Wrath of the Void Strider (20 page)

Zerki scowled.  “How much?”

“
Alee karrac
, my fatuous friend.  If you ask it that way, I will charge you whatever I want,” he sneered.  “After careful consideration, I am pleased to inform you the berthing fee is a most reasonable 50.  However, I will need 300 more for filing fees and for insurance.  You understand that banditry is on the rise.”

The sides of her jaw bulged.  “I’m not paying you 350!”

“New to space travel, are you?”  He jeered as he extended his fleshy, boneless hand.

Zerki fumed.  “Fine, take it.”  She retrieved a roll from a vest pouch and pulled from it four narrow sheets of elaborately decorated paper, pressing a total of 350 Union credits into his grip.

The ghalloom could scarcely contain his excitement.  “
Ga laree
, O truly temperate traveler.  Welcome to Kore!”  He laughed as he walked away, counting his newfound wealth.

Zerki quickly sobered and leaned toward Gavin.  “Union credits are worth a fortune out here.  That’s more money than he’s probably seen in a year.  I’m sure he was
hoping
I’d pay him in omnicoin, but he was probably expecting bluebacks.  I could feel his heart jump when I pulled out my roll of credits.”  She dryly laughed.  “He could buy a new house—probably a nice one—with that much money, but he’s as subtle as a gun.  He’ll never get the chance.”

“You practically signed his death warrant,” Gavin replied, aghast.

“No, he’ll be doing that all on his own.”  Zerki looked toward the rows of taller buildings before retrieving a weighty purse and counting out dozens of glinting coins.  Their surfaces were brightly aglow with geometric shapes and the monetary values of each.  She distributed them to her companions.  “That should be more than enough omnicoin for each of you.  Make sure to buy some thermals.  The mornings here are bitter cold.”

Zerki led her companions around the immense market square, where they bought clothing, footwear and curios.  They tried a host of local foods from a mix of predominantly ghalloom and ellogon vendors.  Contrary to her warnings, the locals seemed excited to see new faces in their midst.  By mid-afternoon, they had sampled three types of crunchy reefstars, eight varieties of dried cephalopod and had shared a large bag of deep fried sea fairies.  Following that, they enjoyed a full course of candied fruit, as the townsfolk gathered round to hear tales of heroism and high adventure.

·· • ··

The suns had reached the western horizon when the landing team decided to take some rest near one of the betting cages.  Seated around a tree stump table, Gavin, Taryn, Takeo, Valerie and D’Arro conversed as they sipped bready ale with some of the locals.  A few paces off, Zerki spoke in hushed tones with a scarred and rugged ellogon.  One tusk was filed to a stump, and ebony etchings lined the other.  A thick mane of gray, woolly fur framed his face, bunched atop his head, and a wadded tuft of it peeked out from under his neckline.

In time, the suns gave the sky entirely to a gibbous moon.  It bore a decidedly blue tint and sat high amidst the stars before Zerki had finished her negotiations.  Weary from a long day of standing and walking, she returned to her companions and plopped down at their table.  They gave her their attention, and she graciously excused the locals. 

“He’ll rent us his swamp buggy,” she said when they were alone.

Gavin looked surprised.  “It took him that long to say yes?”

“He’s practically in love with the thing.”  She looked toward the ellogon, and he grinned in response.  Returning her attention to her companions, she said, “It’s amphibious, runs on a cold fusion power core, and it purrs like something called a ‘thrak.’  I didn’t dare ask him what a thrak was, for fear of being stuck there for an hour of thrak stories.”  She puffed her cheeks.  “Nice guy, but he really likes to talk.”  She blew into her hands and rubbed them together.  “He’s agreed to take us to see it in the morning.”

“How much longer until morning?” asked Takeo.

“About ten hours.”

Fighting the urge to yawn, Valerie asked, “What do we do in the meantime?”

“Let’s find a bed and breakfast,” suggested Taryn.  “This place is so rustic, I bet the food is amazing!”

Unhurried, they got to their feet and took stock of the surrounding buildings.  Taryn spotted a tall, cozy structure with ample windows, and hoping it might be an inn, approached it.  Her companions followed.  Its wooden signboard was written in relief characters that neither Taryn nor her companions could read, but there was a pink, neon octopus on it that flashed between two poses: dining and slumbering.

“This looks promising,” said Takeo.

They crossed through a steeply angled arched door into a dimly lit foyer that was heated by an enclosed fire pit.  Brightly colored coral sculptures stood in the corners, and coupled with the fish painted on the walls, gave the reception area a surreal undersea quality.  From across the room, a ghalloom fellow greeted them warmly and presented the registry.

Zerki paid for three double rooms, and she joined her comrades in the dining area for a warm meal.  A cheerful ghalloom waitress attended them.  She didn’t speak English, but she understood enough of it to provide excellent service.  Mustard yellow and bright blue strips of sweet and sticky paste bound rolls of savory meat and filled their senses with exotic salts and juices.  They laughed and talked, sipping on bowls of crisp, steaming red leek soup and tangy rice wine.

When they had finished, D’Arro and Takeo took one of the rooms, and Zerki and Valerie took another.  With his room key in hand, Gavin led Taryn along a narrow hall to the room they would be sharing.  The walls were painted pale yellow with bright red trim, and high-seated bowls of glowing stones cast soft illumination.  As he fumbled with the lock, Taryn sagged against him.

“I think you’ve had too much wine,” he chuckled.

Her eyes bleary, she faced him and said, “I don’t.”  She tugged on his shirt, eventually gripping him by the lapels.  With a quiet laugh, she released him and swayed as she regarded the now open door.  “How did you…  When did you do that?”

“Just one of my magic tricks,” he answered, as he pocketed the key and pushed the door open completely.  Inside, they found a small, rectangular space with a bed and a bathroom at the far end.  A pair of nightstands framed the headboard.  The walls were decorated with faux thatch, and a trio of broad, thick leaves spun slowly overhead, serving as a ceiling fan.

Taryn braced herself against the doorknob and lunged for the foot of the bed.  She nearly made it, plopping instead with a thud upon the wood floor.  “Damn it,” she grumbled and pulled herself up onto the bed.

Gavin sat down next to her.  “You alright?”

“Yeah, I’m just a little tipsy.”  She crossed her arms in her lap and leaned forward over them, nestling her head against her elbows and forearms.  “Ugh, sorry Gavin.  I didn’t realize it was rice wine until it was too late.  That stuff hits me like a ton of trucks.”

He chuckled warmly.  “I know that.”

“But you know that.”  She peeked from between her arms and smiled.  Sitting up straight for but a moment, she toppled backward onto the bed and watched the ceiling as it spun wildly overhead.  She closed her eyes and let her body handle the spinning.  “Gavin?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you ever think about us?”

He reached back and squeezed her hand.  “All the time.”

“Do you ever miss me?”

With a sad chuckle, he squeezed again and released his grip.  “All the time.”

Tears came unbidden.  “I think I might… I think…”  She quietly growled as she glared at the ceiling and crushed away her tears with the palms of her hands.  “Look, I’m still in love with you.”

He swallowed, wincing as he did so.  Hoarsely, he whispered, “That’s the wine talking.”

Her eyes drifted slowly back and forth as the room spun slowly overhead.  “It’s not.”

“But you broke up with me—over text!”

“We fought all the time.”

He leaned closer.  “Tell me the truth.  It’s not because we fought all the time.  You’re ospyrean—aggression is in your nature.”

After a moment of hazy thought, she answered, “Because I can never be your wife.”  She sniffled.  Drawing a deep breath, she whispered, “And you can never be my mate.”

“Taryn, don’t do this to me.”  He leaned away.  “You’re breaking my heart all over again.”

“Liar.”  With some effort, she managed to sit up, propping herself on straightened arms.  She swung her attention toward Gavin and locked her gaze on the back of his head.  “You’re completely over me.”

“No I’m not.”

“What about Gwen?  Plus, I’ve seen the way you look at Valerie.”  With a quavering sigh, she added, “And I’ve seen the way she looks at you.”

He recoiled.  “You’re imagining things.  Never mind that she’s technically my boss, but she’s way out of my league.”  Shaking his head, he said, “She could be a model, if she wanted to be.”

“I looked her up, you know.”  Taryn closed her eyes, fighting a wave of nausea.  “Whoa…”

“You did?”

She nodded unevenly and licked her lips before opening her eyes again to regard him.  “Of course I did.”  She smiled slightly, sadly.  “Her mom’s parents were both pure-borns.   Sure, she could be a model—genetically, Valerie’s nearly perfect.  But—”

“See?” Gavin interjected with a smirk.  “Out of my league.”

“Let me finish!”  She eased onto her back once more and folded her forearms over her stomach.  “But she’s not a model.  She’s out here in the great big universe with us.”  With a giddy laugh, she added, “Actually, you better be careful.  She’s got a public record.”  She craned her head to regard him.  “Her mom died under malicious certain-stances.”

“Suspicious circumstances?”

She narrowed her eyes and nodded.  “That’s what I said.  Even though it was a ‘probably suicide,’ Fort Clark PD still wants to ask her a few questions.”

“That’s really sad.  How long ago did it happen?”

“Four years.”

He sighed woefully.  “Well, I’m sure that’s standard procedure.”

Taryn inhaled sharply and stared directly overhead.  “Maybe.”  Rolling onto her side, she curled into herself and whispered, “Gavin, I’m sorry I let you go.  I think that was the worst mistake I’ve ever made.”

“I won’t try to take that away from you,” he teased.  “But it’s really okay.”  Picking up one of the pillows, he set it down on the floor, positioning it between the wall and the bed.  He fluffed it as best he could and eased down onto his back.  “We make better friends, anyway.”

“Gavin?”

“Yeah?”

“What do you think about D’Arro?”

His heart sank.  “I think he’d make a fine husband and a fine mate.”

She smiled warmly as her thoughts wandered.  “Oh, Gavin!”

“Yes?”

Whatever she had been about to say eventually gave way to even, steady breathing.

With a bittersweet sigh, Gavin rolled onto his side and whispered, “Good night, Taryn.”

In time, restful sleep came to him.

·· • ··

Brisk air gnawed at Zerki and her companions, their breath tumbling forth in visible clouds as the suns dared to steal a glimpse from over the horizon.  Dawn seeped into the eastern everglades.  Despite having dressed warmly, they felt the morning’s bitter chill and talked sleepily as they waited.  They cupped tall, glazed-stoneware mugs filled with tea or coffee.  Steam rolled forth from their drinks.  Nearby, D’Arro set down a large duffle filled with their weapons and gear.

At last, they spotted the woolly ellogon ambling toward them from across the market square.  He moved easily and steadily.  Zerki welcomed him with a cheerful smile and a gloved handshake when he had drawn close enough.  He enthusiastically returned the gesture.  “You’re all aces for waiting,” he grinned.  “You won’t be sorry you did!  She’s no brown-eyed mullet, if you catch my meaning.”  He winked and nodded toward Zerki’s crew, his cheer bright upon his gnarled face.  As they began to cross the frosty market square, he said, “I didn’t get a fair go at making any of your acquaintance, last night.  Sorry about that.  Name’s Thamsummu.”

“I’m D’Arro,” and he hefted the duffle.  “No offense, but most ellogons don’t give a scraphawk’s eggs about someone else’s ‘minions.’  Not that I’m complaining.”

Thamsummu laughed as they began to walk.  “That’s on the Imperial beam, and it doesn’t fly this deep out.  Us downtusks are a might kinder, and a might more respectful.”  He clapped D’Arro’s back, wearing a triangular grin.  “We’re all friends, today!”

D’Arro coughed from the impact.  “That’s decent of you.”

Each in turn, they shook Thamsummu’s hand, introducing themselves in the process.

“Outstanding,” sang the ellogon, and a bit more spring came to his step.

They soon passed through Kore’s eastern gates and stepped off the main road onto an everglades back road.  “Let me go first,” he cautioned.  Gene key detectors recognized him, and holographic emitters projected green torches to light the way.  Well-trained constrictor vines moved to either side of the road at his approach, and he led his guests along the path.

Before long, they arrived at Thamsummu’s vehicle shack, where he hurried on ahead.  With some effort, he pulled aside a sludge-spotted steel hangar door and gestured for his guests to enter.  His guardian vines crept back into place as they passed.

Inside, cloth tarps covered half a dozen machines, and shop lights hung from the ceiling cast brilliant cones upon each shroud.  Off to the right, a dusty workshop awaited use, cluttered with scores of parts boxes spread across dozens of shelves that stood upon the cold, concrete floor.

D’Arro set down the weighty duffle.

Thamsummu approached a vehicle near the front of his bay and pulled down its tarp with all the drama of a stage magician.  A billowing dust storm followed in its wake and set his visitors to fits of coughing.  With unflagging good cheer, as dirt settled upon his fur and tusks, Thamsummu uttered, “Isn’t she a beauty?”

As tall as a house, the vehicle before them projected an air of age and indestructibility.  Wider at the back, its top half was a swoop of curves and heavy green steel, pressed firmly over the lengthy machine like a titan’s shield.  Its surface had been painted to resemble giant serpent scales.  A reinforced amber canopy protruded from the top, positioned just behind the front wheels.  Ringed, chrome pumps broke through at four points, converging on the cockpit, and reached down into deep engine recesses.