Defiance of the Fall

Chapter 967: Forced Decision

Sweat ran down Jaol's face, but he froze his nerves to keep his hands steady through the pain. The slightest mistake would cause the makeshift Disruptor to blow up in his face. So he put his troubles aside as he engraved the detection array his vision overlay indicated. Even then, it wasn't easy. The further he was forced to progress under the Cursed Heavens, the worse his components worked. It wasn't long until he'd have to make a decision.Either head back home or replace the rest of his components for flesh. Both paths felt insurmountable. He still didn't know why the bounty on his head was so grotesque. He only had a small part in the destruction of , and that was under duress. Yet the government was willing to pay one hundred times its value for his capture.

Why?

It had to be that chimeral lunatic. That bastard who had set his fate off-kilter. It was rather him they wanted, and Jaol had become a clue. However, there was no point in explaining that to the higher-ups. The AI Lawkeepers didn't make mistakes, they said. And since they said he was a terrorist, he obviously was one.

That left a biological respec, but where would he find a Grafter in these parts? There were more outcasts like him, but his status was just too low to get in contact with anyone who had the skills required for such a surgery. Besides, those who had fled to these parts all had troublesome backgrounds. He'd probably end up an experiment even if he somehow managed to scrounge up the Credits or Nexus Coins for the surgery.

Thirty seconds later, Jaol was done, and it wasn't a moment too soon. He could hear his pursuers close in through the bugs he'd planted. They still seemed to know his location, though only the general direction. Less than ten seconds. Jaol groaned as he got to his feet, and he hid the Disruptor behind some of the refuse lining the walls of this god-forsaken excuse of a space station. Simultaneously, he linked it up with his other devices, finishing the chain.

A second later he was gone, running toward the Primarch Harbor. The Thearch Harbor was controlled by his old crew and the Pirate alliance; there was no way he'd be able to get close enough to sneak aboard a vessel without being spotted. Eden Harbor would be better, but Jaol doubted he'd make it past the controlled sections of the city. Captain Redvine had too many contacts in this place.

Luckily, the streets were mostly empty these days, with the faraway sun being blocked by the broken world for the next few days. As such, the arrays covering New Eden had been turned off. There was no way the Mayor would open his pockets to fuel the arrays when the star did not. Here in the slum, that included the arrays meant to keep order.

The endless corridors turned to a blur as Jaol ran for his life. An explosion behind him confirmed his trap had been sprung, but an enraged roar indicated it hadn't been enough. He could only urge his legs on and pray that the wound that had almost bisected him didn't rip open any further inside the makeshift tourniquet.

Raucous laughs and hollering taunts echoed through the streets from the temporary residences to his sides. Jaol didn't know whether they were laughing at his or his pursuers' misfortune. More importantly, were any of them willing to fish in muddy waters? Someone being pursued often meant there was money to be made, and the bigger fist made the rules in the slums of New Eden.

As expected, a few people appeared ahead, but activating [Flaming Geas] made them scurry out of the way. Few Class-3 cultivators made the slums their home, so the outburst of a peak Class-2 was enough to scare away random opportunists. As for the underworld leaders, they hopefully wouldn't insert themselves into this mess. Sometimes, it was better to stay out of trouble. You never knew what kind of deadly attention your actions could attract.

For example, how could Jaol have expected that a supposedly simple mission would end with him being hunted by Redvine, a terrifying Late Class-3 Captain who had terrorized the surrounding regions for over ten thousand years? It was not like Jaol had even wanted that thing, nor had he planned for the rest of the crew to turn to dust.

But he'd be reasonably safe if he could travel a few quadrants. People like Redvine hadn't lasted so long by taking overdue risks. They stuck to their lane, seldom sailing into regions controlled by other Monarchs than their benefactors.

A sharp pull made Jaol fall over, and he groaned in agony as he slammed into the ground. His vision was going haywire from the synaptic overload, but he could vaguely see an energy leash locked around his ankle. And on the other end was Kalso, his face a furious mask of scorched skin.

"Bastard," Kalso swore as he stabbed his arm with a syringe full of healing serum. "You're lucky the captain wants you alive. You better pray you have something she needs, or I'll ask her to hand you back to me. I'll see how you do with one of those grenades shoved up your ass."

"I've told you I didn't steal any treasure," Jaol said as he scrambled to his feet. "You

"Wha? Who-" a shocked Revenant blurted and was promptly awarded a slap.

"NOW!" Catheya roared, and the three veritably threw themselves at the controls.

Just a second later, the familiar hum of a Cosmic Engine roaring to life was followed by the shudder of the anchors breaking off. In just a second, the ship had moved hundreds of meters and was already outside reach for the skeleton crew that remained on the Empire ship. That didn't mean she was safe just yet.

"South-southwest, the spatial window!" Catheya urged and saw the one she slapped dutifully input the coordinates.

However, Catheya frowned at the other two, who shared a glance as their fingers moved toward an unfamiliar console. The next moment, they were frozen solid as well, leaving a lone researcher looking at Catheya with horror in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, my friend, but it looks like we are going on a journey together," Catheya smiled.

A sudden shockwave threw the man to the ground, but Catheya grinned as she tapped a few buttons, prompting a screen to appear. The Imperial Venator was slowly spinning as it moved away from the Spatial Gate, shrapnel from its broken engine forming a shimmering trail.

,Catheya inwardly scoffed.

It had given her ample time to wander about and figure out the faultlines of the ships. The ship was doomed the moment the crew activated the engines to move in pursuit. Her preparations had created a few energy blockages, and the release valves were frozen. Had they just waited another ten minutes, they would have been fine. Now they'd need at least a week for repairs.

By then, Catheya would be long gone.