A loud crash echoed around the room, drowning out all other noise. Kinson's hands flew to his ears as his head jerked towards the source. On the far side of the enormous room, Konga lay broken and bleeding stretched out over a stack of steel crates. A wildly grinning woman stood over him, her scarf flapping dramatically in the psionic aura bursting out from her.
"Konga!" Rena cried in horror.
"I didn't know he would break so easily. I'll try and be more careful next time," Neira fluttered her eyelids, a cute pout on her face. She began to walk towards them, deliberately pressing her heel on Konga's face as she walked over him.
"You…" Rena seethed, her firsts trembling in fury. "I'll kill you!"
Rena sighed regretfully and fanned herself off with her hand. "I'm afraid I've worn myself out, maybe next time."
"It's not up to you!" Rena shouted, throwing a glowing disk up between Neira and the secure room as she tried to walk there.
"Oh, darling. It's always up to me," she purred. Then she called, "Anytime would be nice."
Kinson reflexively glanced towards the access hatch. A figure loomed in the doorway, face shadowed by a western-style hat. His clothing was neat and plain, a contrast to the mismatched garb pirates normally acquired. Although he slouched against the door frame, no one would mistake him for relaxed. The jet-black machine gun he fondled in his arms was enough evidence for that.
"Kyser," Rena gasped, her face going pale.
"It's been a while," Kyser nodded politely. "How've you been?"
"You're with them?"
"I told you it was time for a change. It's hardly surprising to find me among radicals," Kyser shrugged.
"Murderers," Rena hissed.
Kyser straightened up and shrugged once more. "Not much different, in my eyes. As long as the pay's good and I'm on the wrong side of the law."
While they had been talking, Rena had nudged Kinson closer to the door. After one look at the barely breathing Konga, Kinson readily agreed. For the first time since arriving in the deathdream, he felt the chill of fear. Things had spiraled out of control much too quickly, especially with the addition of this new threat.
"Now all we want is that cargo," Keyser gestured towards the security door hiding the confidential material.
Rena bit her lip, but firmly shook her head. "I can't do that. Too many lives are at stake. You of all people should know that!" she cried.
"Me of all people? Missy, I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. What's in the cargo, anyway?"
"That's not like you, the you I remember…" Rena began.
"Enough chit-chat-in, more shoot-in," Neira called, letting out a bored yawn.
"We're getting to that part," Keyser said, never taking his eyes off Rena.
"Please, just let the other passengers go. They're innocent civilians," Rena pled.
"But orders are orders," Keyser said, winking at her.
"You're not a butcher!"
'Wasn't, ma'am. No one is, till they are," Keyser tipped his hat. "Now, let's get to that shooting part. Don't bother with your little trick, either. I've cooked up something special for you."
"Kinson, run!" Rena screamed, throwing up a shield in front of him.
Without another thought, Kinson took off running, sprinting back into the depths of the ship. Keyser let loose a rain of bullets, each one trailing light like a tracer round. Kinson grit his teeth, preparing for impact, but the shots never landed. Or so he thought, but then Rena let out a soft cry behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a sad smile on Keyser's face. Smoke trickled out of the barrel of the machine gun, which he held leveled at the woman. As if in slow motion, Rena collapsed to the ground, clutching her stomach. Blood stained her clothes and gurgled out her parted lips. Her hands fell weakly to her sides as she hit the ground.
"I wish I didn't have to do this, dear, but orders are orders," Keyser lamented. "At least you saved the boy, though," he comforted as Kinson reached the doorway.
"Why?" Rena coughed more blood.
"This here is more than you, or me. It's about all of us, from Earth to Titan, to Europa. War is coming, but it's a pity you won't see it. I'll keep an eye open for you," Keyser walked forward till he reached Rena's side. "Perhaps we'll meet again."
"Only in hell," Rena gasped. Its final words were gone, her body fell limp and the light left her eyes.
Keyser reached down and gently shut her eyes. "There are worse places, I suppose. I only pray we never meet there."
The man stood and turned to Neira. "Happy now?" he took on a bit of an accusing tone.
"Very! Now I've got you all to myself," she purred, sauntering over.
She laced her finger around his neck enticingly. He snorted and brushed her off, glancing over at a nearby crate.
"Don't be so cold, dear. Want me to take care of the fleas?" she asked with a pout.
"No. I'll honor her final wish, at least. Besides, we've already made plans for the ship, so no need to act now. It's not like the result will be different, anyway."
"You're too kind. Let's get to the target, then. They're waiting," Neira said.
The two headed over to the secure vault. Neira waved her hand, and the metal buckled and groaned loudly. After a second, the sturdy hinges were torn from the door, and the entire thing crashed to the ground several feet away. Then, they walked through the gaping passage.
Kinson whipped sweat off his brow, unable to believe his luck. He was almost certain he was dead when Keyser looked right at him, and his heart nearly stopped when the gate clanged to the ground. He shifted and peered over his cover and into the vault.
The room was dark, lit only by the light streaming in from the shattered doorway. The previous cargo, for which so much blood was spilled, bobbed up and down gently in the middle, about a foot above the ground. It was a glass sphere, the size of a basketball. Its suspension was due to a piece of machinery situated under it that obviously generated some kind of psionic force. Dark shadows swirled around some piece of metal within the sphere. The darkness continually crashed against the glass, as though trying to force its way out.
"A planetary conqueror, stopped by a simple ball. How impressive," Keyser muttered, staring at the ball in awe.
Kinson nearly fell in shock. What? How could that thing possibly be a nightmare?
"That thing?" Neira echoed his thoughts with no small degree of condescension. "This little thing has the alliance trembling in their boots? It doesn't even have an aura."
"No! Don't touch that," Keyser slapped her eager hands away from the ball. "This thing itself isn't a nightmare, simply a part of its essence." He reached up and touched his ear. "The cargo has been secured, though the hit team was almost completely eliminated. They had some high-ranking psionics on board, but we took care of them. As you assumed, it appears to be a strand of nightmare essence attached to some intricate psionic machine. The whole deal's been sealed, so it's not likely to escape…. Yes, sir, I'll be careful."
Kinson felt the world around him beginning to dissolve. His time was limited, but he itched to learn more. He clenched his fist and controlled his desperately beating heart. Then, he took a deep breath and stood.
"What is that thing?" he asked gently, so as to not alarm them. His fears were unfounded, as neither of them looked alarmed at his reveal.
"The rat comes out," Neira chuckled, looking at her nails.
"I'd be more curious what a weak psionic like you was doing with those other three. Care to share your identity? You might have enough value alive that I can spare you," Keyser asked. Kinson didn't miss his glance at Rena's corpse.
"I'll tell you whatever you want to know if you explain what that is and why you want it," Kinson countered evenly.
Keyser chuckled. "As though I really care. But I'll humor you, for her."
Neira frowned, not missing his tender tone. Still, she took a step back, not intending to interfere. Her work was done, no need to strain herself for after-hours jobs.
"Simply, this is a bit of a nightmare. Your research center had a few secret projects going on, and this was one of them. Apparently, they wanted to figure out how the nightmares even found Mars, and what prevented them from moving on from the rest of the alliance. The project was so secret, no written records have been kept. It would be catastrophic, after all, if that information got into the wrong hands," Keyser grinned at the irony, but Kinson's frown only deepened.
"How does it work?" Kinson asked.
"Heh. if we knew that, we wouldn't have to steal it," Neira laughed.
"How did you even find out if the project was so secret?" Kinson wondered. He wanted them to keep talking. His time was near its end.
"You flatter me. Although I'm here, it was hardly my idea. Those in high places have many friends and plans. How could they not be aware of this project?" Keyser explained. "Now, I think I've said enough. Why don't you… wait, what's happening? How are you…"
Kinson smiled, triumphant, as the deathdream dissolved around him and the world broke into countless streams of light before dissolving into nothingness. At last, his soul drifted in complete darkness, alone save a growing light before him. After a timeless moment, as all are in the Soul space, a glowing figure closed out of the light.
"Rena," Kinson said.
"Death is such a curious thing. Much more. Alive… than I thought." she murmured listlessly.
"Rena, I need to know some things. What does the nightmare trapped in the cargo hold mean? How does it explain the nightmare's hunting patterns?"
"Do you truly feel nothing?" Rena's gaze sharpened, stabbing through him.
"What?" Kinson was taken aback.
"Our deaths. Why didn't you warn us? Why allow us to suffer so?"
Kinson hesitated, unsure of what to say. "But you had already died? I came here to learn, not try to change what's done. No matter what, everyone on that ship's already dead, and the research is gone. I need to understand…"
"Have you no empathy? I died to help you know these things. Doesn't that make you feel anything?" Rena asked mournfully.
"..."
"Can you really suppose I'd rather be telling this story from the grave, than in the flesh? What if my family? Are my last words going to come from a heartless stranger? I'll never see my children again, much less hold them in my arms. And all you can think about is some unproven research data."
Kinson's mind shook. How dare she say that! "Please, Rena, and try to understand. This information is critical to the lives of billions of living breathing humans! I lost everything on Mars, except for a few loved ones who made it out! Grandparents, cousins, my best friend… I know loss like you can't imagine, so please, help me save the worlds we have left. If you won't tell me, at least tell me someone still knows at the research lab," Kinson pled.
His outburst silenced her, but it was almost too late. Her spirit began to dissipate.
"I'm sorry, Kinson. I didn't know. There is no one else but those on that ship. They didn't want any loose ends or a chance for the information to leak, so we've all been together for several years now, with absolutely no contact with the outside world."
Kinson's heart dropped. This was worse than he imagined.
"Looking back, there couldn't have been a worse idea. Our very plans may have brought the alliance to ruins," Rena lamented.
"Then please, tell me the way!" Kinson asked desperately.
Rena nodded solemnly, speaking quickly through her last remaining seconds. "It's psionic tech. Nightmares have some connection with the Psionic dimension and can locate signals broadcast there as technology taps into it. The nightmare strand there was a remnant of the beast's presence when we tested our theories and baited it out. You won't be able to convince them, but please try."
"I will, Rena. I promise to remember your sacrifice. It was not in vain," Kinson said sadly.
Rena opened her mouth to speak but broke apart before her words reached him. Light streamed out in all directions, washing over Kinson in a refreshing wave. As the sensation faded, it left him feeling invigorated like never before. His soul seemed brighter too, somehow.
"You will be remembered," Kinson repeated softly.
The soulspace collapsed, driving him back into the real world. A single, glistening tear dripped from the corner of his eye, but when he opened them, the clear light of resolution revealed itself.