Starblazer- Through the Black Gate

by Reiter

  “Ten or twelve to one, and still make it home, eh? They’re that good?”

  “Oh yeah!”

  “So you’re a brain then,” she declared. “Those clogs want you for the one muscle they refuse to develop?”

  “Something like that,” Kryltane answered. “Actually, they want me because their semester thesis went missing.”

  “Missing?” Jocasta asked. “Are you sure you’re using the appropriate term?”

  “Okay, it isn’t missing,” Kryltane admitted. “It no longer exists! They made me do the research, made me write the paper, all along promising to pay me for the work. I go to check my status here, and I’m about to be thrown out for lack of funds. I turned down possible jobs because I believed they would come through.”

  “And you rigged your files with a countdown clock,” Jocasta nodded as she chuckled. “Nice work.”

  “Look who’s talking. I’m Kryltane,” the young man said, offering his hand. “And I’m very grateful for your nice work.”

  “Not so much nice work as the yield of living through travels,” Jocasta said, shaking hands with the student. “Call me JoJo. You seem to be something of an authority on The Territories. I’m looking for some information on the Pearl Barony.

  “And boy is it looking like the twitch put me in a sweet spot,” she thought.

  “And especially the Star-Wings, right? You must be a pilot.”

  “You’re a quick one, Kryltane,” Jocasta replied.

  “I think we both saw that I’m not quite quick enough,” he admitted. “Normally, I’d ask how much it’s worth to you, but I figure I owe you a very big one, so I know a place where we can go. We’ll need some transportation, though. It’s not exactly walking distance even with the trams.”

  “It just so happens that I have a ride,” Jocasta advised before starting for the park lot.

  Jocasta thought she might actually come to like the young man as she pulled up to a saloon called the Stick & Rudder. On top of the three-story building someone had gone and parked an Old Earth propeller plane, and Jocasta smiled as she looked up at it.

  “This has to be the place,” she whispered.

  “Sticks or cover,” a woman, seated just in front of the door, spoke as the two approached.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Step up on the plate, grab the sticks and turn for the course you’re given,” she informed. “You get it right, you walk right in. You get it wrong, you pay double the cover.”

  “And the straight cover?”

  “Fifty cred a head,” the woman replied without batting an eye. Kryltane started to take a step back as he gasped in surprise. The pirate caught hold of his sleeve without looking away from the woman.

  “That’s a hefty cover,” Jocasta remarked.

  “What you pay to be in the company of the best,” the woman smiled as she spoke.

  “I like the arrogance,” Jocasta thought as she reached to her inside jacket pocket. She produced her card and ran it twice through the machine. She then signaled for Kryltane to follow her inside. “Humble pilots that know they’re good are not naturally occurring phenomena.”

  “Fifty credits just to get in?!” Kryltane whispered. “That’s robbery!”

  “That’s pilots!” Jocasta argued as they came through the lengthy hallway. Jocasta made an immediate left turn and walked around the main seating area as she made her way around to the bar. Again she was surprised to see so many people in one place at this time of the day. There were eyes on her, so she decided to play the wide-eyed tourist and look at the pictures and take in the ambience.

  “Interesting layout,” she thought as she looked around. “The front door is a test, and I think the same goes for this bottom floor. All of the décor… heavy handed in its placement. The place is supposed to be a bar, not a museum! Got to remember, don’t take everything head on!

  “Okay, Kryltane, we’re here. Who or what are we looking for?”

  The young man squared his shoulders and stepped up to the bar. Jocasta followed, her eyes just making contact with a young woman dressed completely in shiny black leather. Jocasta snorted a laugh as she looked at the bar.

  “Do you know who the Wing in for tonight is?” Kryltane asked of the bartender.

  “Who’s looking?” the bartender asked without looking up.

  “And some habits are hard to break,” Jocasta thought as she moved forward. “Head on it is!

  “Who’s asking?” Jocasta said, placing a hand on Kryltane’s shoulder to keep him from speaking. “You double as a publicist or something? The man asked you a question. It’s rude to respond with a question.”

  “I take it now you’re going to give me a lesson in manners?” the bartender asked as he looked up from his glasses. His body shuddered ever so slightly when his eyes met Jocasta’s.

  “Only if I have to, sweet cheeks. I’d just as soon get the information and be on my way, leaving everything in front of me unbroken.” The bartender started to motion toward a table on the far side of the room when Jocasta leaned forward. “And lying is the cruelest cut of them all!” she added. The bartender put his hand back down on the bar and swallowed hard.

  “Top floor,” the bartended motioned toward an archway. “His name’s Cavern, but he only talks to pilots!”

  “Fair enough,” Jocasta said as she moved away from the bar. “I’m opening a tab and my friend here is on it. Kryltane, you stay down here. The more you keep to yourself, without being rude, the better off you’ll be.”

  “You got it, JoJo,” Kryltane said, taking a seat on one of the barstools. “Barkeep, the most impressive, weakest drink you have, please.”

  “That would be tea in a shot glass,” the bartender replied.

  “Then make it a double!”

  Jocasta smiled as she parted the drapes and entered the back area. The spiral stairway was wide and made of terrastone. It could stand her weight, perhaps even a few hundred kilos more. She could hear live music coming from the floor above. She could smell pipe tobacco being smoked and rum that had been spilt. One floor up from the Stick & Rudder ground level and Jocasta found herself about to enter a new world!

  For, usually and fitly, the presence of an introduction is held to imply that there is something of consequence and importance to be introduced.

  Arthur Machen

  (Rims Time: XII-4202.22)

  Silnee screamed as she slid down the ramp into the pool, making a huge splash that sprayed everyone gathered at the sides. Adleon was next down the slide and came down in such a way that he was moving nearly twice as fast and made a much bigger splash. Siekor smiled from his seat in the hot basin, watching his fellow crewmen have their fun. He chuckled when Agatha and Marlene joined in on the antics.

  “Is there room in there for another? I could really use a good soak.” Siekor looked up to see Llaz approaching carrying two large drinks.

  “If one of those is mine, room can be made,” Siekor replied.

  “Then we have an accord,” Llaz smiled, handing Siekor one of the drinks. He moaned and moved slowly as he made his way into the steaming water.

  “Let me know if I need to bring down on the water temp,” Siekor offered.

  “Man, you touch that dial, I might forget we’re on the same side,” Llaz warned as he eased into the water. Once immersed he sighed and closed his eyes, letting his head rest against the padded edge.

  “What happened to you?” Siekor asked, curious as to why someone so young moved like a stiff old man.

  “Z gave me a parting gift,” Llaz replied. “He called it an in-field progress report. Apparently when it comes to the close-quarters combat classes, I am not a teacher’s pet.”

  “Ouch!” Siekor winced in sympathetic pain.

  “No, that’s where it started… in Ouchland. By the time he got ready to leave the house, I was a freakin’ theocrat in the Holy House of Pain!”

  “So much for having time off,” Siekor commented.

  “Captain
gave her orders and then she left,” Llaz remarked.

  “What?”

  “That’s right, you’re still new.” Llaz said plainly. “You still don’t know the do-si-do of the First Mate Two-Step, do you?”

  “I think I got a first-hand view of it back on Gulmurr,” Siekor reminded Llaz.

  “Oh yeah, you sure did,” Llaz nodded. “Man, that was some sick shit, splitting up someone’s crew like that.”

  “Yeah,” Siekor said, staring into his drink. “That was pretty sick. But you don’t sound like a fan of the ever-powerful Z.”

  “Don’t get me wrong, you don’t want anyone else around your ships or your weapons when they’re being made,” Llaz started, before he looked around. “… but once the making’s done, someone needs to cut the cord! The man is too hands on!”

  Siekor looked at Llaz before letting his eyes move to the man’s arm; his brace-com had been removed and Siekor gulped down the rest of his drink. “I think I know what you mean, Llaz.

  “I’m about to prune up here,” Siekor announced.

  “I hear ya, man,” Llaz replied. “Could you turn it up on your way out?”

  “No problem. You soak up and let all that crap slide, man. You’ll get your shot.”

  “This is my shot,” Llaz said softly. “Damned if I’m going to let cloud-head stay in my way!”

  “Do what you gotta do,” Siekor remarked. “And it looks like you’ve got some serious inbound company.”

  “Shit!” Llaz sighed as he looked up to see Pristacia making her way over. She was dressed in a black one-piece bathing suit and her hair was already wet and slicked back. “Don’t let the smooth taste fool you, man; she is the very definition of a Z project!”

  “Good to know,” Siekor said as he stood up outside of the basin. “Princess,” he said with a smile and a nod.

  “Siekor,” she smiled with a slight flash of her eyes.

  “Is she working me?” Siekor thought.

  “Mind if I join you, Llaz?”

  “I got a choice?”

  “Not really,” she giggled before looking up at Siekor. “You care to join us, Siekor?”

  “I’m done for the evening,” he answered. “Think I’ll just turn in early. See what it’s like to sleep in a bed under some real gravity.” Pristacia giggled as she tested the water and was taken aback by how hot the water was. “Something funny?”

  “Just that you forgot this is just another kind of spaceship,” Pristacia pointed out. Siekor looked down, shook his head and took his leave. “Did I say something wrong?”

  “Not sure,” Llaz answered as he sighed. He made hand signals under the water, spelling the word ‘bug’. “Does the day have a vowel in it?”

  “Someone is testy tonight,” Pristacia joked as she looked around the pool.

  “Princess, I had my ass handed to me by Z before he left,” he advised. “Right now, I just want to soak and relax.”

  “If Z did that, I’m sure he had a reason,” Pristacia remarked.

  “Right! That’s my cue.” Llaz turned and quickly made his way out of the water. “Enjoy yourself.” Llaz walked off angrily and Pristacia smiled as she watched him.

  “That was the whole idea,” she said softly before she started to soak.

  ** b *** t *** o *** r **

  Olkin entered the computer room with a soft knock on the doorframe. “Anybody in here?”

  “Back here,” Annsura spoke up as she waved her hand over her head. Olkin walked over to the workstation, stopping only to grab a chair for himself. With it being the computer room, Olkin expected to see a few things. An open med kit and Annsura rolling down her sleeve were on the unexpected side of that list.

  “What are you up to?” Olkin asked.

  “Long story,” she replied.

  “We’ve got all night,” Olkin quickly returned. Annsura turned around in her chair to look at him. His eyes did not waver from hers, and he was not treating the moment lightly.

  “What are we, Olkin?”

  “I would have to say there’s more than one answer to that question,” Olkin said.

  “Ugh!” Annsura cringed. “You talked to Z about us?!”

  “No I didn’t,” Olkin defended. “I took it to the Captain.” Annsura’s look of pain became a laugh she failed to prevent. “Well, I wanted a woman’s take on this sort of thing.”

  “Oooohhh, that’s sweet,” Annsura smiled as she rubbed Olkin’s arm. “What did she say?”

  “That it wasn’t her relationship so what she had to say didn’t mean anything. Not her words, of course.”

  “Believe me, I could tell,” she giggled.

  “But what I took from it was that this is our thing to define,” Olkin explained. “… so we can’t necessarily go by an opinion that isn’t yours or mine.”

  “And from that you have more than one answer to the question?” Annsura pressed.

  “Well, we’re crewmen,” Olkin quickly said. “And while that doesn’t really make ‘us’ work, we can’t go deny that it’s our lives. At least, it’s mine!”

  “You were right with saying ‘our lives’,” she confirmed.

  “Okay. After that comes the fact that you’re Cutter and your chief responsibility is to the crew. And we haven’t talked about whether you want my help with that or not.”

  “No, we haven’t,” Annsura said with a frown.

  “What is it?”

  “You’ve really put a lot of thought into this,” Annsura replied. “I mean, that makes me feel good, but at the same time, it’s not what I expected. I just thought you were happy with what we were and what we’re doing.”

  “I am,” Olkin said, taking hold of Annsura’s hand. “But that doesn’t mean I think this is where it stops.”

  “And where does it stop?”

  “Long story,” Olkin smiled.

  “We still have all night,” Annsura returned the smile as they drew closer together. They kissed lightly and it was a while before Annsura felt like opening her eyes.

  “You first,” Olkin whispered. “What gives?”

  “Okay,” Annsura said, taking a tighter grip of his hand. “And thank you… for coming to find me to say all of this. Cupid is looking like a better and better name for you.”

  “You say the nicest things,” Olkin said before kissing her again. “But no more of that until you tell me why you need your med kit.”

  “I was taking a blood sample,” Annsura stated as she turned to face the computer again. “I sparred with Z a couple of days ago.”

  “That’s always fun!” Olkin sneered.

  “It is!” Annsura exclaimed.

  “The hell it is! Here I am with the pirate name Cupid and all, and he’s a better archer!”

  “Really?”

  “I’m not even close!” he complained, rubbing his face with his hands.

  “That’s hard to believe, Olkin.”

  “That’s because you’ve never seen him with a bow,” Olkin stated. “Plus, I’m always using the goggles in the field.”

  “And the practice sessions outside the sims are always unassisted,” Annsura whispered, frowning at the image of Dungias using the bow.

  “Unless he’s got computerized contact lenses,” Olkin stated.

  “Best not to say things like that out loud,” Annsura warned. “Okay, so your sessions are as unraveling as mine.”

  “What?!”

  “Z’s got moves I’ve never even dreamed of,” Annsura shared. “… and he’s always at least one step ahead of me when we’re sparring. Oh, that man has moves!”

  “The man is not a man!” Olkin muttered.

  “Anyway,” Annsura pressed onward, “after our sparring session, he started telling me what was wrong with my approach and my technique.”

  Olkin swallowed hard and stared at Annsura intently. His eyes blinked several times before he spoke. “You mean, you can get better?! That’s not right!”

  “He told me I needed to clean house,” she state
d, looking at the computer screen. “That I can’t expect any extension of myself to improve while the base is faulty.”

  “I’m not sure I like what he’s implying,” Olkin defended.

  “Don’t let your heart pull your mind into making a bad decision,” she warned Olkin. “This is Z we’re talking about.”

  “What, are you saying he can’t be wrong?!”

  “Of course he can be, and I think he’d be the first to say that,” Annsura answered. “But I think we’d have to admit it happens far less often with him than with us. I think he’s right this time too.” Annsura noticed the look of surprise on Olkin’s face. It was mixed with anger and denial and she placed her hand softly on his cheek. “Do you remember your parents, Olkin?”

  “Of course,” he replied, relaxing at her touch. “I told you. My mother taught–” Olkin stared into her eyes and the anger fell away as realization made him very sympathetic toward the young woman he had come to have the deepest of feelings for. “Ooohhh,” he whispered.

  “My earliest clear memories are of the fighting pits,” she stated. “I can remember the blood, the broken bones, the people shouting at the girls, cheering at us, throwing rocks and credits at us… but I don’t have any clear memories of my family. Z was showing me that the IA keeps all kinds of databases about humans, and everything is done through the cataloging of DNA.”

  “The blood sample,” Olkin said softly.

  Annsura nodded as she sat back in her chair. “I could have used a hair, but I wanted to get the best reading possible. Satithe suggested my blood, and she’s cross-referencing now.”

  “Not anymore she isn’t,” Olkin said as he looked at the screen over her shoulder. Annsura turned around to look at the results. “Looks like she found something.”

  Annsura’s eyes ran over the numbers over and over again, her left hand was all the while slowly coming up to cover her mouth. She shook her head in disbelief while praying that what she was seeing was not a dream, not a computer glitch, not another tease her life delivered from time to time to remind her of the limits of pain.