Chapter 13: The Terasoras Space Ship

Eli looked at him with surprise as she asked:

"How do you know of such a hideous place?"

"I read a lot, and the base I were at was built over an old historical main planet of an old empire, so I also read many old records," James said while leaning forward on his chair while pointing his index towards her, "Listen to me Eli, I like the friendship between us but not the degree to sacrifice myself like this.

That place is like a heavy fortress that even a grand space destroyer couldn't approach from it."

Eli also leaned towards the front while mimicking his way with her index finger:

"Listen to me James, I won't throw my life like this, I love my life and there are a ton of things waiting for me there to experience. So, can you just shut up and listen to the rest of my words?"

James looked silently towards her before he sat straight on his chair as he signaled for her to continue.

"We won't attack the famous Terasoras Space Ship, but we will target one cruiser that travels along with her."

"What do you mean by traveling along with her?"

"The Terasoras Space Ship doesn't travel alone, as a ship with this size and with all the prisoners in it, will need a lot of supplies. These supplies are provided by many small ships.

For the security of the Terasoras Space Ship, these supply ships aren't allowed to board the main ship, so the Terasoras Space Ship had created a separate zone where any space ship can enter and leave without any hindrance. We will target this zone, as my friends are stuck there."

James looked in doubt towards her as he asked:

"Are you sure? I never heard of such a thing before."

"Yes, I'm pretty sure, as I was raised there."

James stayed silent for a moment before asking:

"Is there a relation between the Terasoras Space Ship and the Ravner of light?"

"Relation? Hahahaha, they are the same existence, James."

James looked with funny expression over his face which made Eli laugh as she asked:

"What? Did you think the Ravner of light was a good person who serves charity and does good deeds?"

"Well, I didn't even think they would be those famous merciless butchers of that horrible place. They are worse than I thought they would be," James said with a shocked tone, while Eli continued to laugh as she said:

"Believe me, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Anyway, we don't need to speak about them in detail for now, as we need to enter that zone, rescue my friends, and then escape fast to the farthest place away from their clutches."

James took a deep breath while he tried to prepare himself for the upcoming great challenging task.

"So, you don't plan to just enter there and say hello, right? You must have a plan," James said.

"Well, I know all the details about that place, but…"

"But what?"

"I'm a big failure when things reach a plan," Eli said.

"Do you want me to draw a plan for you?"

"For both of us, after all, we are accomplices in this, right?"

"Sigh. Ok, can you provide me with other coordinates related to any deserted planet you know?"

Eli looked at him in surprise while he added:

"We need time to think of a plan and make some adjustments for this space cruiser. Don't you think we will draw a good plan in a few hours?"

Eli sucked her lips in regret as she muttered:

"If it was me, I would put a plan in minutes and execute it at once."

"Really? And what would be this genius plan of yours?" James asked with a teasing tone that Eli didn't get as she replied honestly:

"I will go straight there and attack the place that holds my friends and then escape right away," Eli said excitedly.

"Then escape right away?"

"Yes."

"Huh, that's not a plan, no wonder you always fail in putting plan," James said as he moved his chair back to the commanding unit while saying:

"Give me new coordinates or I will improvise any coordinates from my mind."

"No, wait a minute, I will send a good place location to you now."

Eli then took few minutes before she sent the new coordinates to the general control unit where James approved on it while muttering with a sarcastic chuckle:

"Hit them and then escape right away, what a brilliant plan, indeed a plan for death!"

Eli glanced over James who was busy applying the new directions to the complicated system while she sighed. She knew she was a failure in making plans, or else she would have escaped like many other girls and boys in that place.

James didn't take long before he finished his arrangements, as he set the cruiser to land over a small place on that planet. He chose the location from the general geographical design that was formed in a hologramic view in front of him.

James knew there was no such a thing as a database unit in small cruisers like this one, but he knew that came from that advanced system on its board, a system he had now some vague guesses about where it came from.

"Now, we will head straight to this abandoned planet and then we will take our time in drawing out a perfect plan," James said.

"Wouldn't the Ravner of light suspect my escape and then search for me at the Terasoras Space Ship special zone?" Eli said with some fear in her tone. James sighed as he said:

"Dummy girl, they never knew about this cruiser coming to them in the first place, so how will they seek you?"

"Didn't you say before there was a meeting between the two?" Eli asked in doubt while James explained:

"No, you mistook my words, I meant that Gotar was going to a meeting place with the Ravner of light, and that doesn't mean there was a meeting between the two.

I suppose the Ravner of light had specified a location for such meetings for all the rogue adventurers and smugglers who work for them on this task. So, be calm, and don't worry about yourself."

Eli looked with doubt towards James, who added pointing to himself:

"C'mon, do you think I will let myself get caught from these lunatics? Have a little faith in me here please."

"I hope you are right. Now, what will we do?"

Eli asked when James left his place while going back to the heart of the cruiser.

"Come with me, I will need to hear every bit of details you know about that place."

Eli looked to the shadow of his back for a while, before she left her chair and followed him. She still had no answer on the most important question which started all of this, was James really a black fog ambassador or not?

Eli found James had brought a wide metallic heavy table to the center of this hall, while he grabbed two chairs, one for him and the other for her. She sat on the chair to find out this wasn't a normal table, as it had some controlling buttons on it.

"Now, I need you to tell me everything you can remember about that zone, starting from the geographical nature, ending with the routine of the space cruisers visiting this place and the procedures that apply to them."

James said as he started to control some buttons in a way that made Eli feel strange and curious.

"It seems you are very familiar with these cruisers."

"I used to check them back at my base, plus many books I read about how to build a cruiser. Now, let's start as I believe we have a lot of tasks to do."

Eli had great curiosity towards James and his past life, but she started to tell him everything she knew about that place. She grew up there, so she knew very well everything there no matter how insignificant it was.

On the other hand, James was busy transforming all her data into that small control panel he was using right now.

This wasn't a normal table, as it was a strategic battle table, where captains of the cruisers could use to formulate a plan of their own, no matter what the circumstances, using this strategic table was a lifesaver for many.

This table had many functions, one of which was a hologramic making function, which was the one James was using right now.

He kept entering the data that Eli gave him for hours, even when the cruiser general commanding unit gave him an alarm of their approach to their destination, he didn't stop or even signal to Eli to stop.

Just before the cruiser was about to enter that planet's atmosphere, Eli finished saying everything she knew, while James finished making the hologram model.

"Let's check the landing procedure first, then we can come here to start forming our plan," James said.

"You know, I never thought to form a plan was this hard and arduous task," Eli complained as his head was hurting her with throbbing pain.

James didn't say a word till they reached the commanding deck again as he sat at the general commanding unit while Eli sat on her chair on the navigation unit. She seemed to be very comfortable being in that unit. James then said while he started the scan function of this cruiser:

"This is an information-gathering step, which is the essential step for any plan."

"It's still a difficult thing to do," Eli continued to complain while she squeezed her head with both hands. James looked at her in concern as he asked:

"Are you alright?"

"It's just a normal headache, I never concentrated for such a long time before. I believe it will take some time and then leave," Eli replied in a slightly weak tone which made James more worried, so he asked again while moving with his chair near her:

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm an old friend with headaches, so don't worry about me, I w…"

Suddenly her voice began to fade gradually until she completely lost her consciousness to fall on the ground from her chair. James moved just in time to hold her, just before he could breathe a sigh of relief.

"The strange cruiser, you need to abide by orders or you will be attacked directly. Follow us towards the designated landing point and don't resist."

"What the hell?! Didn't she say it was an abandoned planet? Who the hell are they?"