Fortune's Detour: Prequel of the Deka Series by Abigail Schwaig

by Abigail Schwaig

  ~

  Once strapped in by my shoulders and thighs and a crisscross over my chest, Sam flicked open his news tube. It unrolled over my lap to blink rapidly about the latest report on the “Peace Through Science” conference. Despite my earlier tiff, I was still interested in the goings-on.

  “Hmmm. Looks like Raedon just won’t stop insulting what’s-his-name. The Formist professor?”

  Sam shook his head, lacking the same information.

  “He has some good retorts though, to the Formist statements.”

  “Yes, if this was a political battle Raedon Arby would be winning.”

  “What does that mean?” I questioned.

  “It means that Raedon is doing everything he can to keep the viewers from actually paying attention to the real reason for the debates.” Sam clenched his jaw as he fiddled with my right shoulder strap.

  “And I fell for it,” I stated flatly.

  “I didn’t say that.”

  I sighed. “I’m sorry. I know you didn’t. It’s just that religion and humanity’s origin is something that people can never agree on- so we shouldn’t even discuss it.”

  “Even among friends?”

  I met his gaze and managed not to flinch from the intensity of it. “Especially among friends.”

  He worked his jaw as if he would say something more, but then he stopped himself.

  I concentrated on the news tube in my lap and tried not to be nervous about the lack of a safety guide. If any breach of the shuttle occurred we’d all be dead in a matter of seconds, so there was no need.

  I found myself staring with realization at Raedon’s shimmering face on the glowing e-paper. He was markedly off-topic this time in the arena. The thought struck me as exasperating.

  Then the knowledge of what we were about to do wiped it from my mind. I searched for something to hold onto and found nothing. Nothing but Sam. I shook my head to physically dump the impulse out of my head and rolled up the tube. I handed it to him, trying not to let our fingers brush, but they did. A little zing traveled down my arm. He slipped the tube into his jacket.

  All of a sudden I could feel it happening. The build-up of the engines. It was getting louder and louder. I squeezed my eyes shut. The noise snow-balled until it was a roar beneath us in the eject tunnel. I felt a hand take mine. I squeezed it in response to the ear pressure and found myself shoved down into the seat as we lifted off. I felt heavy, as heavy as a lumbering beast gets when weighted down by the luggage of its owner. It was like I wore invisible weights, a giant hand pushing me down, and if it weren’t for the shoulder and crisscross straps, I would have slumped with some force into Sam. As it was, my head felt forced into a resting place against his shoulder. “Sorry,” I murmured, but the roar was too loud to hear anything but a scream at this point.

  It was thrilling.

  And then it was over, and I felt light, lighter than air. I rose a centimeter above the seat, hovering, held in place by my straps. “Cool.” I breathed, raising my arms and letting them float in front of me without any continuous effort.

  Sam smiled, crossing his arms over his chest and nodded contentedly. He looked used to it, but still pleased to be experiencing it. “Imagine what you could do if you weren’t strapped in.”

  “Now that would be fun.” I smiled. I glanced up through the viewport at the point of the shuttle. We were heading through the darkness of space and a small circle of radiant energy was fluctuating and coming to life. It resembled lightning, but it was in a circle, and it was the same fixed point in space each time it vacillated. “So that’s a Doorway,” I murmured.

  “Yes,” Sam whispered back.

  “It’s beautiful.”

  “It always is.”

  As the shuttle slowly slid through the energy veil, I could see it happening. It was almost like the Doorway knew what we were made of and was careful of our fragile nature. The energy veil zapped on to the point of the shuttle and seemed to pull us into it, covering us with the fuzzy static. In what I assumed to be an optical illusion, the Doorway’s energy slid inside the compartment with us and deliberately eased forward, enveloping each passenger slowly and completely. When it was my turn, I felt the static electricity of it, the whisperings of a touch from something I could not explain. My brain couldn’t compute it.

  It enveloped Sam and I watched as he allowed it to happen, calmly, eyes shut in peaceful reverence.

  When we were completely sucked in, there was the feeling of falling and flying at the same time. It reminded me of my first time on a roller coaster and how it felt right at the top as you steady yourself for the inevitable plunge, and then the utter exhilaration as you wheel, as if on wings, downward. This time I was the one that gripped Sam’s fingers in my own. I squealed. He was laughing, but I couldn’t hear it. I laughed, too. It felt good. I couldn’t remember the last time I had done that.

  Once we were through, Sam told me that it takes longer to go between planets in the same dimension. “If we were slipping into another dimension, we might not even be able to feel anything. The lines between dimensions are blurry. However, everything within each different reality is very straight-forward where Doorways are concerned. The greater the distance, the greater the acceleration force.”

  “Correction,” I giggled, forgetting I still held his hand. “The greater the distance, the greater the fun.”

  Sam continued to allow my hand to rest in his. “Someday in our future, maybe we’ll be old when it happens- but it will- there will be space shuttles that exist for the sole purpose of ferrying people across the galaxy to other planets.”

  “Even though the Doorways already do that?”

  “They are on a schedule. What if somebody wants to go from Hecta to Mega today instead of waiting two weeks for the customary Doorway alignment? Science will push itself forward just for those few who have the TaoDecks to make it happen.” Sam looked at me. “If I had the credits I’d do it.”

  Sensing the unasked question, I smiled back. “I would, too.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Once we were through the Doorway, the protective shields came down around the viewports so we had an incredible view of the new planet we were orbiting, as well as the spaceport that kept watch over Hecta. We came upon the hulking geometric mass quickly, almost as soon as the Doorway smoothly pulled us out of the energy veil at precisely the same rate of speed as we had entered it.

  I watched with bated breath as the massive automated suction doors slowly opened before the shuttle. They were so big; it seemed that things that large and heavy shouldn’t be able to move so smoothly and quickly. The small craft that we were aboard was a meager insect compared to the hive-like gargantuan size of the spaceport. The outer doors that now opened for us were made of a top-secret metal alloy, at least six feet thick.

  Most space constructions were strictly kept secret for fear of being made targets. But since the turn of the century it was common knowledge that the materials were made up of minerals and other space-worthy metals salvaged from asteroids in the radioactive belt that separated the nine foremost planets from the tenth one in the Deka Quadrant. The mines of Minus-Morgon were very dangerous and paid extremely well with a severance that insured tightly sealed lips as to the specific composition of the materials mined.

  My grandfather had worked on one of the asteroids for several years before he met Gran. For the first leg of their marriage, he had traveled to and from a spaceport where they lived and the mines where he worked. After ten years and a child later, they had enough to live comfortably on savings and severance on the Tera planet. Even after he died of a brain aneurism twenty-five years later in 4792, Gran had enough funds to stay on the Shores. I had been two years old when he died.

  Gran had the house by the Myceania Ocean paid off easily and was my nanny each summer when my parents would leave me and go for an extended vacation. It was their reward for the long grueling work they put in each annum. And each summer I had fallen more and more
in love with the place.

  A hand on my shoulder startled me; I jumped, jerking my head around to meet the intruder.

  "Easy, Nicki." Sam held his palm away in a placating gesture. I breathed a sigh of relief. David and his scoundrel friends still had yet to make an appearance on this trip.

  "I feel silly for doing that," I grinned as we unbuckled ourselves from the harnesses.

  He smiled. "I'm not surprised about it. Don't be too hard on yourself, ‘k?”

  He helped me out of my shoulder straps. His finger accidentally touched my arm and I felt it, more than you’re supposed to feel an accidental brush of the hand. It had the potential to get awkward, so I changed the topic. "Where is the destination- can I know now?"

  "No." He glanced at me through the corner of his eye. "But I'll give you a hint if you want."

  I nodded eagerly. Anything to keep my mind from wandering.

  "Think ‘big city population.’" He spoke in air quotes.

  I groaned. "That could be anywhere."

  Sam smiled. "That's what makes it such a dandy hint."

  "And that's what makes you such an annoying brother." I said loudly- a little too loudly to my own ears, but Sam gave me a covert nod. Passers-by now had a plausibly boring excuse that would place the two of us firmly into the blah background if anyone from the cartel questioned them.

  We were methodically herded out of the shuttle, two at a time. We flashed ID cards or body chips at the exit and then were free to walk around the spaceport. We did so, at leisure. We had some time to kill before catching the right shuttle down to wherever on Hecta we were going to drop. The spaceport had the capability to alter its orbit, but the view port’s clear walls were constantly pointed towards the spectacular view of the solar star whereas the other walls of the port were solidly-colored and permanently facing the dark of space. There was lighting in every compartment, but nothing as majestic or celestial as the solar star's rays pouring into the main bay through the observation wall which was a clear shimmering energy force field powered by generators.

  Lots and lots of generators.

  If the generators failed, so would hull integrity and everyone would get sucked out into space and flash-boiled and then frozen in the void. I wondered how many back-up generators there were and how much effort it would require to disengage them all and sabotage the spaceport to the point of complete destruction. Surely there was some sort of safety force field that could take over if the hull was breached? But I stopped thinking about it, because it was one of those ideas that lead to nothing but anxiety and trouble that I wasn’t prepared to deal with.

  I tried to distract myself and succeeded once we passed a kiosk selling colorful scarves made out of spider-silk from the web factories on Mega, fourth world in the quadrant.

  I ran my fingers over them and wrapped one, a cerulean blue that reminded me of the ocean, around my hand several times like a cast. It shimmered like the solar star's rays on the water at dusk. It was silkier than regular silk- almost too slinky to wear in public even though my throat wasn’t shameful to display. I pulled it off my hand and held it up to the light. I found I could peer through it as if it were a colored pane of glass. The blue of my Myceanian Ocean wavered across the spaceport, the solar star through the shield, and Sam's face when I turned to him. “You’re blue!” I squealed for no apparent reason, except that he had surprised me. I turned away, feeling ridiculous. “I really like this color,” I murmured, trying to distract him from my silliness.

  “Understandable.” His chuckle was like honeyed gravel. It had taken me a while to pinpoint it, but after listening to it for the last week, I thought I had it figured out. I cautiously glanced into his eyes. It was intimidating at first, but once I got used to it I liked it more than I should have.

  ~

  Tom wasn’t home yet.

  Sam ushered me inside the corner brick building off the street and I ducked inside, grateful and breathless, away from the crush of people and noise outside. I had to recalibrate. I wasn’t used to so many people. We were in World City, the biggest metropolitan area on the face of Hecta, and I was completely overwhelmed. Oh, of course it was a cool and interesting place, but so huge! Spending half my life in the small county of Cornish and the rest of my time in a small sector, I had no experience with a place of this magnitude and variety. Not to mention the clash of attitudes. I had passed so many people as we jogged through the clogged sidewalks and ran across churning, busy streets- I’m sure they represented every culture that the quadrant had to offer. The city had been accurately named.

  But now, standing in the clean and rather sparse living quarters of the bottom level of “Tom’s” place, I felt the stress and hurriedness of the city atmosphere start to melt away. The ceilings were higher than average. It was a snug structure, and yet still retained its sense of openness and sharpness in a manner that was very masculine. I could imagine that sometime in the not too distant past this first level was used as a shop while the owner lived above. Living and working on the corner was prime real-estate.

  Sam, by way of nodding, directed me to the second story. I would have a level all to myself. I bounded up the stairs like a child, eager to see my new room.

  “I promised you a bath and a snack and a nap- and everything you need for that, minus the snack, is upstairs. Is there anything you need from the store?” His voice sounded far away and echo-y. He sprinted athletically up the flight of stairs behind me, weighed down with my Federation-assigned duffle and superhumanly slung it over his shoulder as if it weighed nothing, only to dump it where I vaguely gestured, near the bed.

  “Uh, I can’t think right now.” I shook my head, as if jostling water out of my ears. “I’ll need a new razor…” I continued, to myself. “So- tell me more about Tom.”

  Sam smiled, looking down. “About Tom. Well.” He paused. “He’s handy, he’s no-nonsense, he’s honest, and he will protect you without blowing your cover.”

  “Ah.” I nodded, feeling exhausted after the dash up the stairs and the pedestrian dodging. Why are there so many motorcycles in Hecta? Every city had its obsessions. I guess Hecta’s was more obvious than others.

  “Anything you can think of?” He repeated his offer, hands on hips.

  I surveyed the apartment loft space and smiled. It was spacious; one big room with a full lavatory on the side. My eyes zeroed in on the bed on the opposite side of the expanse. “That looks good,” I whispered, dull with lack of sleep.

  “Tell you what; I will get you a razor if you promise me not to use it until you’ve gotten some sleep and feel normal again. Deal?” A smile peeked itself through the firm lines of his face.

  “Deal. Thanks, Sam.” I managed a tired smile.

  “No prob. Tom should be back soon, so I’ll be downstairs until he shows up and then I’ll run to the shop and get you whatever you need.” He was back out the door and down the stairs before I could round up my wits to say anything more.

  “Okay,” I called weakly after him. The day was catching up to me. I turned and surveyed the room, this time really looking at it closely. It was a nice place. It looked very secure and tight. That was comforting. I checked the alarm clock by the mattress and then wished I hadn’t. Sam had explained- or at least tried to explain Hecta time to me and it wasn’t working. It was just a jumbled mass of numbers that didn’t seem to work together, but apparently it did for people still using the system.

  I skirted around the bed, trying to settle in and fold my standard issue clothing better and arrange it nicely in the duffle. I changed into the pajamas I’d been given- the pants were for a boy, so the crotch was really low, but they were so comfortable I wouldn’t have traded them for anything. Then I took out my case of tooth gel and dutifully stared at myself in the mirror while applying it. Five swiftly consecutive, yet still confusing, digits later and the tooth gel was rinsed out. I was already getting a headache from the time change. I skirted the bed once again, but this time I caved. Flopping
on it, I cannot explain the feeling of pure bliss that rose up to greet me. I would sleep in my own room tonight- no guards, no vomit-colored walls, no clammy atmosphere, no smell of urine mixed with disinfectant seeping up through the drain in the middle of the cell… And the mattress that Tom had put here, that generous saintly man, was made of a pure cloud-like material. I could barely last long enough to crawl under the covers before dropping into a divine, deep sleep.

  ~

  I wished never to recover from that nap, but I eventually did. I woke up to soft light pouring in through the grey window shades. I stretched. This was such a beautiful room- large and luxurious, red brick showing through its mortar, hard wood floors that were polished to perfection, along with a mattress made by immortal hands encased in a soft white comforter and pillow with a small reading lamp situated close by the bed. I really need to thank Tom; once I meet him. I blinked. Oh yeah. Meeting Tom. Saying goodbye to Sam. They must have let me sleep all through the night. I almost glanced at the clock and then decided against it. It was too early, no matter what time it was, for a headache.