Old love, burning again

Author: Miyoshi Akachi

Original post:

Entry for the YC118 Pod and Planet Contest in the Eight Thousand Suns in New Eden category.

Jita 4-4, the biggest trading hub of all New Eden. You want to buy something? Jita is the place. You want to sell something? Jita is the place. An endless flow of freighters and ship keeps coming and going from Jita 4-4, at every hour of the day, there is a never ending activity on the docs, with goods coming and going.

But Jita isn't just a place for trading material goods. Jita is a meeting place too. Capsuleers from all New Eden travel there and in the upper levels of the station, they talk, exchange tales, make deals. ISK changes hands, pacts are signed, destinies are forged.

Jita is the biggest melting pot of all the known galaxy; on the station you can find every race of the cluster with its habits and behaviors, with its ideas and beliefs.

In the same room you can meet the wealthy trade man, full of ISK and goods to trade, the hardened fighter with many battles on his belt and the self-assured stride, or the cunning and curious explorer, who had reached the farthest and darkest corners of the galaxy and feel at home only in the thrill of exploration; but you can find the lonely miner, he lives to mine, to give resources to the business, or the zealot, full of belief in his cause and hatred for what is different, as well as the free spirit, just flying because he or she loves it.

This is Jita 4-4, the biggest trading hub of all, the breathing heart of New Eden.

Kahlya doesn't know what she is, maybe it's because she has been a capsuleer for so little, maybe is because she thinks herself a free thinker more than anything else. She feels a creator of things; even before becoming a capsuleer she dabbled in engineering and industry, she was studying to become a high level engineer.

She has to admit that after becoming immortal a new world of opportunities opened up but the creation of things had been her first love, she couldn't do else. She smiles at the thought; she can now create even bigger things she had dreamed of.

Music hits her as soon as she crosses the doorway of the bar, she just wants a drink today, maybe she will dance too, who knows? but for now, no plan is set in stone. Her brown eyes scan the room, but nothing catches her attention: there are capsuleers of every race hanging out and talking, usual staff coming and going. It's not the first time she comes here, every time she comes to Jita a stop there is a must for her.

She reaches for the bar and perches on a stool, ordering a drink and leaning against the bar. As she watches the bar and the people, she feels a flash in the back of her mind. Memories of an event she thought forgotten appear.

She was younger then...

She had come to biggest bar of all the station with her friends; they were a group of Minmatar, sons of workers in the station out for a night of fun. She had dark skin, brown, curious eyes, long jet black hairs in a mix of braids and let free flowing behind her.

She doesn't expect to remember her dress: dark grey cargo pants and grey t-shirt with a hand gripping a spanner in dark gray. Many had told her she should dress in a more femine way but she felt comfortable that way... she still does.

They had lounged in the bar, chatting and drinking. Friends came and went, usually in company. She relaxed, her plan for that evening were simple: drink and relax, nothing more.

"Excuse me." when she heard she half turned on her stool "Uh... ehm, yes?" she asked; in front of her was standing a man, fit, with sleek black hair pulled back, dark skin and intelligent eyes over a confident smile. His aura was one of self-confidence. He was older than her but she wasn't sure how much.

"I'd like to invite you for a dance." he said, with a soft bow toward her. She had remained a bit stunned, she wasn't the type who got asked to dance... usually. She glanced at her friends but the pair looking at her smiled and nodded, they would keep an eye on her.

She turned back and smiled, blushing, trying to remember what other girls do when asked "Why not?" she said, climbing down her stool as he took her hand. His grip was soft and firm at the same time, his hand a bit callous, like of someone who worked for a long time.

"The pleasure is all mine, Miss..." " Kahlya." "Beautiful name." he smiled, guiding her to the dance floor. His eyes never left hers "And you?" "You can call me Erak." she couldn't but giggle "Sounds a lot like a spy thing 'you can call me that'." he laughed and nodded "Indeed. I've been called many things through my life but that is my name."

"So, to what I give the pleasure of this dance?" she asked, curiously and he laughed again "Direct to the point! Can't I just want to invite a beautiful girl for a dance?" he teased, winking at her and she felt warm touching her cheeks "Mmm... point taken. Even if you don't seem like someone doing things because so."

He grinned and nodded "Point taken. Usually is that way, but today, with you, there is no side plan." "Mmm..."

They danced, from the slower music of the start things heat up, she threw herself into the dance and he was always there, not missing a beat. She liked that. By the time she got back to the bar, her friends were scattered around and she was alone with him, not that she complained, she was curious to know more about him.

They ordered drinks and she sat on the stool looking at him "I see you burning from the desire to ask me things." he smirked and she blushed heavily "Uh..." "Well, ask, dear." she nodded and took a breath "I never seen you there before." the bar was a known and usual hangout for her and her friends.

"Ah, indeed, because this is my first time here." "Oh... you're a space captain?" "I'm more than just a space captain..." he said, lowering his tone just a bit, his eyes shining under the lights "You are..." she remained a bit open mounted "Yes, dear, I'm a capsuleer." "An immortal..." she was stunned, she thought him just a usual man, not someone immortal.

He nodded "Affairs brought me here. Affairs that turned out to be a good thing... since I've met you." he smiled and she giggled bushing, enjoying the appraise. "Oh yes, I have to give the tip to the bellhop for recommending this place." she laughed before shivering lightly, heating up again on her cheeks as she felt his hand on her leg, entwined with hers.

"What about you?" "Me?" she blushed and shook her head "Not much to tell, I'm not one with tales to tell, like you." he laughed "I'm just an engineering student. Just that." she shrugged, looking back up to him only to find his eyes...

Her drink has arrived while she is remembering, she doesn't think she would remember such event, an event, she has to admit, that changed her life. She feels like she can't stop the flood of memories now...

"I live in a wormhole, I and other people are creating a new colony, outside the Empires, outside the dictates of this world. Everyone there can create its own future. We are building a new world."

She remembers how strange and difficult had been at first to understand what he said, the implications it carried with. Outside the Empire? They were crazy. But more he spoke, more she understood, saw the dream he and the other were after.

She now wonders if they are still alive. If their dream has come true.

More pleasant memories come to her mind: the following nights and days had been some of the best of all her life. She had forgotten completely her studies in that time, he brought her on his ship, he showed her how things were done. They spent time together.

But like all things, like life, they come to an end. He left, he told her he would bring her with him but things escalated and he left in a hurry, leaving her behind. She remembers how she had watched his ship burning away from the station, tears streaming down her face as he disappeared from her life. She felt abandoned, betrayed.

One of the darkest period of her life began only to forge her, hardening and shaping what she will become. She tried to forgot him in that dark period, without success, he never really left her life.

She shakes her head, enough of bad memories, she has come here to relax, not to get flooded by memories and tears. She tries to focus back on the present and on her drink. One last thought pushes from the back of her mind: a guess she could never confirm.

One day she had found all her courses paid for, she had found more money she had ever seen on her bank account, she hand found an appointment with her name on for a test: the one used to check if someone was suitable to become a capsuleer, an immortal. She always thought about him thinking of that all but she could never get a confirmation. He was like the only one, knowing about her dreams and thoughts, with enough pull and moneys to do that.

She takes a sip, taking a deep breath. Stop remembering, is no good. She tells herself; she notices only now of how her grip on the glass tightened, nearly making her knuckles white.

She turns, resting her head in her hands, why she is remembering all of that? "Is Miss okay?" asks one of the bartenders and she nods "I'm okay, just I don't feel too well." she does a weak smile and the bartenders nods, leaving her alone just as a voice from the past comes to her ears "Excuse me."

She spins on the stool, eyes wide with fear, is she going crazy? He is here, HE. She is hallucinating, there is no other explanation. "Always beautiful." he smiles, that smile, that shining eyes. She really feels lost "You?" he nods "This is me, Erak." his face saddens "Sorry for having left you back..." he can't continue that a hand connects with his cheek with a sonorous slap, a burning red mark slowly appearing on his cheek.

"Fair enough." he groans, with half a smile; she is burning with repressed anger, eyes like two dark brown pools of fire. People look at them but everyone find better to remain sideway. But he holds her gaze "I'm sorry, Kahlya..." another slap sounds and he groans "This hurt." "This is only the start." she states, in a cold voice she doesn't think she could produce.

"You left me back, you broke all the promises you made." she hisses and he really looks pained "I'm sorry Kahlya, really, I was forced to leave, things degenerated. I had people on my tail. I feared that if I got destroyed... you could die." their eyes are locked together; she feels emotions stirring. "I choose to have you far way, but alive. "You could have told me. Years has passed!" "You know if I didn't is because I couldn't." he answered with a steely edge.

There was a silent exchange of gazes, burning fire against cold steel, no one wanted to lower the eyes before the others. She raises her hand for another slap but this time he is ready: he grips her arm stopping her, she tries to break his grip unsuccessfully. Then she reacts and her lips found his. She kisses him, hard, passionate. After the first moment of surprise, he kisses back, pulling her in his arms.

Old emotions and feeling stirs and burns bright again, she presses herself against him, he is real, he is there, he is back. For her. "Don't dare leave me that way again." she threatens in a break for air "I won't." he smirks before kissing again.

Anger faded to cold ash, passion is now burning bright. The future is coming for her, brighter and faster.

Two ships leave Jita 4-4, hand in hand, they head for the unknown, towards a dream...