A good plot brewing there, Ganelon… I like your idea of how an anarchy system might operate… clever.
Me too, very good!
Ganelon wrote:
I've felt for a while that pirates and anarchy systems tend to be a bit lacking in dimension so far as the fiction goes. In most discussions on the forum, pirates are basically targets and anarchy systems are rough places one can run through to find bunches of them. So I've been giving some thought to what the circumstances of life might be like for people who live in anarchy systems and why people/characters would end up being pirates.
I'm really looking forward to the coming installments, you're doing a great job of starting to flesh out anarchy systems!
Note to readers: If you want a copy of the piece of music mentioned in this installment, pm me with an addy I can email it to. I wrote it and recorded it, and it's CC. Let me know if you need a format other than .ogg
Carver's Anarchy, part 3. By Ganelon
"He was a true spacer, and as brave a man as any one of us. We meet here to consign his final remains into the brightness of this star, and to honour his memory."
Commodore Carver's voice echoed through the stillness of the cargo hold, where the men and women of the crew stood silent alongside the black-draped form of a casket poised on the edge of the jettison sledge.
Carver laid a hand on the casket and continued. "Commander Tonthan Issle. We never met ye in person, and only know your name from your ID chip. But we were witness to your last moments. We saw ye go down fightin' against overwhelming odds, protecting the ship you'd been hired to escort to the very end, with no thought of surrender or escape." He paused for a moment of silence. "Your chip will be sent home, and we will send your bodily remains into the bright heart of this star, so they won't have to linger adrift in the cold dark of space. We wish your spirit peace. Aye, and right on, Commander."
"Aye, and right on, Commander.." the assembled crew murmured in unison. At a nod from Carver, the casket glided into the jettison hatch as the black drape was slid from it. Old Grigor played a simple beat on a small drum as young Jonto from the cargo crew of the Lady of Fortune played a verse and chorus of the old space shanty, "Home from the Dark" on a small fife. As the last notes faded, the muffled clunk of machinery signaled the launch of the casket towards the blazing surface of the sun.
After a moment of silence, the voice of their Communications officer came over the ship's speakers. "Stellar trajectory of the casket is confirmed, Commander. Our hull and cabin temperatures are rising, fuel tanks are full."
"Aye." Carver confirmed. "Do we have acknowledgement from home that they received and recorded the services?"
"Aye aye, Commander. Received and recorded."
"Navigator, plot a course for home. Helm, engines to red. It's been a long day." He paused and continued. "Communications, notify home port that the wake for Tonthan Issle will commence as soon as we touch down. I'll be sending a donation back with his ID chip, in case he had a mate or children. Any wishing to add to it are welcome to do so at the wake. Also notify all crew that an injury bonus of one quarter share has been posted to the accounts of any who sustained such. That will be all for now."
"Acknowledged, Commander."
Carver walked over to the side of the medical cot that had been brought to the bay for the services, where Mr. Thomas Sharp lay. Except for his face, his entire body was encased in a translucent shell that glowed and pulsed faintly as the medical nanos did their work. "How are ye doin' matey?"
Sharp spoke from between gritted teeth. "Like every bone in my body... itches. Or maybe they ache. I don't think there's a word for it. But in any case, I feel a damned sight worse than I did before the treatment."
Carver nodded. "Aye, and I'm sorry for that, I am, mate. Bones, y'see, they get soft with too much time spent in very low gee. I should've thought of it before we set out, but it just never occurred t' me that ye might not have had your bones laced up like most spacers do. If I'da been thinkin' I would have remembered that you weren't a spacer, you were a passenger on a commercial vessel." Carver patted the translucent shell over Sharp's shoulder. "But fear not, matey. When the nanos are done lacin' yer bones with long carbon fibers, ye'll be better than brand new. Those old bones o' yers will be tougher than any teenager from a high gravity world, and ye can lay to that, mate."
"I didn't even have an injury, really." The older man complained.
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong. The medicos said those aches ye had after the little battle we were in today were what they call 'soft bone fissures'. Left untended, they'da taken a good long while to heal and might never have really healed up right. And they could just as easy as not have broken in the usual way as soon as ye set foot on a planet surface or the next time a ship ye were in pulled a couple o' gees." Carver nodded and continued. "It's for the best, mate, though it's uncomfortable fer a while right now. Ah, and here comes Kitty. Maybe she can cheer ye up summat."
Kitty stepped to the side of the cot and kissed her father on the cheek. "How ye be, Daddy?"
"Oh, he's surly enough that he'll be fine, as soon as his bones are made as tough as his disposition, m'dear. Be a good girl and escort his cot down to sickbay so they can finish him up, would ye? I need to get to the command deck, and it'd be good if he's all fit as a fiddle by the time we touch down back at the cove." Carver chuckled, nodding to the older man and then headed off towards the command deck.
Sharp glared after the departing Carver. "Oh, I'm mostly just uncomfortable. I've been in far worse shape, Felici... err... Fell Kitty."
Kitty giggled. "Fell Kitty is just a callsign, Daddy. Ye can still call me Felicity, and nobody should say otherwise."
Sharp frowned slightly. "But what do you prefer to be called? I never thought about it much before, but you aren't a little girl any more, and I don't want to embarrass you."
Kitty snorted. "Pfagh! Like me own dear father could ever embarrass me! Perish that thought. Most call me Kitty, have fer some time now. But that's no sign that y'have to follow any example. Ye call me as ye please, Daddy. And here we be." She glided his cot through the sickbay door and into the spot indicated by the waiting medico.
"Kitty." Sharp considered it for a moment. "Kitty is a pretty name. I could get used to Kitty."
The medico, a blue avian named Urna, interrupted. "Sorry sir, but we have to finish lacing your bones. The facial bones are always the most uncomfortable, so we'll have you sleep for a couple hours to miss the worst of it." She touched a few glowing spots near his face on the translucent shell encasing him.
"I'll see you when I wake up, Ki.." Sharp started to say, but his words were abruptly cut off as his face went slack and his eyes closed. Ulna fitted a translucent mask with tubes leading off it to the medical cocoon. The mask lit up, glowing and pulsing softly in time with the cocoon as soon as it was locked into place.
"Nighty-night, Daddy..." Kitty said softly, then she giggled and strode from the room.
Carver's cabin aboard the Lady of Fortune was not the usual sling berth found aboard ships. It was divided into two sections by a soft padded wall, so that while the section he referred to as his office was little more than a simple chair and desk, his "bed" was actually a small room unto itself, padded all over with soft sable fur. Dim recessed dome lights provided gentle light and a few straps at regular intervals provided handholds to pull oneself along by. Unlike most spacers, he preferred to float free while sleeping, rather than being securely clipped into a sling hammock.
Kitty disentangled her limbs from Carver's and languidly rolled in the air for a moment before tugging herself over to a small mag pad. She sipped from a water tube as she caught her breath. "Mmmmm.." She sighed contentedly. "And I was needin' that, I was!"
Carver chuckled, watching her, his eyes wandering fondly over the curves of her body. "That's what ye always say after a battle, girl."
She grinned. "Well, it's Giles' own truth is is.. A girl needs a bit of a romp after.." She paused to wink at Carver. "Hard.. combat, as it were." She took a vapour tube from the mag pad and took a long drag. Then she took another, letting it out in a series of little vapour rings. She made a sour face. "Y'know, Cap'n. Some people do flavour these things?"
Carver chuckled, tugging on a strap to propel himself through the air over towards her. He picked up the water tube and took a sip. "Aye, and there are flavoured ones stocked onboard, as ye know. I happen t' prefer mine plain though. Just nicotine, no fancy candy taste to get in the way of the sting, y'know."
Kitty glanced over to a small display panel. "I make it t' be about half an hour before Daddy wakes up, and about 20 minutes before we actually be needed on deck.." She raised an eyebrow, smiling.
Carver laughed softly, shaking his head. "Insatiable. That's what y'be, lass. Purely insatiable."
"Oh, aye, Cap'n." She giggled, moving towards him. "And ye can lay to that.."
The command deck was quietly bustling with activity when Sharp resumed his seat. Carver clapped him lightly on the shoulder. "So how are ye feelin, Mr. Sharp?"
Sharp shook his head as he clipped his seat straps into place. "Mostly better, though my face still aches a bit. And it doesn't actually feel quite like my own face anymore. Very odd feeling."
Carver chuckled and nodded. "Aye, that'll pass though, mate. Good to have you all shipshape again, though, that it is." He nodded to the main view screen. "We're about five minutes from home. The medico said it'd be best if we let ye wake up natural like, so we let y' sleep in fer a bit."
Sharp nodded, looking over the instruments. "Is there anything I can be doing, Commodore? I don't like feeling like a passenger."
Carver nodded, leaning forward to tap a screen near Sharp. He thumbed a pad for a moment and the displays on the panel changed. "There's the engineering screens, Mr. Sharp." He thumbed the pad again, and a small beep sounded. "And the controls are now active. What can be done for engineering from the bridge, you are now in charge of. Put on that earpiece and your coms are piped direct to the engineering crew. Welcome aboard."
Sharp nodded absently as he put on the earpiece, rapidly scrolling through screens as he checked the data on all the ship's systems.
The Commodore settled back in his seat to watch as the command deck crew did their duties. "Helmsman. Time we were to home. Begin our approach and take us in, if ye'd be so kind."
They had barely stepped off the gangplankafter docking a few minutes later, when a yellow lobsteroid came rushing up holding a folded black uniform. "We'll need to have these tried on soonest. Alterations, alterations, accessorize!" The tinny voice of the translator hanging near the top of his thorax was just a bit louder than the chittering noise that was his actual speech.
"Easy, Bxk'gr, easy!" Carver chided, chuckling. "We just got home, and there's a wake to attend to. Take some ease, man!"
Bxk'gr sagged a little. "Not try soonest? Not accessorize?"
"Tomorrow you can do your tailoring and alterations, mate. But maybe Mr. Sharp would be good enough to try them on for the wake. His dimensions were in the medical computer so I'm sure it's close enou..."
Bxk'gr cut off the Commodore with an angry sputter that did not translate, but probably didn't need translated anyway. "Computer not tailor! I tailor! I!" He turned his eyestalks to Sharp in an exasperated appeal. "You want to look best. I tailor. Alterations. Perfect fit, yes!" He paused for a moment while Sharp stood speechless before adding in a hopeful tone, "Now?"
Carver stepped in. "Not today, Bxk'gr old mate. Tomorrow for the tailoring." He held up a hand to stave off any protest. "But.. He will also need rank and department insignia. Set him up with an engineering insignia, and... Let's say Lieutenant?" He looked at Sharp as if for approval and then continued. "Right, then, Lieutenant it is. Oh, and Bxk'gr? I want those insignia hand made. We know you do far better work than any computer fabricator, mate."
Bxk'gr responded excitedly. "Oh yes! Best job! Master craftsmanship! Silver?"
The Commodore nodded approvingly. "Silver! Now ye're talkin', mate! We'll need them done by day after tomorrow for a trip dirtside, aye?"
"Aye aye!" exclaimed Bxk'gr, as he scuttled off.
"I've never seen him so excitable." Sharp remarked. "He always seems such a calm sort."
"Well, mate... He doesn't get to make up a new dress uniform very often, y'know." Carver shrugged. "It's a bit of an occasion for him, as it were. We'll let him have his fun designing your insignia for an hour or so, and then I'll have a couple of the boys go up and drag him in for the wake."
Sharp nodded. "I suppose I should go and change into these for the wake?"
Carver nodded, chuckling and clapping the older man on the shoulder "Aye matey. Or we'll be havin' no peace from good ol' Bxk'gr for the whole night. See ye in the main lounge for the wake."
The whole ship thrummed as the Lady of Fortune's powerful engines slowly lowered her towards the planet's surface. "Steady as she goes!" Carver sang out, even though he was manning the ship's helm himself.
Kari Sabot watched both the navigation and communication screens intently, then touched several glowing spots on the control panels. "We have our landing confirmation and approach coordinates, Commander. Great job, sir. You have her right in the middle of our glide path for approach. Data to your screens."
"Thankee, Miss Sabot. It's fair weather dirtside, so a child could have set her down."
Mr. Sharp studied the engine profiles intently. Planetary landings were an unusual stress for engines designed for space, and he was making good use of the opportunity to look for the slightest indication that they might benefit from a bit of fine tuning when he got the Lady back into their cove's home bay. He tapped the controls to save several of the complex readings for later study and sent orders from his console down to engineering to have the fuel flow to the top engine adjusted up minutely to perfectly match the other two engines of the triad. "Engines are optimal, Commodore."
"That's what we like to hear, Mr. Sharp." Carver spared an instant to glance away from the displays and the main view screen to grin at the older man. "You've got her purrin' like new-spawned trumble, mate."
Sharp couldn't keep his eyes off the main screen as he saw the clouds part around the ship and the coastline come in sight as they came in from the ocean side of Rahooran. It would be such a little thing to most people, but it was the first time he would be setting foot on an actual planet surface in over a decade. His heart beat a little faster at the thought of unprocessed air and skies seen directly, rather than through a viewscreen or ship blister. He kept catching himself watching the main viewscreen in fascination as they slowly cruised towards a large empty area of the oceanfront space docks, the city growing larger with each passing moment.
Carver eased the big ship down onto the landing pad, their escort squad of three sidewinders matching his movements as perfectly as a shadow. As they touched down, he slide the engine throttle to the zero thrust position. "And that's all she wrote. Shut her down, Mr. Sharp. Keep just enough online that we can start her up again quick, if'n there's need. Not likely, though, matey. We're in a friendly port." He turned to the Navigator. "Kari, tell the Rahooranians to wait a couple minutes for the engines to cool before bringing people in."
"Commander, we have an incoming communication from the Rahooranian high council." The Navigator paused. "Send message as ordered?"
Carver shook his head. "Nay lass, belay that order. Put the communication on shipwide speakers."
"On Behalf of the Din-soo of Rahooran and the people of Rahooran, we welcome the Lady of Fortune and her escort." The soft smooth male voice continued. "Our air is your air, our water is your water, and the sun shines on us all. Welcome to Lasoce and welcome to Rahooran, ladies, gentlemen, and any other beings not covered by two basic humanoid genders."
"Hail and Greetings. This is Carver, of the good ship Lady of Fortune. We come in peace and we bring tribute."
"Confirmed, Commodore Carver." The soft voice of the Rahooranian diplomat responded. "You and your crew may debark at will. The usual security will be provided, and transport for you and your crew will be arranged upon request. Your loadmaster may inform us of any necessary details. Again, welcome to Rahooran, friends."
Carver rapidly unclipped from his safety harness, clapping his hands as he jumped to his feet. "Right then, crew. Shore leave is granted under the usual rules. Kitty, Sharp, and Miss Sabot to the cargo bay. Time's a wastin', shipmates, and we have a little bit of work to do before we catch our ride." He strode to the ladder and climbed down into the cargo hold.
Sharp found planetary gravity a little disconcerting and so he walked a bit cautiously over to the ladder. Fell Kitty came up and hugged him, then reached down to his belt and touched a couple small studs on it's controls. "It's easier without the mag boots, Daddy." She whispered with a grin.
When they got down to the cargo bay, Carver was just finishing thumbing the ident pad of one of the cargo containers that had been moved forward into the scoop. There was a loud clunk and a hiss as the pressure inside the big hexagonal container regularised with the current air pressure. Then the doors on the end of the container started to slide back as Carver gathered the handpicked crew members together in a line, holding hands and facing the front of the scoop.
"Ready!" Carver shouted. "Open 'er up!"
With the whir and clank of the mechanism, the scoop opened. There was a moment of wind almost strong enough to make Sharp have to step back as the planetary air rushed in. Shipboard atmosphere was usually kept considerably thinner than most planetary atmosphere and for a moment it was hard to breathe. Warm thick ocean air swirled around them, filling Sharp's nose and lungs as He blinked from the sudden bare sunlight.. Then came the incredible roar. There were thousands of people outside the ship, all cheering. Carver raised their clasped hands in response and stood for a moment as the cheering became even louder. A metal staircase was sliding up to meet the front lip of the cargo scoop and as it made contact, Carver led them forward. The cargo container slid up to it's place immediately behind them as Carver kept them all standing for a long moment, letting the crowd roar.
Some of the people were dressed in white jumpsuits with maroon sashes, which Sharp guessed might be some sort of uniform. They shepherded lines of the crowd into a slow procession up onto the metal stair platform as Carver turned to the cargo container and took out a package, holding it up high. The roar of the crowd became deafening.
The first person was escorted to a spot in front of Carver. She was a young girl, barely school age. She timidly offered a small slip of yellow paper to Carver, who took it and studied it for a moment, then nodded and handed her the package. The crowd went wild with cheering as she was ushered down the side of the steps. Carver leaned close to Sharp, shouting in his ear to be heard. "Just look at the slip and drop it in the bin there, matey. I doubt you can read the local language any more than I can, and it doesn't matter anyway. They'll all have been checked already. Then hand them their computer and give them a smile and move on to the next one."
Sharp nodded, immediately falling into the routine of passing out the small computers. He noted they were edu-comps. Small rugged computers made for students that were preloaded with educational material and utilities. They weren't the most recent models, but neither were they so old as to be out of date yet. He also began to take note of the individuals who made up the crowd. He noticed they were mostly ranging from barely the age for schoolchildren to teenagers, with a very few adults. Many of them shook his hand on receiving their machine and a few seemed overcome with emotion. Two of them were bold enough to rush forward and hug him for a moment before being gently guided away by the uniformed personnel. He couldn't understand a word they were saying, but their delight was evident and infectious. He found himself smiling and laughing and even returned the hugs from the more daring of the smaller children.
Mr. Jeeb, who had piloted one of the Sidewinder escorts, came up after a little while and tapped him on the shoulder, pointing to Carver who was beckoning Sharp to join him with Kitty and Kari Sabot at the edge of the stairs leading down from the ship. Mr. Jeeb grabbed hold of Sharp's hand and raised it high, to many cheers from the crowd. Then he released Sharp's hand and picked up the first of the computers he would be giving out. "Catch up with the Cap'n, mate. They're waitin' on ye!"
Sharp was escorted to a waiting vehicle, a glide train. He could see six cargo containers loaded aboard it as he ducked through the hatch into the passenger car. He blinked for a second as his eyes adjusted from the bright sunlight and saw that it was ornately furnished with lavish amounts of real wood and fur as well as intricately woven and dyed fabric.
"Welcome aboard, matey!" Carver laughed, gesturing Sharp to one of the several comfortable seats. A woman in one of the white jumpsuit uniforms was just wheeling in a cart of refreshments, and Sharp selected a cigar and a small rack of glass bottles with samples of assorted local fruit juices. He quickly sipped each of them before pointing to one, and the lady in uniform nodded and poured him a glass of the one he had indicated. "Giles, but I haven't had actual fresh fruit juice in so long.."
Carver had already settled back with a cup of fragrant local coffee and a cigarette. "Sorry, mate. If' I'da known ye was fond, I would have laid in a stock in the cove stores."
Kitty was making a selection from an assortment of megaweed, while Kari Sabot, their Navigator, was already sipping an exotic water from a tiny bottle with a tiny crystal straw. Sharp had never tried many "waters", but they generally were a mineral water that was flavoured with some botanicals and laced with anything from intoxicants to brain stimulants. Feline races, as a general rule, weren't fond of alcohol or smoking.
"Our pilot told me we'll be about 4 hours in transit before we reach the palace, so everyone can take a bit o' ease and have a few drinks or whatever." Carver took a sip of the coffee, his eyes closed for a moment as he savoured it. "Ahhh.. now that hits the spot."
Sharp took a sip of his juice, which tasted like some sort of slightly musky berry, sweet but tangy. "That long? I take it that it's quite a ways away."
"Only the other side of the city, mate." Carver replied. "But we have to make a few stops. Two of the cargo containers' need dropped off at local hospitals, and three to the main bazaar."
"Oooo.. The Bazaar?" Kitty purred, as she nibbled slices of some fruit with dark purple flesh and ivory skin.
Carver chuckled. "We won't be stopping to shop, Kitty girl. We'll be here for a couple o' days while they sort out our legal status with Galcop before we lift off again. Ye know that you and Kari will be on shore leave tomorrow, but business first, girl."
Kitty pouted, then giggled, taking another hit from a tiny megaweed cigar. "Soggy trumbles, that's what ye are Cap'n."
Sharp noticed his heart racing a bit, and he blinked as the room brightened. He shivered slightly as a pleasant chill ran down his spine. "Whoah." He said, setting down the small glass. "I think that's a stimulant juice."
Carver picked up the glass and sniffed it. "Not familiar with it. Kari?"
Miss Sabot opened her eyes, blinking for a moment. Sharp guessed that the water she'd selected must be one with potent effects. She sniffed the glass and took a tiny taste with the tip of her tongue. She frowned slightly and then shook her head. "Not one I know." She motioned the lady in uniform over, and the two of them spoke quietly and rapidly in the local dialect.
Kitty suddenly erupted in giggles and asked a question of the lady in uniform, in the local dialect. She seemed very amused by the answer.
"You speak the local, daughter?" Sharp asked.
Kitty nodded. "Well, some. Enough to get by. That juice has a reputation, Daddy." She giggled again.
Kari shushed her with a gesture. "Ignore her. It's mostly just a stimulant, Mr Sharp. But Miss Rees says it also has some reputation among the locals as an aphrodisiac. Most people drink it with a lot of water and a bit of food."
Carver laughed. "Gettin' an early start, are ye mate?" He grinned and passed the older man a plate of local nuts and cheeses. "That should settle ye out a bit."
Sharp blushed, selecting an interesting looking slice of cheese to nibble on. "Well, I certainly have no use for aphrodisiacs. But it is quite a strong pick-up."
Carver leaned close and murmured "Careful around the local ladies, mate. Most of them would consider ye no small catch. I'll fill ye in later on that." Then he looked up to the lady in uniform. "It's a long ride to the palace. Will you girls ask Miss Rees if she'd like to join us for refreshments?"
Kari spoke briefly with Miss Rees, who smiled and took a seat, pouring herself a cup of coffee. The three females immediately fell into quiet but animated talk in the local language.
Carver listened intently for a moment before nodding and turning to Sharp. "Shopping, bazaar, and fashions by the sounds of it." He refilled his coffee. "So, Mr. Sharp. What'd ye make of yer first handin' out?"
"You mean when we were passing out the computers? It wasn't like anything I was expecting, but it was wonderful." Sharp took a cautious sip of his juice, followed by a drink of ice water. "I take it the local government pays for them?"
The Commodore shook his head. "Only in a manner of speaking, sir. It's part of our arrangements with the Rahooranians that we bring them one hundred tons of computers every tenth." Carver looked out the window as their glide train slowed, pulling into a hospital's loading bay. "But they'll take more than that, if we bring it, o' course. And since so many of the crew love to come down here t' shop or have a bit of shore leave, we usually make the trip two or three times a tenth."
Sharp took another sip of the juice, deciding he liked the effects quite a lot. He reminded himself not to drink it too quickly. "Considering this is a poor agri-planet, I'd think they'd get a lot of computers brought in by traders."
"Well, some." Carver nodded. "But this is a small country on a big planet, and they don't see many of the computers that come here through the main station, mate. And what few they might get as their country's share, most of the everyday folk here could never afford." He took another sip of his coffee and lit a fresh cigarette. "One of those little edu-comps like we was passin' out today, for example. Each one would cost more than most families in this city could spare in a turn. A Lasocian turn is only slightly shorter than a Terran year. You can figure out how many computers the kids here would ever see."
The older man nodded, noting his cigar had gone out. He decided against another at the moment and selected a few nuts to nibble instead. "So that's all they require of us for our being privateers? A few edu-comps?"
"Not just edu-comps, matey. We also bring business computers sometimes or research computers, or whatever we salvage or find at good prices. They're happy to get any sort. But for edu-comps, we let them know ahead of time, since it's a bit of an event." He poured himself another coffee just as the glide train smoothly pulled out of the hospital loading bay and back into traffic. "They know how many we're bringin', y'see. So they send notices to the students in school or college with the best grades who don't own one yet, and they show up as a crowd to meet us. It's not the most efficient way of doing things, but there's other considerations 'sides efficiency, y'know."
Sharp nodded animatedly. "I can see where it's good will."
"Exactly right, matey. And that's why we pass them out by hand whenever we land here in Timu with a load of edu-comps." Carver continued. "Almost every member of our crew is known in these parts, mate. You're a hero here, that's what you are. A man who brings education and hope, and puts it into their hands, personal like." Carver poured himself a small brandy, and looked questioningly to Sharp who nodded and finished the last drops of his juice before accepting a glass. "What's more, ye're obviously an officer in what passes as their Royal Navy. An officer and a gentleman, albeit a gentleman of fortune."
At that moment, Kari Sabot came over and took a seat near Carver and Sharp for a moment. "Your juice, Mr Sharp, is from a local berry called 'Amoo'. It is high in caffeine and ampakine, and has an unclassified chemical similar to yohimbine. Also very rich in water soluble vitamins and some amino acids. Safe enough in small doses, though mildly habit forming."
"Ah, now there's a lass, smart as paint!" Carver exclaimed. "Good work, Miss Sabot!"
"Thank you, Commander. A glass or two once in a while isn't likely to prove more addictive than caffeine or nicotine, but it's considered a class zed substance. No authorized medical value and illegal for export." She smiled and returned to her seat with the other women, joining back in that conversation.
"Don't let the legality worry ye, mate. If ye decide ye'd like a small supply, we'll take care of it." Carver chuckled and winked. "One of th' advantages of bein' a 'pirate' in an anarchy system."
Suddenly the females all cheered as the glide train slowed. "I think that means we've made it to the bazaar, matey" Carver laughed.
Sharp looked out the tinted window and saw what appeared to be endless rows of carts and stands loaded with more types of merchandise than he had ever imagined. He could see everything from small droid sellers to fruit stands to carpet weavers. Minor cyber implants were being installed in some small booths while a neighboring booth might sell blown glass bottles or metal oil lamps. It was a riot of colour and textures. Even through the glass, he could hear the cheering as the cargo containers of luxury items were offloaded from the glide train.
Miss Rees excused herself and went outside. She returned shortly with several other uniformed men, bearing containers of hot fresh food of many sorts. The men bowed and left and the glide train eased back into traffic.
"Well, matey." Carver smiled and put out his cigarette. "I'd say our lunch has been delivered. But before we tie in, take a look out the window."
Sharp looked where the Commodore pointed and saw in the distance a huge building which must be the palace. It towered over the smaller buildings of the city around it, and obviously was of much higher tech level than most structures he'd seen in the city.
"That be the palace of the Din-soo, mate. We'll be there within the hour." Carver nodded. "But for now, let's content ourselves with a bit of lunch."
Last edited by Ganelon on Sun Nov 21, 2010 10:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
I wouldn't agree to it being better that anyone else's on style, but I'm glad some folks like it enough to read it and I thank you for the encouragement.
I hadn't written any fiction for people to read since back in college for classes, so I had a bit of trepidation about putting anything up here, since so many of the stories here are so good! I'm just getting some of "the game in my head" down in txt. The sort of things I imagine are in place in the Ooniverse while playing. People and cultures with reasons for being the way they are, exotic ports of call on some of the planetfalls. It's what can make playing a game like this better than watching a movie.
The beginning was a tad bit predictable (ie, Carver & Kitty being an item), but it's developing quite nicely - good twist with the Rahooran government tie-in! Do keep writing
Also, as well as PDF, any chance of epub?
Cheers,
- Micha.
PS. Couple of typos?
Some of the people were dressed in white jumpsuits with maroon sashes, which Sharp guessed might be some sort of uniform.
They weren't the most recent models, but not neither were they so old as to be out of date yet.
"Well, matey." Carver smiled and put out his cigarette. "I'd say our lunch has been delivered. But before we tietuck in, take a look out the window."
Thank you for the kind words and the typo spots, Micha. I put the last couple bits up before having anyone proofread. Just goes to show *that's* never a good idea. LOL
I corrected all you listed except tie/tuck. I've heard it both ways, and tuck might be more usual.. But tie just felt like it fits a bit better.
I'm not sure what you mean by epub other than a pdf? I've thought of combining the pdfs as chapters in a single document at some point maybe, and zipping it up with a few relevant star charts of the regions where the story takes place, and maybe a musical bit or two. I'd want to get a good bit more written before that, though.
EPUB is a free and open e-book format. Its main advantage over PDF as an on-screen format is that it allows text to reflow to fit the size of window available.
Typesetting or layout can be an art unto themselves. At least until I get more written, I'll probably focus on the story first. With PDFs, I usually "print" to those first before I actually print on paper for my own read-through and to have the story bits in hard copy in my own house. For me, I feel it reads a bit different on paper than it does on a screen.
Definitely liking both the story and the worldbuilding. I think I'll have a little bit of trouble swatting pirates indiscriminately after something like that, especially part 4. (I'll probably still do it all the same, but it's definitely got me thinking about what some of those "pirates" are really up to.)
Well, it's largely a matter of perspective. To quote from the song "A Professional Pirate" in the movie "Muppet Treasure Island"..
"Now take Sir Francis Drake, the Spanish all despise him
But to the British he's a hero and they idolize him
It's how you look at buccaneers that makes them bad or good
And I see us as members of a noble brotherhood"
A humorous source to quote from, perhaps, but true enough as a principle. Still, when ships go red on your scanner, it's a bit late to be worrying about the philosophies of their commanders.
Looking in the mirror, Sharp had to admit that Bxk'gr, the quartermaster of Carver's crew, was indeed a master tailor. Sharp's "dress blacks" looked reminiscent of many simple military uniforms, but were not recognizable as actual Navy. He noted the insignia and rank pins had even been given the look of having a touch of wear and age to them, and his boots had been carefully fashioned to look slightly worn but very presentable.
A quick shave and then a shower in the refresher of the glide train had done much to restore a bit of his vanity. His greying hair being a bit longer than military cut, he had tied it back with a bit of black ribbon. In his usual repair work back at the cove, there had been little need for formal dress or attention to appearance and he realized he had gotten to looking a bit scruffy over the years.
"It'll do." He muttered to himself, nodding with approval before turning from the mirror and stepping back out into the main cabin of the glide train.
Kitty was waiting outside the door for her turn in the refresher to clean up and change. She let out a low whistle. "Good work, Daddy!"
Carver looked up from a quiet and close conversation he had been having with Kari Sabot. "Well, matey!" He exclaimed. "You clean up good. We'll have to keep an eye on ye around the local women, and that's a fact." The Commodore was wearing the usual outlandish garb he affected as a dress uniform. It looked like something out of an old play or book, with the red textile coat with it's copper and zinc alloy buttons and the black three cornered hat.
Sharp resumed his seat and poured himself a cup of the local coffee. It was a dark roast, earthy and slightly on the bitter side, and he was already developing a fondness for it. "I'm still not sure what use I will be in any negotiations, Commodore."
Carver shrugged. "Nor am I, Mr. Sharp. But one never knows with such things. Ye may notice something I miss or have a thought that none of us would." Carver sipped his own cup of coffee. "To be honest, mate, I haven't made good use of your mind over the years, and that's an oversight I'm tryin' to fix."
Sharp nodded. "I'd thought there must be a bit more to bringing me along then just proving to me that there actually is a country called Rahooran."
Carver nodded to Miss Sabot, who excused herself, leaving them alone.
"I'll be plain with ye, mate. I want ye t' consider taking a proper position as a member of the crew. Wouldn't be fair to ask ye to make such a decision without makin' ye aware of all the facts beforehand, at least that's my way of thinkin'." Carver paused, taking out his pad and tapping and scrolling on it for a moment before handing it to the older man. "Now that top number, that's my offer of what I'd pay ye to sign on as head engineer. Other than that, ye'd get your shares as any of the crew does."
Sharp nodded, noting the figure was generous.
"The number below it, now that's what I'll give you as recompense, should ye decide that ye want no part of our work and ye're wantin' to get back to civilization."
"Good Giles, that's more than what it would cost to buy a ship" Sharp protested.
"And ye've been worth every credit of it, I'll lay to that" Carver replied. "But soon things are likely to be gettin' busy, and I want nobody with us that isn't a full member. We risk our lives on a regular basis, mate. It's time there was no man or woman in the cove that isn't crew. So if ye want out, free and clear and all friends on both sides, the time'll be soon."
Sharp nodded, handing back the pad. "You're thinking of bigger projects, which bring greater risks as well as more rewards."
"It's more than that, matey." Carver paused, taking a sip of coffee and considering his words. "I won't ask people to risk their lives, unless it's for themselves. It can't be just my dream we're chasin'. It has to be all our dreams, or it just ain't right."
At that moment, the refresher door opened and Kitty stepped out. So far as Sharp could tell, she was wearing the usual scant garb she wore back at the cove, with the addition of more of the abstract angular and curved designs running down her arms and legs that were actually cyber interface gear. Miss Sabot slipped into the refresher as Kitty took a seat near Carver and Sharp.
"Giles, but it's good to get out of that frakkin' gee-suit!" She exclaimed, pouring herself a small cup of spiced Laraissoan chai.
"Well, aren't ye loaded down a bit heavy for this one, girl?" Carver chuckled.
"Just me usuals fer social networking plus some fer ship contact plus a few fer spottin' any spy circuits and monitoring space comms." She replied defensively.
Carver reached over, touching a design on her arm. "And an electro-pick for any resistant security system..." He pointed to another on her thigh. "And that one I don't know, but it looks like something from the Hacker Outposts. And there's a camera, and a couple auxiliary displays for things I don't know."
Kitty shrugged, sipping her chai. "I likes t' be prepared, that's all. I still don't get why we have t' wear the new gee-suits all the' time on shipboard."
Carver sighed. "Because they can save yer life if things get rough, that's why. The Citadels haven't been so quiet a stretch o' space as they once was. It'd be a cryin' shame to win a fight and then end up dyin' anyway from a rib what's punctured a lung."
At that moment the refresher door slid open and Kari Sabot rejoined them, carrying a small black case. So far as Sharp could tell, she wasn't wearing any more clothes than she usually did, except for a neural interface web over one forearm. Felines, like most furred races, tended to wear no more clothing than was absolutely required by local laws, since they apparently felt already clothed enough by their fur. Miss Sabot usually wore nothing but her boots and a small "shame garment" covering her crotch when she was off ship. "Is everybody ready? She asked, opening the small case.
Carver drank the last of his coffee and pushed up a sleeve. "Aye. We'd best be moving out. Fly-Right us, Miss Sabot."
Kari Sabot took a small cylinder from the case, and checked the tiny readout on it before pressing the glowing end against Carver's forearm. He shuddered for a second as a faint hum announced the Fly-Right being introduced into his system. She then administered a dose to herself and to Kitty and Sharp.
Fly-Right was an old development of the Navy, most often seen in the more civilized high tech systems. A blend of nanos and small-molecule enzymes that caused a person's system to immediately dump any foreign material such as intoxicants or stimulants. It was brutal, but effective, and the Navy had found it useful for getting drunk pilots spaceworthy in a matter of minutes. The better bars in regions where the laws against spacing while intoxicated were harsh sometimes stocked it as an expensive optional measure for patrons.
Sharp gritted his teeth as he felt it spread through his blood, causing an immediate flush that felt like a solar burn as well as a brief moment of nausea. The sensation passed quickly, leaving him feeling chilled as well as having a lingering slight headache that would pass in a few minutes.
"I hate Fly-Right." Kitty grumbled, shivering and looking miserable.
"Rules is rules, girl. We be wantin' a clear head for this as much as we do for space." Carver stood. "Let's get a move on. We've tarried enough."
Inside the palace, they followed uniformed attendants who ushered them through the halls and lifts until they came to the final hall to the meeting room. Sharp found the decor lavish in it's use of metals for decorative purposes, and the quantity of carved stone, wood and crystal. Having lived most of his life on stations and high tech worlds, the use of carved wood on walls and the custom of floors being covered with elaborately woven textiles was somewhat unsettling to him.
The hall was wide, and they comfortably walked four abreast, with Carver and Miss Sabot slightly in the lead. As they approached the end of the hall, the two guards by the door pressed security pads and the doors slid open. They strode into a room that was less brightly lit than the hall. Mr. Sharp saw a seated woman with a uniformed attendant standing by her side. She looked up, but not at them, her gaze on a square of textile with a complex design on it in front of her that she appeared to be studying. She spoke softly in a language Sharp didn't understand at all. It was oddly musical and the accent on the syllables gave it a sort of sing-song sound.
"The Din-soo of Rahooran welcomes Commodore Carver and his company." The attendant spoke, obviously translating. "For the sake of record, who is attending?"
"I am Carver." The Commodore stated. "This is Kari Sabot, navigator. Fell Kitty, gunner. Jonathan Sharp, chief engineer."
The Din-soo nodded, glancing up only briefly from the pattern she was studying. She spoke for a moment in the soft musical language, and then the attendant spoke.
"We welcome Commodore Carver and his crew. Our air is your air, our space is your space. The Din-soo invites you to be seated, cushions are being brought."
A moment later, they were seated in a close circle with the Din-soo. She spoke in a soft voice without looking up, this time in very pure Galactic with only a slight trace of accent. "You may leave us now, Sran."
The attendant hesitated for a second, then nodded and left the room silently.
"The Commodore, Kari and Kitty I already know." She glanced briefly to Sharp, noting the rank insignia. "Lieutenant Sharp. Is this your first visit to Rahooran?"
Sharp cleared his throat. "Yes, Your Highness. It is."
The Din-soo smiled slightly while shaking her head. "I am no royalty, Lieutenant. I am the Din-soo. The Din-soo is chosen from among the people of Rahooran for only one trait. We are the one individual from among the people who is able to be the least discomforted by speaking with strangers. The proper form of address is to simply call me Din-soo."
Sharp was unsure how to answer, so he simply nodded.
The Din-soo continued. "All the people of Lasoce are considered shy, compared to usual Galactic manners." She paused to pour some water into a small glass bowl and took a sip before pouring water into small bowls and handing one to each of them. "I imagine you have noticed that as a people we perhaps make less eye contact than you are used to. It is not that we fear others. We simply tend to find direct eye contact too intense and intimate except with family and people we know particularly well."
"It is an honor to meet you, Din-soo." Sharp replied. "I hope that my uneducated manners will not be taken for rudeness by you or your people."
"As a people, we practice tolerance, Lieutenant Sharp. We are not easily offended, and certainly not by those generous enough to bring us such gifts as you have." She glanced up at him for a moment. "Everyone in Rahooran knows your face from this morning. The presenting of computers is always an event broadcast on our com channels. Now your name, rank and title are being sent out, so they will know who their new benefactor is. The others, they have seen before. On behalf of the people of Rahooran, I thank you."
Sharp opened his mouth and then realized he had no idea what to say as the impact of her words registered. He decided to just take a sip of water and look at the textile design on the floor in front of the Din-soo.
"Commodore, this is the second visit you have made this tenth. Our agreement is for only one shipment of a hundred tons of computers per tenth. What do you need in return?" She glanced up briefly to Carver.
"No return is needed or requested, Din-soo." Carver replied. "We have been fortunate, and it is a privilege to share it with the people. We will be buying goods for trade, as usual, but that is another business and we will pay the established prices."
"Fortunate." She nodded, obviously thinking. "Am I correct in assuming there is more traffic in this system than usual?"
"Yes." Carver nodded. "Not only traders, but more bounty hunters as well. We've intercepted more police communications as well, but it's scrambled and not on the usual channels for local authorities."
"I have news of that." The Din-soo replied. "There is a development that may be a danger to you and your crew, Commodore. But there will be time to discuss that. Will you dine with me tonight?"
Carver nodded. "It would be a pleasure."
The Din-soo glanced up at Kitty. "Will you dine with us tonight, Fell Kitty?"
Kitty nodded. "Aye."
"Will you dine with us tonight, Kari Sabot?"
Miss Sabot nodded. "Always a pleasure."
The Din-soo glanced up at Sharp. "I know you are new to our world, Lieutenant Chief Engineer Jonathan Sharp, but will you do us the honour of joining us to dine tonight?"
"It would be an honour to me, Din-soo."
The Din-soo gestured to the textile square before her with the intricate design. "I note you seem interested by the Tineersal, Lieutenant. Are you perhaps familiar with it?"
Sharp shook his head. "No, but it is quite amazing. A very intricate design, it seems almost like a labyrinth."
"Very perceptive, Lieutenant Sharp." She nodded. "It is a traditional design of Rahooran. Some other countries have Tineersal as well, but with slight differences. People of Lasoce use them as a focus sometimes to ease the distraction and discomfort of dealing with strangers or when we are considering how best to deal with a situation. May I explain how it is used?"
Sharp nodded, intrigued. "Please."
"You are correct in it being a sort of labyrinth. It starts here.." She pointed to a spot near the edge. ".. and it ends in the center. You simply follow the path with your eyes, and go back to beginning if you lose your way or are distracted. I invite you to try it."
Sharp nodded, since he had already been starting to trace the intricate path as soon as she had explained where it began and ended. After a long moment, he looked up. "I'm not very good at it. I already lost my way."
The Din-soo shook her head slightly. "Ah, but that is expected. One often loses the path. Making it to the end doesn't matter, since it is the path that soothes. One might lose it a hundred times in a long conversation, and one simply starts over. Try again as I explain more. The Tineersal is both a tool some use to steady the mind and keep from being distracted by the presence of strangers, and an indicator of how well one is concentrating. Don't think of the end of the pattern as a goal. The path is the key. Even if one makes it to the center, one would simply start over anyway, so losing one's place is not a failure in any sense. It is all just an ongoing process. No one part of it is more important than another, and to just keep steadily going on is the only trick there is to it."
Sharp nodded, having made it a bit further than his first attempt, and having already restarted again.
"Stop for a moment, Lieutenant."
Sharp looked up.
"Do you notice any effect that tracing the Tineersal with your eyes has on your thoughts?" The Din-soo asked.
"Yes, actually." Sharp nodded. "A bit, anyway. I was following your explanation, But having a focus like that does seem to steady the mind a little bit. It's almost like a form of meditation."
The Din-soo nodded and started carefully folding up the thin fine textile of the Tinseeral. "I think you get the idea very well, Lieutenant. I hope you will accept this one as a gift from the people of Rahooran."
"Oh, I couldn't.." Sharp began.
"Please." The Din-soo insisted, placing it in his hands. "It is only a small gift. Many are exported every turn as simply local textiles, but it is good to give one to someone who may actually use it from time to time. If we can announce to the people that their new benefactor showed interest in a Tineersal and in learning how to use one, and accepted one as a gift, it will mean much. Besides, " She continued, "It will boost their popularity, keeping an old tradition alive and encouraging to market for them here in Rahooran."
Sharp nodded. "I accept, then. Thank you, Din-soo, and my thanks to the people of Rahooran."
The Din-soo took out another Tineersal from a small chest near her sitting cushion, unfolding it and putting it into place onthe floor before her. She glanced up at Carver briefly. "Commodore, your officers are all very well-mannered, as usual."
"Thank you, Din-soo." Carver chuckled. "We try to only take on the best, y'know." He looked to Kitty. "It'll be a while before supper, Kitty. Whyn't ye take yer father for a little tour of the bazaar?"
Kitty nodded, rising from her cushion and tugging Sharp to his feet. "Come along, Daddy. I know the way to the vehicle bay."
As they followed an attendant through the halls, Kitty giggled and chided, "We warned ye about the local women, Daddy. Not an hour in the palace and ye already have the Din-soo herself takin' a liking to ye."
Sharp blushed. "I rather doubt that, daughter. But tell me, do they always invite each person to dinner separately?"
"Oh, aye." Kitty nodded. "They consider it rudeness to assume anything about company." She grinned. "But there's also a custom t' giving out such invites when the event is several hours away, y'know."
"Oh?" Sharp asked, as they stepped out of a lift into the vehicle bay, and headed towards a waiting skimmer that already had a driver at the controls and an attendant holding the door for them.
"Aye." Kitty nodded, giggling. "It's their polite sorta way of tellin' the youngsters they should smeg off fer a bit so the grown-ups can have a bit o' serious talk."
Sharp's jaw dropped for a moment as he followed her through the door and into the skimmer.
Last edited by Ganelon on Sat Nov 27, 2010 12:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
