Upon Celestial Tiger: Chapter One

First topic message reminder :

A small, fast space yacht. The last owner named it Celestial Tiger.

Three small bedrooms (with bunks), one bathroom. Very small storage hold. combined dining/living area. Everyone's going to hate each other by the end of this road trip.

https://i.servimg.com/u/f11/19/46/08/46/small_10.jpg

Tala snorted thoughtfully at Luka's sudden uncertainty. She had assumed Luka had just let the title slip while talking to this woman, which would have been bad, but if Luka hadn't, then this woman might know a lot about what was going on. Interesting.

"Because I can't stay on this rock anymore and...because I can't stand by and do nothing while my queen is in danger" She said quietly then flushed "I couldn't do anything before, they put my ex under some kind of spell or something, messed with his mind and he's the leader of this place, unofficially of course, so no one would even think of crossing him to help me." She said then shook her head, looking around before shifting to a star dragon. Her stars had redish halos around some of them though she shifted back quickly "No one here knows and if you say anything I will deny it."

Tala pawed her hoof and took a step back, staring at the dragon. "Who are you?" She asked. "Why are you here?" She managed a whisper, "How are you free?"

Luka covered her mouth, stunned to see another Star Dragon. They were supposed to be all enslaved weren't they? So many questions. "does...does your ex not know?" Wow, what a thing to keep from someone. By the way, i'm actually a dragon.

"My name is Helen Ball, I am free because my owner died due to my ex. No, he does not know." Helen said then shook her head "None of that matters right now."

"I believe it matters very much," Tala said. "Why do you trust us so readily with your secrets? You know naught about us."

"I know the queen showed me your images and held the feeling of friendship even though she couldn't send words without it being known there was one who could hear her here." Helen stated "You were in her mind, so when I saw you, I knew what she would want done, look all I want is to go with you and help out."

"All right." Tala looked thoughtfully at Helen. "You may come with us, we will be glad for your help. You shall wear anti-magic cuffs though until we are sure we can trust you."

~~
Ethan searched for a while, and eventually found a can of white paint and a can of black paint. He hauled them out to Rigel. "Think we can mix the right shade of gray they use for the background with this?" He asked Rigel.

"Anti-magic? No, I can't do that. If I don't have access to my magic I will revert to my natural age and form, and be ineffective." Helen said with a frown then shook her head "Look, if I wanted you dead for any reason, I would just make a star or black hole and kill you now. I don't want that. If I wouldn't have half the people here on my tail trying to capture me for the bounty on all my people then I would just shift and fly out of here on my own, but I can't avoid detection leaving here, so I need a ship. You are that ship and have the same purpose as I do, to find and free the queen."

~~~
Rigel looked to the cans of paint then nodded "Yeah, should be 13 to 2 ratio to make their grey."

Tala considered that, flicking her ears back and forth. Helen was right, it would be easy enough for a star dragon to kill them or take them prisoner if she wanted to, there was nobody on the Celestial Tiger who could really stand in the way of a star dragon if they were taken by surprise. She looked to Sawna and Luka, and Swarm if any of them were there, wanting more opinions. "Your thoughts?" She asked them.

~~
Ethan would help mix the paint for Rigel. They were putting so much more effort into this project than he wanted to, ugh.

Sawna had stayed close, though she also had tried to stay out of sight up to that point. At Tala's question she came closer "I think her tracking device could be the only way we will find Starr and while trust is not easily given, we should give her a chance. After all, she has as much to lose as we do.

~~
Soon enough, Rigel handed the badge over to be painted, nodding at the mixed color. "That looks right, good job"

Swarm bickered with themselves and eventually "most of us believe she could be helpful. Also that as a free member of her race, she is in need of assistance anyway. "

"The other crew would want to save her." Luka nodded. "could Shane look into her head or something to see if she's legit?" She wasn't sure, magic man, magic.

"We will bring you with us, and not put you in cuffs," Tala decided, nodding to her crew, before looking back at Helen. "Shane will be assigned to watch you."

~~
Ethan got to work painting the stupid badge. His hands were steady despite his outrage, and he got the lettering pretty close to perfect. "Thanks, I guess."

Swarm bobbed up and down. "We should resume our search"

"how fast is your exes ship?" Luka asked.

Rigel nodded and smiled "There are times you have to follow stupid rules in order to get what you want. Think of it as a play and you are the only actor. At least until the Terrans have to admit you are alive and give you all your freedom."
~~~
"As fast as he could make it." Helen said then sighed a little "We will have a hard time catching up to him unless your ship is very fast, but I think I know where they are heading towards. Avolire Hold, near the border of the Mimosa Empire. If what I overheard is truth and not meant to throw us off, though the beacon will let us know on that score." We should go unless you have to pick up supplies too."

Ethan nodded. "I was so tempted to tell her that I was free, and to let the gangs come for me because I'd beat them all senseless. But that would screw things up pretty badly for my duplicate and his plans." He carefully perfected the black outline that framed the badge, eyeing his work critically. "Does this line look straight enough?"

~~
"We need no supplies yet," Tala said, heading out of the alley and indicating for the others to follow her. "We shall return to the ship, and you shall tell us about Avolire Hold as we travel. Swarm, seek out whoever is still on the station and tell them we must depart in haste!"

Swarm bobbed up and down in a sort of nod and scattered.

Luka frowned. "Why would they want to go there?" She asked. "what's there?"

"Good choice, and yeah, the line looks straight. Good thing you don't get the shakes when trying to be precise like that" Rigel said

~~
"After we are away from prying ears, You can trust no one here to keep secrets" Helen said very quietly as they walked through the city and back to their ship. Only after they were on it would she speak again "You do know this is a pirates den, right?"

"We have a guest!" Luka called to Rigel, knowing he'd remained behind.
She looked to Tala, then back to Helen. "I just fly the ship and land where i'm told to land." She admitted.

Swarm went to find Shane and anyone else left behind, including their other selves.

"It does not surprise me that this is a pirate's den," Tala said. "Helen, supply Luka with coordinates to this place while we wait for Shane and Swarm to return!"

Ethan set his badge down to dry and looked up, curious but also looking pretty grumpy.

Helen pulled up the tracker on her tablet and showed that to Luka for the coordinates. She had noticed Ethan's look but ignored it for now.

Rigel got up to come over to the group, looking at the stranger. "Who's she?"

Shane had been talking to a couple of guys when Swarm came. He ended the conversation on a cheerful note and headed back to the ship quickly.

"All shall be explained once we depart," Tala said. She waited until everyone was on board, then closed the airlock. "We are ready for departure, Luka!" She called.

Swarm wouldn't tell him what was going on till they were nearer the ship. "we found someone who can help, we hope. Need you to confirm this."

--

Luka noted the coordinates and looked to Ethan. Hmm, maybe he'd decided he didn't want to get out for a walk after all. He looked grumpy, she half nodded and then looked away, not really wanting to set him off or something.

Swarm and Shane would join them.

Luka nodded. "Alright. " She went to ready the ship for departure.

Shane came back on board and paused when he saw the female. "Helene?"

Helen turned, almost dropping the tablet when she saw Shane standing there. "Shane, I...you..." She trailed off then set the tablet down and moved to hug him "I'm sorry I had to leave you and hide your memories. It was all I could do to keep you safe after they killed her and came for me."

Tala's ears flicked forward curiously. "What is this?" She asked, making sure the airlock was sealed for departure, before returning her attention to the dragons.

Ethan nodded briefly to Luka and watched the newcomer and Shane.

Shane took a step back after a minute and looked around at all the curious faces "Um, Helene.." "Helen" She interjected "Helen is my aunt, she hid my memories of her and my mom when I was little, before mom was killed and she was taken and I was left alone on Terra." He said then looked back to Helen "Then I was taken in by my father's boss..." Well, at least he knew his family line now.

"Your aunt!?" Swarm bobbed excitedly. Family reunions yay.