Space Odyssey: Spectre-Chapter 543: Forge

"That was a remarkably normal and mundane meeting." Jace sighed as they exited the neutral territory. "Here, I thought something interesting was going to happen." They had quickly finished selling the body armor to the Submundo Street Gang. The leader seemed to be more than happy to acquire such high quality body armor.

Now they were off to sell explosives to the Luna Terrorists. Which would hopefully be more entertaining. Maybe Jace had just been spoiled recently by his exciting life. Although his current situation was precarious, it was also exciting in a way.

"I am-" Pliro stopped mid sentence and for good reason as he flinched before he was pulled into an alley. Jace only watched as he continued forward while a smaller man, who looked shorter than even the average human, walked next to him.

"I apologize. But I wanted to make sure that we were alone. I was notified that you have some explosive ordinance to sell." The man informed him quietly.

"I do indeed." Jace leaned back and opened a satchel on the back of the Colonel. The man looked at it and frowned. "I will even sell it at a discount with a tip on top of it. The government knows your normal methods so you are going to have to shake it up."

The man flinched before nodding. He held up a bag and Jace accepted it and looked inside before nodding. "A pleasure doing business with you." He pulled off the satchel of explosives and walked away, blending into the crowd and disappearing.

Jace sighed as he continued following the flow of the crowd. That left just the mysterious Gator group that Pliro told him about. Speaking of Pliro, he jogged up and joined him. Only glancing at him for a moment.

"So where am I going now?" Jace asked and Pliro started directing him.

After a few hours they were arriving at a large building with a smoke stacking going out the top and to the ceiling of the city. That must be how they get rid of the smoke from the forge. As they arrived a person, with scaled skin and claws for hand was opening the doors to the shop as the fire billowed behind them.

"Yo! Ezekiel!" Pliro called out and the person turned to them and grunted. Waving hello to them before walking back into the blacksmiths work area. Where a much larger person who looked more like a bipedal alligator was swinging a hammer down onto a piece of metal. "Alitru, how are you doing?"

"Good. Here to pick up an order?" The large figure asked without turning around. "I do not think we have any orders for you or the Street gang."

"No, actually I am here to introduce you to someone. He is new to town and is selling some stolen weapons." Pliro explained as he stayed back but Jace dismounted and moved inside the workshop to take a look around.

"I also need your assistance in making something. In exchange I will offer some units and knowledge." Jace explained as he opened a few containers and nodded as he saw the contents.

"What are you going to make?" The large alligator person stopped hammering and looked to the side at him.

Jace looked over at Pliro and then back at him. "I will tell you later. Pliro, I am going to be here for several hours. Perhaps you have something else to do?"

Pliro flinched and then sighed. "Fine, I will be back in a few hours. I have to make a formal report anyways." He waved and walked away.

A moment later the other one, Ezekiel, walked over and began pulling off the weapons from Colonel. "Now then, while my associate gets your units. What did you need me to make for you?"

"I was being serious. I need some materials, to borrow your forge, and some discretion. In exchange, I will show you how to make one of the strongest metal composite materials in existence." Jace explained as he started looking through containers finding an array of materials that would be rare or highly expensive in his galaxy.

"At least that is what you claim. I have a few orders to complete. Then I can lend you my forge. It will take about an hour. Ezekiel, can you get him something to read while he waits?" The man declared before pointing at a chair.

Jace grunted and continued looking through his metals. Making a mental list before the smaller Gator from before handed him a stack of books. Jace had only been learning the language. But he could spend some time learning their written language as well.

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"I do not understand what the point of this is." Victor pointed out as he walked back into the underground area of the monastery. That was where he had ended up. His injuries were lasting longer than he or anyone else expected. In particular a scorch mark on his side was not healing at all. He barely remembered what happened, but he knew for a fact that not healing was abnormal.

According to some of the high level Monks, it was an injury of the soul. Something that could not be healed externally. Which was why they were training him to meditate and sense his own soul.

He wanted to leave but the one that was translating for him, Eduta, would not provide him with his gear until he at least completed the basics of his training.

[Then you are doing it wrong.] Eduta declared as he or it moved to the other side where its own bed, hastily constructed, sat. It was something similar to a lounge chair but larger. [You clearly have the capability. You have taped into your soul before when you used what you describe as vampire abilities. But it is like your soul is fixed. I would say it is similar to the other one.]

"Other one?" Victor asked as he removed the bandage to look at his injury which had still to yet even begin healing.

[Yes... your people do not have an exact name for their kind. But it is something between a shapeshifter and a lycan from your legends.] That was a combination he was not expecting.

"Could they share their method?" Victor asked as he recovered his wound.

[You can ask but-]

"But I will not tell you." A voice with a growl interrupted. They both looked over at a fur covered form that bowed its head under the doorway. "You need to find your own way. But I will help you with one thing." The voice told him before moving forward and pressing its hand into Victor’s side. "Remember."

Victor felt a sudden surge of pain and he could feel the darkness take over as he slammed back into the bed he was on.

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The ship flew through the blackhole and immediately started tumbling. As it did Victor noticed something. The others around him seemed to be slowing down. As they did he felt like something was wrong.

{One of them is conscious.}

He spun around and saw a figure slowly moving through the hangar they were inside of. The figure was covered in black armor that looked glossy. Between the parts of armor were bits of dark orange with a pair of eyes that appeared to be a glowing blood red.

Out of one of its hands appeared a crooked glowing orange dagger. {I will detain him as well as the other specimens. As you said we should study this galaxy before invading it. Or we could end up like the Daemons and Mortella.}

Victor had to dodge back as the figure tried to slash at his neck. "What the hell did you say?"

The figure flinched and seemed shocked as Victor pulled out one of his axes and went to chop off its hand. But as he did there was a loud ding as the blade bounced off and he stumbled backwards. {It can understand me?}

It then changed its stance and Victor turned and ran toward the door before rolling. Barely dodging as a pair of spikes slashed through the air and into the wall beside him. He was fortunately already near the door guarding it. But now as the figure chased him he was going through it.

He could already tell the creature was not as interested in anyone else. Mostly because they were all frozen. Not frozen like cold, but frozen like time was stopped or they were in stasis. It must be how they captured the others.

But why was it not working on him?

As he rounded a corner he slid and barely dodged another spike that slammed into a wall. But as his feet hit the wall he felt the gravity flip as he ran forward. He ran along the wall, going toward an emergency escape pod he saw earlier when they were initially coming toward the hangar.