As the last stop before deep space, Djoran Station sits on the edge of its namesake, the Djoran Expanse, an unmapped region clouded with the vibrant hues of nebulae. It acts as the supply depot for anything anyone venturing further into uncharted space might need. For 300 years, it has stood like a lighthouse at the coast of known space. Over time, the station has grown, expanding to adapt for the growing tourism, giving it a patchwork of various metallic styles. 

Hundreds of vessels visit it every day before shipping out into the Expanse. Some seek new planets they can turn a profit on; others seek adventure and purpose. We seek to find something – or rather, someone: Soen Norazaki. He is wanted on at least 10 independent planets and by three governments for numerous counts of fraud and theft by deception. He was last seen on two other stations nearby, seemingly heading this way. That’s where we come in. As members of the Venturer Initiative, we are a sort of cross between space police, military, and explorers. Venturer Command, our highest authority, decided to send us on a simple retrieval mission to apprehend him before he can escape into the Expanse. 

“Captain? Djoran is requesting comms,” says Veyle, my science and communications officer, breaking me out of my daydream. 

The dark tones of the bridge fill my vision with the familiarity I’ve gained from years of captaining. It’s cold, but perfectly so, like the aftermath of a rainy autumn day. I can see Djoran Station in the distance, through the viewscreen in front of me.  

“Captain?” Veyle questions. 

“Huh? Ah, yes. Open comms,” I respond, sitting up straight. 

I hear the visual cue of the commlink connecting and then the voice of what I can only assume to be one of the station personnel. 

“Greetings, please state your credentials and intentions.” 

“I’m Captain Nix Renfield, ID NX12179804, of Venturer craft Aether AC-11. We are here to locate and transport one Soen Norazaki back to Venturer Station 9.” 

“Please hold.” 

A simple, ancient tune begins to play – nothing recognizable or of substance. I roll my eyes and glance around. Brych, my pilot, sits in the front at the helm, his weary eyes fluttering over a tablet. Veyle, my second in-command, looms over her console, running calculations far too complex for my mind. Jaxsia, my weapons officer, stands at the ready behind her station, stoic as always. The only two members of the crew absent are Syven, the medic and appointed chef, who is likely asleep in his quarters, and Reyna, the engineer, who is in the engine room, keeping an eye on things. It feels like an eternity before the station employee returns. 

“Alright, Aether, you’re cleared to dock at docking port nine. Enjoy your stay.” 

“Aye. Thank you.” 

Veyle cuts the comms, and Brych casts his tablet aside, reaching for the controls.  

“You heard the man, Brych. Docking port nine.” 

“Yessir.” 

Our craft glides gracefully along the station’s side until we find the airlock labeled with a bright orange number nine. We slide gracefully into place, airlocks locking together with the delicate nature and attention to detail only years of training at the helm can give. Brych powers off the thrusters and the bridge’s lights fade on.  

“Jaxsia? Wake Syven. Tell him we’ve arrived.” 

As planned, Jaxsia, Syven and I will locate Norazaki. Brych, Veyle and Reyna will remain on the ship to get some much needed rest. A few minutes later, the three of us are gathered at the airlock, armed and ready. My pistol sized particle blaster sits waiting on my belt, tiny compared to the heavy, yet sleek rail blaster rifle strapped to Jaxsia’s back. A slow hissing sound emanates from the airlock as the pneumatic systems inside it balance the air pressures on either side. Syven yawns and rubs his eyes as the door slides open. We step out and Jaxsia pulls a small device out of a pocket: a life-form scanner. It’s not pinpoint accurate on a station as big as Djoran, but it can certainly point us in the right direction.  

“This way,” Jaxsia gestures confidently after clicking a few buttons. 

The device leads us away from the airlocks and out towards the station proper. The corridor widens, and eventually we see the Promenade. Framed with imported trees from planets thousands of light years away, the Promenade is the central hub of the station, with shops and restaurants going up three stories on either side of a walking path. We make our way through the crowds to a small bar on the far side called Talons. A comforting atmosphere descends as we enter, created from the hearty chatter of a variety of customers and the celebratory bells of electronic gambling tables. Behind the bar toils a Delaxian, an alluring sparkle in her eye as she mixes drinks.  

“This is it, Captain. He’s somewhere in this bar,” Jaxsia informs.  

“Alright, take a look around. I’ll talk to the barkeep.” 

The bartender looks up as I sit down.  

“What can I get you, love?” She squints her eyes in concentration, then continues. “You feel like you could use a Kjaran Sunset.” 

My eyebrows knit in surprise before I remember that Delaxians have a sixth sense; a cross between telepathy and spatial awareness that, among other things, can allow them to sense wants and desires.  

“I’ll have to take you up on that later. I’m Captain Nix Renfield, of the Aether,” I hold out my Venturer license, along with a photo of our target. “I’m actually looking for someone. Have you perchance seen this man?” 

I’ve memorized Norazaki’s image so well it’s as if it were tattooed on my brain. His black hair, his sapphire blue eyes, even the scar on his right cheek. It’s my job to know, but the bartender doesn’t seem to recognize him.  

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I have. We’ve been swamped today. Great for business, but I couldn’t tell you the last person I made a drink for.” She says with a sympathetic frown.  

My crew reappears at my back. Jaxsia shakes her head with a resigned smile. I turn back to the bartender.  

“I understand. If you see him, please let me know.” 

I give her my commlink number and we’re halfway out the door when she calls out. 

“Captain? You remember how you just told me to let you know if I saw him?” 

“Just now? Yeah?” 

“Well…” 

She points across the bar. I follow her finger to the doors of the bathroom, where our conman, Norazaki, is wiping his hands on his shirt. It doesn’t take long for him to notice that he’s been made. He darts for the entrance. There’s no time to waste, so we hit the ground running. 

“Thanks!” I yell back to the bartender.  

Norazaki cuts across the Promenade, weaving through the crowds of people, making for the elevators.  

“Stop that man!” Syven yells, right behind me.  

No one moves, everyone expecting the next person to help. We make it through the crowd just quick enough to see elevator doors close on us. The next elevator comes quickly, and Jaxsia pulls out the tracker to find out what floor he’s on. It takes a few stops, but we make it to the residential level. The device leads us to an apartment at the end of a corridor. The door is unlocked, but blaster fire grazes me as I attempt to open it. I close it quickly, grabbing for my particle blaster. Jaxsia unslings her rail blaster and Syven grabs the door handle. 

“On three?” He whispers. 

“Aye.” 

“1…2…3!” 

He whips the door open, jumping back as Jaxsia and I prepare to fire. Except this time, no shot comes. We exchange a brief raised eyebrow before continuing into the room. The apartment is spotless, with not a hair out of place. We clear the kitchen, then the living room, before we find him at a desk in the bedroom. He’s slumped over a laptop with something small and red clasped in his hand. Jaxsia keeps her blaster trained on him, unsure if he’s unconscious. 

“Norazaki! Put your hands up!” 

He doesn’t budge. Jaxsia gestures for me to move closer. I creep closer. He doesn’t appear to be breathing, so I check his pulse. Or rather the lack thereof. Our target appears to be dead. It’s only then I notice movement on the computer. An application is finishing a complete wipe of the hard drive, but I see one file before it disappears: RAVEN_. Then I remember the red object in his hands. I pull it out and inspect it. It’s a pill case. Suddenly, a sickening smell like concentrated almonds fills my nose. I take a step back. 

“What is it, Captain?”  

“He’s dead. Cyanide,” I say, holding up the pill case, “And he wiped his computer. Norazaki couldn’t have just been a fraud. Something much bigger is going on here.”