"You're a strange one, aren't you?" Munda Ek're remarked, showing a wry smile playing at the corners of his lips while massaging his chin. "Most prisoners aren't quite so... chipper to their captors. And you’re so young to be a miner under any UGTR corporation."

Ubel shrugged, his grin widening as he met Munda Ek're's gaze head-on.

"What can I say? I'm a glass-half-full kind of guy. And as an orphan, I had to make do. Also it should be no surprise to you, of all people to see someone like me at my age, working tirelessly under a corporation. It’s just that I was more fortunate to have the skills in steering a mining ship. Or else, I would be striking stones in the core of a dwarf planet." he replied, his tone light and playful. "Besides, it's not every day you wake up in a pirate cell, now is it? Might as well make the best of it."

Munda Ek're chuckled, the sound echoing off the walls of the corridor.

"I like your stupidity, kid," he said. "You've got guts at least, I'll give you that. But don't get too comfortable. We've got plans for you, and they don't involve lounging around in a cell all day. And I hope "

“And?”

“Access to your ship logs. We need to confirm who you are and what you’re trying to do here.” Munda Ek're was starting to suspect that this boy named Ubel was an agent of the Alliance or UGTR. Just like this boy mentioned, it was not unnatural to see minors or underage workers. But it also applies to military personnel and agents. He already had many near death experiences after underestimating the appearances of others.

“And if I refuse?”

“First, we will cut off your fingers. If that's not enough we can slowly cut your limbs one by one until you croak the sounds that we wanted to hear.” Munda Ek're answered.

“Nice!! Such a typical response that I expected from a pirate.” Ubel just laughed at his intimidation, clapping his hands as if impressed, making the pirates in the room quite disturbed at his reaction.

“Boss, is this boy right in the head?” one of his crew spoke out loud what he and others were thinking. “What if he’s just mentally retarded or mentally ill patient who got out and found himself steering a mining ship into space?”

“We should just kill him boss.”

Then Ubel met Munda Ek're's gaze with his own.

"You're welcome to try," he said, his voice suddenly went eerily calm. "To be honest, I am excited to know how you will do it."

Munda Ek're felt a chill run down his spine at Ubel's words. He had dealt with his fair share of hardened criminals and ruthless adversaries in his time as a pirate, but there was something about Ubel's calm demeanor that unnerved him that he couldn’t explain.

“His bluffing boss. Most of them do.” another one of his crew said.

As Munda Ek're's crew grew increasingly impatient and aggressive, Ubel remained steadfast in his refusal to cooperate. Munda Ek're watched calmly as his crew becomes more erratic and hostile, their threats growing more violent with each passing moment.

"You think you're tough, huh?" one of the crew members sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "We'll see how tough you are after a few hours of skinning your arm."

But Ubel simply shrugged off their attempts to intimidate him, his expression betraying no hint of fear or apprehension.

"Mmmm," he said calmly. "But I can assure you, it won't be as easy as you think."

Frustrated by Ubel's defiance, Munda Ek're's crew pressed him for answers, demanding to know about any valuable items or money he might be hiding, as well as the whereabouts of any other crew members. But Ubel remained steadfast in his insistence that he was alone.

"There are no other crew," he repeated calmly, his voice unwavering. "Just me and my ship."

"You expect us to simply take your word for it?" Munda Ek're asked, his voice low and dangerous. "We need to verify the authenticity of your claims. Access to the ship's logs would allow us to do just that."

Ubel shrugged, seemingly unfazed by Munda Ek're's threats. He was now getting more suspicious. And Ubel seemed to have noticed it.

"Not without some assurance that I won't be treated as a prisoner." he turned his head to the side and laid his back on the wall.

"We don't have time for games," Munda Ek're said, his tone harsh. "Either you cooperate with us willingly, or we'll have to resort to... other methods."

Turning to his implants for guidance, Munda Ek're began to analyze Ubel's mental and physical state, searching for any weaknesses or vulnerabilities that he could exploit. He subtly enabled his ocular upgrades to scan also the brain activity and heartbeats of their prisoner.
But to his surprise, he felt no abnormality on the CT Scan and found his heartbeats to be normal. Even more, he found no implants Ubel’s body.
Not a single one.

Making Ubel unlike any prisoner he had ever encountered as all people and even a child or a newborn infant would be given an implant the moment they become developed inside their mother’s womb to help it survive a harsh vacuum environment in space, interstellar travel or colonies .

In fact its a typical feature on a human body since humanity had started colonizing the stars. As the leader of the Demonic Monkeys, Munda Ek're had encountered his fair share of individuals with various cybernetice nhancements, from basic ocular upgrades to more advanced neural implants. But Ubel stood before him, seemingly untouched by the technological advancements that had become commonplace in the outer sectors of space.

So Munda Ek're seeing a human body with no cybernetics or implants was beyond strange. His mind raced as he observed Ubel, his suspicions growing with each passing moment. For someone in the spacefaring community to lack any cybernetic enhancements... especially ocular implants which had become almost ubiquitous among miners, space faring traders and pirates alike.

Its like a seeing a living naked human being inside an active volcano.

Then he started to think if Ubel was not from the Sol System or any of the neighboring sectors, but came from a community that had no cybernetic enhancements? And what was he doing out here in the asteroid belt, alone in a mining ship with no implants to speak of? And was such a community even exist?

Munda Ek're's implants scanned Ubel's body again for confirmation that he wasn’t having any delusions or drunk, only to confirm again what his implanted cybernetic eyes had already told him. There were no traces of cybernetic implants or enhancements of any kind.

It was as if Ubel belonged to a bygone era.
A relic from a time before cybernetics had become integrated into everyday life.

A sudden realization struck Munda Ek're like a bolt of lightning.

A rumor in the past that would sprung here and then from station bars, red light destricts, or mentioned by prostitutes or even passing fencers about a distant place, several thousands jumps away from the furthest reaches of their known galactic board. A distant sovereign power in the other side of the undiscovered sectors of Milky Way, a civilization that adhered to strict religious doctrines and viewed cybernetics as a heresy against their state religion.

Could it be possible that Ubel was from this distant civilization, a stranger in a strange land who had ventured into the outer sectors in search of something unknown? It seemed unlikely, but Munda Ek're couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Ubel than met the eye.

Turning to his crew, Munda Ek're's expression was grave. As he thinks even more about it, he felt like hes sinking even deeper in to the dark murky mud swamp, drowning while not knowing where he was. And he wanted to beat himself up for overthinking things.

He made a mental note to tread carefully. He already considered the possibility that Ubel was indeed from the distant sovereign power, they could find themselves getting involved or dealing with forces far beyond their understanding and could stand against. Something they would never want to.

“By the way, could you tell me the current date with respect to UGTR system?” Ubel suddenly asked with a strange question.

Then Munda Ek're's eyes narrowed as Ubel's question hung in the air, his mind racing to come up with a plausible explanation. It was clear that Ubel's sudden inquiry about the date had caught him off guard. He now had more questions than answers. Why is he asking about the date? Is something going to happen?

"Ah, the date," Munda Ek're said, trying to sound casual despite the rising tension in the room. "You see, we're currently the 2781st year in the Sol System... well, let's just say we're a bit off the grid at the moment. Lost track of exact date and time once we entered this debris field, you know how it is."

He chuckled nervously, hoping that Ubel would buy his flimsy excuse. But as he looked into Ubel's eyes, he could sense that the boy was not convinced. There was a calculating gleam in Ubel's gaze, as if he saw through Munda Ek're's facade and knew more than he was letting on.
To his surprise, Ubel began to laugh also. The sound echoing off the walls of the brig.

"The 2781st year in the Sol System, you say?" he remarked, his voice tinged with amusement. "Well, isn't that interesting."

Munda Ek're frowned, his suspicions growing with each passing moment. There was something about Ubel's reaction that didn't sit right with him, a sense of foreboding that gnawed at the edges of his consciousness.

"What's so funny?" Munda Ek're asked, his tone sharp and serious.

But Ubel simply continued to laugh, his laughter growing louder and more manic with each passing second.

"Oh, nothing," he said between fits of laughter. "I just find it amusing, that's all. The 2781st year in the Sol System... who would have thought?"

Munda Ek're exchanged a meaningful glance with his crew, his mind racing to make sense of Ubel's cryptic words. Whatever secrets the enigmatic miner held, it was clear that they were far more profound than Munda Ek're had initially suspected. His mind raced as he watched Ubel closely, his suspicions still lingering despite the miner's sudden change in demeanor. It was clear that Ubel was playing some sort of game, but for what end, Munda Ek're could only speculate.

“Fine, I’ll give you access. But your boarding pods destroyed my bridge making it impossible for me to access it through ruined and static terminals.” Ubel replied.

“Then ho-”

“But I can still access it directly to my ship’s mainframe in my cargo bay. The ship’s logs will then be provided by the system.” Ubel added. “In exchange, I want you to guarantee my life and safety. I truly dislike pain, you see.”

“…” Munda narrowed his eyes in more suspicion. But true to Ubel’s words, they found access to the ship’s mainframe in the cargo bay but had no permission and was unable to crack the security around it.

As Ubel spoke of surrendering and offering access to the ship's logs in exchange for his life, Munda Ek're felt a surge of caution wash over him. But faced with the prospect of gaining valuable information about Ubel's origins and intentions, Munda Ek're knew that he had little choice but to agree to the miner's terms.

"Very well," Munda Ek're said, his voice smooth and composed. "We can guarantee your safety... for now. And we'll see where things go from there."

With that, Munda Ek're motioned for his crew to unlock the cell door, the heavy metal bars floating back to the ceiling and the floor with silent motion.

Ubel then led Munda Ek're and his crew to the cargo bay, his hands still restrained behind his back. With several pirates watching him closely, aimed with guns, their senses on high alert as they entered the dimly lit chamber.

As they reached the corridor to the cargo bay, Munda Ek're couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at the sight of his fleet surrounding Ubel's mining ship on a ship’s window. It was a formidable display of firepower, one that had struck fear into the hearts of countless traders and freighters throughout the outer stations and planets.

“Still, its actually impressive to see a massive fleet of pirates in action. Most of the time, I would only see or encounter one or two pirate ships attacking a group of freighters. But a fleet like this… its something else.” Ubel spoke out loud his impression, gazing upon the fleet with a look of awe and admiration as he passed through the glimpse of them on several of his ship’s windows. Munda Ek're however did not feel flattered and signaled to his men to keep a close watch on Ubel, ready to strike at a moment's notice if the miner showed any sign of treachery. He knew that they were treading on dangerous ground, but if it meant uncovering the truth behind Ubel's mysterious origins.