Barnaby stood with a wide grin across his face. He stepped closer to the crate, crouched down, and picked up one of the small white bags. Turning to the boys, he said, "Looks like only the crate broke. I'll take it from here." Youri stared at him, confused, and said, "I'm sorry— you also work here?" Barnaby smiled. "No, but this is my ship. So, in a way, since I'm docked here, I'm kind of part of the process."
As Barnaby spoke, Casey entered the ship. The moment he stepped inside he saw the shattered crate on the floor. "Is anybody hurt!?" Casey shouted, rushing toward the boys. When he reached them, he noticed Barnaby crouched on the ground. As soon as he recognized him, Casey straightened sharply. "Are you all right, sir!?""Don't worry, Casey," Barnaby replied casually. "I was just inspecting the merchandise. Sorry for the trouble, commander." said Casey
The instant Casey called him "commander," Youri turned and looked at him, thinking, Who is this guy?Barnaby continued, "It's fine, Casey. Me and my boys will clean this up. This was the last crate anyway.""Of course, sir," Casey replied. "We'll move the vehicles and leave you to it."
Casey and the boys left the ship, returning to the warehouse. The moment they stepped inside, Youri asked, "Who was that guy?"Casey let out a breath. "He's one of our clients. A military commander of the Terrian Empire. Think of him as a kind of noble around here. They send goods from Volar to Terria, and he oversees the delivery. The Terrian Empire rules this galaxy, and Volar is one of the lucky few planets granted autonomy. So whenever a Terrian shows up, they're treated like nobility due to their pure Terrian bloodline. And if Volar wants to keep its autonomy, it's crucial we treat all their envoys with high regard."
With that explanation, Youri and the boys went back to piling cargo. A short while later, Barnaby appeared again—this time standing at the entrance of the warehouse, leaning against the doorway while smoking a cigarette. Youri noticed him between the crates, and Barnaby gestured with two fingers for him to come over.
Youri stopped working and walked to him. "You called me, sir?"Barnaby smiled. "Ah, drop the etiquette. We already knew each other before today, so no need for formality. So you guys work here, huh?""Yeah. About a month now," Youri replied."Ahh, that explains why I haven't seen you around before." Barnaby studied him for a moment. "How old are you, Youri?""I'll be turning thirteen in a few months.""Thirteen?" Barnaby raised his brows. "Shouldn't you be in school instead of here?"Youri gave a small smile. "School hasn't been an option yet."Barnaby looked down. "Are you… an orphan?""Yeah. Since birth," Youri answered."I see…" Barnaby exhaled smoke through his nose. "Did you find any place you and your brother were looking for?""We plan to check around after work. Maybe we'll find something," Youri said.
Barnaby dropped his cigarette, crushed it under his boot, and started walking toward the exit. Before turning the corner, he lifted one hand and said, "If you don't find anything, feel free to come back. I'll be around for a few more days. I can't use all three beds anyway."
Youri and Six finished their shift and went out searching for an apartment. But every place they checked required a down payment before renting, and they didn't have the money for that. Their search ended quickly, and they found themselves back on the same bench they had sat on their first day in Talion, looking over the lively, glowing city.
Youri sighed. "That Barnaby guy— I talked to him a bit. He offered to let us stay in the room for a few days more. What do you think?"Six rumbled with a small roar."Yeah… it's better than staying outside," Youri said with a tired smile.
The two boys stood and headed back toward the Skylark. Once they reached the familiar white door, Youri knocked. Barnaby opened it, took one look at them, and said, "Looks like it didn't go well."Youri nodded. They stepped inside, and Barnaby shut the door behind them. "They asked for a down payment, didn't they?""Yeah," Youri replied.
Barnaby crossed his arms, studying both boys. "Do you two want to make some quick money?"Youri and Six exchanged a confused look."It's simple," Barnaby said. "You guys know the Clocked Market?""We've been there once," Youri answered."Good," Barnaby said with a grin. "So you know the place. The job is easy. I sell goods from my planet there, and all I need you to do is stand at a certain corner and sell the goods I give you. They'll sell fast— shouldn't take more than half an hour. And once everything is sold, each of you gets four thousand zells."
Four thousand zells. For Youri and Six, that was a fortune. They earned twenty-eight hundred working the warehouse all day. The thought of nearly doubling that was unreal. And considering their living situation, that amount would finally get them a down payment.
The boys shook Barnaby's hand, believing he genuinely wanted to help them. Together, the three headed toward the Clocked Market.
Once there, Barnaby told Six to stand deep in a narrow alleyway framed by tall brick walls. He handed Six a small package filled with tightly sealed white bags. "Five hundred zells each," Barnaby instructed.
Youri stood on the opposite end of the alley, receiving the exact same type of package and instructions. Barnaby placed a hand on his shoulder. "You've got this, bud. Just remember— five hundred a piece."Youri nodded, and Barnaby disappeared into the crowd.
People came and went, buying from both boys. The bags sold quickly. Youri soon held only one left when suddenly the bald man—the same one who had bumped into Six the last time—walked toward him. His face looked irritated, almost desperate.
"A bag. Quick," he demanded.Youri raised his hand and gave it to him. The man grabbed it and walked away while opening it— but the moment he looked inside, the bag slipped from his hand and hit the ground.
The small packet rolled near Youri's boot. He glanced down… and the moment his eyes focused on the contents, his heart stopped.
It was Galley.The drug that had taken over the market.