by John Bowers
Sarah wrapped the earrings for him and took his money. “Did your wife come with you?”
“No, she’s waiting for me up north. I thought I would check the region out before bringing her down here.”
Sarah handed him the package and gave him a brave, somewhat sad smile.
“It was nice meeting you, Nathan. Good luck in your job hunt.”
“Thank you. Nice meeting you, too.”
“I hope your wife likes the earrings.”
***
Leaving Goldie’s Grass and Grill, Nick Walker conducted a similar investigation. Wearing both guns but no badge, he nodded to people as he passed them, tipped his hat to the ladies, and kept his eyes moving as he took in the sights, sounds, and smells of Binary Flats. It took him an hour to reach the north end of town; he turned left one block and started back.
His sense of amazement grew steadily as he wondered how this settlement could exist without official notice. From everything he had seen the night before, Binary Flats was something of an outlaw sanctuary. No government, no police, not even a name on a map. Centuries earlier on Terra, pirates on the high seas had established hideouts in remote parts of the planet, lawless encampments that flourished with illegal trade in stolen merchandise, ruled by cutthroats who brooked no opposition.
Was that the key to Binary Flats? Were the shops and diners selling stolen goods? He didn’t know yet, but Goldie had told him the town wanted neither Colonial nor Federation interference, which by definition had to include law enforcement and trade regulations; that left very few avenues for obtaining commodities.
Food and clothing could be produced locally, of course—the religious communities near Trimmer Springs were self-sustaining, and once their rebellion ended the government had left them alone to live in peace—but Binary Flats didn’t look much like a religious community (so far Nick hadn’t even seen a church; today was Sunday, and activity on the streets appeared to be business as usual). But what about fuel, electricity, electronics, vehicles, the billion-and-one other items necessary for modern life, many of which he saw in evidence around him—where did those come from?
As he crossed a street and turned a corner he heard children laughing. Up ahead, on the next block, he saw a small school yard. Classes were not in session, but half a dozen ragged kids were playing on the lawn equipment. A school?
A school.
Electrical power.
Running water.
Graded streets.
Sidewalks.
Stores.
Shops.
Diners.
Au’tels.
Fuel stations.
Repair facilities.
He hadn’t finished his stroll yet, but wouldn’t be surprised if he discovered a fire station, a hospital (or at least a clinic), a bank, and maybe even an airport.
But no “official” government…
No police…
Something very strange was going on here. He wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or bad, but it was definitely strange.
He pulled up on a corner, checked to make sure no one was near enough to overhear, and paged Nathan on his personal transmitter.
“Hey, Nick. What’s up?”
“Can you talk?”
“Yeah, it’s clear for the moment.”
“Anything to report?”
“Not much, just that this place is pretty amazing.”
“How do you mean?”
“For a place that doesn’t exist, they seem to have everything they need. I’m just wondering where it all comes from. I don’t see how they could be getting cargo shipments without anybody knowing how big this town is.”
“I’ve been thinking the same thing. Cargo shipments mean transportation oversight, inspections, fees, taxes, the whole bit. That should put them on the map and in the database.”
“What do you think is going on?”
“I dunno yet. How much town have you covered?”
“About half the south end. I can do the rest in a couple of hours.”
“Seen any tattooed skin heads yet?”
Nathan laughed. “No, but I’m still looking.”
“Okay. Watch your ass. I’m at the north end heading back on the west side. I’ll call you in another hour.”
“Fair enough. You get anything from Goldie?”
“No, but she did look pretty disappointed that I didn’t leave town with you.”
“I’ll keep an eye out and try to avoid her. Don’t want to disappoint her again.”
***
“Goldie’s Grass and Grill, Goldie speaking.”
“Walker lied to you. The kid Marshal didn’t leave.”
“What are you talking about?”
“He’s still in town. They both are.”
“Where are they now?”
“Looks like they’ve split up. They’re just walking around talking to people.”
“Looking for evidence?”
“Apparently.”
“Goddammit! God damn it! I warned them! I gave them fair warning.”
“I know you did. What happens now?”
“Now? I’ve done all I can. Whatever happens next is out of my control.”
Chapter 20
Nathan reached the last block on the south end of town. This neighborhood was mostly residential, the homes flimsy and shabby with no lawns to speak of. He smelled food cooking from a dozen open windows and here and there wood smoke curled from stovepipes. A cross street formed the town border, and beyond that an open plain stretched almost to the horizon; the horizon itself was a faint outline of low hills that promised more empty country beyond. Off to his right he caught a glimpse of blue, smelled the salt air, and heard the screech of sea birds.
He turned back west and walked another block. An open garage door beckoned and he saw a hovercar perched on a vertical tractor beam; the smell of solvents and motor oil tingled his nostrils, reminding him of his dad’s garage in Kline Corners. A sign above the garage announced Benny’s Hovercar Repair. This was the place Sarah had told him he might find work. He stood there a moment and watched a middle-aged man working beneath the hovercar, his attention focused on his work. Nathan stepped inside and approached.
“Are you Benny?”
The mechanic spun around. Nathan held up both hands.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”
The man relaxed a little and let his breath out in relief.
“No problem. Had my head somewhere else, didn’t hear you come in.” He wiped grease off his face with a blue rag. “Yeah, I’m Benny. Who are you?”
“Nathan. I heard you might have an opening.”
“Nathan…”
Nathan extended his right hand. “O’Malley.”
“Well, you heard right. I’m short a man and I could use the help. You have experience?”
“I’ve worked in a garage before. I’m no expert, but I’m pretty good at following orders.”
“You live in town? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”
“Actually I don’t, but I came down to check it out. I’m thinking of relocating here.”
Benny eyed him a moment, scanning him from head to foot. He nodded slowly.
“On the run?”
“Well…”
“No shame in it. Most men who come here are leaving their past behind.”
Nathan managed to look abashed. “Then it won’t be a problem?”
Benny bent over and dropped a tool into a pan of solvent. He wiped both hands on the rag and stepped out from under the car.
“Depends. If you fucked up once and just want to start over, then we’ll get along fine. But if you’re a habitual fuckup, I can’t use you.”
“What was your fuckup?”
“Involuntary manslaughter. I called it an accident, but the law didn’t see it that way. I was looking at ten years and that just didn’t seem right.”
Nathan nodded, surprised the man admitted it.
Benny’s eyes nar
rowed. “Your turn.”
Nathan shrugged. “Nothing habitual. I was living on Terra, saw something I shouldn’t have. Some bad people are looking for me.”
“That why you wear the gun?”
“Yes, sir.”
“When can you start?”
Nathan’s eyebrows rose. “Not for a few days. I have to find a place to live and get my family down here.”
“Big family?”
“Wife and child, one of each.”
Benny grinned. “Well, that sounds reasonable. If you’re not too picky about your quarters—” He pointed upward. “—I have a small apartment upstairs that you can have for fifty a month. I’ll just deduct it out of your pay.”
“And how much is the pay?”
“Five hundred to start, more if you’re any good.”
“That sounds pretty low.”
“Look, the standard of living is different here. We have our own economy. Five hundred is a decent wage.”
Nathan crossed his arms and leaned against a support pillar. He had no experience interviewing people, but this wasn’t so hard. He was starting to enjoy himself.
“This town really is different, isn’t it?”
“Not like any place you’ve ever been. Before I came here—”
KA-BOO-HOOM!!!
“Jesus fuck!”
Nathan jumped and even Benny gave a start.
“What the hell was that!” Nathan’s heart was pounding.
Benny laughed, pressing a hand against his own chest.
“A sonic boom. Nothing to worry about. It happens three or four times a month. Scares the shit outta me every time.”
Nathan, still gasping from a rush of adrenaline, panted to get his breathing back to normal. It had sounded like the roof was coming down, but he’d heard such explosions before, on Sirius.
“What makes a sonic boom in this region?” he asked, staring out the door at the horizon.
“Supply ship. There’s a small spaceport about a mile south of here. What you heard was the ship breaking atmosphere. It’ll land in about thirty minutes.”
Nathan took a deep breath and blew it out, relaxing a little. Benny laughed again.
“Really spooked you, huh?”
“Yeah, it did. I never expected that.” He frowned. “What do you mean, supply ship? What kind of supplies?”
“Everything. Food, medicine, spare parts, merchandise…we don’t get cargo haulers down here. We have no contact with the Colonial government or the Federation. Nothing comes in through normal channels. All shipments come in from off-planet, everything from toothpaste to hovercars. Like I said, we have our own economy.”
Nathan was still frowning. “Well, that can’t be cheap. Can it? I mean, imported goods are always higher than local stuff.”
Benny shrugged. “I don’t concern myself with any of that. All I know is, the system works. As long as it does, I don’t care.”
***
Nick heard the sonic boom as well. It didn’t startle him, but he was surprised; he only knew of three things that could make such a sound—a meteorite, a fast aircraft, and a spacecraft. In his experience, space ships were by far the most common cause of sonic booms, and he strongly suspected that was the case here, but…why would a spacecraft break atmosphere in this area? And where was it headed?
Stepping off the sidewalk into the edge of the street, he scanned the sky for a moment but saw nothing. Which was to be expected, of course—the ship would be extremely high and could be a hundred miles away. It might not even be heading for Binary Flats, but he still found it curious.
One more mystery added to his collection. He was starting to feel like a visitor in a foreign country.
He stepped into a bar and looked around. Even though it was Sunday (or perhaps because it was Sunday), the place was packed. The music was loud but less obnoxious than other bars he’d visited, and the crowd, most of them men, seemed orderly. He stepped up to the bar and, though it was a bit early in the day, ordered a beer. The bartender set a cold bottle in front of him and nodded at Nick’s gunbelt.
“I really prefer you don’t bring those in here, sir. If you don’t mind.”
Nick glanced down at his guns. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize. I’ll leave them home next time.”
“I would appreciate it.”
“You get a lot of trouble in here?”
“Not often, and we want to keep it that way. But we do have our share of fights, and it’s a lot safer for everyone if the only thing flying is fists and not bullets.”
“Makes perfect sense.” Nick sipped his beer. “As soon as I finish this I’ll be on my way.”
“I’m not trying to run you off,” the bartender told him, “I just—”
“No need to explain. I understand perfectly. I’m new in town and I just didn’t know the rules.”
“Where you from?”
“Up north.”
“Staying long?”
“Not sure. I’ve kind of got a wandering itch, if you know what I mean. Looking for new country. Is there anything south of here?”
“Not much. Some scattered homesteads, a few small farms. No industry that I’m aware of.”
“I heard the same thing about this area,” Nick said. “I was surprised to find a town here, especially one as big as this.”
“I guess we keep a low profile.” The bartender wiped up a spill and eyed Nick curiously. “You looking for anything in particular?”
“Not really. I’ve been kind of footloose since the war. Can’t seem to settle down.”
“You were in the war? Which side?”
Nick laughed. “Star Marines. I’m originally from Terra. But I fell in love with Alpha 2 and I came back after I mustered out.”
“Married?”
“No.”
“Well, they say Alpha 2 is a planet of opportunity. I reckon you can find whatever you’re looking for if you look long enough. Lots of room to spread your wings.”
Nick grinned and drank some more beer. He glanced around the room at large.
“Somebody told me you don’t have any police here. Who do you call when a fight starts?”
“Why do you ask?” The bartender’s expression narrowed.
“Just wondering. If you don’t have cops, then maybe you need a town marshal. I’m pretty good with these guns when I need to be.”
“Um. Well that’s an interesting idea, but I don’t think you’ll get much traction with it. We don’t have what you would call ‘police’, but we do have G-men.”
“G-men? What’s that?”
“The governor’s men. She keeps a few individuals around as peace keepers.”
“Governor? For a single town? Why not a mayor?”
“Hell if I know. But governor is what she is.”
Nick nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe there’s room for another G-man?”
“I…doubt it, but you could ask. You can find the governor at Goldie’s Grass and Grill. Ask for Goldie.”
“Goldie? The governor is a woman?”
“Yep. Goldie might look like a pushover, but I don’t know a man in town who would even think about standing up to her.”
“Hm. Maybe I need to meet this lady.”
“Be my guest. Hell, I’ll introduce you if you like. What’s your name?”
“Nick. Nick Jones.”
“Nick Jones. Sounds like an alias.”
“It is.” Nick laughed and shook hands. “And you are?”
“John Smith.”
They both laughed.
Nick finished his beer and pushed the bottle aside.
“Thank you, John Smith. I think I’ll go meet Goldie.”
“Good luck, Jones. You’ll probably need it.”
***
It was midmorning as Nick stepped back onto the sidewalk. The air was warming and people were streaming to and fro. Sunday was a busy day in Binary Flats.
A woman’s scream and a blast of air horns signaled a near-miss as two hove
rcars above the street nearly collided; as Nick looked up, one of the pilots dipped dangerously low to avoid the other, but the danger was over. Apparently the rage was not. Both pilots reversed and halted thirty feet above the street, screaming profanities at each other in mid hover. Nick saw shaking fists and learned a few new words, but after thirty seconds both pilots moved on and the crisis seemed to be over. Several witnesses on the sidewalk began to relax.
“That was close,” said a man standing next to Nick.
“I didn’t see it,” Nick told him, “until I heard the horns.”
“I’m not talking about the near-miss. It’s just a good thing they didn’t take it any further. The G-men would have been all over them.”
“The G-men are pretty rough, are they?”
“Oh, you don’t want to mix it up with them. Those bastards are ruthless.”
Nick felt his interest pique. “You’ve had experience with them?”
“Not me, but a buddy of mine. All he did was argue with another fellow over some money. The G-men got called in and they cracked his head. They cracked both their heads. It wasn’t pretty.”
“Do they have an office somewhere?”
“You new in town?” The stranger looked Nick over for the first time.
“Just got in yesterday.”
“They operate out of Goldie’s Grill. Upstairs. If you see them, best to become invisible. Even if you ain’t doing nothing, you don’t want them to notice you.”
“How would I recognize them? Do they wear uniforms? Badges?”
“Not like you’re thinking, but you can’t miss them. They shave their heads and have tattoos all over their bodies. I swear to god, if I didn’t know better I would think they’re androids. You look into their eyes and there’s nothing there. No human emotion, just a dead stare.”
In spite of the warm morning, Nick felt a chill in his bones.
“Thanks for the advice. I’ll keep clear of them.”
***
After leaving Benny’s, Nathan wandered around a bit, peeking into some more shops and a grocery store. He found fresh produce and meat, and the prices were quite reasonable. The grocery also stocked canned goods, condiments, snacks, just about everything he would expect to see in the Federation. He purchased a bag of chips and walked outside, shaking his head in wonder.
