Rebel Lexis

by Paul, Alan

“When are you going to marry my two daughters?” she asked Jason who now stood at the bar.

  “As soon as I divorce your sister,” Jason joked before laughing aloud.

  “Funny but she’s too old for you or is she? Let me ask you a question, Jason, how come you look as fine as you did, twenty years ago? How old are you?” Marge asked while pouring the weary traveler a drink.

  “He’ll never tell you his real age…he’s a genetic freak,” John Grier facetiously spoke from a barstool.

  “Keep on talking, loud mouth,” Jason inanely replied.

  “While my looks fugaciously disappear, time seems to stand still for Jason,” John Grier jealously added.

  “The devil’s dealings, it must’ve been a doozy of a bargain,” Marge bantered before pouring John Grier another drink.

  “Why don’t you ever let me pay for my own drinks, Marge?” Jason asked trying to change the focus of the conversation.

  “You’re family, that’s why.”

  Jason almost regretted taking a pull from the metal pint. His social graces stood less of a chance when inebriated, and his ongoing affair with Marge’s daughters, put him in a conundrum.

  “Here’s your souvenirs.” Grier shoved a small duffle bag into his midsection.

  “Extra, like we discussed?” Jason questioned.

  “Yes, and when are you going to reimburse me for said souvenirs?”

  “After I get it on my end… Why do you pull this shit every time we do this?” Jason bitterly asked.

  “Hey, when it comes to money…”

  “Bullshit, Grier, you like to bust my balls, just to see my blood pressure elevate.”

  “You know me too well.” Grier laughed.

  “Look at what the cat dragged in!” A loud voice interrupted the two at the bar.

  Jason turned around and landed into the embrace of a tall scruffy man. In turn, he welcomed the gesture, rousing an old friendship. They slapped each other’s back with rough bravado until a dust cloud began to gather. “Learner Rotterdam, I see you haven’t changed out of that filthy synthetic trench coat.” Jason spoke lightheartedly.

  “We aren’t as lucky as you… And who said this was synthetic? Real leather, my friend.”

  “Leather, this must be a rich Colonist standing here,” Grier snidely interjected.

  “John Grier, haven’t seen you since I was sneaking out of your mother’s house with my pants around my knees”

  “Fuck you, Learner!” Bar stools went flying when Grier jumped up to confront him.

  “Not now, Grier!” Jason intervened.

  “Let the piece-of-shit go…he’ll be eating his own teeth,” Learner replied with clenched fists.

  “Settle down, you two… We don’t need the Secret Police in here,” Marge yelled across the bar top.

  “Listen, this is business, and you’re about to destroy it over some bad blood,” said Jason holding on to the duffle.

  “Don’t ever trust that fuck face, Jason. You know what he did at the battle of Titan. Learner, you know what you did!”

  “That was nearly seventeen years ago…let it go, Grier,” Jason said while trying to defuse the hot-tempered man, and continued saying, “ Listen, do us both a favor, and leave… I’ll make it up on the next run.”

  “Yeah, he’s not worth it…” John Grier turned, and walked out of Dronski’s Café without incident.

  Learner begrudgingly spoke. “I haven’t seen John Grier in five years, and he’s still pissed about the War.”

  “He gets that way when he drinks… We lost a lot of good men on the intelligence you were feeding us.”

  “You don’t think I’ve lost sleep over the whole thing? It eats me up inside more than you could even imagine,” Learner said emotionally.

  “I know, let’s forget all about the War, and talk about something new.”

  “Fair enough,” Learner replied.

  “What’s the Council charging for water now? Because, my friend, you need a bath.”

  “Ha, you don’t even want to know… Look at you, clean as a whistle.” Learner smiled at the insult.

  “Learner, Polari living has its benefits,” Jason said with a smirk.

  “My two daughters say his Land-Ship is more luxurious than the finest of homes here in Fissure Point,” Marge added to the jovial conversation.

  “It sure is, he even has a Gravitational Remediation Sleep Chamber,” said Marny as she entered the bar area from back.

  “Hi, girls!” Jason said with some enthusiasm, and continued, “Brought you something real nice from Polari.”

  “I’m sure you did,” flirted Lara, the other twin.

  “Marny, I see you’re excited to see me.” Jason felt her nipples poke through her shirt as she hugged him.

  “She’s not as happy as I am!” said Lara when squeezing between Marny and him before whispering into his ear, “I’ve been wet for days just thinking about your arrival.” She then groped his cock.

  Jason hugged her back when he breathed into her ear, “You’re so insatiable, Lara.”

  Lara pointed at Marny’s chest, and earnestly spoke. “Look at your erect nipples.”

  Looking at Jason, Lara’s twin Marny nodded before saying, “I hope they’re not the only things erect tonight.”

  She then slowly leaned and kissed Jason’s bottom lip before Learner interrupted. “Ladies sorry to ruin all the fun but please let me borrow Jason for a few minutes…”

  “Jason, come sit with me…I have a proposal you’ll want to hear,” Learner said with confidence while pulling on Jason’s arm.

  “Learner, I’m not sure about your proposal, I just arrived in the Colony.”

  “Trust me, you won’t regret it.”

  “I got a feeling I already do… Ladies, give me a few minutes to hear out my friend.”

  “I’ll give him right back,” Learner placated while the two men walked away and grabbed a corner table.

  Learner placed a smooth oval electronic device between the two, and clearly spoke. “Activate protocol, 21466.”

  “IDENTIFY?” the device asked in a monotonous voice.

  “Learner Rotterdam, Madnet 5150.”

  “IDENTIFICATION ACCEPTED.”

  A soft blue laser formed a spherical grid, encasing them in an electronic shield. The anti-eavesdropping device ensured the Membrane would be completely oblivious to their conversation.

  “What’s up with all the secrecy?” Jason frowned.

  Learner leaned forward, and whispered in a surreptitious tone, “I’m seeking a pilot to remit a load tonight, Jason.”

  “Listen, Learner… I’m going to get tanked-up tonight.” Jason paused to guzzle from his cup, and before wiping his chin, he continued saying, “So goddamn blotto that those Dronski Twins will unexpectedly appear gorgeous.” Jason jerked his head toward the twins at the bar.”

  Learner inspected the two carefully, and clamorously sighed. “My friend, you’ll destroy yourself trying to consume that much alcohol.”

  “Let’s hope my liver can handle the pressure,” jested Jason, while judging the overly affable man with suspicion.

  Learner laughed before swallowing a mouthful of his malt, and then he said, “The job pays double…look, it’s a three hour round trip through the Pipe. You’ll be back before dawn.”

  “Wait, double…did you say double? How long have we known each other, Learner…?”

  “Almost twenty-five years now but you’ve been running for me about twelve of them.”

  “Yeah, and in all those years when I made a secret run for you, not once have you offered to pay double.”

  “It’s all about supply and demand…and you, are in demand, Jason.”

  “Oh seamen cakes, Learner! What kind of shit are you trying to sell me?”

  “OK, it’s the customer…”

  “Learner…who is the customer?”

  “The Vril…they’re in desperate need of…elastic fuel cells.”

  “No, sir! Not tonight!
Not tomorrow! Or ever! Those crazy Occultists will have my balls for dinner. Anyhow, the Vril…they’re on my Nonentity List…you should know that.”

  “OK, I’ll pay you…triple the rate…” Learner paused, and watched Jason’s eyebrow raise before continuing. “Aren’t you just a few payments from owning that little Villa in Polari? I know you need the credits.”

  Learner was right about Jason, and he knew his weak spot, greed. Jason had made payments for decades on a small apartment in Polari’s level 4. Although, it was only on the 4th level, it was located in one of the nicer sectors. Jason’s DNA rating only allowed him to live or travel anywhere between Levels 1 and 5 in Polari. However, he could only afford to live a comfortable life style on Level 4.

  The underground Mega City has a population of thirty-six million, and the majority of inhabitants live between Levels One and Four. The levels became less populated as they ascend. People living on Level Nine, live in a god-like state, a vacuum of pure opulence.

  Jason leaned back and calculated how much more he could squeeze from the desperate man, and continued to bargain. “If the Corporation found out…I’ve been doing business with the Vril. I don’t know…I could end up in real hot water.”

  “Listen, you don’t have to go to the Devonian Enclave. You don’t even have to go past Verve Fault Zone…I’ve got a contact who’ll transfer the cargo before you reach the boarder…”

  “I can tell you’re excluding something here, Learner. What else aren’t you telling me…? Tell me more about the manifest.”

  “Impact harnesses, they use them for farming…” The inflection in Learner’s voice, gave him away.

  “And…?”

  Learner raised his drink to his lips, and under the slow gulp of his malt, he mumbled, “NEPRs.”

  Excitedly, Jason grabbed Learner’s mug away from his mouth and asked again in a loud whisper, “What did you say?”

  “NEPRs,” repeated Learner.

  “Nuclear Enriched Power Rods. This raises the stakes quite drastically…and here, I thought I was doing you a favor, all while you were trying to low ball me.”

  Learner implored with shifting eyes. “Come on, you can’t blame a guy for trying to make a buck…” Learner now gazed into Jason’s dead cold stare, and begged, “Don’t be offended, it’s just business.”

  Jason quietly sat in his seat contemplating the huckster’s offer, and thought, “You’re nothing but a weasel, trying to fuck me over,” and before speaking, he calculated all the pieces.

  “I want twelve million credits.”

  “Are you fucking crazy? I can’t pay that much, Jason.”

  “Now you listen… Yes, you can… And yes you will…! Because we both know I have the only, On World Rig Programming to cloak Nonentity Cargo… And, I know, the Vril’s going to pay you at least double the amount I’m asking. This deal will break you free of this shithole, and I want a piece of that pie, Learner.”

  Wavering, Learner released the notion of keeping the majority of the shady deal’s compensation, and he now realized, he had gained a partner.

  “Hum, you got me by the short hairs, Jason… OK, I agree to such a covenant but I can’t emolument all in credits.”

  “Do you vacuously think me an idiot? I won’t do the deal unless I see half in my account.”

  “I don’t have enough credits but I will…put three million credits in your account, and pay you the rest in Plutonium C3.”

  “What? Where did you get all this Plutonium?”

  Speaking uneasily in his own existence, Learner whispered, “The PC3 will be on your return load.”

  “What are the terms on the Plutonium, Learner?”

  “Yes, I will give you the remuneration valuation in Polaris terms, and not on the Devonian Enclave’s trade value.”

  “I agree to the Plutonium deal but I want five million in credits, up front.”

  Learner breathed heavily, and sighed. “Alright, I’ll shift a few things around… Do we have terms?”

  “We have terms.” Jason shook hands with the dirty looking man and smiled. With all the money, he could create new beginnings, and thought, “The sky’s the limit! I can upgrade my DNA. Quit my day job. And move into a large house on Level Seven, two levels from the elite ruling party.”

  “You need to move the cargo in the next hour, it’s way too hot to be sitting in the dock anymore.”

  “I’ll call Sofia, and have the ship ready by the time I get there.”

  “Sofia… Do you have a new partner I don’t know about?”

  “Simulated Onboard Female In-Cab Authority; Sofia. She’s an upgrade I purchased from a private firm, drives me fucking crazy sometimes but a big improvement over my last onboard system the Polaris Corporation had installed.”

  “Good, had me worried there…less players the better, Jason.”

  “Right, and Learner, don’t fuck me over or it will be the last thing you ever do.”

  “Don’t worry, you hold all the cards.” Learner handed him a memory rod listing the Cargo’s Manifest, and continued saying, “Once you’ve uploaded the data, a request ping will request your ETA to be sent to my Contact. On arrival, the Contact will give you his manifest, and it will ping me the same.”

  “Yes, I know how it works…” Jason replied.

  “I know you do but I’m real nervous about this deal.”

  “No fear, I have my level Five Clearance, and my State Hood all in good order.”

  “Do this right, and we’ll be rich, Jason.” Learner turned off the anti-eavesdropping device, and watched Jason walk towards the exit.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow night, girls,” Jason said as he walked by the bar.

  “Really, but you just got here…”

  “I have to take care of some urgent business but I’ll be back in the morning.” Not only was Jason smiling about the fortune he was about to make, but he was just as happy to walk out of Dronski’s Café alone, and he thought, “At least, I’m saved from sleeping with those uni-brow twins.”

  “Okay. Goodnight, Jason,” said the Dronski girls in near unison.

  The girls were much prettier eleven years ago, when they were in their mid twenties. Now, the harsh reality of Colony living set upon them, and aged them beyond their years. Jason always felt it was in the poor water quality the council rationed off to their citizens. Fissure Point struggled to meet the most basic of demands of living.

  Jason knew he would out live Marge and the girls, due to his DNA rating and he tried real hard not to get too attached to most people but sometimes it was real tough for him not to. Marge Dronski was almost the only family he had left. She was a distant cousin and he tried to get her a Polari Citizenship based on this relation but her DNA was too insipid.

  The DNA probability test came back negative, indicating she was a thirteenth cousin. According to Polari Medical Colonization Rules: The DNA should be of a high quality, no lesser than ninety-five percent indication of being twice removed from the Sponsor; and a ninety-two percent indication of four times removed can be considered waiver-able under special circumstances.

  “Sofia…” Jason spoke loudly into his communicator.

  “Yes, Jason.”

  “Do a fast charge on the fuel cells… have all systems ready in ten minutes. I’m on my way back to the ship now.”

  “That was quick…bored of the twins already?”

  “Not now, Sofia.”

  “Well, can I at least ask if we are in an alert status?”

  “Not just yet, Sofia.”

  “What is our destination?”

  “I’ll up load the Manifest on my arrival. Just have all systems ready for departure.”

  “Will do…see you in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.”

  “Sofia, what in the hell’s a lamb?”

  “According to my software, a lamb is an extinct mammal.”

  “Why would you say, ‘See you in two shakes of a lamb’s tail?’”

  “‘See you in two sh
akes of a lamb’s tail,’ was a widely used expression during the Third Renaissance.”

  “What?”

  “The expression can be found in literature of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Century.”

  “Sofia, just keep it professional… Copy.”

  “Boy, you’re a grumpy man.”

  “Sofia!”

  “Copy that, Jason…Sofia out.”

  The impregnable appearing door automatically eased open into the large loading dock. Cool moisture followed Jason from inside the Colony, and quickly evaporated in the dry but ominous space. He nervously walked past the formidable Custom’s Control Agents Station. And for the first time, he noticed the Guard Stations crenelated structure, and the several swiveling rail guns mounted above.

  The rows of vehicles backed into the payload doors, were mostly of late Twenty-First Century electrical propulsion systems technology. On average, they could only reach top speeds of up to two hundred and fifty miles per hour in the Pipe. Old technology was no match, compared to the six hundred miles per hour the Chameleon could achieve during MAGLEV.

  Magnetic Levitation technology was the basis of most transportation, and it was absolutely illegal to use fossil fuels or nuclear power, unless sanctioned by the Corporation. The irony of Jason Bjorn’s situation was the delivery of NEPRs or Nuclear Enriched Power Rods to a Nonentity group, was strictly prohibited, and outlawed by his employer. “Renegades, and scumbags. Nonentities make me nervous,” thought Jason as he walked toward the Chameleon.

  He could not miss the vehicle’s distinctiveness. Sitting in zero acceleration, the Chameleon’s smart Skin gave the impression that it was still in motion. In the Safe Operations Mode, the vehicle’s animated smart Skin scrolled a regiment of flashing lights, alternating iridescent colors of Solar Flare Orange, and Creamy Arylide Yellow. And as Jason Bjorn neared the stationary vehicle, the Chameleon’s Skin began to breathe passionately; a display a cuttlefish might show during mating season. The Chameleon’s Skin was now displaying a state of excitation in anticipation of his arrival; the closer Jason got, the faster the patterns pulsated and throbbed in a heavy orgy of color and lights. The vehicle was alive, and more self-aware ever since he upgraded the onboard computer, and it seemed, Sofia’s emotions were more human than human.