Opening Hale’s bedroom closet, Pandora saw a random collection of outfits. These must be the clothes Hale was talking about. There were mostly casual pants and shirts for men. Reaching for the right end of the closet, she found a leathery outfit that looked more like armor. She pulled it out and held it against herself to see if it would fit. The suit was a little too large for her, but it was obviously made for a woman. Pandora checked the interior of the top’s neck where the tag was. The tag read “one size fits all.” Pandora took off her robe and slipped the armor on. After she zipped it up, the outfit automatically fit to her body.

Pandora stared at herself in the mirror. She had never worn anything like this before. The outfit was a black unitard with shiny indigo armor pieces attached to it. To keep her hair out of the way, she styled it into two small braids.

She slid the back bedroom door open and stepped down the hallway. She stopped and stood in the threshold between the hall and bridge. Hale was in her view, as he spoke to a holographic projection of another man. Pandora, not wanting to interrupt the conversation, waited quietly. Hale spoke in a low tone that was hard to decipher from where Pandora stood. She turned her gaze to the holograph. He spoke in a cheery voice. His eyes and hair were as dark as charcoal. Pandora assumed this was the friend Hale mentioned earlier.

Although Pandora was attempting to listen to the conversation, she didn't hear much of what they were saying. She did catch them talking about her though. Hale’s friend must have seen her standing there. Hale turned to her and motioned for her to come closer.

“She’s traveling with me for a short time,” Hale said.

The man smirked. “I’m not going to bother asking why.”

Hale shook his head. “It’s not like that.”

“Right....” The man rolled his eyes.

“So you won’t mind if she comes along?” Hale asked, abruptly changing the subject. He glared at him.

“Any friend of yours is welcome, Hale.” The man turned to Pandora. “The name’s, Jake. Are you sure you want to come to Dunwar?”

She frowned Hale’s way. “ Apparently....”

Hale moved in front of Pandora. “Look, we can talk when we get there. Bye.” He ended the transmission before Jake could respond.

“He seems... friendly,” she said.

“He’s not.” Hale sat back down and stared out the viewport.

“Really?”

Hale sighed forcefully. “Well, he’s very friendly to beautiful women. Just like every one else in my line of work. You can’t trust anyone that you meet at Dunwar, ok?” He clenched his jaw and frowned.

Pandora’s eyes widened. Did he really just call her beautiful? “Ok,” she agreed.

“Also, you might want to wear a mask. I don’t think you want anyone recognizing you.”

“I doubt anyone would. I’m not very well-known in any world but my own,” Pandora answered.

“Coran has too many friends where we’re going. It’s too risky.” Hale opened a drawer and pulled out a black mask with soft material underneath a protective metal plate. He handed it to her.

“Thanks.” She put it on, and it fitted her face from her nose to her jawline comfortably.

* * * *

Hoping to make the transition as smooth as possible, Hale guided his ship out of hyperspace manually. Pandora, who had fallen asleep in the copilot chair beside him, didn’t wake as they entered real-space. He must have done a decent job of flying because coming out of hyperspace smoothly was difficult. Ahead was the planet Dunwar, home to criminals as disgusting as Dunwar’s surface. From afar, Dunwar appeared a grey, green, sphere of dullness. Hale hardly noticed the planet’s repulsive exterior; this was basically his home and where his lifelong career had begun.

Seeing his home didn’t bring him happy memories that he knew homes were supposed to. Hale couldn’t remember a single good memory from Dunwar. He only remembered pain, abuse, and loneliness. But Hale was used to all of those things now, and because they would always be part of the life he had chosen, they were his closest friends. He had made his peace with his life long ago.

Returning to Dunwar would have little effect on him this time. He chose to view his return as a part of the job, and Dunwar as just another planet. He needed this job. He needed the money.

About ten minutes away from the destination, Hale decided he should wake up Pandora in the chair beside him. He glanced over at her, and then he glanced back to the viewport. But the picture of her was still in his mind. She wasn’t hardened by the world like Lorelei and women like her. That made him question his decision to bring her to Dunwar. Hale wondered if Pandora realized what kind of work he was about to involve her in.

Maybe I should leave her in the ship, he thought.

Hale was almost sure he could trust her not to steal his ship. Since she was a princess, she likely had a personal pilot. And, therefore, Pandora probably couldn’t fly it at all.

He couldn’t know that truly though. Protecting her from his world wasn’t worth taking the risk of losing his ship, which was his one chance to get back to work. Besides, why should he care about exposing Pandora to his way of life? She was the one demanding to stay with him. Because of that, he wouldn’t be responsible for whatever happened to her.

Hale tapped her on the shoulder. “It’s time to wake up.”

Pandora’s eyes flickered open at him. “Is something wrong?”

“Uh, no. Everything is fine. We’re almost to Dunwar.” He pointed at the planet.

Hale could see the disappointment in her eyes when she first saw Dunwar.

He stifled a laugh. “Not what you were expecting, is it?”

“I feel sorry for the people who live here,” Pandora lamented.

“Don’t. Most people there deserve it.”

“I’m not sure I understand,” she said.

“They’re not good people, Pandora. Murderers and thieves.”

“Sounds dangerous. Are you sure this job is a good idea?”

“Look, if you want to stay on my ship, you’re gonna have to understand something.” Hale scoffed. “I’m not like you. I’m not one the ‘good guys,’ ok? And neither are my associates.”

Pandora hung her head. “I’ve figured that out. But you’re choosing to be this way.”

Hale skin burned from the rush of deep anger from within himself. “Only someone like you would say that. You— you can’t possibly understand my life. I wouldn’t say I chose it either.”

Hale watched how his anger affected her. She immediately looked away from him and sat in complete silence. Her arms were crossed tightly. It wasn’t his job to apologize to her or console her. He certainly didn’t desire to... did he?

“I wasn’t meaning to judge,” she mused dejectedly.

Hale offered no response, though he had clearly heard her apology. He changed his focus completely to piloting as his cruiser entered Dunwar’s atmosphere. The viewports were clouded from the dense grey fog, making it impossible to see anything. Hale had to rely on the ship’s radar alone.

Following the guidance of the radar, Hale veered the ship to the right and then to the left. Hale hoped the coordinates Jake gave him for the landing zone were accurate. By the time they would be close enough to see the ground, it would be too late to avoid landing there. As the cruiser sped closer to the surface, Hale slowed its descent. According to the radar, the landing zone was clear.

Hale could faintly see the surface of the landing zone from the viewport. The fog blocked view of everything farther than fifty meters. Landing here would be difficult even for skilled pilots like Hale. But this was one of many landings he had made on Dunwar through the years. He lowered the ship until it reached the ground, which he was glad was solid and completely flat.

Hale stood to his feet and turned to Pandora. Her eyes were still shut, and her hands were still gripping the armrests of her seat.

“Was it too intense for you?”

Pandora opened one eye. “Did we land?”

“Take a look for yourself.”

Opening both eyes, she looked out the viewport. “I can’t see anything.”

“That’s Dunwar for you,” Hale remarked.

Hale flipped a switch and the exit ramp from the bridge opened. He grabbed his backpack sitting in a corner and walked down the ramp.

“Is there anything I need to get before we leave?” Pandora shouted from the bridge.

Hale shook his head and motioned her to come. Pandora bounded down the ramp and stopped behind him. As they strode across the landing zone, the fog cleared somewhat, and the surface became more visible. Though the small, dim sun did little to brighten up the planet, it was the main contributor of the hot and unbearably humid climate. The thick atmosphere blanketed the planet and acted as an insulator for the sun’s heat.

Passing the landing zone, they continued their walk along a muddy road set between rows of buildings. The height and width of the buildings varied greatly. The smaller buildings were mostly shops selling items like packaged food and clothing. Most of the taller, wider buildings were apartment complexes or hotels. Every window was clouded by a thick layer of dirt, and the walls were falling apart and had patches of green scum stuck to the stone bricks. Hale looked over to Pandora, who walked by his side. Her expression was overcome with horror as she took in the sights offered by Dunwar.

The natives were scaly, reptilian creatures with long claws that walked upright and wore basic clothing. The inhabitants of this particular village were mostly natives, but there were also a large amount of other species, including humans. These villagers spent much time outdoors loitering in front of buildings while smoking and drinking.

Pandora grabbed Hale’s arm. “Why are these people living in such horrible conditions! Isn’t that what the galactic aid programs are for? Places like these?”

“Keep your voice down,” he snapped. “Do you really think the government cares about a place like this?”

Pandora nodded. “Most of the aid programs are for the poorer worlds.”

Hale couldn’t even laugh at her ignorance about how the galaxy actually worked. Where she lived, she was an elite. Rich people from prosperous worlds would never understand how most of the galaxy lived. “The government only hands out money to planets they find useful. Money would never be enough to fix this place anyway. Dunwar would need profitable businesses that the people owned and worked in. Education for the kids. No one here is really qualified for those positions. And no one actually wants things to change.”

“But I’ve seen improvement!” Pandora retorted. “Some of the aid programs have been very successful.”

“You mean you’ve been shown improvement by the government,” Hale insisted. “You do realize people lie and twist the story? Of course the government is going to show the planets that were successfully ‘fixed.’ What you don’t see is that they don’t even give some places a chance.”

Pandora crossed her arms. “Maybe that’s just what you think."

“You can believe that if you want. What difference would that make to me. But in the government’s eyes, this is just a useless planet with unimportant people.” He tilted his head up to the sky. “The Dunwarians are glad though. No one wants the government coming around here.”

“What do you mean?” Pandora asked.

He leaned over to her ear. “No one here wants the government to know how profitable we actually are. Not legally, of course. Dunwar’s a very profitable place in the underworld.”

Pandora followed Hale down the road about one hundred meters more. Then they turned to the right and went down an alley. He noticed Pandora crossing her arms tightly around herself and constantly looked side to side as they walked. He wondered if she felt claustrophobic because the buildings were too close together.

“Where exactly are we going?” Pandora asked.

“Here.” Hale pointed to the door of a small hut sandwiched in between two others.

* * * *

Zaya swiveled her bar stool around and stared firmly at two of Coran’s guards who stood behind her. They had just finished explaining that Coran wanted her arrested, but he didn’t say why. And now, they stood holding out handcuffs. Along with an eye roll, Zaya shook her head. She knew she hadn’t done anything since she arrived on the base that would anger Coran. She could follow the rules.

Zaya turned back toward the counter and signaled to the bartender to fill up her empty glass. Covering her face with one of her hands, she tried to hide her exasperation. Was Coran so desperate for her attention that he was trying to arrest he?. Just in time, the bartender returned a filled glass to her. She pressed the glass to her lips.

“It would be better to let us take you now, without a fight,” a guard said in a monotone voice.

Zaya took a sip of her drink before replying. Alcohol was necessary to deal with all the b.s. she was being put through. “Coran should know that a fight doesn’t scare me. But I would rather handle this with words instead of fists.”

The guards stared at each other confusedly.

“I’m saying that I’d like to talk with him. But I’m not going if you cuff me,” Zaya scoffed.

“Hand me your pistol,” the other guard ordered.

Zaya huffed and obeyed. “I don’t like this.”

“It’s just a precaution,” a guard replied.

“Sure….” Zaya didn’t believe that for a second.

Zaya followed the guards outside the bar and through the base to Coran’s chambers. The guards opened the towering silver doors, revealing the extravagance of his chambers. The room was darkened, except for the subtle spotlight on Coran’s chair and the space surrounding him. Zaya struggled to take him seriously, and she wondered if he used his wealth to compensate for a lack that money couldn’t fix, although she didn’t know much about Rhisi male biology.

The guards brought Zaya before Coran and then paused for a moment. Zaya wondered if they all were waiting for her to bow. Coran whispered something to another one of his guards, and then Coran turned to Zaya.

A malicious grin marked the blue-skinned Rhisi’s face. “Do you know why I brought you here?” Coran’s voice echoed through the room.

“I’m only here because I agreed to come,” Zaya scoffed. “This isn’t making me want to come back to work here either.”

Coran signaled to his security guards to move away from Zaya. “You may look at it however you please. But that doesn’t change the present situation.”

“What situation?” Zaya asked.

“The disappearance of Princess Pandora,” Coran answered.

Zaya’s jaw dropped.

“I assume by your composure that this is a surprise,” Coran mused.

“What do you mean by that? Are you telling me she’s not here?” Zaya questioned.

“My guards would have found her by now if she were here,” Coran assured her.

“To make things perfectly clear, I have no idea what happened after I handed the princess over to you. I was happy to get rid of her. All I wanted was payment,” Zaya stated.

Coran let out a short laugh. “I’d like to believe you. But how do I know you weren’t working with the man whom the princess escaped with?”

“And who would that be?”

“According to the security footage, it was Hale Verdun,” Coran answered.

Zaya felt unmeasurable hatred surge through her entire body. “I haven’t worked with him for years. I got sick of his betrayal at every turn. I completely cut ties so he wouldn’t drag me down with him.”

“You should know that words mean nothing to me,” Coran said.

Cutting Hale off wasn’t enough. I should have killed him when I had the chance, she thought. Zaya paced back and forth. She knew what Coran wanted. She knew exactly why Coran dragged her back into Hale’s mess.

“I’m afraid I can’t simply let you go free.” Coran feigned sympathy in his tone.

Zaya exhaled loudly and angrily. “ALRIGHT! I accept the job offer! I agree to work for you, and I will find Hale. I will return the princess. And Hale... you won’t have to worry about him ever again.”

Coran nodded in agreement, obviously pleased that he had won. “Very well.”