This is a story I'm doing for a contest to win some major money, about 5000 dollars to be exact, and I'm hoping I can get some feed back on it. Well, enjoy!

Prologue

For as long as humanity has existed, curiosity has fueled their expeditions. Such curiosity has ignited the spark that lead to space colonization. After inter-planetary colonization had been perfected in the year 4359, according to the Roman Calendar, people headed towards the stars. And what they found shocked their home world.
Of course straying away from earth and towards distant planets meant interactions with extra-terrestrial life. Such life had significant changes for the human space expansion plans.
Several members of the original expedition documented planets that seemed to have a much simpler life-style then those on earth, as well as humanoids who resembled humans. Several solar systems had similar characteristics, if not similar inhabitants, that confused some of the early pilgrims.
Other systems had technology that stunned the earth party. Technology that made their once "state-of-the-art" interstellar vehicle a prehistoric "hunk of junk." Such advances scared some earthlings, but inspired others.
Because of this information humanity began to split into two factions: Those who are technology based, and those who turn down technology, for a simpler life, with not so simple mysteries.
The anti-techs, as the later was called immigrated to the planets with wonders that are beyond description, the main one could only be described in one word: Magical. As improbable as it may seem, magic does exist, if not on earth, then on other planets and their histories, although not called the same thing.
The history of Gerthea, one of the main planets with magical abilities, tells of a "Source of Gera", Gera is the word they and many others use, in place of "magic". Where as we define those who use magic as "magicians, wizards, and witches" the inhabitants refer to them as "Darvors", a term that doesn't define the sex of the user. "The Source of Gera" is a force that lives in all living things. "The Source of Gera" dwells in a region of a galaxy that is only reached after thousands of years in the rotation of the entire galaxy. Those planets, whose orbit in the galaxy crosses through the "Source of Gera", enable the inhabitants to be in tuned to it when they are born, and better able to tap into it. Thus there are bloodlines whose abilities through Gera are more in-tuned than others, until the next meeting of the "Source of Gera."
The others, "Technoids" traveled towards the center of the galaxy, and nearer to the technological advanced planets and civilizations. Such technology greatly advanced the techs and much of the human race back home on earth. Cloning was a possibility, even being able to bring back species long extinct on earth and other planets. Genetic tampering was not allowed. Any deterrence from the original genetic code, meant life in prison. Cybernetic implants were another quantum leap in human technology. Small nano-techs that attach to the skin, muscles, and nerves that increase natural abilities. The nano-techs could be strengthened by the user's own will during stress and the adrenaline that is pumped into their system during such times.
At first the differences between the Technoids and Darvors where barely distinguishable, but centuries later, egos and tempers flared.
Simple discussions between the two became raging arguments and soon, it was feared the universe was on the verge of an Interstellar Civil War, which would drag entire systems under. Before war could be declared the diplomatic approach was tried first. Delegates from both sides of the issues, mostly those who wished not to go to war, secretly met and came to an uneasy agreement.
But even now, two and a half decades later, tempers are still high, and there are those who wish for a war. And wish for it to leave both sides crippled, and leave room for their entrance.

Star’s End: Bounty Head

Space. Outer space has been the last territory to be conquered. After the rush to claim this area, advances in interstellar travel had a large growth spurt. Faster and more efficient ships had been built, spurring on races between companies to see what the fastest ship in the universe was. There was one ship, however, that was still the fastest of all.
In the bleakness of space a silver ship floated, stuck in the time delay between hyperspace jumps. The ship was triangular, with the center core running from one of the points and ending perpendicular with a side. This side was where the engines were placed, giving the ship unsurpassed engine efficiency. Towards the front of the ship the cockpit could be noticed, yellow tinted windows allowing the pilot to see where they where going. Two gun mounts were hidden on either side of the point as well as patches on the edge that could be removed by motors and reveal the missile pods. The other two angles were different as well as the most unique feature of the ship.
These angles were a pair of sliding blades that could be extended and almost become parallel with the base where the engines are fixed. So unexpected were the blades that many ships had met their end on the receiving end of a very close pass.
This was the Star Falcon, the most advanced and fastest ship in the entire Milky Way Galaxy. Inside were several cabins and room for almost half a dozen people to live comfortably. Currently, one of the inhabitants, the owner of the ship, stared out his window and admired the sea of stars.
His bright green eyes scanned the stars and caught hints of novas of every color. Blue hair had several strands that suck in front of his eyes, but he didn’t mind. Currently he was wearing baggy gray pants with red patches over his knees and boots were still on his feet. He had on a light shirt, quite different from his usual gray chest armor.
This man was sitting inside his own room, a cot-like bed resting against one wall and sets of drawers inside the wall on the opposite side of the small room. A cloak was hung up on the wall, and a holster hung right beside it. A staff was leaning in the corner and a pair of octagonal sai lay on the floor.
He was sitting on a stool, his right foot propped up on one of the pipes that ran through the Star Falcon and the other was propped up on another part of the stool. His left elbow was resting on his leg as the right hand was busy typing on a computer terminal. He had been typing when the beauty of the stars outside his window had caught his eye and then decided to admire them for a few moments.
“Kei! Kei Kiaka! Where are you?!” a feminine voice shouted through the halls of the ship.
Kei Kiaka had been staring at the stars for a good ten minutes before the woman’s voice rang through the Star Falcon like a gun-shot. So surprised by the sound, Kei fell over backwards and landed hard on his back.
“Ouch… that hurt.” Kei commented.
The door to his room slid open and the woman who had shouted for him stood there, arms crossed and an enraged look on her face. She wore boots that stopped just under her knees and leggings that went up and stopped past her mid-thigh. The rest of her attire was made up of a revealing body suit that started above her chest and covered her torso down to where it was cut off at her crotch. In all it resembled a bathing suit except that there was an area of a diamond shape removed so her navel showed. She also had on a thin shirt that covered her chest and ended in short sleeves.
“Kei,” she said. “I’ve been shouting at you for five minutes now. If you don’t eat, I’ll get the feeling that you don’t like my cooking.” she glared at him with her brown eyes. Her red hair flowed with every slight movement she made.
Isha Taoya stood in Kei’s doorway, waiting for an answer.
“Sorry, Isha, but I was kinda busy.” Kei replied. “Not that your cooking isn’t bad,”
“Oh quit it.” she replied. “Jared and Ji are already waiting.” Isha walked out and the door slid closed behind her.
Kei flipped up into a sitting position and sighed. “If we don’t hit a civilized planet soon, I’m not sure if the three of us can take Isha’s cooking for much longer…”
Kei Kiaka may own the Star Falcon but Isha Taoya was a terror when anyone insulted her cooking skills, even though she was the worst chief in the entire universe. Kei and his partners, Ji Omon and Jared Kard, were literally being tortured, being forced to eat Isha’s meals.
Rubbing his head, Kei headed out of his door and made his way to the kitchen. Where the torture would soon begin.

Ji Omon and Jared Kard sat at the table inside the kitchen as Isha continued to move around, getting everything ready to eat, humming as she did.
Jared Kard was a man who you could sometimes tell what he was thinking, and the look on his face told that he would rather face the Tenchoid Military Force instead of eating Isha’s dishes. Jared was taller than Ji, and even taller than Kei at 6’6”. With a lighter build, Jared wasn’t wearing his usual leather jacket with his gizmos and weapons. His pants were baggy, but were just hanging loose because the pockets were empty. Jared’s foot lightly kicked the base of the table as he tried to ready his stomach for the onslaught of Isha’s food. His hair was a light brown and eyes were blue.
More composed than Jared, Ji sat with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed in his usual “depressed/not caring” look. His eyes were red and contrasted with his black hair and his ears were elongated because he was an Elvin Sapien. Ji wore lose, white clothing and had wrapped some of it up around his fore arms and shins because of the repairs and maintenance he did on the ship. He still had his special gear that allowed him to see the small circuitry of the Star Falcon, resting on his forehead.
“Is there any way we can get out of this?” Jared whispered to Ji.
“Not unless you want to be a part of Isha’s next recipe.” Ji replied
Kei walked in and saw the look on Jared’s face. “So, what’s the mystery ingredient today?” he asked, a smirk on his face.
“Watch it Kei Kiaka.” Isha warned, yielding a frying pan and pointing it at Kei. “Any more comments like that and you aren’t eating.” She turned and continued to work on the meal.
Kei sat down next to Ji and Jared and the three of them waited for the inevitable.
“Do you have any more meal rations Ji?” Kei asked in a low tone.
“You asked me that last time and the time before that. No, we wasted them all after she served us our first meal.” Ji replied.
Kei and Jared sighed at Ji’s response.
Ji may have seemed like the pessimistic type of person, but he was really only realistic. Having to remind Kei and Jared of this fact several times. Kei and Jared already knew this, but enjoyed bugging Ji just the same.
Finally Isha served out the meals for everyone and took a seat across from them. She started eating energetically while the other three just stared at their bowls.
Each having a bowl in hand they tried the food, secretly praying that it would taste better than last time. They were mistaken.
“Blech.” Jared commented. “Do we have to eat this?” he whispered.
“If you want to have any energy, then we have no choice.” Ji replied, and even his calm disposition had been rocked by the taste of the food.
“Kei, can’t you use some of your Darvor hocus-pocus and improve the taste just a bit?” Jared asked again.
Kei forced himself to eat. “Sorry, but not even Darvor magic can fix this. Gera give me strength.” he replied, eyes rolling up, and forced himself to eat a bit more.
Then there came a beeping siren through out the entire ship, stopping the meal. Kei, Jared, and Ji stood up instantly.
“Okay, now we can get back into hyperspace.” Kei commented and dashed out the door.
“Better get the information on the planet system we’ll arrive at.” and Jared was gone.
“Have to make sure the engines are still operating at 100 percent.” Ji left, and then Isha was the only one left alone.
“Hey! Get back here!” she shouted.

The three guys stood at a sink by the living quarters of the[/i] Star Falcon[/i]. Each had an extended drink from the sink until only a faint taste of Isha’s cooking remained.
Jared sighed. “Nice timing Kei.”
“Yes, good idea to set the time laps at a point right in the middle of our meal.” Ji added, his composure back.
Kei took a long drink from the sink and wiped his face before replying. “I figured that would work.”
The three stared at each other and then Jared let out a muffled laugh and then Kei started in. Even Ji joined in laughing. After a minute of straight laughing the three headed towards the cockpit of the ship.
“But still,” Kei admitted. “We shouldn’t have run out on her like that. She did spend the time to cook for us.”
“Kei, don’t worry about it.” Jared slapped Kei in the back. “Once we hit Rekeri, we can get a decent meal, and buy her a cook book.”
“She’d throw it right back in your face Jared.” Ji commented. He smiled. “And I’d even laugh at that.”
“I’d pay money to see that.” Kei chipped in.
Jared was almost dumbfounded and Ji and Kei walked on. “Hey! Wait a minute! Who said I’d give it to her?” he wanted to know.

The Star Falcon left hyperspace and the crew found themselves getting close to a planet with green splotches mixed with brown and vast areas of blue. Starships of all shapes and sizes flew around in this area of space. Star fighters to freighters, they all flew around Rekeri, either leaving or just waiting for clearance to land.
“Let’s see,” Jared said as he looked at his nave-computer and sitting next to Kei, Isha and Ji sitting behind them. “Rekeri has about a 706,531 mile radius, has a 80% water surface and 20% of land, and its major industry is the harvesting of its unique Eriak Fish, which I hear is every tasty.” Jared licked his lips. “It is the sixth planet of the Genkar System and is also the third largest planet. Major space ports are those close to the coast, the largest cities as well.”
“Well let’s give them a call.” Kei commented and opened a channel to the space port authority. “Rekeri Space Administration? This is Kei Kiaka of the Star Falcon requesting clearance to land.”
There was a blast of static before a reply came through. “Star Falcon, you have been cleared to land at Dock #342 at Bekara. Coordinates are 43 degrees north and 68 degrees east. Welcome to Rekeri.”

The Star Falcon lowered through the clouds and everyone admired the scene before them. A large expanse of deep blue sea stretched to the horizon as a city could be seen close to the shore on the long expanded beach. Ji spotted the space port and Kei headed towards it.
Large ships were docking, freighters with important cargo that was to be shipped between planets, mostly interstellar trade. Smaller ships, privately owned sped off, leaving the hulking star ships far behind. The door for Dock # 342 opened and Kei killed the main engines and activated the vertical thrusters and slowly decreased their output so the ship descended easily. The three legs of the landing gear extended into their locked positions as the Star Falcon touched down in Bekara.
A ramp extended from under the hull of the ship and Kei, Ji, Jared, and Isha walked down and admired the appearance of the Space Port Docks.
“A lot cleaner than the ones at Hakie,” Jared commented. “Wonder if they have some decent food.” Jared had his leather jacked on and zipped up half-way. He was also wearing his fingerless gloves and his pants were weighed down with most of his weapons.
“I hear the Eriak Fish is a delicacy in this entire system and in other systems as well.” Ji commented. He was still wearing the same clothes but had a sword strapped to his belt. His gear was still sitting on his forehead.
“Maybe we can get a decent meal.” Kei added. He was wearing his cloak, his staff strapped to his back, the holster attached to his belt as well as his sais tucked in there. Kei had his chest armor on now. His cloak went around his shoulders so much of this couldn’t be seen. Kei’s comment got a slap in the back of his head from Isha.
“I fed you three good meals the entire time, and yet all you do is complain.” Isha was irritated with them. She had a single holster strapped to her right leg as they left the ship. “Fine, I’m going on without you.”
Isha walked ahead of them and flagged down one of the transports that would take people anywhere in Bekara, essentially a taxi service for Space Port customers.
“Ya know,” Kei stated, rubbing his head. “She’s cute when she’s angry.”
Jared chuckled. “Yeah. Cute like a rabid Rock Worm. Common, I think I know some good taverns.”
The three of them managed to catch a transport, and Jared directed the driver to the taverns which he was talking about.

Kei and Jared were working on their third serving of the Eriak special. The fish was served, broiled, mixed with lemon-like juices, and with just a touch of fruit to give it an appetizing flavor. Ji was still on his first one, taking his time while Kei and Jared stuffed their faces. It was the best tasting thing they had eaten in days.
“Ahhh, about time.” Jared commented as he finally put down his plate, three fish skeletons resting on the other plates by him. “Any more of Isha’s cooking and I was going to have to buy another stomach.”
Kei was eating his fourth fish. Because he was a Darvor, Kei usually ate more than the other three members of the Star Falcon crew. But even then he ate more than other Darvors, because Kei was also a Technoid.
Technoids essentially had tiny nano-bots that operated inside of the person’s body, repairing damaged tissue, helping battle dieses, and also increasing the strength and longevity of the host. Sometime in the Technoid past, industry had poisoned the air and resources so badly that the scientists needed to find ways to improve the health of everyone, and then clean the environment. The nano-bots were the result, and require the glucose and other sugars to operate.
Darvors, instead of technology, had a source of energy that allowed them to manipulate the elements. The “Source of Gera” as it is mostly called, allows Darvors to tap into its power and create spells and control several elements. But, the “Source” is located in a section of the Milky Way that is only obtainable ever several thousand years. Once someone is born while a planetary system is in this certain area, they are able to be in touch with the “Source” and use its power.
“True,” Kei replied. “Too bad we can’t get Isha to even let any of us cook.”
“It’s like she is punishing us for something we did.” Ji commented, taking a sip from his cup.
“Hell, all we did was save her from Kal Kipyard and that Bio-thing.” Jared retorted.
“It was a Biolizard, Jared.” Kei stated. Of course Kei remembered that. He had jumped in to save Isha when Kal was ready to kill her, and she was working for him. He got caught and so Kal decided to use them as bait for his Biolizard, a bi-pedal reptile with spines, bad breath, and a bad attitude. Luckily, Ji had planned an escape route for them and Jared had a hover speeder ready for their getaway. That was when Isha Taoya had joined the Star Falcon crew, and had proven to be almost more than Kei, Ji, and Jared could handle.
As the three sat and talked quietly, two customers by a table near them hadn’t noticed their arrival. They were unshaven, stubbles of hair sprouting from their jaws, and dressed in old clothing that had been through its fair share of fights. The taller one leaned forward to whisper to his partner. This one had purple hair as well as a dagger tucked underneath his cloths.
“Okay, it’s like I said, Jeric Daemon is looking for helpers with his latest job.” he said.
The other one, slightly smaller in size with blond hair looked at the other with concern. “Are you sure about this Slant? Last time we got busted big time. The Space Force is still keeping an eye on us.”
Slant patted his partner on the shoulder. “That don’t matter Gent,” he said. “Jeric has the best people and can hide us very easily if anyone comes looking. So many haven’t gotten even to trial based on not enough evidence. There‘s no problem.”
Gent lowered his voice as he replied. “But I heard that there’s a large bounty on Jeric’s head. Several Bounty Hunters have already landed here on Rekeri.”
As Gent was saying this, Kei had caught most of the conversation as his sipped his own drink. He smiled and motioned to Ji and Jared about the two idiots sitting by them.
“Don’t worry about that.” Slant replied. “Jeric has enough security that they haven’t even gotten close, and if they do, they end up dead.”
A pair of hands grabbed onto both Gent and Slant’s shoulders. “What’s this about a big Bounty boys?” The voice was familiar, too familiar to Gent and Slant’s ears.
They both jumped and they looked up. “KEI!” they shouted, surprised to see Kei Kiaka standing behind them.
“What are we? Chopped liver?” Jared commented as he took a seat at their table.
Ji had his hand on the sheath of his sword as he stared at the two. He sat down as well.
Slant and Gent had been busted by Kei, Jared, and Ji several times. Mostly because they were idiots and happened to be employed by the bounty Kei and the others just happened to be after. They were petty criminals and the Star Falcon Bounty Hunters seemed to enjoy picking on them.
Kei took a seat between Slant and Gent, the two extremely surprised and nervous to see the Bounty Hunters so soon after being released from jail. “Come on boys,” Kei encouraged. “Tell us. We hate it when secrets are kept from decent working people.”
Slant was the most stubborn of the two criminals. “Why should we have to tell you anything, you Bounty Hunting scum.”
Ji slipped his hand around the handle of his sword. “Should I remind you what nearly happened to you on Grenad?”
Slant and Gent gulped and crossed their legs at the memory.
“Okay, we heard Jeric Daemon was looking for some guys for a job.” Gent stammered.
“What kind of job?” Jared asked.
“Dunno, that’s all we heard.” Gent replied.
“Where were you supposed to go?” Kei asked this time.
“One of the docks on the shore.”
“You have to be more specific than that.” Ji commented and pulled his sword out a little bit, showing off the blade.
“All right. It’s pier 54, near the sea port.” Slant stammered.
Kei, Jared, and Ji looked at each other. Satisfied with their two informants they stood up and got ready to leave.
Slant let out a sigh when he felt Kei’s hand land on his shoulder again. “Garcon! These two gentlemen will get our checks. Have a nice day you two.” He walked out, following Ji and Jared.
Gent and Slant were dumbfounded, and when they were handed the bill, they realized there was no way they could pay. So the manager “hired” them both to pay off the bill that Kei and the others had worked up.