By the Time I Get to Pellax

by Keith Dersley

  - 32 -

  In the workrooms on deck fourteen Captain Cutter was conferring with the main tech guy. He was an almost two-dimensionally thin, purple figure from the planet Tranak. He was a schitzthinker and pleasant and eager to talk despite his enormous, mindsplitting workload. He kept his emotions down by having the classical music of Bethoven, Kropax, and Brahms broadcast through headphones all day long. 'I have come up with a plan,' said the Tranakian, 'but it has some dangerous aspects. 'Let's hear it,' said Hollis Pierpoint, whose security rating allowed him onto any area of the ship at any time. Cutter was glad to have him there, because he had found that whenever there was trouble, Pierpoint was always ready to explain any specialist aspects of the business to him without condescension and in terms that were easy to understand. 'The main thing is,' said the Tranakian, 'we want to send a Visitor in.' 'I don't know, we've got three people in there already, and we don't want to risk a fourth,' said Cutter. 'Of course, Captain. But the person will, as I say, go in as a Visitor, and we will be careful to write this new person in in such a way that he or she will not be taken by the Holodream Suite for an Outline, because Outlines as you know can be erased.' 'Oh well, ' said Pierpoint,' if you know what you're doing I can get ready. What sort of a scenario can I expect in there and what do you want me to do?' 'We know that the commands 'computer' and 'arch' do not work. We have some alternative commands, which I have here on a piece of paper. In this way it may be possible to get all four of our people out together.' 'I'm game,' said Pierpoint. 'I'll take the paper.' The Tranakian handed it to him. 'I'd like a copy for records,' said the Captain. ''Fine,' said the geek, handing him one. 'All right, Mr Pierpoint,' said the Tranakian at his terminal, 'we'll just write you in.' Pierpoint took out his .45 automatic from his shoulder holster. 'I suppose I can't take this, though the bullets are hull-safe?' 'I'm afraid not,' said the Tranakian. He smiled. 'The main thing is that piece of paper.' 'What's the scene they're in at the moment?' asked the Captain, 'We believe they have just moved to a Roman setting. Ancient Rome in Italy on earth around the time of Christ's birth.' 'I've always wanted to visit classical Rome,' said Captain Cutter. 'Same here,' said Billy Flax. 'You'll be going in on a transfer,' the Tranakian said to Pierpoint, 'That's a specification usually reserved for technicians. I've been in on a few. As I say, you'll be going into a Roman setting, because that's where we think they are. At least, a Roman amphitheatre was activated recently. Unlike our poor friends in there already, you will not be in any danger. At least that's our theory. Unlike them, you see, you will not be read as disposable. 'Great to pick up a bit of culture while you're in there,' said Billy Flax. 'Absolutely,' said the Tranakian. 'You can learn an awful amount about the history of Earth. This is the educational breakthrough of our time, it's not just mindless fun.' 'So long as you don't have to pay the price and get eaten by a lion, what?' said Pierpoint with a laugh. 'We are ready for you now,' said the Tranakian. He stood Pierpoint, minus his hardware, close to two posts that were rigged to communicate with the Go-Through screen that had swallowed Venner and the others. 'Are you ready?' said the geek. 'Just one second,' said Cutter. He asked Pierpoint to move aside. 'Hold it,' said the Tranakian. But whether Cutter intended it or not, the moment had gone and the Captain disappeared, leaving Pierpoint standing there. 'My God, will he know what to do?' said Pierpoint. 'He should never have left his post. We may have lost the captain here.' 'There is the chance that he will be able to exit through the original way they went in,' said the Tranakian, and they all went out and into the Holodream Suite, to the corridor where the original Go-Through screen was. Though they stood waiting for some time, there was nothing, However, as they returned to the technicians' office, there stood Cutter. 'I saw them.' he said. 'In ancient Rome. Well, I saw Venner and managed to wave to him. He called out to me. But there was no time for this,' he waved the piece of paper with the new commands.'How long was I away?' 'About ten minutes,' said Pierpoint after checking his watch. 'God, I thought I was in there for some while.' 'Captain, what you did could have caused a lot of problems,' said Pierpoint. 'It was an accident, I didn't mean to intrude on you,' said Cutter. No one believed this, but they remained silent. 'Ah well, I always wanted to see Rome, and now I've had a glimpse. If I'd ended up stuck in there it wouldn't have been a big deal. Commander Flax is here, my First Officer. You could have had it all in hand, eh, Billy?' 'Of course, sir,' said Flax, with a worried air.

  - 33 -

  'The Galerian higher-ups feel that I let them down on the Tortuga,' Drax told Erloch Spurgo. Spurgo had just breakfasted and moved to his daybed. It had been angled so as to give a good view out of the picture window in the suite the cocky captain of brigands rented at the Royal Guard. 'How unreasonable,' said the pirate, motioning to Drax to help himself from a carafe of Veloran red. 'As you already know, the jackrabbit we were hunting got away. I was there, so it's my fault. Even though I fully believe I have thrown that jackrabbit into a bramble bush that will speedily prove the end of him. So they're bringing in one of the nobles, Prince Barratat Galerian no less, who expects to make another agreement so the job, with your help, can get done.' 'They want to renegotiate with me?' 'That's right. At any rate, they want me to bring him to you. Will you receive him?' Spurgo shrugged. 'I'll talk to anyone, by Gar. Then I must weigh the proposition up for myself, right?' 'Of course. Prince Barratat, as you probably know, is the nephew of King Lartis. He's regarded as the real heir of the Galerian dynasty. Have you seen the guy? He's something, that man. Like a throwback to the Galerians of the days of empire, they say, when they took over the domain of the Ralladars.' Drax instinctively looked around him, as if about to say something he did not wish the king's spies to overhear. 'Barratat's father, who is no more of a warrior than our King himself, is the King's brother.' The following morning Drax went to a rarely used airfield outside Kellagad to wait for the Prince. He would be travelling from Pellax in a Cosmic Bluebird, a cut-price space bus designed to carry thirty or forty travellers. Migrant workers favoured the Bluebirds. Naturally, the idea was that, using this mode of travel, Barratat would not be drawing any attention to himself. When the ship landed, however, nobody would have taken the first man who descended the ramp for a fruit picker. Prince Barratat Galerian was over medium height and stocky. Even standing still, he swaggered. He had black hair and slate-coloured moustaches like a pair of sickles which gave him a mournful look. Seeing Drax, the Prince showed his long teeth in a grin, sticking his arm in the air. 'Drax Deerfield!' Looking more closely at two shabbily dressed workers behind the Prince who were carrying travelling bags on their shoulders, Drax recognised a couple of security heavies who were favoured retainers of the Galerians. One nodded to him. Obviously, they were glad to land anywhere after two days travelling in a ship that had few facilities. The Prince stuck out his hand for Drax's. 'Those two guys? Ah yes, they made me bring some buddies so I had someone to talk to.' Drax was pleasantly taken aback by the friendly responses of the Prince but then again, they had got to know each other fairly well back on Pellax before Drax set out on his mission. The Prince had even, during one palace luncheon, looked kindly upon Drax's sister. Of course, Barratat's mood could switch in an instant. The four of them got into a modest flyer Drax had picked up in town. 'I can take you straight to the Royal Guard where our good friend Erl Spurgo hangs out,' said Drax 'and you can be on your way back to Caram in an hour. Otherwise, you can come to my pad to relax and freshen up, like, before I take you to see Erl. I mean, you can have the rest of today to yourselves and I'll arrange it for tomorrow if you wish.' 'Yeah, yeah,' said Barratat, 'make it a nice lax schedule. Don't arrange anything yet. We'll call him tomorrow. He doesn't need to know we're here yet. I trust Spurgo, but we don't want him to put himself out too much making preparations for our chat.' The two security guys grinned complacently. 'What we would like though, eh fellows, is some female company tonight in one of those Kellagad dens of iniquity.' Drax had been planning to let the Prince have his bed while he threw some sleep
ing silks on the floor. The two heavies, Russ and Tyler, seemed reconciled to the carpet of the apartment. Rosalind had by this time tired of Drax and left and there was plenty of room. Drax opened some wine bottles and they took to the armchairs. 'It all turned out rather a mess, that affair on the Tortuga,' said Barratat. 'Amongst all the turmoil we were hoping of course that you could do your stuff and uh, eliminate our little problem so it could never be traced to us but maybe to those Jyconan idiots instead. Any connection to us could have been lost in the shuffle.' 'Instead, we can class that as one up to the Patriotic Resurgence of Pellax.' sneered Russ. 'Yeah, the shit-heads,' said Tyler. 'What's this about the Patriotic Resurgence?' said Drax. 'I've heard rumours, of course.' 'Oh yeah, I don't think they were letting too much of that out when you were given your commission, like, by the Palace. The Patriotic Resurgence of Pellax? It exists. I hope they don't know about you. The way it looks to me, we sent you out after Venner and all you knew was his name, is that right?' 'Just about.' 'Our boys can't have been taking it very seriously, then.' 'They did say there was some connection with the, uh, old family.' 'What, the Ralladars?' 'Yeah, and the Kleissenbergs are tied in as well, I believe. That's all they told me. This Venner character was after the throne and the reins of power, like, and of course I don't want anything other than to see them stay in the hands of, you know, YOUR family,' The nobleman came up to Drax, His eyes were steely and his hand tightened on Drax's shoulder. Tightened so much that a tear came to Drax's eye. 'We know about the Ralladar mob, eh, boys?' he said. 'Yeah, the shit-heels,' said Tyler. 'What's more,' Barratat went on, 'we know our friends, yes?' 'Too true we do, like the guy we're going out to drink with tonight.' The tear was trembling on the brink of Drax's eyelid when the pressure eased off. 'I'm not like the rest of them back at the Palace,' Barratat whispered in his ear. 'We all know the ones who will never soil their hands, man, they're the real killers, and the real grudge-holders. They don't like failure. They don't care what injuries you might sustain in the course of working for them, because they were never wounded themselves. But don't worry, Drax. From now on you're with me.' He gave Drax a slobbery, sexless kiss such as was known in the corridors of power in Caram on their own fair, fertile Pellax. 'Tell you what, men,' said Drax, 'if you want to go out later, I can take you to the Blue Bear. That's a cool dive where they play plenty of Earth songs, if you're into that kind of thing.' 'Earth songs?' said Tyler, 'that stuff went out years ago, man.' 'Don't take any notice of him, Drax,' said Barratat. 'Everybody loves the songs of Earth. Except the ignorant. What do you say, Russ?' 'I like 'em, I always listen to Johnny Mathis at home, man. The classics!' 'Well, that's a date then. Until then just rest up here. We can send out for food if you like.' 'I'll be glad to take a good snooze in a proper bed tonight,' said the Prince, 'but I'm not sure where yet. It's kind of you to offer me your bed, but it could be that my luck's in. For now I'll take a little walk around and get a bite after being cooped up on that Bluebird. I've got a call to make,' he added with a wink. Russ let out a whistle and Tyler went up to the Prince and beat the stocky aristocrat on the shoulder. Barratat laughed and gave Tyler a playful punch in the gut.

  - 34 -

  While Barratat and Tyler went out to stretch their legs, Russ and Drax were happy to lounge in their armchairs and sink a few glasses of wine. They sent out for food at lunch time, then began to watch ancient movies from all over the galaxy on the wall screen. 'One thing,' Russ said to Drax, 'Could you line a chick up for me tonight at this place, what is it, the Blue Bear?' 'Blue Bear, yes. But I mean, I'm not a pimp, Russ. I'll see what I can do though, I've got some phone numbers. You like humanoids, I take it? And what, blondes?' 'Anything humanoid, but a bit on the heavy side. Blondes are great, yeah, of course. But don't worry about the Prince, I think he'll be sorting something out for himself.' 'Oh yeah?' 'Yeah, I know where he's heading for. He'll soon dump Tyler, probably at an eating place.' 'Where will he go?' 'Well, Barratat was in Kellagad a couple of years back with a divorced Countess from hereabouts and it's my guess that he'll be seeing her tonight. He'll probably bring her to the Blue Bear. I've met her, man, and she's as attractive as any of those actresses we've been watching this afternoon.' Russ was right about Tyler. Barratat had soon left him in the lurch. The bell to the apartment tolled and there stood the Pellacian hard case. 'Did he go on to see the Countess Palodia at her castle, or wherever she hangs out?' said Russ. 'Yeah, I believe that's where he went.' 'And left you outside a restaurant?' 'Well he suggested that, yeah,' said Tyler. Russ laughed. 'What did I tell you! He's played it like that before!' Drax nodded. 'I know a couple of girls in town, and we can meet them at the Blue Bear,' said Drax. 'I'm getting one lined up,' said Russ with a grin. 'Oh yeah?' said Tyler. 'What do you like, Tyler?' asked Drax. 'Brunette humanoids?' 'What do you mean?' said Tyler. 'You want to set a girl up for me? Don't bother yourself, man. Hey, it's a free market and I get my own chicks. I always have!' 'Sorry,' said Drax reddening. He had not wanted this pimp role in the first place. Still, Russ lucked out with the blind date Drax found for him. She, the Prince and Countess Palodia were waiting for them beside the steps that led up to the Blue Bear, plus another 'escort' for Drax, a humanoid redhead. First of all, the Prince introduced his partner as 'Palodia'. Then it was Drax's turn. 'Russ, this is Kasima,' said Drax. Kasima was curvy and blonde. She approached Russ showing something close to awe. Russ clearly expected this. She bent the knee and took his hand and lifted it to her brow. This was a custom that was common in the town she came from. She continued observing it in her duties as a professional girl, as it was always considered charming. The other girl sent by the agency, the redhead Drax would be paired with, was called Lalette and she was as well-endowed as Kasima. 'May I?' she said, taking Drax's hand and bowing low as she applied it to her forehead. Whether that was the custom where she came from too, or if she was just following Kasima's lead, Drax did not know. The Countess Palodia was a brunette with a pale, almost waxy-looking complexion. She was wearing a costly dress of light blue which fitted her from ankle to shoulder. It still showed off her shape, while a handful of artful slashes in the glossy material gave glimpses of silky skin when she moved. They went up the steps made from black marble inlaid with gold and silver designs. At the top of the stairs was a doorman who as they came up immediately addressed Barratat. Though the Prince was dressed like the others, he seemed to him to be in charge. 'Up, sir, or down?' 'Down, my man. Decidedly down!' said Barratat, and the fellow led them in. The Blue Bear had two floors. The upper saloon was light and airy and favoured mainly by light diners, business people and family parties. The lower area was dark and sultry. Now and again a gust of air would bring traces of tantalising spices and scents. Soft, heartbreaking music played in the background. It was all candle-lit. There were cosy-corners where a couple or a triple could go for privacy. By the same token, you were free to move from the lower level to the upper, with its light and air and wholesome food, if you wished. People could also come from the upper section down to 'the pits' if they wished. 'I see,' said Drax when a waiter explained this to him. 'The Blue Bear prides itself on being an equal opportunities sinkhole, does it?' The Blue Bear was a place where the space port Kellagad's population was shown in all its diversity. Down in the gloom there were folk with two heads, some with a transparent head, or a fist-sized head, or five legs. There was a humanoid worm couple who had had screens brought for extra privacy. There were also one or two androids in there, expensive dolls programmed to drink and get 'drunk' with their infatuated owners. The owners were 'greenies', so defined by being so green as to wish to believe their dolls were alive. (Some were so infatuated that they had made arrangements to be buried or cremated alongside their property.) Lalette the redhead whose skin was as pale and glimmering as the Countess's, was ready to cater to Drax's every whim, but really and truly he had none except the whim to leave. He had to be careful, however, and pander to the ever-changeable moods of Prince Barratat. At the moment all was well, but if Drax tried
to leave, or seemed not to be enjoying himself, things could change.