Page 40 of Stars At Dusk

He acknowledged the truth with a huff and raised brow. ‘Touché. You want the long or the short answer?’

‘I’m a geek, Kage. What do you think?’

He leaned a hip against her new desk and jerked his chin in understanding.

‘Here it is,’ he started. ‘Remember I told you that my people are the Kwavi? Years ago, a nuclear explosion on Planet Earth at a nanobot factory led to their displacement, and they went rogue. As a result, a nano cloud found its way to a Kwavi settlement high above Mount Kenya and the people there, my ancestors, had their human DNA altered. As a result of the DNA transformation, all Kwavi have metanoids in our blood that perform specific functions. Such as delivering a thousand times more oxygen to the body tissues. They’re also 1000 times faster than antibiotic-assisted white blood cells with no chance of developing multiple drug resistance. They can also treat infections in the respiratory system, the cerebrospinal fluids, and the urinary and synovial fluids. Additionally, our clottocyte response time is 100-1000 times faster than the natural homeostatic system to reduce clotting time and blood loss, which is especially helpful in warfare.

‘They also can be used to alter our physical features. We found a way to use them to mark our skin, individuality, and identity. The glyphs tell the stories of our origins and often change form according to our thoughts. Our eyes also glow due to additional enhancements and a series of experiments I don’t care to share about now.’

Harlow caught a trace of agitation in his voice. ‘So you’re saying your already highly functioning metanoids were altered even further? For just the Sable Riders?’

Kage nodded. ‘The alterations were extreme, and they resulted in metaphysical powers. Making us different to other Kwavi.’

‘How so? Your invisibility?’

‘Yes. Just for me, though. Kainan is a chimera, as you may have probably heard from Selene. Riv has shape-shifting abilities into any form he desires. Xion enjoys super speed and reflexes, and Zane is a psion, a mastermind at syllogising, computing and mathematics. Finally, Ki’Remi has heightened senses such as exceptional vision, touch and hearing and the ability to see through matter, making him a great medic.’

‘What a strange bunch,’ Harlow noted. Although teasing him, she was greatly shaken by the revelation of all the Riders’ capabilities.

Kage smiled, sensing her awe. ‘Over time, we developed the ability to harvest the metanoids from our blood and reproduce them in large quantities with Mirage’s help and hard work. This enabled us to develop many technologies over the last twenty-odd years - from stealth tech weapons to ship engines and many other innovations. I’ve always loved to tinker, so this has been my dream job, though I may not do it for long. But, of course, I’ve other interests, as do the Riders. Regardless, our tech has made us a hella load of schills. But we don’t do it for the money.’

Harlow raised an eyebrow. ‘What do you do it for?’

His expression shifted, and she sensed what he was about to tell her would be monumental to understanding him.

He took his time, speaking slowly, carefully choosing each word. ‘To build a safe home, a safe system and a hiding place for those who need it. There’s way too much evil in this universe, and if we can be that one place people know they will always get refuge without judgement or worry, I’ll do what I can to my dying day to ensure that.’

‘Is that right?’

‘It’s not just talk, Harlow. We live it.’

She challenged him with a raised brow.

He obliged her. ‘How’s this: We’ve rescued over five hundred enslaved people, re-homed thousands of Allorian refugees and stopped countless raider ships across the System. Kainan and Riv patrol the System to protect Eden II’s traders from pirates here and along its System’s fringe, especially on the borders close to Alloria. Our security team, run by Xion, has been slowly erasing crime, attacks, and murders in the poverty-stricken tunnels under the metro. Zane, show-off that he is, runs a charity group that focuses on improving the lives of our most vulnerable unhoused residents. I work with a youth off-the-streets program, targeting young refugee men, especially those down in the tunnels. We play to our strengths and what we can bring to the table.’

‘Impressive,’ she conceded. ‘Do all members of The Sable Group get involved in charity work?’

He nodded. ‘We do. But one thing, though. You say ‘impressive,’ but adoration is not what we’re after, so we try to keep what we do under wraps. Regardless our group vision remains the same. Helping those in need from a position of strength. We’ve made our bank, so we could kick back and lay on the beaches of Pegasi’s pleasure planets if we chose to. But how boring would that be? I’m a restless man, Harlow, like most of the Sable crew. So we must give back lest we become the very nightmares we’ve worked so hard all these years to rid the System of.’

She nodded silently, absorbing his earnest words. It was commendable what the Group was trying to accomplish. ‘How do you afford to keep it all afloat?’

‘As I said, we make a shitload of money from our tech and the sales of our ships. We plough a considerable amount of our profits from our sales to make our charitable hustles possible. While it’s freaky how much we gross, we’re no billionaire playboys. We give away most of our shit. But we’re not angels either,kara. We can play as dirty as the most filthy people across Pegasi if anyone crosses us.’

There was that word again.Kara. He said it with such rich emotion it gave her shivers.

He shifted his hip, nailing her with an intense look. ‘What I’ve told you is deeply personal to me, to us, the Group. So please keep it to yourself.’

Her eyes widened in mock offence. ‘I wouldn’t dare tell a soul.’

‘Good,’ he said, righting himself to stand. ‘About meeting the rest of the team, I’ll gather the core group later today. We won’t announce you to the wider company yet for security reasons. Also, please put away your comm tab when you leave for the same reasons. That’s paramount. There’s also an office auto-lock feature you can set yourself on your wrist comm, so you don’t have it do it manually each time.’

‘Of course. I know the parameters of the project.’

‘Your bot droid, name it whatever you want to, will see to you all your requests and needs until Aran gets back. If you need a guided tour, it’ll also be able to do that for you. Lunch is at the cafe you saw off the side of the reception. I’ll catch you there though it might be fleeting. Loads to do, including inducting a few more newbies to the team.’

‘Fine. Go. Abandon me,’ she mocked.

‘Missing me already, Harlow?’

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