This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/Engletroll on 2025-12-28 21:11:28+00:00.

Previously.../...

Patreon .../.... Project Dirt

Kiko handed him a cup of coffee as he came inside and just leaned against the wall, looking at him.

“What?”

“You didn’t hesitate, you immediately protected them. I'm starting to think you're just a good guy, a real good guy forced to do bad things. I mean, we are so different. I barely trust my boss at the police and you. Im pretty sure you would trust me with your life. It’s… It's scary…”

He tilted his head slightly, looking at her, then took a deep breath, sipped his cup, and put it down.

“I’m not so good, I just have … how to explain it.. something Kerion once said…”

“Please, no naughty facts.” She said with a wink, and Peter chuckled.

“No, naughty, it was about how the rest of the universe views us humans. We are one of the few chaos worlds. It means you never know what you get. The same human can be the most evil person you ever meet and then, in the next turn, sacrifice their life for a child or a stranger on a whim. And if asked, the aliens claim we will make up a perfectly logical reason for such behavior based on complete bullshit. And  I think it makes perfect sense. Yes, we owed those families anything. We should have left, but could you live with it? I could not. They are innocent, and I’m not going to stand by and watch innocents die just because it's easier for me.”

“This is why I’m starting to fall for you. You say these things, and then you act on them.  Okay. What do we do now? We can't stop all the time like this. Dragons, crazy immortal emperor, and desert raiders. How long until we reach the crash site?”

He smiled, picked up his cup, took a sip, then called up the map with the route he had set up. “We are here. The plan was to stop at this column. It would be safer. Maybe we can fly over there tonight and check it out. If it’s safe, then I'll fix it so I can fly from the inside.  We have another ocean to cross, later than the forest and the desert. If we fly on shifts, we can take a few days off and probably fly for 60 hours before we have to stop and let the engine cool down, which will put us in this area along the coastline.”

“I thought you said this trip would take fourteen days. That puts us way past halfway. Maybe a day or two more.”  She noticed and he nodded.

“Yeah, that was before I could sit inside, take breaks when I needed. Now we only have to figure out what to do inside here for the next few days.”

“You're going to tell me everything about yourself. I want to really get to know you. So get ready for an interrogation.”

“So I’m not allowed to interrogate you?” He said, and she just smiled.

“And after that, we are going to start planning.”

“Planning for what?”

“How to take down two criminal empires and ensure no other criminals think about taking over.”

“Well, I know a way, but it's bloody.” He replied, and she just smiled.

“Do tell!”

“Well, you seen it, it’s how you clear a Gyma nest. You kill the bull, and they all attack it, eat it up and then they fight over who is the next bull, it can get mess and a few will die in that process. Once one emerges as a new bull, you kill that one, too. And they fight each other again. You repeat until only a few remain, and then you only have a few to kill instead of going in and having to kill a full nest. The best part is that they are so busy with their own little fights that they don’t go out hunting. Criminals are the same. Kill the leader and wait a few weeks, find out who the new leader is, and kill that one too.  They will all be blaming each other. As long as they have no idea about us and we have no contact with them, then they will not know what hit them.”

“Yeah, that might work, but how do we find out who the new crimelord is if we have no contact with them?” She replied as she pulled up a large file she had with the whole Jangion crime family. He looked at it and made her a cup of coffee and handed it to her.

“Well, we can pick one at random and kill everybody in his way. He will either be the new leader or be killed for trying to take the position. Besides the Gyrran crime families are very public. Their title is public. Big mistake for them, great for us. Thought, are we only going after them?”

“No, but they are the biggest threat to me. After they are dead, I can be rescued and claim that you fought to keep me alive against aliens and monsters. Demanding that you are rewarded and let go. That will work better if I'm pregnant.” She said, and Peter almost spat out his coffee.

“You're crazy. They will claim I took you by force. That this is Stockholm-syndrome, now better I drop you off and vanish, asking in return that they won't hunt me. That will make more sense.”

“It was worth a shot.” She said under her breath, then smiled at him. “Well, it’s a basis for a plan. Something we can work on.”

He just looked at her, and she smiled. “Babies after we're done this, then. Lots of them.”

“Only if you still want me then. I’m old-fashioned, so babies mean marriage, just as you know.”

She looked at him, as her brain tried to understand what he had said, and then she grinned and jumped up into his lap. He had to drop the cup to catch her while she laughed. “YES YES! WHERE'S MY DAMN RING!”

Peter had to promise her to get one as soon as he could.  Now he regretted the whole thing, and she spent the rest of the day sitting on his tummy, interrogating him about everything. It was cute and innocent as she was musing about all he spoke about and how it was different from her life. She loved hearing about his family's farm and the land they owned.  When she found out his uncle bought a plot from his dad to build his house, she suddenly stared at him.

“Build his own house? Not a farm?”

“Yes, it's close to the village, near the spaceport. He works as a doctor. The village has about fifty thousand people, probably more now. It's been a while since I was there.”

“Can we get a house there?” Shed asked eagerly and he chuckled.

“Easy girl. One thing at a time. Besides, I’m pretty sure you want to be closer to a hub.”

“Why,” she stared down at her. “This. Here!  It's the best I’ve ever had. It's weird, but the air is so fresh. I see plants and animals that are not locked up. If we got a dog, could it run free?”

“Of course, but you know, the pests might make it dangerously. It has to be a big dog, those small city dogs are just snacks out there.” He said as he watched her act like a teenage girl she jumped off him and paced the room.

“And kids? Wait, you survived, so it should not be that bad.  Okay, big dog. I like that. And  lets see. Fenced off right to keep the pest off and autocannon on the roof for the flying pest. Yeah. We need money, so we have to steal some of their assets as well. We have to adjust the plans.  We are not only going to destroy them but also take all their money. We can use it to do good deeds for your planet. We can build a hotel and casino. That way I can have some city life when I absolutely need it, that and a shopping center.  Or a casino resort hotel. We need a few million. We can do this. Then we buy a lot from your parents and have a small tucked-away home just for us.”

He watched her pace the small room as she was making plans for their whole life.

“And if we have such a big place, how will people not find out we own it and try to kidnap our kids for ransom?” He asked, and she stopped for a second to think, then apparently had a great idea.

“We are silent partners. We have some smuck standing in the limelight, and we have some stocks in the company. Enough to keep us from worrying about money. And all in a joint account. 50/50 just to be sure. Oh, by the way, if you find some sidechick, then I will feed her to the gyma, and if I’m so stupid, I expect that you do the same!”

“What? If you're cheating, I’m supposed to feed my side chick to the Gyma? That’s not fair.” He replied, and she looked at him and tackled him.

“IDIOT!” She said and laughed as she rolled over him. “You need to get me a ring. And don’t worry. I might be crazy, but I’m not a cheater.”

The alarm suddenly went off, and they looked at the screen. The adults of the families had climbed up and were laying things down in front of the container.

“I’m going out.” She got up, put on the jacket, a visor, and a mask, and walked out. He looked after her and sight, then grabbed the jacket, belt, vizor, and mask and followed her.