by Gavin Magson
“I had not forgotten, something like that does not easily slip the mind. I gave you my word, Henry, I will not see Ilya again. Except, if I ever hear that you have harmed her, or put her life in danger, I will be paying you a visit. I will be the last thing you ever see if you mistreat her in any way, and I shall make you regret the day you lay a finger on that woman.”
The smirk just added to his distaste of the man, nothing would make him happier than to see Henry dead and out of Ilya's life. The man moved away from Ajax and shook a few more hands before catching up with his betrothed.
Behind them the crafts door opened lazily upwards, the noise just audible over the wind. Out of the door a walkway lowered to touch the platform and expose a set of steps. Ajax had to admit that he was impressed, the mirror polish of each step gleamed in the afternoon sun to match that of the craft.
He was utterly powerless, all he could do was look on as the woman he loved ascended the steps, only turning back at the top to wave. Henry looked Ajax in the eyes, wrapped his arm around Ilya's waist and held her in an embrace as they kissed passionately. The small crowd clapped and jeered them on; Ajax did not join in. This was the last sight he would see of Ilya, it was what Henry wanted Ajax to remember forever. Ajax had no idea how he could have insulted or angered the man so much as to deserve such torment, yet this was his punishment for the unknown. The walkway raised to connect back into the ship as the couple disappeared from view.
The thrusters began to spool as they were powered up, great blades scything through the thin air and pushing it toward the small crowd at speed. Smoothly they repositioned to point vertically as the craft slowly lifted from the ground. The thrusters moved once more and with a roar the craft rapidly accelerated.
The last thing Ajax saw of the ship as it fast disappeared from view was the glint of it punching through the clouds. With it went Ilya Frey, a women he had been given little chance to truly get to know. It dawned on him her surname had now changed, the last part of her previous life before Henry erased. Ajax shed a single pain filled tear and felt his rage rattle its chains.
Three days had passed since Ilya's union. It was by no means the longest he had gone without seeing her, but it was easily the hardest. Knowing that she was out of reach, not even a message could reach her now, it ate at him every passing minute.
Ajax had spent the time locked away in his room trying to come to terms with the fact Ilya was gone, never to return. Several times the crew had tried to coax him to leave his bed, never getting past the door when they knocked for him. No one had seen the man even come out to eat.
On the morning of the third day Duke had come downstairs for breakfast and was interrupted by Sal before he even had chance to sit. The landlord told him that Ajax had been down an hour earlier, he had ordered food and left soon after it was finished. When Duke asked where he was Sal motioned outside.
Despite the thick coat Duke flung around his shoulders when the door opened he was hit with what felt like a wall of ice. Snow whipped at his face and eyes, making it all the more difficult to see across the courtyard. The snowstorm must have been fresh, little had fallen to the ground so far and only a thin layer covered the figure he saw. Above the clouds were heavy and dark, at least those he could see.
Duke forged through the storm, his coat whipped by the high winds, and across to the fountain. It was a place he had avoided since the events of summer where a certain loan shark tried to end his life prematurely. Each time he saw the familiar sight it froze his blood; the recurring nightmares hardly helped matters. Ajax sat in the lee of the fountain, dressed in just trousers and a vest, cracking through the frozen water with prods from his fingers and oblivious to the winter weather. He did not show any signs of noticing Duke's presence, so devoted was he in his task to break apart all the ice. Duke had never seen him look so weak.
“How are you feeling today, lad?” asked Duke as he lowered himself next to the man, brushing clear a seat for himself.
For a while Ajax did not look up, Duke thought the man had not heard him. When Ajax moved to stare into Duke's eyes the captain was stunned by the haunted, red rimmed eyes that looked back.
“I'm fine, just felt like getting some air. My room was beginning to smell a little musty. Plus I was hungry.”
“Aye, cooped up in there for three days without a shower or shave could do that. Sal tells me you've had breakfast, at least your appetite has returned.”
“I saw no reason to starve myself over this, without food how could I live on? Just like without Ilya how can I live on?”
Duke rubbed his hands together furiously, trying to get some blood circulating again as stabbing pains started ebbing through his fingertips. Mentally he cursed himself for not bringing gloves, Ajax had been outside long enough that he surely couldn't feel the cold anymore; a few more minutes to run back for gloves wouldn't hurt him. With a sigh Duke conceded defeat to his own conscience, the man was obviously hurting a lot worse than he suspected and was in need of a friend. Next time he would not forget the gloves.
“The world does not stop for one woman, neither should you, Ajax. Perhaps Henry's terms won't last forever and you will see her again soon enough. At least she is happy with the man she loves now, that should bring you solace.” Duke paused only to take a breath but was interrupted before he could continue talking. Ajax handed over a little scrap of paper, its many creases suggested that it had been unfolded and refolded numerous times.
“Ilya gave this to me whilst we were sharing our final goodbyes. It's all a lie, Duke, and I won't see her again. I caused all this; I can only blame myself.”
Duke studied the minute handwriting, Ilya could still scrawl even when the letters were hardly large enough for him to read. Duke knew he was getting old, he felt it every day with the ache of his bones; failing to see the letters clearly only reminded him of the fact. Ajax expected a look of shock, not the resignation on the man's face as he handed the note back.
“She did it for her own reasons then, perhaps all the more motivation to honour Henry's agreement. Come inside, it's time that you accepted the situation for what it is and try to move on. What is done is done, and is out of your control; stop beating yourself up about it. Don't forget that you have a fine woman who has been trying to reach you ever since the union, you don't want to lose Aiko as well.”
Ajax glanced back down at the frozen pond, the separate shards of ice were already refreezing to join up once more. “You're right, I should talk to her, she deserves better than to be punished by my own misery. Give me a few minutes, I'll come inside shortly.”
Duke looked into the eyes of the grieving man and saw only sorrow; Ajax was truly heartbroken. He decided that Ajax would hold his own words true, so Duke left him to break ice and mull over his own life. He was glad at the prospect of being out of the cold, even if it meant leaving Ajax to freeze further. As he stood the captain removed his thick coat and wrapped it around the man's shoulders.
It was stupid, Ajax thought. He had known that this day would come, ever since he shook Henry's hand and agreed to the terms for his own freedom. For weeks he had avoided even thinking about it, not accepting that it was inevitable. Ilya was gone, all he had to do was admit that to himself and try to move on.
Snowflakes were settling on the ponds surface, building into small mounds that made the few remaining fractures of ice bob on the water and tip their loads when the weight became too much. He had long since lost feeling in his fingertips, having dipped them into the fountains water too much as his mind wandered. He let out a long sigh, causing a small cloud of hot vapour to plume above him; it signalled the end of Ajax's sub-zero contemplation.
By the time he rose from the stone seat Duke's footsteps had been filled by the fresh snowfall, along with a couple extra inches for good measure. The Haven was blanketed by the white stuff, making it appear far more innocent than the rough tavern he knew it for. Soon all of the sector would grind to a halt, if Sal's attempts at conver
sation this morning were anything to go by. The snow was predicted to last a few days at least, more than enough to hamper trade and transport. Ajax cast his mind to Seven and pondered if the war would have to halt for the winter, now that the nights could kill a man who was lost, or trapped. He would have to check on Miles next chance he had.
At least the wind had died down a little, no longer did it sting his face as it howled and thrashed. The wind was still strong enough to send a chill down anyone's spine, with the exception of someone who had been out in the cold for an hour and could not feel anything. Ajax moved groggily as he crossed the courtyard, heading back to the Haven's warmth. His legs were still trying to play catch up as his brain finally started sending signals to them.
The doors metal handle clung to his skin and tore a layer off when he released his grip; Ajax did not even acknowledge the pain. Warmth hit him like a fiery blow, uncomfortable at first as he hung up the fur lined coat and crossed the room to sit down at Duke's table.
“Glad you could join me,” said the captain, a forkful of food navigating its way past his scraggly beard and into his salivating mouth. “Are you feeling any better for your snow filled escapades?”
“No need to sound like such an ass. I realise that Ilya is lost to me, right now all I want to do is take my mind off it. I shall have to contact Miles. Perhaps tomorrow I will head back to the slums, let off a little steam on some drug runners. There is still a lot of work to be done there; it helped distract me last time.”
“It almost sounds like I have the old Ajax back, attitude and all. Just don't go levelling any more buildings, I don't know if the slums can spare any the rate you are going through them,” Duke laughed at the insult Ajax hurled at him. “If it is a distraction you are looking for perhaps I could interest you in a tour of my new-look ship? You haven't yet seen the modifications your generous investment has bought and it is only fitting my benefactor gets a tour for his hard earned money. We could go up today, the transporters run regularly, even in winter.”
“That isn't such a bad idea, it would be nice to see how you have wasted my money. Knowing you there will be a cigar cabinet and some aged spirits next to the captain's chair. What about Greg and Lev, would they be coming along?”
“I'll talk to them and see what they think about the idea. Deborah is far less of a certainty, she has not really had a chance to acquaint herself with you and will probably give it a miss; nonetheless I shall ask her. Go upstairs and change into something more suitable for the weather, I don't want you to freeze to death before those drug gangs have a chance to shoot at you.”
Duke was quite proud of himself, seeing the excitement of Ajax as the man headed for his room. He had expected the task to be nigh impossible yet Ajax was swiftly cheering up at the prospect of seeing the ship once more. He knew that Ajax only wanted to leave for the slums so that he could ignore emotions he kept bottled up and take his frustration out on others, but it was a dangerous combination with a man of such talent for destruction. If he could level a skyscraper before the union Duke feared for what Ajax could be capable of now.
Chapter 19
Ajax was taken off guard by the look Sarah gave him as he passed her on the stairs. Gone was the hatred and unconstrained anger, replaced now by hurt; perhaps he had been too hard on her for what he saw as a betrayal. However now was not the time for reconciliation, he forced a smile and continued up to his room.
Inside the once neat and minimalistic room was the heavy smell of body odour and stale sweat, the bed sheets reeking worst of all. His time out in the fresh air only made Ajax more aware of how he had been living these past few days. He opened some drawers and found the last of the clean clothes he possessed, which he took into the bathroom with him.
He showered, savouring the heat that hurt his frozen skin, until his body thawed out. He smelt far fresher for the wash, something which would make the captain happy, he hoped. Ajax kept his couple of days’ worth of stubble to try and provide some kind of warmth to his face; anything would help out in the slums now that the snows had reached Konar.
Duke had managed to rouse the couple and persuade them down for breakfast whilst Ajax washed. He gently suggested the idea of venturing into the sector as they ate, but only once both men seemed less tetchy about being awoken so early. All the taverns windows gave a prime view of the white blanket falling on the city, hardly tempting anyone outside; he started by explaining how happy Ajax had been about the idea.
Ajax was actually beaming when he sat down at the table, even Maria looked shocked as he ordered a hot drink without looking like he should be on suicide watch.
“So what do you two say, fancy coming along to the space docks and seeing the progress on our ship?” asked Duke.
If Ajax saw the look Greg and Lev shared he did well not to show it. Duke knew the men were reluctant to face the extreme conditions outside, the apprehension easily read on both faces. The only thing that stopped them declining was the inane grin Ajax wore.
“It sounds like a good idea, of course we will be coming. I'll just grab some coats for both of us.” said Greg. His chair scraped on the floor in his haste to find some warmer clothes.
He did not keep the others waiting long and swiftly returned with a thick bundle of clothes in tow. What Lev donned could probably insulate a house it was that big, Greg's arms visibly sagged under its considerable weight whilst he struggled to carry it down from their room.
“Come on, ladies, the sooner we get there the sooner we are out of this weather.” said Duke, holding the door open.
Ajax was the only one who did not show visible signs of suffering, forging a path through the snow with Duke at his side, a grumbling Greg and his partner in tow. Few people passed them on the streets, little wonder considering the market stalls were all packed away and even most shops did not appear as if they were open.
Ajax could not remember how to get to the transport hub, he had only walked from it to the Haven once since his arrival on the planet. The appeal to go off world had been muted so far, since Konar still offered some sights and attractions to the man. He knew soon some adventuring might be necessary, or even off world travel for jobs from Steiner and Rine.
He made sure not to get distracted, like he was prone to, and focused on committing the different streets that Duke led them along to memory. It seemed easy enough to follow, since they followed one of the central roads that ringed the sector and split off into many branches. When the four men finally stood in front of the giant transport hub Ajax was still impressed by the sight, even if it was not a new one to him.
“Just act natural, kid, you've done all this before.” said Duke as he crossed the street and headed for its entrance.
Ajax did not hesitate, he followed the captains lead and stepped inside the open structure. It seemed that the deserted sector did not exclude the hub; Ajax could probably count the amount of people arriving and departing in a few seconds. Duke was already stood at a booth, the receptionist behind it was startled to have someone trying to purchase tickets. Ajax smiled to himself when she brushed snow off her desk and unfolded herself from a large blanket to tend to Duke.
When Ajax caught up he was handed a ticket, though he only knew what it was when Greg pointed it out to him. Two silver strips along the blank white paper didn't really mean a lot to him. Greg turned it over to show the lettering, the time and sector were printed along with a number for the transporter they would catch.
“It's not the same process as when we docked, I can still remember seeing Duke use the chip in his arm to pay our fare down to the planet. What do we do with the tickets?” asked Ajax.
“Just do what we do; the ticket is more of a formality to make sure no one boards a transporter without paying. There used to be barriers where you would insert the ticket, but they slowed down the boarding process, so the city changed how the tickets worked and now the transports simply scan them automatically when you board. Now hurry up, our ship should be pulli
ng up any time soon.” Greg almost dragged Ajax by the arm; Lev and Duke were already queuing at the platform edge.
They had barely been standing for two minutes before a transporter descended into the hub, its thrusters turning so as to decelerate gradually and come to a halt nearby. Its door opened and only one passenger, an elderly woman, stepped out. Ajax darted forward to help her unload two large suitcases as she struggled to lift them down from the transporter. All four men were surprised by just how quiet service was; they had all expected at least a couple of occupants when the doors opened.
They boarded swiftly and strapped themselves in with the restraints, eagerly awaiting departure. Through the ships speakers a pre-recorded voice announced the transporter was due to disembark as its gull wing door slowly closed. Ajax grinned as, with a judder, the ship started to hover before pulling away from the transport hub and angling nose up to fly near vertical.
Ajax could not tear his eyes away from the view outside their transporter. He was looking forward to the return journey more, then the front windows would show him the planet, but the space docks was still a magnificent sight to behold. Hundreds, if not thousands of ships were lined up and tethered to the docks exterior, all shapes and sizes on display.
The entire structure was transparent and gave him the strangest view of all the tiny figures from underneath as they approached the expansive bay doors. The autopilot flew them on a perfect trajectory, only slowing down to glide through the large entrance.
The small transporters that passed them going in the opposite direction had to first stop in an intermediate chamber before leaving the docks. Ajax watched with amazement as their ship came to a stop behind another transporter, which moved slowly past a first set of doors that closed behind it.