which only made him feel more repulsed on the inside. He also noticed the good doctor having taken a step back the moment he was out of sight of Sophia.

His thoughts were interrupted by a small shift in his surroundings. Like he was in a boat that was gently rocked. Isar took that opportunity to start backing away. "Oh, looks like we're moving! I'll do an examination on your augmetics later, Corto. I'm sure I can figure out some ways to upgrade what you have, so don't be afraid to come by the medical bay! I'll even tell you all about how we tackled a gang, oh everyone was glorious. Talk about a way to start a new life!" He noticed the doctor's movement had become more confident at recalling those events. Even his footsteps exuded pride as he walked down a hallway.

Sophia's face didn't change in expression one bit. Corto could tell she had lots of practice at this. "We should let Doctor Archer return to his work. Please, let me take you to Spinner. If you would follow me?" Sophia turned on her heel and started walking down another direction, her own movements so precise that it reminded Corto of a clockwork toy.

But now he could start collecting information. As wrong as it felt, he knew Sophia would at least answer truthfully. "So. I didn't expect Dr. Archer to be aboard. Wasn't he in trouble for tumor bombs and faulty augmetics?"

Sophia simply shook her head. "Oh no. It would seem that Doctor Archer was a victim of comprehensive identity theft. He has assured me that he handled the problem himself, and is very proud of solving it. He is the real doctor, and is skilled in augmentation of both machine and genetics. He appears very happy to be here, and I'm glad we could accommodate him."

Uuuugh. That dictation, it was like listening to a brainwashed secretary. But at least he was spot-on for Sophia being a good source of information. "I see. He mentioned someone named 'Pyotyr', could you tell me about him?"

Sophia nodded again, her steps not lagging in the slightest. "Of course, Mr. Case. Пeтp was recovered from a cryogenic pod by Spinner, and appears to be modeled with very extensive augmetics. We will introduce you to him later, he is currently relaxing."

"Relaxing in what way?"

"Let us take a detour and I will show you, Mr. Case." Sophia took another turn down a hallway, beckoning him to follow. He took the time to take in his surroundings: Sleek black walls, and tubes that reminded him of arteries inside a body. The alien aesthetics were occasionally replaced with slabs of titanium and numerous bundled cables, clear signs of jury-rigging that he couldn't begin to make heads or tails of. But he did know one thing: If he needed to sabotage the ship to make an escape, this is where he'd have to strike. It'd cripple something important enough to buy him valuable time.

As they progressed, he began to hear music coming through the corridors. The notes of a saxophone accompanied by trumpets in a high-paced beat, and a woman's voice. It reminded him of so many clubs he would frequent while on his various jobs, whether seedy or high-class. This was the kind of music you played when you wanted to dance. It was an interesting choice if this 'Пeтp' was as modified as people claimed.

Sophia put a finger to her lips as she motioned him to take a peek. He was very glad to have that reminder when he slowly looked through the doorway and gazed upon the figure in question. He was huge. The red optics on his faceplate practically lit up the room, and every movement was accompanied by audible servos working to make it happen. Hell, the metal-encased man was twice tall as him.

And yet when the music track reached its end, he saw Пeтp reach over and press down on large metal panels. The music started again a second later, this time with soft violins accompanied by a lone male singer, and soon the giant began to slowly sway back and forth again.

A moment later, Corto felt a tapping on his shoulder from Sophia, who motioned for him to follow her. She only spoke when they were a sufficient distance away. "Пeтp's condition limits much of what he can do. Spinner surmised that with his ability to hear, he could still appreciate auditory arts and made it a point to get controls large enough for him to use. If you have any musical collections, Mr. Case, I am sure he would greatly appreciate it."

"That... there's a man under there? If you didn't tell me, I would have thought he was a robot." Corto had to admit that he was shaken at the sight of that... man. That being. Just when he thought he learned how cruel man could be to their fellow man, it seemed like he found examples of even further depths.

Sophia nodded. "Indeed. Spinner accepted Doctor Archer's help for both her own health and Пeтp's health. I am certain she made the correct choice."

Corto couldn't help but frown a little. It was all coming together. Everyone on board, even the ship itself. They were all damaged. But Spinner was trying to apply the same principles she used on the ship: Trying to jury-rig something in hopes of restoration.

"You know, Sophia? I'm sure she made the right call, too. You mind doing me a favor and showing me to my room?"

Maybe he made the right call after all.