EVE Fiction

Sovereignty: The Syndicate
Constellation: Z-6NQ6
Region: Syndicate
Security Level: 0.0
Station: PoitotV – Moon14



" At first you hide only one secret. At first you hide it only for one day. Then you hide the same secret every day even deeper. And then, not to keep it from being revealed, but just so that you won’t remember it anymore, you hide it from your own self. You justify it by saying that you are hiding it to protect your loved ones. Basically, you want to protect yourself. Because, even if you don’t disclose it to anyone, every secret has its victim... Everybody has secrets; and everybody is looking for someone to share them with. To share the responsibility and the burden. To be able to look at themselves again. Secrets are best shared with a stranger. Because when you share them with a stranger, it is like looking in a mirror without secrets. However, the ignorance of a secret by your loved ones is more dangerous than a stranger knowing your secret."

‘Everyone hides secrets,’ said the man, coming out of his thoughts.

The brunette woman lying next to him covered her shapely body with the white sheets. Then, with slow, almost languid movements, she lit a cigarette and, after savouring the smoke inside her, she turned towards him and said in a near whisper:

‘Surely, a man like you has many secrets. Even though, you divulged many of them in bed…’ She smiled at him with meaning and went on. ‘You know, I’ve heard many rumours about you.’

‘Rumours? Like what?’

‘They say that you are a common adventurer, a two-faced opportunist and a smuggler. You charm everybody though with your polite ways and your smooth words, and you can move easily in the most elegant salons of the aristocracy but also in the shadows of the underworld.’

The man was looking at her vacantly. Then, a faint smile rose to his lips; his eyes were not smiling though.

‘I’m just flexible. It’s not such big a deal.’

‘But they say that you have the ability to make people trust you easily, to feel comfortable, to disclose to you their darkest thoughts and their most guilty secrets without fear. That you offer generously to everyone whatever they want to hear to feel safe around you. When you decide to leave, everyone seeks your company, even if you’ve taken advantage of them. And when you return after some time, because it’s in your best interest, everyone is willing to forgive you about everything, as long as you make them feel special again. It is also said that nobody knows your real name. So, what is true from all that?’

The man closed his eyes and remained silent for a while. Then he turned towards her and said calmly:

‘Nothing and everything. I’m just a pirate, doll.’

The woman moved closer to him. She put her hand on his neck and slid her fingertips down his shoulder.

‘You are very mysterious. I like that. I’d like to get to know you better.’

‘I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you. I’m leaving for Intaki today; this was our first and last meeting.’

‘You’re leaving? You mean, what happened between us meant nothing to you? All that passion didn’t make you feel anything for me?’ said the beautiful woman sadly.

‘The purpose of our meeting was for me to deliver you the merchandise, and I did, as the contract said. I’ve been paid and I’m leaving. There’s nothing else to say.’

The pirate got out of bed hastily and, frustrated, went towards the couch, where he had tossed his clothes, to get dressed. The woman lit another cigarette, clearly perturbed. But she could not take her eyes off the pirate and his muscular body. He was a good-looking man, around thirty, of middle height, with expressive blue eyes and handsome features, despite the vertical scar under his right eye. What she really adored about him though was his melancholy gaze. That gaze allured her, mesmerized her. If it wasn’t for that, she might not have ended up in bed with him with such pleasure.

She observed again the tattoo that adorned his left shoulder. It pictured a skull and crossbones with the background of a planet and the acronym UTBF underneath. She had met many people of the underworld and several bore similar designs on their bodies, some of which really dark and sinister. But this tattoo had something that really scared her.

‘Before you go I want to ask you a small favour. You won’t deny me, will you?’ she said to him.

He turned and watched her puzzled for some moments. Then he smiled.

‘It seems that you won’t leave me in peace so easily. Tell me what you want.’

‘Nothing much – to tell me your real name. Just to remember you.’ she said in a soft voice, full of emotion and sensuality.

The pirate frowned and his countenance darkened. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the small apartment seemed electrified and an intense feeling of imminent danger overwhelmed him. Still, he remained calm and replied in a low voice:

‘Only my friends know my name and, as I recall, none of them is alive. But, for you, I’ll make an exception.’

Instantly, the woman sat up on the metallic bed, riveting her eyes on him.

‘Well? What is your real name, mysterious pirate?’ she asked him with pretended calmness. Her brown eyes though were sparkling from the tension.

‘Jake. Jake Lanks.’

The bullet found its target, straight to the heart. Jake replaced the gun, which was still smoking, to the holster on his right leg and approached the dead body with measured steps. It was a very beautiful woman in a macabre setting, with blood saturating the white sheets that covered her and the cigarette still burning slowly among the fingers of her left hand. He stood over her for a few moments. Then he bent down, stroked her hair and closed her eyes. Every secret has its victim, my girl...