by Dan Oakley
How would I deliver this news to Kira? She’d hate the fact the commander had gotten away with killing his sister. She’d witnessed the deaths of the commander’s sister and her crew.
“So do you think Draylan has a plan? Or has he given up?”
Bayliss gave a shrug of his large shoulders. “I really don’t know. He said so, but maybe it was all talk to keep me quiet. Maybe he just wants to keep his head down and remain in his job.”
I’d admired Draylan. My first impressions of him had been that he was a man of principle, a soldier who believed in honour. I didn’t want to think he would turn the other way and ignore the commander’s misdeeds.
There was only one way to find out.
“If the KSS Morellic is in the docks, is Draylan on board? Maybe I should speak to him.”
“Yes, he is supposed to be, but as he is on leave you’ll probably find him drinking himself into a stupor.”
“Has he always been a drinker?”
“He’s always liked his ale, more so since all this happened. I suppose it helps him forget.”
“Do you know where we can find him?”
“He’ll be at one of the naval bars. Probably the Explorer’s Inn. That’s one of his favourites.”
I got to my feet. “Would you take me there?”
Bayliss paused and then took a deep breath. “Why not? I’ve already lost everything. We may as well give it one last try.”
Chapter 21
The Explorer’s Inn was not far from the atrium, tucked out of the way along a side street. Clearly a naval hangout, most of the patrons wore Kingdoms uniforms. So I didn’t look too out of place, despite the fact my uniform was dirty and well worn.
It was busier and more welcoming than the Traveller’s Inn, where we’d met Trella’s acquaintance, who provided us with our fake ID cards.
No one looked up as we walked in. Bayliss led the way, his large, brawny frame, making people shuffle aside for him as he approached.
Music was playing. An old man stood on the right hand side of the bar, on a raised platform, plucking a stringed instrument and crooning a pleasant, relaxing song.
Many bottles glittered behind the bar in various colours, reflecting the spotlight set above them in the ceiling.
Most of the men and women were unarmed as far as I could tell. Though I didn’t discount the possibility they were wearing concealed weapons.
A sign above the bar read: No weapons permitted. Magic strictly forbidden.
Bayliss lifted a large hand and pointed along the bar. “There he is.”
I squinted and saw a figure I thought could be Draylan slumped over the shiny bar.
The bar area was busy. Patrons waved their hands to attract the attention of the bar staff. But Draylan had a bottle full of amber liquid in front of him and an empty shot glass next to it.
We made our way towards him, and Bayliss clapped a hand on his back.
Like a shot, Draylan jerked around, his face contorted with anger, ready to fight.
“Relax, relax,” Bayliss said. “It’s only me.”
Draylan’s expression lost its fierceness, and he slumped back down onto his barstool. “You shouldn’t creep up on me like that,” he slurred. He turned back and poured himself another drink, not even realising I was standing beside Bayliss.
“It’s still early,” Bayliss grumbled. “Are you really so drunk you don’t even recognise the man standing at my side.”
Draylan turned again. This time his eyes skimmed my face, as he struggled to focus.
After a moment’s pause, his eyebrows lifted beneath his long hair. He hadn’t had a haircut for quite a while. “Tomas? Is that…? No, it can’t be…”
“It’s good to see you, Draylan,” I said. “We managed to get off the planet in the end. Both Trella and I survived, despite what Zarak may have told you, and we brought the girl back with us too.”
“But how?” Draylan asked, looking shocked.
I moved closer to him and leaned on the smooth bar top. “It’s a long story.”
“I’ll bet. So that means we left you behind?” His head dropped. “I’m sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault. You thought I was dead.”
“He nearly was killed,” Bayliss put in. “Zarak stabbed him and left him for dead.”
Draylan swayed a little on his barstool. “He tried to kill you? You’re kidding! I never liked him, but I didn’t think he would stoop that low. Attempted murder…” Draylan gave a low whistle. “Have you reported him to the Kingdoms law officials?”
I shook my head. I was determined to get my revenge on Zarak in my own way. “No, I will deal with him personally.”
Draylan looked horrified by the idea, so I quickly pushed on with the conversation, changing the subject.
“I ran into Bayliss by happenstance. I was shocked when he told me the commander seems to have gotten away with what he did to his sister and her crew, not to mention how he sent us to Tor with faulty weapons.”
Draylan’s face tightened. “That’s the way of the world. He has powerful connections with a wide reaching influence. Just ask poor Bayliss here. He is no longer an employee of the Kingdoms.”
Bayliss gave him a sideways glance, and then asked a barman for two more glasses.
“You will share some of your liquor with us,” Bayliss said grumpily, telling Draylan rather than asking him.
Draylan shrugged. “It’s my second bottle. The first couple of sips are a bit harsh, but it grows on you.” He smirked, slipping on his barstool, and I realised then just how drunk he was. Would we get any sense out of him tonight?
We had to try.
Bayliss handed me a shot glass, full to the brim with amber liquid, and I took a sip. As it travelled down my throat, the fluid burned, but it wasn’t an unpleasant sensation.
Draylan laughed heartily. “You’re not supposed to sip it, mage. You’re supposed to knock it back in one.”
I ignored him. There was no way I was going to get drunk just to keep Draylan company. I needed a clear head. I was new to this space station and didn’t know the rules. Plus, I had Kira to think about.
Kira… I glanced at my wrist device and saw that I was over half an hour late already. There was no point in rushing back now. I’d missed dinner, and could only hope Kira wasn’t too worried.
I opened my mouth to ask Draylan a question about the commander when I noticed a hooded figure at the other end of the bar. He stood out because he wore a heavy cloak in such a warm environment. Everyone else was wearing the sycrilline uniform of the Kingdoms.
When he saw me watching him, he looked away abruptly.
I turned back to Bayliss. “Do you see that hooded figure over there?”
Bayliss frowned. “Where?”
I lifted my hand to point, but then I saw the figure had disappeared.
I blinked a couple of times, wondering if my imagination was playing tricks on me. There was no sign of a hooded figure anywhere. I quickly scanned the bar.
“Never mind,” I said. “Draylan, there must be some way we can make the commander pay for what he did. Some way we can prove he deliberately sent his sister to that planet, knowing she would get killed along with the rest of the crew.”
Draylan gave a long, heavy sigh and waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal. “Believe me, Bayliss and I have tried. Sometimes, kid, you just have to accept defeat.”
I didn’t want to accept defeat, though. Not yet. Not without a good fight. I was sure there must be some way we could bring the commander to justice.
I tried to choose my next words carefully because I had the beginnings of a plan forming in my mind, but I couldn’t enact it without the help of Draylan and Bayliss. Even with their help, it wouldn’t be easy, so I would have to be persuasive. I had a feeling that Bayliss would help me regardless. He’d already fallen on his sword and lost his job, but Draylan had more to lose.
I could see the bitterness in Draylan’s eyes. The fact that th
e commander was getting away with such an atrocity cut him deeply. He was angry but felt unable to act.
The chair beside Draylan was vacated by a short man with curly blonde hair who’d finished his ale, I slipped into the empty seat.
“I think I have an idea that could work,” I said.
“Go on,” Bayliss said, putting his shot glass down on the bar and looking intrigued.
I opened my mouth to explain when there was a sudden loud snore from Draylan.
He’d rested his head on his forearms, slumped against the bar and was soundly asleep.
Bayliss rolled his eyes. “I don’t think he’s in any fit state to discuss this tonight. Why don’t we try again tomorrow before he starts drinking?”
I nodded. It was getting late anyway, and I was really suffering from lack of sleep. “Okay. Let’s meet again tomorrow.”
“It’s going to take sleepyhead here a little while to sleep this off. So why don’t we meet for lunch tomorrow.”
“I can do that. Where?”
“They do quite a good luncheon here. As long as you don’t mind hanging around Kingdoms staff and crew.”
“I don’t mind at all,” I said. “I’ll meet you here at midday. What should we do about him?” I nodded to the snoring Draylan.
“Don’t worry about him. I’ll make sure he gets back to the ship.” And with that, Bayliss grabbed hold of him, pulling him up and tugging Draylan’s arm across his broad shoulders before half carrying and half dragging his drunken friend out of the bar.
I watched them leave, impressed by Bayliss’s strength and how easily he managed to manoeuvre Draylan.
I stayed to finish my drink, relishing the warming sensation of the alcohol.
Then I felt a gentle touch on my back.
I tensed and turned my head.
Behind me stood a beautiful Marrachi woman.
Her red hair was long, falling way past her shoulders, and her full lips were painted bright red.
She blinked at me, fluttering her long, dark lashes and then gave me a smile. “I haven’t seen you here before,” she said in a breathless whisper.
“That’s because I haven’t been here before,” I said, swallowing down the rest of my drink and preparing to leave.
As I got to my feet, she said, “Oh, you’re not going already, are you? I thought we could have some fun.” She gave me a flirtatious smile.
Though she was attractive, my experiences with Marrachi women so far had not been good, and I knew she was after payment rather than the pleasure of my company. So as politely as I could, I excused myself and walked out of the bar only to hear her muttering behind my back. “Typical mage. They are all so uptight.”
The alcohol had accentuated my tiredness, and I yawned as I walked out of the side street and headed to the atrium.
I needed to get back to my boardinghouse and apologise to Kira if she was still awake. I figured she would understand when I told her I’d caught up with Bayliss, but I didn’t want her to worry. We were on a strange space station, after all, and Trella had just left us. I didn’t want Kira to think I was going to leave her too.
I dodged through the crowds, which were thinning now, walking as quickly as possible. Tomorrow, after we bought some new clothes, we would buy Kira a communication device. It would make life easier. Tonight, I could have sent her a message when I realised I was going to miss dinner.
The stall traders had long since packed up, and the houses and venues I passed had small glowing lights in the upstairs windows. Families were getting together at the end of the day.
I just turned into the street, with our boardinghouse visible in the distance, when I experienced a strange sensation.
I was being watched.
The skin on the back of my neck prickled, and I felt a jolt of nerves.
I stopped walking suddenly and turned around, scanning the area behind me. Immediately, my thoughts turned to the man in the cloak I’d seen at the bar. But the street behind me was empty.
My overtired mind was working tricks on me. Or was it?
I stood there for some time, waiting, expecting to see the hooded man appear behind me at any moment.
But I only saw a group of youngsters, hollering and shouting at each other as they ran past laughing.
Finally, I gave up on my fanciful imagination and walked back to the boardinghouse.
There was no sign of Madam Loren. I was quite glad of that because I didn’t think she’d be too pleased about me missing dinner. I hurried up the stairs, hoping to avoid her. I knocked on the door between my bedroom and Kira’s. There was no answer, so I guessed she was asleep.
The communal bathroom was free, so I decided to bathe.
I stripped off my clothes and filled the tub from the copper pipe on the wall. The water was piping hot, and I felt my tense muscles relax as I lowered my naked body into the steaming water.
I lay there for a while, my heavy eyelids drifting shut.
After a few minutes of fighting sleep, I forcefully roused myself and grabbed a bar of lemon scented soap and began methodically sudsing my body.
Once clean and rinsed of soap suds, I pulled the plug on the bath and dried myself on a small cotton towel.
I looked down at my dirty uniform. I really needed to wash it.
Luckily the fabric was light and quick drying. Even though all I wanted to do was sink into bed and sleep for a good ten hours, I used the bar of lemon soap and gave my uniform a good scrub. Rinsing the suds away seemed to take forever. Finally, I tucked the towel around my waist and made my way back to my room.
Once inside, I carefully hung the uniform on the back of the chair to dry and then walked to the window to look outside.
The lights were dimmed now. I wondered what time the lights were turned down for the night. I hadn’t noticed the change. Above the rooftops, I could see a deep velvet night punctured with the light of sharp stars. Was it real? Or was this another optical illusion of the sky?
I looked out into the dark street below, scanning the shadowy doorways, looking for the hooded figure, but saw no one.
I stood there for a long time, watching, but the only thing I saw was a large machine that hummed its way slowly down the street, sweeping and washing the ground in preparation for a fresh day tomorrow.
Eventually I drew the drapes, let my towel fall on the floor and slid naked between the cool, crisp cotton sheets.
Within seconds, I was fast asleep.
Chapter 22
I woke to the smell of hot coffee and sizzling bacon creeping beneath my bedroom door.
I stretched and yawned, surprised I’d had such a restful night’s sleep.
I poured some water from a jug into the basin on the nightstand and washed my face.
Above the basin was a small oval-shaped mirror, and I inspected my reflection.
I’d been critical of Bayliss’s appearance yesterday, thinking he’d let himself go after leaving the Kingdoms’ service, but I was not one to talk.
It had been months since my last haircut. My black hair fell messily over my eyes.
I hadn’t shaved for at least forty-eight hours, and dark stubble shaded my cheeks.
Today, I would need to purchase a razor or perhaps visit a barbershop to tidy myself up a bit.
If Draylan agreed to help me today, we might find some evidence. If so, I would need to present it, looking vaguely respectable. Right now, I looked like a wild, scruffy waster.
I grabbed my uniform from the back of the chair where I’d left it to dry last night and tugged it on. It smelled strongly of the lemon soap, but that was better than dirt and grime. I’d also need to get some new clothes for me and for Kira today.
Ten minutes after I’d woken up, I was heading downstairs, following the delicious breakfast smells.
Downstairs, at the end of a long corridor, was a dining room. There were six small tables arranged around the room, each set with knives and forks and condiments. All of the tables were empty e
xcept one.
Kira sat at the table on my left, glaring at me. “Oh, so you’re safe. That’s good to know.” Her voice was clipped.
I grimaced. She had every right to be angry. If it had been the other way around and she hadn’t returned for dinner last night, I would have been worried.
“I’m really sorry. I should have let you know I’d be back late.”
She nodded. “Yes, you should have. I thought something terrible might’ve happened to you. And Madam Loren wasn’t very happy when you didn’t show up for dinner either. She said she’s going to charge you anyway…”
Kira trailed away as Madam Loren bustled into the dining room.
“Oh, so you’ve decided to join us for breakfast have you, Mr Barrito?”
It took me a moment to register that she was talking to me. That was the name on my ID. I needed to get used to my new name quickly.
“I’m very sorry about last night. I was unavoidably detained.” I pulled out a chair and sat down opposite Kira.
She gave a haughty sniff and I knew I hadn’t been forgiven.
“Coffee?” she asked coldly, holding an earthenware jug in her right hand.
“Yes, please,” I said, and she poured a generous serving of coffee into the cup beside my place setting.
She gave Kira a top up, too, treating her to a smile.
“What can I get you both for breakfast?”
“Bacon and eggs, please,” Kira said.
“That sounds good. I’ll have that too please.”
The landlady nodded primly. “Very well.”
Kira’s eyes glittered angrily as she took a sip of her coffee. I was going to have to explain everything I’d learned last night from Bayliss, and it wouldn’t be easy when she was in this mood.
“Look, I should have gotten a message to you somehow. I really am sorry. Why don’t we get you one of these today?” I pointed to the communications device on my wrist. “If you had one of these, I could send you a message if I’m going to be delayed to save you worrying.”
