True (Male x Male) (Wattys Winner 2021)

Chapter 1 - The Fugitive

I wiped the sweat from my brow and took another swig of water.

I didn't usually mind physical activity. In fact, often I enjoyed it. But lifting crates and boxes on a planet as hot as Calenta was not pleasant. The sooner I was off this scorching rock, the better. But I had to wait until my craft was full before I could leave, to make the journey efficient.

I was currently loading up my transport freighter, which was my livelihood and my life. I worked the long-haul flights. Partly because I didn't mind them, and partly because it paid better than short-haul ones. Many ship owners preferred to stay close to their families and their homes, which meant I didn't have too much competition for the longer journeys. Maybe one day, if I ever decided to settle down, I'd feel the same way. But for now, I was happy to spend a couple of months at a time in space if needed.

Nearly half of my recent delivery to Calenta was solar panels, or parts related to solar energy collection and storage. It was the ideal planet to run a business for those that wanted cheap electricity. On this side of the planet, the blistering sun was out for fifteen hours of its twenty-hour day, and the heat outside was only just bearable. Anywhere indoors had a cooling system, ironically usually solar powered energy.

It wasn't somewhere I'd want to live, but it seemed there were some people that chose this life.

"Hey," a friendly male voice caught my attention.

I turned and was greeted with a guy who looked to be in his thirties, with jet black hair, dark skin and brown eyes. The way he was sweating suggested that he didn't like the oppressive heat any more than I did.

"Hey," I greeted him back with a smile. "You're looking for transport?" I guessed. "I'm headed for the Liprian Outpost with any stops you want to make on the way."

"Would you be willing to stop at Kezan?" he asked.

"Sure, it's on my route," I replied, walking towards him. "What's your name?"

"Asher Gordon," he said brightly, extending his hand toward mine.

[True.]

I didn't know how I knew he was telling me the truth. I'd always been able to tell whether people were lying or not. My mother used to call me a 'Truthseeker,' and warned me never to disclose to anybody else what I could do. She used to say that bad people might try to hurt me if I did, and of course I knew she was telling the truth about that because I could sense it. Besides, as I grew older, I realised that my ability was more advantageous if nobody knew about it.

I took his hand and shook it in return with a smile.

"Kane Emery," I introduced myself. "What is it you want to transport to Kezan?"

I needed to know what was going to be on my ship in case it got inspected. Inspections were rare, but possible, and I liked to be above board when I conducted my business.

"Medical equipment and supplies," replied Asher. "I'll be travelling with them."

[True.]

"You're a doctor?" I asked curiously.

I didn't need that information, but I liked to know a little about everyone who was boarding my ship.

"Not a doctor, no," he replied. "I know enough to get by, and to understand what I'm transporting, but not much more than that."

[True.]

"OK, cool," I said, turning and picking up my hand-held scanner from the entrance to the ship. "You got ID?"