by Dana Kelly
A loosely uniformed man emerged from a nearby latrine and sighed. “Get out o’ here, Toddy,” he said, and he nudged the drunkard with his boot. “Go on, now! Get!” He sat behind a broad, rusty desk as Toddy wandered off. “Don’t mind him. Always paranoid about something.” He scooted his chair closer. “I’m Dudlowe. What do I call you?”
“Jo,” said Eridani. “Call me Jo.”
Dudlowe chuckled. “Just like half the well-dressed folks that pass through here.” He pushed a button under the desk, and a holographic deck plan appeared before him. It flickered and blurred intermittently. “Okay Jo, you’re here,” he said, and he jabbed the image with his finger. “Looks like you’re dressed to do some hiring, and these are the places to do it. We got freebooters here in the Villa. Officer types can be found over here in the Veranda, and those people with a certain set of skills can be found here in the Arcade. If that’s what you’re after, I’d start with Rumsey Cove or Three-Moon Beach. Hope that helps.”
“It does. Thank you, Dudlowe,” said Eridani. She took a step past the desk, headed for the passageways beyond.
Dudlowe’s arm shot out, and she stumbled into it. “Not so fast,” he said, and he rubbed his fingers together. “No free parking!”
“You can’t blame a woman for trying,” said Eridani, and she retrieved her credit stick. He showed her the rates, and she paid the slip fee. “I’ll give you that much again if nothing happens to my Starwind while we’re gone. Do we have an understanding?”
“Sure thing, ma’am,” said Dudlowe, and he grinned. “I give you my personal guarantee!”
Eridani led her comrades through a large doorway, into a broad and crowded passageway that sloped gently upward in both directions. A din of talking, shouting, and singing filed the air. People of all species and sizes caroused, gambled, and arm-wrestled. Nearby, a small crowd placed bets as two burly lads engaged in competitive fisticuffs. A seaside mural spanned the overhead, crowning a shantytown overflowing with storefronts, cantinas, apartments, bodegas, and market carts.
As they passed by a saloon, something crashed loudly inside, and a heavy-set man stumbled backward through the door. Eridani jumped away to avoid colliding with him, but their feet entangled, and they both went down. “Ma’am,” he said, and he quickly stood up, charging back inside. “I never cheated! I never cheat!”
Under her shoe, Eridani spotted a well-worn ace of spades. With an amused smile, she discreetly slipped it into her sock and got back up. “I need to stay on my toes, it seems.”
“Are you keeping that for good luck?” asked Gretchen.
“I don’t know yet,” said Eridani. “Not much gets by you, does it?”
“I hope not,” said Gretchen.
Eridani brushed herself off and straightened her dress. “I believe the Arcade is just up ahead. Shall we?”
“I believe you’re right,” said Gretchen. “This way!”
They navigated the tumult, until they reached a building covered in wood paneling. Carved palm trees and bottles anchored the corners of its signboard. “Rumsey Cove,” it read, and Gretchen pushed on the door, but it held fast. “Okay,” she said, and she knocked.
After a moment, they heard a clunk from the opposite side of the door. A small rectangular panel folded open, and an embedded steel box slid out. “Coin check,” said a man on the other side.
“What kind of coin?” asked Gretchen.
“Coin check,” he said, and he tapped the box. “Coin check.”
“I heard you the first time,” said Gretchen. She retrieved her wallet and removed an old star navy challenge coin. With an uneasy sigh, she placed it in the box, closed the panel, and glanced at Eridani. “I don’t know long this is going to take.” She nodded toward a nearby clutter of cargo boxes. “You three can sit over there if you want.”
“We’ll wait with you,” said Eridani.
“You don’t need to,” said Gretchen. “Since I’m the face, I’ll need to be the one that goes inside and does the recruiting.”
Eridani raised her brow. “In other words, please wait out here.”
“Exactly,” said Gretchen.
Eridani approached the stacks of boxes and winced. “Some of those stains are still wet.”
“I’m sure it’s just blood,” said Gretchen. “And urine, probably. Eleski, catch!” She pilfered a grungy rag from a passerby and tossed it over.
“You have my undying gratitude,” rumbled Eleski, and she set to wiping down enough of the lids for the three of them to sit. She and Katsinki stabilized the clutter as best as they were able.
“Thank you,” said Eridani.
The door creaked open. A hooded figure returned Gretchen’s coin. “Come on,” he said. “Just you,” and Gretchen stepped inside. The entryway slammed shut.
Eridani, Eleski, and Katsinki gingerly settled upon the cargo boxes.
A rowdy group of freebooters passed by, but one of their number noticed Eridani. “I bet she’s got some work we can do!” He pointed at her, and the group changed direction.
Eleski and Katsinki stood up as the freebooters approached. All but the outspoken one stumbled and backed away. “Come on, guys. They’re obviously denshies,” he said. He was a handsome young man, and he strode right up to Eridani. “Hi, I’m Rigel.” He offered his hand.
Coolly, Eridani regarded him and slowly stood up. She placed her hands behind her back. “Hello, Rigel.”
“Cool,” he said.
“Do you have something I can use to contact you?”
He stood a little closer. “You mean, like my number?”
“I’d prefer a business card,” said Eridani. “Step. Back.”
Rigel cleared his throat. “Sure, whatever.” He took a step back. “Look, I don’t have any business cards on me right now, but I’ve got tons of business cards up in my apartment. It overlooks Paradise Jetty, by the way. If you follow me there, I could give you a lot more than my business card.”
A few in his group hooted and whistled.
“Why don’t you go back to your apartment and get what I asked for,” said Eridani, and she held his gaze.
Rigel looked away. “Uh, maybe we can do this some other time. Actually, I just remembered—I ran out of business cards.”
“How unfortunate,” said Eridani. “Perhaps you can come find me when you have some more.” She leaned forward. “Or not?”
“Or not,” he said, and he retreated.
Eleski and Eridani roared and stomped, and the group of freebooters scattered.
Eridani sighed and plopped down on the crates. “You two could’ve been more helpful.”
“You did not require our assistance,” said Katsinki.
At that moment, Gretchen emerged from Rumsey Cove. She talked and laughed with three others as they followed her out. “I can’t believe you called his bluff,” she said. “What did he say?”
“Nothing,” said Roscoe Sweet, an older man with tan skin. He wore an armored uniform with a Kevlar pauldron. A holstered blaster pistol and a sheathed knife hung from his utility belt. “He just pointed to the counter and blinked up a storm.”
“You got brass ones, man. I’ll give you that.” Gretchen pointed at her comrades. “Those are the bodyguards, and that’s the Jo.”
Roscoe’s smile faded somewhat. “All right, then.” As he approached, Eleski and Katsinki rose to their full height, and they growled. “Easy now. I don’t bite.” He looked at Eridani. “You’re the Jo?”
“I am,” said Eridani.
“I’m Roscoe Sweet, and these are my nephews.” He indicated a young man with a ruddy complexion, and another with pale skin. “That’s TJ Sweet, and that’s Ramsey Reese.”
“We’re Roscoe’s Reavers,” said TJ.
“Gretchen tells us you’ve got something fun in the works,” said Roscoe. “If she’s right about what you’re paying, we’re very interested in signing up.”
“If Gretchen vouches for you, then I would welcome you to my crew,”
said Eridani. “The lockbox, please.” Eleski passed it her way, and Eridani used her gene key to open it. She counted out half the credit fobs, closed and sealed the lid. She faced Roscoe and offered her upturned hand. “My terms.”
Roscoe dug into one of his belt pouches and produced a small, transparent cube. He moved it over Eridani’s wrist, and a contract faded into visibility above it. Line-by-line, he reviewed the offer. When he had finished, he stepped away to huddle with TJ and Ramsey.
Eridani clasped her arms behind her back.
Soon, Roscoe returned with a smile on his face. “We’ve had a chance to review your terms.” He lobbed his cube and caught it. “We’re in!”
◆◆◆
Gretchen led the team back toward the shuttle dock. They paused in front of the saloon where the heavyset man had tripped Eridani previously. Colorfully painted sea creatures covered the edges of a half-moon signboard that displayed, “The Gilded Reef.” Folding chalkboard stands—set on either side of the entrance—advertised the specials of the day.
“It’s customary for the people involved to toast a new contract,” said Gretchen. She glanced at Eleski and Katsinki. “Towing around a pair of cullthoun matriarchs is going to make that a little tricky, though. Captain, you want me to field this, or would you rather do it?”
Eleski rested her large tentacle upon Eridani’s exposed shoulders, and the contact caused Eridani’s skin to crawl. “What are you doing?” asked Eridani, and she shied away. “Roscoe, TJ, Ramsey—I’m sure there’s a corner somewhere in there that’s dark enough to raise a drink.”
Undeterred, Eleski made contact again. Eridani, wait.
“If you think it’s best, Captain,” said Gretchen.
Something is wrong with Gretchen, thought Eleski, her voice reaching Eridani’s audio nerve as if she were speaking in a whisper.
How are you talking to me? thought Eridani.
I expect you are asking me how I can communicate in this manner, but I insist on explaining later, said Eleski. For now, you must allow Gretchen to accompany our mercenaries inside. You must remain out here with us. It is imperative I speak to you apart from them.
All right, thought Eridani. She smiled politely at Gretchen. “On second thought, it might be best if I remain out here with my bodyguards. The three of us have already been seen together, and I think it would be wise to maintain consistency.”
“You sure?” asked Gretchen.
“I’m sure,” said Eridani. She walked over to an old wooden bench and sat down. Eleski and Katsinki moved to stand on either side of her.
“Thanks, Captain,” said Gretchen. She joined Roscoe and his nephews as they entered the saloon.
Eridani fixed her gaze on Eleski. “What’s up?”
“Gretchen’s convergences have been jumbled, and several of them have been truncated,” said Eleski. “It appears she no longer recognizes either me or my brother for what we truly are. Although she retains memories of Katsinki and I in our human guises, she believes we are human. As to these forms, she believes they are what they appear to be.”
“Maybe it’s a skin thief,” said Eridani.
“She is not,” said Eleski. “My people are capable of many things, but we cannot absorb memories. You will ask me if they have been implanted. They have not been.”
“How can you be sure?”
Eleski’s tentacles gently writhed. “I can just tell. You must trust me.”
“I trust you,” said Eridani. “I’d like know how I heard you in my mind—although I don’t think you could hear me in return.”
“It is simple enough to transmit an electrical signal directly to your audio nerve,” said Katsinki. “We need only to contact your skin directly.”
“As you are not telepathic, you were unable to respond to me using thought alone,” said Eleski. “However, had you responded by thinking with the speech centers of your brain, I would have been able to hear your replies.”
“Interesting,” said Eridani. “That might come in handy if Gretchen ends up working against us. What about Roscoe’s Reavers?”
Eleski glanced briefly toward the entrance. “They are working for Admiral Schurke. That convergence burns brightly. I do not yet know what they seek to accomplish, but it is possible they may lead us to vital information. I believe it is worth the risk to continue working with them.”
“I agree,” said Eridani. “We’ll need to be very careful with who we trust.”
◆◆◆
Back aboard Imperium, Eleski and Katsinki remained in the hangar, maintaining their cullthoun disguises. Gretchen showed Roscoe, TJ, and Ramsey to their rooms, while Eridani met Grostonk in the galley. They shared a discreet conversation, and when they had finished, Grostonk hurried to the bridge. He relieved the navigation officer and sat down at her station.
Eridani ascended to Imperium’s ready room. Located just below the command deck, two doors stood across from her on the other side of a large table. The door on the left led to her personal quarters.
The right-side door swung open, and Torsha peered out. “There you are! How did it go?”
“Not bad,” said Eridani.
“Nice dress, by the way. Very slinky. Did you get it at the space station?”
“Gretchen gave it to me.” Eridani glanced around. “Why don’t you come inside for a few? We should catch up.”
“Maybe you should grab a shower first,” said Torsha. “You smell like you sat in something. No offense.”
“I’d rather catch up with you first,” said Eridani. “A lot’s happened in the last few hours.”
Torsha regarded her skeptically. “Okay, sure. After you, I guess.”
Eridani led Torsha inside. She closed and locked the door behind her. Overhead track lights bathed a recessed coffee table and leather couch. Across from the bed’s alcove, tall viewports offered glimpses of the stars through gaps in the starship’s reticulated bow plating. To the right stood a recessed counter and sink, framed by an embedded mini-refrigerator and mini-dishwasher.
“Nice place,” said Torsha.
“Thank you,” said Eridani. “Bloodtusk did all the decorating.” She hurried to the bathroom and turned on the shower. With a nod, she returned to Torsha and quietly explained everything that had happened aboard the Black Doubloon.
◆◆◆
The following morning found Eridani and Torsha dressed in sweats, sipping coffee together in the ready room. “Captain, incoming hail from Admiral Schurke,” said Brady over the comm. “For Bloodtusk’s eyes only. Does he know you’re the new captain?”
She stood up and pushed a button on the comm interface. “Hey Brady, I’m about to inform him. Please acknowledge receipt of his transmission, but do not reply.”
“Aye, Captain,” said Brady. “Acknowledging receipt of transmission.”
Eridani released the button and glanced at Torsha. “Bloodtusk is late for his delivery.”
Torsha looked uneasy. “I hope you have a plan.”
“I do,” said Eridani. “But I’ll need your help.”
“Cool,” said Torsha.
“Eleski and Katsinki should be in their quarters. Please ask them to meet me on the bridge, ready to talk to Schurke. They’ll know what to do.”
“I’m on it,” said Torsha, and she hurried for the lift.
Eridani watched the doors close, and she breathed into her hands. Quickly, she re-entered her room. As she changed into the clothes she had arrived in, she activated the comm. “Bridge crew, this is a classified communication. I need everyone to step out while I talk to the admiral.”
“Roger that,” said Brady. “We’ll wait for your word to return to stations.”
“Thanks, Brady. Talk to you soon.” She messed up her hair and smudged her cheeks with space station grime scraped from the bottom of her shoes. Pausing to look in the mirror, Eridani nodded and hurried up to the command deck.
Grostonk, Eleski, and Katsinki soon arrived. Grostonk readied his data tracker a
s the others reviewed their talking points. Eleski took the form of Bloodtusk, and she grabbed Eridani by the hair. Eridani gripped tightly, guiding Eleski’s hold on her, and Katsinki assumed Ostonk’s form. “We are ready,” he said, his voice deep and gravely.
“You need to speak like him, not just sound like him,” said Eridani.
Katsinki cleared his throat. “We’re ready.”
Eridani smiled approvingly. “Much better.”
Steeling herself, Eleski answered the hail. “Admiral Schurke,” she said in Bloodtusk’s voice. “It’s so good to see you!”
“Enough!” barked Schurke. Deep lines followed the contours of his forehead and sunken cheeks. Crow’s feet lingered near his hazel eyes. From the apex of his iron-gray widow’s peak, a jagged scar crossed one side of his brow. “You missed the handoff, and you kept me waiting. What are you playing at?”
“Nothing, sir, I swear! It’s the girl.” She hoisted Eridani into view, kicking and grunting as she pretended to strain against Eleski’s grip. “She… uh, I think she’s pregnant. She throws up everything we give her to eat. I’m trying to get a doctor up here to confirm.”
“I retain a highly skilled medical staff,” said Schurke. “You know this!”
“I do, but trying to move her through space is risky, if she’s pregnant.” Eleski set Eridani back down.
“You’re hiding something.” Schurke’s leather chair creaked as he leaned back. He formed a cage with his gloved fingertips. “What are you hiding?”
“Nothing, sir.”
“Something did happen to my Dark River assets,” said Schurke. “I knew it—I can see it in your eyes! They’ve been injured, or worse, haven’t they?”
“It’s not that, it’s… If her child dies in the womb, that’ll curse seven generations of my family line,” said Eleski.
“All of you melephundans are so superstitious. It’s amazing you get anything done.” Schurke narrowed his eyes. “Maintain your position. I’m sending over my team.”
The screen went black, and Grostonk raced to navigation. Rapidly, he tapped through layers of folders and files as Eleski and Katsinki returned to their human guises. Eridani wiped the grime from her face, sorted her hair, and turned her attention to Grostonk. “Did you get anything? Was he on long enough for your program to work?”
