LEGACY OF THE ANARI

by Ashleigh Blayze

Chapter 6

Sorry about the wait!

The trip through the tunnel the stream had carved over millennia had not been much fun. 5Km of wading, swimming, crawling over dams of fallen rock and mud, had left her thoroughly dirty, making a mockery of the artificial wear on her bodysuit, as well as soaking wet. It hadn't been physically difficult at all, and she had found that she didn't seem to notice the cold either. It was frustrating that she hadn’t been able to keep her equipment dry, but the submerged tunnel sections had made that impossible. She finally breached the water’s surface after swimming out the tunnel, to find herself paddling by a cliff face at the side of a lake, with the rocky shoreline only a few metres away.

Pulling herself out of the lake, she threw her sodden pack down, and sat for a minute looking around. It was still day light but it would be nightfall soon. Rin had no idea what Yasm wildlife would live here but all animals needed water, so she was sure that there would be a lot of activity around the lake come dusk and nightfall. The Rijkards had taught her that much at least. It would be too dark to see much soon, so it seemed like a good idea to pitch camp, and this seemed as good a spot as any. Deciding to get a fire going, Rin spent some time finding kindling and small pieces to start a fire, and some larger logs for fuel through the night.

It was dusk by the time she had finished building the fire and was ready to light it. Around the lakeside she could hear the calls of animals, and hoped that the fire would keep them away. The magnesium fire striker struck first time, showering sparks onto the tinder and soon the fire was burning away brightly casting flickering light around her and boosting her morale. Taking some of the slightly longer branches, she easily snapped them to size, and lashed them together with cord. After draping her herder's jacket over the wooden frame to dry, she placed her boots upside down in the heat of the fire to dry out as well. After refilling up the pack’s aquasack, she emptied out her gear sack and began trying to dry her belongings.

Ruefully she reflected that her pack was a lot lighter than it had been, both from the lack of ration packs, and her increased strength. Rin was pleasantly surprised to discover that the pack’s waterproof pack compartment had actually met its claim. The comm unit she had been unable to help the Rijkards with, Vault’s data reader and data chips were all still dry. So was the change of clothes that had been kept in there. The jeans wouldn't fit over her hips now but the T shirts would fit if loosely. She placed the rest of her stuff in the heat to dry it out, before looking at her weapons.

Rin knew she ought to do something with them but stripping down the guns was beyond her. She opted to remove the ammo clips, then try to dry the guns and ammo as much as possible with the dry t shirts before propping them and the now damp t shirts to dry against the wooden frame. The fire was blazing merrily, the crackle and pops of the damp wood reassuring against the strange sounds beyond the fire's blaze now that darkness was settling properly on the lake. Satisfied that she had done as much as she could, and deciding to leave off the comms until morning, she lay down on her back, gazing at the stars. Wondering what to do next, who she now was, and trying to get her mind around the drastic changes in her life, Rin drifted easily off to sleep, confident that if anything came near, Key and Hound would wake her in time.

The armour symbiont rested as Rin slept, its passive sensors watching the world. It didn't dream but was content in its own way that its host was satisfied with it. It felt happiness that its bonding to its host was so thorough, it could protect her more easily. Key watched, having no need for sleep. Her host didn't actually need to sleep either, but hadn't realised that yet. As the night passed the temperature fell low enough that frost formed on the ground around the fires heat and light. The logs held up well, reducing to smouldering embers by morning, but even though the cold encroached as the fire dimmed, it had no effect on the sleeping figure.

As morning came, the light from the rising sun, rolled down the cliff face and across the lake before passing over Rin's small camp. She was already awake and feeling good, enjoying the still tranquillity of the lake scene in front of her, and mentally composing her history. The slum survival instinct was in full 'on' mode. She had some limited equipment and limited skills, after all before the Rijkards had taken her on she had been drifting in the slum, working here and there when it was possible to find a temporary job. From those she had learned to drive and a bit of basic mechanics, she knew enough to get by on a computer terminal but anything sophisticated like hacking was way out of her league. She was good at moving boxes and crates as well, the shit scutwork that humans managed to find generally on Yasm.

Landing up with the Rijkards had been a real job, the chance to learn real skills, and she had been promoted fast enough that she knew she had been doing okay. Rin shook the thoughts of the Hold and her friends away. It wouldn’t do her any good crying now. Now with the changes to her body, Key, Hound and all the weirdness about being Prime, Rin had a good sense that things were gonna get complicated. Probably fast. Her major problem was that she no longer existed, Rin had been a refugee drifter but at least he'd had an ID.

I need a new name, an ID that will stand up enough to get me through basic crap, protection and skills. Being a good looking woman on my own in the slums is soo not hot.

Rin shuddered at the mere thought at what could happen. Rape and murder were just the start of the list. Slavers often hunted in slums as well. Actually the idea of getting off world sounded very good, but not as a sex slave. This was startling in itself, her outlook was changing, the new life that had opened up ahead of her looked exciting, as well as scary, challenging as well as difficult.

As Rin she had wanted a job, had wanted a better life, and the herding had been a start, but hadn't ever really considered going off world. It cost too much, no slum born trash ever got that kind of money. She hadn't really ever considered being a merc before, and it was usually only people joining mercenary bands who left Yasm from the slums. Even the gang bangers and criminal fuckheads who ruled the Port didn't bother leaving. What was the point? They had their turf and ruled it viciously and a looker like her would be open season. But I have a reason to leave, got stuff to learn before I can start hunting pirate scum. The need for a bit more vengeance for the Rijkards, the Hold and herself ached in her.
She mentally asked.

“Key?”

“I get some of that I do, but right now all I want to do is line up every fucking Dtilla in existence and wipe the galaxy clean of them. I have stuff to learn so I can do that. Then I am gonna do my best to do exactly that.”

Key felt her host's angry thoughts, and the need for retribution burning brightly in her.

And the galaxy will be a better place without them, if they’re the Dtilla I remember. They were like a ravening virus before. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. You’re going to have a long time to get your revenge and much to learn on the way. You’re Prime. Nothing changes that. Over time you will learn, become skilled, become known. You could bring back old ways, you might make up new ones. You need to be strong because you do have enemies now, even if we don’t yet know who or what, and they will not yet know either.

“I don't think he ever actually told me her name, so I’ll have to make something up. So who am I now?”

Rin was mulling that question over as she tidied up her small camp site, taking care to douse the fire's embers thoroughly before kicking sand over the ashes, like the Rijkards had said to do. After packing away the dirty but now dry t shirts, she reloaded the dried out weapons, before stowing the flechette gun, figuring the rifle was more likely to be useful, especially once she had reattached its scope. Hopefully it would work fine if needed. With the rest of her gear packed away, Rin picked up the comm unit that had been so useless in the attack, as well as underground for the last several days. Its batteries still had a decent charge so there might be someone who could hear her. Which would be helpful, as she had absolutely no idea where the hell she was, except that the jungle or forest which came almost to the lake's edge looked like a really unpleasant walk. Selecting the emergency channel, Rin gave a silent prayer, and toggled transmit.

“Hello? Hello is anyone there? Can anyone here me? Hello?”

****

“Where is your Lt? Lt Resnij? Lt Resnij, we need you at the mine office right now sir.”

Resnij felt like crap. The constant minedust that filtered into everything in this shithole of a town kept on giving him headaches. Every time he blew his nose clear, he produced a load of black crap, then a little while later he would be stuffed up again, barely able to breathe. If the Korcari didn’t get their defence grid fixed soon he was likely to start dreaming about ways to burn this place to the ground just to have a chance to get back to Talont. The irony of these thoughts was not lost on him.

He was busy somewhere between a cough and a chuckle when the shout came through the door closely followed by one the mine's office clerks who looked around hurriedly before spotting the Lt lounging with the third of his squad on rest in the mine's canteen. The Fourth detachment had taken one look at the town, or what was left of it after the pirate raid, and picked the canteen as their new home. They had occupied this corner of the building with their gear, turning it into their den.

The fact the canteen was an old industrial unit that had been converted, (and was much more heavily constructed than the prefabs which had been shot full of holes), and that its windows were fairly small (and just happened to give an excellent field of fire from said stronghold) was lost on the mine workers who had grumbled and then let them get on with it. Now the miners just gave the piles of gear and lounging mercs a clear space and ignored them. Most of the ready third’s downtime was spent playing games, bullshitting each other, or maintaining their gear. There wasn’t a lot else to do. The third on duty patrolled the mine’s outer facilities and helped out if needed. The rest third could generally be found snoring.

Resnij had 8 hours sleep after getting back from the bizarre but fruitless flyby the previous day. He reported back to the Security Bureau at Talont about both the lack of anything visible and the destroyed landscape, sending them a copy of his data as well. It had at least given him the satisfaction of ruining the Korcari watch officer's day by not having a downed pirate to go hunt, not that the Korkari would have done the hunting. Oh no that was what mercs are for.

It had been evident from their film of the area that the Korcari hadn’t been aware of it either, so who knows he might have stirred up a mystery. Hell yeah. Not that he gave a shit. Resnij was uncomfortably aware that he didn't have a huge amount of time left before he was supposed to be back on Celus with recruits and spending time in the dust in the fucking mountains was not getting his job done. Not that Narwhat would take an excuse. Shit. And now this.

“What?” His tone conveyed his pissed off demeanour even more than the surly expression on his face. He had pitched it just right to carry through the canteen to the clerk, who skidded to a halt.

“Lt Resnij sir? The mine office has picked up a distress call from a survivor of the Rijkards Hold raid.”

“Rijkards Hold?”

“The mega bison ranch they had us overfly last week boss, place was a fucking mess. Fucking pirates even mowed down the cattle. What a stink.”

Banks was quick with the information. Actually the ready squad had perked up their attention at the conversation now. The Hold had made an impression, even on experienced mercenaries. The bodies they had recovered and the wanton destruction purely because they couldn't take it with them had been sickening. They had at least been able to fight back a bit, and had obviously caused the Dtilla raiders casualties but had not stood a chance overall. Lt Resnij turned back to the clerk. “And?”

“She’s near a lake, got mountains and forest around her but doesn’t know her location, says she escaped out of a cave system last night. The comm scanner has her on emergency freq 102. On a bearing back towards where you were yesterday sir. The Security Bureau in Talont is requesting you pick her up and then grab your gear and escort her back them for a debrief.”

Resnij grunted before turning to the squad, “Saddle up, get Max's third up, get the gear loaded on to the flyers and ready to go. Have Kym bring her third back in from patrol and ready to go. Move.”
As he turned to follow the clerk to the mine office, the men behind him broke into organised chaos.
“She eh?, who is she?”

“Ashai Lennox. She says she lives in Talont and was visiting an old boyfriend, the Holder's older son. They were out when the raid began, he got killed making sure she got to some caves.”

“Fucking hell.”

***

It took both flyers to carry the 15 man squad and their gear, but they had enough space to spare for their expected passenger. Less than 20 minutes after the comm cast on the emergency channel, the flyers took off in formation and headed down the comm bearing they’d been given, climbing to 1000m altitude. The troopers were more relaxed today, the uneventful trip the previous day reassuring them about the area’s safety, and they sat in their crash chairs, talking, scanning the scenery below or in one case, taking a nap. After they reached altitude Resnij reached for the comm button, and spoke into his headset in the co pilots seat.

**

Ashai reached for the comm as it squawked into life. “Ashai Lennox, come in please.”

“Lennox here.”

“Ashai, this is Lt Resnij, detached from the Narwhat Fourth. We’ve been tasked to pick you up, and take you to Talont Miss. We have your signal clearly. Are you safe and well at this time?”

“Other than having no idea where I am, yes I’m fine. I’m still at my campfire at the moment.”

“Is there a clear area there for us to land a flyer?”

“Yes, I’m near the shoreline of the lake, you should have enough room.”

“Good, can you describe your location please Miss.”

Rin had settled on the name Ashai after some thought, remembering it belonging to a good looking girl on a vid program he’d watched in the slums. Now she gave Lt Resnij a quick description of her surrounding, telling him about the lake, cliffs, trees and shoreline. Resnij said that the flyer was going to follow her signal in to her, so as she waited she carried on the conversation with the flyer's commander. A short while later, two flyers zipped over her head, appearing over the tree line. The flyers waggled their stub wings in greeting, the morning light glinting off their metallic surface. Spray blasted off the lake as the flyers reversed course and slowed towards her, before the lead flyer landed on the lake shoreline in front of her. Quickly she picked up her gear and jogged towards it.

Banks brought the flyer smoothly into land. Resnij hit the controls for the flyers side hatch, watching as the woman on the shore smoothly picked up her belongings and approached without showing any visible effort. To his side Banks gave a quiet whistle of appreciation. Resnij shot him a glance that quieted the pilot, although mentally he had to agree. Even after spending days in a cave system and with her hair lank and dirty, Miss Lennox was definitely easy on the eyes, his first impression was that she was tall for a woman, with hair the colour of platinum shot through with silver, a generous mouth set in a welcoming grin, and she moved with easy lithe grace. The filthy herder's jacket she wore over her battered and dirty body suit was too large for her and mostly hid a curvy figure. Resnij figured his crew in the rear of the flyer wouldn’t object to her squeezing in at all. The hatch opened with a whine and he turned round to greet her as she climbed aboard.

“Lt Resnij, Miss Lennox, welcome aboard.”

“Thanks Lt, I’m Ashai. I'm very glad to see you.” Ashai gave a wave to the mercs aboard the flyer.

“Well it's a very welcome surprise for us as well Miss Lennox. If you want to grab that crash couch over there, we'll get you strapped in and back home to Talont as quick as we can.”

Resnij turned to one of the troopers. “Vance grab the lady's gear and stow it.”

There was a flurry of activity and Vance grabbed the pack with a surprised grunt at its weight before stowing it, while Ashai was strapped in facing two mercs, who welcomed her with wide appreciative grins. Resnij handed her a headset, plugged it into the internal comm system and returned to the copilots crash couch. With a nod to Banks the flyer lifted off smoothly before picking up speed and setting course for Talont, its partner settling into the wingmans' position off to the left.

“Okay Miss Lennox,” Resnij's voice sounded in her headset, “Could you give me the basics of your story please as we head back. The flight is going to last about 3 hours and this will let us start a report for the Security bureau.”

“Um okay, but first could you tell me the date please?”

“The date?”

“Yeah, I don't know how long I was in the caves.”

“Oh. Sure. Today is Octem 21. The raids were on Octem 12.”. Ashai hadn’t thought she had been in the caves and the creche for so long, and her surprised what? brought a sympathetic reassurance from Resnij.

“Don't worry Miss, it’s real easy to lose your bearings and time sense underground. Now just start from the beginning.” So, Ashai began her story, conscious of the attention the mercs were paying to her words.

The flight went smoothly, and Resnij had completed the first part of the survivor’s debrief. The woman's story was something else but he had to admit he was impressed. She’d managed to survive quite an ordeal, and apart from seeming surprised by how long she had been underground, had coped well. He could think of several of his squad who would’t have coped with 8 days underground anywhere near as well. Toms particularly hated enclosed spaces, and Resnij could well imagine his face as Miss Lennox described her time underground. Toms was always pale but Resnij was sure that during the flight he was white as a sheet.

The trip passed quickly, and he had time to double check and ask questions about the Dtilla raid, so as the flyer neared Talont Port where they would land and take Ashai to the Security Bureau office to finish the debrief, he commed a recording of her story to the watch commander's office for the Korcari officer to go through before they arrived.

***

Ashai watched through the flyer's screens as they swooped in over Talont City's boundaries. Yasm's wilderness terrain gave way first to cleared ground, then to the outskirts of the city. They flew in from the South over the industrial districts, heavy manufacturing plants spouting columns of waste steam and smoke, alongside smaller factory units in a wasteland of concretes, plastics, chemicals, metals and machinery that surrounded them. The flyer flew under a chemical haze of pollution from the hundreds of flues and cooling towers. Yasm colony was still young, no importance was attached to environmental controls. Eventually when the Administration decided that the colony had grown enough to sustain harsher economic controls they had informed the population they would do so. For now, pollution around Talont was the norm.

The flyer left the industrial districts and skimmed over the surrounding slums gradually descending. These were where Talont’s poor, labourers and homeless generally lived, or more accurately tried to survive. Somewhere down there was where she had been born and lived. Never having seen the city from this angle it was a little hard to recognise places. Memories of her years growing up in the slums districts flitted through her mind, some good, many bad, mostly hard times. She picked out Hive Mart off to the flyer’s left, one of the main trading spaces in the slums, you could buy almost anything there if you had the credit chips.

Before the riots, the Hive Mart had been her gang's domain, the traders and merchants there were people Rin had been mostly friendly with. She sighed, thinking about the lives that had been lost. Not anymore. Ashai wondered if the Cobalts who had taken control of the slums still held control, or if some other group had wrested it away from them. How many of Rin's friends were still alive? Would any be able, or willing to help Rin now he was a she? Would anyone believe her. There were people, humans and Korkari alike who would help Rin before. Now? She didn’t know. Her expression hardened, thoughts lost in the past as the slums rolled beneath her. The mercenaries opposite her, both wondered what the pretty girl was thinking about that had darkened her mood so much, before thinking that the Dtilla raids had been enough to darken everyone's mood.

****

The Security Bureau's main office was housed in a refitted unit that was over 30 years old. The environmental systems worked, but also had a mind of their own, running colder than they were supposed to. Humans weren’t keen on that but the large heavily furred Korkari loved cool conditions and couldn’t care less. Katx was the duty sergeant again, and sat reviewing the file Resnij had commed him. Now he waited impatiently to interview the woman who survived the raid that left Rijkards Hold a burnt out ruin and slaughterhouse.

He had some doubts that she would know much, humans tended not to be too observant in his opinion, but he hoped for more information on the Dtilla raiders. Perhaps he would get lucky and she would remember some clan markings that would be traceable. Yasm’s Korcari administration wouldn’t be able to do anything, but the data could be passed to Korcar. They might even be granted a local space patrol vessel. It was unlikely though, the Korcari had spread successfully to over 40 systems in the last century, and the needs of a backwater like Yasm didn’t come high on the list of priorities for the home world's Dept of the Exterior.

Katx's terminal buzzed that the mercenary Lt Resnij had arrived with the survivor... Ashai Lennox, and were waiting for entry at the security reception. Sending an acknowledgement and permission to enter, Katx sat reviewing the file again as he waited for them to arrive. The details of her story were pretty straight forward, so it looked like he would be able to avoid disturbing the watch commander's work of reintegrating the security screening for the colony and outlying settlements.

The Dtilla raids had done enough damage that the commander had been working 16 hours a day since to get the damage fixed. The stress was telling, his fur had been greying around his horn stumps as though he had aged a decade. Seeing as how that was making him less of a hot prospect for the administration females he was permanently in a foul mood. Personally Katx was just glad he had never got past Sergeant, too much crap, and not enough pay.

***

Ashai was a little nervous but Key was helping her keep it under control. In the slums you avoided Sec Bureau's sweeps like you would Bacnar Pox. They kept order with straight forward brutal system of kicking the crap out of anyone stupid enough to commit crime and get caught, or just stupid enough to get in their way. The high powered electric shock batons and staves security carried had a fierce reputation, so generally that was all they needed to do. If you pissed them off enough that they broke out heavier weaponry, you were in a world of hurt.

The big Korkari Sergeant introduced himself as Katx, had her sit down, and repeat her story for him. It took longer than she expected, Katx was very interested in anything she could remember about the Dtilla raiders. Her description of gazing down the scope of the rifle and opening fire, slightly embroidered to include Edgar's own attack, had the big, heavyset alien slapping the table, Korcari applause, and loudly delivered. She gave him a description of some of the markings that the Dtilla had been daubed in, which Katx had given her a marker and slate and to show him. Korcari have a racial fear of the dark, and Katx was only too happy to skate over her recounting of her time in the tunnels. Ashai saw that just thinking about that made him uncomfortable. Finally she drew to the end of her account, explaining how she found an underground stream in the caves and had managed to follow it, being forced to swim underwater at times before she broke out into the Lake before finishing with the flight back to Talont. Katx leaned back in thought for a moment before speaking.

“Miss Lennox, on behalf of the Administration, I apologise for the loss of your loved one in the raids. I know it means little but you did well to exact some revenge for your loss. It will probably take you some time to come to terms with everything that has happened. I wish there was more I can say or do to help but our resources are always overstretched and now more so than ever. There were many severely traumatised by the attacks. I am happy to be able to judge you as being of sound mind, and in good health, so I’ll discharge you to your own care. What will you do now Miss Lennox?”

“Go home I guess sir. With Edgar gone…well there’s not a lot for me here right now, but I’ll just carry on.”

“Yes I suppose you will, you humans are survivors. Shame you don't fancy life as a mercenary, poor old Resnij here was on a recruitment drive before we packed his lot off to Phiftar. Sodding Dtilla fucking that up as well eh Resnij?”

Lt Resnij, leaning against the office's wall, grunted his agreement before turning to Ashai.

“Yes Miss Lennox, if you fancy the glorious life of a grunt in Narwhat's Fourth we will be happy to take you and anyone else we can get our hands on in the next three days, after that we lift for Celus where my boss will ream me for being late and not bringing more recruits.”

He turned back to Katx “And we are going to get paid as well Katx yes?”

The Korkari started coughing at that. “What? You never had to do anything at all! And it was an emergency.”

“Precisely Katx, You deployed my men in an emergency, to the middle of frigging nowhere, with no intelligence or support available into an unknown situation.” Resnij countered, determined to ensure the Korkari would pay for the costs involved and then some. Food, fuel, spares, ammo from shooting practice, danger pay, it all had to be accounted or. His face was set grim and the Korkari recognised it was going to be a hard argument with the human mercenary. Katx turned to Ashai.

“Apologies Miss Lennox, I’m done with you now. If you head out and down the corridor back to reception they will release you and, your equipment will be brought down for you. As you can see I need to settle up with Lt Resnij here while he tries to steal my budget.”

The Korcari dismissed her from his attention and began arguing with the mercenary in earnest. Ashai gave a quiet sigh of relief and left them to it, picking up her equipment, checking everything was there, and leaving the Sec Bureau offices before anyone could change their mind. Banks had brought her gear down from the flyer and before she left she asked him what the mercenaries would do now. The mercs were heading back to Dock 14 to resume their recruiting mission. With a nod and a wave she wished him luck and headed off at a steady walk away from the Sec Bureau station.

***

The skies had clouded over as they had been flying in to Talont. While Ashai had been talking to Katx the rain had begun, a heavy downpour that was already bouncing out of guttering and filling drains, filling the potholes in the pitted concrete roads and sidewalk. Ashai looked a bit bedraggled as the rain poured down her face and matted her hair against her skull and back, but inside the armour she was dry and warm, although the herders jacket was soaked through again. The weather didn’t bother her as she walked to an autohov stop. Ashai was busy trying to work out what to do next.

There was a touch screen directory booth at the autohov stop and she spent a few minutes looking for to a cheap place to stay that was near but not in the slums. After retrieving her credit chips from her gear, the automated system took her credit, and allocated a room to her palm print. Ashai pinged for a ride and a minute later a hovering auto cab pulled up for her. After giving the destination she palmed her authority for the charge to her chip and sat back as the vehicle smoothly accelerated through the driving rain.

***

'The Hab 27 Hotel' as its imaginative sign declared itself was located just outside the slums district proper. The automatic reception unit spat out her magnetic door card in response to her palm print, and Ashai had made her way up to room 15. First floor, and facing out over the main road the room was clean if nothing else. Functional and dated, the wall mounted screen was old but worked at least, although the picture was distorted a little by a sheet of transparent alloy that protected it from room 'disturbances'. There was a bed, big enough for a couple of Korcari or a group of smaller humans, a small locker unit, wash facility with a mirror and that was about it.

Ashai saw no one when she arrived, and didn’t notice any obvious surveillance either, so she figured the Hab 27 was one of those places that valued its discretion. The value of being able to say “I saw nothing officer.” is universal after all. It was early afternoon now although the heavy black clouds and downpour outside made it feel hours later. She spread her gear out on the bed, and wondered what it was worth, and what a basic forged ID would cost. The Administration was not exactly fastidious in its checking of identity, and most slum dwellers never bothered with ID, after all if you’re below the radar anyway, it is often best to stay that way.

When the Rijkards had hired Rin they insisted on an ID, and he had been surprised how useful it had been. Suddenly life had been easier, he was able to move around, get access to library systems, start taking advantage of computer systems to learn. In all his years in the slums Rin had never realised how much time and effort all his evading of authority had cost him, simply because that was his life. Now, knowing what life was like with ID, suddenly starting from scratch with no history at all as Ashai, was a nightmare. She needed to move freely, and make use of whatever she could. So ID was essential, besides if she wanted to get off world, she assumed she would need one for Port security.

The slum districts weren’t a safe place for anyone, even more so for an attractive girl but that was where she had to go for her shopping list. The better parts of the city had always been off limits to her as human trash, so she knew nothing about them. At least in the Slums she would know something even though Ashai imagined a great deal had changed over the last year. The more she thought about it the more getting off Yasm made sense and Lt Resnij's recruitment drive was looking like a good idea at the moment. First though she was more concerned about staying safe.

“Key?”

“Huh? What? Oh okay.”

Doing what Key asked, Ashai found a cast with something called Sumtrin Yoga on, and began to follow the trainer’s lead although she felt ridiculous. Surprised, she found it was easy to follow and she got in to it, stretching out her muscles, discovering a sense of balance and flexibility that was far beyond what she had known as Rin. Without consciously thinking about it she learned to adjust to the differences in her body’s movement, the gentle sway of her hips and breasts. The cast carried on, the trainer moving through gradually more difficult forms that Ashai found she copied with ease. As the cast finished she was more relaxed than ever before, almost blissful.

Do you understand now Ashai? Your body is supremely capable, flexible, resilient and with perfect balance. With training you will be a devastating combatant, and even without training, your natural abilities make you a dangerous adversary.

“With training?” Key's comments sparked an idea.

“Key look through my memories and tell me if Visually Assimilated Learning chips would count as training.”

VAL chips were programs designed to allow people to upgrade their skills at a cost financially but without the need for study, loading the information directly into the user's brain, via the optic nerve. Great for when you needed access to a skill in a hurry. Assuming of course you had the cred chips, and a convenient source of VALs. Ashai felt the curious sensation of Key searching her mind, it felt as though she was a book being read. Very strange. After a moment Key gave her an answer.

“Yes it should work Ashai, but it will depend on how well you can integrate the information any chip gives you.”

“Good.”

Seconds later Ashai was busy navigating the electronic directories on the wall monitor, trying to get an idea of how much the skills she wanted would cost. The answer? Way more than she had. Going through her gear earlier including the chips she had recovered from the Dtilla, gave her a total fund of 725 creds. At least her room was already paid for, it cost her 20 creds for the night. She could sell the vibro knife, not that it would get much, the flechette gun was formed with a Dtilla hand grip and wouldn't be worth much. The big hunting rifle was worth a lot, maybe 1500 to 2000 creds. It was high powered with an expensive scope, and in good condition. She didn’t have anything else of any worth in her belongings.

Going back to the market pages in the directory, she started trying to find weapons that were similar to her rifle, to get an idea what it was worth. When she sold it she might get a quarter to half of its value, especially as without ID she couldn’t sell it legit to a weapons dealer in one of the Trade Habs. It would have to be the weapons market in the Slums. Okay then the plan was walk into the slums looking dangerous enough not to be hassled, sell the weapons, buy a weapon cheaply, get the chips she needs, and an ID and get the hell out. Yeah, tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.

Finally once she was finished trying to plan her day in the slums, she returned to the exercise casts, finding a program that taught meditative relaxation techniques and within minutes Ashai was deep in a trance practising meditation and concentration.