Multi-Dimensional Merchant System

“Huh.”

Arriving in a completely new place, somewhere out in the Universe, in an instant was mildly disorienting. Finding himself not on the deck of some wooden sailing vessel but in a small, metal room is what really surprised him.

That, and the five foot tall... roach... person?... standing just a few feet away.

Standing upright on two legs, its brown exoskeleton stood out starkly against the gleaming metal walls. It's body was broad and flat, with two pairs of arms hanging from its segmented body. No different than a roach from Earth, really, just on a much larger scale.

That, and it was wearing what looked like overalls, white bandages covered on of its eyes, and had a pistol looking weapon strapped to its hip.

And it talked, which Oliver discovered as it opened its mandibles and spoke.

“Ah, hello friend. I'm very pleased to meet you!” It gushed as both pairs of hands clapped in excitement. “I was so very excited when I was informed that someone had accepted our request!”

“Oh! Where are my manners?” It rambled on without pause. “My name is Omi, and welcome to our ship, Star's Hope.”

Omi gestured grandly around himself, only to realize belatedly he was waving at a nothing more than silvery walls. “Oh, er... I assure you, she is one of the finest ships my people have ever built. This little storage closet doesn't do it justice.”

“Huh.” Oliver blinked dumbly before shaking his head. “Just for clarification, what sort of ship is this? And you can call me Silk, by the way.”

Omi froze momentarily, his one eye blinking rapidly. “Silk? The merchant named Silk who has provided a great deal of supplies to us through the 'Commissions' function?”

Oliver shrugged at the question. “Well, if those supplies are things like food or medical supplies... Then probably.”

Oliver wasn't sure of his ability to read the expressions of an insect, and being stared at intensely by a giant roach was a bit creepy... But the awe, bordering on worship, in Omi's tone made him incredibly uncomfortable. “THE Merchant Silk...”

Omi bowed humbly, and his voice nearly broke with emotion. “Thank you! It is because of you that our situation is not nearly as dire as we had initially predicted. When we received literal tons of those strange vegetables two months ago-”

Oliver almost laughed at suddenly being remind of his 'heist'. Breaking into Hardeman's warehouse and emptying it of all that produce... He didn't make a lot of credits from it, considering the incredible quantity, but he hadn't had time to search for better paying Commissions in the moment... And screwing the bastard over was still worth it.

“-it bought us more time for repairing our grow chambers... And, considering the difficulties we have face since then, it has likely saved some of our lives as well.”

Oliver simply nodded as he tried to keep up with the excitable and enthusiastic creatures rambling. “Well, I'm glad it had worked out for you... And there is really no need to thank me. You paid for the food. I simply delivered it.”

“Of course. A man of such kindness and character must have no desire for flattery- No matter how well deserved.” Omi nodded, and Oliver chose to ignore the uncomfortable sensation of being put on a pedestal. He wasn't a hero, and he would never pretend to be.

Hopefully they would just quickly move past it, he hoped.

“Ah, you're question about the ship... Please follow me, friend Silk.” Omi said as he waved for Oliver along.

Exiting the storage closet, Oliver could see a metal hallway stretching a hundred feet in either direction. Small doorways dotted either side of the hall, with each doorway filled by a heavy-looking sheet of metal. A small hiss from behind caused him to glance over his shoulder to see an identical metal sheet sliding out of the wall to fill the doorway behind, answering the unasked question even as it formed in his mind. Next to each doorway was what looked like a keypad, though he didn't have a chance to puzzle out how they worked before something else caught his attention.

At each end of the hallway was a bulkhead door, similar to what he had seen when touring a submarine when he was younger... Or what some sci-fi shows had used on spaceships.

Oliver froze in place as his mind raced, connecting the dots. “Bulkhead doors... Grow chambers? I'm guessing those are for growing food... Is this some sort of huge ass spaceship, Omi?”

Omi blinked blankly at him for a moment, before a small chuckle escaped him. “I suppose I wasn't clear about that when I asked for help. Yes, this ship travels through space. Though spaceship is a rather simplified explanation...”

He started walking slowly as he spoke, his voice tinged with sadness and regret. “This ship, Star's Hope, is just one of the Arks we built during The Fall...”

Oliver waved to stop the strange man, though he spoke gently, aware that this was a painful subject for these people- the 'Rach', he remembered as he thought about the bounty post again. “I don't mean to be rude, Omi, but it is probably best if you explain things as if I am a complete stranger that has never even heard of your people or what they have been through.”

Omi paused in place, head tilted quizzically, before a raspy laugh escaped him. “That is fair, friend Silk. It is clear that you are different from us just by your appearance... Let me see... I suppose I should start at The Fall...”

Oliver could feel the emphasis put on those words. He clearly wasn't talking about the season, but a major event in his people's history.

“A thousand years ago, back when I was still a young man and had just joined our army-” Oliver's mind boggled at the fact that Omi had lived for so long, but, not wanting to interrupt again, he restrained his surprised outburst. “-things were simple. We had just began to explore the nearby planets in our system. My country, Avli, was not the strongest... But our technology was the best, though only by a small margin. At least, that is what everyone believed.”

He chuckled softly at the memory. “I was just a soldier, so what do I know? Anyway, things were good. We hadn't been at war with anyone in several years, food was plentiful... We worked, spent time with our families... Things were good...”

A soft sigh escaped him as he continued. “Then the creatures showed up. No one knows where they came from. They just suddenly appeared, ripping people apart with their claws... And eating them...”

“Fuck...” The word slipped out of Oliver's mouth before he knew it, a feeling of dread building in his heart. When Omi paused to look at him, Oliver asked-though he was sure he already knew the answer. “These creatures... About my height, white all over... Sharp claws and teeth, but no eyes? And hard as hell to kill?”

Omi's eye widened in alarm. “You have encountered these creatures?”

“Yeah. Had to kill some to stop them from invading my home... Which I'm guessing is what happened to you.”

Omi nodded sadly as he drooped in place. “Yes...”

“We did not learn of the creatures until too late. They had wiped out an entire town without anyone even knowing it had happened...”

“Some people grew concerned because they were unable to contact their relatives. They went to see them... And died as well...”

“It was only though luck that the creatures were discovered.”

“Mimi Vasler... Everyone knows her name. It is because of her that we found out about the creatures... She went to check on her grandfather and, because she was on a video call wit her husband, the first images of the creature was captured... Though she did not survive...”

Omi sighed again, shaking his head. “There is a great deal of confusion surrounding the exact details after that. All we know for certain is that our response was to slow and too limited. A few people were sent to investigate. When none returned, a larger force was sent... And, by the time we realized our mistake, it was too late.”

Omi's hands shook as he struggled with the memory. “By the time we mobilized the full force of our military, the creatures numbered in the thousands... And they had spread out to several other towns and cities.”

“We failed to contain them... And, somehow, they spread to other countries...”

“Then the order was given... and our nuclear arsenal was engaged...”

“And our world did not survive.”