***
Thomas Verch Angharad softly landed his bulky freighter on the concrete landing pad at the Star’s End Spaceport. Peaches untangled himself from his unique restraining straps and hopped up on top of the dash to gaze out the viewport.
The view Peaches was looking at was nothing special. Star’s End was simply the farthest known planet from the galactic core that was capable of sustaining human life, and then just barely. The atmosphere was thin and wispy; it trailed behind the planet like a comets tail. The ground was rocky with tall mountains, one major ocean existed but there were numerous large fresh water lakes.
Star’s End really only had one city. It was also simply known as Star’s End, might as well have the same name as the planet when there was no other settlement worth referring to. It was a fairly lawless place. Not being affiliated with any of the major off world governments like the Galactic Republic of the Socialist Alliance. Instead, everyone was free to rule themselves; as a result it was a common place for fugitives to run to and hide out.
The only group who kept any peace on Star’s End was the Mercenary Militia; a loosely organized group of mercenaries who would wage war for whoever was willing to pay them the most. Most of the time the mercenaries worked for small planets in defending against pirates or organized crime lords who preyed on the small planets, but occasionally they worked for the big governments as well. More than once Galantos and Balsavis had felt the strong hand of a mercenary attack on important targets. When the militia was not out working they called Star’s End home.
Peaches took in the view of low squatting dirty buildings and other large ships docked around the spaceport and then leapt down from the dash. “Let’s download the goods and get out of here. I don’t like the look of the place. Besides I don’t think they serve salmon out there.”
“What if they have some fine local fish? Maybe even better than salmon,” Thomas said looking down at his cat as he stood up.
“I doubt any fish on any planet could beat salmon.”
“You’re probably right, but then again all fish tastes the same to me,” Thomas added as he hit the button to lower the gangplank. Once the ramp was down he and Peaches strode out of the ship. On the ground both of them stretched, glad to be free from the cramped ship after a couple of weeks. Thomas retrieved a collar from his pocket and reached down to put it around Peaches’ neck.
“Hey, I don’t want to wear that thing.” The voice had come from a small speaker on the collar.
“If you don’t wear it you’ll be a normal cat and someone might shoot you as a stray.”
Peaches growled but allowed Thomas to place the collar on him. Then Thomas strode off across the concrete under the blueish purplish sky with Peaches pouncing on his heels. A very short fat man approached them from one of the low set office buildings.
“I’m Lars Omega,” the man grumbled out, “I believe you have a shipment of my rum.”
“Yes sir, we do.” Thomas exclaimed cheerfully. “We just need to settle the little matter of payment.”
The fat man from some hidden fold in his clothes pulled out a laser pistol and pointed it at Thomas’s head. “Here’s my payment. If you don’t do anything stupid I won’t steal your ship along with it.”
Thomas just stared at the man stupefied that someone would actually threaten to steal his cargo after agreeing to pay for it. It was then that Peaches took action. He leapt on the man, claws outstretched and landed square on the man’s face. Hissing and spitting he clawed the man’s forehead. Lars reached up trying to pull the cat from his face but Peaches scrambled over his head and down his back sinking his teeth in the fat rear-end. Lars screamed in pain, the pistol went off and in surprise Lars dropped it. Thomas having recovered his senses quickly scooped up the weapon and aimed it at Lars.
“Well now Mr. Omega, seeing as I have you form of payment and find it lacking I suggest you go on your way before I let the cat finish you off.”
Seeing the pistol now pointed at him through his blood soaked face Lars turned away and left. He had originally intended to buy the rum but had lost all his savings in a card game the night before.
Peaches came back over to Thomas, “You know that’s twice this week I’ve saved your life. I think I need some cream for dessert when you get around to buying me that salmon.”
Thomas smiled down at the cat. “You drive a hard bargain my friend, but it’s worth it. Guess we’ll have to go into town and find a new buyer. Wonder who will be interested in a thousand kegs of rum?”
With Peaches by his side Thomas made his way into the city. Few people were out and about, it was still early in the morning and places like Star’s End usually only came to life at night. After a couple of blocks a small black and white kitten fell in behind Thomas and Peaches. Peaches was the first to notice the small kitten as she came up behind him. Other cats tended to bother Peaches and so with a swift donkey like motion Peaches used his hind legs to kick the small creature. In a small black and white blur the cat flew a few meters down the street.
Not easily discouraged the kitten shook herself off and continued to follow Thomas, carefully avoiding Peaches’ hind legs. Thomas was still oblivious to the creature as he continued to search for an open tavern that might buy his rum when Peaches turned and growled at the kitten.
Thomas turned and saw the kitten. He scooped her up and immediately she began purring. “Oh look at her Peaches; she’s a cute little thing; isn’t she?”
“You might call it cute. I see a nuisance.”
“But she’s half starved. Let’s keep her Peaches.”
“No, let’s not keep her. Send her over to Fat Omega as a going away present.”
“He’d kill her. No we’re going to keep her.”
Peaches growled again, his computer chip never knew how to interpret a growl, so it never tried. “Fine then, but the week I’m feasting on salmon she gets my dry food.”
“Alright then, what should I call her?”
Peaches looked up at the cat. In their quiet almost telepathic way he asked the cat what her name was. She mewed a soft response and Peaches looked back at Thomas. “Says her name is Mede.”
“Mede huh? Well that’s a pretty silly name, but if that’s what she wants that’s what we’ll call her.” Thomas let Mede jump from his arms and she walked alongside him opposite of Peaches.
Soon Thomas spotted an open cantina. “You two wait out here. I’ll see if they’re interested in buying our goods. The cats took up posts like sentinels at the door and Thomas stepped inside.
The interior of the cantina was thick with smoke and passed out drunks from the night before. Thomas stepped over a couple of drunks as he made his way to the bar. Unfortunately he didn’t see the third man in the shadows with an outstretch arm. Thomas’s booted foot came down hard on the man’s hand. He screamed and jumped up fists swinging. Unsure of what had just happened Thomas did his best to defend himself from the crazed man.
The bartender seeing the two men fighting assumed them to be drunks and pressed a button under the counter. Moments later two burly men walked in from the back door. They saw Thomas and the drunk going at it and knew what to do. The two bouncers each grabbed a man and pulled the brawlers apart. One man dragged the screaming drunk out through the back and tossed him into the alley. The other dragged Thomas out the front and tossed him into the road. “And don’t come back in here ever again or I’ll shoot ya,” the bouncer called as he slammed the door closed.
Thomas looked up at the door dejectedly as his two cats came over and began rubbing his legs. Thomas smiled at the cats. Animals always seemed to have a way to comfort him and the animals knew it. “I guess we’ll try again somewhere else.” The last couple words of Thomas’s sentence were drowned out by the screaming of twelve ships cruising in fast for a landing at the spaceport. Thomas looked up in time to catch the shape of an attack shuttle. “It looks like the militia is back in town.”
The bartender came running
out of the building as the sound of the ships died away. “Is that the militia coming back?” He asked Thomas.
“Yes sir.”
“I’ve got to get this place cleaned up and these drunks out. The Colonel always comes straight here after a mission.”
Peaches piped up, “I’d be happy to chase everyone out for you.”
The man looked at the cat in surprise. “What do you know; a talking cat.” He swung the door open and Peaches trotted in with Mede at his hills. Two minutes later a line of screaming men ran from the building. Right behind them Peaches and Mede trotted out.
“Place is empty, and I couldn’t help but notice you’re about out of rum. I happen to know a man who is selling a year’s supply at a very reasonable price. I insist that you buy it from him as payment for clearing out your drunks.”
The bartender looked puzzled and turned to Thomas, “60,000 senine for 1,000 kegs of rum?”
The bartender shrugged, “Sure, why not. It’d better be from the Menchet Region though.”
“Why would anyone bother trying to sell rum that hadn’t come from Menchet?”
“Deal then. I’ll have someone come around and unload it later today.” The bartender then looked around, seeing no one he whispered quietly to Thomas, “I’ve been looking for someone to take my sister off this planet to our aunt’s house. Do you take passengers?”
“Indeed I do, but I charge more for a passenger than I would freight.”
“That’s fine. I’ve wanted to get her off planet for several years. This just isn’t the kind of place where nice girls should be.”
Soon the rum was unloaded, Thomas’s freighter was refueled, and the beautiful young woman Kirstin was safely aboard along with the two cats Peaches and Mede.
A Space Merchant's Tale & A Shotgun Wedding - Two Tales from The Keeper's Universe Page 2
