Lack of Direction

[Fitter]

A small smiled formed at the man's compliment, but it quickly disappeared when Daxen told her what question to ask. Her face flushed and she sent the boy a shocked look. "No!" she whispered back. Regardless, he nudged her forward. Fitter didn't like actually talking during conversations; she preferred to listen and see what she could pick up. Why did he put her in this position? Retaliation for her scolding in the mess hall?

The man bowed as he introduced himself. Fitter blinked for a moment, wondering if she should return it. She had discovered different people had different customs and each one required something completely irrelevant to the rest for a simple greeting. It couldn't hurt, right? She returned the bow, taking comfort from Ero's small, warm body in the awkward situation. "My name is Fitter Marks," she returned quietly, heart pounding. While being next to a prisoner frightened her, she took a slight thrill in the fact that her parents would be furious if they knew. If the simple act of conversation took her one more step away from the lifestyle and boundaries of her parents, perhaps it couldn't hurt to continue despite her reservations.

"If you don't mind my asking, why does the Captain have you in here?" she repeated, Daxen's question still left unanswered.

[Kaden]

"A pleasure and honor to make your acquaintance Fitter Marks and as to your question, I'm a commissioned UIR flight officer," Kaden said. "Officers are expensive to replace in money and time. Our training takes months and our experience is priceless so the UIR has a standard ransom policy to reclaim any of its errant officers. I was escorting a military transport that your captain tried to ambush. He pretended to be a stranded merchant vessel and when I boarded this ship to assist him I was ambushed instead and thrown in here. The transport passed without trouble but obviously I will be enjoying your hospitality for a bit. Greg is hoping to turn a profit by ransoming me at the next UIR station."

Kaden turned and picked up his food from the floor. Neither crew member was sitting, in fact there wasn't any place to sit outside the cell. When Deux had to sit out there for hours on end he either brought his own chair or sat on the floor like Kaden. Because they weren't sitting he chose not to either. "Would either of you mind if I ate?," he asked motioning to the food. "I would offer to share but I am sure your captain provides better fare than this."

[Daxen]

To Kaden's earlier comment on how unkempt he is, Daxen whispered, "No, you're perfect." He was careful Kaden wouldn't hear that, but he wasn't sure why. In fact, he didn't know why he was acting so strange. He knew he was awkward around strangers, but it's rare that he gets this nervous. His own shadow is quivering as if it were a watery reflection. Usually this happened around men, but he couldn't pinpoint why, though he had a feeling it had to do with the fact that most men he encounters tend to be rather...offensive. Maybe it was just because Kaden was a prisoner and could be dangerous.

After hearing the story of how he got on the Laika, however, Daxen thought otherwise. His eyes bulged and he stuttered, "R-R-Really? O-Oh...I'm sorry t-to hear that." He wondered how much UIR officers were priced. Did the captain really do all the things Kaden said? Sure, Greg didn't seem like a goody-goody, but he seemed friendly enough.

Kaden's question on whether or not he could eat puzzled Daxen. "O-Of course you can eat! Wh-Who's to stop you? A-And I'm full. I had a f-few bread sticks from the--" He stopped when he remembered who else was with him and he quickly recovered with, "fr-fr-from the nice people in the k-kitchen."

[Fitter]

Fitter glanced at Daxen, her eyes narrowing slightly as he amended his statement. Perhaps he did have some smarts. "Not people," she corrected. "Person. One person." She hoped he would recognize which one person that had been.

The girl eyed Kaden thoughtfully. A UIR officer? Fitter had yet to meet anyone from the government. Or related to it in any way. None of the whispers of the crew had anything decent to say about the organization. But what did she expect from a ship of pirates? Back home the UIR were pretty much myth; no sightings, activity, or patrols. To meet one in person? Fitter absentmindedly scratched behind Ero's ears. How odd.

A wave of relief spread across Fitter after she realized that Kaden actually hadn't committed a crime. Somehow, it made her feel more confident about standing five feet away from a prisoner to know that he wasn't a bad apple. As for the fact the Captain held him for ransom...Fitter didn't want to take sides. The man had been kind enough to let her on the ship and give her a place to stay; who was she to make judgments on his decisions?

"Hopefully you'll be...home soon," she offered, unsure of how to respond.

[Kaden]

Kaden smiled at Fitter but it was a sad smile. He hadn't been home in a long time and he probably would never go home again. He'd been exiled and the Safi government was legendary when it came to keeping people out. It had kept the universe away for centuries. He doubted they would go back on their word and let him set foot there again. But he appreciated the sentiment.

"Thank you Fitter. I hope so too. Things are chaotic with Earthfall and all. I am needed in the fleet and sitting here," he said looking around the cell, "isn't doing anyone any good. I feel a little useless to be honest. The galaxy is in an uproar, planets in revolt, others starving as their trade dries up because piracy along the shipping lanes has increased ten fold. People are out there dying and its my responsibility to do something about it. Instead I'm sitting in this cell."

It was one of the first times he'd openly expressed his frustration with the situation. Maybe it was because he felt he was much much closer to getting out now that he could teleport properly or maybe it was because the two outside were strangers. He had come to care for and respect Deux and he knew the boy was beholden to the Captain as long as he was on the ship. He could even honor the sentiment. Deux's loyalty would not shift, he had been given orders and he would see them through unto death. It was an attitude and a resolve worthy of an officer, worthy of a Safi really. And because Kaden knew what that was like he didn't test Deux's loyalties by speaking against the captain.

He didn't really feel like the two crew members outside his cell would take his side any more than Deux would, but at least they hadn't been given strict orders to shoot him if he tried to escape. And they were strangers for the most part. It made it easier to open up to them.

"Thank you," he said with a nod in Daxen's direction before beginning to eat. He ate as carefully and neatly as he was able and he was glad utensils had been included with this tray. No knives of course but there was a fork and a spoon.

[Daxen]

Daxen felt the urge to cower behind Fitter again as Kaden went on a mini-rant about his situation. He felt a pang of guilt, being a passenger on the Laika, and looked to the ground, "U-Umm...w-we're sorry. I-I-I wish this didn't h-happen to you." He never liked pirates, but he knew that people did things for a reason. Maybe the captain had a family to feed on his home planet? Plus, he always figured chaos as a proper balance to order, that there must always be a struggle if life were to continue evolving.

He watched Kaden eat and was amazed how controlled he was. This man has been in his cell for...how long? And here he was using etiquette of all things when he's probably starving. Daxen admired the man even more and he summoned up the courage to ask, "S-So...where are you f-from? Did you d-do anything else b-before becoming an officer?"

[Kaden]

Kaden nodded his thanks for Daxen's condolences though he didn't try to speak while he ate. He was glad the food gave him time to consider his response. He didn't really talk about Takatifu much since everyone he'd run into seemed to harbor a grudge against the place for being elitist. But he was starting to think that that attitude was unique to those who came from the inner ring. The worlds of the inner ring considered themselves the best of the best and he wondered if it galled them that Takatifu didn't even deign to trade with outsiders and only paid lip service to the Senate and the UIR. Whatever the cause for the resentment even the nicest of his shipmates had been able to make a crude joke at the Safi's expense.

But, so far, he hadn't encountered that attitude on this ship so when he had swallowed his food he decided to tell the truth and hope for the best. "I'm originally from Takatifu and I have been many things in my life before I was an officer but the only thing I was passionate about was zoology. That was a different life though."

[Daxen]

It took a moment for Kaden's response to reach Daxen's head. Wait...Takatifu? The Takatifu?! The wild-life preserve? The massive terraforming project? The ecologist's DREAM PLANET?! And he was a zoologist! His inner scientist coming alive full-force, he lept out from behind Fitter and charged towards the cell, head brimming with questions. Instead, he ended up tripping and going head-first into the cell bars again, hitting the same spot as before. Without uttering a sound, he simply fell to the ground in defeat. If this were a virtual reality fighting game, the announcer would be going, "KO!"

After recovering from this moment of extreme embarrassment, he got back up and, like most guys, pretended it never even happened. He looked eagerly through the cell door to Kaden and started his bombardment, "You're from Takatifu?! I've always wanted to go there but I've never gotten permission! Tell me, what are the different types of animals there? Is it mostly wooded? Jungle? How often does it get rainfall? Are there animals that don't survive well? How's the oxygen supply? Do plants grow freely or are they strictly controlled and regulated?"

[Fitter]

Fitter stumbled back as Daxen lept in front of her and cringed as -again- he ran into the cell bars. Someone had dropped him on the floor as a child, she determined. No one could be that...strange...without reason.

The zoology twist she had not expected, and she felt distanced from the conversation. Fitter's thoughts reverted back to the frustration the officer had expressed earlier about the confinement to his cell while he could be saving lives. The knowledge that he was just a pawn for a money scam probably tore him apart. Fate had dealt this man an unfortunate hand, but her sympathies extended only so far: Fitter was sure that that somehow, some way, he would be returned to his position.

Fitter was unfamiliar with a majority of the planets outside the outer ring. The only one she knew by name was Earth, but only because it had disappeared and caused a kink in her parent's plans. Not that she complained; living on a ship and meeting new people held much more excitement than a life on the farm.

Her thoughts returned to the duo in front of her. "Daxen, are you okay? I think your injury is affecting you." Fitter had never heard so many words run out of someone's mouth before. And certaintly not coming from Daxen. She hadn't known him long, but the impression was that his substance consisted of not much more than stutters.

[Kaden]

Kaden winced as Daxen ran into the bars and began to get up to help him but the young man recovered before Kaden was even half way on his feet. Since Daxen didn't seem inclined to draw any more attention to his mishap than was unavoidable Kaden and settled back down.

He was surprised by Daxen's reaction. It was one he rarely encountered and mostly from scientists or politicians who represented energy companies.

"Well," he began, wondering which question to answer first, "the planet was originally terraformed to resemble Earth as much as possible. The first Earth, not our Earth...which I guess isn't ours any more. Anyway, to answer your question, all the environments you named can be found there and more. Deserts, jungles, grasslands, swamps, oceanic habitats, mountain ranges, etc etc. For the most part we let the world regulate itself. My people believed human kind's greatest flaw and their greatest mistake is their pride and arrogance. To try to artificially regulate a system that, not only works better than anything we can create, but that led to our own creation is, well, not only foolish but dangerously so. The Safi would not repeat humanity's mistake by trying to regulate. The only time we really interfere is if we find errent genes in a species that isn't supposed to be there. Our original scientists were brilliant and the job they did when they recreated most of these species genetic codes from the scraps that were left after most of the went extinct is without peer." his people's characteristic pride had crept into his voice without him noticing. "But even they were human and they made mistakes. We carefully monitor the wildlife and try to catch their errors when we find them. Besides for that we just watch and study and try to learn from the life around us."

Kaden looked up at Daxen. "I'm not sure if that answers your question or not. I am not an geologists so I was not heavily involved with the ecology of the planet. Just some of the specific facts about the area I studied. But," he looked at Daxen and a hint of shame and regret creeped in to his voice. "I would not set my heart on visiting the planet. Off worlders are not allowed."

[Daxen]

Daxen just kept nodding at everything Kaden said, without losing focus even once! It seemed Daxxy was in his element, as he understood everything Kaden said, "Of course...yeah that makes sense...oh wow..." These sorts of comments followed every detail, and he was itching to learn more.

There was one thing that confused him, "I know it's important to keep nature flowing and to correct extremely threatening mutations, but isn't that also part of human arrogance? To modify and 'correct' the animals as we see fit? Evolution is all about mutations, but not all are harmful." 'Course, he wasn't a biologist, but if one animal gained an edge of a predator, it could alter the system's food web dramatically.

He frowned at the last bit. Outsiders not welcome? Well no wonder he kept on being denied! He thought it was unusual to deny fresh young scientists to join a project, but to think they were more isolated than Ortho! He looked about to ask Kaden for a ride, but his own embarrassment about his behavior around Kaden stopped him in time. He shook his head, "N-no, you were a m-massive help Mr. k-kai'Zeke. I-I'm an ecologist, I g-graduated several months ago a-and am new to this ship. I-I've always been interested in T-Takatifu's terraforming."

[Kaden]

"It would," Kaden said, warming to the topic. He hadn't exercised this part of his mind in years and he found it refreshing. "But we are not trying to control the evolution of the species. Sometimes it becomes obvious that our original scientists left holes I guess is a good way of thinking about it. When they recreated some of these species it was like putting jigsaw puzzles together. For the most part they got it right but every once and a while we notice one of their mistakes, a missing piece. Only in that case would we step in and try to fix it since the mistake was ours and not a natural mutation."

Kaden continued to eat his food and thought about Daxen's history. It had never occurred to him that his planet might hold interest for off world scientists. He supposed the whole thing could be thought of as an ecological experiment, one of the most ambitious and massive in the history of humanity, but if his people had ever thought that way they no longer did. They mostly let the world take care of itself. They didn't think of themselves as its guardians or as its shepherds. The only attitude they really had was one of mixed gratitude and shame. Shame because of the tendencies in humanity that had led it to so destroy its home world in the first place and gratitude for the second chance.

No, far from worrying about manipulating the species of their world, the Safi were concentrated on manipulating the genetics of its human population. The entire Safi culture was designed around breeding better humans and they had been at it for centuries now. That was the reason off worlders weren't allowed on the planet and, except for rare occasions, Safi were not allowed off. His people did not want their precious blood lines polluted by inferior breeds of humanity and they were more than content to let the rest of the universe destroy itself as they were sure it would.

Humanity didn't have a sense of balance, or so their common wisdom taught. The one trait that every House bred for was balance and the one trait they abhorred was excessive sense of self entitlement. When one person believed they should own the world the entire system was in danger and such people were considered patently insane and, the few times one had reared its head, the planet had worked together to exterminate that individual.

Kaden didn't know if he agreed with his people's thinking after living among these "mutts" for the past couple of years. He had seen gross abuses committed by the greedy against those who couldn't protect themselves but he had seen a lot of good in the republic as well and he'd come to admire their ambition and the dreams of a united galaxy that he felt was at the heart of the government. The ability to forge alliances with other species alone was something to be admired. He couldn't imagine a Safi government working with an alien one when they could hardly stand to deal with the rest of humanity.

As always, he found himself torn about the values he'd been raised with and the ones experience was teaching him.

"Perhaps the Safi government will loosen its attitude towards scientific expeditions," Kaden said without much faith that they would, "but it will never happen without the Senate since that is the only place that the various planets can truly negotiate with each other and, as you know, the Senate disappeared with the rest of Earth. Do either of you know anything about the cause of Earthfall?"

[Daxen]

Daxen nodded, understanding it all. He comprehended human error (he was certainly quite a good example of a living one, it seemed) and agreed completely with Kaden. "Of course, nature cannot resume if there are missing details. Still, wouldn't it be interesting though if one of our mistakes helped facilitate a later mutation, or perhaps a greater diversity in species? Like, say for instance we left out the genes for a thick coat of fur. The animal would have to seek warmer climates, or perhaps adapt to where it can regulate its body temp. some other way?"

The 19-year-old's eyes glowed with a lust for scientific exploration. His stutter had disappeared for the time being; his excitement and natural ability for the subject enabled his mind to focus on one narrow event instead of something ambiguous or wandering. He also found himself happy that he and Kaden found a connection, and that the prisoner was so willing to share information about his homeland. Daxen didn't have much to give back though. Ortho wasn't the best play to study ecology; it pretty much had two ecosystems: Marine and Island. Diversity was left to the fish, birds, and various animals that flip-flopped between living in water and living on land.

As the topic shifted to Earthfall, his shadow gave a small quiver and he felt his anxiety returning, "I-I've heard about it, b-but I don't think a-anyone knows what happened. E-Earth disappeared, a-and that's it." He didn't think it would be wise to mention that he felt that ever since Earthfall, he had a deep feeling that his own shadow was conspiring against him. He knew he'd come off as crazy and he really wanted to impress the UIR officer.

[Kaden]

"A shame," Kaden said, leaning back. He wasn't surprised in the least. No one seemed to know what had happened to Earth but he might as well try. Kaden's jaw clenched as he was reminded of Earthfall and his duty. He felt like he wanted to jump out of his skin. The guilt of duties being left undone irritated him in a way nothing else could.

He forced himself to eat and not to do something stupid like teleport out of the cell when there were witnesses. Patience was a virtue but it was never one he'd had in abundance.

"Well," he said, after calming down some, "there are many on my world that share your thinking Mr. Daxen. Some have thought that we should let the mistakes continue to watch what happens. I, personally, never took a side in the debate and, for now, the traditionalist are winning. They think that to let an unnatural mutation due to human error replicate itself just so that we may study what happens would be to play God. But the point is almost moot now. It has been so long that there isn't much for us to do anymore. Now, we mostly watch."

He looked over at Fitter. "I apologize if we are excluding you Ms. Marks. Perhaps you can both tell me about your homes?"

[Fitter]

It took a moment for Fitter to register the question had been directed toward her. She gave a brief start, having drifted off on another tangent regarding spices and their flammability in the kitchen. "Oh-it's no issue. I'm from-"

She paused for a moment, wondering if she really wanted to relieve the moments of being a farmer's daughter. The memories most likely held no interest to someone of a UIR officer's status nor to an odd-acting graduate. To reveal her past would be to reveal her ignorance, a trait that not many people favored. "-the Outer Ring," Fitter decided to leave it at. Would they ask any more about it? It would be difficult to continue to evade any more specific questions.

A deep voice broke through her train of thought. "Marks!" She heard the sound of heavy footsteps clacked loudly against floor, a unique property of the odd, wooden shoes one of the kitchen managers often donned. Her face flushed-how long had she been away from her duties? Startled from the fact that the man had actually gone searching for her and worried about what his thoughts would be if he knew she had actually conversed with the prisoner when he had strictly ordered her to come straight back after delivering the food, Fitter shot Kaden and Daxen apologetic looks.

"It was nice to meet you, sir," Fitter curtsied politely to Kaden. "I should hurry back now though. See you later Daxen."

Skirts twirled as she bolted from the hall. She had to cut off the other cook before he got too far down the corridor. Ero raced along beside her, nearly causing Fitter to trip on her way out.