We passed through the archway and into a large space filled with chairs for waiting passengers on the left, a line for those boarding in the middle, and crew members loading baggage onto the ship on the right. Awaiting us was a medium sized passenger vessel. It was large enough to fit about fifty passengers and had a sleek design, albeit with some scuffs. The perfect way to blend in. Nia and I stood amidst the other passengers in line, shifting slowly towards the ramp. To our right I spotted crewman loading our bags and Lucy into the cargo hold. Out the window, the ocean spread far below the hovering station, barely visible except where the lights reflected from the station on the tops of glimmering waves.

  As we shuffled closer to the ship, I scanned the area, checking for anyone lingering or eyeing us. Dock workers, travelers, and crew were all busy in their own tasks, no one standing idly by or watching us. Next to me, Nia arched her brow. Right, way to look paranoid. I took a deep breath. Various announcements pinged over the intercom and into our travel badges. A second archway lay up ahead, where we would be scanned again before being allowed to enter. Moment of truth.

  Nia and I glanced at each other in nervous anticipation. If these fake IDS didn’t work, we were screwed.

  “One person at a time. Nothing covering the face.” An attendant called out in a tone so monotonous, I almost mistook her for robot.

  I stepped in front of Nia. A six foot wall of crumpled navy suit shuffled under the archway. His face had even less animation than the attendant as he waited. The gate vibrated for a second then pinged happily. He boarded the ship. My turn. I walked slowly through, trying to imitate his bored carefree posture.

  Ping, It chirped happily. Breath wooshed out of me and I turned to watch Nia come through. Her shoulder slightly tensed but otherwise she seemed at ease, a second later it pinged. I grinned and tugged her towards the ship entrance.

  Inside there were rows of stiff uncomfortable looking seats lined so close together it made me itchy just to look at them. We walked past them and into a narrowed hallway with doors lining each side, some stacked on top of each other. The sleeping pods.

  Without pausing, I climbed the ladder to slide into the pod marked 38E. I slid in but stuck my head out to watch as Nia slid into the pod below me. I was relieved we made it this far but I suddenly felt as if molten steel was poured into my body.

  “I’m going to sleep. Wake me if we’re being attacked.” I said over my shoulder before sliding into the long narrow hole and closing the door before she could respond.

  Discomfort niggled through me. I ached to be in my own soft bed surrounded by smells of home and the gentle creaking. This was like lying on a bed of broken glass. It wasn’t home. Despite my exhaustion, I struggled to sleep as the ship rumbled to life, most likely disembarking.

  Dark memories swirled around again and again . My relief at finding my sister safe at home, the horror of Benny’s death, the way my heart raced as Nia and I flew at breakneck speed escaping the Cleaver, my confusion and anger with that trick she pulled in the river. So many emotions in one day. I finally fell asleep with one question resonating. How had my sister traveled through that river?

  Several hours later I woke to the rumble of the engines dying down, then a slight jolt as we docked.. I knew it wasn’t far, but I was hoping for a bit more sleep. My eyes were bleary, my body heavy, and my head foggy. The blur of the last day still didn’t quite feel real. A chime announced Nia was pinging me to hurry up. I moved slowly, feeling disjointed from reality.

  I needed to communicate with Nox. The Bog Port was probably disbanded and in chaos. Benny was dead. His son was on my crew, we fought side by side two days ago. Was Rosemary and her family safe? Did The Cleaver send backup by now? Had they raided everyone?

  It was too easy to imagine the worst - case scenario, but I tried to shut those thoughts down. In my life, there worse case scenarios could paralyze me with fear. I wouldn’t be able to function so I cleared my head and decided to focus on the facts as I climbed out of the pod and trudged down the narrow hallway in line with dozens of others exiting the ship.

  My sister didn’t look half as groggy as I felt, walking in front of me, her hair somehow brushed and gleaming. I didn’t even bother to check my buns. Did she run because she was worried they would find out she was the mole or because of that mysterious theft? Or was there more to it than that? The way that Cleaver said her name, I swore it seemed personal. She was keeping secrets from me.

  I stretched out the final kinks in my back and arms as we stepped off the ship and into the larger lounge area where our luggage was awaiting us. We would have to hold it until our next flight so I placed it in a paid locker room.

  This station was older than the one we just came from, built almost three hundred years ago when this planet was first declared habitable for humans. Its architecture is that noxious cheap box style like you’re in a takeout container but less durable. Neon signs hover about pointing this way and that in four different languages, the technology not really updated here either. There were some signs of more recent technology with holo ads but you could tell it was slapped on as an afterthought.

  It made sense though, few bothered to leave our planet and we weren’t exactly a tourist destination given how dangerous our planet was. That meant most of the people around me were most likely traders and smugglers.

  We made a beeline for the bathrooms and I took in my state after relieving myself. She and I were still dressed as tourists wearing too new looking clothing that came from a different sector. I brushed out my hair and brushed my teeth.

  We could probably use a more robust disguise, but facial holos were very expensive and I wasn’t sure we had the time to get one anyway. Thai was starting to feel too risky. Too easy to be recognized, but we needed a ship.

  “We’re going to hire a crew to take us on vacation,” I said as she walked briskly next to me. We stepped onto the train which would take us to the city center of the station.

  “No, we need a crew who knows the best planet to hide on. Once we’re in the shielded ship we’re safe.” Nia responded

  “First of all, we are not safe while flying. The bounty hunters are already looking for us and a space station is an obvious place to start. But even if we hide on a planet, that exposes us to The Cleaver. Secondly, You don’t have the destination picked?! You said you had a plan.”

  She grimaced. “You’re right, there are risks either way. But the Cleaver will be significantly less powerful when not on Erizen..”

  So we didn’t even know where we were going. Just running blindly. Back home I knew all the best places to hide and had sources who would help. I had to look away from her so she wouldn’t see the anger on my face right now. She was my sister and I loved her but I also wanted to shake her violently for getting us in this situation.

  Deep breaths.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  The Train was pulling up to our exit. I avoided eye contact with her while exiting and aiming for the nearest dingy bar.

  “Are you getting a drink or trying to hire thugs? We should have gone to the next level to hire bodyguards.” Nia said.

  I stopped in my tracks. “You’ve been in the Monstravi world for years now. This, hiring a crew for protection, is my world. Trust me to handle this. Don’t talk, let me lead. What kind of planet do we need to hide on?”

  She gritted her teeth but nodded regardless. I started walking again.

  “We need something off the grid so we’re harder to track down.”

  “Alright, I’ll spin the story. You just go along with it.” I said as I stepped into the dive bar, It had dark walls and ceilings with lackluster lighting which failed to hide the grime clinging to every surface. An assortment of patrons bearing tattoos, leather jackets and unhygienic beards nursed jugs of beer. Nia and I stood out like sore thumbs in our fashionable outsider attire. I led us straight to the bartender. I ordered a drink as Nia sat next to me.

  Eyes were burning holes in the back of my head as the less savory weighed how to approach us. We didn’t have to wait long before a man with a long braided beard approached us. He was a bit overweight, older, maybe mid sixties and gave me the impression of a retiree. He probably worked at a dockhand, but picked up side gigs for extra money.

  “Hello ladies. Ya’ll from out of town.?”

  Nia responded, “Yes, actually maybe you can help us?”

  “Hows that?” He asked, leaning against the bar as if he were an old friend.

  I cut her off, not sure what she was going to weave. “We’re looking to vacay somewhere remote. Be one with nature and all that. We thought Erizon would be good, but it was filled with religious fanatics.” I ignored Nia glaring at me. “Maybe you know a good planet? Someplace beautiful, not yet overrun by people but also not too far from amenities like nice hotels and bars.” I said in my most ditzy voice.

  I could see the gears turning behind his eyes. “As a matter of fact, I do. There is a small planet not far from here, called Marlo. I heard it's not overly settled yet, just small town folk. I have a ship and can take you there.” He sounded very sincere.

  Nia smiled as if very pleased with this news. She knew just as I, that planet was a shithole.

  “There’s a catch though.” He leaned forward. “The pirate rings are between us and them. It’s a dangerous route, you would have to hire extra protection.”

  That was perfect actually. We had a contact in the pirate rings and the bounty hunters might be hesitant to follow us in there. This guy was more helpful than I expected.

  Nia nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, of course. Do you know anyone available right away?”

  He grinned, confident he’d sealed the deal. I stifled a smile, put on my most innocent damsel face and leaned forward so the chump in front of us had a view straight down my cleavage. “How much would that cost us? We don’t exactly come from money.”

  He could have seen my throat at this point too, but was clearly distracted. Nia was giving me the side eye for laying it on so thick. He turned towards his friends at the table nearby, communicating how much to string us up for no doubt.

  While his back was turned, I raised my eyebrows at her. What? This was fun. She frowned at me. I supposed I could have shared my full plan with her but what would be the fun in that? Karma.

  The chump turned back around with a slimy grin on his face. “We can offer a discount for you ladies. Whenever you’re ready, we can lead the way.”

  Our supposed new transport captain led us immediately to a back alley. Wow, he didn’t waste any time trying to draw this out. Nia was two steps behind me, glaring daggers into my back. She was no idiot; she knew this wasn’t legit and was wondering what I was up to. Two men stepped up behind us. Three to two were great odds. Their nameless captain stopped and turned to us.

  “Why are we stopping here?” I asked overly sweet.

  He dropped his charming mask and all three men closed in around us. Their rank breaths and sour body odor assaulted my senses.

  “Because your sister has a bounty on her head, we aim to collect.” He grinned.

  I was hoping it was a mugging. “Three bounty hunters for one mark huh? Not feeling confident?”

  Without bothering to reply, he lunged for me, his meaty paws closing in around my waist as if he intended to haul me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Before my feet fully left the ground, I elbowed him between the eyes. Blood gushed over his face and he stumbled back, but the two behind us surged forward. One grabbed Nia by the arm and I behind his knee. He grunted but didn’t go down, however he dropped her arm and shoved into me instead. My leg screamed in protest where I was cut during the heist. I had forgotten all about it but the pain felt fresh and as he swung a fist toward my head, I pivoted and punched him in the solar plexus, then hooked the man on the left.

  Nia threw her attacker over her shoulder and stomped on his face. I pivoted again as my two attackers grabbed me by the ponytail and the arm. I kicked the first one in the stomach, knocking the air out of him. The pressure on my scalp and arm eased.

  The bearded leader roared, rushing me. I sidestepped and tripped him with his full momentum, then locked his arm behind his back, shoving his face into the wall. It smashed with a satisfying thud.

  “You bitch!” He yelled. He was not in a position to be yelling obscenities at me. His right arm was in a closed locked position, meaning if the shoulder was pulled any further back, the tendons would hit their maximum length and start tearing. He snarled again and I yanked his arm towards me. He yowled as tendons tore. All three men were twisted up and bleeding. They vaguely resembled pretzels.

  I grinned at Nia. She scowled back, her arms crossed. “Feel better now?” She asked.

  “Immensely, yes.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  We got to work stealing their ID’s, keys, everything we’d need to steal their ship. It would be nice to stay on the station, but there were too many eyes here and the bounty hunters already knew we were here. This way there would be no record of what ship we were boarding.

  We were exiting the train and speedwalking toward the docks when we came across a crowd. At first, we were ignoring it, pushing our way through the throng of people when something caught my attention.

  “The kneelers are going to take over if we don’t do something to stop them now!” A voice rang out from the center of the crowd. Next to me Nia tensed. The crowd murmured their agreement, their faces dark.

  “They have been hiding their secret power source from us, holding it over our heads, throwing us scraps. Only the faithful get to experience a post scarcity society while the rest of us live in poverty. Well, I say everyone should have access!”

  The grumbles of agreement got louder, the crowd shifting, becoming restless. Nia and I needed to get out of here. She pulled her sleeves down, hiding the marks along her arms. I was grateful we changed or she would have been picked out immediately. We continued to weave through the crowd, slower so as not to draw attention to ourselves. The man continued.

  “Today a god touched Guardian was spotted on this very station!”

  Gasps rang out around us, fear so palpable I could practically smell it. I didn’t blame them, my heart rate picked up too but for a different reason. The godtouched were fucking terrifying, and they were already here looking for us. Nia and I locked eyes and decided without speaking to switch strategy. We got the fuck out of there, shoving people out of our way, sprinting to the docks.

  We didn’t bother to look back, but I could hear a commotion behind us. We ran faster.

  At last we arrived at the dock where the gate pinged happily as it scanned our stolen IDs. I hustled to the locker to grab our belongings, loaded onto a hover transport and loaded it ourselves.

  The ship was small, dingy, and smelly inside. It's big enough for five people inside, with a spacious cargo, most likely used for smuggling. Clearly these guys did not take pride in their work. I curled my lip in disgust when I saw crud caked on the control panel.

  “Most technology is holo now and these pigs still manage to get food particles on everything, ugh.” I complained.

  “Get us in the air, Naomi!”

  Right. These babies weren’t too different from our vessels back home so it was quick work getting us up. I didn’t bother trying to be nonchalant, most ships were hustling to make deadlines around here anyway, so I shot away from the station at maximum speed.

  No one seemed to be following us and I engaged the cloaking shield as soon as we disembarked. After another tense ten minutes, Nia finally broke the silence.

  “Where are we headed?”

  I bit my lip. “I’m taking us into the pirate rings.”

  https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/154815/our-forbidden-kaiju