Jack believed he was done for, but the pressure on him slowly waned, allowing him to breathe again. He couldn't help but glance up, noticing how the dark-skinned woman had placed a hand on the blue-haired man's arm, but his eyes imdiately returned to the floor.
It seed the white and red witch, or goddess, could cool down whatever that man was, and Jack could only be grateful to her. Nevertheless, that gratitude was short-lived.
The two powerful individuals exchanged words in a language Jack couldn't understand before the blue-haired man seized the tray from the woman's hands, walking toward the end of the tal ramp. Still, he didn't step into Jack's ship, seemingly wary about crossing its threshold.
"All of you," The blue-haired man announced, "Co here and take a cup. The sa applies to the guy on the bridge and the one hiding in the bathroom."
Jack instantly understood that no tricks would fly. He struggled to his feet, fighting against his huge fra, and shouts escaped his mouth as soon as he succeeded. "Rufus! Mark! Get here!"
The ship was small, and its walls thin, so Jack's voice reached the two n in his crew who had yet to enter the cargo area. Heavy, careful steps resounded from different rooms, but the blue-haired man had more to say.
"Mister Pilot," The blue-haired man called. "Don't forget to turn off the scanners and bring their records."
One set of steps stopped making noises before resuming, resounding in the opposite direction. The single screen in the cargo area went dark while a bald man entered it, and another followed after a minute.
Jack glanced at his crew, sharing their fear before facing the terrifying blue-haired man. He lowered his gaze in respect, and humbling pleas followed. "Sir, this is all my crew. I swear-."
"Take the cups and pass them around," The blue-haired man ordered, interrupting Jack.
Jack didn't hesitate to comply. His shaking hands went for the tray, seizing one bubbling cup at a ti to hand them to his crew. The pilot was last, and the man exchanged a black, rectangular device for that strange drink.
"The records from the last twenty-four hours, sir," Jack explained, offering the device to the blue-haired man while wielding his cup in the other hand.
The blue-haired man didn't bother taking the device. The latter suddenly released a sizzling noise, and cracks spread through its fabric before falling apart. Only black, tallic dust remained in Jack's palm, and the event was so shocking that he even forgot to jump in fear.
"Put a hair in your cup," The blue-haired man continued, and Jack nodded before glaring at his crew. Still, one of his n was bald, and evident panic invaded his face when looking at his leader.
"You have hair down there," The blue-haired man said, aware of the issue.
The bald man hesitated, but Jack reaffird his glare toward him, forcing him to send a hand down his pants. Jack and the other crewmates were luckier, only needing to reach for their heads. Yet, the sizzling noises that followed when they put their hair in the cups didn't make them feel lucky at all.
The blue-haired man didn't add anything, but the next move was obvious. Jack glanced at the source of that blue light before closing his eyes and gulping down his drink. His n could only imitate him at that point, and they all showed pained expressions afterward.
Burning sensations spread on the n's necks, and a red light began to shine from their left sides. A scarlet symbol appeared there before dimming until it disappeared under their skin.
"You talk about anything related to this," The blue-haired man explained. "You die."
The blue-haired man then nodded at his tray, giving a silent order. Jack understood it without adding questions, gathering the various cups, and giving them back. It seed their captors didn't want to leave any trace of their passage.
"My ship has better scanners than yours," The blue-haired man continued. "If you reactivate yours before thirty minutes, I'll know and co back here. Understood?"
Jack and the pilot could only nod when the blue light fell on them. That glowing gaze felt more piercing now, but the gesture was luckily short-lived. The blue-haired man looked satisfied with that simple glance and turned back to his ship, entering it with the dark-skinned woman before the doors closed.
The tal ramp quickly slid back, and the fancy, white ship shot forward, vanishing sowhere in the dark expanse, leaving Jack and his crew staring at their open doors. None dared to move yet, still absorbing what had just happened.
Nevertheless, as minutes passed, the crew was forced to accept that the calamity was gone. Jack and his n had miraculously survived that dangerous, mystical experience, adding an unforgettable mory to their lives.
"Boss," The pilot muttered, keeping his voice down out of fear of attracting those two monstrous figures. "I want out."
Jack glanced at his terrified crewmate and couldn't find the strength to bla him. After all, he felt the sa, and his other n seed to share that mindset.
"Shall we skip the brothels and get a real job?" Jack suggested, finally finding the strength to close the ship's doors.
The crewmates exchanged a series of glances before nodding at Jack. That experience had been too scary for them to continue dealing with illegal cargo. Yet, problems remained. They wouldn't have beco criminals otherwise.
"Boss," The pilot spoke again. "What about the cargo? And who would hire us?"
"Forget the cargo," Jack snorted. He truly couldn't care less about those hot items after what he had just survived. As for the other question, he surprisingly had an extrely suitable answer.
"I heard Nott Station is hiring people with our unique expertise," Jack revealed. "We have enough fuel to get there, right?"
"Yes, but," The pilot calculated before his eyes went wide. He finally made the connection that his Boss seed to have made minutes ago. After all, there weren't many high-profile blue-haired n with glowing eyes in the universe.
Nevertheless, when the pilot was about to ntion sothing, a burning sensation spread from the left side of his neck, and a red symbol reappeared on that spot.
"Don't say anything," Jack warned, realizing his pilot had also understood who that blue-haired man was. "Don't even think about it."
The warning seed to suffice since the red symbol gradually dimd alongside the burning sensation. The pilot survived the event, even if cold sweat had filled his forehead.
"Do you think they'll accept us, Boss?" The pilot wondered. "After, you know?"
"I don't know," Jack admitted, "But I don't want to risk being on the other side ever again. Now, everyone, get to work."
"Yes, Boss," The pilot announced, and the other crewmates echoed that statent, but the forr needed to ask sothing else. "Which routes should I fly through?"
"Legal!" Jack gasped. "Only legal routes from now on! I'd rather end up in a cage than-."
Jack had to interrupt himself since a red symbol started to appear on his neck, too. Yet, the orders were already clear, and his glare sent his crew to their respective positions.
"And make sure to wait at least two hours before reactivating anything!" Jack finally added, also getting back to work.
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