VOLUME FOUR: THE SPACE RACE
“Reprieve: a time for peace, reflection…and romance!”
Sharyn was still quietly meditating on her recent decision as Amy and Naja packed for their journey to Saigrim. The Dauntless was making good time as it flew across the limitless void of space; it had deviated from its original course to clear a debt for the Dead Roses (and to satisfy their insatiable greed), and the journey to the Cloud Kingdom had actually drawn it further away. Naja was still upset about losing so much time, especially since her marital status was apparently on the line, but Amy was being true to her word, and in spite of the pain that every step brought her, she was lugging items around and making sure they had everything to go. Even at top speed, going through the best shortcuts possible, the Dauntless wouldn’t arrive at Saigrim for three days, unless Rachel felt it was an emergency and teleported them there—but she was busy packing as well.
“There’s no sense in hurrying,” she said to Naja as she helped her master lift some of the heavier items. Thankfully, the ambitious Elshyrin had a practical mind and only took what she felt she’d need, but even that was a bundle. “Your people don’t know where you are, so they can’t send any thugs out to catch you, and I’m sure the Nail will still be there when we arrive.”
“All the same, I wish you’d pick up the pace,” she muttered. “You’re a genie, aren’t you? Why don’t you just take us there now? Can’t you wave your hands and whisk us away?”
“I already explained my reasons,” Rachel stated impatiently. “Besides, disrupting the natural flow of things at this period in time would ultimately prove cataclysmic. The natural order has been in effect for several epochs; there’s little need for me to interfere anymore. Magic works just like physics: every action has an equal and opposite reaction. If I were to start a fire, for example, I couldn’t just will it to happen blithely; I’d have to manipulate the fabric of creation itself, and either accelerate something in order to build enough friction for a flame, thereby endangering the space/time continuum, or—“
“All right, all right, I’m sorry I asked!! Jeez! You could’ve just told me it’d be easier to fly there ourselves!”
“But would you really have accepted that answer?” Amy giggled quietly and sat down to relieve her pain. She didn’t want to tell Naja that if she wanted, she could force Rachel to take them there—and do so many other things that would bewilder the Elshyrin’s mind and blow reality itself out of proportion—but she couldn’t bring herself to do that, not if there was at least one option left. In the past, too many people had treated the Ifrits as slaves or worse; Amy wanted to love her as a friend. Naja, in the meantime, was coming to terms with this development.
“I suppose I could kick back for a few more days,” she grumbled. “It’s like you said: it’s not as if anybody could find us out here, and nobody else is looking for it. Hey…how’s the foot, doc?”
“Agonizing,” Amy sighed. Naja frowned, crossed her arms, and picked up several of the heavier objects.
“I said you’d be in my way, but if you really insist… Just don’t overdo it, okay? And don’t look at me like that. I may be merciless, but I’m not inconsiderate.”
“Thanks,” Amy whispered warmly.
……
As Dr. Miracle and Miss Elapidae were gearing up for their next adventure, the rest of the crew was taking things easy. With everything that had happened recently, they barely got enough time to rest, and since there was no telling when another lull would come up, everyone took this opportunity to forego the journey with Naja and relax for awhile. Shana Suing still seemed to be awfully busy, though: she was devoted to updating her art and wanted to at least finish her current quota before she was whisked off on another incredible expedition. She had only just finished sketching her fellow crewmembers and was starting to work on her rendition of Rajani, the Dark World, when she received a visitor.
Fuuka Fujiwara was careful to be as quiet as possible when she entered; she didn’t dare disturb an artist at work, and she was already a big fan of Shana’s. She slipped through the door and sat down peacefully, folding her hands as she smiled and studied the young lady. Shana certainly had a knack for portraying different worlds, and as bleak as Rajani had been, she did her best to bring out the lonely beauty of it, too. Of course, she was guilty of favoring its condition after Marsa had lifted the curse, but nobody could genuinely criticize that. Fuuka had a reason for seeing Shana today, though, and wanted to wait for the right time to speak with her.
“I’ve got a lot of work to do,” Shana announced serenely.
“Yes, I see. We’ve all been busy. Am I disturbing you?”
“No, I like having company. Herut and Mink usually stop by to watch me draw. Did you get my picture of Athena?”
“Yes. You made her look so cute!” Shana giggled.
“I wanted to portray her in a different light. She’s usually so fierce and focused. Has she always been like that?”
“Well, yes, actually, but she warms up around me. It’s not that she’s a bad person, she just…isn’t used to other people. Athena’s actually been quite sociable lately; I’ve even seen her trying to make other friends. But it’s difficult for her; she’s really only had me up until recently. And it took her weeks before she even trusted me with her name.”
“Wow. How long have you two known each other?” Fuuka put her mind to it and tried to measure the time. It had been so long ago…
“I was fourteen when we met, and she was sixteen, so…it’s been about ten or eleven years now.”
“Wow, really! That long? Well, you two are pretty close.”
“We’re lovers,” Fuuka said proudly. “That in itself took a long time, and we had a lot of rocky moments. But I was always there for her; I healed her and loved her even if we fought. Can I ask you a question?”
“Uh, sure.”
“Is there a reason behind your paintings and drawings, or do you just do it for fun?”
“Well, I sketched you all for fun, but yeah, I’m making these for a reason.”
“Would it be improper of me to ask why?” Shana paused and put her brushes away. Her hands and clothes were speckled with paint, and there was even a cute smudge on her cheek. She gazed at Fuuka with startling maturity and bit down on her lip.
“You’re…a doctor, right? I’ve heard you’re really good—I mean, you know, if there’s such a thing as one doctor being really better than any other. And it’s probably not just cuts or sickness: you could probably perform really complicated surgery and heal a life-threatening disease.” Fuuka blushed and glanced away humbly.
“Well, there are some things I could never fix, and I haven’t really been tested on others. You’re not…in any serious trouble, are you?”
“Not me—my little brother,” she mumbled. “I say he’s little because he’s younger than me, but I’m the shortest person in my family. He’s got…something. It’s a terminal illness that doesn’t have any treatment, and it’s fatal. He’s not going to be around anymore in two years. Don’t get the wrong idea—he’s accepted his fate and he’s facing it really bravely, it’s just…I wanted to show him the most beautiful place in the galaxy before he died. That’s my goal in life, and that’s why I signed on. I’m painting every world we visit so that he can see them all.”
Fuuka was so touched that she couldn’t speak, and being the big-sister type, she shuffled over and gave Shana a hug. The younger girl put her arms around Fuuka’s neck and wept for a second, wiping her tears on her rust-red fur. As she pulled away, she smiled in thanks, an expression more precious than anything the crew could ever search for.
“I think you have the right idea,” Fuuka said at last. “But even so, I wish I could do something for you. You see, I’m suffering from an incurable disease as well: it’s going to eat away at my body, little by little, until I die from it. Pretty soon, I won’t even be able to walk. You and I have quite the same mentality, my dear: we just want to appreciate the beauty of everything around us and ease the suffering of others for as long as we can.” Shana studied Fuuka now with renewed understanding and respect, and despite the age and species difference, she could tell they were really very similar. She hugged her again and even gave her pointy black nose a kiss.
“Can you draw?” she grinned. Fuuka laughed out loud.
“Only if you can perform stomach surgery!”
“I can if you’ll teach me.” Her tone of voice was so ambivalent, both playful and serious, that Fuuka didn’t bother wondering if she really meant it and picked up a handful of colored pencils.
“Maybe you should teach me first.”
……
Business memorandum of V. Fonester
Private economic notes concerning the crew of the “Dauntless”
Subject: Bane or Benefit?
Dr. Amy B. Miracle: Benefit. Aside from owning and more or less commanding the “Dauntless”, Miracle has presumably taken ownership of the Tome of Treasures, which has an estimated value of hundreds of trillions when one considers how many artifacts it has recorded, and the accuracy of their locations. Without these items, however, she is little more than a
quaint, poorly-dressed woman with a degree and a limp, who has greatly restricted the use of her third asset, the genie called Rachel.
Rachel I. Jinniyah: Bane. At first I considered this supernatural being (dare I use the phrase “macro-organism”?) to be the most valuable member on the ship, as I believed her abilities could vastly exceed the Vicegerent’s wildest dreams. But after spending a bit of time in her company, I have come to a bitter conclusion. Except for a few parlor tricks she performs to amuse some of our more pedestrian passengers, Rachel is completely worthless. It makes me wonder why she limits her power—but I also wonder how Miracle came about owning this creature. She won’t tell ME, that’s for certain!
Herut: Benefit. Repair units are not hard to come by these days, but it’s rare to meet one as skilled and as dedicated as Miss Herut. It’s a pity her engineers are an independent company, but I suppose if they weren’t, one of my kin would’ve bought them out ages ago. When she started showing signs of socialization, I thought there was a defect in her programming, but later I began to theorize that human interaction helps her grow as a mechanic. Suing and Kasberry are particularly responsible for this change.
Chandra: Unsure. She’s only good for cooking and sex, but Mink has proven herself superior in the first field, and I have absolutely no interest in dallying with her (though who could blame HER for showing an interest?)! However, if I employed her as an aide, I might be able to use her to seduce my rivals and glean information out of them. A fluke in her system makes her attracted to women only, to my dismay, and I have so few female adversaries! Hmm.
Lyara A. Tanith: Bane. She came from a rotten planet and used to be the leader of a GANG! I have no use for ruffians like her, even if she is telepathic.
Sharyn: Bane. Overconfident and yet riddled with doubt, she’d tear herself apart long before she proved useful. Her debt still remains unpaid! And despite her excellent lineage (was her father really a famous knight and a noble?), she’s very poor.
Lillianne Markus: Unsure. She’s rough around the edges, but she has a head for valuables, and she’s in a prime position to steal Sindar secrets. But out of everyone here, I think she’s the most unpredictable; having her for an ally would be risky. Her loyalty to Aseria seems to be the only certain thing about her.
Aseria G. Tolan: Benefit. She comes from a very wealthy family, which is actually Sindarin royalty (jackpot!), and she’s also a Captain in the Special Defense Forces. She’s kind, but a tad on the unstable side. I want to forge a good relation quickly, but that blasted Markus keeps getting in my way.
Kathleen “Kate” Shepherd: Bane. One of the poorest people I’ve ever met. All she’s good for is heavy labor.
Allegra van Landingham: Bane. History aside, she’s very hypocritical, and doesn’t seem good with money.
Alala: Benefit. At first, I thought she was just another ditzy catgirl, but she’s really a brilliant person. I’ve heard she’s very poor, though, so if I paid her to be my advisor, I’d have an incredible ally. I’ve also heard that some catgirls can get other women pregnant; if this is so, maybe I can mate her with Mink to create the ultimate assistant! Must calm down first, and think rationally. We must all walk before we can run—but just thinking about it gives me shivers!!
Yenae G. Marliir: Unsure. Yes, she worked for the UCM, but she was also a pirate for a period. She played both sides to her advantage and came out as one of the most feared people around. No telling how a woman like her would affect my image…
Rebecca Hill: Bane. Her aunt, on the other hand…
Eve E. Kasberry: Benefit. Her attitude aside, she’d be the perfect handywoman. Only Demise Industries could rival her at mechanics, so with the proper funding… I also heard she’s a senator’s daughter, so there are political gains as well!
Riene Latoli: Bane. Mink can easily be taught any language I need, and two interpreters are unnecessary.
Shana Suing: Benefit. Her impeccable memory alone could help serve my purpose, but she’s really quite good at solving problems. I foresee her managing my troubleshooting division.
Kyrie Lastgear: Bane. This one took hours to judge, but I finally decided her penchant for destruction surpassed her love of creation. She could rival Demise Industries, if she didn’t burn everything down first! But I have to wonder if she and Eve could create something together…
Prof. Valti Brignor: Bane. I’ve been looking for a geneticist, but she only seems interested in animals—plus, she used to be part of that penal colony in Rennai. Let’s not mention her mental instability!
Naja Elapidae: Benefit. I’ve been spending more time with Naja because I admire her tenacity, sharp mind, ambition, and of course, her lineage! The Daughter of an Admiral and a Senior Diplomat! Having her on my side would exponentially increase production and economic growth, but she warned me she wasn’t the type to settle down. I would like to strike some sort of alliance with her, though, but that means I’ll have to somehow nullify this dreadful marriage she’s been arranged into. I’ve heard the Elshyrin respect wealth and power, so things just might work out…
Dr. Fuuka Fujiwara: Bane. I have the best doctors in the galaxy and NONE of them are annoying bunny-loving otaku!
Athena Sifr: Bane. I have the best bodyguards in the galaxy and NONE… You get the idea.
Kayleigh and Teleah Acheron: Benefit. I’m surprised I’ve never heard of them. They handle this ship like second nature. I’ve also heard they’re quite good with machines and not too shabby in a brawl. Originally I thought about buying off one of the Ozmund Company’s pilots, but befriending these two ladies might be even easier.
Summary: Striking a friendship with Miracle, Herut, Tolan, Alala, Kasberry, Suing, the Acherons, and Elapidae will be the focus of my duration on this ship, while further analysis of Chandra, Markus, and Marliir is needed. If at all possible, avoid contact with the others, unless through necessity or sudden change of interests.
“You can be so cold,” Mink sighed as she closed Vimmy’s ledger. “Don’t you think about anything besides your own personal wealth?”
“What else is there to think about, it’s the way my society has always worked, it’d be like me telling you to stop daydreaming all the time, you simply won’t do it, there’s nothing wrong in separating your assets from all the dead weight, I’m sure they’re very nice people once you get to know them, but ‘nice’ doesn’t cut it in my world, you know, now be a dear and fetch my lunch, and please keep an eye out on those three I listed.”
“Very well.” Mink didn’t exactly enjoy assisting someone who treated living people like commodities, but this was her choice in life and she was going to stick to it—it was her honor and privilege. And Vimmy wasn’t completely rotten: she was a very fair employer, and she definitely appreciated Mink’s hard work. Besides, she wouldn’t have been able to explore like this without Vimmy’s help, and so Mink continued to serve her, hoping one day to finally
influence the excitable woman’s charity. She wandered into the kitchen as instructed and searched for the chef. If memory served correctly, Chandra would be handling everything today.
As emotionally weak as Mink was, and as little as she interacted with everything else, she was much sharper than she looked and knew more about things than people gave her credit for. She wasn’t stupid: she knew what sort of person Chandra was and what her purpose was, and so when she heard soft moans coming from the kitchen, she knew they were probably sexual in nature. Chandra was doing what she did best, but at least she was trying to be private about it.
“Excuse me,” Mink called out loud, banging hard on the kitchen door. “I’ve come for Master Vimmy’s lunch. You can just slide it along the floor and I’ll be going. I don’t mean to disturb you.” The moans gradually silenced and sounds of scurrying, scrambling, and shuffling were heard from the other side. Mink stepped back and politely cast her eyes away as somebody slipped away (possibly Kyrie; Mink noticed a red blur), and waited patiently for the food. Chandra emerged from the door about fifteen seconds later, only partially clothed as she held a sack lunch.
“You have terrible timing,” she sighed forlornly. “I was just about to get to the good part, too…although I suppose it’s not a total waste. Do you want to come in for awhile?”
“No thank you. It’s not my shift today. May I have the food, please?” Chandra giggled huskily and stepped closer, letting her perfume drift through the air until it surrounded her guest. It was very faint, but tantalizing to a woman’s sense of smell: she had used it many times before. Even Mink was stirred, but she didn’t know how to respond, and so she stood petrified, a flicker of bemused haze in her eyes.
“You can have the lunch,” Chandra whispered, stepping so close that her body was nearly touching Mink’s. “But you can have me as well. I still owe you that promise I made during the cooking contest, remember? I told everyone I would seduce the winner. But even before that, I’ve been aflame with curiosity. Do you have any idea how agonizingly beautiful you are?”
“I’ve heard comments to that effect,” she replied quietly. The pheromone-perfume was intoxicating Mink and she was beginning to lose focus. Her dampened emotions and a lifetime spent away from rash passion was what saved her from undressing herself and taking Chandra for her own. Chandra touched Mink’s face and drew her mouth close, but held back until the proper moment. She preferred letting the other woman bridge that gap; it made everything more intimate and universal. Unfortunately for her, Mink’s bewilderment spiked, and an honest flash of emotion came to pass.
“You are,” Chandra whispered. “You are so completely gorgeous. But you’re so quiet and shy. Don’t you know how elegant you are—how graceful and thoughtful and mature? It’s one thing for a woman to burn with desire, the way you’re making me burn now—see?” She slipped out of her disorganized clothes without taking her eyes away, and stood totally nude before the other woman. She gently took Mink’s cool gray hand and placed it on her soft ochre breast; she could feel her nervous pulse and smiled.
“I’m so hot,” Chandra panted as she nestled her face in Mink’s shoulder. “You’re making me hot. I can’t stand it. It’s one thing to just fuck and fuck and fuck—it’s fun, but it becomes meaningless in time—but to really meet someone who is so pure and innocent…so perfectly angelic and ethereal…so quiet, but wise… I’ll bet your smile is so pretty. I can imagine why you hoard it away; it must be too beautiful to look at. Goddess, Mink, I can’t help myself anymore. I have to see you.”
Mink squirmed and squealed: Chandra’s other hand was exploring carefully. Mink’s mind was foggy and sluggish, and she was blushing out of fear and uncertainty and yes, even
arousal. Chandra’s breast was soft, supple, and warm; her breath whispered promises; her smell was overpowering. Mink felt her own clothes slowly abandoning her body, and she chirped in surprise as Chandra’s mouth began exploring.
“What are you doing?” she asked, honestly unsure. There was alarm in her voice as well, and surprise, and even a little sliver of disgust. This was wrong. It felt wrong. Mink didn’t even know Chandra. She was just another person onboard the ship. Her skin felt warm, but her touches were like ice, if that makes sense (it did to her). Chandra’s worship of Mink’s body was affectionate, but there was no real love behind it. Mink quickly distanced herself before Chandra could do anything else, stood up, and put her clothes back on. Her face was nearly white with amazement, and she was trembling.
“I’m sorry,” Chandra replied, genuinely stricken. “Do you want me to go slower? I do have a problem controlling my own desires.” Mink shook her head.
“I don’t like you. Please don’t ever do that to me again. I only want to feel that sort of thing with someone I love. Please seduce somebody else in my place. Excuse me.” She took Vimmy’s lunch and marched out of the room, fixing her disheveled appearance as she went. Chandra groaned in defeat and attempted to recover from the heavy blow. She just didn’t understand why she was failing so much. More of the women were resisting her advances, and those that stayed didn’t stay long. She may have only been programmed for pleasure, but even Chandra had feelings, and it hurt when people rejected her.
“It’s not me,” she whispered to herself. “I’ve been doing everything right. This has always worked before, so why can’t I get anywhere? I never meant to hurt any of them—I just wanted to make them happy. So how do I go about doing that?”
……
After her remarkable meeting with Chandra in the kitchen, Kyrie skipped back to the engine room, humming and flapping her arms like a demonic lovesick cardinal. Her sexuality had really started coming to a front ever since she signed onto the ship—first Valti, and now Chandra—and she couldn’t help but wonder where she’d progress after that. She was surprised to find a visitor in the engine room as she stepped through, but seeing as how it was Eve who was paying her a visit, she concluded it was only natural.
“Hey there! Didja come all this way to see how the old girl works?”
“Mm, sort of.” Kasberry was intently studying the engine and all the machinery that made it operate, but she was also scanning for flaws. Kyrie grinned and laid her hand on the stunning work of art; it hummed and vibrated beneath her.
“Isn’t it the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen? And the thermal output is just orgasmic! The internal combustion alone is a stroke of genius! My only complaint is that the exhaust doesn’t shoot out big columns of flame whenever we accelerate, but this system doesn’t rely on our rocketry.” Eve nodded silently; her stare was level and serene, probably because she could really understand why Kyrie was so excited.
“I’ve noticed the nanker valve was acting up, and I’ve been trying to bypass it. I hope you don’t mind my tinkering.”
“No, go ahead, tinker away! I’ve got all the schematics memorized, so don’t worry about shifting anything around.”
“Is that what you do with your time?” she muttered wryly.
“Well, mostly,” Kyrie answered shyly. “I’m not exactly popular in all the circles, y’know—probably because I still can’t cook well. It’s their fault for throwing me in with all those stoves! Grilling, barbecuing, roasting, baking…ohh, it’s all so COOL!!” She jumped up and down lividly, clutching her fists like a child gone out of control. Eve weathered her giddiness and concentrated on her studies until Kyrie rescued her civility. “Heheh, sorry, I got carried away again. I really would like to learn how to cook, but every time I get in that kitchen… Anyway, you said you wanted to bypass that valve? What was wrong with it?”
“It was causing the distributor to hiccup, and it was affecting the fuel I/O. It’s not a problem now, but if we leave it unchecked, it’ll affect our speed and maneuverability. Basically, it’ll be the difference between driving a motorcycle and driving a tank.”
“But the distributor’s fine now, right? I could probably cobble together a replacement if you need one.”
“It’s the valve I’m worried about,” Eve muttered as she put a torque wrench in her mouth. “Hand me those cutters, will you? I’d like to take a look around and see if there isn’t some other way to fix it.” Kyrie eagerly loaned her assistance and knowledge, and squealed in delight as she felt herself bonding with somebody else. She only knew about Eve through the rumor mill—she was supposedly a bitter, sarcastic, cynical sociopath that didn’t want anything to do with other people—so she was surprised to find this young woman warming up to her. Then again, Kyrie also heard that Eve was only really comfortable around machines, and so having a shared knowledge of technology was probably for the best.
“You know,” Kyrie said as she squatted next to her new friend, “it’s not everyday you meet a girl that likes to screw around with this sort of thing. Back where I come from, of course, the Lastgears are full of women who’re good with machines. My grandmother actually constructed an I/O cleaner that could integrate with the rest of the engine without compromising any space. She sold the rights to the Ozmunds and made a bundle. My mother was totally into aerodynamics; she created a set of flexible wings that could bend and stretch as good as any bird’s. So where’d you pick up all this knowledge?”
“You ever hear of Hallow’s Point? It’s this station that orbits Silvanus—that’s in Alpha Centauri, I think. They get lots of people going into the Helios system, so naturally, there are lots of requests for repairs, maintenance, upgrades, you name it. I lived there until I was about twenty-two, and I just learned from experience. Never went to school or anything. I guess I’m a prodigy, but who knows. I had this one really cool woman for a teacher that I haven’t seen since that place was attacked—that’s how I got these.” She tapped her mechanical legs and emerged from underneath the engine, greasy and sweaty but victorious. “That should hold it until we get to a station. I managed to bypass the valve, but we’ll need a replacement I/O exchanger. Anyway, that woman taught me most of what I know. She was really something—kinda like a crazy, cool aunt I looked up to. I imagine she’s still alive: there’s no way that pirate raid could’ve killed her, and she’s not really that old. Anyway, sorry for butting in. She’s all yours.” Eve gathered her belongings and climbed to her feet; Kyrie jumped up and followed.
“Hey, maybe we could hang out sometime. I’d love to hear a few stories, and maybe this perky little Red can teach you something!”
“I’m heading for the showers if you wanna join me,” she teased. Kyrie stepped back and cringed—not that she was afraid to bathe with another woman, but of the water itself.
“Eyugh, I’ll pass, thanks. I can’t stand water.”
“What, you afraid you’ll drown?”
“No, I’m afraid I’ll get wet! Hello! I’m a pyromaniac over here! Water totally puts a damper on my day!”
“So how do you clean yourself? And what do you drink?” Kyrie growled in frustration. Why couldn’t humans understand?
“First off, I still drink water, I just hate getting it on my skin! Second, I normally just wash with oil. You could rub that all over me.” Eve smiled grimly and saluted.
“I think I’ll stick to water. I’ll see you around.” She left the room, and Kyrie, who sighed glumly.
“Darn. I hate missing out on all that fun. But I just can’t stand getting wet!!”
……
Usually when somebody aboard the Dauntless wanted to bathe, they just went to their private bathrooms and washed at leisure—but there was also a large public shower (which Chandra frequented), and of course, several artificial pools that served as hot tubs. The most popular was the open-air bath, which had a ceiling that looked directly up at the heavens in all their boundless glory. The water always seemed to have the perfect temperature, and a fragrant aroma drifted up from the steam. There was even a bamboo waterspout for ambiance (which Fuuka certainly appreciated). Eve avoided this luxurious spot in favor of her personal washroom, but Allegra and Kate paid it a visit after working out together in the training room. Ever the lady, Allegra allowed her friend to go in first, then slipped inside with her usual modesty.
“Lordy lordy, if this ain’t a slice of heaven!” She let out a grunt and submerged until her shoulders were covered. Kate splashed peacefully and tried not to stare: she had an ongoing crush on the gunslinger and didn’t want to put herself into an awkward position.
“I hope this vacation of ours lasts longer,” she added. “You wouldn’t know it from looking at me, but I’m not the adventurous type.”
“Well I am!” Allegra exclaimed proudly. “Just gimme somethin’ to shoot for and somethin’ to shoot with! Actually, I really shouldn’t be frolickin’ around like a rabid varmint, but I can’t help it—it’s just too much doggone fun.”
“You’re certainly hypocritical in that regard,” Kate laughed. Allegra feigned offense and upturned her nose.
“Hey, I’ve had a tragic life. Don’t I deserve some fun?”
“It seems like you’re having too much fun…but I’m glad you don’t enjoy fighting nearly as much as you claim.”
“Oh, I hate it,” Allegra replied as she pulled her legs close, submerging to her neck. “Takin’ out killer robots and smoke ninjas is one thing, but livin’ people’s another. I’m glad I got a choice now, at least. Say, why don’t’cha tell me a lil’ bout’ yourself, sug? We sure do act like friends, but I don’t know much about you.”
“There’s really not a lot,” Kate muttered humbly. “Back where I came from…Utopia, I mean…I grew up in a real hellhole. I still want to smack the sick joker who gave it that awful name. Suffice to say that it’s about as misleading as they get.”
“Like calling a frozen wilderness ‘Greenland’. G’wan.”
“Anyway, both my parents were so deeply involved with drugs that I’m surprised I came out so healthy. I’m still not entirely sure my father knows about me. Sometimes…I had to remind my own mother who I was. Needless to say, I learned how to take care of myself at a very young age. It did get too much for me at times, though. I became too tough too quick. When I got older, I did a lot of things I wasn’t proud of, that I won’t repeat here…but it was either that, or give up and die. Anyway, when I heard about Amy’s ad, I bolted as fast as I could. I left my mother to rot in her own filth, and who knows if she’s still alive or in some jail. Look, please don’t feel sorry for me or anything. I’m trying to make a new life for myself and I don’t need anybody’s pity. Just…be good to me, that’s all I ask.”
“You don’t have to ask me,” Allegra grinned. “I said I liked you—shoot, I told you I’d follow you even if you went for that Amazon world, remember? I meant it, too.”
“I remember,” she blushed. “Hearing that made me happier than I can say.”
“I said it cuz’ I figured I could relate to you. I did say I could see all kinds o’ trouble you had to go through in your eyes, like it was somethin’ us hardened drifters could figure out, n’ so I figured we could be bosom buddies or somethin’. Sounds like a star-crossed match, but we do pretty good, huh?”
“Yeah. So tell me about yourself! It’s not fair for me to spill all my guts.”
“Myself?” Allegra looked up at the stars and lost herself in the void. She closed her eyes and submerged completely, then rose and gently wiped the water away. Her body dripped as neck, chest, and waist were exposed, and despite her manners, Kate couldn’t help but catch a brief eyeful. Allegra wasn’t a stunning beauty, but she certainly was inspiring. “Well,” she said at last, “I was almost married, but…it didn’t really work out. I’ve been told I’m great at the piano, though, so maybe I could give you a demonstration. That’s really where my name comes from—you know, allegro.”
“Ah. But what about that marriage? Why didn’t it work out?” Allegra shut herself out by turning around, closing her eyes, and pursuing her lips. She got out of the bath and started drying off. Kate felt horrible for prying and started to apologize. “Um, it’s probably none of my b—“
“He died,” she murmured. She sighed gloomily and folded her towel around her. “You’ve got your secrets, sug, and I have mine. It was wrong of me to pry and I’m sorry. Let’s just concentrate on what’s right ahead of us, okay? I think we’ll get along much better if we don’t allow our histories to interfere. All the same, thanks for the social call. C’mon down whenever you feel like it. My door’ll always be open.”
“Uh, sure, thanks. And hey, whenever you want to hang out…” Allegra turned her head and winked; she was gone just as quickly, back to the locker room to change. Kate wondered for a second if she could still fall in love with Allegra considering her mysterious past, or if Allegra could love her for hers. She wanted to believe it was possible, and held onto that belief as she continued adjusting to this strange new paradise.
……
Aseria knew she had been gone from home and had forgotten her duties for a long time now, so she expected to hear scorn and worry as she drifted into the computer room and opened her mail. She hadn’t meant to drop contact with them; she had just been busy with everything
that happened. She guessed that part of the reason her half-sister wanted her to embark on this journey was to get away from some of her more brutal competitors, and scanned anything that might have been sent from Aria or her maids regarding this.
At least one of her letters was laced with worry: for Aseria’s safety, for the condition of her home and her empire, for her proximity to Lillianne (Aria never liked her), and for Aria’s own limited influence. By all rights, she should have succeeded the throne, with Aseria as her right hand, but genetics played a cruel trick on her, and now she was selflessly devoting herself to her younger half-sister. There were letters from Aseria’s parents as well—stern and reprimanding, wondering when she would quit gallivanting around and come home. There were also more formal letters from command, but they were not as grim as she expected. It seemed they endorsed her decision to take a “vacation” and told her she could take as much time as she needed before returning to her duties. Aseria suspected somebody in the SSDF was planning to usurp her power—yes, Captain Tolan, take your time, by all means!—but they probably wouldn’t be as blatant as that.
One of the letters from command was different than the kind she usually got, and at first, she regarded it as “junk” mail. It was advertising a large event in a nearby system and it was encouraging mass attendance from all divisions. Not only would the honor of the Special Defense Forces be at stake, it read, but the entire Sindar race as well. Aseria rolled her eyes and nearly deleted it, but curiosity got the better of her and she decided to read it after all.
“The 108th tri-annual Galactic Space Race is fast approaching! There are still two weeks left to register for this spectacular event, but positions are filling fast! Hurry to the Hagan system and register at Hagan 11 (Centania)! For the honor of the SSDF and the Sindar race as a whole, his Excellency Valorien requests the presence of her royal highness Captain Aseria Tolan and all affiliated parties. REGISTRATION HAS BEEN PAID.”
“So does my father expect me to race or to watch?” she wondered. Aseria slowly remembered just how important this race was to her people—and to many other intelligent species throughout the galaxy—and wondered if the rest of the crew wanted to participate. She printed out a copy and took it to Dr. Miracle’s room; she and Naja were still packing, but they were almost finished.
“Hey, it’s the elf!” Naja exclaimed with a smile. Aseria was one of the few people Naja genuinely liked and respected, probably because she was royalty and a captain. “What brings Lady Guardea Tolan out this far?”
“Central command sent me this letter and I thought…” She showed it to them, and Naja instantly lit up with glee. She snatched the pamphlet away, skimmed through it, and squealed for joy.
“Ohmygods, I almost forgot about that! The Space Race is this year! Aseria, doc, we HAVE to go there! It’s like the biggest event in the whole freakin’ universe! Everybody’ll be there! C’mon, let’s hurry on over! Hagan’s close—let’s go, let’s go!”
“I thought you wanted to find the Nail of Saigrim first,” Amy reminded her. Naja screeched with excitement, gesturing wildly.
“Fuck the Nail!! We can go after that piece of shit anytime we want! The Space Race only happens once every three years! Haven’t you ever heard of it?”
“Well, yes, but I was just a child when the Helios system hosted it.”
“All the more reason to go! The winner gets a big fat paycheck and eternal glory! That’s a helluva lot better than some stinkin’ nail! C’mon, Aseria, you’re with me, aren’t you? Shit,
girl, it says here that registration’s already been paid! We get a free ride! We CAN’T REFUSE!!
“We could,” she and Miracle murmured. Naja roared angrily and crumpled the pamphlet in her fist, so they quickly changed their decision. “But the Dauntless is a fast ship!!”
“And Herut does know the Hagan system fairly well. I guess we’ve got as good a chance as any.”
“Don’t guess!” Naja shrieked for joy. “Just act! We’ll come back later, just hurry! Step on it! GO!!”
And so after only two days, the crew of the Dauntless ended their vacation and embarked on yet another wild adventure. It just goes to show that leading a sedentary life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Preview of next chapter:
Amy: The Space Race is an event where ace pilots from nearly every corner of our galaxy participate in a life-or-death struggle for glory and gold. It is seen by over a trillion spectators and is sponsored by some of the most influential organizations around. The crew of this ship is fortunate enough to take part in this grueling challenge, but do we have what it takes to win?
Rachel: First we have to register and meet the other pilots, don’t we? I can’t wait to see what we’ll be up against! This is so exciting!!
Amy: The Dauntless enters the grand race in the next chapter, “The Space Race: a glorious gathering of dreamers!” Friend and foe alike will challenge us in our most spectacular battle yet!
Rachel: Don’t miss it!
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