“Good Afternoon.” Wilde interrupted Bach’s concentration. “I see you’ve already figured out a portion of our technology.”
“Amazing stuff!”
“Do you have any questions?”
“Almost afraid to ask.”
“Well, I’m your man when you’re ready, and be sure to keep me informed of anything new you come up with. Need to keep security tight. And just between you and me, keep business with Lavender Rose to a minimum. She’s become emotional since her spouse defected to Ulwor. Still good at her job, but don’t burden her with anything outside of her regular duties.”
“Don’t worry, I’m only browsing. But thanks for the insight.” Bach leaned back in his chair. “Hey, would you like to go to lunch? I’m ready for a break.”
Wilde walked off. “Sorry, can’t get away. Schedule’s full.”
Bach watched Wilde depart and tried to come up with a label befitting the peculiar host. Offbeat, aloof, weird? Maybe he’s intimidated by my sperm donor potential. Nah. Some tech-heads just aren’t wired for human interaction. But he is sort of likeable. When Bach tried to refocus, forbidden thoughts flooded his mind. I can’t waste any more time. Need to find out how to get to Ulwor to rescue my crewmates, how much fuel I’ll need to get there and back, and what weapons I can get my hands on without raising suspicion. He scooted his chair closer to the work area, pulled the cap from the wall, cleared his mind to a single thought, then put the cap on his head. Do they have fuel emission or nuclear power detection on Ulwor?
No voice response.
The green ball of light circled the orange ball on the screen.
A clicking sound filled his ears.
He shook his head, readjusted the cap, and followed the green light with his eyes.
A male voice overrode both the female voice and the clicking sound. “Unauthorized data request! Alert! Alert! Security breach!”
Bach gasped and pressed the sides of his head where the man’s voice came from. He whispered in a panic, “No, no, don’t send an alert. I didn’t know it was wrong, I just thought of it for a moment.”
“Alert!”
“Please erase! Cancel!”
“Alert!”
His voice increased in volume and he shook the small video screen as if that would stop it. “Please cancel. I was only trying to learn.” The clicking sound continued. “Oh, shoot, I have to think it!” he said in near panic. He calmed himself. Cancel. Please cancel.
“Denied.”
Why?
“Security breach. Prohibited inquiry.”
Heart pounding, Bach’s eyes flashed from side to side. What’s going to happen to me?
“Reprimand.”
Reprimand? Who from?
“Altemus.”
Altemus. Bach sighed with relief and didn’t wait for another response. He jerked the cap from his head, talking to himself, “I’ll explain to Altemus. He’ll understand why I was curious. It’s a normal reaction to wonder about things. I’m not an underground Duran dealing confidential info to the Ultimate World. He’ll understand.”
Bach felt like everybody in the room was looking at him. He glanced around, but the Durans were going about their business as usual. As his heart slowly returned to a normal rhythm he looked for something to divert his attention. A soft purple glove lay nearby. He read the directions printed on the back and pulled the Electro Glove onto his hand, then sketched a few basic designs with his fingertip on an illuminated drawing pad. An unexpected array of data and images flashed on the view panel. The device quickly captured his full attention. He sketched an illogical spacecraft prototype just to see what would happen. A maze of lines zigged and zagged across the panel, and soon a dimensional schematic developed. “Yes!” he babbled in excitement. Then an annoying bleep accompanied by a series of garbled images overlaid his data, and a bright red band, “Input Halted” flashed on the panel. His work disappeared. Wondering what he did wrong, he read the directions on the glove again.
Now the panel flickered back to life with a printed message. “Hello, my earthling friend. Anything I can help you with? Love, from Station 3.”
Bach rolled his chair back and looked over his shoulder toward Station 3. Lavender Rose! She smiled, then scrawled on her touchpad. The input displayed on Bach’s panel. “I’ve locked you out. You can’t have full access. How about lunch—sparkling water?”
Wish she’d leave me alone, he grumbled inside his head. But she won’t take no for an answer. Giving in to good manners, he grudgingly nodded while squirming inside for a way out, then snatched off the Electro Glove and grabbed the energy drink in frustration. As he drew the mug to his lips, a stream of bubbles appeared on the surface. He poked at them with his finger. They didn’t break, but sank and resurfaced. He pushed them under again, but this time the murky fluid reacted with a change of color to a translucent yellow. The Specter’s face materialized, and taunting words rolled from his silvery tongue. “Join us, Bach. Your skills and devotion will serve us well.” He waited for a moment. “Your crewmates, and the one you love, miss you.”
Bach’s stomach wrenched at mention of his loved one and his crewmates. He slammed the mug on the touchpad in anger. The sticky drink splashed over the workstation and dripped from the pad to the floor. The Specter’s words faded, “Time’s running out.”
Bach leapt from his chair, grabbed his tools and paperwork, and shook them off. At the same time, a note from Lavender Rose appeared on his data panel. “There’s a mop in the closet. Do you want me to get it for you?”
He glared at her and mouthed the word, “No,” as he plopped into the chair and blotted the spill with paper scraps.
Then someone rolled his chair forward as far as it could go under the desktop with him in it. Lavender Rose pressed her body against his back, then reached over his shoulder, stroked the touchpad, and whispered from her pouty red lips, “Now you’re shut down. Let’s go.”
“I have to clean up this mess.”
“Housekeeping robots will take care of it.” Her cheek brushed his. “I’m keeping you on limited system access until you have lunch with me.”
“Altemus said I’d have full access.” In the midst of stress and irritation, Bach felt his temperament soften from Lavender’s bewitching fragrance. Why does such an aggravating person have to smell so good? He tried to stand, but his chair was too far under the desk and Lavender was still behind it, so he turned his head to one side. “Not hungry right now.”
She moved her face to within inches of his and looked into his eyes.
He stammered, “And, I, uh, have too much on my mind.”
“Like what?” she asked playfully.
“I just saw the Specter for the third time.” He hesitated. “Does he know everything?”
“No, Bach, he doesn’t know what you’re thinking. But he does have a direct link to emotional distress. He’s come in through your mind to torment you at a time of weakness. You have a period of growth necessary before you’ll understand how to deal with it. Do I make you weak?”
He tensed.
She pulled his chair back, swiveled it to one side, gripped the armrests and said, “I’ll be glad to teach you everything I know.”
Bach pushed his feet hard against the floor and inched the chair backward. Lavender Rose held fast. He motioned with his head toward a digital readout on the wall. “Sorry. I’ve a meeting with Altemus … right about now.” He put his hands on her waist, moved her aside, then race-walked to a vacuum lift. As the door slid closed, the last thing he saw was Lavender Rose sitting in his chair at his work bay. She grinned provocatively and waved.
*****
The lift door opened with a pneumatic hiss at the communications wing’s sprawling upper level. Bach’s getaway stride ended at his mentor’s office. Uncomfortable about arriving unannounced his first time at the office, he hesitated at the half-closed door and noticed at eye level, an unusual nameplate of polished black stone encircled by gilded leaves. Fan
cy gold script spelled out the name, Altemus Rider. Hmmm. Rider, that’s the only last name I’ve seen or heard. He registered the find in his brain and rapped on the doorframe. “Altemus?”
“Come in, come in,” the old man bellowed in a stress-filled voice.
Not knowing if he should swing the door full open, Bach squeezed through without opening it farther. Altemus sat behind a cluttered desk twenty feet away with a beeping electronic device in his hand. He didn’t look up. “Bach, good to see you. Come in. Sorry I wasn’t able to work with you this morning. Can I help you with something?”
“Uh, well, not really. I just stopped by to say….” His words trailed off at seeing a wall-sized window to his left overlooking the assembly floor where Jenesis’s new starship was under construction. “You supervise construction from here?” he asked in surprise.
Altemus still didn’t look up. “I can’t get around as well as I used to—this is a workable solution. Only go down there for hands-on inspection at critical points. New starship’s specs have no margin for error.”
On the window ledge, two furry animals lay stretched out in pleasurable sleep. Bach approached slowly, noting their tufted ears and bunny tails. “What are these? I didn’t know there were animals in Dura. They almost look like cats.” He stroked the orange striped one and a soothing vibration rocked its little body, but it didn’t stir.
“They’re wurrs. Star brings them with her every day. Orange one’s Arro, gray and white one’s Lotus. She leaves them in my office because I spoil them.” He nodded to himself. “They’re the only animals left in Dura.” Altemus finally looked at Bach. “Let’s set aside time to bring you up to date on Jenesis’s essentials.”
“Sounds good. I scanned the intelligence system this morning, and even with limited access, I’m amazed at the technology here.”
“Limited access? You have full security clearance.”
“Lavender Rose just told me I don’t.”
Altemus slammed his wrinkled hands on the desk and pushed himself up with a pained grimace. Seating his trifocals on his nose, he grumbled, “I gave her explicit instructions to initiate full capabilities for you, and to schedule a briefing on our current projects. Did she get with you at all?”
Bach cleared his throat. “Only to invite me to lunch. She’s very flirtatious. It makes me uncomfortable.” Feeling relief at purging his problem, he added, “And she interrupted my research this morning for no good reason.”
“Unacceptable! We have too much to do. Personal feelings and emotions must be kept in check. I’ll have my assistant arrange your training with Wilde.” He pushed a button on the intercom and bellowed, “Monroe, please come to my office. Now!”
While awaiting the assistant’s arrival, Altemus stepped to Bach’s side at the picture window. As they watched activity on the production floor the old man welled with fatherly pride and explained how the starship’s new technology would aid in restoring the eleven planets through land parcel and resource relocation.
Altemus used his hands for emphasis as he spoke. Bach noticed a rough-finished gold ring on the elder’s left hand, middle finger. He wanted a better look at it, but stayed focused on the technical conversation. “I love what I’ve seen so far,” he said, “and think I’ll work well with your technology. The concepts are incredible. They’re far beyond all the plans and dreams I’ve had in my head that Earth’s technology couldn’t accommodate.” Then he blurted out, “I just noticed your unusual ring. What does it represent?”
Altemus pulled hard to remove the ring then handed it to Bach. “It depicts a tree of life. My beloved spouse, Casso, rest her soul, designed it.”
Bach examined the ring—a tree trunk that wrapped around the finger, with a small branch on each side.
The elder pointed to the ring. “Casso was inspired by how trees reached out and grew in the light. Our love grew in the same way.” He struggled for breath. “She’s been gone too long. Can’t wear it much anymore—hands are swelling—but it comforts me.”
Monroe rapped on the office door then stepped inside. When Bach looked up, his mental focus took leave. The bodacious, breathtaking blond looked like a clone of her namesake, Marilyn Monroe. How can it be? An astral Marilyn Monroe? Mouth agape, he recalled the famous poster of Marilyn with her white dress billowing up and the movie with her dancing around flashing diamond jewelry.
Altemus took his ring back without Bach knowing it, and made the introduction. “Monroe, this is Bach Turner. Bach, Monroe, my assistant.”
Monroe grasped Bach’s hand. “Nice to meet you,” she said, her voice soft.
Bach stared, but at this point gathering his thoughts was like trying to unscramble eggs. “Uh, yeah, me too.”
Altemus unclasped the couple’s hands. “Monroe, please show him to Wilde’s area.”
“My pleasure,” she purred. “Wilde’s in the restricted area right now. I’ll have security issue a guest pass.”
“No guest pass,” Altemus said, pointing his finger. “Bach’s on full clearance—allowed access to everything.” His hand moved to his forehead and he blew out a puff of air. “Oh, wait, Monroe, you might have a problem with his clearance. I’ll take care of it. Thanks for coming by.”
The beauty turned to leave just as Star stepped in. “Hi, Dad. Oh, hi, Monroe. Hi, Bach, sorry to interrupt. There’s a miscalculation in the starship’s design, Dad. Need your help.”
Relieved that his daughter had stopped by, Altemus replied, “Okay, bring me the spec analysis, but don’t plan to drop it and run, you need to understand what I’m doing.” After a moment’s hesitation he added, “Before we start, please clear up a problem with Bach’s security clearance then take him to Wilde’s area.”
Bach shook the old man’s hand. “Thanks. Maybe we can have lunch later?”
“Come back in two hours.” The elder cleaned his wire-rimmed trifocals on his sleeve.
#
Star and Bach walked through the noisy facility, but for a while neither spoke. From time to time, Bach glanced sideways at the beautiful Duran, all the while enjoying subtle wafts of her intoxicating fragrance. Still, he kept thinking how his life had changed. I’m a stranger to myself. I used to be full of fun … singing silly songs. Now nothing’s familiar and the only thing that keeps me going is a goal no one wants me to reach.
“I saw the Specter’s face again,” he blurted out. “He told me my crewmates miss me, that they’re in danger. Would he torture them?”
She hesitated. “He’s not into physical pain, he manipulates through pleasure. In time, gratification turns to dependence on him for feelings of self-worth and well-being. Loss of identity soon follows. I hope your crewmates have inner strength to withstand his deception.”
“Kaz, my fiancée, is not strong emotionally. But she’s strong-willed. Brainwashing her would be next to impossible. If they’re all together, I know they’re planning an escape. I have to try to rescue them.”
The look in Star’s sapphire blue eyes could have spoken for her, but she warned, “That won’t be possible. Don’t let the Specter manipulate your emotions and deceive you.”
*****
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Bach met Altemus in his office and the two headed to the refectory for lunch. During a brief ride through an underground tunnel connecting one Skyprism to another, Altemus chose the private moment to reprimand Bach for using the thought cap to inquire about Ulwor. Once again, he ordered him to abandon the idea of rescuing his crewmates.
Altemus swung the refectory door open and motioned for Bach to enter the massive dining room. He couldn’t take it all in at first, but a meld of delectable aromas quickly led him to the food service bar. Standing in line, faced with dozens of entrees emitting a harmony of scents, he nodded to Altemus. “It all looks good.”
“Don’t be bashful. Take a little of each.”
Bach asked the voice-activated robot staff for small servings of four different entrees. Desserts at the end of the lin
e offered more choices. He took three samples. Altemus chuckled with a headshake.
As they moved toward the dining area, Bach looked for a place to sit. Lavender Rose, seated at a corner table with two pilots from the co-op missions, feverishly flagged him down.
He damned himself for making eye contact and turned to Altemus, hoping for a way out. “Where should we sit?”
“Go ahead, join them. That’s Griffon and Nova, two of our co-op space travelers. You’ll see a lot of them in the comm center when they’re prepping for their missions. I’d prefer to eat back at my office anyway.”
Bach parted company with Altemus and shuffled to the table with a phony smile pasted on his face.
Lavender Rose ignored her cohorts. “So, Bach, we manage to have lunch together after all.”
He unloaded his tray and sat down, glancing back and forth at the unfamiliar man and woman.
Griffon spoke up. “Hello, Bach, I’m Griffon and this is Nova, and you know Lavender Rose.”
“Yes, I know Lavender,” he said dryly.
Griffon’s hazel eyes twinkled mischievously from beneath a shock of brown hair. “How is it being the new man on the planet? A handsome guy like you must be feeling like free game.” He paused with a grin. “The whole complex is buzzing with news of your arrival. Especially the ladies.”
Nova elbowed him. The pretty redhead’s voice was innocent, yet sexy. “Stop it, Griffon. It doesn’t matter if he’s male or female. We treat everyone equally.”
Griffon chuckled and reared back in his chair, eyes dancing back and forth between Nova and Lavender Rose. “But you ladies sure like that he’s male.” He noticed Bach shift in his seat. “I’m sorry Bach. I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” Griffon quickly added.“But it’s entertaining to watch all the giggling females going out of their way to get a closer look—”
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