by Sarah Noffke
Phillip extended his arm to Bailey formally. “May I, my lady?”
Her eyes widened and for a moment. She didn’t know how to respond. After a long pause, she forced a smile and pretended to take the hologram’s arm, hers passing right through it. “Uhhh. Thank you. I never expected such formality.”
“Of course,” Phillip said, leading them out. “Dave says that manners are lost in this day and age of technology. Therefore, I was programmed to bring back the old traditions.”
Lewis extended his arm to Vitos. “Shall we?”
Vitos eyed the offered arm for a moment, and then followed behind Bailey and Phillip on his own.
Lewis dropped his arm and charged forward. “Oh, fine then. I was trying to be nice.”
“I prefer not to be touched, if it’s all the same,” Vitos said, his feet coming off the ground as his wings picked him up slightly.
Phillip led them to a large area where hundreds of crates of coffee beans sat in stacks. A dozen Tuetians buzzed back and forth from various connectors unloading crates. At the back of the loading zone, two Tuetians were putting crates onto conveyor belts that disappeared into a hole in the wall.
The aliens were all busy flying and unloading, like worker bees in a colony. None of them spoke or showed any individual personality. Lewis studied them and noticed how they all looked similar in shades of reds and oranges. Vitos, in contrast, had shimmering blues and greens on his head, legs, arms and wings. His face also had an individuality to it, making him appear more personable.
“The coffee beans from Tueti are delivered here,” Phillip explained, leading them through the large room. “They go to another department for quality assurance. If you’ll please follow me up these escalators, we can cross into that area.”
The escalators led to a catwalk that ran the length of the room. There were various employees stationed up there, supervising the unloading of the crates.
Their group paused to wait for three Tuetians flying by, carrying crates. A soft wind from the aliens’ wings hit Lewis as they passed, their eyes focused on the conveyor belts. He chanced a glance at Vitos, who had his head low and appeared to be ducking down behind Phillip.
It must be odd to see his own here and not reach out to them. Maybe he’s trying to figure out how to say something?
When the traffic passed, they crossed the intersection and headed straight for the escalators up to the loft area.
“Vitos?” a voice called at their backs.
They turned to see that one of the Tuetians returning to the connector had broken formation. He zipped over so fast, Lewis’s eyes hardly registered his trajectory. He’d never seen Vitos move that way, blurring as he flew.
The Tuetian now bore down on Vitos, looking at him from above. “Is that you?”
Vitos sputtered out a cough as he landed on his feet, his wings going still. “Soro. Uhhh. Yes, it is me.”
“Hey!” the Tuetian called to the others returning to the connectors. “Look who it is! Vitos!”
Three Tuetians flew over like Soro had, whirling through the air effortlessly. The others only shook their heads and kept on working.
“Vitos!” the first Tuetian who landed said. “Are you okay? We heard you disappeared. We thought those trespassers abducted you.”
“Ummm. I’m fine,” Vitos said, staring down at the floor, his wings drooping like the expression on his face. “I left with them.”
Soro looked Bailey and Lewis over, heat flaring across his face as he fluttered in the air. “The trespassers. How dare you show up here?”
Phillip stepped in front of the group. “These visitors are under my protection.”
“But they trespassed onto Tueti and then escaped without being tried,” Soro stated.
Phillip looked back at Bailey and Lewis. “Yes, they appear to trespass a lot. However, at PGC, curiosity is rewarded, not punished.”
“The commander will want to know about this,” one of the other Tuetians stated, circling the group. “He’ll want to know about you, Vitos.”
Vitos’s shoulders slumped with defeat. “Please don’t tell the commander.”
“We will have to,” the Tuetian said. “You should return with us to state your case.”
Vitos lifted his head. “No. I won’t.”
“But you must!”
Vitos’s wings began to beat, lifting him off the ground. They didn’t beat rhythmically, like the others’, but rather haphazardly. Still, he managed to bring himself even with the others.
“No,” he said boldly. “I refuse. It is my choice, and I don’t want to.”
“You know that is irrelevant,” Soro said, rising so he was a foot higher and looking down at Vitos. “Choice is not something we have the luxury of, and you know that.”
Vitos’s face flushed red as he willed himself to beat his wings harder. He rose, but then dropped several inches. He let out a grunt as he tried again. The Tuetians around him watched this with mild interest.
When he was sweating profusely and nearly out of breath, he rose to meet Soro’s height. “No! I have a choice, and I choose to not return.”
Soro didn’t answer, but instead twirled around, rising like a helicopter. The wind from his wings hit Vitos, and he tumbled through the air and fell to the ground, landing hard on his back.
Bailey and Lewis ran over at once to help him, while the Tuetians gathered around and laughed loudly, effortlessly hovering in the air.
“We don’t want you back anyway,” Soro said, lowering again to be even with the others. “Why would we want a Tuetian who can’t fly?”
Vitos was visibly shaking, but allowed Bailey to help him up and brush him off. Lewis gave Phillip a pointed glare. The AI took the hint right away.
“Yes, you all need to finish the delivery,” Phillip said, rising into the air like he had wings and ushering the Tuetians to the connectors. “My guests have a tour awaiting them, and this has been quite the interruption.”
The Tuetians cast menacing glares at Vitos as he hobbled between Lewis and Bailey toward the escalators.
“Are you all right?” Bailey asked him.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Vitos said in a hush. “I landed wrong. My foot will be fine.”
Lewis didn’t point out that Vitos hadn’t landed at all, but rather fell. He was about to pat him on the back instead, when he remembered what his friend had said about Tuetians not liking to be touched.
“Don’t worry about them,” he said soothingly. “They are lemmings who can’t think for themselves. You’re an individual who has us.”
Vitos made to nod, but his feeling of defeat was too heavy. “Yeah, but they can fly. You see how they move with such grace and speed. That’s the way Tuetians were meant to fly. I’m a failure.”
Bailey shook her head. “You are unique. If you could fly like them, then you’d probably be working like they are. However, you’re on your own path. When we can’t fly, we learn other ways to soar.”
Lewis gave Bailey an impressed look. “Wow, Walt Whitman. When did you start writing poetry?”
“Shush it, Harlowe,” Bailey snapped.
Phillip materialized beside the group as they reached the top of the escalators. He calmly smoothed his suit. “I apologize for the interruption. Shall we continue with the tour?”
He led them through a set of double doors to another large room. The aroma of coffee whacked Lewis in the face instantly.
Below, on the conveyer belts, the crates were being opened up and laid flat in a single line. The belts then took them to another area, where employees stood, inspecting the beans.
“Each bean is checked five times before it passes through to the roasting room,” Phillip explained.
“Each? Five times?” Lewis echoed.
“Well, naturally,” Phillip said plainly. “A bad bean makes bad coffee, and we can’t have that.”
Bailey sniffed the air, rising on her toes like she was being pulled in. “Yes, and PGC makes the very best, fo
r sure.”
Phillip led them to a bank of elevators. “Then it sounds like we should have a tasting.”
“But what about the next room?” Lewis asked.
Phillip chuckled. “It’s unadvisable for humans to go into the roasting room. We use robots for that, since exposure to molten lava can be fatal.”
Lewis nodded. “Molten lava. Right. Yeah, good call on skipping that part of the tour.”
“We can discuss the packaging and distribution over a cup of joe,” Phillip said. “We have several flavors, including a peppermint dark roast and a Kahlua blend.”
Bailey gave Lewis a look of anticipation. “Glad we stopped off, now?”
“Very,” he said with a wink.
The elevator was mostly glass, giving them a view of the sorting room as they rose higher. They ascended past three more levels, but moved so fast it was hard to take in too many details. Finally, the elevator halted gently, and the doors bounced open with a soft ding.
“I’ll have to leave you here,” Phillip said, not getting off the elevator. “Something has come up. I do apologize, but Vitos knows this level well and can show you around. I wouldn’t cut the tour short, except I have important work I must attend to immediately.”
“Is there another delivery?” Lewis asked. “Do you need to greet someone?”
Phillip shook his head. “There are some problems with the merger paperwork. I do apologize, as I was immensely enjoying my time with you all.” The AI smiled and disappeared.
Lewis looked at Bailey tentatively. “Did he say ‘merger’?”
She nodded carefully. “The big question is, who is Precious Galaxy Coffee merging with?”
Chapter Sixteen
Precious Galaxy Coffee Headquarters, Near Planet Tarana, Hapeti System
“Holy mother of Jesus!” Bailey exclaimed, looking up at the waterfall that gushed overhead, cascading down what must have been three stories and landing in a glistening pool. The mist from the waterfall hit her in the face, making her feel suddenly refreshed. Who needs a cup of coffee when they can be misted by a man-made waterfall?
Still, the aroma of freshly roasted coffee brewing in the distance mixed with the saltwater air, making a strangely intriguing combination. The atrium was crowded with tables and chairs, where people sat enjoying cups of coffee and biscotti. Groups chatted easily, and solo parties lounged, reading books or meditating.
“There’s a café over here,” Vitos said, pointing. He could hardly be heard over the rush of water nearby.
“Where is the digital canvas you were talking about?” Lewis asked.
Vitos looked to the side tentatively. “Would you want to see that before getting coffee?” He was holding back his excitement.
“Of course,” Bailey said. “Show us.”
Vitos allowed a smile. “Okay then, follow me.” He strode off to the right, rising off the ground slightly as his wings began to beat with excitement. “This area is the main café, as you might have guessed. There’s one on every floor, and the employees are encouraged to take breaks regularly.”
“How do I get a job here?” Bailey asked.
Lewis nudged her. “You know you’d hate having a break.”
She agreed reluctantly. “Yeah, I totally would. Still, I wonder what relaxing feels like.”
Vitos led them into a tall hallway that was lined with large paintings, most of them abstracts. As the sound of rushing water died away, music could be heard.
Piano, Bailey thought.
Vitos halted before a giant room.
In the center of the space was a giant statue of a woman who resembled the greek goddess Athena, holding a spear. She wore a long, flowing gown and had roses pressed into her flowing tresses. She seemed to peer down on the room, guarding it. The walls around her were painted to resemble the Precious galaxy, with planets, stars, and streams of bluish and pink and deep purple space connecting it all.
The room was like a giant museum, sectioned off into different areas. Closest to them was a grand piano, and behind it was a woman playing with her eyes closed. She swayed with the music, seemingly on another plane.
There was a row of chess tables, and most of the chairs were occupied by players. Beside them was an area where people hung from long, suspended, silk fabric. Like dancers, they twirled, turned and stretched.
“It’s a form of aerial acrobatics apparently,” Vitos said, following Bailey’s gaze. “It’s called ‘the silks’.”
“Interesting,” Bailey commented.
“The digital canvases are over here.” Vitos sped off to the other side of the room.
Bailey and Lewis followed. When they were in the middle of the room, Bailey looked up to find the goddess towering directly above them. She seemed to look down with a thoughtful grace. Bailey imagined that she could come to life at any moment and swoop down and pick her up.
She shook her head. This place is playing with my brain.
Vitos halted in front of a row of white screens. The one next to him was roughly six by six foot. He picked up an object that resembled a wand and a palette that didn’t have any paint.
“The system is quite ingenious,” he told them. “I figured it out by briefly watching a woman who was beside me the first time.” He indicated to the three other screens, which were currently empty.
Vitos tapped the palette with the wand, and it was suddenly filled with various colors, like globs of paint. “I think I’ll start with a wide brush,” he said, tapping on the side of the palette.
He then touched the wand to a displayed color and brushed it across the screen. Bright blue paint streaked across the surface.
“Wow,” Bailey said, loving the way the color instantly gave life to the once blank canvas.
“Yes, it’s really cool,” Lewis agreed, watching as Vitos began filling the top of the canvas with blue, like he was making a sky.
“And so the artist returns!” a booming voice said at their backs.
Vitos turned, a bright smile on his face. “Dave!”
Standing only a few feet away was a stout man with a round stomach that complemented his full cheeks. He wore a plaid shirt, starched jeans, cowboy boots and a ten gallon hat. Even with his thick mustache, the smile on his face was visible.
“Vitos Rigar. It’s wonderful to see you. I was worried when I heard you went missing. They said you were abducted,” Dave said, striding forward and shaking Vitos’s hand.
The Tuetian’s head hung automatically, like it had before, when he was confronted by his peers. “I’m sorry to have worried you. I sort of ran away.”
Dave laughed loudly. “Don’t apologize. I ran away from my home galaxy when I was about your age, and it was the best thing I ever did. How does the old proverb go? ‘You can’t find your own sunlight under the shade of the family tree’.”
Vitos’s tension melted. “Yes, I heard about when you first came to Precious. The elders said that they found you hiking around Tueti.”
The CEO nodded. “I didn’t know at all what I was doing, but when I stumbled across the coffee bean fields, I knew I’d found a gem.”
“And the rest is history, as they say,” Vitos said jovially.
Dave turned his attention to Bailey and Lewis. “Where are my manners? I got carried away with my old friend, but it appears he’s brought me new friends.”
Bailey found herself smiling, although she wasn’t sure why. There was something about the man before her that set her at ease.
She extended a hand. “Hello. Thanks for having us. I’m Lieutenant Bailey Tennant.”
Dave’s handshake was neither too firm or too soft. “Pleased to meet you. And who is your handsome fellow?”
She blushed. “Oh, Harlowe isn’t mine.”
Lewis extended a hand to Dave. “Detective Lewis Harlowe, sir.”
Bailey had never heard Lewis say ‘sir’, or wear an easy grin, as she’d just done. There was something about the man before them; he changed people. Made them differen
t, maybe better.
“A detective and a Federation officer.” Dave looked back at Vitos. “You’ve made some interesting friends.”
“They are on a mission,” he stated absentmindedly, looking at his composition.
“Mission you say?” Dave asked, giving his attention back to Bailey and Lewis. “Maybe you can fill me in on the details over a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll.” He rubbed his stomach. “I could use an afternoon snack. Actually, I could use a real meal, if I’m honest. Haven’t eaten in hours.”
“Yes, we were hoping you might have some intel on the case we’re working,” Bailey said.
“Well, I’m happy to share what I know. I’m not one to keep secrets from the authorities.” He leaned in close and whispered, “Unless it’s about my roasting formula. That, I’m taking to the grave. Only the robots, Phillip, and myself know the magic that happens in that room.”
“We heard about the lava,” Lewis said.
He laughed. “My boy, the lava is only part of it. But we’ll speak of it no longer.”
Dave waved them toward the entrance. Bailey and Lewis followed, but Vitos didn’t seem to catch the invitation.
Dave halted and spun back. “Vitos, my dear. I’m leaving you here to explore your genius. You know where to find us, I suppose.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll find you,” Vitos echoed, absorbed in his work, brushing a spot of yellow next to the blue.
Dave scratched his head, looking perplexed. “Monster? This is the first I’m hearing of it. I have heard of Monstre Corp, but not much, to be quite honest. Though my attention has pulled me away quite a bit lately. Something big in the works.”
Lewis stirred his cup of Himalayan chocolate latte, waiting for it to cool enough so he could take a sip. He hadn’t ordered the coffee; instead, Dave had made the order for him and Bailey, saying he could always peg a person’s favorite cup of joe. For Bailey, he’d ordered a salted caramel iced coffee. She’d argued, saying she didn’t usually like sweets.
“Nonsense, this combination is perfect for you,” Dave insisted. “Salty and sweet, and it’s cold, so you don’t have to wait to drink it.”
