Starblazer- Through the Black Gate

by Reiter

  “So glad you could join us,” Persephone said, waving her hand in front of her face and wincing from the stink in the room. “Good-ness! What is that stuff?!”

  “Oh, right!” Nulaki said as he quickly left the kitchen. Persephone looked at Dungias but all he could do was shrug his shoulders. They heard the clamoring of the hopeful crew and bowls being filled. When Nulaki returned, he had a big, bright smile and two steaming bowls. “So glad that was a short fight. It gave the soup just enough time to sit and steam. Here.”

  Persephone took her bowl and frowned, looking down at what appeared to be a thick broth and well cut vegetables. She looked at Nulaki before gazing up at Dungias.

  “Yes,” he said, nodding emphatically. “You could order me to taste it first, and there would be a mutiny!” Persephone broke into laughter. Dungias requested for the fans to be turned up and Satithe was quick to respond.

  “Ha, ha, haaa, very funny,” Nulaki sighed. “… don’t smell the cooking, smell the bowls!” Though they were both reluctant to do so, Persephone and Dungias lowered their faces to the bowls and took a whiff. Their heads came up at the same time with the same look on their faces. Surprise was evident for both of them, and Dungias took hold of his spoon.

  “No, no, no,” Persephone insisted. “If it’s toxic, you know how to run the infirmary. I just fly this thing.” Choosing not to argue, Dungias let Persephone taste the soup first. The spoon touched her lips and she looked as if she had just swallowed tar. “Oh, dear lord!” she croaked, reaching for Dungias’ bowl. Something, however, was missing from her eyes. Her face had every necessary component, but her eyes did not look as if what she had just tasted was disagreeable. Dungias moved his bowl out of her reach.

  “If it is all the same to you, this First Mate will endure what his Captain endures,” Dungias said before sampling the broth. Persephone smiled brightly as the Malgovi Traveler smacked his lips a number of times at the taste of the soup. He finally stopped to speak. “This is actually quite delicious!”

  “Yeah, because we didn’t know that before you said anything,” Persephone added. “Mother’s recipe, eh? Well you’ve done her proud. But let me ask you–”

  “It always stinks when you’re cooking it,” Nulaki nodded. “And if you serve it too soon… get a shovel, because you’ve just killed someone!”

  “One of the effects of the Pokka Root,” Dungias remarked before taking another spoonful.

  “The what?” Persephone asked.

  “The Pokka Root,” Nulaki replied, finding another reason to be mystified and amazed by the First Mate of the ship. “It is indigenous to the Fazerian homeworld and it’s used to make poison… and this soup.

  “How the hell did you know about that?” he quickly asked of Dungias.

  “Do you want to know what Z does during his downtime?” Persephone asked before Dungias could answer Nulaki. “He reads encyclopedias!”

  “My people are not from this region of space,” Dungias explained. “I thought it best to acquaint myself with the cultures of the Rims.”

  “He reads encyclopedias!” she said again. “And guess what he does with them?”

  “Uhm, memorizes them?” Nulaki guessed.

  “He edits them!” she blurted out. “He’s got a standing com-channel with three different publishers for when he finds discrepancies between what they’ve written and what he’s witnessed. They’re called Alpha Notes. Can you believe that?”

  As Persephone laughed, Dungias noticed that while Nulaki smiled, there was a new light in his eyes; the thief had just landed another source of intelligence. It was something of a struggle for Dungias not to smile or laugh. He had already anticipated their relationship growing at a different pace than what the thief would have with the Captain of the Xara-Mansura. Dungias had wanted to accelerate things at his own pace, but Persephone had just made that impossible.

  It also did not slip the Traveler’s notice that two of the hopefuls had heard Persephone’s outburst. The one who was called Olkin thought nothing of the information, but young Mel gazed at Dungias for a moment, looking as if he had just met a celebrity of note.

  “They pay you for that?” Nulaki asked.

  “There is a stipend, yes,” Dungias said and Persephone stopped laughing.

  “What?! You get paid for that stuff?! Well, why didn’t you say something? We could have altered course for you to make a few stops!”

  “Thank you, Captain, but there truly is no need. My research is governed as a point of opportunity. And you can rest assured, Nulaki, I do not report everything I find. Your secret regarding the Pokka Root is safe.”

  “That’s good to know,” Nulaki smiled and nodded.

  “However, this does provide a simpler means for developing an antidote for Pokka Root-based poisons,” Dungias added. “What did you wish to discuss with us, Captain?”

  While taking another healthy spoonful into her mouth, Persephone nodded, remembering she had called the meeting. She chewed for a moment, closed her eyes and then swallowed. “Oh, this is good stuff!”

  “And it’s almost the same amount of the rations to feed ten people,” Nulaki added. “I think I could get about twenty-five servings out of this batch.” Again Persephone was brought to a halt as she leveled a very loaded look at Nulaki. “No, I’m not going to be the cook!”

  “Then you better grab one of the remaining six and get them used to the idea,” Persephone insisted. “Speaking of ideas, do either of you have any suggestions on where we should be going right about now?”

  “I’ve got some business in the Gulmar System,” Nulaki advised. He could see pain register on the Captain’s face and for good reason. Very little Tech was allowed into the system and she was definitely a child of technological advancement. “… but it’s pretty personal. If you can get me close, I’ll take my Cobra-Nine and–”

  “You mean my Cobra-Nine,” Persephone inserted. “Z, did you not hear Mr. Conadier here throw his in with ours?”

  “I remember it quite well, Captain,” Dungias quickly replied. He was very amused at the position Nulaki had twisted himself into. He watched the Fazbred Terran stammer as he looked at the two of them.

  “So that’s my Cobra-Nine,” she claimed as she took a step toward Nulaki. “Am I understood?”

  “Captain, I–”

  “Which means we have some business in the Gulmar System, Mr. Conadier,” she quickly added. “Welcome aboard, Thief.” Nulaki smiled before he looked down at the floor.

  “Captain, I can’t let you–”

  “Let me help you with this, Nulaki Conadier,” Persephone interrupted. “… because it seems you might have a problem with the simplicity of it all. No one does for me who I don’t do for. Your status aboard this ship is completely voluntary… but while you are on board you’re a member of my crew. The sun sets on you, it sets on us all.”

  “That’s hardly the pirate way,” Nulaki argued.

  “Actually, that is another truth I have found which I will not be reporting,” Dungias said as he put down his empty bowl. “Though there are universal pirate laws, only a pirate can say what the pirate way is, Mr. Conadier. Welcome aboard. As soon as the Captain and I are done with an away-mission, I will need to talk to you about a few things I am developing which you would find helpful in the field.”

  Nulaki wanted to speak, but he could already see the Captain smiling and patting Z on the shoulder. The bill had just been signed into a law! There was no arguing that having a mobile base of operations would be, at the very least, helpful to his way of life… and there was one of the six who looked like with the right kind of prodding, might be up and ready to be trained in the arts of acquisition. Smiling at Captain JoJo Starblazer, Nulaki reached into his pocket, produced the credit stick Tehdi had given him, and handed it over to Z.

  “If you’re going to throw in with me, I’m throwing in with you,” he announced. “Here’s three hundred thousand reasons to look forward to a wonderful relationship.�
� Dungias took the stick and turned to face Persephone.

  “I will need approximately two hours,” he advised. “Then I will meet you at the hangar bay for our departure.” Persephone had no idea what this away mission was, but with everything that had happened recently, she thought it best just to go along with things.

  “You’ll understand if I leave Satithe in charge, right?” she asked of Nulaki.

  “She knows more about you two and this ship than I do,” he quickly responded. “Besides, I’m a thief, not a pirate.”

  “Nobody’s perfect, Nulaki,” Persephone smiled, handing him her empty bowl. “Damn fine work! Since I have two hours, I will acquaint myself with this so-called crew. I trust, Z, your prep-time will be to arrange for their activities while we’re away?”

  “Indeed, Captain.”

  “I will see you in two hours then.” Dungias left the kitchen, followed by Persephone and Nulaki, after he put the bowls in the sink. Dungias’ stride changed to one of greater expedience and Persephone looked at the remaining hopefuls who were already hard at work cleaning up the mess.

  The conversation in the kitchen had not been long, but they were mostly done with the labor. The bodies had already been removed and they were cleaning up the blood. Persephone’s attention was drawn to one person in particular as he appeared to be struggling with his mopping duties. Roving chairs were not designed for such things.

  “You’re Mel, right?” Persephone asked.

  “Yes, Captain,” he said as he looked up at her.

  “You want to be a member of my crew, or do you just want to be away from where you were?”

  “Both, Captain,” he quickly answered and Persephone smirked.

  “You were the one who cooked up that little reception for us at the Slavers’ den, weren’t you?” Mel nodded ‘yes’ as some of the excitement left his face. “That was a good plan,” she quickly added. “I like diabolical thinkers! But we need to address your status on this ship,” Persephone continued. “Obviously I cannot hold you to the same measure I hold the others.” What little light Mel had left in his eyes burned out and he looked down at the floor, wondering if he had improved his position by getting on this ship or not.

  “I understand,” he said.

  “Good, because it’s costing me plenty to keep this blasted contraption of yours powered up!” Persephone said, kicking the chair. “So I’ll be expecting more out of you than I would of anyone else. You follow?” Mel was shaken by the statement and he looked up into the sky-blue eyes of the Captain of the Xara-Mansura. She leaned down toward him and smiled.

  “The man who taught me how to shoot… he had no legs at all!” she whispered. “And for as long as I could get away with it, I never went anywhere halfway dangerous without him! He pulled my ass out of the fire more than once, and he could too because he had the upper body strength of a Purdian Pit Fighter.

  “If you fight with what you have and fight hard, you’ll find a warm meal, a good cot, and even a woman to warm your bed now and again aboard my boat. You understand… that woman won’t be me,” she said as she stood up straight.

  “Your loss, Captain,” Mel replied with a bright smile.

  “Attaboy!

  “And you,” Persephone said, pointing at Silnee as she turned to leave the room. “You’re with me. Olkin, you’re in charge of the detail. If my Mess is still a mess when I get back, it’ll be your ass in the sling! Annsura, Llaz, Pristacia and Dugger… welcome aboard!” Persephone walked to the doors that were already open and stopped. She turned to look at the largest of the hopefuls and he stopped working to look at her. His brown eyes blinked rapidly as he brushed his dirty brown hair out of his face. “Dugger?”

  “Yes ma’am,” he replied and Persephone shuddered in disgust.

  “Never ma’am and never sir,” she said softly. “We keep it simple here. Call me Captain.”

  “Yes, Captain,” Ephaliun quickly said.

  “Dugger?”

  “Yeah, it’s ‘rugged’ spelled backwards!”

  “But that would imply you’re anything but rugged,” she pointed out and Dugger frowned, having not considered that point before. Persephone opted not to inform the young man that rugged spelled backwards was deggur, not dugger… even though she thought that would have been a better name. “You know what… keep it! If it stalls your enemy the way it just made me pause, you’ll have the upper hand. Carry on… Dugger.” Persephone walked out of the Mess followed closely by Silnee.

  “I guess she was right about Maxworth’s Math,” Mel commented. Olkin’s green eyes glared through the dirty blonde locks that hung over his eyes as he worked.

  “What do you know about fighters, girl?”

  “Not much,” Silnee replied.

  “That’s about to change!” Persephone declared.

  “If I’m right about what I feel coming from this girl, we may be changing her name to Tolip,” she thought, shaking her head clear of the bad notion as she made her way to the simulator. “And then I’m going to figure out why I feel so good about giving her such a suck-ass name!”

  Nothing splendid was ever created in cold blood. Heat is required to forge anything. Every great accomplishment is the story of a flaming heart.

  Arnold H. Glasow

  (Rims Time: XII-4112.19)

  The doors to the hangar opened and Dungias smiled without turning around. She was ten seconds early, and he could feel the mixture of anxiety and tension coming from her every movement. He closed the access panel he had been working on and took hold of the cleaning rag.

  “This must be some run we’re about to make,” she said, looking up at the sleek ship. “You’ve called up your personal shuttle.”

  “Scout ship,” he corrected. “This is the Kulri-Kraythe, and it has what we will need to achieve our destination, and hopefully our mission.”

  “Cool. I’ve been looking forward to flying her,” she said as she reached to take out her gloves.

  “Forgive me, Captain, but I will need you to wear a much different accessory for this particular voyage,” Dungias said, offering her a headset. “This is a variation of the virtual goggles. It will render you completely blind and deaf to anything other than my voice and various media entertainment offerings I have loaded into the system. The list can be accessed by your brace-com.”

  “So… wherever we’re going is close, but I can’t know how to get there, right?” Persephone took the headset, feeling even more anxious. She had thought the escape course Dungias had plotted was solely to keep them from being detected by the IA and the Empire. She donned the headset, wondering if she would have to reassess the comparison of Z to Scimitar.

  “And if Z tops out ol’ Scim,” she thought. “… which is still pretty hard for him to do, what does that say about where I’m supposed to be?”

  “Something of that nature, Captain.” Dungias opted to answer only her spoken voice.

  “You hiding things from me, First Mate?”

  “I am protecting my Captain,” Dungias replied. “Even with a mind as strong as yours, possessing certain bits of knowledge can only bring you detriment. I would rather spare you the burden.”

  “What about you?” she asked. “What sort of Captain would leave her First Mate in such a position?”

  “The Captain who realizes what it is to have a captaincy!” Dungias answered. “You are a leader and not a figurehead, I will grant you that. You are also not the sort to give an order you would not carry out yourself if the matter called for it – that is why I have little trouble following you. But if you think the Captain of any ship knows as much of the workings of that ship as their First Officer, then I applaud all the First Officers you have ever known. At the same time, however, I must ask, what were you looking at all that time?”

  Dungias did not wait for an answer. He stepped up into the ship and the engines started before he was out of sight. Apparently the ship was also Satithe-enabled. “You’re coming too, Sati?” Persephone asked.<
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  “What, and let you out of my sight?” she responded and Persephone chuckled.

  “Tell me you had my back with the media list,” Persephone pleaded.

  “I even had him pirate the latest Pirate King film,” Satithe advised. Persephone cheered as she took her seat.

  “You can fly this thing from the co-pilot chair, right, Z?”

  “Make yourself comfortable, Captain,” Dungias replied.

  Although the launch was smooth, Persephone criticized his technique. She activated the headset without having to be asked and was asleep twelve seconds into the watching of the Pirate King movie. Dungias quickly unstrapped her from the pilot’s chair, smiling at how she had assumed her station even though she was not piloting the craft. He picked her up and took her to the cargo area of the ship where her sleep pod was waiting. Next to it was Jocasta’s and in moments both women were resting comfortably in the pods and in a very deep sleep.

  “What is the status of those aboard the Xara-Mansura?” Dungias asked.

  “Only Nulaki has gone against the plan,” Satithe replied. “He is very difficult to monitor, Master. His senses are sharp and if I have not already activated the surveillance port in the room he is entering, he often detects when I do.”

  “So you are learning too,” Dungias said as he turned back to the Bridge of the scout ship. “That is an unexpected advantage. Good.”

  “He is on the Bridge,” she reported. “CK and I have already produced a facsimile for the monitors of the ship. It will simply look like you have engaged drives and sped away.

  “Then let us initiate our plan,” Dungias said, strapping into the pilot’s chair. “One more visit into the home of a good friend.

  “Interesting,” Dungias thought, hearing himself. “I did not say one last visit. Hmmm.”

  “Ready when you are, Master,” Satithe notified.