Justin Kemppainen - The Legend of Ivan

Few details seemed to be gained from my time on Ethra, but I was encouraged because the stop only lasted a couple of hours. My contact with the alleged Dr. Trevors, though unpleasant and a bit rambling, was still useful enough to justify the time expenditure. The truth of his tale was doubtful, but at least I was not inconvenienced.

Further yet towards the core I traveled, seeking more balanced worlds industry-wise. Though corporations own and handle a great deal of business, too much secrecy and doubt is found on their home worlds. It becomes hard to search for information when individuals guard their tongues.

I made two more stops, and both were riddled with complete and utter unimportance. A local city magistrate on Gaheena had claimed Ivan as his bodyguard a number of years back. It took all of five minutes to pick his tale apart and get him to admit he’d only hired some random mercenary and called the man Ivan in an effort to intimidate his rivals.

Another contact had passed away the week before I arrived: a veteran fighter pilot from a prominent battle which Ivan was allegedly involved in. However, the grieving family denied any knowledge of their mother seeing or meeting anyone such as Ivan. The mere conjecture that it was anything but the bravery of soldiers like their mother which turned the tide of battle, instead of the actions of some legendary figure, seemed to offend them gravely.

I was followed by a brash youth from the family out to Minerva as I prepared to leave. A small conflict ensued, but no one was harmed. A dose of tranquilizer ensured the child would wake up later with little more than a headache while I moved along to my next destination.

If I have any home in the universe, aside from Minerva, it is upon the Dei Lucrii Commerce Station XVII, orbiting the gas giant Paradoth. Unlike many of the small colonies and metropolitan worlds, average social class and occupation is less solidified on this and other stations of its kind. A steady gradient of population from dirt poor to obscene wealth, including accommodations spanning the entire range, has proven a vast and deep reservoir of varied information.

The Dei Lucrii stations are found in many places, most often in systems with no colonizable worlds. To facilitate the ever-expanding population and desire for a greater density of habitable space, hundreds of orbital stations were created. From trade and commerce to accommodation and pleasure to defense and warning, many different varieties of stations exist. Dei Lucrii is one of relaxed trade and commerce.

I am well known on Dei Lucrii XVII. Its location is central and accessible but not so perfect as to attract too many others of my kind. I have friends, allies, and contacts there. I am through often enough to know many of the security staff by name and friendly enough with them to receive proper warnings if it becomes necessary.

Minerva put into the docking bay without incident. I donned my usual cloak and hat as I walked in and among the milling passengers.

“Sid, good to have you back,” a security woman smiled as I passed through the checkpoint.

I gave her a nod. “Officer Tani.”

She swiped my identity card through the scanner. “You going to be staying long?”

“Not terribly,” I replied. “A bit of business before I continue on.”

“Anything exciting?”

I smiled. “Always.”

Laughing, she said, “Enjoy your stay, Sid.”

Through the checkpoint I moved, nodding to a couple of other on-duty personnel as well as some of the small shop owners. Like any other transport hub, last or first minute drinks, food, or impulse trinkets were available for purchase.

Without delay, I moved through the station, passing through elevators and very similar corridors until I arrived at my intended destination: the library.

Though paper books died out long ago, commissioned libraries have retained their purpose as storehouses of varied information. Nostalgia kept the traditional style of row upon row of what appeared to be shelves. However, they were actually monolithic storage units accessible from the dozens of links and terminals available. This library was named by the proprietor as Bibliotheca Dei Lucrii XVII, which few recognized as a bit of an homage to Old Earth’s Great Library at Alexandria. The proprietor loved ancient history.

A loud, boisterous voice cried out from behind the reception desk as soon as I set foot inside. “Sid! My good friend!”

I turned to see a large, bearded man with a beaming smile. Marqyni Avieli, indeed a good friend of mine.

Smiling, I offered my hand as he charged forward, almost crushing me in an embrace while laughing. “Ah, it is good to see you, very good indeed!”

“There’s… not going to be… much to see… if you don’t… let me… breathe.” I feigned a struggle and exasperation against him. Marqyni was strong, but he had no musculature or skeletal modifications. We both knew I could twist and fold him into about any conceivable shape, but as always we enjoyed the usual repartee.

He released me, still grinning, and I smiled back, extending my hand. He grasped it with his pudgy fist. “Ah, Sid, Sid, Sid. What brings you to my humble abode of knowledge and wonders? Still chasing dreams and legends? Or are we on a new quest?” He clapped me on my mechanical shoulder. “I had not expected to see you for quite some time? ‘Tis only been a couple of weeks, yes?”

Prying my hand out of his grip, I gave a nod. “A month, but yes. My excursion out to the rim was useful in a couple of ways, but not to excess. I returned because I need the services of your fine establishment.”

Marqyni cocked his head, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. “Useful, you say? Does that mean…?”

With an exaggerated shrug, I lowered my voice and said, “It would seem that there might be a little truth to Ivan’s existence after all.”

“Ha- hah! ” My friend bellowed out a laugh and clapped his hands together. Our less than silent exchange garnered a few glances from nearby patrons sitting at terminals. Only one or two expressed annoyance, as any regulars would be keenly aware of Marqyni’s less than traditional outlook on the quiet, contemplative stature of a normal library.

He wagged a finger at me. “I knew that if anyone could dig up anything on that silly myth, it’d be you, Sid. How about your clients; what do they think about your—”

I held up a hand. “They don’t often provide feedback to my reports. Even so, I’ve only gathered concrete details from two sources so far, both of which contained varied suspect elements, but…” I shrugged again. “I’ve at least confirmed a decent probability of his existence and some distinct possibilities regarding him.”

“Such as?” Marqyni curled a smile at the corner of his mouth.

With a soft chuckle, I replied, “Possible real name, for one. Size and appearance, perhaps an important possession. A strong chance of internal augmentations.”

The librarian’s smile wilted. “Is that all? Doesn’t sound like you have much. I expected proof of his… involvement at the Battles of New Prague and Caldonis. The single-handed dismantling of Voux Hanatar’s criminal empire! All you’ve got is a vague description and the notion that he’s stronger and faster than a normal human? What about the cataclysm at—”

I cut him off. “Look, Marqyni, I apologize if this is at all disappointing, but, as you’ve said, it’s only been a matter of weeks, barely a month. I’ve spent three-quarters of that time in my ship, traveling. I was dragged on a merry chase for a drunken buffoon that I never did locate. How fortunate I was able to gather his information anyway without wasting another three weeks. It was all second hand, but it confirmed some very necessary things.”