Technomancer: Birth of a Goddess

Flying through the station's hub, they reach the point where the ground below starts to twist towards the wall. Gravity shifts with it, and Silvia lowers them towards an open landing platform on one of the tallest buildings in the area. The platform is connected to an open terrace decorated with twisting vines growing across most of the exposed metal, and glowing, manaless crystals that Emily can feel electricity flowing through. It has a clear view out over the rest of the hub, with seats lining its edge, and Emily immediately recognises the familiar setup of a bar in the centre, with a bulky man in a finely tailored suit standing behind a wide counter, polishing a glass.

There are a few patrons already drinking, scattered between the bar and terrace seats, and Emily can sense energy emanating from all of them. None of the patrons spare their group more than a single glance, keeping to themselves.

Silvia approaches the counter, and the bartender sets the glass in his hands down before turning to face her.

"Welcome to Skyview. What can I get for you?"

"One bottle of High-Grade Nightshade Rouge, two glasses," she says, turning to Emily with a sly grin. "Unless you're against drinking a little blood?"

"Why not?" Emily shrugs, unable to resist her own curiosity.

"What about you?" Silvia asks Mensacus. "Want to try?"

The mechanical chimaera shakes his head, and Silvia turns her gaze to Pod and Silica.

"I would extend the offer, but it'll be a little rich for you two."

"How about distilled solure?" the bartender offers.

"Is it alcoholic?" Pod questions, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish expression. "I'm kind of a lightweight."

"No alcohol," the bartender reassures him. "Just a touch of magic."

"Okay, I'll have a glass of that then, please."

"Me too!" Silica yips excitedly.

Silvia smiles and glances at the four hounds flanking the sandy fox with a silent question in her gaze. They all nod. "Make that six glasses then, please."

"Coming right up. That'll be one hundred and thirty-eight creds," the bartender says, tapping the counter twice before turning to prepare their drinks as a payment request pops up on the surface.

Silvia pulls a Terminal from her robes and taps it to the counter, clearing the request.

The bartender returns quickly with six tall glasses of a translucent azure liquid, two empty wine glasses, and a deep red bottle that emits a faint glow, all held up by a thin water vapour of mana.

"Enjoy." He sets them down and turns back to his polishing.

They gather their drinks and move to take a seat at the edge of the terrace, gazing out over the station's bustling hub. Mensacus exchanges a silent glance with his mother before leading Pod, Silica, and the hounds to sit a few seats away.

Silvia opens the wine bottle with a flick of her fingers, catching the cork before it can fly away and filling their glasses.

"This wine is a delicacy exported from Vrykolakai: the home galaxy of the greater vampiric races. Thanks to that, it's not too hard to find a bottle or two most places within Guild territory, but I'll admit, it is one of the few luxuries I miss having a stable supply of," the vampire explains, sparking more questions in Emily's mind as she raises her glass towards her with a sultry smile playing on her lips. "Sharing a bottle with new friends is one of the few customs of my people I respect. So, to new friends."

"To new friends." Emily lifts her glass to tap Silvia's before they both take a deep sip.

The rich iron tang of blood floods her palate, curbed by a sweet, fruity aftertaste. Emily can feel a blend of mana and qi within the drink spreading warmth through her chest, and hums in satisfaction.

"Well?" Silvia asks expectantly.

"It's good." Emily takes another sip, savouring the dense energy dancing across her tongue. "A lot less overpowering than I expected."

They fall into comfortable silence, nursing their drinks as Emily's eyes roam the hub, taking in the alien setting. Once both their glasses run dry, Silvia nods for Emily to refill them as she pulls a talisman, covered in symbols Emily doesn't recognise and packed with qi, from her robes. She sets it between them, activating it with a burst of qi and wrapping them in a private bubble of silence that severs Emily's senses from the space outside.

"I can see the questions waiting on the tip of your tongue," Silvia purrs, tilting her head with a teasing smile. "Ask away."

"Oh?" Emily raises a brow. "Not going to make me beat the answers out of you this time?"

"What can I say, the wine's put me in a good mood. Besides, I now know enough to think our future goals will align, and I think we're overdue an honest conversation. You know, clear communication is important in maintaining any relationship."

"Well, I'll start with the easy one then. Are credits a Guild exclusive currency, or…"

"No, they're widespread. One of the few irreplicable exchange tokens accepted practically everywhere across the known universe. Each exchange is tagged and traceable, though, so while we may use them freely for small trades like these drinks, we won't for large deals that we don't want others to know about. If you do, you'll need to jump through a few hoops to cover the exchange up, and you'll lose some credits in the process for the sake of muddying the waters, hence why we deal more in raw materials like essences."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"What's the exchange rate between credits and materials like?"

"It varies depending on where you are, but a lesser spirit stone or magic crystal is usually worth about ten, while a low grade essence is worth a thousand."

"Then these drinks?" Emily questions, glancing down at the half-empty bottle between them.

"I did say it was a luxury, did I not?" Silvia's eyes drift from the glass in Emily's hands to her lips, stained a shade darker by the wine. "I wouldn't treat you to something cheap; that would be doing your company a disservice. Depending on where you are, a bottle of high-grade goes for a little over a hundred credits: in this case, one twenty, about three greater spirit stones in value."

"Flattery won't keep me from asking more." Emily narrows her eyes at Silvia's playful smile.

"Oh, I know. But I meant every word."

"In that case, if you're speaking the truth, then why don't you tell me about the real nature of your relationship with Yorn. You seem to hold a lot of barely concealed contempt for a man you willingly follow."

"That's… complicated." Silvia's smile slips away as she casts a wistful gaze out over the hub. "And not how I hoped you'd ask that question."

"Well, sorry to disappoint, but I have a feeling I already know what you're going to ask me to help you do, and you've already shown me why, but I'd like to know how you got to the point where it's necessary."

"You don't disappoint at all, far from it." Silvia meets her eyes again, this time holding a complex blend of emotions Emily can't quite read. "It's just, some of the details I'd rather not speak about… for now."

Emily doesn't respond, nodding in understanding before draining her glass and lifting the bottle to refill both a final time, patiently waiting for the vampire to continue in her own time.

"About thirty years ago by the universal calendar, when I was fifth phase and a few years older than you are now, I fled my home planet," Silvia begins, her voice tinged with bitterness. "I paid a black merchant group to smuggle me to safety and then started looking for work to support my continued development. I ran with a few mercenary groups, but my old family placed a price on my head, and my supposed allies turned on me quickly once they found out. I fell in with this crew about twenty years ago, just before I ascended to sixth phase, because I lost a fight to the old Vice-captain, and she spared my life. The crew were more welcoming than most I'd dealt with before, a surprise given the common public perception of my race, and even though we dabbled in practices I'd rather avoid, I was happy enough to ignore it to feel like I belonged again. Enna, our old Vice, was loyal to Yorn for reasons I never knew, and I was loyal to her."

She drains the rest of her glass in one go before setting it down harshly, her free hand rising to trace the scar on the side of her neck.

"She died. Ten years ago now, when an Alliance bounty hunter group came after our crew. They ambushed us when we were at the edge of Guild space with a spatial stabilisation zone to pull us from lightspeed. We were outnumbered and outgunned, and we knew the only way we could get away was if we destroyed one of the spatial anchors keeping us there. Enna volunteered to lead a squad to do so while Yorn distracted the strongest of our enemies, and I was ordered to stay with him to keep him alive while he did so. Enna was successful, but the ship she was on was destroyed in the process. It would have risked more of our lives, but we could have grabbed her if we'd stayed a little longer. Our coward of a Captain wouldn't accept that though, and called for a lightspeed jump immediately. He left her for dead, and that's exactly what she became."

Emily slides the rest of her half-finished glass over, and Silvia releases her clenched fists before taking it with a grateful nod.

"So, you want revenge, not just to clean your hands of his dirty work?" Emily asks softly.

"Exactly," Silvia agrees, looking at her with a hard light in her eyes. "Does that change your willingness to help?"

"Not at all. I'm no stranger to revenge, so if anything, it reassures me."

The tension in Silvia's shoulders relaxes, and she slips back into an easy-going smile.

"Reassures you? Do you have concerns?" the vampire asks, her tone light.

"Well, you haven't exactly hidden your desire for my blood."

"Yes, for your blood." Her smile stretches.

"But," Emily continues, "the fact that you're keeping my nature as a dual awakened hidden from the rest of the crew did make me wonder if you were coveting my strength as well, waiting until you're the leader of the crew to benefit from its reveal."

"Ah, I can see why you might think that. I take it that you didn't find much information on dual awakened in your time searching The Network?"

Emily shakes her head.

"If you did, you'd understand why I'm actually going to suggest you keep your nature close to your chest. After Yorn and his supporters are dealt with, we can tell the crew if you'd like, but only if you have a method to make sure that they can't spread that information, even accidentally."

"My son can help with that."

Silvia glances at Mensacus with a thoughtful expression.

"I thought he might, but you'll need him to get stronger if he wants to impose a restriction on the sixth level members of the crew. Anyway, dual awakened are incredibly rare, but highly valued, especially given the fact that none have ever been known to lack the potential to reach ninth level," the vampire explains. "If one is found within the Federation or Alliance, they'll have resources poured into them to grow as fast as possible. But they'll also be targeted heavily by the other two powers. Being within the Guild, however, poses a much greater risk for you. We aren't as united, and you're likely to face attacks from all three greater powers at once, with no ninth level being to shield you. Not to mention, a dual mage and mechanic is completely unheard of."

"I see. Secrecy it is then. For now, at least."

"Good, though you may want to reconsider which of your powers you display. Your mechanical creations can be waved off as the creations of the rest of the crew, but any magic you use will obviously be yours."

"I'll consider it, but my mana is the easiest to comfortably conceal. I'll need Harriet's help to mask my machina."

"Harriet?"

"My familiar."

Harriet excitedly takes the opportunity to introduce herself, flowing out from Emily's left arm in a flood of sparks to form into a small bird of lightning on her shoulder. She pushes her chest out proudly, chirping with the crackle of charge.

"Haha, well aren't you precious?" Silvia chuckles, reaching out her hand in a silent offer that Harriet accepts, pushing their head into her palm. "Has she been within you the entire time?"

"Yes, they've been very good at staying hidden and resisting the urge to leap out at any distraction."

"I can imagine. I hear lightning is very hard to restrain."

"Ha," Emily scoffs, thinking of how most of their spars have ended. "You've certainly managed."

"That I have. Now, what do you say we go get you your piracy mark?"

"Sure, but I've been wondering if that's the only one I should claim."

"Oh?"

"Well, what's the difference between a mercenary and a pirate?"

"Ah, I see. Mercenaries are usually hired for combat assignments and try to build a reliable reputation, while pirates don't care about their reputation and will do anything for profit, from attacking merchant groups to stealing dungeons and secret realms."

"Right, so if we're planning on moving away from the slave trade, why not expand our opportunity for business in another direction? I have two different energy signatures, and I have enough metal troops to be a one-woman army, so surely if I cover my face, I can sign up as both and accept jobs you'd usually be blacklisted from."

"Yorn can never know, but that could work." Silvia nods, grinning with her blood-tipped fangs on full display.

"Perfect." Emily matches her grin. "What's one more secret to keep from a dead man?"