by Dave Lemel
“Enough speculation,” Simon groaned. “At this moment, I have lost all desire to wait to be surprised. Open it.”
Sasha moved to rip the end off and paused. “You sure sure?”
“Yes! I’m absolutely positive now. Way too tempting with that envelope you’re holding. It’s right there inside. I need to know; rip it.”
“Okay, here goes.” Sasha tore an edge all the way off and extracted the contents. A grin slowly stretched over her face as she stared down at the piece of paper in her hands.
“C’mon!” Simon leaned forward. “What’s it say?”
“I was right.” Sasha held up the piece of paper. Written clearly in the center of the torn page of notepad it read, “It’s a girl!”
Todd slammed a fist on the console. “Aww, man. I was so sure.” He quickly looked back up at the screen. “I mean yay, another girl! So cool. So happy for you guys.” He switched his focus to Simon, who was now smiling ear to ear, his eyes filling with tears. One broke free from his left eye before another followed from his right. He wiped each cheek with the corresponding shoulder and stood up. He paced the bridge for a moment, his head shaking side to side as he gazed at the ground. Finally, he looked back up at the screens. “You okay?”
Sasha’s brow creased aggressively. “Of course! What do you mean? ’Cause it’s a girl? I love having a little girl, you know that.”
“Oh, yeah, honey. I just meant ’cause I know you wanted one of each and…” He shook his head again. “This is so different than the last time, geez.”
“Yeah, it really is. And yes, I’m more than okay. I’m thrilled. So excited for another little girl, and Penny gets a little sister.”
“Well,” said Todd, jumping back in, “when you go for three, do something different. Clearly your technique so far is making girls.”
They both laughed before Simon responded. “Dully noted, but I think we’re good for now. Let us at least get through pregnancy number two before we begin discussing number three.”
“Yeah,” added Sasha. “Let’s let this one be healthy like her sister, and you know, maybe make sure we have a home planet to raise them on as well.”
The all-ship intercom crackled to life with Ben’s growl. “Ready when you are up there.”
Todd’s mind snapped back to its current duties as captain. “Oh! Right, right, yes. Decel commencing now.” He slowed the ship, and soon after a small spec in the center of the windshield began to grow. As the pockmarked landscape revealed itself, Todd unstrapped and rose from his seat. “As long as Mission Commander Cain has no more pressing issues to discuss, I say we meet in the garage to head down.”
“Nothing that can’t wait till you have your other passengers aboard and are en route. In fact, I’d prefer that. Make this quick and get movin’ inwards. We need you all safely on Mars.”
“Read you loud and clear.” Simon unstrapped and stood up. “Love you, hun. Give Penny a huge hug for me. We’ll let you know as soon as we get going again.”
“Excellent.” Sasha smiled. “Love you too.”
The screens reverted back to course maps as the structure-filled bubbles clustered on Callisto’s surface became sharper and sharper in the distance.
Chapter 5
Todd and Simon entered the garage to find Ben and Foggen in discussion at the wall of tool boxes. Ben shook his head firmly as he waved his hand in front of himself. “Nah, nah, nah, buddy. I went up for the trip last night. Remember my run the last few rounds? The lead’s mine. I get first choice of tunes.”
Foggen’s slender purple face shook side to side. “You are correct that you went on a run to end our most recent session. However, I maintain a slight advantage overall for this O.E.A.”
“Well, yeah, for the whole O.E.A. you’re up. I meant since we left Gleeb.”
Todd interjected as he approached the black and chrome cruiser. “Would you guys mind settling this after we head down? Actually—” The scissor door to the cruiser opened upward, and Todd leaned over the roof, tapping it twice. “If this is good to go, you guys can keep goin’. I don’t really see any need for a big to do here.”
Ben threw one of his massive paws out, a thumb sticking straight up. “All good, boss. Just get the new passengers and get back up here. Let’s keep movin’.”
“Right on. Open the door for us, would ya?” Todd ducked into his side of the cruiser as Simon slid in on the other. The door to the Henrietta’s garage yawned open, and Todd fired up the cruiser.
As they lifted off the deck, Simon turned to Todd. “Might be a good idea to call down and see where they’re at.”
“Agreed. Wherever they are, though, tell ’em to make their way to Tindell’s. I’m starving.”
The cruiser exited the pass-through gel as Simon placed the call. Following a series of rising and falling tones, Jack’s angular face appeared on the small cruiser dash screen. “What’s happenin’, fellas? You almost here?”
“We are on our way down now,” replied Simon. “You got Li with you?”
“Yeah, he’s just down in the park beside our building. Can’t get enough of the lush green after all that time on Io. I’ll go grab him.”
“When you do, take him to Tindell’s. We need a fix.”
“Uhhh…” A sheepish grin covered Jack’s face. “Any chance we could make it someplace else?”
“Why?” asked Todd, his face contorting in horror. “Do not tell me you don’t like it.”
Jack chuckled. “No, not that, not even close. Quite the opposite, actually. Already ate there today. And yesterday.” Jack rubbed his forehead. “And twice the day before that. Look, I don’t want them to think there’s something wrong with me.”
Todd laughed. “Who cares? You’re leaving for a very long time. Possibly even forever. What’s one more time?”
“Yeah, I guess. What about the market in the main dome by me? They got some great eats. We can still hit Tindell’s on the way out for a bunch of takeout to bring with us.”
Simon shrugged as he looked at Todd. Todd grimaced in reply but nodded. “Fine. I can live with that. But you’re buyin’, and it better be a lot of takeout.”
“You got it,” Jack replied. “I’ll go find Li, and we’ll head to the market. See you guys soon.” The screen went black.
Todd piloted the cruiser toward the largest cluster of domes before banking toward the rectangular pit beside the massive dome at the center of the cluster. It dropped through the pass-through gel at the top and settled into a vacant spot on the floor of Callisto’s main garage. The scissor doors slid up and open, and the marshals stepped out.
“Straight to the station?” Todd asked as the doors to the cruiser glided back down and locked into place.
Simon nodded. “Works for me. We can grab a few things from the mall right before we scoop Tindell’s on our way back.”
As they made their way through the tunnel to the interior of the main dome, Todd shook his head. “Last time we made this walk, I still thought my dad was dead.”
Simon glanced over as they exited the tunnel. “Yeah, man, a lot has happened since then, hasn’t it?” He looked up at the matte black six-story building they were approaching then back at Todd. “I only had one kid too. I mean I still do, but number two is coming.”
Todd pushed through the doorway. “Don’t leave out that Earth was still under human control.”
Simon nodded once sharply. “That’s a biggie.”
As they made their way down to the subway station, Todd flicked his head sideways at a bench. It sat along the edge of a ramped walkway leading to a large set of stairs that led to the station. His skin prickled. “You know that could’ve ended up much worse if not for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“On that bench we just passed. I don’t know if I could’ve calmed myself down in time before I did something really stupid. I was absolutely raging.”
Simon smacked Todd lightly on the arm with the back of his hand. “Awww, c’mo
n. You wouldn’t have done anything that crazy.”
“Dude, I really think I could’ve. I was so fired up when I saw Jay standing on the platform.” He pointed to his left as they descended the final steps. “And then when he stunned me…” Todd shook his head. “I even called the cruiser to come and get me on the ramp there.”
Simon nodded as a train hummed into the station and slowed to a stop. “Yeah, but even if I hadn’t been there to stop the cruiser and talk you down, you would’ve had the flight up to cool down and come to your senses a little. Plus, Ben was warned and had rushed Jay straight to the brig upon arrival.”
The train doors opened and they waited as a few passengers of varying sizes and species stepped out. They entered the mostly empty car and took seats across from one another. “Well,” said Todd as the doors closed and the train began its way out of the station. “I could certainly see Ben having a calming effect on me had I made it up there, murder still on my mind. All right.” He rubbed his chin. “I suppose I will concede I gave you too much credit. One way or the other, I probably would’ve decompressed in time.”
Simon chuckled. “Eh, even if you hadn’t, I love you enough to help you dispose of a body.”
Now Todd chuckled, his eyebrows raised severely. “I wouldn’t be all that shocked if Ben has experience disposing of a body for a friend. That guy has a story for everything.”
They both laughed as the mag-lev train floated along. The walls began to blur as they picked up speed, and Todd’s mind wandered up to the Henrietta and into the locked brig where his father lay frozen in a state of suspended animation.
The train slowed to a stop in the small station at the outskirts of the domed craters of Callisto’s settlement. Todd and Simon rose from their seats and stepped through the open train car doors in search of their human cargo and something to eat. The marshals ascended the rusty staircase, and once they emerged at the top, Simon inhaled deeply through his nose. “Man, it smells good in here today.”
“Yeah.” Todd looked around at all the activity in the central market area of the crater’s ground level. “Appears to be some kind of lunch rush or something.” Lines snaked out from many of the vendors’ stands as sizzling sounds accompanied rising smoke and steam everywhere they looked. “How the heck are we gonna find ’em?”
“BWAAAHAWHAWHAW.” The familiar laughter had erupted from above on the ringed boardwalk overlooking the ground level.
Todd smiled. “Well, that laugh’s a dead giveaway.”
They both gazed up as Simon pointed at the gangly limbed, curly haired source and then waved. “That is definitely not a sound you forget.”
Jack Vaughn’s long arm waved them up and gestured to a stairwell not far off their left. They made their way over, and as they crested the top were greeted warmly with handshakes and hugs. As Todd pulled away from Li, he looked him up and down. “Geez, man, what’ve you been eatin’? We didn’t drop you off that long ago. Looks like you gained a good twenty pounds.”
Li’s face pinched, and he shook his head sharply. “No, not twenty.” His now plumper cheeks curled into a grin. “Eighteen, nineteen maybe, but not twenty.” He patted himself on the belly a few times. “I should get myself over twenty after lunch today.”
“What—have you been eating at Tindell’s twice a day like Jack?”
“No, no, Tindell’s is very good, but it is not just one place here. It is all of them. The food was not plentiful or good on Io. Here it is amazing. I am not doing a very good job controlling myself.”
Simon switched his focus from Li to the edge of the boardwalk and the market below. “Where first?” His eyes returned to Li. “And I’m asking you ’cause I can spot a fellow chow hound a mile away. You, my friend, are clearly a man who enjoys the pursuit of culinary delights.”
“How about a little of everything?” Li replied as he started for the stairwell back down to the source of the enticing smells and sounds. “I know we are kind of in a hurry, but if we spread out we can each grab different things. Then we come together, share everything, and after we are done we go. Should not take long at all.”
Simon practically skipped down the steps as he passed Li. “You point everyone in a direction and tell us what to order.”
Li nodded. “Then we can all meet up in the park by our apartment to eat. I would not mind getting a little more time by the lush green before we leave on our voyage. We have to go back to the apartment for our things anyway.”
As they hit the bottom of the steps, Jack piped up. “What about my ship? Will we need it? Am I leaving it?”
The group of four halted as they reached the outskirts of the food vendors and the lines stretching outward from them. Todd rubbed his head. “I think we should bring it actually. Why not? Even if we don’t end up needing it, let’s operate under the assumption that any resources we arrive with could prove helpful.”
“Cool,” replied Jack. “After we eat, we can load her up and then fly you guys over to the main garage to get your cruiser.”
“And then go pick up Tindell’s quick before we take off,” added Simon firmly as he scanned the vendor stands and the items in the hands of any being walking away from them. “Now, Li, tell us our plan of attack here.”
Twenty or so minutes later, they all sat on a three-foot-tall rock wall along the edge of the park, each holding a plethora of edible spoils from their market raid. Even more surrounded them upon the ledge along the top of the wall in tiny baskets and on small plates. Todd nibbled at the tip of a rich mahogany-colored lump at the end of a stick he was holding. Jack swallowed his mouthful before directing a question at Todd, who was happily chewing a large bite. “You said earlier it’s possible I may never be coming back here after we leave. You really think I may get to stay on Earth after all this?”
Todd glanced up from his meal on a stick. “Oh, yeah, I guess.” He placed the skewered hunk of meat down on one of the small plates at the ledge before continuing. “I meant ’cause we may not survive though.”
Jack stopped chewing his mouthful before shoving it into his cheek with his tongue. “Really?”
Simon peered around from the other side of Jack. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves now.” He patted him on the knee twice. “Like my favorite coach used to say, ‘Can’t get all the runs back with nobody on base. Take it nice and easy, and let’s get one bag at a time’.”
Todd shook his head. “That doesn’t fit the current conversation at all. Besides, he probably just said that to you ’cause you stunk.”
Jack guffawed and nearly choked.
“I didn’t stink! I mean, I wasn’t my grandpa or anything, but I wasn’t that bad. Got a college scholarship to play, so that says something at least.”
Jack turned to Simon, eyebrows raised. “Really?”
Simon nodded before Todd responded from Jack’s other side. “Which you received because of your grandfather’s talent, not your lack of.”
“I was pretty good in high school, man. You only saw me versus college pitching.” Simon rolled his eyes. “That was a whole different animal.” Simon leaned over farther and turned his focus to Li. “Speaking of whole different animals, what you got on that small pink plate there? I would love to sample everything the market master picked up here.”
Li picked up the plate and offered it to Simon. “You know, you and I have much in common. Not only do we both love to eat, but I too stunk at baseball in my youth.”
Todd and Jack nearly fell off the short wall laughing. Simon shook his head as he took the plate and scowled. “How ’bout we finish eating in silence and just enjoy the scenery before we head up.”
Todd hopped off the wall, still chuckling, and grabbed the rest of the food near him. “How ’bout we eat as we walk back to Jack’s so we can help him pack. Still gotta stop at the main dome, and we really should be gettin’ back up as soon as possible to keep moving.” The other three nodded and hopped off the wall as they collected all their plates and baskets. Jack too
k the lead as he veered toward a gap in the wall near the edge of the park.
Chapter 6
The door at the rear of the Henrietta yawned open as the cruiser approached, followed closely by Jack’s new ship. The pair of vessels penetrated the pass-through gel, settled on to the deck of the massive space, and powered down as the door to the garage slowly shut itself once again.
Ben positioned himself beside the cruiser and slapped Todd on the shoulder as he stepped out. “Where’s the takeout? I’ve been starving myself in anticipation.”
Todd pointed to the rear of the black and chrome cruiser. “Trunk. We got a ton. They had to give us the biggest box they could find just to hold it all.”
Li jumped out of a door at the side of Jack’s ship. Jack soon followed. Foggen greeted them warmly as Ben turned from the trunk and made his way over to do the same.
Once they had exchanged pleasantries, Ben reversed back to the trunk. “I’ll bring this beautiful box up to the lounge. You fellas wanna meet me up there to help devour it?”
“Easy, killer,” Todd grinned, “you can bring it up there but then strap it on a shelf in the walk-in before strapping yourself in for departure. We can meet in the lounge as soon as we’re in transit, but I want to get up to speed first.”
“You got it, boss.” Ben grunted as he lifted the box out of its place before nodding in Jack and Li’s direction. “You two follow me. Foggen can head down to the engine room then, and the boys can get us prepped up on the bridge.”
“I can take one of the containers out of there if it is too heavy, Ben,” Li said before inhaling deeply through his nose at the side of the box.
Jack chuckled. “Good lord, man, we just ate. A lot. You’re gonna be three hundred pounds by the time we get to Earth with the pace you’re on lately.”
Ben glanced around the side of the box as they exited the garage and entered the hall. “You have filled out quite a bit, haven’t you, Li?”
Li slapped himself firmly on the stomach a few times and looked up into Ben’s big, mustached face. “It is all muscle, my friend.”